Physical therapy (PT) for a herniated disc will help you get back on your feet faster. When you have a bulging disc, it is one of the most conservative treatment options available to you. Physical therapists are specifically qualified to assist you in identifying your weaknesses and developing a customized, well-rounded program.

A physical therapist can assist you in developing a program that is tailored to your individual needs and physique.

You'll be feeling better in no time if you strike the correct balance of strength, stretching, coordination, and education to grasp the entire process. Your physical therapist will be able to tell you where to begin.

What Can You Expect from a Physiatrist?

In most states, our healthcare system now permits you to see a physical therapist without a prescription from a doctor. This saves you both time and money when it comes to acquiring the therapy you require (check with your insurance first to make sure they will pay).

You can anticipate a quick appointment on your initial visit. It will be an hour-long one-on-one session with your trainer. You and your physical therapist will devise a home program and in-clinic treatments together.

Is it Possible for Physical Therapy to Make a Herniated Disc Worse?

No, is the quick response. However, there is always a possibility of increasing symptoms with any type of treatment, especially movement. While you may experience some muscle soreness as a result of trying new exercises, physical therapists are well-versed in the herniated disc injury process and know what to avoid. They also know how to gradually increase exercise dosage and intensity as tolerated so that you can resume your usual daily activities as soon as possible.

Techniques of Physical Therapy

Personalized Home Program

The establishment of a specific home exercise regimen is the single most critical part of your physical treatment for a herniated disc. This is what distinguishes physical therapy from other treatment choices, and it has been proven to be the most effective treatment for any form of back pain. Active treatments (as opposed to passive ones) always produce superior long-term results and are healthier for your general health and well-being.

Your program will be based on your PT's comprehensive initial examination. It will correct any muscle strength, flexibility, or coordination issues that arise from everyday movement. Your home program will begin simply and slowly to reap the most immediate benefits, and then increase as you are able.

You may expect comprehensive core training that focuses on how to use the trunk muscles correctly in everyday activities.

NOTE: Physical therapy has a negative reputation for causing "pain and torment" throughout rehabilitation. Movement is, without a doubt, necessary for rehabilitation. Soreness is to be expected when starting a new program, but it should come from correctly using muscles (like you would feel after a good lifting session or run). NOT due to a worsening of back pain symptoms.

Assessment of Ergonomics and Daily Activities

Analyzing your daily posture and motions is another important element of the rehabilitation process (part of the initial visit). Many of us become so accustomed to the everyday routines that we are unaware of which aspects of our lives are harming our spines. Simply raising awareness of these issues and providing easy techniques for retraining things like bad posture and form will make a significant difference. Squatting, bending, rolling in bed, sitting down, and standing up are all examples of movements where these principles can be utilized.

This evaluation will determine whether or not your recovery will be a long-term process. Rather than getting locked in the on-again, off-again cycle of back discomfort, simply being conscious of your flaws and poor habits will help you stay on track for the long haul.

Assessment of Pain Beliefs

Believe it or not, how we perceive pain has a significant impact on our ability to heal and recover. Because of the burden of living with chronic back pain, many people experience anxiety and despair. However, the inverse is also true (stress can cause injury). Excessive stress causes hormonal and other bodily imbalances (such as poor eating habits, sleep habits, etc). Thus, skillfully managing your stress and maintaining a positive view of your rehabilitation will be quite beneficial.

Understanding what your body is going through has incredible anxiety-relieving potential. Then, with the help of an exercise program, you'll be able to trust your body to move again, giving you the fuel you need to stay positive and speed up the healing process.

Manual Therapy

While most people think of massage as the finest physical therapy treatment choice, it is merely one of several methods available to assist you in your recovery. Massage techniques used in physical therapy are often focused on tissue impairments such as muscular knots, spasms, and joint stiffness that refuse to go away after other treatments.

Deep tissue massage, gentle blood flow techniques, or more specific joint mobilizations may be used to restore function. Larger areas, such as the back muscles, may require the use of instruments by PTs.

A physical therapist's purpose is usually to teach you how to treat chronic tight places on your own, using self-massage instruments like foam rollers or massage balls if necessary. The idea should be to maximize your exercise routine once an area has been loosening or "released."

TENS Therapy (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) is

Electrical stimulations, or TENs, are an excellent first-line treatment for severe pain. It's a more passive therapy option that's utilized in conjunction with other treatments to improve activity tolerance and restore body balance. The electrodes of a TENS machine stimulate superficial nerves, causing tingling or buzzing sensation. This sensation produces a massage-like feel that is intended to “scramble” the pain sensations sent to your brain. This allows you to experience pain relief and break the cycle of tightness and discomfort.

This can be done at home or the clinic. After an initial consultation, home units are inexpensive and simple to set up. If necessary, it can also be worn for longer lengths of time (talk to your PT).

Thermotherapy: Hot and Cold

This time-honored method of pain reduction is an excellent complement to other therapy treatment methods. Furthermore, if they may provide relief, they are far superior to pain relievers like ibuprofen and naproxen (fewer side effects). It is not a chargeable option for PT treatment as a passive treatment, therefore you might use it to start or end your visit to promote better relaxation and/or recovery. Heat is the most effective way to promote healing by increasing relaxation and circulation. In most PT clinics, moist heat is used, which is slightly more effective than regular heating pads. Ice is the most effective treatment for severe pain, spasms, and edema. When you need to reduce pain rapidly, these are simple and efficient home therapy choices. Alternating between the two might be advantageous.

Hydrotherapy, which involves alternating between immersing hot and cold baths, is a more extreme option for heat and cold therapy that may be accessible at select clinics.

Spinal Traction

This is a fantastic way to relieve pressure on the disc in particular. It has mixed evaluations in the literature, but patients seem to enjoy it. Manual and mechanical traction are the two methods of spinal traction. Specific postures are used in manual treatments to assist "split" the vertebrae and relieve the disc and surrounding compressed tissues. Hanging from a doorway and pelvic tilts for the lumbar spine, and chin tucks for the cervical spine are two options.

The mechanical alternative entails being enslaved by a machine. The physical therapist will determine the best position (back or stomach), duration, and weight for you. If you tolerate it well, the idea is to increase the amount of pull and time. This is most commonly utilized for individuals who have strong peripheral symptoms (into the arms or legs) and want to reduce them with each therapy session. Lumbar traction is very effective at relieving leg discomfort caused by sciatica.

At home, you can get similar relief. To achieve gentle traction, use a neck and shoulder relaxer or a back stretcher.

How Long Does a Herniated Disc Take to Recover From?

The length of your physical therapy depends on the severity of your ailment. Your level of comfort with your treatment program and motivation to stick with it on your own will also play a factor. An initial appointment followed by 12 appointments over 6-12 weeks is a normal frequency for a herniated disc regimen. If surgery is planned or you are recovering from surgery, you may require additional visits. While the injury may take longer than six weeks to heal, you should be well on your way to recovery by then and know exactly what you need to do to continue on track.

When Should You See a Physiatrist?

Physical therapy treatments are a terrific place to start if you're not sure what you should be doing. There is no such thing as seeking aid "too soon" because they can assist you to prevent and treat harm. However, putting it off for too long might result in slower recovery and a lower quality of life, particularly when nerve damage is present.

Sudden loss of strength, poor coordination, loss of bowel or bladder function, and acute shooting pain are all symptoms that demand quick attention. They frequently indicate injury to the nerve roots or spinal cord.

Taking Safety Measures

If you're experiencing pain from a disc herniation, it's time to contact a physical therapist for nonsurgical treatment. They can help you feel better about your back discomfort and get back on track quickly. They are movement restoration experts, which is exactly what you need to improve your quality of life and get back to living it to the fullest.