After determining the severity of your condition, your doctor will discuss your treatment options. Approximately 90% of disc herniations will resolve with conservative treatments and do not require surgery. Conservative methods including activity modification, pain medication, and physical therapy, are normally pursued as a first course of treatment.
Conservative treatment options typically include
- Resting the neck area by maintaining a comfortable posture and painless activity level for a period of a few days to several weeks,
- Cervical collar or neck brace.
- Using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAIDs) to decrease swelling and relieve pain.
- For example, ibuprofen or naproxen.
- Analgesics to control pain
- For example, aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen or acetaminophen.
- Narcotic pain medication is generally avoided but may be prescribed for a short period of time if the pain is severe and persistent.
- Narcotic pain medication is generally avoided.
- An epidural steroid injection may be performed in cases of severe pain
- Often relieves the symptoms to such a degree that other treatment measures can then be comfortably performed.
- Spinal needle under X-ray guidance to direct the medication into the affected part of the cervical spine.
- Physical therapy
- Physical therapy may include: exercises, traction, ultrasound, electrical muscle stimulation, and whirlpool treatment.
Consult your doctor whether you should continue to work while you are being treated. Typically, the doctor will try using nonsurgical treatments for the first few weeks. If the pain still keeps you from your normal lifestyle after completing treatment, your doctor might recommend surgery.
Who qualifies?
- Conservative methods are typically the first course of treatments.
- Patients with severe pain may benefit from a single treatment of epidural steroid.
Outcomes
80-90% of cervical cases do not need surgical intervention after undergoing conservative treatment.
