How to Help Heal a Slipped Disc? Treatment You Can Do At Home

What's Inside This Article

1. Making a Slipped Disc Better

If you have a slipped disc, there are a few things you can do to make it better. You need to rest, manage your pain, do some exercises, and sometimes, you might need help from a doctor. One thing that might help is a special belt called a decompression belt. This belt helps by gently stretching your spine. This takes pressure off the discs in your spine and helps them heal. You can find more information about this special belt here.

2. Understanding and Easing the Pain of a Slipped Disc

Taking It Easy and Changing Your Activities

When you have a slipped disc, you need to take it easy. But if you rest too much, your muscles can get weak and stiff. So, you need to balance rest with gentle activities. As Dr. James E. Dowdell III, a spine surgeon at HSS, says, "Every activity that we do as humans puts our spines at risk, so it's a very common thing to happen".

Using Medicines to Help with the Pain

You can use medicines like Tylenol, Advil, or Aleve to help manage the pain from a slipped disc. If the pain is really bad, your doctor might recommend stronger painkillers or even a dose pack of steroids.

Doing Exercises to Help Your Back

Physical therapy can help if you have a slipped disc. Therapists can show you exercises that can help reduce the pain. Gentle exercises like knee to chest stretches and seated chair stretches can help support your core and back, reducing the strain on your lower spine.

3. Different Ways to Make a Slipped Disc Feel Better

Using Massage to Help with the Pain

Massage therapy can help with the pain from a slipped disc. It works by relaxing the muscles around the affected area, reducing tension and promoting healing.

Doing Yoga to Help Your Back

Yoga can be a great way to relieve slipped disc pain. It helps improve flexibility, strength, and posture, which can alleviate pressure on the affected disc.

Using Acupuncture to Help with the Pain

Acupuncture is another treatment that can help relieve slipped disc pain. It involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body to stimulate healing.

Using Traction to Help Your Back

Traction therapy, such as spinal decompression, can help relieve slipped disc pain. It works by gently stretching the spine, which takes pressure off the spinal discs and promotes healing.

4. Medical Help for a Slipped Disc

Using Steroid Injections to Help with the Pain

If the pain from a slipped disc is really bad, steroid injections may be recommended. These injections can help reduce inflammation and relieve pain.

Surgery for a Slipped Disc

In some cases, if the symptoms persist and other treatments are ineffective, surgery may be considered.

5. How to Avoid Getting a Slipped Disc

Lifting Things the Right Way

Proper lifting techniques can help prevent slipped discs. Always lift with your knees, keep the object close to your body, and do not twist while lifting.

Keeping a Healthy Weight

Keeping a healthy weight can help reduce the risk of slipped discs. Extra body weight puts extra stress on the discs in your lower back.

6. Things That Can Cause a Slipped Disc

Risk factors for a slipped disc include aging, jobs involving a lot of lifting or sitting, weight-bearing sports, smoking, and obesity. As Dr. Dowdell says, "The number-one risk factor for developing a herniated disc is being a smoker".