Lumbar Disc Herniation Symptoms, Prevention, and Treatment

If you occasionally experience lower back pain, it's highly likely that you may have a herniated disc. The primary affected areas are the lumbar spine and lower back vertebrae. This condition occurs when a soft disc between the vertebrae protrudes. Today, we'll delve into herniated discs, so please read until the end.

A herniated disc, also known as a slipped disc, occurs when a disc in the lower back protrudes and compresses the surrounding nerves. While the level of pain varies from person to person, many individuals experience severe discomfort. Let's explore this topic further in the following sections.

Causes and Main Symptoms of Herniated Disc

Herniated discs can be caused by a variety of factors. Some of the common causes include:

• Protrusion of a disc, leading to spinal nerve compression
• Strenuous exercise and exceeding the normal range of motion of the lower back
• Accidents or severe trauma
• Habitual poor posture
  Generally, poor posture and external impact are the primary causes.
• Uneven shoulder heights
• One side of the back protrudes when bending forward
• One shoe sole wears out more than the other, or a specific area wears out unevenly.
• Suspected pelvic tilt and uneven leg lengths
• Lower back pain making it uncomfortable to stand or sit for extended periods
• Severe pain when bending forward or backward
• If you experience tightness in the legs and difficulty raising them when lying flat on your back and alternating leg lifts, it may be a cause for concern.
• Rapid weight gain over a short period

Preventing Herniated Discs

Preventing herniated discs hinges on adopting healthy lifestyle habits. Some key aspects include:

Herniated Disc Prevention
During sports activities or daily life, avoid excessively bending or arching your back to the point of experiencing pain. Avoid maintaining postures that involve excessive bending or arching for prolonged periods.
Using smartphones or reading while lying on your stomach can put cumulative strain on your back and neck, so be mindful. While sitting, maintain a straight upper body, and if needed, lean back against the backrest for support.
Crossing your legs while sitting can negatively affect pelvic and spinal alignment, so be cautious. Instead of sit-ups, consider incorporating plank exercises into your routine. Perform these exercises gently and frequently within a pain-free range of motion, as they can be beneficial.
Instead of strenuous jogging that causes breathlessness, engage in regular brisk walking. Swimming is also considered a good exercise for the back as it minimizes the impact of gravity.

Types of Herniated Disc Treatment
There are various treatment options for herniated discs. They are as follows:

Treatment Methods
Physical Therapy – Includes hot packs, cold packs, electrical stimulation, and ultrasound therapy.

• These therapies help alleviate pain and promote tissue healing, thereby improving range of motion in the affected area.
  Manual Therapy – This is a manual treatment that involves correcting musculoskeletal imbalances based on the patient's unique characteristics and the cause of pain.
• This therapy aims to relieve tension in muscles, ligaments, and tendons that contribute to pain.
  Exercise Therapy – This therapy involves assessing the patient's medical history and movement patterns to correct the underlying issues.
• It focuses on improving joint range of motion, preventing strain on body tissues, and promoting tissue activation.
  Ligament Strengthening
  Injections – Medications that promote cell differentiation and enhance tissue regeneration are injected into the affected area.
• These injections help relieve pain and enhance the body's self-healing capabilities.
  Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) – This regenerative therapy promotes the formation of new blood vessels and tissue regeneration.
• ESWT can be focused (concentrated on a single point of the lesion) or radial (spread across a broader area surrounding the lesion).
  Selective
  Nerve Blocks – This procedure involves injecting a local anesthetic into the nerve responsible for the pain.
• During the time the local anesthetic is effective, the pain's progression is monitored to identify the source of pain and the affected nerve, facilitating treatment.

If you've undergone surgery for a herniated disc, it's advisable to rest at home for about a week. Within three weeks, you can gradually resume some daily activities. After three weeks, you can generally return to your normal routine.

In Conclusion

Today, we've explored herniated discs. Our daily habits can unknowingly contribute to the development of this condition over time. It's crucial to incorporate the preventive measures discussed above into your routine to mitigate the risk of developing a herniated disc. We hope this information is helpful for you.