How to Help a Ruptured Disc Reabsorb

A ruptured disc, also called a herniated or slipped disc, occurs when the outer shell of a disc between two vertebrae is damaged, causing some of the gelatinous material inside to bulge out. This can cause dull or sharp pain, and the pain can be debilitating. It also can cause numbness, tingling and weakness. A ruptured disc usually heals on its own within six months, according to Cedars-Sinai Health System. When resorption occurs, the gel material retracts into place or the body reabsorbs the affected tissue.

Things You'll Need

• Back brace or corset
• Personal physician

Show More

Instructions

• 1

  Avoid most physical activity until your symptoms improve, and then gradually increase your activity level. Move regularly to maintain muscle tone, but limit bending, lifting, or sitting for long periods of time. Do not decide on complete bed rest, because even one or two days of bed rest can slow recovery, according to the Mayo Clinic.

• 2

  Wear a back brace or corset to maintain good posture, regain mobility, reduce pain and decrease pressure on the injured disc. Ask your doctor about this option, which should only be used on a short-term basis.

• 3

  Ask your doctor to refer you to a physical therapist. A physical therapist can teach you exercises to improve your condition and prevent a ruptured disc from happening again. The physical therapist also can help with pain relief.

• 4

  Ask your doctor about seeing a chiropractor. Magnetic resonance imaging after chiropractic care showed that 63 percent of 27 patients had a decreased or completely reabsorbed disc herniation, in a study published in a 1996 issue of the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics.