Firstly, what is a herniated disc?
A Herniated Disc is when an intervertebral spinal disc becomes damaged from increased pressure, causing the disc’s inner, gel-like center to seep out and irritate surrounding nerves. They’re most common in the lower part of the spine, but can also develop in the neck and the mid-back of the spine as well.
Can you live with a herniated disc?
While some herniated discs can be left untreated, that doesn’t mean they should be. A herniated disc is caused by a sudden injury, and sometimes that disc injury takes awhile for the pain to develop. For this reason a herniated disc is overlooked often, mostly because the individual thinks the injury is not as bad as it is. There are instances where the individual is aware that they have a back injury but due to their busy life or fear of surgery, they just try to deal with the pain in their own way and put their injury on the back burner. Some even try to treat their disc injury with home remedies (which may provide some temporary relief) and then they simply “wait” for the issue to clear up; but just because the pain subsides does not mean that they have healed. An untreated disc injury doesn’t just go away; the injury will just worsen over time and the pain will eventually turn into chronic pain.
What long term effects are there if left untreated?
If a herniated disc is left untreated, complications in other parts of your body can arise. The acute pain that occurs with a herniated disc will transition into chronic pain if the injury is not addressed and can eventually cause permanent nerve damage. Nerve damage can negatively impact your daily life and prevent you from carrying out your normal activities. When nerve damage happens it may result in:
* Loss of normal bowel or bladder control.
* Ongoing muscle weakness or partial paralysis in one or both of your legs or arms.
* Loss of sensation in the buttocks and thighs which is called saddle anesthesia.
When to call us
While a herniated disc can usually be treated with non-invasive methods, a condition that is left untreated may progress to the point that the only route possible is a surgical one. We do recommend that you schedule a visit with Select Health, when you First experience pain in your back. Don’t wait! Especially if you develop:
- Tingling, numbness, or pain traveling into an arm or leg, which is an indication of irritated nerves.
- Weakness in your legs or arms.
- Difficulty walking or problems holding or lifting up items.
- Experiencing pain that makes it difficult to complete your daily activities or unable to rest at night.
- Discomfort that worsens rather than decreases over time.
So, as you can see, it’s important that you don’t ignore a herniated disc. At Select Health Pain and Regenerative Solutions, we’re very excited to announce that we’ve partnered with a local Regenerative Medicine physician to provide you with the absolute best joint and spine care. We offer RejuvaDISC, which is a non-surgical process that utilizes state-of-the-art technologies and procedures that treat the root cause of your pain with little to no downtime. When you schedule your consultation, we will discuss all the options available to you that will help relieve your pain and alleviate your symptoms. Schedule your consultation today at selecthealthtc.com
