Herniated Disc Physical Therapy

Herniated Discs

Your spine is made up of a series of bones called vertebrae. Each bone is cushioned by a disc that contains a soft jelly-like center that’s protected by a tough exterior referred to as an annulus. This disc allows you to move and bend your spine. If a disc between the two vertebrae starts to slip out of place, it can irritate the surrounding nerves and cause extreme pain. 

Signs and symptoms may differ depending on where the disk is situated and whether the disk is applying pressure on the nerve. If your herniated disc is in the lower back you may experience pain in your bottocks, thigh and calf. A herniated disc can cause discomfort and can worsen when you're active. Other symptoms you may experience are, weakness in the legs, pain when bending or twisting, pain that intensifies when coughing and sneezing and you may feel burning, tingling and numbness in the affected area where the herniated disc is present. Age plays a role which makes herniated discs more common in adults between ages 30-50. As you get older, your discs tend to break down and lose cushioning.

Your doctor can conduct testing to pinpoint nerves that are aggravated and try to rule out other sources of pain. These tests may include: X-rays, myelogram, CT Scan, MRI, electromyogram (EMG) and nerve conduction studies (NCS). Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be recommended by your doctor to help manage pain and inflammation. Physical therapy is a non-invasive treatment. Physical therapy helps to reduce pain and inflammation for your herniated disc. Your physical therapist will help provide you with a personalized treatment plan to help you reach your goal and improve your quality of life. The following modalities may include:

• Aerobic conditioning
• Stretching and strengthening exercises
• Ultrasound therapy to reduce deep muscle pain and inflammation
• Soft tissue massage
• Electrical muscle stimulation
• Heat and ice therapy
• Manual therapy
• Laser therapy
• Aquatic therapy

The experienced team at Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy can develop a program to reduce the discomfort caused by your herniated disc and help get you back to doing the things you love. Call Reddy Care Physical and Occupational Therapy to schedule your appointment. Help yourself by relieving your pain caused by your herniated disc!

Great Neck: 475 Northern Blvd., Ste.11, Great Neck, NY 11021

Tel. (516) 829-0030

Farmingdale: 309 North West Dr., Farmingdale, NY 11735

Tel. (516) 420-2900

Woodbury: 150 Woodbury Rd., Woodbury, NY 11797

Tel. (516) 367-1111

Deer Park: 2024 Deer Park Ave., Deer Park, NY 11729

Tel. (631) 243-0247

North Shore Towers: 272-78 Grand Central Pkwy., Floral Park, NY 11005

Tel. (516) 344-0030

Bayside- Aquatic Therapy: 208-32 Cross Island Pkwy., Bayside, NY11360 *Coming Soon*

Tel. (718) 224-8480

In-Home Physical & Occupational Therapy (Home Care): 516-829-0030

*Home therapy servicing Long Island, Queens, Staten Island, Brooklyn, the Bronx & Manhattan*

Sources:

https://www.reddycare.net/services/herniated-disc

https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/do-i-have-a-herniated-disk

Author

Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy is an outstanding specialty service providing exceptional care and state-of-the-art treatments for the residents of Farmingdale and Great Neck, New York. The combination of innovative exercise programs, manual therapy, and technology together with the expertise of every member of the team enables Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy to provide services that ensure superior clinical outcomes and consistently high patient satisfaction.