What is a Herniated Disc?
A herniated disc is a malfunctioning disc along your spine, which has become ruptured or torn due to some type of trauma. Although often called a ruptured or slipped disc, these all refer to the same condition. Your spine and the bones which compose the spine are cushioned by a series of discs. These discs function as tiny shock absorbers, just like the ones in your car, easing stress from jolts and sudden movements.
When your back suffers an impact, such as a sudden movement resulting from an automobile accident, a disc can rupture or slip out of place. This is due to excessive pressure being exerted on an individual disc or series of discs. If the disc or discs cannot support the trauma, they break or move out of line, rendering them ineffective and causing excruciating pain. While these herniated discs may occur at any place on your spine, most often they are located in the lower back area.
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Common Causes of Herniated Discs
There are two major sources of injury resulting in herniated discs. One is simply the aging of your body, naturally occurring over time. When the discs are older, the bones become brittle and the discs may simply rupture without warning. Osteoporosis or other bone conditions may increase the chances of a person suffering from a herniated disc. The second most common cause of a herniated disc is a spinal injury. A spinal injury is simply a trauma that affects your back muscles and bone. These injuries often occur in vehicle collisions, sporting accidents, slips and falls, and during weight lifting. In these cases there is no underlying condition causing the breakage, just a trauma too severe for the discs to absorb.
Additionally a condition known as spinal stenosis, a thinning of the spinal column, can lead to conditions that make herniated discs more likely. This is due to the reduced space in the column itself, making any disc movement or rupture more likely to cause serious injury to the surrounding nerves.
Symptoms of a Herniated Disc
When you suffer a herniated disc, the disc itself does not cause pain. It is the pressure the rupture exerts on the complex web of surrounding nerves. The impact on the nerves will cause extreme pain in some patients, and also numbness in other parts of the body, such as the legs. When a herniated disc causes numbness in the leg or buttocks region, this is referred to as sciatica. Sciatica is the most commonly diagnosed symptom of a herniated disc, and means the break has occurred in your lower back region. Other symptoms can be headaches or even loss of bowel and bladder control in some cases.
Treatment Options
Treatment of herniated discs depends on several mitigating factors such as age of the patient, activity level of the patient, and the presence of worsening symptoms. In most cases your treatment will follow the following course:
Modification in your activity and recommended amounts of bed rest
Ice and heat application combinations to reduce swelling and inflammation
Physical therapy to stabilize and center your back muscles and spine. Also strength increasing exercises to increase core strength and prevent future injury
Anti-inflammatory medicines to reduce swelling and pain. These can be oral steroids, application cream, or cortisone type injections directly into the injury site
In cases where the treatments listed above do no show progress or the condition worsens, surgery may be the last option available to you. There are several surgery options, including minimally invasive procedures, and outpatient operations. The surgery will depend on the seriousness of the rupture and will include removal of the disc and cleaning out tissue causing the nerve inflammation.
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Cervical Herniated Discs
Cervical herniated discs, while not as common, occur in the neck region of the body. The symptoms will include painful shocks radiating through your arms and hands.
Remember we are not licensed or trained medical professionals. Please seek one out for your medical issues.