The document discusses the author's experience recovering from two herniated discs. It describes his initial severe symptoms including sciatica and muscle atrophy. It outlines treatments he initially tried with little success, such as chiropractic care and physiotherapy. Later treatments like swimming, supervised strength training, dynamic stretching, acupuncture, and IDD therapy provided more relief. The author emphasizes that recovery from a disc injury can take many months, and conservative treatments focusing on gradual movement were most effective, though later interventions may seem more helpful due to natural healing over time.

1. How to Heal Herniated Discs by Mark Burke
Disclaimer : I am not a medical professional.
This is my own personal experience of dealing with vertebral disc injury.

2. My Injury

2 Herniated Discs with large focal extrusions ( 11mm and 18mm )

Symptoms progressed from inability to bend forward to sciatica in both legs

Significant muscle atrophy in glutes and hamstrings

Cramps, spasms, pain in ankles

Numbness in feet, loss of balance, inability to rise on balls of feet

Recovery was almost 100 % but took 8 months

3. Treatments I initially tried with apparent lack of success ?

Chiropractic

Massage therapy

Physiotherapy

Static stretching

4. Treatments that later appeared to work

Time !

Swimming

Supervised strength training – lunges, core training

Dynamic stretching ( akin to mobilisation exercises )

Acupuncture – nerve reactivation ?

IDD therapy ( Invertebral Disc Decompression therapy )

Avoiding sitting !

Heat / Cold – stimulating circulation

5. Pharmaceuticals and pain
- In the initial stages painkillers had no noticeable
effect
- Ice and self-massage had more effect
- Anti-inflammatories later appeared to help,
especially with facilitating exercise.
-Non-inflammatory analgesics such as
aceitamenophen may be better at night as some
studies suggest the body needs some
inflammation at night to aid healing during
sleep ?

6. Conclusions

A disc injury may take months to recover from

Conservative treatment based around careful natural range of movement

( especially swimming ) appeared to yield better results,

though with an injury of this sort later treatments may appear more successful

due to the injury healing naturally ?

7. Conclusions

A disc injury may take months to recover from

Conservative treatment based around careful natural range of movement

( especially swimming ) appeared to yield better results,

though with an injury of this sort later treatments may appear more successful

due to the injury healing naturally ?