The hernia not always responsible
You can feel the same type of pain without a herniated disc: it is then sciatica, the problem of which is localized in a lower back joint.
If there is no hernia, manual therapy (physiotherapist, osteoarthritis) can relieve the pain in a few sessions.
What is the mri for?
The MRI allows the diagnosis and determine the best treatment.
Choosing the right painkiller
If they do not speed healing, analgesic used to limit the pain and prevent it install e .
While waiting to consult, one associates paracetamol and ibuprofen, by crossing the catches every 2 hours at a rate of one g of paracetamol and 400 mg of ibuprofen, three to four times per day maximum.
The doctor will be able to prescribe a more effective treatment, combining three types of drugs available only on prescription:
Move anyway
Rest is advised only when the acute pain interferes with movement and prevents work .
But who says rest does not necessarily mean bed rest, you just have to avoid painful movements and find the position that relieves the best.
It is advisable not to stay still for more than 2 to 3 hours continuously during the day because, beyond that, the muscles can weaken, and to try to maintain a normal activity, and even to do a gentle gym if it is. does not increase pain.
On the other hand, bending-type movements and activities which cause shocks and twists are avoided. Above all, we must avoid the prolonged sitting position which forces the back to roll up and increases the hernia.
We limit long trips by car or plane and in a sitting position, we slip a cushion in the lumbar region to maintain lordosis.
Stretch several times a day
The following stretching exercises are from the McKenzie Method .
The idea: to make movements in the opposite direction to the painful position, most often in extension, to relieve and regain more mobility.
We do the stretches, ten repetitions each, three to five times a day. They are never contraindicated, although they can be painful.
Their results are highly variable and unpredictable from person to person, although there is improvement in pain in 50% of cases.
Some patients are relieved for a few weeks, others do not notice any difference. It is advisable to renew the infiltration once or twice at most, spacing out about 15 days.
From 40 to 100 € approximately in practice, 150 to 250 € if it is carried out under radio guidance, reimbursed in part (according to the practitioner’s fees) or totally (in the hospital).
Schedule physiotherapy sessions
Manual manipulations are contraindicated as long as the pain is severe. But then it is useful to consult a physiotherapist. In addition to muscle strengthening exercises, he will perform manipulations to release the tensions weighing on the disc.
Several sessions are necessary in the event of a hernia, once or twice a week, sometimes over several months. An osteopath can also perform manipulations to promote muscle relaxation and decompression in the disc.
Count at least three to six sessions and stop if no improvement is felt after two to three sessions.