How to Relieve Herniated Disc Pain

A herniated disc occurs when the discs that cushion the spine break or bulge. The break or bulge does not always create pain, except when the herniated disc places pressure on nerve roots or on the spinal cord. The steps below will relieve herniated disc pain.

Instructions

• 1

  Rest for 2 to 4 days to relieve herniated disc pain. Most herniated discs heal on their own. Allow your back time to heal by taking it easy.

• 2

  Strengthen your back to relieve the pressure from the herniated disc. Carefully exercise and stretch your back and legs. For sciatic pain from a herniated disc, do extension exercises or press-ups. Laying on your stomach and keeping your hips on the floor, press up as far as you can go with your arms in sets of 10.

• 3

  Medicate the affected area. Start out with ibuprofen. Then, move on to a doctor prescribed narcotic if it gets worse. Contact your doctor and keep them up to date with the progress, so they can treat you if it gets worse.

• 4

  Get a massage. Tell the massage therapist where the pain is and what it might be from. A well trained message therapist will know what has helped herniated disc clients in the past.

• 5

  Consider surgery. There are several surgeries to correct a herniated disc. There is a discectomy, laminectomy, and a percutaneous discectomy. All basically remove or alleviate the pressure from the disc fragments. Your doctor will be able to best describe the diagnosis, surgical process, and risks. Hopefully you won't need this step.