Treat Your Slipped Disc Sooner & Save 15% Off Your Consultation
Understand Your Slipped Disc & Discover How To Treat it From Home & With Professional Help
Dear Visitor,
I am Peter Olsson, lead spinal specialist at Spine, Body & Health and if you’re visiting this website because you’re in pain then I want to help you get out of it.
My expert team and I put together this quick-to-read article to help you understand your slipped disc.
A slipped disc can mentally, physically and emotionally break even the strongest of people. It is easily known as one of the worst feeling lower back pains we can experience.
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Understanding Your Spine
Your spine runs from your neck all the way down through to the level of your hips, it’s made up of 24 boney structures called vertebrae and also includes the sacrum (which forms the back of the pelvic girdle) and coccyx which some experts consider equally to be bones of the spine.
Each of these bones is separated by a small pillow we call a disc. These discs are round with a tough outer layer to protect its nucleus, they act as shock absorbers for the spine protecting it from our daily activities (like walking, running, jumping, lifting, twisting).
As you can imagine these discs are essential to our body’s overall movement and health.
What Is A Slipped Disc?
A slipped disc has many names. We often call it a Slipped Disc but it is also more correctly known as a Herniated Disc, Prolapsed Disc or a Ruptured Disc depending on the exact nature of the problem with the disc.
Technically our discs never actually ‘slip’ even though it’s a common term. But, they can bulge, split or rupture.
A slipped disc is when part of the nucleus is pushed into the spinal canal through a tear or rupture in the disc. As there isn’t a lot of room in the spinal canal this often means the disc then pressed against the spinal nerves which can cause extreme pain, numbness, and potentially weakness in one side of the body.
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What Are The Symptoms of a Slipped Disc?
Although a slipped disc is more common in your lower back they can happen in any part of your spine from the neck all the way down to the level of the hips. The pain you feel can vary person to person depending on how bad the herniation of the disc is.
Some people may never experience terrible pain at all if the rupture isn’t pressing on a nerve. In this case, it may just feel like a dull ache in the lower back (or affected area!).
However, the most common symptoms are as follows:
– Sharp pain (typically in one side of the body)
– Numbness (typically in one side of the body)
– Pain that extends out to your arms and legs
– Pain that gets worse at night
– Pain that gets worse after standing or sitting
– Issues bending or straightening the back
– Various muscle weaknesses
– Pins and needles felt on the skin (paraesthesia)
As you can imagine it could be easy to pass off some of these symptoms as just “back pain” or a “trapped nerve”.
However, a slipped disc may stop you standing, and if untreated could have a serious impact on your life for a long time if you don’t get professional help.
The Causes of a Slipped Disc
There are four common causes of slipped discs that we see with our patients at Spine, Body & Health in Bedford. The most common causes of a slipped or herniated disc are:
1 . Age (Disc Degeneration)
As you get older the cartilage that makes up your discs can lose its flexibility which can lead to a slipped disc.
2. Exercise
Let’s start by making it clear, exercise is great for you, your body and your health. However, for the sportsman who lifts heavy loads or has an extreme amount of stress going through the back there is a risk of a slip if you have failed to warm up properly.
3. Lifting Heavy Objects
Lifting heavy objects in the wrong way (especially with twisting and turning) is the most common reason people get a slipped disc in the workplace. For example, lifting with the back rather than the legs can cause excessive stress. This is why many workplaces have specific and detailed training for people who have to do lifting of any kind.
4. Obesity
A slipped or herniated disc is very common in larger people, especially if they have a sedentary lifestyle. Extra weight can put more pressure on the discs leading to issues down the line as we get older.
Can A Slipped Disc Be Prevented?
Yes, there are things you can do which will make getting a slipped disc or herniated disc less likely.
Exercise
Implementing a regular exercise routine can help strengthen and tone the supporting muscles in the body, including the lower back which can be used to prevent recurring injury if you have been injured in the past.
Losing Weight
If you are overweight or obese then losing weight will also help reduce the risk of having a slipped disc as well as decreasing general back pain.
You could do this through exercise (as talked about above) as well as improving your diet and becoming more active day-to-day. Big changes aren’t essential as they are often hard to keep long term, instead make smaller, baby steps and keep consistent. Perhaps find a hobby which will get you moving while having fun.
Note: If you’re unsure where to start, ask the specialists at Spine, Body & Health, they will be able to point you in the right direction with exercise, diet and being more active.
Learning Proper Lifting Technique
At Spine, Body & Health we meet a lot of people with slipped discs and the common cause is that they lifted something heavy in the wrong way. Learning how to perform lifts in the right, safe way is essential. Getting it wrong is not worth the pain you will feel if you slip a disc.
At Work
If heavy lifting is part of your job then your workplace should have safety precautions and lifting training in place. This may take the form of an online course or an in-person course where they run through and teach you the best way to complete your tasks without getting hurt.
If your workplace hasn’t trained you in proper lifting techniques and they ask you to perform some heavy lifting it is within your power to say no until you feel you have been trained and are safe.
However, If your workplace has not offered you proper lifting training and does expect you to be lifting heavy objects then please look after your health and ask for some training.
At Home
If you’re at home and you know you have heavy lifting to do then please do your research. YouTube has loads of videos on how to lift safely and the knowledge they bring may help prevent you from experiencing horrific pain.
What If I Leave My Slipped Disc Untreated?
In our professional experience living with a slipped or herniated disc gives a life of extreme discomfort. All our clients who have come to us for help had been at their wits end.
We often get the question “What happens if I leave my slipped disc untreated?”, the answer is simple.
You’ll not only risk living in constant pain day-to-day but if it remains untreated it could lead to further complications such as partial paralysis (if the disc continues pressing on nerves linked to the lower limbs) or even incontinence (if the disc presses on nerves linked to the bladder and bowel).
Not to mention the long-term effect it can have on your life. Ash goes into more detail:
“Getting out of bed was the first challenge of the day. Every movement sent a massive shock through my body! I could barely walk, I couldn’t work, I couldn’t help around the house, I couldn’t see my friends. My whole life was flipped upside down!
My Doctor said I’d probably never walk right again, and I certainly wouldn’t get back in the gym lifting weights like I was… this was a nightmare for me as I was training to be a Personal Trainer and enter some weightlifting events.
Thankfully I saw a professional and he worked his magic on my back. Months later and I am hitting personal bests in the gym, lifting weights I’d never lifted before, and even going on runs. It’s amazing, I never thought I would be pain free after speaking with my Doctor but here I am!”
Getting Your Back Pain Diagnosed
If you believe the pain you’re experiencing is more than just your normal lower back pain then we strongly suggest you get it assessed and properly diagnosed as soon as possible. Only with the right diagnosis will you be able to get the right treatment to get you out of pain sooner.
To get a diagnosis you can go to your local GP and get them to put a referral in for scans and assessments with your local Hospital.
Or, you can skip the queue, miss the waiting list and get results faster by seeing a Back Pain Specialist like we have at Spine, Body & Health. Our Specialists are expertly trained in dealing with back problems and have a high track record of success without relying on surgery or a lifetime of pills.
It’s Been Diagnosed, I Have a Slipped Disc. Can I Treat It From Home?
It’s possible, but impossible to predict if it will work or how long it may take to be effective. There are many options you can try including;
- Rest
- Gentle Movement (Exercise) – to keep the body moving and stopping it from getting too stiff
- Heat Packs
- Painkillers – like Paracetomal and Ibuprofen may help ease the pain and get you through another day
The main problem is none of these options fix the underlying cause of the slipped disc, they don’t improve the structures in the body and they don’t prevent it from happening again.
Doctors have told our patients that there isn’t a lot you can do for a Slipped Disc, yet in our professional experience the treatment we give at Spine, Body & Health is on average 88% effective for people with disc problems helping people who have gone from struggling to walk… to running again. All without surgery.
I Want Professional Help With My Slipped Disc!
Getting your back problem diagnosed and treated has never been easier with Spine, Body & Health.
Step 1 – Have A Consultation
Every person stepping through our door needs to have a thorough consultation and assessment so we know exactly what is going on with your body without a shadow of a doubt. We will not treat anyone unless they have one, it’s pointless trying to help someone with guess work.
Our Consultations are first class and extremely detailed. The more we know, the better we can help. They differ from person to person depending on what your Specialist believes they need. It may include digital postural analysis, thermography, electromyography, digital x-rays and more.
The combination gives us a full picture of the problems you are facing and allows us to create a personalised and powerful recommendation of care.
Step 2 – Our Recommendations
After your consultation our team of Back Pain Specialists review your results and determine the best method of helping you get out of pain, fix the issue and prevent it from happening again. They will walk you through your results, answer any questions you have, and talk to you about their recommendations.
Whether you choose to work with Spine, Body & Health or not your specialist will be up front and honest about the level of care they believe you need and give you all the information you need to make an informed decision.
Step 3 – Your Care Begins
If you choose to work with us your care will then begin as explained to you by your Specialist. It’s impossible to say how long it will take for you to be out of pain but it’s in our experience that pain is significantly reduced in only a few sessions (naturally your results may vary).
In Conclusion
Living with a Slipped Disc is a nightmare, the pain and disruption to your life is simply horrible. They can be prevented in young people as they are commonly caused by incorrect lifting or not warming up properly in the gym.
But, once it happens it is best to get it diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.
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We look forward to meeting you and helping you on your journey!
Dr. Peter Olsson
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Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to accurately represent all services provided by Spine, Body & Health. There is no guarantee that you will get specific results by working with us. Examples on this site are not to be interpreted as a promise or guarantee.
Your level of success in attaining the results claimed on this site and by our staff depend on several factors, such as your background, motivation, commitment, and actions. Since these factors differ according to individuals I cannot guarantee your success, nor am I responsible for any of your actions. Results may vary.
