Herniated Disc Pain Relief
May 28th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
A herniated disc occurs when one of the discs located between the vertebrae bulges abnormally or ruptures altogether. In a healthy state, these discs act as a sort of shock absorber between the vertebrae in your back.
When one becomes injured, the result can be acute or chronic pain due to the compression of the disc on one or more of the nerves in the back. The good news is that there are a number of options today to bring a patient herniated disc pain relief. Sometimes the first course of action that a doctor will recommend is a day or two of bed rest.
This can ease the most severe pain, and give your spine a chance to begin the healing process. However, lying on your back for more than a day or two can actually be counterproductive to your recovery; after that you must find alternative means to herniated disc pain relief.
Medication
One of the most common ways to bring pain relief for a herniated disc is through medications. Often these can be OTC pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Other times, your doctor will prescribe a medication like an antidepressant, muscle relaxants or corticosteroids.
These prescriptions are generally reserved for the most severe cases, when herniated disc pain relief is the most difficult to achieve. Fortunately, there are a number of options in pain relief medications, so you and your doctor stand a very good chance of finding a medicine that will offer some relief for your pain.
Other Types of Non-Surgical Treatment
There are other methods of bring herniated disc pain relief. One is through the use of hot and cold therapy, that is usually done with ice and heat packs. Ice packs are generally recommended as the initial means of herniated disc pain relief, and can be used for fifteen minutes at a time, as often as needed. Heat is also an effective means of herniated disc pain relief, but it should not be used in the first 48 hours since heat can actually increase inflammation and swelling when applied during this period. Once you can safely apply heat, you can alternate between the two methods or choose the one that brings the most relief to you.
Other non-surgical methods of herniated disc pain relief include bracing the affected area for a short time, and using electrical stimulation in conjunction with other treatments to bring relief. Hydrotherapy involves sitting in a whirlpool bath or performing exercises while in the water, and can relax the muscles as well as provide relief from the pain. If these non-surgical methods are not effective in bringing herniated disc pain relief, there are surgical options that you can discuss with your doctor as well.
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Related Tags: CFS, headache, heat, herniated disc, hot and cold, pain relief, spinal headache, therapy
Spinal Headache - pain relief
May 24th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
Spinal headaches come about due to a lumbar puncture or an epidural block when a needle that has been placed in the spinal cord results in a leak of spinal fluid thus causing a change in the fluid pressure in this area. Spinal needles are now available in better designs which help to reduce your chances of suffering from spinal headache as a consequence of their use.
The chances of suffering spinal headaches can however increase when the epidural needle accidentally passes through the covering of the spinal cord and cause a leak. Spinal headaches may then appear after five days of the procedure having been performed, and the best way to prevent such a condition is to take plenty of rest in a bed after the procedure has been performed on you.
Caused by Reduction in Cerebral Spinal Fluid Pressure
Spinal headaches will come about when the pressure of the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) in the region of the brain as well as spinal cord gets reduced. It often happens that an epidural needle passes through the tough covering of the brain and spinal cord and causes a passage through which the spinal fluid begins to leak out, and if the quantity of such fluid that leaks out is great enough, the patient is bound to suffer from a spinal headache.
The most common symptom of the spinal headache is that the ache is very unique and will be especially severe when the patient sits in an upright position, and it will subside when he or she lies down. You will certainly require getting this condition treated and the first course may be to get enough hydration so that there is an increase in the CSF pressure. Use can also be made of intravenous fluids or drinking of beverages that contain high levels of caffeine which is both instrumental in raising the CSF pressure.
Probably the most widely used treatment for spinal headaches is taking bed rest for a day or two. However, there is not much scientific evidence to support the theory that bed rest is indeed a proper treatment for such a condition. Anesthesiologists may also give you a blood patch in order to seal the leaking fluid and this is done through the insertion of a needle in the exact same spot, or very close to where the anesthetic had been injected.
To prevent spinal headaches, use of a very tiny needle is recommended for spinal tap or spinal anesthesia. So too is it recommended that you drink lots of fluids after the procedure has been performed.
Technorati Tags: bed rest, CFS, headache, spinal headache
Related Tags: CFS, headache, heat, herniated disc, hot and cold, pain relief, spinal headache, therapy
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