If you're experiencing neck, mid back, or low back pain, any activity involving prolonged sitting will often worsen the pain. Furthermore, if you have a pre-existing disc herniation or disc bulge, prolonged sitting in the car can further exacerbate your condition.
Doctors recommend that people recovering from herniated disc surgery avoid the following activities for around 4 weeks: driving. sitting for long periods. lifting heavy weights.
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. The pain gets worse when you make these movements because there is more pressure on the nerve.
An untreated herniated disk can get worse. That's especially true if you continue the activities that caused it — for instance, if it developed because of your work. A worsening ruptured disk may cause chronic (ongoing) pain and loss of control or sensation in the affected area.
If you leave a herniated disc untreated, you may experience intense, sharp pains, partial paralysis, or the inability to control bowel movements in relatively dire situations.
If you experience severe pain and worsening symptoms, it may be best to take some time off to rest and recover. Additionally, if your job involves heavy lifting or other strenuous activities, it may be necessary to take some time off to protect your spine and allow for proper healing.
People with a herniated disk should avoid doing strenuous activities during recovery. People should avoid all exercises that cause pain or feel as though they are making 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.
Rest. Most often 1-2 days of strict bed rest will calm severe back pain. Bed rest should not exceed 48 hours. Once you are back into your daily routine, you should take frequent rest breaks throughout the day- but avoid sitting for long periods of time.
He explains that it's best to be up about as much as possible; complete bed rest for a herniated disc is not recommended. Many patients with a slipped disc find that sleeping in a recliner chair is most comfortable.
The spinal canal has limited space, which is inadequate for the spinal nerve and the displaced herniated disc fragment. Due to this displacement, the disc presses on spinal nerves, often producing pain, which may be severe.
This causes increased compression and stress on the spinal disc. Secondly, physically demanding driving occupations may increase your risk. Even for long-haul truck drivers, prolonged hours in a seated position put stress on the disc. Finally, some people are genetically predisposed to developing a herniated disc.
The good news is that in most cases — 90% of the time — pain caused by a herniated disc will go away on its own within six months. Initially, your doctor will likely recommend that you take an over-the-counter pain reliever and limit activities that cause pain or discomfort.
Once a healthy disc herniates, it will never return to its normal anatomical state—the disease or injury is permanent in nature.
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.
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.
Herniated discs can cause debilitating pain that radiates down the legs. Due to the severity of the severity of the pain, your mobility can be impacted and you may not be able to stand or sit in the same position for long periods. The numbness and tingling can impact your ability to function as well.
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.
There are several signs of a healed herniated disk. 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.
Your doctor might recommend surgery as an option for your herniated disc if: Your symptoms have lasted at least 6 weeks and make it hard to do your normal activities, and other treatments haven't helped. You need to get better quickly because of your job or to get back to your other activities as soon as possible.