Living without Pain: 6 Alternative and Complementary Therapies for Herniated Discs

A herniated disc occurs when the touch encasing of a spinal disc tears and the soft jelly-like material at the center pushes out. This usually irritates the nerves in the area, leading to inflammation, pain, and sometimes back swelling or weakness and numbness in the limbs. However, while surgery is often recommended as treatment, it is not always necessary. Here is a look at six alternative and complementary therapies for a herniated disc that could relieve your pain without the risk of surgery.

Physical Therapy

A physical therapist may recommend physical therapy as a treatment if your herniated disc pain is mild and your only symptom. The goal of physical therapy is to strengthen your spinal cord and back muscles to increase your pain tolerance and restore your back health. Additionally, your therapist will guide you through exercises to improve your flexibility so you can recover faster.

Medications

Several over-the-counter pain relievers and prescription-grade herniated disc medications can relieve pain and inflammation. OTC medications like Aspirin, naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), and ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) are often great first-line responses to mild back pain that does not improve with a few days of rest. However, you should not use them for over 10 days. If your symptoms persist, your doctor may prescribe stronger medications, like corticosteroids, muscle relaxants, antidepressants, or opioids. This treatment often works in tandem with another therapy that addresses the cause of the problem.

Acupuncture

Derived from traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is founded on the idea that the body possesses energy called Qi and that imbalances in this energy can cause illness and pain. Acupuncturists insert tiny needles into strategic points of the body to realign your Qi. In Western medicine, acupuncture is considered an effective pain treatment that triggers your body to release endorphins, which are your body’s natural painkillers.     

Hot and Cold Therapy

Hot and cold treatments are different therapies, but they work best combined. Heat therapy promotes healing by improving blood circulation and delivering blood to injured parts of the body. Meanwhile, cold treatments relieve pain and inflammation. When used for back pain caused by herniation, the recommended order is cold therapy first to alleviate pain, followed by hot therapy.  

The Discseel® Procedure

Also known as disc sealing or disc biocure, the Discseel® Procedure is a minimally invasive treatment that involves the injection of a specialized adhesive into the affected disc. The adhesive bonds to the disc and seals it, preventing further leakage and relieving inflammation. Discseel is an outpatient treatment and takes about an hour. Patients often resume their regular schedule within days. 

Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic care is a popular treatment for different types of back pain and can help relieve pain caused by disc herniation. A chiropractor uses specialized spinal manipulation techniques to realign your spinal cord and relieve pressure on your discs and pain.

Wrapping Up

Herniated discs affect about 7 million people in the United States every year. In between 7 and 8 out of every 10 cases, disc herniation causes lower back pain. Symptomatic herniation can be debilitating and limiting. Fortunately, many treatments can restore your spinal health without exposing you to the risk of surgery. Talk to a spinal specialist today to determine the best remedy for you.