Slipped Disc – An Avoidable Lifestyle Disease of Our Modern Civilization
Today’s 30-50 year olds are increasingly becoming the victims of sedentary lifestyle – and with it, of the condition called slipped disc or prolapsed disc. Excruciating pain in the back, limited mobility, in more severe cases numbness or weakness of the limbs, are all symptoms that most of us have experienced at one time or another in our life.
What Is a Slipped Disc?
Our spine is made of 26 bones called vertebrae. The spinal cord is the pack of nerves that runs inside the spine and exits between the vertebrae to be able to receive and transmit information to other body parts. In between the vertebrae there are discs with a soft, rubber-like substance inside, meant to make the spine flexible, to absorb the shocks resulting from everyday movement. If these discs become damaged, they may split, the gel “escapes”, and the pressure between the vertebrae normally taken up by the disc is released on the spinal cord, generating pain. Any disc in the spine can “slip”; however, the symptoms are more frequently experienced in the lower part of the back.
How Do You Know You Suffer from a Slipped Disc? – The Unmistakable Symptoms
The sudden onset of powerful pain in the back, especially at the level of the lower back, sometimes with the pain spreading even into the legs and buttocks, and muscle spasms are all symptoms indicating that you suffer from a slipped or prolapsed disc. The pain is usually aggravated by sudden contractions of the muscles, such as coughing or sneezing.
The causes of this extremely painful condition include:
- aging – the advance in age is usually accompanied by the normal wear and tear of the spine, the degeneration of the discs and the loss of elasticity in the supporting muscular structures of the back;
- strain caused by sudden twisting or turning movements;
- injury caused by improper lifting;
- sedentary lifestyle and the lack of regular physical exercise.
How to Prevent Getting a Slipped Disc and Treatment Options
The deterioration of the disc can be prevented by learning the proper lifting techniques and by doing regular exercise to strengthen and tone the supporting muscles of the spine. Significant amelioration or even the complete healing of the condition can be attained at home: bed rest, limited physical activity, the application of cold and hot packs, combined with mild painkillers and anti-inflammatory medication can take care of the pain in a few weeks.
However, if the pain persists, it limits your daily activity, it spreads into the limbs or is accompanied by muscle spasms, it is advisable to consult a doctor. The medical examination will include a spine examination as well as imaging tests, like MRI. Really severe cases are treated surgically to free the compressed nerve.
If you want to avoid problems like this in the future, adopting a healthy posture and exercising regularly is the best solution. As you see, a slipped disc is something that is better prevented than treated.
