Prolapsed Intervertebral Disc (Slipped Disc)

When you have a prolapsed disc (commonly called a 'slipped disc'), a disc does not actually 'slip'. What happens is that part of the inner softer part of the disc (the nucleus pulposus) bulges out (herniates) through a weakness in the outer part of the disc. A prolapsed disc is sometimes called a herniated disc. The bulging disc may press on nearby structures such as a nerve coming from the spinal cord. Some inflammation also develops around the prolapsed part of the disc.

Any disc in the spine can prolapse. However, most prolapsed discs occur in the lumbar part of the spine (lower back). The size of the prolapse can vary. As a rule, the larger the prolapse, the more severe the symptoms are likely to be.

CAUSE of Prolapsed Intervertebral Disc (Slipped Disc)

• Herniation of intervertebral disc.
• Senile degeneration of disc.
• Obesity.
• Sudden jerk.
• Sprain.
• Trauma to spine.
• Commonly affected discs: L4-L5, L5-S1.

SYMPTOMS of Prolapsed Intervertebral Disc

Symptoms

• Onset- sudden.
• History of-

1. Over-straining of lumber spine.
2. Lifting weight.
3. Violent coughing.
4. Sudden stooping or twisting.

PAIN

• Location- in lower back.
• Radiates to gluteal region, back of thigh, calf, foot.
• Character- agonising.
• Worse by- movement, coughing, stooping, turning, walking, bending forwards.
• Better by- rest.
• Tingling, numbness in calf, foot.

INVESTIGATIONS

X-Ray lumbo-sacral spine

• Narrowed disc spaces.
• Loss of lumber lordosis.
• Compensatory scoliosis.

CT scan lumber spine

• Outline of soft tissues.
• Bulging out disc.

MRI lumber spine

• Intervertebral disc protrusion.
• Compression of nerve root.

MANAGEMENT of Prolapsed Intervertebral Disc (Slipped Disc)

• Rest to spine for at least 6-12 weeks.
• Use of hard bed.
• In severe cases- traction is applied to leg or pelvis, provided there is no cord compression.
• Regain mobility gradually.
• Restrict jerky movements.
• Avoid- forward bending, lifting weight.
• Reduce weight if obese.

Homeopathy Treatment & Homeopathic Remedies for Prolapsed Intervertebral Disc (Slipped Disc)

Homeopathy treats the person as a whole. It means that homeopathic treatment focuses on the patient as a person, as well as his pathological condition. The homeopathic medicines are selected after a full individualizing examination and case-analysis, which includes the medical history of the patient, physical and mental constitution etc. A miasmatic tendency (predisposition/susceptibility) is also often taken into account for the treatment of chronic conditions. The medicines given below indicate the therapeutic affinity but this is not a complete and definite guide to the treatment of this condition. The symptoms listed against each medicine may not be directly related to this disease because in homeopathy general symptoms and constitutional indications are also taken into account for selecting a remedy. To study any of the following remedies in more detail, please visit our Materia Medica section. None of these medicines should be taken without professional advice.

Homeopathic Remedies

Bryonia

Contractive, cramp-like pain all over the back. Shootings in the loins and in the back. Painful stiffness in the small of the back, compelling him to walk and sit crookedly. Shootings under the left shoulder-blade, extending to the heart, greatly aggravated by cough and respiration. Pressure on the shoulder, with shootings on breathing deeply.
It is best adapted to persons of a gouty or rheumatic diathesis; prone to so-called bilious attacks. Bryonia patients are irritable, inclined to be vehement and angry; dark or black hair, dark complexions, firm muscular fibre; dry nervous, slender people. Pains: stitching, tearing, worse at night; < by motion, inspiration, coughing; >. by absolute rest, and lying on painful side. Excessive dryness of mucous membranes of entire body.

Calc carb.

Pain in the back. Intolerable pain in the back. The spine pains on bending backward. Painful stiffness in the spine, with indolence and heaviness in the legs, in the morning on waking, and after rising. Pain as if wrenched in both sides of the back. Stitches in the back. Bruised pain in the back and chest. Spasmodic, jerking pain, extending from the left side of the back to the anus. Painful jerks in the right side of the back, on breathing, with chilliness, and cold. Drawing pain between the shoulder-blades. Pressure between the shoulder-blades, which on motion impedes respiration. Pressive pain in the spine, between the shoulder-blades, with short breath and aggravated by breathing, with painfulness in the bones of the spine on touch. Burning-sticking pain in the back, between the shoulders. Cutting pain between the shoulder-blades, during rest. Single fine stitches in the upper part of the back, during inspiration. Pain in the small of the back. Pain in the small of the back, so that he could scarcely rise from sitting. Pain in the small of the back, from lifting a heavy weight. Pain in the small of the back, in the morning, immediately after rising. Severe in the small of the back; she could neither sit nor lie. Drawing pain in the small of the back, when sitting. Dragging in the small of the back, towards the rectum. Tearing in the small of the back. Pain in the lumbar region, and in the iliac bones, as if menstruation would come on. The spine in the region of the kidneys is painful on stretching, as after lifting. Sticking pain in the left side of the sacrum, as after lifting. Sticking pain in the left side of the sacrum, while walking. Drawing in the coccyx. Sticking pain in the coccyx.

Leucophlegmatic, blond hair, light complexion, blue eyes, fair skin; tendency to obesity in youth. Psoric constitutions; pale, weak, timid, easily tired when walking. Disposed to grow fat, corpulent, unwieldy.

Kali carb.

Stiffness in the back, she is unable to stoop. Stiffness and lameness in the back, and small of the back. Rheumatic pains in the back, chest, shoulders and arms, worse on moving them. Attack of constrictive pain in the back, during rest, after physical effort. Contractive pain in the back, during rest, after physical exertion. Some sharp biting, pinchings on the posterior of the ribs on both sides of the back. Violent backache. Pressure in the spine when swallowing. Burning pressure in the back, worse when walking in the open air. Tensive pressure like excessive fatigue extending from the right scapula along the side of the back in to the small of the back, recurring without cause, and also in the morning in bed, but especially when riding in a carriage. Drawing pressure in the back. Pain in the back as from a sprain. Stitches in the right side of the back, extending through the chest. Burning tearing near the right side of the spine, above the small of the back. Bruised pain in the back, during rest, not during motion. A sharp pressure on the upper part of the back. Stiffness in the small of the back. Pain in the small of the back only on bending backwards, not during the rest. Pain in the small of the back after standing or walking awhile. Pain like a heaviness in the small of the back. Severe bruised feeling in the small of the back, especially in the morning on rising. Throbbing in the small of the back. Jerking pain in the small of the back on stooping so that for a long time he is unable to stand erect. Tickling weary pain above the sacrum. Severe gnawing in the coccyx, during rest and motion.
For disease of old people, dropsy and paralysis; with dark hair, lax fibre, inclined to obesity. After loss of fluids or vitality, particularly in the anaemic. Pains stitching, darting, worse during rest and lying on affected side.

Lachesis

Burning in back. Spasms in muscles of back. Painful stiffness from loins to hip, as if muscles were too short. Insupportable nocturnal pains in back, in loins, hip and knee. Pain in the small of back, with constipation, intermittent fever, palpitation of the heart or dyspnoea. Pain in the os coccygis, when sitting down one feels as if sitting on something sharp. Want of strength in back and knees, which forces patient to stoop when walking. Pain, as from dislocation, in loins, as after great exertion.
Persons of a less melancholy temperament, dark eyes, and a disposition to low spirits and indolence. Women of choleric temperament, with freckles and red hair. Better adapted to thin and emaciated than to fleshy persons; to those who have been changed, both mentally and physically, by their illness.

Phos.

Paralysed sensation in upper sacrum and lower lumbar vertebrae. Contusive pain in loins and back (as if back were broken), especially after having been seated a long time, hindering walking, rising up, or making the least movement. Pain in small of the back when rising from a stooping position. Burning in back or small of the back when rising from a stooping position. Sensitiveness of spinous processes of dorsal vertebrae to pressure. Softening of spine. Heat or burning in back, between scapula. Pain in coccyx impeding easy motion, can find no comfortable position, followed by painful stiffness of nape. Backache and palpitations prevail.
Adapted to tall slender persons of sanguine temperament, fair skin, eyelashes, fine blond, or red hair, quick perceptions, and very sensitive nature. Young people who grow too rapidly are inclined to stoop, who are chlorotic or anaemic; old people, with morning diarrhea. Nervous, weak; desires to be magnetized. Oversensitiveness of all the senses to external impressions, light, noise, odors, touch. Restless, fidgety; moves continually, cannot sit or stand still a moment. Burning: in spots along the spine; between the scapulae or intense heat running up the back.

Rhus tox.

Rheumatic tearing between scapulae, not affected by movement, worse by cold, better by heat. Tearing between shoulders, drawing together from both sides. Transient coldness in back. Contusive pain in loins, especially on touching the parts, and during repose. Pain in small of back when sitting still or when lying: better when lying on something hard or from exercise. Bruised pain in sacrum when he lies still on it or sits still, feels nothing of it when moving. Painful rigidity in loins. Painful exostosis on sacrum. Distortion of the vertebral column. Pains in loins, in back, and nape, as from lifting too great a weight. Drawing and stitches in back, especially when seated and on stooping. Opisthotonos.
Adapted to persons of rheumatic diathesis; bad effects of getting wet, especially after being over-heated. Ailments: from spraining or straining a single part, muscle or tendon, overlifting, particularly damp ground; too much summer bathing in lake or river. affects the fibrous tissue, especially the right side more than the left. Pains: as if sprained; as if a muscle or tendon was torn from its attachment; as if bones were scraped with a knife; worse after midnight and in wet, rainy weather; affected parts sore to touch. Lameness, stiffness and pain on first moving after rest, or on getting up in the morning >. by walking or continued motion. Great restlessness, anxiety, apprehension. cannot remain in bed, must change position often to obtain relief from pain.

Ruta

Pressure on inside of right scapula. Pricking itching between scapulae, not better by rubbing. Contusive pains in back and loins, often with oppressed respiration. Pain in loins and sacrum as from contusion. Shootings in loins when walking and when stooping, or only when seated, better by pressure and when lying down. Backache better lying on back. Pain in lumbar vertebrae as if bruised. Bruised pain in spine, and in iliac bones. Pain from coccyx to os sacrum as from a fall or blow.
Scrofulous exostosis; bruises and other mechanical injuries of bones and periosteum; sprains; periostitis; erysipelas; fractures, and especially dislocations.

Sepia

Stiffness in small of back and neck. Pains in loins and back, with burning tearing. Throbbing in loins. Weakness in loins when walking. Incisive pains, pressure, digging and spasmodic tearings in back. Rigidity of back and nape. Pain in the back, and small of back particularly with stiffness, better by walking. Aching and dull pain in lumbar and sacral regions, extending to thigh and legs. Sprained pain over hips, in evening in bed, and in afternoon. Shivering in back. Stitches posteriorly above right hip, she could not lie on right side, and when touched it felt sore. Stitches in back when coughing.
Adapted to persons of dark hair, rigid fibre, but mild and easy decomposition.

Thuja

Cracking in cervical vertebrae on making certain movements with head. Spinal curvature. Painful drawing in sacrum, coccyx, and thighs, while sitting, after long sitting prevents standing erect. Pain, as of a fracture, and stiffness in loins, back, and nape, especially in morning, after rising. Drawing in back and loins, when seated. Boring in back. Pulsation in spine.
Adapted to hydrogenoid constitution of Grauvogl. Acts well in lymphatic temperament, in very fleshy persons, dark complexion, black hair unhealthy skin. Ailments from bad effects of vaccination; from suppressed or maltreated gonorrhoea. Fixed ideas: as if a strange person were at his side; as if soul and body were separated; as if a living animal were in abdomen; of being under the influence of a superior power.

Prolapsed Intervertebral Disc (Slipped Disc)

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