For people suffering with back pain, being diagnosed with a herniated disc can be a real concern but if you can understand what it really means then there are simple steps that can be taken to prevent it ever becoming a problem.

Have you ever heard of this happening?

• You bend over to pick something up from the floor and your back locks.  You then start to be bothered by lower back pain in the buttocks and radiating down the leg.  Following a consultation with your doctor and an MRI scan, the problem is diagnosed as a herniated disc that is causing the lower back pain.

Although it sounds bad, a herniated disc may not be as bad as you think.  You may have heard a herniated disc being called by names such as bulging disc, or slipped disc or ruptured disc.  All nasty sounding terms but there are ways to alleviate the symptoms of a herniated disc, assuming, of-course that it is the real issue.
There is a lot of misinformation and misguided information about herniated discs.

Herniated Disc

About 85% of all people, even if they don’t have any back pain, would show some degree of herniated disc if they underwent an MRI.  What this means is that your lower back pain may, in fact, not be caused by a herniated disc.

About 4 out of 5 people in America will experience some level of lower back pain in their lifetime.  Of that 80%, who will suffer back pain for the first time, most will resolve it without any treatment.  Only about 10% of people suffering back pain ever needs to have surgery to rectify it.

However, regardless of the back pain statistics, a herniated disc diagnosis is still a major concern of people suffering from back pain.

It is important for you to know how the significance of a herniated disc is determines and what steps you can take to reduce the chances of a herniated disc becoming a major health issue.

How do you stop your worrying about back pain and your back pain?

1.  Firstly, just because you have lower back pain and pain that radiates down your leg doesn’t necessarily mean that a herniated disc is source of the problem, even if a MRI scan comes back positive.  Sciatica can cause pain in the buttocks and down the leg and can sometimes be caused by aggravation of a nerve root from a herniated disc.  However, it is more likely that the sciatica is caused by the sciatic nerve being irritated by a cause from outside the spine.  To definitively find the cause, MRI results need to ne corroborated with a thorough physical examination that includes a physical assessment covering strength, movement, reflexes and any other relevant clinical tests.

2.  Become aware of other symptoms that may be indicative of some other back problem such as:

• Acute neck or back pain accompanied by a fever
• Normal daily activities becoming difficult to complete
• Pain that gets worse over a period of weeks
• Re-occurring pain

IMPORTANT – If you experience any of the following symptoms, then you should seek immediate medical advice:

• - Numbness around your crotch or genitals
• - Difficulty in passing or controlling urine
• - Pins and needles, numbness, or lack of strength in both legs
• - Unsteadiness when standing

3. It is important to realize that leaning over to pick something up off the floor is unlikely to be the cause of a herniated disc.

The discs in our spine are much tougher than we think and they can withstand a great deal of physical punishment

The two main factors leading to degenerative disc disease and then herniated discs are aging and our genetic makeup.

As we get older we experience two major changes:

a. The muscles around our spine lose their strength causing instability within the back.
b.  As well, the spinal discs lose some of their water content leading to a reduction in disc height and disc strength  The result can be lead to the disc failing.

4. Build up the strength in your back muscles and reverse the symptoms of the effects of aging on the spine.  Use a holistic approach.  This means stretching tight back muscles and strengthening weak back muscles.  This process addresses the muscular imbalances that are often the cause of the back problems rather just relying on treating the symptoms using methods such as ultrasound, massage or heat treatment which do nothing to resolve the underlying cause of the problem.

5. Find a specialist who specializes in the musculoskeletal field and who can identify and address these muscular imbalances by prescribing a stretching and muscle building regimen that will assist in making your sciatica and back pain a thing of the past.

Lower Back Pain – Are You Suffering From A Herniated Disc

If you are suffering from lower back pain do you realize that you could be suffering from a herniated disc?

Stretches to get quick relief from herniated disc sciatica

Leg pain or sciatica (also known as radiculopathy) from a herniated disc is commonly caused by disc material protruding backwards and irritating or compressing a nerve root, which in turn causes pain to radiate along the sciatic nerve.

Types of sciatica: herniated disc,

What is Sciatica? This is a term that is the cause of much confusion and is often grossly misunderstood. Sciatica is not just a disease or ailment or even a diagnosis by itself that would point to any particular cause of pain.

Herniated Disc?

The oral steroids for herniated disc should only be given by a healthcare professional, and needs to be accurately assessed before commencing. There are many varieties of herniation of the disc found today.

Sitting with a Herniated Disc

Sitting with a Herniated Disc written by a recovered disc pain sufferer. Article details the misery of seated posture with lumbar disc herniations.

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