Herniated disc is one of those spinal conditions that is quite common among the working population. This is because using the wrong lifting techniques, adopting the wrong posture while working for long hours in front of the computer,and repeatedly straining your back while you are at work can cause you to develop this spinal condition.
Your spinal cord is a bundle of nerves running through the canal within the spinal column. The nerves exit the spine through foramen, small openings found on each side of the spine.When a foramen becomes narrowed by arthritis or a bulging disc, pressure on the nerve can cause numbness and pain, and even muscle weakness if it is severe enough. A herniated disc occurs once the inner material bulges or bursts through the outer lining of the cartilage and damages or puts undue pressure on the spinal nerves or the spinal cord.
The big problem with herniated or prolapsed disc is that not all people with this condition can show any sign or symptom. This means that you may already have this condition and not be aware of it. However, when a prolapsed disc starts pressing on one’s spinal nerves, the usual symptoms include pain, loss of feeling, tingling, and muscle weakness. Laughing, coughing, sneezing, and even urinating can make the pain of a herniated disc even worse.
Herniated disc that are found in the lower back can cause intense back and leg pain. The ones that occur in the neck or cervical spine can cause pain in one arm, starting with the armpit and upper shoulder blade and traveling down the arm to one or two fingers. The most severe herniated disc can put extreme pressure on the nerves found at the bottom of the spinal cord and can cause a person to lose bladder or bowel control. This symptom, along with the loss of muscle function in the leg, are both serious cases of herniated disc and should warrant the immediate attention of a medical professional.
A leading NYC chiropractor says that always being safe at work and other activities, using proper lifting techniques, and maintaining the right weight will help you prevent back injury and the development of a herniated disc. If a person has been diagnosed with this condition, treatment for relapsed disc usually begins with medication and a prescribed period of rest. Physical therapy and spinal decompression therapy are non-invasive types of treatment that can be given to patients to help them achieve pain relief and faster recovery even with minimal or without medication. Surgery is only the final option when all the medications, steroidal and non-invasive types of treatments are not effective in making all the symptoms go away.
