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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Before we delve too deeply into the symptoms and treatment of herniated disc let’s first look at exactly what a herniated disc is and what can cause the condition.

WHAT IS A HERNIATED DISC?

The human backbone or spine consists of 33 vertebrae.  In between these vertebrae are soft pads consisting of a soft jelly like inside and the tougher outer shell.  It is these discs that act as shock absorbers helping to prevent damage to the spine from stress or injuries.

Herniated Disc

When a spinal disc suffers from degeneration due to injury or aging it can lead to weakness, pain and numbness in the lower back and down the leg.  This degeneration is called a herniated disc.

WHAT CAN CAUSE A HERNIATED DISC?

Spinal disc herniation is generally the result of aging or of some traumatic event.

As we age the spinal discs lose water content and elasticity.  This makes them more vulnerable to the effects of wear and tear and lead to disc herniation.  When the herniated disc is caused due to aging is also called degenerative disc disease.

The other major cause of herniated disc is due to falls or injuries or similar traumatic events that cause the spinal disc to rupture.
Other risk factors that can lead to this condition arer smoking, being overweight, being overly tall and working in an occupation that can cause stress to the spine e.g. one that involves heavy lifting or bending.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF A HERNIATED DISC?

The most common symptom of a herniated disc is pain in the lower back, in the buttocks and down the legs.  The severity of the pain and the position of the pain depends on where the disc herniation occurred and the severity of the herniation.  Pain in the lower back, buttocks and legs usually indicates a damaged disc is in the lower back.  If pain is experienced in the upper back, neck, upper arms and shoulders than the damaged disc is probably in the upper back.

Other symptoms that can be experienced following disc herniation are tingling, muscle spasms, numbness and weakness.

HOW IS HERNIATED DISC DIAGNOSED?

Generally you would be referred to an orthopedist for diagnosis of this condition.  Your specialist will perform physical tests as well as scans like MRI or CT with the aim to discover which actual nerve is affected and also the exact position of the herniated disc.  From this information the best treatment can be decided upon.

HOW IS A HERNIATED DISC TREATED?

When your medical practitioner has diagnosed the condition and determined the severity of the herniated disc he will decide the best treatment.  The nature of the treatment is determined by the severity of the symptoms of the herniated disc.

Nonsurgical treatment is the preferred treatment for this condition, however, in severe cases surgery may be necessary.  Fortunately, nowadays, surgery is usually minimally invasive and may not even require a general anaesthetic.  If the condition is acute and other avenues have been exhausted then spinal fusion may be recommended.

There are many nonsurgical treatments for a herniated disc and include methods like hydrotherapy, bracing, traction, stretching, exercising, administering pain relief and anti-inflammatory medication.

When the pain is controlled then rehabilitation can commence.  The aim of rehabilitation is to strengthen the spine and restore its normal function.  Rehabilitation generally consists of a variety of exercises like aerobics and stretching as well as exercises to strengthen the back and improve flexibility.

Very often herniated disc will respond to alternative treatments like acupuncture, yoga and massage.

Of course, like most things, prevention is better than cure and the chances of suffering from a herniated disc can be reduced substantially by exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking and maintaining a good posture.

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