How To Treat a Herniated Disc : A Physio’s Opinion

There are quite a few medical diagnoses that can put fear and anxiety in patients, and one of the most commonly given diagnoses is the herniated disc. It is commonly blamed as the source for many people’s lower back pains in society and the leading cause for why so many doctors will prescribe patients pain medication, and why many doctors would refer their patients for steroid injections or even surgery.

 However, today we have much more knowledge and understanding on how to approach the “scary” herniated disc diagnosis.

• We know that just because you have back pain, doesn’t necessarily mean that the disc is the culprit. Oftentimes, the disc never plays a part in the rehabilitation process with our patients. We just treat the patient as a whole and the discs and any injured tissue will heal on its own!

• When it comes to lower back pain, don’t worry so much about “perfect” posture or blaming your chair or the slouching you do as the reason for your back pain. Back pain is complex and often there are a variety of reasons why you could be experiencing back pain. Let’s avoid jumping to conclusions such as “I need to change my pillow/bed/ chair” immediately as there might be other reasons which you can identify with the help of a professional.

• Trust that for the most part, your disc is in good shape. Talk to your health care provider or physiotherapist who can help provide you with an appropriate treatment plan, including exercises to restore pain, function and strength, as well as provide you appropriate information about how to best manage your symptoms through activity modification and education.