Can you get permanent disability for herniated discs?

Can you get permanent disability for herniated discs?

Is Herniated Disc a Permanent Disability? A severe herniated disc can be considered a disability and make you eligible for Social Security disability benefits if it meets the requirements in the Social Security Administration’s Blue Book.

How long does it take for a herniated thoracic disc to heal?

The patient’s activity levels should be progressed gradually over a 6 to 12 week period as symptoms improve. In the vast majority of cases, the natural history of thoracic disc herniation is one of improvement with one or a combination of the above conservative (non-operative) treatments.

Do thoracic disc herniations ever heal?

Most thoracic herniated discs heal on their own or with nonsurgical treatment, but in some cases of myelopathy or intolerable pain, surgery may be recommended.

What does a herniated disc in the upper thoracic spine feel like?

The symptoms of a herniated disc in the thoracic area usually include: Pain that travels around the body and into one or both legs. Numbness or tingling in areas of one or both legs. Muscle weakness in certain muscles of one or both legs.

What not to do when you have a herniated lumbar disc?

A person with a disc herniation should avoid heavy lifting, sudden pressure on the back, or repetitive strenuous activities during recovery. People should avoid all exercises that cause pain or feel as though they are making the pain worse.

How do you fix a herniated disc in the thoracic spine?

To help reduce inflammation in the herniated disc use of Anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs or oral steroids can be used. If pain persists anti-inflammatory injections, such as an epidural steroid injection may be prescribed by the doctor. Ice therapy can be applied to the painful area for 15–20 minutes at a time.

How successful is thoracic spine surgery?

Review of 241 thorascopic procedures showed a success rate of 98% to 100%, low morbidity, and favorable complication profile.

Can you make a herniated disc worse?

Can you make a herniated disc worse? The pain from a herniated disc usually is worse when you are active and gets better when you are resting. Coughing, sneezing, sitting, driving, and bending forward may make the pain worse.

What happens if you have a herniated thoracic disc?

In serious cases, a thoracic herniated disc can lead to paralysis from the waist down. Lateral disc herniation. When herniating laterally, or to the side, the thoracic herniated disc is more likely to impinge on the exiting nerve root at that level of the spine and cause radiating chest wall or abdominal pain. Centro-lateral disc herniation.

Can a herniated disc press against the spinal cord?

Mild thoracic disc herniation may not cause any signs or symptoms. You may have any of the following if the herniated disc presses against your nerves or spinal cord: How is thoracic disc herniation diagnosed? Your healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms and any health problems you have.

Can a disc herniation occur in the middle back?

However, because of the added protection from the rib cage and organs, the middle back area isn’t a common place where disc herniations occur. However, it’s still possible to experience disc-related discomfort that originates in the thoracic spine.

Can a cracked vertebrae cause a disc herniation?

Cracked vertebrae or changes in the shape of your vertebrae may increase your risk for disc herniation. The gel-like material inside your disc may leak out of the cracks. The whole disc may also begin to bulge out of the cracks in your vertebrae. Weak discs may develop if the amount of gel-like material inside the disc decreases.

Can a herniated disc in the thoracic spine be repaired?

The purpose of taking out a herniated thoracic disc was to decompress the spinal cord or spinal nerves. But nerve problems that occurred with this traditional method of decompression have led many doctors to discontinue this form of surgery for disc herniations in the thoracic spine.

What are the symptoms of a herniated thoracic disc?

Mild thoracic disc herniation may not cause any signs or symptoms. You may have any of the following if the herniated disc presses against your nerves or spinal cord: Pain in the upper or middle part of your back or your chest

How does a herniated disc affect the spinal cord?

There is limited room around the spinal cord in the thoracic spine, so a thoracic herniated disc can put pressure on the cord and affect the related nerve function. In serious cases, a thoracic herniated disc can lead to paralysis from the waist down.

How often do I see thoracic disc hernations?

I see about 10 patients a year with a thoracic disc hernations compared to 300 lumbar and 100 cervical hernations. I try to keep most thoracic disc hernations out of the operating room as the surgery to remove the herniation is extensive.