Herniated Disc

A herniated disc may go by other names such as slipped disc, pinched nerve or bulging disc and occurs when the outer portion of a disc breaks down and the fluid inside comes out, putting pressure on it's surroundings that otherwise would function uninterrupted. This causes radiating pain, not necessarily at the site of the disc. Being diagnosed with a herniated disc narrows down your diagnosis to being caused by a disc in your spine. Beyond this, there are multiple tests and an examination by MRI or X-Ray that can further determine the cause of pain associated with a disc. The source of pain is the first indication a physician can consider when diagnosing a herniated disc because the pain doesn't have to be at the disc itself. This is because a herniated disc can cause pinching of nerves that send pain to other areas of the body. This is called nerve root pain. The other kind of herniated disc will have pain right at or around the disc itself and this is called axial pain.

Treatment options are to prevent inflammation that causes pain and strengthen the patient's body and optimize their overall health to manage a diagnosed herniated disc. The first steps are to decrease inflammation, prevent further injury and improve posture. This may be accomplished with rest, medication and/or a support designed for the lumbar region. These supports wrap around the trunk, encouraging you to be more conscious of form as you move through out your day. It increases warmth and circulation to the region, decreasing inflammation and promoting healing.

This diagnosis is a sensitive one, with a lot of variance case to case so it's very important to first nail down the source of your pain and a plan for treatment with your physician before making any serious adjustments. For example, some patients experience pain that is caused by muscle or tissue in a region that cannot be fixed by a spinal surgery that they may think otherwise will take their pain away.