Can Bigger Disc Herniations Heal Better? Truth About Healing Back Pain

Dr. Grant Elliott
Jan 15
5 min read

If you’ve been told that a large disc herniation is BAD and means surgery, injections, or lifelong pain... this article will change how you think about your back condition.

Contrary to what many people believe, a larger disc herniation on MRI doesn’t always mean worse outcomes, and in many cases, bigger herniations can actually heal better than small ones!

You are about to learn:

What a disc herniation really is
Why your MRI or disc size doesn’t predict pain
How your body can heal larger herniations naturally
What movements and exercises can help your disc herniation recovery

Let’s dive in.

What Is a Disc Herniation?

Normal disc vs herniated disc diagram showing spinal disc bulge and compressed nerve root

A disc herniation (also called a slipped or bulging disc) is a spinal condition that occurs when the soft inner gel of an intervertebral disc pushes out through a tear or weak area in the disc’s outer layer. This can irritate nearby nerves, leading to symptoms such as back pain, neck pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness in the arms or legs. Disc herniation's are thought to be commonly caused by age-related wear and tear, poor posture, heavy lifting, or sudden injury However, what the evidence tells us is that the vast majority of disc bulges or herniations are just normal age related changes, not often a result of poor posture, and occur more often in instances outside of the gym, and less often during heavy lifting. Disc herniations most often affects the lower back (lumbar spine) and neck (cervical spine).

Why Bigger Herniations Can Heal Better

This might sound surprising, but research and clinical observations show that larger herniations can naturally regress BETTER than smaller ones.

Here’s why:

When disc material pushes further out, the body recognizes it as foreign material
The immune system sends cells to remove that material over time
Increased blood flow and immune activity help the disc RESORB naturally.

Studies suggest that the rate of natural regression increases with herniation size — meaning bigger herniations often prompt stronger healing responses.

MRI and Disc Bulge Size Doesn’t Equal Pain

A common misconception is:

“A large herniation always means more pain and worse prognosis.”

That’s not always true.

Some people with large disc herniations experience only mild symptoms, while others with relatively small herniations feel intense pain. The key difference is nerve irritation and mechanical stress, not just MRI imaging.

How Your Body Naturally Heals a Herniated Disc

Here’s how the healing process works:

The herniated material extrudes into the spinal canal
The immune system sees it as foreign and starts cleaning it up
New blood vessels grow into the area
Immune cells break down and remove the excess disc material
The disc shrinks, and pressure on nerves decreases over time

This is why many disc herniations get better without surgery, especially larger ones.

Movement Matters — What Helps the Healing Process

While healing happens naturally, your movement choices can accelerate recovery:

1. Lumbar Extensions (Prone Press-Ups)

How to Perform:

Lie flat on your stomach
Place your elbows under your shoulders
Relax your glutes and lower back
Prop yourself up on your elbows
Lower back down and repeat slowly

You can progress by pressing up through your hands only as tolerated and without increasing leg pain.

Begin with gentle prone press-ups to decompress the disc and centralize pain.

Restore Motion

Why this Helps:

Disc herniations often come from too much forward bending
Sitting and flexion increase pressure inside the disc pushing it further out
This exercise pushes the disc back in away from the nerves
Lumbar extension moves the spine in the opposite direction
This helps reduce disc pressure and calm nerve irritation

2. Progress to Full Extensions

How to Perform:

Once your symptoms begin to improve on your elbows, progress to a full press-up.

Start lying flat on your stomach
Place your hands under your shoulders
Keep your hips and legs relaxed on the floor
Press up through your hands, lifting your chest higher than your elbows allow
Only move into a range that feels tolerable
Slowly return down and repeat

👉 Think of “kissing the pain” — not forcing through it.

Progress into full press-ups to reverse disc pressure and create space around nerves.

Extend the Spine

Why this Helps:

This full extension movement helps shift disc pressure away from the nerve and sensitive tissues.

When you extend further:

Disc material is encouraged to move away from the sciatic nerve
Pressure on irritated tissues is reduced
Symptoms often centralize (leg pain moves toward the back)
Spinal extension mobility improves over time

If pain decreases and range of motion improves as you repeat this movement, it’s a strong sign your disc is responding positively.

3. Single-Leg Bear

How to Perform:

Start on all fours with hands under shoulders and knees under hips
Lift your knees a few inches off the ground
Brace your core and keep your spine neutral
Slowly extend one leg while squeezing the glute
Hold for a few seconds without letting your body rotate
Return to start and switch sides

Use single-leg bear holds to strengthen your core and prevent future flare-ups.

Stabilize & Protect

Why this Help:

As pain improves and movement confidence returns, the next step is stabilizing the spine and disc so results last.

The Single-Leg Bear:

Trains deep core stability
Improves spinal control under load
Challenges anti-rotation muscles
Reduces excessive movement at the injured disc level

When you lift one leg, your body naturally wants to twist or collapse. Preventing this movement forces your core, trunk, and hips to work together, which helps protect the spine and stabilize the disc during daily activities.

This is critical for preventing flare-ups as you return to normal movement and exercise.