You Need To Consider Doing This If Your Slip Disc Is Not Improving With Pilates
Slip disc—also known as a herniated or ruptured disc—can be an excruciating condition that affects your ability to move freely and comfortably. Whether it’s caused by an injury, age-related degeneration, or sudden strain, a slip disc can lead to radiating pain, numbness, and weakness, especially in the lower back and legs. It can make even the simplest movements feel impossible, leaving you frustrated and exhausted.
The emotional toll of slip disc is just as significant as the physical pain. The constant discomfort and uncertainty about when or if it will ever improve can leave you feeling defeated, anxious, and overwhelmed. If Pilates hasn’t provided lasting relief from your slip disc, it might be time to explore other treatment options that can address the root cause and provide you with real, long-lasting relief.
Pilates: A Common Approach to Treating Slip Disc
Pilates is often recommended for individuals with slip disc because it focuses on strengthening the core, improving posture, and enhancing flexibility. By targeting the muscles that support the spine and pelvis, Pilates can help alleviate pressure on the disc and improve overall spinal alignment, potentially reducing pain and discomfort. The low-impact exercises also aim to enhance spinal stability, which can be crucial for individuals dealing with a slip disc.
However, while Pilates can be beneficial for improving strength and flexibility, it may not always offer the complete relief needed for a slip disc. If your condition is more severe—such as a significant disc rupture or nerve compression—Pilates exercises may not fully address the underlying cause. For some individuals, the pain may persist, leaving them feeling stuck in a cycle of temporary relief with no lasting solution.
Why Getting a Clear Diagnosis Is Crucial
A slip disc can arise from various underlying causes. Here are five common causes of slip disc:
- Trauma or Injury – A sudden impact or lifting something incorrectly can cause a disc to slip, putting pressure on nearby nerves.
- Degenerative Disc Disease – As we age, the discs in our spine can lose their cushioning ability, making them more vulnerable to slipping.
- Repetitive Strain – Repeated bending, twisting, or lifting can stress the discs in the spine and lead to a herniated disc.
- Obesity – Excess weight can place added stress on the spine, increasing the risk of a slip disc.
- Genetics – Some individuals may be more predisposed to disc problems due to their genetic makeup.
In addition to these common causes, two less common but potentially serious causes of slip disc include:
- Spinal Tumors – Tumors in or near the spine can place pressure on the discs and nerves, leading to pain and neurological symptoms.
- Infections – Spinal infections can cause inflammation that affects the discs, leading to severe pain and potential complications.
The Need for Imaging to Get a Precise Diagnosis
It’s crucial to understand that slip disc pain cannot always be fully diagnosed through symptoms alone. Imaging techniques such as X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans are essential to assess the condition of the discs, spinal cord, and nerves. These tools help healthcare providers gain a clearer view of the problem, enabling them to identify the root cause and create a more effective treatment plan.
The Pain Relief Clinic: Your Partner in Finding a Clear Diagnosis
At The Pain Relief Clinic, we understand how debilitating slip disc pain can be, limiting your mobility and impacting your ability to live a normal life. With over a decade of experience, we specialize in offering non-invasive diagnostic services to uncover the root cause of your pain. If you’ve been struggling with a slip disc and haven’t found lasting relief, we can arrange for affordable scans, typically within one working day.
Medisave can often be used to help cover the cost of these scans, making them more accessible for you.
We also assist with insurance claims, including accident insurance, travel insurance, and company insurance, ensuring that you can access the care you need without the added financial strain.
Once we have a precise diagnosis, we can provide targeted treatments, solutions, and non-invasive technology to help alleviate your slip disc pain and restore your mobility.
Ready to take control of your slip disc pain? Send us a message today to arrange an appointment and begin your journey toward lasting relief from slip disc pain.
What To Expect When I Visit The Pain Relief Clinic
A typical visit will involve our doctor first understanding your medical history, concerns and previous experience with other pain treatments.
For patients who have consulted many people but have yet to receive a clear diagnosis, selecting an affordable imaging scan might be recommended to confirm the cause of your pain..
Some patients have already done scans with other doctors for their pain condition but are still not clearly told what they suffer from.
Dr Terence Tan is happy to offer you a second opinion and recommend how best to manage your condition.
We also see patients who already have a confirmed diagnosis from specialist pain doctors, but are "stuck” because treatment options offered are not practical or acceptable.
We can help by discussing options that you might have potentially never been told of.
A common experience is when a patient has already consulted a specialist doctor for pain management and is told to consider orthopaedic surgery which they find too aggressive.
Or they may have seen doctors for their pain and were prescribed painkillers with potential side effects which made them feel uncomfortable.
Many of our patients have also first tried complementary treatments or acupuncture with traditional Chinese pain doctors.
They look for a second opinion after finding any relief experienced from other treatments to be temporary or requiring repetitive treatments, which add up to time and cost.
Especially in such situations, we emphasize using non-invasive medical technology you likely have not been told about .
This can make a big difference to your results.