Slipped or Herniated Discs
Treating Slipped Disc or Herniated Disc
Discs do not actually slip. Rather, they sometimes herniate or bulge out from between the vertebrae. A herniation occurs when a displaced fragment of the center part, or nucleus, of the disc is pushed through a tear in the outer layer, or annulus, of the disc.
Pain results when the fragment touches or compresses a nearby nerve or an irritating substance is released from the tear. Herniated discs can be an early sign of degenerative disc disease and are most common in the low back or lumbar spine.
What causes discs to herniate?
Life style choices such as a lack of exercise, smoking and poor nutrition contribute to deteriorating disc health. Bad posture, injury or trauma, incorrect lifting or twisting as well as daily wear and tear can stress the disc. If the disc is already weakened, it may herniate with a single movement or strain such as coughing or bending over.
How do I know if I have a disc herniation?
Herniated discs are most likely to affect people between the ages of 30 and 40. Disc herniations do not necessarily cause pain, but the most common symptom will be discomfort or sharp pain in the area of the herniation that radiates across the hips or into the buttocks.
Numbness or pain may radiate down your leg to an ankle or foot. In a large herniation, you may notice weakness when extending your big toe. You may be unable to walk on your heels or toes.
In severe cases of lumbar disc herniation there can be changes in your bowel or bladder function and experience sexual dysfunction.
How is a disc herniation treated?
Conservative treatment of mild to moderate disc herniations include stretching, exercise therapy and chiropractic care. More advanced cases may require spinal decompression as well as chiropractic care.
Occasionally, but rarely, a herniation may be severe enough to warrant surgical intervention.
These cases are usually reserved as a last resort when other forms of therapy have failed to relieve pain, or if there is significant compression of the spinal cord or nerves.