“Where did my herniated disc go?” – Why something once visible on an mri may no longer show up

This raises the question: “Where did my hernia go? Did it heal on its own? Or did the doctor make a mistake?”

The answer lies in the fact that the intervertebral disc is living tissue and capable of change. It is an elastic, gel-like structure with a high water content, constantly responding to load, posture and movement.
Imaging examinations provide only a snapshot: they show the condition of the disc at a given moment, but this state can change over time.

During the body’s natural regeneration processes, the disc may lose some of its water content, causing it to shrink — and with it, the pressure exerted on the surrounding nerve roots may decrease.
This is not a “miracle”, but one of the best examples of the human body’s self-healing ability.

We can effectively support this process with targeted treatments such as:

• weight bath therapy
• water-based and dry-land exercise
• McKenzie therapy
• medical therapeutic massage

These therapies stimulate circulation, reduce the load on the spine and support disc metabolism — in other words, they help the natural process through which a herniation can even completely regress over time.

In summary, a herniated disc is not necessarily a lifelong diagnosis. Just as the condition of our body can change, so too can our spine improve, especially when we consciously support it.
Regular movement, physiotherapist-guided exercises and physiotherapy treatments all help the body mobilise its own resources to restore balance.