herniated discs treated without surgery

[denise t]

i've been trying to learn what's left when a herniated disc is treated non-surgically and the person becomes pain-free. what remains once the disc has ruptured? does anyone know what the disc usually looks like years later--does the disc heal over and return to being a functional disc?

 

[Fasty]

herniated discs treated without surgery

A lot of research is showing that herniated discs have nothing to do with back pain as there are a lot of folks with them who have no pain. I have a lot of books in my library on the subject and if you're interested I'll send you a list. A great book for starters is Low Back Disorders by Stuart McGill.

That has nothing to do with your question, but I just wanted to add it as a side note.

 

[Bubblegum14]

herniated discs treated without surgery

I treat herniated discs, chiropractically. There are a plethora of causes and contributors to back pain, and a ruptured or herniated (there's a difference) disc may or may not be part of the symptoms. Tons of joints with innervated (and thus pain-sensitive) joint capsules, ligaments, muscles big and small, trigger points with referrals, fascia, dural kinking and windup, and of course, the discs that can bulge and contact nerves, fascia, and other things, just posterior.

My husband has had a herniated disc for years. Sometimes it flares up and gives him pain; most of the time it's dormant and causes no problems. Because his spine is under regular periodic care (if a back needs constant adjustments, there's another problem), he will probably not have to have surgery.

Massage/soft tissue also goes a long way - psoas work reduces the pressure on the vertebrae and discs, sort of acting as a slight positive Y axis traction. Our MT ROCKS

 

[valir553]

herniated discs treated without surgery

i've been trying to learn what's left when a herniated disc is treated non-surgically and the person becomes pain-free. what remains once the disc has ruptured? does anyone know what the disc usually looks like years later--does the disc heal over and return to being a functional disc?

Often it never ruptures. Sometimes the herniation repairs itself. Sometimes it never causes pain. X-ray will sometimes show the evidence.

 

[kim.2007]

herniated discs treated without surgery

"Herniated" can also mean different things to different people. I understand that in the US, herniation means a total rupture. Generally in Canada a herniated disc refers to any type of bulging disc.

I had a herniated (bulging) disc 3 years ago. The pressure on the nerve was intense. I saw seven different practitioners before I got some relief. Since that summer, I have had no problems, although it took until this spring to get rid of the tightness in my quad on the affected side.

Not sure if this really answers the original question - just my two cents.

 

[purplepolkadotsrules007]

herniated discs treated without surgery

Hi! I'm sorry I missed all these replies--somehow I wasn't getting notified. Thank you!

I have been so confused about the terminology---I'd finally decided bulging meant just bulging, and herniated meant ruptured. I think I won't use the word "herniated" any more---unless it means something different than either bulging or ruptured! I"m glad to read that others have been similarly confused.

Kathryn thank you, I will pm you for that list! I agree that bulging as well sometimes as ruptured discs can be treated with a variety of nonsurgical means, and that bulging discs are often not a source of pain (I think "Healing Back Pain" is good on this subject). "Pain Free" (Egoscue) is very forceful that any sort of mitre-ing/partial disc removal is often unnecessaru and counterproductive for a rupture, as the body, once aligned, will often let the rupture heal. i think he'd say that every non-surgical means should be taken to save the disc, and I've just been wondering how exactly it heals over. If the disc has lost some of its contents, I'm assuming it's a bit compressed, and maybe there's scar tissue where it ruptured....just curious trying to picture it.

Thank you for all your replies!

 

[joshieboya]

herniated discs treated without surgery

My Chiropractor is uses Spinal Decompression Therapy with a computerized unit, which can enable the discs to rehydrate - as the pressure is taken off them during the tractioning process.

This is from his website:
http://vitallinkus.com/spinal_decompression.html

What is Spinal Decompression Therapy?

Spinal Decompression Therapy is FDA cleared and has been clinically proven with up to a 86% success rate for pain associated with herniated, bulging or degenerative discs... even after failed surgery. It is a non-surgical, traction therapy for the relief of back and leg pain or neck and arm pain. During this procedure, by cycling through distraction and relaxation phases and by proper positioning, a spinal disc can be placed under negative pressure, causing a vacuum effect within it.



What can this vacuum effect do?

The most important thing this vacuum like effect accomplishes is to decrease IDP (intra discal pressure) From a mechanical standpoint, disc material that has migrated, protruded or herniated outside the normal confines of the of normal disc fibers may, in fact, cause pain. Compression of the intervertebral disc may occur more easily with increased mechanical stress, degenerative processes which can lead to tears and desiccation. Decreased disc pressure from –Y axis translation (decompression) means the compressed disc can possibly rehydrate itself with water and nutrients through the vertebrae.



Increased Blood Supply relieves pain and stimulates healing.
From his website:
Researchers speculate numerous biochemical and neurological events are affected by decompression that ultimately leads to pain relief. Decompression (- Y axis translation) to a disc may stimulate blood supply, secondarily stimulating a healing response, activate I-III mechanoreceptors to block pain impulses at the spinal cord, and increase disc volume (imbibition). It is very important to note that research shows even when the status of the disc does not change on MRI/CT that relief can still be achieved many cases.



How is Spinal Decompression Therapy Different from Regular Traction?

The DTS computer is the key. It controls the variations in the traction allowing for spinal decompression and eliminating muscle guarding and subsequent compression that is typical in conventional traction devices. The preprogrammed patterns for ramping up and down the amount of axial distraction allows for higher levels of spinal decompression and disc rehydration.