Hello,
Thanks for writing to us.
I guess you are diagnosed with cervical disc herniation. The following is the treatment protocol options available to you:
1. First line of treatment for a cervical
herniated disc is to take care of pain. Anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen (e.g. Advil, Motrin) or COX-2 inhibitors (e.g. Celebrex) can help reduce the pain. For patients with
severe pain from a herniated disc, oral steroids (such as
Prednisone) may give even better pain relief. However, these medications can only be used for a short period of time (one week).
2. Additional conservative treatment options for a cervical herniated disc include-
*
Physical therapy and exercise- Exercises can be used to help reduce the pain in the arm. In the initial period a physical therapist may also opt to use modalities such as heat/ice or ultrasound, to help reduce muscle spasm.
*Cervical traction- Traction on the head can help reduce pressure over the
nerve root.
*Chiropractic manipulation.
*Osteopathic medicine.
*Activity modification- Avoid activities like heavy lifting (over 50 pounds), activities that can cause increased vibration and compression to the
cervical spine (boating, snowmobile riding, running, etc.), and overhead activities that require prolonged neck extension and/or rotation.
*Bracing. In some instances a
cervical collar or brace may be recommended to help provide some rest for the cervical spine.
*Injections. Epidural steroid injections or selective nerve root blocks can be helpful to reduce inflammation in cases of severe pain.
3 Surgical interventions may be recommended when conservative measures fail.
Wishing you good health...
Regards.
Dr Saurabh Gupta.