You may have heard a variety of terms for a disc herniation, such as “ruptured disc”, “slipped disc”, or “bulging disc”. When there is excessive stress placed through our spine, either at one specific time or repetitively over time, that stress can lead to the outer components of the disc bulging or tearing. In roughly 35% of symptomatic disc herniations patients will experience a large enough bulging of their disc to result in a compression of their nerves (“pinched nerve”) resulting in the radiation of pain, numbness, tingling, and even weakness to one or both lower extremities known as sciatica. The integrity of tissue that makes up our discs naturally declines with age, and a combination of the decrease in quality of the tissue as well as other risk factors can lead to a herniated disc.
As is the case with all connective tissues in our body our discs show signs of wear and tear with time. A majority of symptomatic disc herniations occur in our middle ages. While most symptomatic disc herniations occur between 30 and 55 years of age they can occur in those both younger and older than this.
Some risk factors for the development of a herniated disc include:
- Involvement in manual labor as a profession
- Relaxed or otherwise flexed sitting postural habit
- Improper lifting mechanics
- Genetic predisposition
- Dehydration
- Prior injury to the low back
- Limited or otherwise infrequent extension of the lumbar spine
If you suspect that you have a disc herniation and are not seeing improvement with conventional home remedies, it might be time to reach out to a physical therapist specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of neck and back pain to better customize your treatment to suit your individual needs.
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