Skip to content
My WebMD Sign In, Sign Up

Back Pain Health Center

Font Size
A
A
A

Herniated Disc - Other Treatment

The goals of rehabilitation, exercise, and complementary and alternative treatments for a herniated disc are to:

  • Relieve pain, weakness, or numbness in the leg and lower back caused by pressure on a spinal nerve root or the spinal cord.
  • Prevent further injury by learning how to take care of your back and by doing exercises that strengthen the muscles that support the lower back.
  • Provide comfort and reassurance during the recovery process.

Other Treatment Choices

Learn how to take care of your back, which may include training in pain and symptom control.

Recommended Related to Back Pain

Chronic Back Pain and Sleep

When back pain affects you or a family member, you might despair of ever getting a good night's sleep. Pain can disturb the sleep your family needs, night after night. But experts say that with proper treatment, the chances are very good that you or your loved one can get relief from back pain and enjoy normal sleep. Below, find out about treatments and lifestyle tips for better sleep.

Read the Chronic Back Pain and Sleep article > >

  • Physical therapy may be recommended by your doctor. A physical therapist can treat you with physical or mechanical means-such as through exercise or heat-and teach you exercises to do at home to strengthen the muscles that support your lower back and help prevent reinjury.
  • Rehabilitation programs such as back schools teach you how to care for your back.
  • Chronic pain management programs teach you to manage your pain with a combination of approaches, including medicine, physical therapy, complementary medicine, and psychological counseling.

Complementary and alternative medicine

You can use complementary and alternative medicine along with standard or conventional care to treat leg and back pain caused by a herniated disc. Although no large studies have proved the effectiveness or safety of these treatments, they may help some people. Some examples include:2

  • Acupuncture.
  • Massage, to help relieve pain.
  • Manipulation, such as chiropractic or osteopathic therapies, which has produced mixed results for people with herniated discs but is likely to help some people.

Talk to your doctor about the potential benefits and risks before using complementary and alternative medicine to treat a herniated disc.

Experimental treatments

Research continues on herniated disc treatments that do not involve open surgery. For example, laser discectomy uses a focused beam of light to dissolve a herniated disc. Although this technology has been used by some surgeons for several years, it is considered experimental because of the lack of studies on its effectiveness and safety.2 It appears to be less effective than standard discectomy.4

Other treatments that have been tried include removing the center of the disc, and removing all or part of the disc by using suction. These treatments are not considered to be effective.

What To Think About

Consider waiting 4 weeks before using manipulation to treat a herniated disc. Many people with a herniated disc have a significant improvement in symptoms during this time period.1

Ask your doctor about other treatments that may help your symptoms caused by a herniated disc.

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: July 21, 2010
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.
Next Article:

Today in Back Pain

back pain myths slideshow
Slideshow
woman with lower back pain
Quiz
 
man on cellphone
Slideshow
acupuncture needles in woman's back
Slideshow
 

woman stretching to touch toes
Article
pain in brain and nerves
Slideshow
 
Chronic Pain Healtcheck
Health Check
break at desk
Article
 

Woman holding lower back
Slideshow
Weight Loss Surgery
Slideshow
 
lumbar spine
Slideshow
back pain
Article