Orthopedist Questions Orthopedist

How do you relieve disc pain?

I have back disc pain. I want to fix it. How do you relieve disc pain?

3 Answers

First place to start is with some OTC (over the counter) NSAID’s (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories) like aspirin, Aleve, or ibuprofen if your system can tolerate them (no ulcers, reflux, kidney disease, blood thinner use, etc.). Often, PT (physical therapy) is added in the first line of treatment. If the OTC NSAIDs and PT don’t provide enough relief, your doctor will often order imaging (X-rays, MRI, CT scan) and add oral steroids. Depending on the results of the imaging and response to medications, a referral to a pain management specialist for possible injections or a surgeon for surgical evaluation will be ordered.

I would evaluate the patient's complaint and promptly refer them to an anesthesia pain management specialist - a misnomer of a title because they are really the primary care physicians for spine related pain and offer a number of effective non-surgical treatment options for this kind of condition.

Justin Kunes, MD
Thanks for sharing and allowing me to give some thoughts, tips and suggestions to you. I am sorry to hear about your disc problems. As you may know, with our knowing about your history of the pain (when/how it happened, what types of pains you have, what you have done about it, etc.), it is hard to give you ‘optimal’ advice. Who told you you have ‘disc pain’? I ask, because disc problems do not always give pain. But rather, the inflammatory response around the disc problem is the root cause of the pain. This pain can be from the bones, joints, ligaments or tendons/muscles. Relieving the inflammation can be achieved using the following link:

https://www.pop-doc.com/joint-preactive.html

If there was a traumatic beginning to the disc problem, then it may take 6-12 weeks for the pain to resolve. Every two weeks you should begin to feel better rather than worse. If there is progressive numbness, burning or tingling into the fingers or toes, then it is recommended that you seek care from either your primary care doctor or a rehab specialist.

I hope this helps.