Spinal Health - Herniated Or Ruptured Disk

Discs are positioned between each vertebra bone in your spine. A disc is made up of two parts: the outer ring is called the annulus; the inner part is called the nucleus. The annulus is hard and fibrous, while the inner nucleus is made up of soft gelatinous material. These discs allow for easy mobility of the backbone as we move and bend, and act as cushions between the vertebral column.

The effects of frequent excessive pressure on your back can cause the discs in your spinal column to rupture or be herniated. Ordinary aging will decrease the height and the softness of the disc, so they will become less effective as shock absorbers. A ruptured or herniated disc happens when pressure causes the nucleus to push against the annulus to the degree that the annulus rips. The majority of herniated discs will rupture toward the spine, causing pain, pressure and irritation on the nerves.

If the rupture is bad enough to cause irritation, you will often times have pain shooting down the leg, following the course of the nerve. You may also experience numbness, weakness or tingling in the leg. More severe cases can involve pain in both legs and loss of bladder or bowel control. If those symptoms occur, a doctor should treat the problem immediately.

Most of the time, a ruptured or herniated disc can get better without surgery. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs (also known as NSAIDS) such as Advil or Aleve can relieve the pressure and alleviate the pain after a few days. If, after a few days, the NSAID is not mitigating the pain, the next step may be prescription medicine such as higher strength NSAIDS, pain medication, steroids or muscle relaxers.

If the stronger medication is also not effective, you'll need further testing in the form of a MRI or CT scan. The results of these tests can establish if you will need an epidural injection of Cortisone. The injection is into your back, around the root of the nerve being pinched.

If none of these treatments help, a microdiscectomy may be needed. A microdiscectomy is a surgical procedure that is done trough a small incision. Using magnification and special instruments, the spine surgeon in Chennai can remove the portion of the disc that is ruptured and causing discomfort. A microdiscectomy is less invasive than a traditional lumbar laminectomy, usually being performed with epidural anesthesia so the patient can stay awake during the procedure. The likelihood of vomiting or nausea after a microdiscectomy is decreased, and patients can usually go home a few hours after surgery.

After your symptoms subside, start an exercise or walking program to rehabilitate and strengthen your back to significantly reduce the chances of a slipped disc or pinched nerve from happening again. If you are overweight, losing the extra pounds can remove the excess pressure on your back. Practice safe lifting techniques with proper back mechanics when moving heavy objects.

Lower Back Pain Relief: Non Conventional Treatment Options

Lower back pain relief is brought to pass in most cases through interventional therapy, which involves blocking the conduction of nerve between specific areas of the brain and the body. Injecting steroids, narcotics, and local anesthetics into affected joints, nerves or soft tissues, does this. Traction is another method through which pain is reduced and in this case weights are used to apply force to pull the structure of skeleton into better alignment.

The method called Transcutaneous electrical nerve simulation is also employed to bring lower back pain relief. In this case a battery-powered device is used to send mild electric pulses along the nerve fibers in order to block pain signals to the brain. 

Ultrasound is a therapy that is non-invasive and works by warming the internal tissues of the body that results in the relaxation of muscles. Fractures of the vertebrae are sealed by minimally invasive treatments like vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. In the former, a doctor guides a fine needle into the vertebral body and injects glue like epoxy, which hardens to stabilize the bone, and in the latter a special balloon is inserted and inflated to reduce spinal deformity.

At times surgical methods are used to bring lower back pain relief, and usually in cases where the patient does not respond to therapies. Procedures like Foraminotomy, Disectomy, are used to clear obstructions or internal injuries. Moreover there are some complex treatments like IntraDiscal Electrothermal Therapy and Nucleoplasty among other that are used to alleviate back pain. In the first case thermal energy is used to treat back pain while in nucleoplasty uses radiofrequency energy to treat patients who suffer from contained or mildly herniated discs.

Other methods that bring lower back pain relief are Spinal laminectomy, a procedure that involves the removal of the lamina in order to relive pressure on nerve roots and spinal chords. Radiofrequency lesioning is a technique wherein conduction of pain signals is interrupted through electrical impulses and is used frequently by neurosurgeons in Chennai to treat chronic pain in the back. Another technique used to lessen back pain is Spinal fusion, and as the name suggests in this method involves the removal of two or more vertebrae and the fusion of two adjacent vertebrae.

Other procedures that bring lower back pain relief are cordotomy, rhizotomy, and DREZ, which are surgical in nature and all of them involve the severing or destruction of the nerve root, nerve fibre or spinal neurons. 

Many of the causes of lower back pain are work related and taking cognizance of this fact more and more employees are promoting ergonomically designed tools. All in all modern sciences has developed various procedures to tackles this frequently occurring ailment and all the sufferers have to do is contact their physician who will prescribe the correct treatment to end their suffering.

Medical and At-Home Neck Pain Treatments

Many causes can contribute to a "pain in the neck," and depending on the reason for the condition, there are numerous types of neck pain treatment. The cervical region of the spine refers to the neck and consists of the top seven bones, or vertebrae of the spinal column. Each vertebra has a cushiony disc that is found between the bones, and tissues such as muscle and ligaments, lymph nodes, the thyroid gland, veins and arteries and of course skin surround the spine.

Other structures found in the neck include the trachea, the esophagus and the larynx. With all of these tissues and structures, the causes of this pain can be varied, and diagnosis of the area must be narrowed down the source of the pain. With a good diagnosis by best neuro specialist in chennai, pain treatment can begin.

Causes of Neck Pain

Muscles often are a source of pain and can be caused by playing contact sports, strenuous exercise or being in an accident. Other sources are problems with the discs that can be slipped, ruptured, herniated or just degenerated from osteoporosis causing spinal compression fractures. Sometimes this pain is caused by common infections such as strep throat or other virus infection in which the lymph glands are swollen. Rare infections that need pain treatment include meningitis or tuberculosis, as well as medical conditions that can directly affect the muscles of the neck, including fibromyalgia and rheumatica.

Medical Neck Pain Treatments

Should a patient's neck pain be significant, or lasting more than three months when it is termed "chronic," it is best if the individual go to see a physician. After a through history is given and diagnostic tests performed, a patient may have various treatments to relieve the pain. The origin of the pain will determine what type of treatment is prescribed. A ruptured or herniated cervical disc in which the disc is pressing on a nerve may require cortisone or anesthetic injections, traction or soft collar traction, or possibly physical therapy. An incident involving whiplash may need massage, as the muscles are involved, as well as the treatments mentioned above. A physician may prescribe muscle relaxants or pain medication, and topical anesthetics, topical pain patches are also available.

Serious neck issues may require surgery, yet a simple strained neck from overuse or poor posture may just require rest or other home remedies.

At-Home Neck Pain Treatments

Analgesics are the first round of medications to be taken and can provide temporary relief for pain treatment. A heating pad used for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day will help relax the muscles in the case of a strained neck. Stretching and exercise will relax and strengthen the muscles to provide future support of the neck. A warm Jacuzzi on the neck can do wonders for improvement, as can a specialized neck pillow purchased online and at bedding stores.

Prevention is a good way to eliminate the need for neck pain treatment, and good posture, daily stretching and good sleeping habits will go a long way to avoid needing future care.