How long can it take for herniated discs to heal without surgery?

How Long for Herniated Disc to Heal Without Surgery

People with herniated discs can feel shocklike pains running through their body if it pinches a nerve. They can also experience other day-to-day problems like difficulty walking. 

Learning how long a herniated disc can take to heal without surgery can help you stay positive when dealing with such symptoms. Physical therapists can help you determine how long your herniated disc may take to heal. They can also help you find effective treatment for your herniated disc that can reduce your healing time and help you do without surgery. 

Average herniated disc healing time

A herniated disc occurs when the outer covering of a spinal disc develops a tear. This tear allows the inner disc material to poke out or herniate, which can lead to pinched nerves and other painful issues. Often, this issue is triggered by car accidents, awkward movements or natural disc degeneration.

How long a herniated disc can take to heal without surgery varies from person to person. Some people may start to feel better within a few days. However, it tends to take a herniated disc between four and six weeks to heal on average. 

How can physical therapy help your herniated disc?

Physical therapists are trained to treat issues with spinal discs and other parts of the human musculoskeletal system. They can use specific therapy techniques to help you. These techniques can offer benefits like reducing how long your herniated disc takes to heal and helping you do without surgery. 

A few of the techniques that can offer such benefits include: 

  • Therapeutic exercises that can help stretch and strengthen muscles that support the affected part of the spine. 
  • McKenzie Method® sessions that focus on diagnosing your condition, treating it and educating you about it.  
  • Manual therapy techniques designed to mobilize tense soft tissue that’s putting stress on the injured disc. 

Find effective treatment for a herniated disc at Excel PT

Want to minimize how long your herniated disc takes to heal without surgery? Our Excel Sports & Physical Therapy team is ready to help you meet this goal. We can start by doing a free screening on you that can confirm you have a herniated disc. Then, our physical therapists can create a personalized treatment program for you that’s designed to reduce pain, healing times and the need for surgery. We also offer at-home care and virtual therapy services that can treat your condition right in your own home. 

Contact our team today for more information about our herniated disc treatment services or to schedule an initial appointment.