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Herniated C6 Healing
I have just been diagnosed with a ruptured disc between C6 and C7. MRI's have confirmed this fact. My pain is mostly in my upper back (left) and down my left arm. I've been placed on prednisone and pain killers. I'm due to see a Neurosurgeon in about a week. I've started researching this issue but I'm unclear as to the best course of action to take. Some sites like this one and personal experience with other individuals who have had similar problems show that surgery is not the most successful option. Other sites give examples of complete healing through therapy (i.e. Dr. Ron Daulton, Jr.) but I don't know how successful those measures have been. Does anyone have experience with successful healing, not just pain relief, using non-surgical methods?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with your doctor.
Without the ability to obtain a history from you and examine you, I can not comment on whether or not you need surgery for your disc. however, I will try to provide you with some information regarding this matter. by ruputured disc, I am going to assume you have a herniated disc. If instead you have a vertebral body fracture or some other problem, the discussion below may not apply.
There is a material that cushions the space occuring between the vertebra (bones of the spine). This material may sort of be squished out from in between the two bones and push on surrounding structures, namely the spinal cord and/or the nerves exiting from the spinal cord. Most often, it is the nerves that are pressed on, and not the spinal cord itself.
In most people, the pain of a herniated disk resolves over 4-6 weeks. The most severe pain actually eases up within 1-2 weeks. Only a minority of people every require surgery. With time, the amount of disk that has herniated shrinks and with time resolves completely in most people. Therefore, for the majority of people, non-surgical treatment is the first option. This treatment may include medications (non-steroidals such as advil), sometimes steroids if there is swelling (edema), temperature therapy (hot or cold packs), stretching and controlled physical therapy, muslce relaxants, and so on, these are best prescribed by an experienced physician, each has its own indications.
In a minority of patients, surgery needs to be done urgently. This often is the case when the herniated disc is pressing on the spinal cord itself. Surgery is emergent so that permanent spinal cord injury does not occur. Another indication for urgent surgery is if there evidence that a nerve is being compressed on to the point that its function is impaired. Symptoms suggesting the need for urgent surgery includes muscle weakness, loss of bowel or bladder control, loss of sensation, particularly in the pelvis and severe and progressive pain.
In some patients, after conservative non-surgical therapy is tried for 4-6 weeks and the pain is still severe or if other symptoms/indications arise, surgery is the next step.
It would be best for you to discuss surgical and non-surgical options with your physician. A consultation with a neurologist and/or neurosurgeon will be a good opportunity to discuss these issues further as well.
Thank you for using the forum, I hope you find this information useful, good luck.
Without the ability to obtain a history from you and examine you, I can not comment on whether or not you need surgery for your disc. however, I will try to provide you with some information regarding this matter. by ruputured disc, I am going to assume you have a herniated disc. If instead you have a vertebral body fracture or some other problem, the discussion below may not apply.
There is a material that cushions the space occuring between the vertebra (bones of the spine). This material may sort of be squished out from in between the two bones and push on surrounding structures, namely the spinal cord and/or the nerves exiting from the spinal cord. Most often, it is the nerves that are pressed on, and not the spinal cord itself.
In most people, the pain of a herniated disk resolves over 4-6 weeks. The most severe pain actually eases up within 1-2 weeks. Only a minority of people every require surgery. With time, the amount of disk that has herniated shrinks and with time resolves completely in most people. Therefore, for the majority of people, non-surgical treatment is the first option. This treatment may include medications (non-steroidals such as advil), sometimes steroids if there is swelling (edema), temperature therapy (hot or cold packs), stretching and controlled physical therapy, muslce relaxants, and so on, these are best prescribed by an experienced physician, each has its own indications.
In a minority of patients, surgery needs to be done urgently. This often is the case when the herniated disc is pressing on the spinal cord itself. Surgery is emergent so that permanent spinal cord injury does not occur. Another indication for urgent surgery is if there evidence that a nerve is being compressed on to the point that its function is impaired. Symptoms suggesting the need for urgent surgery includes muscle weakness, loss of bowel or bladder control, loss of sensation, particularly in the pelvis and severe and progressive pain.
In some patients, after conservative non-surgical therapy is tried for 4-6 weeks and the pain is still severe or if other symptoms/indications arise, surgery is the next step.
It would be best for you to discuss surgical and non-surgical options with your physician. A consultation with a neurologist and/or neurosurgeon will be a good opportunity to discuss these issues further as well.
Thank you for using the forum, I hope you find this information useful, good luck.
I can attest that yes, it can heal itself as mine did eight years ago. I was scheduled for surgery due to the fact I was losing muscle strength, and something else but can't remember. A couple of weeks before surgery I was checked, and voila, strength had returned. How thrilled I was since I had a 2 month old precious baby boy. I will admit that as of late it seems the pain in the arm is returning on an intermittent basis and my neck does appear to be sore, and I don't know if it's the herniation or sleep position. Whatever the case it's not anywhere close to being bad enough to see the doctor. Actually, and this may help, the first time wasn't so bad either but my brother-in-law is a neurosurgeon so I asked him for a prescription for muscle relaxers as I thought it was just a sore muscle from holding the baby constantly (too precious to put down). He asked for my symptoms, and when I told him he said the muscle relaxers wouldn't work and it sounded like a herniation. Sure enough (that's his specialty) it was. Besides, he saw me have a possible neck injury playing Guesstures, a form of charades; my word was whiplash. Can you believe it? Well, I only tell you this because my degree of herniation must have been low. Whether that makes a difference in the healing problem I don't know. I wish the best for you.
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