How to Recover From a Herniated Disk

Your spinal column is made up of vertebrae separated by cartilage-like disks that act as cushions and shock absorbers for your back. When an injury or a degenerative disease causes the disk to weaken or tear, the center of the disk pops out and compresses the spinal nerve. The pinched spinal nerve causes pain. Recovering from a herniated lumbar disk takes a long time, but there are treatment guidelines you can follow that will reduce your symptoms.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Acute Phase of Recovery

1. Rest in bed for up to 2 weeks. Be sure your mattress is firm. If it's not, place a bed board under your mattress.

2. Lying absolutely flat is not necessary unless it offers you the most relief from pain. You may want to elevate your legs and thighs somewhat to reduce tension in the back. Try putting a small pillow under your knees.

3. Avoid lying on your stomach.

4. Place a pillow between your knees whenever you are resting on your side.

5. Get out of bed by lying on your side and pushing yourself up into a sitting position.

6. Avoid constipation. Prolonged bed rest slows down intestinal function. Bowels get sluggish. Try a mild, bulk-producing laxative if you have difficulty moving your bowels. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and high-fiber foods while on bed rest - as much as 50-75% of your diet.

7. Straining to defecate should be avoided. Straining increases pressure on your spine and aggravates disk pain.

8. Ask your doctor for a prescription for muscle relaxants. Muscle spasms are common in the acute phase of herniated disk pain. Aspirin and ibuprofen aren't terribly effective during the acute phase.

9. Reduce muscular stress on your back by breathing deeply from your diaphragm.

10. Watch TV, listen to an audiocassette or ask someone to read a good book to you. This will help take your mind off your pain.

11. Apply hot or cold compresses. Generally speaking, heat works better than cold. Some patients find ice packs work better. Start out putting a heating pad set on low against your back.

The Recovery Phase Begins After the Acute Phase Passes

12. Get out of bed by lying on your side and pushing yourself up into a sitting position.

13. Wear a brace for extra spinal support.

14. Sit in a straight chair. Avoid overstuffed chairs or furniture, because it is difficult to stand back up after sitting in them.

15. Get up every 30 minutes from your chair for a stretch.

16. Keep feet flat on the floor when sitting.

17. Avoid quick, jerky motions.

18. Avoid constipation. Even though you are up out of bed, your bowels will continue to be sluggish until you are able to resume your normal activities. Take a gentle laxative every other day. Eat lots of high-fiber food. Enemas should be avoided because they can cause heart arrhythmia.

19. Ask your loved one for a gentle massage. Be careful not to rub too much over the ruptured disk. The massage is to relax your back and shoulder muscles and reduce stress on your spine.

20. Take aspirin or ibuprofen.

21. Avoid lifting anything except very light items, like your bath towel or your clean pajamas.

22. Take showers. They are easier than baths on your back muscles. If you love hot baths, you must have someone to help you get into and out of the bath.

23. Apply a heating pad or warm compresses to your lower back.

24. Practice simple stretching exercises as recommended by your doctor.

25. Take it easy for as long as you can. Give your back plenty of time to heal.

Tips & Warnings

• If you continue to have severe, unrelenting back pain, you may have to consider back surgery or special enzymes injected directly into your disk.
• Take ibuprofen with meals to avoid stomach distress.
• Never take more than eight aspirin in 24 hours.
• Never take more than six ibuprophen in 24 hours.
• If you have any questions or concerns, contact a physician or other health care professional before engaging in any activity related to health and diet. This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

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[msbackside]

on 10/10/2009 Try taking a hot bath and afterward applying ice to the lower back. Take an anti-inflammatory and pain pill and get some sleep. I have a protruded disk for 90 days. Until I tried this treament I got no sleep. I have been doing it for 3 days now and was able to sleep after 90 days of constant pain.

[membernamedmark]

on 8/21/2009 Hi. I've been struggling with DDD and L4-L5 and L5-S1 herniations for a long long time... been to several orthopedic surgeons, chiros, PT, oodles of medical advice and independent research, and just wanted to reinforce some of the good advice given here, and condemn some of the bad advice up top. Ice! not heat (as others have said) Ice reduces swelling... heat increases circulation and can even add to the swelling. After the accute stage, a combination can be used alternately, but I'd end it with ice each time. Bed rest was prescribed 40 years ago people... and has long since been recounted by the medical community for Disk problems. The first 2 or 3 days after herniating or flare-up, bed rest is okay, but after that... Walk. Activity helps spinal articulation and often aids in re-absorbtion. Avoid twisting motions from the hips! The annulus is a fibrocartilage and is weaker during t...

[fibrofogjen]

on 4/5/2009 I've had spine surgery, but prior to, my dr wanted me in bed for 2-3 days MAX. lying in bed is not always a good thing - as it may stiffen you up. I have found that using MOIST heat is better than a regular heating pad. A hydroculator is better. Because it's moist heat, it gets into the muscles better. You should only have it on for about 10 minutes. Although, everyone is different, switching from ice to heat is better for you. Putting heat on a muscle that is inflamed is like putting fire on fire. It doesn't help. It feels good, but icing it is better for you. I found a great trick --- for inflammation, take an anti-inflammatory, crush it, then add a drop of water to make a "mixture" out of it. Take that and rub it onto the inflammed area and BAM!! It almost immediately takes the swelling away. It works faster than taking it orally.. Just thought i'd share that with anyone that's intere

[raggedblossm]

on 3/1/2009 Exercise and education are key.Turtlegirl has the more correct medical advice re rest. The resting positions mentioned in the article itself are good. Rest as needed for a few days, but begin gentle exercises to mobilize the spine as soon as you are able to do them pain free, eg. wiggling the hips, rolling the legs or trunk while lying in a supported position. 'Yes!' to walking in water, and 'Yes!' to acupuncture, NSAIDS, etc. if they give you some initial pain relief to enable you to get up and about. Use ice for 10-15 mins, every couple of hours when the injury is acute (2-3 days) and then heat when you start to feel more stiff. Massage over the spine is fine if it is a comfortable pressure. Indeed, learn to read your body as Daisym said. Watch your posture and avoid sitting at all if that aggravates your pain - it is generally the worst position for a bulging/ruptured disc. Seek advic

[justahick]

on 2/18/2009 I have found the newer medical information agrees with the much shorter bed rest comment. Also, as it says on Mayo Clinic's info sheet, if you smoke, QUIT! Besides it's other terrible side effects, it robs your spine of nutrients and slows the healing process.