Herniated disk pain relief for those who suffer from long term herniated disk problems can take the form of surgery or medication. A herniated disk is a debilitating condition that causes a great deal of pain for many unfortunate sufferers and adequate pain management is an important part of the treatment process.
Herniated disk pain is triggered by the inner gel of the disks between back vertebrae slipping out. When this inner material bulges out through the outer covering of fibrous material, it presses on the spinal cord or surrounding nerve roots, which causes excruciating pain. Very often, this process is caused by degenerative damage as a result of the aging process, although it can also be as a result of conditions such as arthritis.
Surgery is often seen as the ideal herniated disk pain relief option. Many people believe that once they have had surgery to treat the disk, their condition will be cured and they will suffer no more pain. Unfortunately, this is not necessarily the case. In many cases, the success rates for this type of operation are disappointing. With each subsequent surgical procedure, the patient experiences a decrease in the amount of pain relief and in many cases the complex surgery can actually increase pain levels rather than relieve them.
Non surgical treatments have a far higher success rate for treating herniated disk problems and many patients have reported significant improvements in pain relief within six months. Unfortunately, the main problem with medicinal pain relief for herniated disk problems is the risk of addiction when the medications are taken long term. Pain medications do not cure the underlying problem—they simply deal with the symptoms of inflammation, nerve pain, spasms, and insomnia as a result of chronic pain. Long term use of such medication can also have unwelcome side effects such as digestive problems and liver damage.
Steroid injections directly into the site of the disk damage are an alternative to orally administered herniated disk pain relief medication. Cortisone helps to sooth the inflamed nerves and provides pain relief. Unfortunately, this can be administered no more than twice per year due to potential cartilage damage.
Natural herniated disk pain relief treatments are considered to be more effective than many traditional medications. Acupuncture, Chiropractic, and Naprapathy treatments can offer effective pain relief without the side effects common with surgery and medicines. For many people, natural pain relief is a far superior method of managing long term chronic pain associated with conditions like a herniated disk. Alternative medicine practitioners can usually be referred from your physician, so it is definitely an avenue worth considering when all others have failed.
For less severe cases, there are a few simple treatments that can be carried out at home. Ice is very useful for relieving aggravated nerves and inflammation. Ice cools the area down and soothes the pain. For maximum effect, it needs to be repeated every hour. Pain relief gels bought from a pharmacy can also sooth the local area and relieve pain until the inflammation subsides. The other therapy worth trying is to exercise the area by using a large therapy ball. This encourages nutrients and oxygen into the disk jelly, which will not only relieve the pain, it will also encourage healing.
Our site contains a world of information on herniated discs, their causes and their cures. If you want to stay up to date and informed on this subject, please feel free to visit.
http://www.herniateddiscbacksurgery.com
