Overcoming Cervical Disc Herniation
I am a sufferer of cervical disc herniation and just an average office worker in my 30s without any professional medical knowledge. This post is not to convey professional knowledge or accurate information but to share my experience.
Initial Symptoms
Many patients with cervical disc herniation often don’t know the exact cause of their condition. However, I had a distinct incident that triggered it. Right after stretching with strong force, I heard a ‘pop’ sound in my neck and shortly after, felt severe pain around my shoulder blade area. At that time, I didn’t realize that this was a problem with my cervical disc, and even after several visits to orthopedic clinics and undergoing X-Ray tests, I didn’t receive any findings related to cervical disc issues. Despite this, I continued to make movements that were bad for the cervical disc, and the symptoms worsened to the point where one arm had difficulty moving(paralysis).
Diagnosis
Suspecting it might be a cervical disc issue, I searched for related information. Then, I came across images that showed areas of pain when the cervical disc herniates. Believing that it was certainly a cervical disc herniation, I visited a hospital equipped with an MRI machine. After the test, I was diagnosed with cervical disc herniation and was also recommended for surgery.
Treatment
Although I was recommended surgery due to paralysis in one arm, fortunately, I saw improvement in the paralysis and opted out of the surgery. It was also too late to receive steroid injections to alleviate pain, so I underwent conservative treatment. I heavily referred to Professor Chung Sun-gun’s YouTube channel and books for conservative treatments. To summarize, the most crucial aspect was living without bending the neck:
- When using a laptop, place it on a higher surface and use a separate keyboard and mouse.
- If using a monitor, place it at a higher position to look up.
- Bending the waist aggravates the neck, so maintain lumbar lordosis.
- Limit smartphone use and, when using, hold it high to avoid bending the neck.
- Frequently perform spine extension Exercises to correct posture.
- Avoid bad stretches.
Additionally, walking moderately with a good posture also helped.
Review
While my cervical disc herniation has not fully healed, it has significantly improved, and I’m leading an almost pain-free daily life. Of course, I still feel pain when driving for more than 30 minutes or when I need to bend my head for extended periods. Considering that it’s been just a year since I began proper treatment, I think that in another year, I might lead a nearly pain-free life. Initially, it was scary, but now I believe it’s entirely conquerable.