A disc extrusion can cause a variety of unpleasant symptoms, including pain, numbness, tingling and muscle weakness. If you have been diagnosed with this spinal condition, you’ll likely want to learn about all of the disc extrusion treatment options that can help you manage your symptoms. Fortunately, there is a wide range of nonsurgical treatments you can explore before needing to consider more invasive options like surgery.

Conservative treatments to try first

As a starting point, you may want to consider your conservative disc extrusion treatment options, which include:

1. Medications. Over-the-counter or prescription pain and anti-inflammatory medications can help relieve your symptoms temporarily. For relief that lasts for several weeks rather than several hours, your physician may recommend a corticosteroid injection at the site of the damaged disc.
2. Hot and cold therapy. Alternating between hot and cold compresses can help improve circulation, relax tense muscles and numb the pain.
3. Physical activity. Staying active is important, not just for your general wellbeing, but also for minimizing the severity of your symptoms. Finding a low-impact exercise you can do regularly, or even working with a physical therapist to learn targeted stretching techniques, can help you find the relief you’re looking for.
4. Alternative medicine. Although still highly debated in the medical community, alternative therapies remain a popular option among patients. This may include chiropractic manipulation, acupuncture, herbal remedies and holistic yoga.

It may take some trial and error to find which disc extrusion treatment options are best for you. Your primary physician can help you come up with a treatment plan that’s tailored to your unique needs.

Treatment at USA Spine Care

If your symptoms persist, you may need to consider receiving minimally invasive surgery at USA Spine Care. Our outpatient spinal procedures use a less than 1-inch incision and typically have a shorter recovery period compared to traditional open surgery.^ You can submit a recent MRI for a free review* that will help us determine if you are a candidate for one of our minimally invasive surgeries.

Contact USA Spine Care today to learn more about our treatment options for disc extrusions and other spinal procedures.

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