Herniated Disc L5 S1 - Easy Things You Can Do From Home For Relief
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Symptoms from a herniated disc l5 s1 can vary, and tend to be somewhat difficult to alleviate. The reason for this is primarily because the treatment options available for this condition are somewhat limited and often not as effective as one might like.
With that said, however, there is no need to lose hope – after working with thousands of people dealing with l5 s1 back disc pain, I can tell you from experience that this condition CAN be improved with the proper information and tools.
This article will talk about what a herniated disc l5s1 is, how it develops, the symptoms related to it, and some simple recommendations you can use from home for relief and healing.
A herniated disc l5s1 is a condition that occurs in the lumbar spine where one of the discs of the spine becomes injured and weak. The discs of the spine are cushions that separate each set of bones in the back.
They are composed of a strong outer covering called the annulus, and a soft jelly center called the nucleus. In the case of a herniated disc l5s1, the annulus will tear, which causes the nucleus in the center to shift into the area of weakness, resulting in a “bulge” in the wall of the disc.
What’s interesting about this condition is that the symptoms can vary quite dramatically from individual to individual. The reason for this is because the pain a person experiences with this condition isn’t from the disc itself – it’s from the spinal nerve that the disc bulges upon and applies pressure to.
The spinal nerves control everything in the body, and the symptoms will depend on where the affected nerve is traveling to within the body.
For example, it isn’t uncommon for an individual with a herniated disc l5s1 to not only experience lower back pain, but also pain radiating into the hips, lets or feet, weakness in the legs, pain shooting up the spine, problems with the sexual organs, as well as problems with the bowel and bladder.
This is all because the nerves that are affected with this condition will control those body parts.
The cause of a herniated disc l5s1 is usually an injury of some sort, but it’s also common for the disc to deteriorate over time and eventually develop this condition. Genetics also plays a role with this condition, so if you have a family member with spinal problems, it is more likely that you will develop the same type of condition.
With this background, let’s talk about the treatment options that are available for relief from l5 s1 back disc pain. Most doctors would begin by recommending medications (usually a combination of pain relievers and muscle relaxers), physical therapy, injections (such as epidurals or cortisone), and even surgery in the worst cases.
The success rates of these treatments vary, and are often somewhat disappointing. There are other treatments that can be more successful, but what I’ve found is that it’s actually a combination of treatments that provide the best results.
Some of these treatments can even be done from the comfort of your own home. I’ll be giving you a few simple recommendations in this article, and then I’ll be providing you with a resource for further information at the end.
The first thing you can do from home for relief is to use ice. Now, I know that sounds pretty basic, but believe it or not, this is actually the one thing I’ve found that people do incorrectly most of the time. Choosing heat, or not utilizing the ice correctly will cause you more pain and will dramatically slow your healing.
The only exception to this rule is if you have severe arthritis in the area of the herniated disc l5s1. If this is the case, ice will aggravate the problem. This doesn’t mean you would use heat – there are other options that are better in this case.
For the best results, I would recommend that you use real ice, place the ice directly over the injured disc (even if the pain travels – you want to get to the source of the pain), leave it on for 15 minutes, remove it for 1 hour, and then repeat this process as often as you possibly can during the day.
It usually takes 3 or 4 treatments with ice before you will experience relief, so you need to be consistent even if you aren’t feeling a difference at first. Realistically, it can take 3 to 7 days before you experience significant relief, so don’t give up on this too soon.
Once you begin to experience relief from the ice, my next recommendation is an exercise that I use in my clinic for faster results. This exercise is very simple – you want to sit on a therapy ball and gently bounce up and down for 4 – 5 minutes.
Although that sounds odd at first, this activity will pump the injured disc, and bring new oxygen and nutrients to the disc for faster healing.
You can also click here (herniated disc l5 s1) for more tips about the most effective solutions for your condition.