Muscle Relaxants vs. Injections for Herniated Discs: Which Work Better?

A herniated disc can occur anywhere along the spine after trauma from a fall, sports injury, or other unexpected event. The pain and other symptoms of a damaged disc can limit what you can do physically and send you on a search for the most effective treatment.

At New Tampa Interventional Pain & Sports Medicine, we offer the latest advancements in pain management strategies to ease herniated disc pain, so you can stay active.

Interventional pain specialist Jose De La Torre, MD, focuses on the least invasive treatment option to get you on the road to recovery. Dr. De La Torre also offers solutions to prevent the herniated disc from getting worse, so you can avoid surgery.

An overview of a herniated disc

In between the vertebrae of your spine are durable discs that absorb the shocks of your movements. The discs have a rubbery outer shell that cover a soft, gel-like center.

Pressure on your spine from an injury or a degenerative condition like arthritis can squeeze the disc and break its outer shell (herniation). This can allow the vertebrae to rub together, creating friction, inflammation and pain in the area of the disc.

If the soft gel center of the disc pushes out and onto a nearby nerve, you may also experience pain, tingling, and numbness in your back or neck. These symptoms can also radiate into your arms and legs.

Surgery is rarely recommended as the first treatment option for a herniated disc. Instead, we provide treatments like muscle relaxers and injection therapies to control your pain and ease inflammation that develops around the damaged disc.

The choice between muscle relaxers and injections

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for herniated disc pain relief. Dr. De La Torre determines which treatment is most appropriate after reviewing your medical history, the severity of your symptoms, and your personal preferences.

Initially, he may recommend home exercises or physical therapy to increase the strength and flexibility of the muscles that support your spine. If pain persists, Dr. De La Torre may recommend:

Muscle relaxers

Muscle-relaxing medications can ease spasms in your upper, middle, or lower back by reducing central nervous system activity.

Injections

Injectable corticosteroids offer pain relief by reducing inflammation in the tissues near the damaged disc. We also offer epidural injections that deliver anti-inflammatory medications and a local anesthetic into the epidural space of your spine.

Pros and cons of pain management options for a herniated disc

Injectable therapies offer results that can last for several weeks. By contrast, you’ll likely need to take oral medications daily to keep your pain well-controlled.

Oral muscle relaxers may prevent you from doing certain activities due to the relaxing effects they have on your body. You may not be a candidate for these medications in the long term if you need to stay active.

With injections, you may be able to return to your usual activities right away without concerns of drowsy side effects.

Dr. De La Torre and our interventional pain management team discuss all your options for pain relief and help you make the best decisions about your health. They can also discuss your options for surgery if your herniated disc pain gets worse.

Call New Tampa Interventional Pain and Sports Medicine in Wesley Chapel, Florida, today to schedule an evaluation for herniated disc pain. You can also book an appointment online.