Vertebral hernia - treatment or operation?

Often the pain in the back is attributed to fatigue, to a sedentary lifestyle, to an incorrect position of the back during sleep or rest. But if the back pain becomes unbearable, you have to go to the doctor. According to the results of diagnosis of MRI, the doctor puts a disappointing diagnosis - vertebral hernia.

The mechanism of occurrence

At the first stage, the fibrous ring splits, the strength and height of the intervertebral disc decreases. In the center of the vertebral disc, a rupture occurs, as a result of which it weakens, the tissues become thinner, and the gelatinous liquid of the pulpous nucleus begins to press on the fibrous ring, eventually escaping to the surface. The displaced or flowing pulpous nucleus forms a hernial protrusion. The tissues around the spine become inflamed and swell, and the person experiences severe pain, weakness, or numbness in the area of hernia formation. At the next stage of development, tension and pinching of the nerve occurs: pains increase, the nerve becomes inflamed, the blood supply of the affected spine is disturbed , sensitivity changes, muscle weakness grows - a radicular pain syndrome develops, which in the neglected case can lead to paralysis.

Vertebral hernia can be of three types:

1. The hernia of the lumbar region is manifested in back pain, pain in the back of the foot, numbness in the groin area, numbness of the lower leg, foot or toes.
2. The hernia of the thoracic region makes itself felt in the thoracic region and is combined with scoliosis and kyphoscoliosis.
3. Cervical hernia causes vegetative disorders: increased blood pressure, dizziness, severe headaches, meteorological dependence. In addition, pain in the hands or the humerus and numbness of the fingers may be symptoms of the hernia of the cervical region.

Most often the vertebral hernia occurs at the age of up to 45 years, and the reasons for its formation are many:

• Heavy physical activity in the wrong position of the body;
• Incorrect posture and sharp twists of the trunk;
• Trauma of the spine;
• Congenital structural features (hereditary predisposition);
• Infectious or chronic diseases that reduce muscle tone, which leads to increased stress on the spine.

Treatment or operation?

Diagnosis of the presence, location and size of the hernia can only be done with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Timely appeal to specialists and well-chosen treatment in 90% of cases allows you to fully cope with the disease and forget about what a vertebral hernia is. The operation is performed in rare cases, when the appointment of conservative treatment, the patient's condition deteriorates noticeably: back pain and numbness increase, it is difficult for a patient to take a comfortable sitting position, lying or standing. During surgery, the spinal disc is completely or partially removed.

Conservative treatment occurs in several stages: fixation and stretching of the spine by special methods in parallel with the treatment with medicinal anti-edema and anti-inflammatory drugs, and then - restoration of the work and sensitivity of the spine. The course of massage, exercise therapy, manual therapy, reflexology or physiotherapy is prescribed after the main treatment and for further prevention. Excellent prevention is swimming, hydrogen sulphide and radon baths.

In addition to traditional methods of treatment, there are many folk. But if the doctor as a result of the survey determined that you have a vertebral hernia, treatment with folk remedies is possible only with his permission. Incorrect application of heat or cold, compresses from herbal decoctions or treatment with bee stings can only exacerbate the situation and bring the patient before surgery.