How long slipped disc

Healing time also depends on what recovery looks like for you and what type of treatment you try. You have to fit the requirements from the physical examination and medical history. And we need to have a serious conversation about how bad the pain is bothering you and affecting your quality of life. Surgery on the spine is serious and should be weighed accordingly. Learn more about vaccine availability.

Advertising Policy. You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter. Related Articles. Trending Topics. If your symptoms don't get better in a few months, you may want to talk to your doctor about surgery. After you have hurt your back, you are more likely to have back problems in the future. To help keep your back healthy:.

Wear and tear, also called disc degeneration , is the usual cause of a herniated disc. As we age, the discs in our back lose some of the fluid that helps them stay flexible.

The outer layer of the discs can form tiny tears or cracks. The thick gel inside the disc may be forced out through those cracks and cause the disc to bulge or break open. If the herniated disc isn't pressing on a nerve, you may have an ache in the low back or no symptoms at all. This is a rare but serious problem. A person with these symptoms should see a doctor right away.

Due to age, injury, or both, the outer layer of a spinal disc may dry out and form tiny cracks. Sometimes this causes a:. Any of these stages can cause pressure on a nerve root and symptoms of pain and numbness. The cracks in the disc don't repair themselves, but the pain usually fades over time. More than half of the people who have a herniated disc recover in the first 3 months.

It's important to see your doctor if you've had constant or increasing pain for more than 4 to 6 weeks. Getting help early on can lower your chance of having lasting problems, such as the following:. Risk factors are things that increase your risk of having a herniated disc. Some risk factors you can change, and some you can't. Call or other emergency services immediately if:.

Watchful waiting is a wait-and-see approach. If you get better on your own, you won't need treatment. If you get worse, you and your doctor will decide what to do next. If you have pain, numbness, or tingling in one leg that gets worse with sitting, standing, or walking without any obvious leg weakness :. Your doctor will do a medical history and physical exam. If this suggests that you have a herniated disc, you probably won't need other tests.

If your doctor needs more information, or if treatment hasn't worked after 6 weeks, you may have an MRI or a CT scan. X-rays typically aren't useful or needed. But if your medical history and physical exam suggest a more serious condition such as a tumor, infection, fracture, or severe nerve damage , or if your leg pain and other symptoms don't get better after 6 weeks of nonsurgical treatment, your doctor may order X-rays.

The following tests aren't used as often as an MRI or a CT scan, but they may give your doctor more information:. Your doctor may recommend a short period of rest or reduced activity followed by a gradual increase in activity.

Usually a herniated disc heals on its own. So most of the time nonsurgical treatment is tried first, including:. You're likely to get the most benefit if you have treatment before you've had more than 6 months of symptoms. Surgery can be a good choice for people who have nerve damage that is getting worse or pain that hasn't improved after several weeks of nonsurgical treatment.

Keep active and do exercises, as recommended by your doctor or physical therapist, to help you return to your usual level of activity. Core stabilization exercises can help you strengthen the muscles of your trunk to protect your back. Although medicine doesn't cure a herniated disc, it may reduce inflammation and pain and allow you to begin an exercise program that can strengthen your stomach and back muscles.

Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label. People who have surgery may feel better faster. But in the long run, people treated with surgery and people treated without surgery have similar abilities to work and to be active. Many people are able to gradually resume work and daily activities soon after surgery. In some cases, your doctor may recommend a rehabilitation program after surgery, which might include physical therapy and home exercises.

Disc surgery isn't considered effective treatment for low back pain that is not caused by a herniated disc. Disc surgery is also not done if back pain is the only symptom the herniated disc causes. A number of technologies using small incisions or injections for destroying the disc are used by some surgeons. Examples are endoscopic discectomy and electrothermal disc decompression. These techniques are experimental and unproved. If your doctor recommends one of them to treat your herniated disc, make sure to get as much information as possible about the procedure.

Consider getting a second opinion. Laser discectomy uses a focused beam of light to dissolve a herniated disc. Although this technology has been used by some surgeons for several years, it is considered experimental because of the lack of studies on its effectiveness and safety.

Other treatments that have been tried include removing the center of the disc and removing all or part of the disc by using suction. These treatments are not considered to be effective. Talk to your doctor before using complementary medicine to treat a herniated disc.

Some people use complementary medicine along with standard or conventional care to treat leg and back pain caused by a herniated disc. Some examples are: footnote 6. Blahd Jr. Author: Healthwise Staff. Medical Review: William H. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.

To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. Updated visitor guidelines. You are here Home » Lumbar Herniated Disc. Top of the page. Condition Overview Is this topic for you? What is a herniated disc? Paracetamol on its own is not recommended for back pain. Take them regularly up to the recommended daily amount rather than just when the pain is particularly bad.

This will help you to keep moving. Speak to a pharmacist if you're not sure. Stronger painkillers containing codeine may help for pain that's just started. But these types of painkillers can cause addiction and should only be used for a few days. Your GP will usually be able to tell if you have a slipped disc from your symptoms. You may also have a physical examination. Your GP might ask you to raise your arms or do simple leg exercises to find out where the slipped disc is.

The aim of surgery is to cut out the prolapsed part of the disc and release the pressure on the nerves. This often eases symptoms. However, it does not work in every case. Also, as with all operations, there is a risk from surgery. A specialist will advise on the pros and cons of surgery and on the different techniques that are available. It is not known whether it is better to have surgery or better to wait and see. Recent research suggests that surgery is better in the short term but makes no difference in the long term.

For example, people who had an operation had less pain six weeks later than those who hadn't. However, it made no difference to the amount of pain someone had or the effect on their lives, after three months. Evidence suggests that the best way to prevent bouts of back pain and 'slipped' prolapsed disc is simply to keep active and to exercise regularly.

This means general fitness exercise such as walking, running, swimming, etc. There is no firm evidence to say that any particular back strengthening exercises are more useful than simply keeping fit and active. It is also sensible to be back-aware. For example, do not lift objects when you are in an awkward twisting posture. Jacobs WC, van Tulder M, Arts M, et al ; Surgery versus conservative management of sciatica due to a lumbar herniated disc: a systematic review.

Eur Spine J. Epub Oct Gugliotta M, da Costa BR, Dabis E, et al ; Surgical versus conservative treatment for lumbar disc herniation: a prospective cohort study. BMJ Open. Microdiscectomy surgery worked like a dream for me!! I am 26 years old and started with back pain in April , and was initially diagnosed with sciatica. This was 7 weeks before my wedding. Disclaimer: This article is for information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions.

Egton Medical Information Systems Limited has used all reasonable care in compiling the information but make no warranty as to its accuracy. Consult a doctor or other health care professional for diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions.

For details see our conditions. In this series. In this article What is a slipped disc? Who gets a slipped disc? What causes a slipped disc? Slipped disc symptoms How does a slipped disc progress? Do I need any tests? What are the treatments for a slipped disc? Can further bouts of back pain be prevented? What is a slipped disc? Do you need a physiotherapist? Book a private appointment with a local physio today Book now. Previous article Lower Back Pain.

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