Daily walks are an excellent way to exercise with a herniated disc, without putting additional strain on your spine and causing painful symptoms to flare up.
Exercises and physiotherapy are often important parts of recovery from a herniated disk. A doctor will usually recommend a few days of rest after experiencing a herniated disk. Doing gentle activities and exercises will strengthen the muscles that support the spine and reduce pressure on the spinal column.
Walking is a very suitable exercise for people with lumbar disc herniation. Regular daily, patients can walk for 30-45 minutes in the morning and afternoon or if they have time, they should take advantage of both sessions.
The pain from a herniated disc usually is worse when you are active and gets better when you are resting. Coughing, sneezing, sitting, driving, and bending forward may make the pain worse.
Self care: In most cases, the pain from a herniated disc will get better within a couple days and completely resolve in 4 to 6 weeks. Restricting your activity, ice/heat therapy, and taking over the counter medications will help your recovery.
Herniated disks get better on their own over time or with nonsurgical treatment for 9 out of 10 people. If other treatments don't relieve your symptoms, your healthcare provider may recommend surgery.
Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut answer as to whether your disc herniation will fully heal. With treatment, a disc herniation can dry up, shrink or go away. Your body may have an autoimmune response and aid in healing the herniation.
Signs Your Herniated Disc is Healing
However, the first symptom that will reveal that you are on the way to healing is that the sharp, shooting pain in your legs or arms will go away, followed by some muscle weakness in that nerve path. However, if you have numbness, it might take longer to heal.
Seek emergency medical attention if you have: Worsening symptoms. Pain, numbness or weakness can increase to the point that they hamper your daily activities. Bladder or bowel dysfunction.
Non-surgical treatments can include physical therapy or bracing to try and gradually ease the bulging disc back into its rightful place. When these conservative options fail, and there is still a lot of pain, a minimally invasive surgical procedure can be used to correct the bulging disc.
Sitting. Sitting for long periods of time isn't ideal for people with a herniated disc. A standing desk is a great option, but if you must sit, rest your spine firmly against the chair back, sit up straight, and don't slouch (which strains the spinal ligaments and aggravates a herniated disc).
While some people may think they need to stop exercising if they have a disc herniation, this is not the case! Exercise is recommended for people with a disc injury with the main goal of strengthening the muscles of the back to support the spine.
The healing time for a herniated disc depends on the exact nature of the injury and symptoms, and can last from just a few days to months, according to Gbolabo Sokunbi, M.D., Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Living with a herniated disc
Your chances of getting better are good. Most people who have a herniated disc are better in about 4 weeks. Sometimes it takes longer. If you still have pain or numbness after 4 to 6 weeks, or if you feel worse, talk with your doctor.
According to Spine Universe, chiropractic care is a non-surgical option for herniated disc treatment. This makes choosing a chiropractor to address problems with a herniated disc a viable option if you want to avoid undergoing any surgical procedures.
Stages three and four: disc extrusion and sequestration
In the final stage, not only does the nucleus leak out, but it begins dripping out of the disc. In stages three and four, pain is often accompanied by tingling, numbness, and weakness in the nearby tissues.
In general, a flare-up can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks.
Decompress your spine
– Reach overhead and hold the bar with an overhand grip. – Allow yourself to hang for 30 seconds. – Repeat 3 times. This exercise will take pressure off your discs by creating space between your vertebrae.
Stretching should be done carefully. It's important also to do the right types of stretches since some types actually make your disc herniation worse. Before beginning any exercise routine, it's always a good idea to consult with your pain management physician.
A herniated disc can cause pain while you sleep for a few reasons. First, when you lie down, the pressure on your discs increases. It can cause the herniated disc to bulge more and pressure your nerves. Second, lying down flat on your back may not be the best position for a herniated disc.
Massage therapy can offer relief of bulging disc by treating the condition at its roots. Very often, imbalances in the skeletal structure, such as being “stuck” in a side-tilted position, may predispose one toward this injury, and/or result from it.