Learn How Physical Therapy Can Help With Herniated Disc Pain
At one point or another, you are likely to experience back pain throughout your life. Back pain is actually one of the most common aches humans face on a daily basis all over the world. There are many root causes for back pain, but most of the time it can be attributed to our personal lifestyle. From sitting at your desk all day to running around after your kids and anything in-between, back injury or pain is inevitable at one point or another.
While back pain and injuries can come and go, some people experience chronic back pain which can be a sign of a more serious issue. This type of back pain can be caused by a herniated disc. Most herniated discs occur in the lower back area but they can also occur in the neck region. If you’re experiencing chronic back pain, contact your physician or visit a physical therapist. If you’re in the Peoria, Sun City, Vistancia area, make sure to visit Desert Edge Physical Therapy. As one of the leading physical therapy centers in this area, Desert Edge PT is going to provide an individualized treatment plan with a hands-on approach. We encourage you to call us now at 623-334-8767 and schedule an evaluation.
Symptoms of a Herniated Disc
Symptoms mostly depend on where the herniated disc is located and if it’s irritating a nerve. Some of the symptoms you can feel include pain, numbness, or even weakness in your arm or a leg.
Leading Causes & Factors Of Herniated Discs
There are many causes of a herniated disc but all of it usually comes down to one root issue – the intervertebral disc pushes out or bulges or in some cases ruptures. This disc starts to take up more space than it usually does, and in the process can irritate a nearby nerve which then causes a lot of pain in the patient’s back.
It’s a tough issue to deal with and anyone who has experienced it knows how problematic it can be. People cannot sleep, or even properly function for that matter. Pain can be quite excruciating so it’s best to ask your physician or a physical therapist for help.
These herniated disc causes are some of the three most common cases we’ve helped rehabilitate:
- Wear and tear on the spine
- Injury
- Degeneration and injury
Factors that can increase the risk of a herniated disc:
- Excessive body weight – bad dietary habits
- Daily occupation
- Genetics
- Smoking
Physical Therapy As a Treatment For a Herniated Disc
The first step to a pain-free future is a visit to your local physical therapist. At Desert Edge, we’ll make a treatment plan that’ll target the herniated disc that is causing a tremendous amount of pain. What we like to focus on are various exercises our patients can do in the office and at home, which are tailored specifically for their condition. Our methods are safe and effective.
Some of the exercises for a herniated disc are:
- Stretching exercises
- Flexibility exercises
- Aerobic exercises
- Core strengthening exercises
- Pain tolerance limits exercises
- Retraining the posture
Whatever may be the case with a herniated disc that’s been troubling you, we’ll do whatever is in our power to try to alleviate it. We’ve noticed with our patients that by doing these exercises over a period of time, their chronic pain lessened and they were finally able to move like they used to. Contact us and our team of physical therapy experts will help you relieve the back pain caused by a herniated disc, and will finally get you back on your feet doing whatever you wish to do!
Other Treatments For a Herniated Disc Pain
There are a few other treatment options that might be able to help you successfully tackle the herniated disc without a surgical procedure. We are going to glance over the few main ones as we’ve already placed our focus on physical therapy as a treatment for a herniated disc.
Resting
Take a few days off. Resting can help with relieving the swelling so your back naturally heals itself over a period of time. Avoid any unnecessary activity as it can prolong the pain, and make it even worse.
Medicating
Medication is not a permanent fix for chronic back pain caused by a herniated disc. While your physician may prescribe pain medication to help alleviate immediate pain, we encourage you to take a more natural route with physical therapy. Pain medication can be highly addictive which is why we often discourage our patients from going that route. Medicating yourself is a temporary solution and not a permanent one.
Injections
If nothing helps with the pain, doctors will often turn toward steroid injections. This type of injection is called an epidural injection and it brings down the swelling and helps ease the pain.
Surgery
Some patients will require surgery. Depending on how serious your herniated disc is, this may be the best solution followed by physical therapy to ensure proper healing post-surgery.
Desert Edge Physical Therapy | Regain The Mobility You Once Had
As local physical therapists, our goal has always remained the same – to help as many of our neighbors as we can.
Desert Edge PT specializes in providing physical therapy services such as sports medicine, orthopedic care, post-op recovery, physical therapy, and dry needling. With an individualized approach to every patient who walks through our door, we strive to make every and each one of them as happy as they can be. Our number one priority will always be you – the patient.
Check us out if you’re from Peoria, Sun City, Glendale, Vistancia, or any surrounding region. We can help you feel like your best self again!
