There's a simple explanation for this: "herniated disc" sounds serious, but in many people there are actually no signs of anything untoward.
In these cases the vertebra has cracked and the soft material inside a vertebra has leaked into the spinal column itself, without damaging any nerves. So you don't feel pain.
When this happens the disc may treat itself as your spine moves in the normal course of your daily life. Or it may be noticed by a doctor during an examination for something else that is totally unrelated. Some form of treatment is usually unrequired
However, there are times when the nerves are affected. Then the pain will be bad and the sufferer will quickly look for medical help.
While basic medical intervention is normally all you need to find, where the pain is not stopped and even weeks of treatment is just not working, you will need to consider going to a surgeon.
Within days successful surgery will have removed the pain, made medications unnecessary and set you up to get back to the office soon.
Surgery still falls short of a cure, however, and you'll be asked to take up special physical exercises for some weeks after surgery.
Young people seldom have to worry about all this. Normally they don't ever get herniated discs. It's a problem that hits elderly people. But where this does happen a simple course of anti-inflammatories will often work for a young person. Lucky for some!
