But it doesn’t have to be with surgery, The San Antonio Orthopaedic Group says

The longer a herniated disc lingers the likelier you won’t heal.

New studies show that most people with a herniated disc do better when they get some sort of treatment, within six months.

Michael Hennessey, M.D., of The San Antonio Orthopaedic Group, the region’s leading orthopaedic practice, a surgeon who operates on the spine, tells 1200 WOAI News it doesn’t have to be surgery.

“Disc herniations will improve with time no significant intervention. Often we treat it with physical therapy or perhaps some injections.”

But the idea, says Hennessey, is to get it checked out early.

“Of course if you have loss of bowel or bladder functions, that’s when you want to see a surgeon right away. That’s considered one of the few emergencies; you want to have the nerve decompressed and have the disc taken off the nerve. Other symptoms are having a worsening motor weakness or your legs are not working properly. Something that is indicating that this is not getting better.”

Hennessey says to strengthen your back and spine, strengthen the muscles that support it and don’t be fat. The extra weight compounds the problem.