Intervertebral hernia is a serious disease. And it definitely requires treatment. Otherwise, you can get a lot of health problems - some of them may not even be directly related to the spine, since inside the spinal column is the spinal cord, which controls most of the organs. And as a result of the formation of a hernia, it can be strangulated. But what kind of doctor treats a herniated disc? Who should I contact for help? After all, hospitals now employ a large number of doctors of various specialties, and sometimes you don’t even know who to make an appointment with.
Which doctor treats a herniated disc?
When should you seek help?
At the first signs of the development of an intervertebral hernia, you should immediately seek help - you should not try to self-heal or let everything take its course. This can lead to serious health problems.
What you need to know about herniated discs
Intervertebral hernia is a disease associated with a violation of the integrity of the fibrous ring. This is one of the elements of the intervertebral disc, which is a small fibrocartilaginous formation that acts as a kind of shock absorber and is located between two adjacent vertebrae. Inside, the disc has a soft core, which, when the fibrous membrane is damaged, shifts and protrudes - this is how an intervertebral hernia is formed.
On a note! Most often, a hernia develops in the lumbosacral region, but it can appear in almost any part of the spine.
Anatomy of a normal intervertebral disc
Signs of the development of an intervertebral hernia are:
- severe pain in a certain place of the spine;
- numbness of the limbs;
- feeling of "goosebumps";
- decreased performance;
- weakness;
- difficulty moving.
Symptoms of a hernia between the vertebrae may differ depending on where the pathology is localized. The disease may also be accompanied by headaches, involuntary urination, problems with other organs inside the body, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, etc.
Pinched nerves due to hernia
Under no circumstances should you engage in self-diagnosis or self-medication. The fact is that a number of the above symptoms may accompany other pathologies. Therefore, it is very important to see a doctor. The sooner an accurate diagnosis is made, the sooner the correct treatment can begin and be successful.
If you want to learn in more detail how to identify a herniated disc, as well as consider the main signs of the disease and alternative treatment methods, you can read an article about this on our portal.
Be sure to consult a doctor
Symptoms
A hernia is very easily identified - an atypical bulge appears in the area where it formed. When pressing on it, a person feels discomfort and pain. Additional symptoms include nausea, discomfort, and pain with certain movements. The symptoms of the disease depend on where exactly this pathology appeared. A vertebral hernia manifests itself especially pronouncedly. Due to the fact that the nerve endings are pinched, patients note numbness in the fingertips, tingling and other unpleasant symptoms. At the same time, the mobility of the spine significantly worsens. For example, straightening up without the help of others becomes very difficult.
Which doctor should I go to?
Having felt the first signs of an intervertebral hernia, a person who cares about his health will definitely decide to visit a specialist. But a logical question arises: which specialist should I go to? To someone who directly deals with the musculoskeletal system, to a neurologist or, perhaps, to a therapist?
Intervertebral hernia
The specialist who will be directly involved in the treatment of intervertebral hernias must have certain skills and abilities, as well as relevant knowledge. It is also required to undergo a number of examinations using sophisticated equipment. In general, treatment of intervertebral hernia is quite complex. Based on this, it can be noted that one person is unlikely to cope. Thus, you will have to visit several specialists.
Therapist is a universal doctor
The first step is to go to a therapist in any case. Symptoms may not always indicate the development of an intervertebral hernia. A medical therapist is a generalist doctor; after examining the patient, he will be able to give referrals to other doctors of narrow specialization, that is, he will coordinate the patient’s further actions.
General practitioner
At the appointment, the therapist is usually immediately interested in the reason for the visit, finds out the patient’s complaints, and examines him. Next, he directs you to take the necessary tests - this can be a general blood test, biochemistry, urine analysis, etc. After this, usually the diagnostic field is significantly narrowed and the doctor already writes out referrals to a specialist who will directly deal with the treatment.
Traumatologist
In some cases, the therapist may send the patient to a traumatologist. But this usually happens only in small towns and clinics, which is due to insufficient staffing at hospitals. The necessary doctor may simply not be in the clinic, and then the traumatologist will deal with the treatment. He understands diseases of the musculoskeletal system (including the main support of a person - the spine) no worse than other doctors who specialize only in diseases of the spinal column.
At an appointment with a traumatologist
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Why should you contact Scandinavian doctors?
Patients with herniated discs choose the Scandinavia Clinic because:
- We employ orthopedists and neurologists with more than 5 years of experience who can select effective conservative treatment without surgical intervention;
- The clinic is equipped with modern X-ray machines and tomographs, which allows research to be carried out in one place.
For patients who are indicated for hernia surgery, we have equipped a comfortable hospital with television, Wi-Fi in the clinic, and soft sofas.
Neuropathologist and neurologist
Doctors of these specialties can also help a patient with an intervertebral hernia. And a referral from a therapist to them is quite logically justified. Thus, an intervertebral hernia can seriously disrupt the functioning of the spinal cord and its nerve endings, and this is precisely the area of work of a neurologist and neurologist.
See a neurologist
On a note! Most often, treatment of intervertebral hernia cannot be done without these doctors.
The neurologist checks whether there are pinched nerves and whether the blood circulation process is occurring correctly in the affected area. He is also able to identify the cause of the hernia. This doctor gives a mandatory consultation if there is a need for surgical intervention.
Appointment with a neurologist
A neurologist is able to make a final diagnosis and determine the degree of damage to the spinal disc. The doctor will prescribe treatment based on previous diagnosis.
Types of hernia
The classification of hernias is determined by organs and location. In this regard, hernias are distinguished:
- muscular,
- on the diaphragm
- inguinal,
- umbilical,
- vertebrates,
- sternal, etc.
The most dangerous are vertebral types - they represent a displacement of the disc with subsequent trauma to the fibrous ring. Vertebral hernias, in turn, are divided into several types depending on the location of the problem: lumbar or cervical, intervertebral.
Surgeon
If the patient receives a referral to a surgeon, then most likely the disease has already reached a serious stage. Only in rare cases does this not involve surgical intervention. The surgeon also prescribes an examination and may recommend certain therapy before the operation itself - if it does not produce results, then surgery cannot be avoided.
Physiotherapeutic devices
On a note! A small intervertebral hernia can be treated using a conservative method. But constantly recurring or large ones will have to be treated with surgery.
Surgeon's help is not always needed
At the appointment, surgeons determine whether the operation is really needed, they carry it out directly after preliminary preparation, and then guide the patient and monitor the final results of the intervention. After the operation, the doctor will prescribe rehabilitation measures. The patient comes to the surgeon only after visiting other doctors.
Appointment with an orthopedist and vertebologist
An orthopedist deals directly with the diagnosis and treatment of various pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, that is, the spine as well. As a rule, at the time of visiting this doctor’s office, the patient already has the results of the necessary tests and examinations. But, nevertheless, the orthopedist himself interviews the patient to determine the exact time of occurrence and location of pain, conducts a palpation examination, and tries to identify problems with neurological reflexes.
On a note! To make an accurate diagnosis, a person suffering from an intervertebral hernia needs to undergo an MRI and x-rays.
At the intersection of orthopedics, surgery and neurology, a specific medical specialty has now been formed - vertebologist. It is this specialist who deals with the treatment of the spinal column. You can’t find it in every clinic. But if possible, you should definitely go to see him.
Vertebologist
Diagnosis of intervertebral hernia
Basic hardware methods for diagnosing hernia:
- X-ray of the spine. Allows you to detect deformation and suspect disc protrusion.
- and MRI of the spine. They allow you to study the detailed structure of the spine, that is, accurately determine the location and size of the hernia.
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How to deal with intervertebral hernia?
Step 1. First you need to visit all doctors. It is important to immediately go to a therapist, and he will already issue referrals to other specialists, send for various research methods, etc. Doctors will advise on the possible effectiveness of therapy, and will also recommend treatment, which will include taking medications, physiotherapy, massage sessions or working with a manual therapy specialist.
First you need to visit a doctor
If you want to learn in more detail how manual therapy of the spine is performed, and also consider the basic techniques and their effect on the body, you can read an article about this on our portal.
Step 2. It is important to follow all doctors’ orders and complete full courses with a chiropractor, massage therapist, etc.
Get treatment
Step 3. If exercise therapy has been prescribed, then it is important to exercise regularly and perform only those exercises recommended by a specialist. Otherwise, there is a risk of harming your back even more.
Physiotherapy
Step 4. You should definitely pay attention to the process of strengthening the muscles of the trunk - they will help reduce the load on the spinal column if they are well developed.
Strengthen your torso muscles
Step 5. Weight control is required. Excessive body weight significantly impairs the functioning of all organs of the body and increases the already serious load on the spine.
Watch your weight
Step 6. It is necessary to create comfortable working conditions. The place should be ergonomic and oriented towards the fact that the person has a bad back.
Make sure you have a comfortable workplace
Step 7. You should also take care of the sleeping area - it is recommended to buy a good mattress and pillows that support your back.