A Herniated Disc (Slipped Disc) is when the soft part of the disc bulges through the circle of connective tissue with advancing age pushing on the spinal cord or on the nerve roots. A spinal disc is a little like a jelly donut, with a softer centre encased within a tougher exterior. A herniated disk occurs when some of the softer “jelly” pushes out through a crack in the tougher exterior. A slipped disc in the lower back is most often seen between the ages of 30 and 50 and more common in the lower back especially the fourth level of the lumbar spine and relatively rare in the chest part of the spine.
A herniated disc can irritate nearby nerves and result in pain, numbness or weakness in an arm or leg. A prolapsed disc often causes severe lower back pain. The disc often presses on a nerve root which can cause pain and other symptoms. However, it is worth noting that 20 per cent of the population have slipped discs without experiencing any noticeable symptoms.
It is not clear why some people develop a prolapsed disc and not others, however there are various things that might increase the risk of developing a prolapsed disc such as working in a job that involves lots of lifting or even sitting for long periods, weight-bearing sports, smoking, obesity, and increasing age. One of the most interesting and published articles we have read is titled ‘Sitting is the new smoking’, please look it up on https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2012/11_0323.htm and http://sittingissmoking.com/sitting_is_the_new_smoking.pdf. Chiropractic treatment can help with herniated disc without the need to go to surgery or using any unnecessary medication. A chiropractor can locate the herniated disc and reduce or correct the cause of pain in the spine.