5 Treatments for a Herniated Disc

An estimated 2% of Americans develop a herniated disc each year, which is responsible for chronic back and neck pain in men and women.

To help you find lasting pain relief and better spinal mobility, New Tampa Interventional Pain & Sports Medicine offers several nonsurgical treatment options.

Our pain management specialist Jose De La Torre, MD, focuses on therapies that target the damaged disc without disrupting the function of your spine. Dr. De La Torre can also provide resources you can use to prevent additional herniated discs.

Why you have a herniated disc

Between your spinal vertebrae and protective discs that prevent your bones from rubbing against each other. The discs feature a tough, outer shell and a soft, gel-like center that absorbs the shock of your movements.

Your spinal discs are durable but susceptible to injury and premature degeneration, especially if you work in a manual labor job, do a lot of heavy lifting, or participate in high-impact sports. These activities can cause a herniated disc, which occurs when the outer shell of a disc wears down and forces the soft center outward.

When the disc material pushes on nearby spinal nerves, you can experience a range of symptoms that affect your mobility and quality of life. A herniated disc causes symptoms that affect your back and neck, including:

• Pain
• Tingling
• Weakness
• Numbness

Pain and other symptoms can also radiate into your shoulders and arms, hips, legs, and feet and increase your risk for sciatica. Additionally, without the protection of the discs, your spinal vertebrae can rub together, creating friction, persistent inflammation, and pain.

5 treatment options for herniated disc symptom relief

The goal of our herniated disc treatments is to help you find sufficient pain relief, so you can focus on strengthening the muscles supporting your spine.

Dr. De La Torre uses in-office imaging technologies to locate the damaged spinal disc and customizes a care plan to treat it. He might recommend one or more treatments like:

• Oral pain relievers and anti-inflammatories
• Corticosteroid injections
• Epidural steroid injections
• Chiropractic adjustments
• Therapeutic massage

Once you’re feeling better, we can refer you for physical therapy, so you can learn how to do exercises that strengthen the muscles along your spine and improve the range of motion you have in your back and neck.

When to consider surgery for a herniated disc

Only when nonsurgical therapies aren’t working will Dr. De La Torre recommend surgery. The goal of surgery is to remove the damaged disc material and replace it with an artificial device that works like your natural disc.

Surgery may be an option if you have persistent and severe symptoms of a herniated disc, such as difficulties walking or the loss of bowel or bladder control.

Following treatment or surgery, our team can recommend strategies you can use to prevent additional herniated discs from occurring. These strategies might include becoming more mindful of your posture, getting daily exercise, and quitting smoking.

Weight loss can also be an effective tool for herniated disc pain relief if you’re overweight or obese. Losing even a small percentage of excess weight takes the pressure off your spine to relieve existing pain and prevent additional disc herniation.

Call New Tampa Interventional Pain & Sports Medicine in Wesley Chapel, Florida, today to schedule a diagnostic evaluation for a herniated disc or book an appointment online.