Many girls face herniated discs because of sitting wrong for long hours or also sleeping in bad positions. Your back is made of some vertebrae stacked on each other. The spine has 7 vertebrae in the neck area, 12 in the chest, and 5 in the lower back. There are discs that protect this cartilage from daily activities like walking, lifting, and twisting.
Each disc has two parts: the first is a soft gel-like inner part, and the outer ring is hard. This is called a herniated disc. Pain happens when this disc presses on one of your spinal nerves. Some cases only need rest, while others need surgery.
What are the symptoms of a herniated disc?
This injury can happen in any part of your back, but the lower part is the most common area. The herniated disc can press on some blood vessels or muscles near the spine. Symptoms of herniated disc appear when injured, like:
- Pain and numbness on one side of your body.
- Pain that spreads to your arms and legs.
- Pain that gets worse with some movements and bends.
- Pain when you walk a short distance.
- Unexplained muscle weakness.
- Tingling and burning in the affected area.
Symptoms vary from person to person, so you should see a doctor.
What causes a herniated disc?
A herniated disc happens when the outer ring is weak and lets the inner fluid press on nerves. This often happens with age or due to certain moves, like twisting, turning, or lifting heavy stuff beyond the body's ability. Lifting is the main cause of this herniation. Weight gain Could also be one of the factors causing this herniation. Besides muscle weakness, a herniated disc shows up with aging symptoms.
How is a herniated disc diagnosed?
The doctor does a full physical exam, looks for pain sources, nerve function, and touches the affected spots, plus asks how long you have felt the pain. Some tests and scans help diagnose like:
- X-rays.
- CT scans.
- MRIs.
The treating doctor collects info and sets you up with the right treatment plan
What are the complications of a herniated disc?
An untreated herniated disc can damage nerves. Rarely, nerve signals get cut, and then you lose control over your bowels. Serious complications are called saddle anesthesia. This causes loss of feeling in your inner thighs and around the rectum.If you can't do your usual physical activities, you should see a doctor.
How is a herniated disc treated?
There are many ways to treat a herniated disc, like physical therapy or surgery. It depends on the doctor's opinion. Some exercises strengthen muscles around the injured area and reduce your pain.Avoid lifting heavy things as it also lowers complications.Stopping many activities might weaken your muscles even more.
Some stretching exercises and low-intensity activities like walking can be more helpful. If you can’t do them, you should see a doctor. Doctors' approaches include:
- Muscle relaxants to ease the pain.
- Some pain relief meds.
- Nerve painkillers.
Doctors might suggest surgery if symptoms don’t get better with normal treatments. The surgeon removes the damaged or bulging disc part, This is called microdiscectomy.In other cases, they replace the disc with an artificial one and fuse parts of the spine together. This helps stabilize the spine and your overall movements.
What can someone with a herniated disc expect?
Most people with a herniated disc respond to treatment within 6 weeks and the pain gradually decreases.
Is it possible to prevent a herniated disc?
These steps can prevent a herniated disc, they are:
- When lifting heavy weights, bend your knees not your waist.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Don’t sit for long periods, keep stretching regularly.
- Do exercises to strengthen your thigh, back, and belly muscles.
A healthy life and exercise always protect against many diseases and pain, so you can try subscribing with us and change your life to a healthy one, you just need to ask about Fitness Garage subscriptions on the Facebook page.
