Herniated disc is also known as slipping disc or ruptured disc, it is a medical condition which affects your spine which is caused by trauma or lifting injuries or from degenerative disc disease.
The spine is made up of stacked bones called vertebrae. We have a small disc in between the vertebrae which acts as a shock absorber in our body. This disc performs many important functions including shock absorption and keeping the vertebrae column stable and giving the vertebrae ‘pivot points’ to allow movements.
In some cases, this disc will press and push down on the nerves surrounding the backbone and leads to a condition called herniated disc.
Symptoms of Herniated Disc:
- Symptoms of herniated disc depend on the severity of pain and for most people low back pain is the initial symptom.
- If you suffer with a major herniated disc then it may lead to symptoms like, lower back pain that radiates out to limb.
- It is often followed by eventual onset of leg pain, numbness or weakness. This leg pain will ultimately increase and spreads to ankle and foot.
Many other symptoms include:
- Weakness in leg
- Numbness in leg and knees
- Severe pain in back
- Muscle weakness
- Paralysis
- Burning sensation
- Affected reflexes
- Loss of bladder or bowel control (this condition occurs when the spinal nerve roots are compressed and it requires immediate medical attention).
Causes of Disc Herniations:
- The major cause of herniation is due to the lifting heavy object, traumatic injury to your lumbar discs occurs when you lift something or bent at the waist rather than with your legs and a straight back.
- Physical trauma can force the gelatinous material inside the disc through cracks in the outer walls of the disc. Injury to spine will cause the disc to bulge or break in to pieces.
- Obese people are at higher risk for herniated disc, because their disc might not support additional weight.
- As you get older, you will experience the pain of herniated disc. This is due to loss of watery content in your discs.
How to get Relief from Herniated Disc Pain in Lower Back:
Here are some tips to get relief from herniated disk pain in lower back. Make sure to consult your doctor before following these processes to confirm whether these techniques are right for you.
- Heat or Cold Compress:
Heat or cold compress usually controls the pain and increases the blood circulation in body.
Place heat or cold compress against your lower back throughout the day. You can also experiment with different type of heat therapies which will help you to get relief from pain.
2. Physio Therapy:
Physio therapy is one of the best ways to get relief from herniated pain in lower back. But it should be done in the presence of physical therapist.
This is a specific approach to exercise with the goal of eliminating pain away from your leg and lower back.
This therapy is used for rehabilitation to strengthen your back and avoid the pain at bay and prevent recurrence.
3. Fix your Muscle Imbalances:
Imbalance of muscles happens when you stand or sit for long hours in wrong posture and sitting in front of computer for long hours leads to postural dysfunctions.
If sudden and awkward moment is the cause for herniated disc, then identify the postural dysfunctions and reverse the imbalance of your muscle to prevent the pain in spine.
4. Regular Exercise to Relieve pain of Herniated Disc:
Exercise is the best way to prevent pain in any part of the body including your lower back. Many physicians and physical therapists may suggest you simple stretches and exercises, such as pelvic tilt to get relief from the pain.
Muscle balance therapy is done to lose the pain in back, weak muscles are targeted to get strength and to avoid recurrence of pain.
Exercises like simple yoga and water activities are helpful if you have severe pain of herniated disc.
5. Chiropractic Manipulation:
It is generally required to know the source of your back pain. Chiropractic doctors involves in determining the source of your back pain by testing your reflexes.
If you reach your chiropractic doctors, they will tell you about the exact reason of pain, they determine if there is any loss in the sensation along nerve, investigate if there is any loss in muscle strength and evaluate the entire spine and provide x rays if necessary.
6. Drink Plenty of Water:
The inner portion of spine contains about 70% of water, so drinking water periodically may help you to get relief from the herniated disc.
You can boost it by adding lemon juice in water; this will balance the PH level of your body.
While the acidic nature of lemon leads to alkaline affect of our body and adding it in water is a simple way to promote healing.
7. Reduce your Stress levels:
Stress is the major cause for increasing the herniated disc pain in lower back. If you are chronically stressed, then your body releases a stress hormone called cortisol which leads to increase of inflammation in the body and causes excrete pain.
It is also linked with the functioning of immune system and weight gain. So try to follow stress relieving activities like yoga, journaling and long talk with friends.
8. Maintain Healthy Diet
Maintain a healthy diet rich in of proteins, minerals and vitamins which will help to repair herniated disc, injuries and pain.
Beyond this eating more fresh fruits and vegetables will help to alkalize your body and avoid processed foods which will create an acidic environment in your body.