What should I do if I have a herniated disc?

  Lumbar disc herniation, is one of the common lumbar disorders in clinical disease. The intervertebral disc is composed of three parts: the nucleus pulposus, the fibrous ring and the cartilage plate. After the age of 20, all parts of the intervertebral disc have different degrees of degenerative changes (commonly known as aging), and its elasticity and toughness decline, so when the lumbar region suffers from twisting and impact during labor or sports activities, and is injured by excessive force and overwork when lifting heavy objects, the intervertebral disc fibers rupture, and the nucleus pulposus tissue comes out of the rupture, stimulating or compressing the spinal nerve roots and The nucleus pulposus tissue prolapses from the rupture, stimulating or compressing the spinal nerve roots and producing symptoms such as lumbar leg collusion, i.e. lumbago with radicular sciatica. Lumbar disc protrusion is mainly the prolapse of the nucleus pulposus, and once it protrudes, it will stimulate the nerve roots of the lumbar spine, which is called paralysis in Chinese medicine. If the protrusion is large, the compression time is long, and the degree of compression is heavy, it will further aggravate the nerve compression and stimulation, which may cause serious consequences, such as decreased muscle strength and numbness that cannot be relieved, and seriously affect daily life and work. In severe cases, it may even lead to paralysis.  The most common conservative treatment method is traction therapy, which is a more effective decompression measure, together with physical therapy, massage, acupuncture, wax therapy, drugs, etc. For patients with light protrusion, short duration and not heavy compression, certain results can be achieved, but sometimes the adhesions will be forcibly pulled apart, causing greater muscle damage, so it is not recommended to use blindly, for traction weight requirements, traction Therefore, it is not recommended to use traction blindly, and the weight requirements, how long to tract, and the problems to be noted when tracting should be carried out under the guidance of a doctor.  The surgical treatment method, which mainly involves removing the cartilage plate or removing the nucleus pulposus tissue that is compressing the nerve and implementing decompression, is a more common method of treating lumbar disc herniation and is also a proven treatment measure, which can eliminate the protrusions that are compressing the spinal nerve and other surrounding tissues more thoroughly and fundamentally relieve the clinical symptoms of the back and legs. So which lumbar disc herniation should be treated by surgical treatment? Surgery is required in the following cases to avoid delaying the disease: (1) those with heavy symptoms that affect life and work and are not treated by non-surgical therapy; or those with severe symptoms that cannot be treated by non-surgical therapy such as traction and massage; (2) those with extensive muscle paralysis, sensory loss and cauda equina damage (such as saddle area sensory loss and urinary and fecal dysfunction), and those with complete or partial paraplegia. The patients who have complete or partial paraplegia. (3) Patients with severe intermittent claudication, spinal stenosis, or spinal stenosis on X-ray and CT images, where non-surgical treatment is not effective, should undergo surgery as early as possible; (4) Patients with combined lumbar isthmus and spinal slippage, should undergo surgery to remove the diseased nucleus pulposus. (4) In cases of combined lumbar isthmus and spondylolisthesis, surgical removal of the diseased nucleus pulposus and simultaneous fusion of the contralateral vertebral plate and interspinous bone graft are recommended; (5) In young and middle-aged patients with recurrent episodes, the indications for surgery can be relaxed in order to restore their working ability as soon as possible. The indications for surgery in elderly and frail patients should be strictly controlled.  After removal of the protruding nucleus pulposus, a rupture is left at the site of the fibrous ring, and there is no effective method to repair the ruptured fibrous ring in the past.  Through a fellowship in one of the leading minimally invasive spine surgeries in China, we have specialized in the technique of fiber ring repair, bridging the technical gap in this field and greatly reducing the probability of recurrence after surgery, both by removing the nerve-compressing disc and by reducing the recurrence rate. Since 2012, our orthopedic department has performed nearly 100 surgeries, which is the largest and the best hospital in east Fujian. With less trauma, less bleeding, shorter operation time, faster recovery, lower cost and shorter hospitalization, it has become the most advanced technical means for minimally invasive treatment of disc herniation. At present, the overall technical level is leading at the municipal level and advanced in the province. We have become the leader in mastering the technology of minimally invasive removal of herniated discs. Patients are welcome to scan my WeChat QR code and make inquiries.  The following points should be noted during the period of lumbar disc herniation pain: a. Sleeping on a hard bed. The actual fact is that you’ll be able to get a good deal more than just a couple of days to get a good deal more than just a few days. Wear a waist circumference (lumbar belt) during the day to strengthen the protection of the lumbar back, while favoring the recovery of lumbar spondylosis; Third, usually do not do bending and forceful movements (such as mopping the floor …), try to rest in bed during the acute attack, and also after the pain relief period. Pay attention to proper rest, do not overexert yourself, so as not to aggravate the pain; four, usually when lifting heavy objects do not bend, should first squat down to get heavy objects, and then slowly get up, try not to bend; five, the acute attack period as far as possible bed rest, pain relief period should also be. Pay attention to proper rest, do not overexert yourself. In order not to aggravate the pain; six, the usual diet, eat more food with high calcium content, such as milk, dairy products, shrimp, kelp, sesame paste, soy products are also rich in calcium, often eat, but also conducive to calcium supplementation, pay attention to the nutritional structure.  After the acute period of pain, you can start recovery exercises, gradually increase the amount of activity, especially the strength of the low back muscles training.  Strong low back muscles help maintain and enhance the stability of the spine and can effectively prevent acute and chronic lumbar injuries and low back pain. Patients who have had acute and chronic lumbar muscle injuries, lumbar myofasciitis, lumbar strain or lumbar disc herniation, strengthening the exercise of the lumbar back muscles is more critical to the recovery of the disease.  Exercise method 1, “arch bridge” five-point support method exercise, relying on the shoulders, elbows and feet of the five points to support the weight of the entire body for about 5 seconds, and then relax the lumbar muscles, put down the hips to rest 3 to 5 seconds for a cycle; 2, “flying swallow type “so that the head and chest out of the bed, while the knees straighten, the two thighs force backward also leave the bed, for about 5 seconds, and then muscle relaxation, re-prone on the bed, rest 3 to 5 seconds for a cycle, generally do 20-30 each time, 1-2 times a day. Weak lumbar muscle strength or obese people, you can only lift the head and chest, not the lower limbs, which is easier.  Note: 1, the number and intensity of exercise must be different from person to person, step by step, gradually increase the amount of exercise every day. If you feel lumbar pain, discomfort, stiffness, etc. the next day after exercise, should be appropriate to reduce the intensity and frequency of exercise, or stop exercise, so as not to aggravate the symptoms; 2, do not exercise suddenly too hard, in case the exercise of the waist muscle and twisted the waist, only need to slowly force can be; 3, if there is already lumbar pain, stiffness, discomfort and other symptoms, stop the exercise, otherwise, the original symptoms may aggravate.