Inter-vertebral discs are the main shock absorbers of the spinal column. The discs are surrounded by a synovial fluid. When the back is injured by blunt trauma the disc may be displaced from its position. This will more often than not cause impingement of nerves found next to the area of trauma. The patients will experience chronic back pain that also affects the lower limbs. There are a number of things on herniated disc pain relief Conroe patients need to know if suffering from the condition.
The first thing that the doctor has to do as they attempt to make the diagnosis is to take your clinical history. They will want to know how long the problem has affected you and its pattern of presentation. They will also want to establish whether there was a preceding traumatic event such as heavy lifting or a blunt blow to the back. The pain that is caused by a displaced disc tends to increase when one walks.
Investigations of various type are also needed to aid the physician. These include both blood tests and radiological images. The exact tests that are needed will of course be determined by what comes out from your clinical history and physical examination. The most important radiological images here are the MRI (magnetic resonance image) and the CT scan. These images help in identifying the discs that have been displaced and whether or not surrounding tissues are affected.
Once the diagnosis of herniated inter-vertebral disc has been made, the doctor will adopt one of two approaches in managing the pain. The starting point is likely to be a conservative option that includes the use of analgesic drugs and traction. A conservative approach is one in which the joint is not opened surgically. Other options include alternative medicine options such as acupressure, acupuncture and chiropractic. The effectiveness of these methods has not been supported scientifically.
Applying traction is a fairly simple procedure. It involves the application of a gentle, steady pulling force on the pelvis and the lower limbs. This force is transmitted to the spine as the patient lies on a couch. Adjacent vertebral bodies are pulled away from each other to create a space for the displaced disc to fall back in position. Several sessions over a couple of weeks are needed.
Traction is considered a largely safe procedure due to the fact that it is non-invasive. One of the precautions that are taken in a bid to prevent undue injury to the spine is a calculation of the force needed by a computer program. There are some patients that should not be subjected to the pulling force. Alternative measures should be sought or the procedure postponed to a more appropriate time. Patients who fall in this category are those that have implants in long limb bones and pregnant women.
Surgical intervention will be considered when the conservative techniques fail to relive the pain. The surgical options are many and depend on the part of the vertebral body that is involved in the compression. Corpectomy, osteophyte removal and laminectomy are just but a few examples. Several risks are associated with the operations. They include nerve injury, spinal injury, blood loss and infections among others.
Pain resulting from herniation of inter-vertebral discs is among the most difficult to treat. The important thing is to have the diagnostic process made early to provide an opportunity for treatment before the adjacent structures have been injured. All the options should be carefully considered before the final decision is made.
The first thing that the doctor has to do as they attempt to make the diagnosis is to take your clinical history. They will want to know how long the problem has affected you and its pattern of presentation. They will also want to establish whether there was a preceding traumatic event such as heavy lifting or a blunt blow to the back. The pain that is caused by a displaced disc tends to increase when one walks.
Investigations of various type are also needed to aid the physician. These include both blood tests and radiological images. The exact tests that are needed will of course be determined by what comes out from your clinical history and physical examination. The most important radiological images here are the MRI (magnetic resonance image) and the CT scan. These images help in identifying the discs that have been displaced and whether or not surrounding tissues are affected.
Once the diagnosis of herniated inter-vertebral disc has been made, the doctor will adopt one of two approaches in managing the pain. The starting point is likely to be a conservative option that includes the use of analgesic drugs and traction. A conservative approach is one in which the joint is not opened surgically. Other options include alternative medicine options such as acupressure, acupuncture and chiropractic. The effectiveness of these methods has not been supported scientifically.
Applying traction is a fairly simple procedure. It involves the application of a gentle, steady pulling force on the pelvis and the lower limbs. This force is transmitted to the spine as the patient lies on a couch. Adjacent vertebral bodies are pulled away from each other to create a space for the displaced disc to fall back in position. Several sessions over a couple of weeks are needed.
Traction is considered a largely safe procedure due to the fact that it is non-invasive. One of the precautions that are taken in a bid to prevent undue injury to the spine is a calculation of the force needed by a computer program. There are some patients that should not be subjected to the pulling force. Alternative measures should be sought or the procedure postponed to a more appropriate time. Patients who fall in this category are those that have implants in long limb bones and pregnant women.
Surgical intervention will be considered when the conservative techniques fail to relive the pain. The surgical options are many and depend on the part of the vertebral body that is involved in the compression. Corpectomy, osteophyte removal and laminectomy are just but a few examples. Several risks are associated with the operations. They include nerve injury, spinal injury, blood loss and infections among others.
Pain resulting from herniation of inter-vertebral discs is among the most difficult to treat. The important thing is to have the diagnostic process made early to provide an opportunity for treatment before the adjacent structures have been injured. All the options should be carefully considered before the final decision is made.
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