The spine is comprised of vertebrae, and in between the vertebrae are soft, spongy discs which act as shock absorbers and give the spine its flexibility. A herniated disc, also known as a slipped, bulging or ruptured disc, occurs when a disc becomes damaged and bulges or breaks open. When this occurs, the innermost jelly like substance begins to leak out. A disc can herniate at any level of the spine, but they are most prevalent in the lower or lumbar region of the spine.
Oftentimes, the pain associated with a herniated, bulging or ruptured disc can be pretty intense. This occurs when the inner most jelly-like substance touches and/or presses on a nerve in the spine. Traditional herniated disc treatments include cortisone injections, non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and in severe cases, surgery.
Although these forms of treatments may offer temporary relief, they are only treating the symptoms of pain and not the cause of the pain. So what, you may be asking, causes a disc to herniate in the first place? Contrary to popular belief, most often than not, herniated discs to not happen overnight. The exception to this rule is an injury or trauma to the back.
It takes weeks, months and even years for the conditions in your back to be “right” in order for a disc to herniate. It is very easy for the human body to become out of balance. This is due to the fact that we all use our bodies in very repetitive movements and motions throughout the day. It is therefore understandable, that some muscles in the body become stronger while others muscles may become week. These imbalanced muscles can cause postural dysfunctions over time, which in turn create extra stress on the spinal vertebrae and discs.
The most important herniated disc treatment is to restore balance in the body, which in turn will reduce the amount of pressure that is on the nerve, thus reducing herniated disc pain. Herniated discs can be very complicated, so a multi-treatment approach oftentimes works best for this particular form of back pain.
Muscle Balance Therapy, Inversion Therapy, Anti-inflammatory supplements, Trigger Point Therapy and natural pain relief cream used in combination can offer maximized pain relief. Remember, no two persons are alike, so a combination of treatments may work wonders for one person, while another person may need to try a different combination of treatments to find the same relief.
So you now know the answer to the question, “What is a Herniated Disc” but if you would like to know more about the above herniated disc treatment options, CLICK HERE!
