Can A Herniated Disc Heal?

A herniated disc is a common cause of back, neck, and leg pain. St. Louis Pain Consultants is an interventional pain management clinic that can accurately diagnose your pain and explain the various treatment options available today. Here is some helpful informationabout the herniated disc.

What Are the Symptoms of a Herniated Disc?

The symptoms of a herniated disc vary depending on where the disc herniation takes place in the spine, and whether the nerve tissue is irritated. Here are some of the symptoms of a herniated disc to look out for:

Herniated Disc in the Back

Sciatic nerve pain is common for a herniated disc in the lower back. The sharp pain shoots down on one side of your buttocks into your legs and, at times to the foot. We advise our patients to be on the lookout for back pain, muscle weakness, and tingling numbness in their feet or legs.

Herniated Disc in the Neck

Watch out for pain between your shoulder blades or down your neck. St. Louis Pain Consultants help patients identify sharp pain that increases when turning or bending their necks. If you are unsure whether your neck pain is a herniated disc, visit our clinic to get an accurate diagnosis. 

Diagnosis of Herniated Disc

Our doctors will do a thorough physical exam and if needed order necessary imaging studies to locate the source of your pain and make an accurate diagnosis.

Imaging Tests

• X-rays help rule out other causes of back pain, such as tumors, infections, and spinal alignment issues.
• CT scans take a series of X-rays from different directions and then combine them to create cross-sectional images of the spinal column and everything around it.
• An MRI helps confirm the location of the herniated disc and identify what other affected nerves.

Nerve Tests

Nerve condition and electromyograms study how electrical impulses move along the nerve tissue. Nerve tests help identify the location of nerve damage.  With an EMG study, electrodes are placed onto different muscles to evaluate the electrical activity of the muscles when at rest and contracted.

Treatment Options 

Depending on the severity of symptoms, we may recommend the following treatment options.

Medication

For mild pain, we may recommend an anti-inflammatory muscle relaxant which affects the nerve impulses, hence minimizing the pain.

Physical Therapy

Our specialists may recommend physical therapy to learn how to perform exercises that strengthen the muscles supporting your back which can improve herniated disc symptoms. Physical therapy exercise may help minimize the pain of a herniated disc. Physical therapy treatments may include:

• Massage
• Ultrasound therapy
• Stretching exercises
• Aerobics
• Use of ice and heat

Choose the Best Pain Management Clinic

If you have been struggling with chronic pain contact St. Louis Pain Consultants. We are a trusted interventional pain management facility in St. Louis, Missouri. We are experts at diagnosing and developing the best treatment plan for patients suffering from herniated disc issues. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.