Muscular and Nerve Disorders Forum - Herniated disc healing ?

Conditions and Diseases > Muscular and Nerve Disorders Forum > Herniated disc healing ?

Q: Herniated disc healing ?

asked by: DoctorQuestion on May 17th, 2009

I suffered a severe herniated disc in my neck (C8/T1) with pain so unbearable the doctor was concerned I could loose the use of my arm. After a MR scan the neurosurgeon declared that my disc was "larger than being safe" however smaller than being an absolute necessity to operate, a "Border case" accroding to him He however felt it best to operate, but it was my choice. I underwernt some acupuncture and mild neck manipulation by a chiropractor and after 14 weeks still suffer from stiff neck , shoulders and mild discomfort in arm(s). Am I still healing and should I just be patient ( how long does such a herniated disc take to heal)or does still having the symptoms after 14 weeks mean that I should rather opt for an operation?

If I do the op before end of June it would not be necessary to go for another MR scan.

Replies(1)

Dr. Kokil Mathur , MD

replied on October 29th, 2009

Muscular and Nerve Disorders Answer A7690

Hi, and thanks for your medical question on eHealth's Ask a Doctor forum.

It is difficult to comment upon what should be the best course of treatment on net. However herniated disc that is causing symptoms and cannot be treated by conservative methods needs to be operated. Please discuss with your neurologist what conservative methods you can go for such as traction, collar, anti-inflammatory, physical therapy, steroid injections etc. Maybe you can seek another opinion from another neurologist.

The time taken for a herniated disc to heal can vary from 2-3 weeks to 5-6 weeks. During this time you should take rest. However whether the disc is healing or not can be told by a neurologist either by clinical examination or by another MRI. Hope this helps. Take care!

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