If you are experiencing burning or radiating pain starting from your lower back and going down to your legs, chances are you may have a herniated disc problem.
But don’t worry; it is curable if you have noted it in the early stages. A herniated disc results from degeneration of the spinal disc due to wear and tear with age.
A human spinal disc has a nucleus that forms its inner lining covered by a rubbery annulus. A herniated disc can occur when the nucleus comes out due to a rupture or opening in the annulus because of bone rubbing or twisting.
Any part affected by disc herniation will experience numbness, excruciating pain, and loss of strength.
Though there are renowned medical treatments like a herniated disc epidural steroid injection, we will also suggest some lifestyle changes to cure the problem.
So, let’s take a look at 5 tips that can provide instant relief from day one:
1. Heat And Cold Therapy
Lack of blood flow, muscle tightness, and tension are attributes of a lumbar herniated disc.
Heat therapy can help lose the muscles, improves blood flow, and relieves muscle tension that causes spasms. As a result, connective tissues become elastic.
On the other hand, cold therapy has an anti-inflammatory effect on the lower back. It decreases heat in local tissue, allowing it to produce analgesia that carries anti-inflammatory properties to reduce overall pain.
You can place a hot compress first in the morning to reduce muscle tension and a cold compress in the evening to reduce tissue temperature.
2. Go For ESIs
If you are looking for an effective medical treatment for herniated disc pain then ESI is your best bet.
An ESI or Epidural steroid injection contains an anti-inflammatory medicine (mainly a steroid) that relieves the chronic pain caused by irritation of spinal nerve roots.
Chiropractors inject ESIs in epidural space in the lower back for instant pain relief. ESI treatment is renowned across the globe, and it is the only way out when pain aggravates to unbearable levels.
3. Stay Active
However strange it may sound; physical activity can help you relieve lower back pain. Simple activities like walking and cycling can improve endorphin levels in our system, making us feel good about ourselves.
A Toronto study has found that the happier you are, the quicker you heal. However, you don’t have to go overboard with workouts. Avoid lifting weights or sprinting.
If you like swimming, you can also go for hydrotherapy. Some experts recommend hydrotherapy because water tends to counteract gravity. That means less burden on your spinal cord.
4. Watch Out For Sleeping Positions
You may like sleeping in a starfish position, but that is not good for your spine. Now that you have lumbar herniated disc pain, you must aim to sleep in a position where your spine stays straight.
One easy way to do that is by placing a pillow between your knees while you sleep on the side.
However, the pillow position applies differently to individuals. First, determine where the pain is and ask your doctor for the correct sleeping position.
Final Thoughts
Disc degeneration is common with ageing. The good news is that quality treatments are available that can help you cure that.
With treatments like heat and cold therapy, gently massaging, moderate physical activities, and ESIs, lumbar herniated disc pain can be easily cured.
Ideally, you should be feeling fine within 6 weeks of treatment, but if you follow these tips thoroughly, you should expect to feel much better within a couple of weeks.
Therefore, integrate them into your lifestyle until you fix your appointment with your chiropractor.