Perhaps, everyone in their lifetime has experienced back pain. According to statistics, in 20% of people aged 45-60 years the cause of back pain is degenerative processes in the intervertebral discs. Nowadays, you can read more and more about how the condition is affecting the younger population, so there’s a need to know the options for the treatment of spinal herniation.
When do you need to see a doctor?
Spinal herniation may manifest itself differently depending on where it localizes. Based on the localization, a herniation may affect the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions.
A herniated cervical spine is often the cause of neck pain radiating to the arm or shoulder, hand numbness, headaches, dizziness, and vestibular disorders.
Hernia in the thoracic area primarily manifests itself by pain between the shoulders, and pain in the chest and heart area.
A lumbar herniation is often accompanied by serious complications, leading to partial or complete disability. The most common symptoms of a lumbar hernia are pain in the lower back radiating to the leg, along with numbness and limitation of movement. A severe complication of this disease is disorders of the lower extremities (e.g. paresis, paralysis) and impaired pelvic functions.
Diagnosis of the herniated disc is not a verdict, and surgery is indicated only to 10% of patients. But it is necessary to turn to specialists like Dr. Lindsay Clark timely.. If the damaged disc compresses the nerve root, weakness, numbness, even paralysis of the corresponding area appear.
If you feel that the vertebral muscles cannot relax, if the pain increases when you cough or sneeze, consider seeking professional help. You can read more about spinal disc herniation on the Booking Health website.
How are herniated discs treated?
At the initial stages of the disease, conservative (non-surgical) therapy is used. Treatment with medication may take several months, but the entire course gives good results. Timely measures will prevent irreversible destruction of the spine and will help to avoid complications such as urinary and bowel incontinence, sensory disorders, or paralysis.
Treatment of intervertebral hernia with medication therapy involves the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Muscle relaxants, chondroprotective drugs, and some supplements are always prescribed. With a sharp exacerbation of the pathology, which is characterized by acute pain, a physician prescribes hormonal anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents.
Surgery to remove intervertebral hernia is a radical approach to eliminate the causes of pain and neurological disturbances. The main methods of surgical intervention are vertebroplasty, endoscopic surgery, percutaneous discectomy, and laser vaporization.
Surgical treatment of intervertebral hernia is carried out in the presence of the following indications:
- Severe pain
- Increasing neurological deficits
- Dysfunction of the pelvic organs
- Numbness of parts of the body
- Reduced potency
Regardless of the location of the hernia, surgery to repair herniated discs does not last more than 1 hour. A surgeon has enough time to strengthen the muscles and suture the wound. A peculiarity of this intervention is that the patient’s condition improves immediately after the surgery. After a period of up to a week (in most cases, 3 to 5 days) painful sensations disappear.
Modern equipment and qualified surgeons allow eliminating hernias as quickly and effectively as possible.
How to start the treatment of spinal hernia during a lockdown?
Treatment of the herniated disc abroad is a guarantee of high-quality medical care and hope for recovery even in the most difficult cases. That is why so many patients decide to travel abroad to have spinal herniation treated. The lockdown has created certain difficulties concerning traveling, but it is only challenging when you do it alone.
The international medical tourism company Booking Health can help you organize the treatment of spinal herniation abroad during the lockdown in the shortest possible time. Booking Health can resolve the issues with a visa that many people face while trying to organize the treatment abroad during a lockdown themselves.
To select a hospital and a program, contact Booking Health by leaving a request on the website.