Herniated discs are a common ailment that is particularly unpleasant when you have it. However, they can be treated. Chiropractors, physical therapists, and other medical professionals have a number of tools at their disposal to manage the condition and help you heal. As you heal, it’s a good idea to keep tabs on the changes in your symptoms and how they affect you.
Here are 10 signs that a herniated disc is healing.
- Reduction in Pain
- Improved Mobility and Flexibility
- Less Numbness, Tingling, and Nerve Irritation
- Decrease in Muscle Spasms
- Improved Muscle Strength
- Better Sleep Patterns
- Reduced Dependency on Pain Medications
- Evidence from Imaging
- Improvement in Overall Functioning
Let’s discuss each of these in turn.
1. Reduction in Pain
One of the tell-tale symptoms of a herniated disc is the pain it causes. Naturally, if that pain begins to recede that is usually a sign that the disc is healing. The reduction in pain may manifest as simply a localized decrease in pain at the site of the injury.
Alternatively, if the original condition led to radiating pain (i.e. the pain spread from the lower back, to buttocks, the legs, etc…), the reverse tends to happen as it heals (i.e. the pain disappears first in the legs, then the buttocks, etc…).
Lastly, a change in the character of the pain may result. It could start as a sharp, severe pain and then morph into a milder, far more manageable discomfort.
In terms of the science of the issue, this study on the National Library of Medicine website1, found that spinal manipulation (a technique commonly used by our chiropractors for herniated discs in Anchorage) was effective at relieving both local and radiating pain.
2. Improved Mobility and Flexibility
Beyond the reduction in pain, another sign of healing is an improvement in mobility and flexibility. The patient may find it easier to:
- Bend
- Twist
- Sit
- Stand
- Move about
Or just perform other routine movements without significant discomfort.
Essentially, as the healing progresses, it allows the patient to return to normal activities. Things like walking and sitting, or performing other simple household tasks become possible again.
3. Less Numbness, Tingling, and Nerve Irritation
Another sign is a reduction in nerve irritation. Things like numbness and tingling (often associated with nerve compression) start to fade. The common “pins and needles” sensation usually felt in one’s extremities, begins to dissipate. All of this leads to improvement in those areas that had previously been suffering from some kind of sensory abnormality. As nerve compression recedes, the body recovers.
A study in Science Direct found that many patients suffering from radiculopathy caused by a herniated disc heal without recourse to surgery. The time required may be as few as a couple weeks to as long as a year or more. 2
4. Decrease in Muscle Spasms
Muscle spasms also dissipate, becoming both less intense and less frequent in the surrounding regions. This leads to improved comfort in day-to-day activities, especially when sitting or lying down.
5. Improved Muscle Strength
Muscle strength also returns. Limbs like the arms or legs that might have once been weak and unstable will regain their strength as the nerve compression reverses. The individual should also regain his or her ability to grip objects (if the nerves in the arm or hand were affected) or walk without undue difficulty (if the legs were the limbs affected).
Strength can also be improved with certain exercises tailored to the particular patient. In short, the stronger the patient is, the better off they will be and quicker their recovery will take. Of course, not all exercises are equal. And some, depending on the condition, should be avoided entirely.
6. Better Sleep Patterns
Another big plus is a return to normal sleep patterns. As the pain and discomfort fade, it becomes easier to find more comfortable sleeping positions, and to remain comfortable enough to get a good night’s sleep the whole night through.
7. Improved Range of Motion
Healing herniated discs also leads to improved range of motion. The spine, being more flexible, can bend forward or backward with greater ease. Similarly, flexibility in the neck and back are both enhanced.
8. Reduced Dependency on Pain Medications
Another positive development is a reduction in the need for pain medications. As symptoms subside, things like over-the-counter and prescribed pain meds become no longer necessary. Patients will be able to move more freely without having to mitigate pain.
9. Evidence from Imaging (Optional)
If signs like those above develop, it is easy to confirm the cause. Imaging technologies like MRI’s or X-rays can be used to view the site of the injury. Naturally, if the bulge has reduced in size, it should show up in the picture.
Such technologies in conjunction with the appropriate trained medical expert (chiropractor, etc…) can be used to differentiate between potential causes of the overall pain and thereby determine the best methods to treat it.
For example, a trained chiropractor could distinguish between a herniated disc and a pinched nerve – two conditions that sometimes have similar symptoms and at other times may even be interrelated.
10. Improvement in Overall Functioning
In general, the biggest sign that a herniated disc is healing is an improvement in overall functioning. The patient will be able to, once again, participate in activities that were once off-limits – things like:
- Mild exercise
- Light physical tasks.
- Enhanced energy
- Improved mood
- Better sleep (as noted above)
as their general functionality improves.
According to a study on Science Direct, “Lumbar disc herniation is the most common diagnosis among the degenerative abnormalities of the lumbar spine (affecting 2 to 3% of the population)3.” So, if you do suffer from the condition, know that you are not alone and that signs like those above are good news.
Conclusion
Ultimately, a patient being treated for a herniated disc who experiences some, or even all, of these signs, should still not stop their treatment or break off their care plan early, though. It’s a good idea to see it through to the end so that the injury completely heals.
It’s not fun to think you’ve been healed only to re-injure yourself and get set back to square one. If you need assistance or advice, our healthcare team here at Better Health Alaska is more than willing to help. We have a team of chiropractors, physical therapists, and more ready to assist you.
Sources:
