A herniated disc is a troubling issue. It occurs when one of the discs between your vertebrae is damaged. Damage to the disc’s outer covering allows its inner material to poke out, or herniate. How long such an injury can take to heal without surgery can be different from person to person.
However, it’s common for herniated discs to heal in four to six weeks on average, and most of them heal without surgery. Unfortunately, there are factors that can increase how long your herniated disc takes to heal. Learning about these factors can help you avoid them and even keep you from needing surgery for your injury. Physical therapists can provide you with information about your herniated disc and how long it may take to heal, and they can also help you treat your herniated disc in ways that help you go without surgery.
Four factors that can increase your herniated disc’s healing time
Some factors that can increase how long your herniated disc takes to heal without surgery are:
- Lifting heavy objects — Many herniated discs are caused by lifting heavy objects improperly. Continuing to do so can cause additional damage and increase your healing time.
- Returning to strenuous activities too soon — Playing sports or having a physical job can aggravate your herniated disc symptoms. Returning to such activities too soon can even increase your healing time.
- Increasing disc damage — People that increase the damage done to their injured disc are more likely to need surgery. Having surgery will also lead to even more recovery time.
- Not going to physical therapy — Physical therapists are trained to treat musculoskeletal disorders, such as herniated discs. Not seeking their help can slow down your recovery process.
What can physical therapists do for your herniated disc?
Physical therapists are committed to reducing how long your herniated disc takes to heal and can help you go without surgery. They can meet these goals by creating a unique therapy plan for you. Such a plan can include therapy techniques like:
- Spinal stabilization training that can improve the strength of muscles that support your spine.
- Aquatic therapy intended to reduce stress on the injured disc during therapy sessions.
- Athletic performance training designed to help athletes prevent disc injuries in the future.
- Work injury therapy that focuses on helping you avoid future disc injuries.
Border Therapy Services offers treatment for herniated discs
Want to reduce how long your herniated disc takes to heal and do it without surgery? Our physical therapists at Border Therapy Services can help you meet these goals. We offer free screenings intended to help us learn the severity of your injury and symptoms. Furthermore, our specialists excel at constructing individualized therapy plans to fit each patient’s needs. You can even sign up for at-home care or virtual therapy sessions that allow you to treat your injury without leaving home.
Contact our team today for more information about how we can assist you with a herniated disc or to schedule an initial appointment.