Treatment from a Herniated Disc Treatment Specialist Throughout New Jersey

What Is the Treatment for a Herniated Disc?

Dr. Mahmood starts with a comprehensive medical evaluation, and he may order X-rays of your spine to get a more comprehensive visualization of the issue. Depending on the location and severity of your herniated disc, as well as your symptoms, he may recommend a treatment plan that includes:

Physical Therapy

In some cases, physical therapy can help treat your herniated disc and alleviate your pain. We work with our patients to determine what types of physical therapy are right for them. Certain stretching or movement exercises can help to relieve pressure on your spine and the nerves affected by the herniation.

When Physical Therapy Makes the Most Sense for Treatment

Physical therapy makes the most sense when symptoms of a herniated disc, like back pain, leg weakness, or tingling in the foot or shoulder, aren’t severe enough to require surgery but are stubborn enough to disrupt your daily rhythm. Suppose a physical examination shows that your reflexes, muscle strength, and connective tissue are intact, and there are no spinal cord compression or bladder issues. In that case, therapy often becomes the smarter, safer first move. It targets the root of the problem: inflammation, pressure on nerve roots, and the strain on soft tissue around your vertebral column. The right program can strengthen the lumbar vertebrae, promote the healing of the intervertebral disc, and reduce symptoms without invasive procedures.

Here’s when physical therapy often plays a key role in herniated spinal disc treatment:

• Mild to moderate symptoms: When your pain is manageable and doesn’t involve serious nerve damage, therapy can help improve flexibility and reduce inflammation without invasive intervention.
• No progressive muscle weakness: If your physical examination shows stable strength in your leg, foot, or knee muscles, physical therapy may be enough to relieve the pressure on the nerve root.
• Pain responds to rest or medication: When symptoms improve with bed rest, nonsteroidal drugs, or heat therapy, it’s often a sign that conservative care like physical therapy can succeed.
• No bladder, bowel, or foot drop issues: In the absence of complications affecting your bladder, reflexes, or ability to lift the foot, physical therapy becomes a safe first-line strategy.
• Avoidance of surgery is preferred: If you’d rather try movement, massage, and guided exercise over the risks of disk rupture surgery, therapy offers a realistic path forward.
• Posture issues or sedentary habits are part of the cause: Therapy helps correct mechanical strain caused by poor posture, weak abdominal muscles, or prolonged sitting.
• Imaging shows minor disc involvement: MRI or CT scans that reveal a herniated disc without major spinal canal impingement often point to physical therapy as a smart next step.
• Surgical risks outweigh the benefits: If your medical history includes complications with anesthesia, bleeding disorders, or poor healing, avoiding surgery with therapy can be safer.
• Previous success with conservative care: A positive response to earlier physical therapy, stretching, or ultrasound makes further treatment more likely to deliver results.
• Weight management is achievable: Reducing excess weight lightens the load on your lumbar vertebrae, and physical therapy can guide aerobic exercise and soft tissue rehabilitation.

If you’re waking up stiff, feeling shock-like pain, or dealing with numbness in your hip or buttocks but still functioning, physical therapy may be all your body is asking for. With options like massage, traction, stretching, electrical muscle stimulation, and aerobic exercise guided by your healthcare provider, you’ve got tools to ease that herniated lumbar disc back into line.

Medication

Certain anti-inflammatory or pain-relieving drugs can help to ease discomfort associated with a herniated disc. While this isn’t a good long-term solution, it can provide immediate relief. Dr. Mahmood might also recommend steroid injections to help with inflammation and pain.

Surgery

Sometimes, pressure on the spinal cord, nerves, or nearby connective tissue doesn’t let up, no matter the combination of medications and physical therapy you are prescribed. If other methods have failed to deliver long-term results, Dr. Mahmood might recommend surgery for the herniated disc. This usually involves removing part or all of the damaged disc.

When Should You Go With a Surgical Option for a Herniated Disc

Disk rupture surgery, often performed with a microscope for increased precision, might involve a laminectomy or other minimally invasive procedures that remove ruptured disc material pressing against nerve roots. When pain medication, corticosteroid injections, or muscle relaxants can’t provide relief, surgery often restores your comfort and peace of mind.

What results can I expect from herniated disc treatment?

Results from herniated disc treatment depend on various factors, including age, overall spine health, and the ability to follow through with recommended care. With early treatment, it’s often possible to avoid surgery.

You may need to limit activities that pressure the affected area until you’re fully healed. The process can take several weeks or months, depending on your individual treatment plan.