What is a herniated disc?
Between each vertebral body in the spine there is a disk, similar to a small pillow. The disk is made up of a harder shell of collagen and a softer core. The disc should be shock-absorbing, which means it must be able to withstand compression, and it should protect the vertebrae so that bones do not rub against bones. The purpose of the disk is to relieve pressure and maintain a space between the vertebrae, so that the nerves can exit between each vertebral body without being pinched.
Herniated disc symptoms
The main symptom is pain in the form of radiating aches, numbness and tingling, such as sciatica. The pain can be sharp and very intense, radiating down a leg or arm, depending on the location of the herniated disc. The herniated disc can also cause more diffuse symptoms such as loss of sensation and muscle weakness due to nerves being affected. Depending on where the herniated disc is located and which nerves are affected, different organs may also be affected, causing problems with bladder and bowel control, for example, but also stomach problems. The herniated disc can therefore affect different parts of the body and organs, depending on where it is located and which nerve is affected.
Why do you get a herniated disc?
The dishes are usually 70% water, but with age the amount of water decreases and the dishes become drier. Less water and therefore drier disks are a cause of ‘age degeneration’, i.e. age-related changes. Therefore, there is an increased risk of herniated discs at older ages. When disks have more difficulty holding water, they dry out and as a result become more fragile. When the disk is fragile, the shell can crack, causing the nucleus to bulge and press on the spinal cord. The nucleus also presses on the nerve roots that run between the vertebrae, causing pain, numbness, tingling or muscle weakness. Pain and symptoms can vary depending on where the herniated disc is located. For example, if it is in the neck, numbness may extend to the shoulder, shoulder, arm, hand and fingers. If the herniated disc is instead in the lumbar spine, the pain can radiate down the leg and all the way to the toes, as the sciatic nerve gets pinched, which is called sciatica. The most common herniated disc is in the lumbar spine – lumbar disc herniation. This is because the lumbar spine is less stable as it is not supported by the thorax. It is also possible to get herniated discs in the neck and thoracic spine.
Herniated discs can also affect young people, the most common cause being trauma, an injury they have suffered. Smokers are a target group that may be at risk of herniated discs because nicotine impairs flow and circulation in the body by constricting the vessels. Nicotine therefore also affects resilience. In general, it can be argued that a less healthy lifestyle, obesity, smoking and age can increase the risk of herniated discs. Herniated discs can occur acutely from an injury, or more insidiously after a prolonged misalignment. The most common is that it is insidious and gradually gets worse. We often misalign and overload our backs during heavy lifting or use the body unilaterally, which results in the vertebrae and disks being more compressed on one side. The result can eventually be a herniated disc.
Herniated discs are usually single-sided, but they can also be double-sided, causing pressure on nerve roots on both the right and left sides.
Herniated discs – does walking help?
Walking helps and eases herniated discs. Herniated discs heal after a few months or six months, on their own. As it heals, the bulging nucleus dries out. Mobility is beneficial to the healing process, whereas sitting still is not beneficial to the healing of herniated discs. Avoid strenuous strain on the back and do not jump or run. Gentle movement with walking is usually good as it stimulates flow and nutrient supply to the discs and thus also stimulates healing of the disc. As the herniated disc is located in the lumbar spine, where nerve pressure can affect muscle function in the legs and feet, there may be a risk of tripping. Here it is important to pay attention to the steps and take it easy so that you do not fall and get new injuries.
Exercises for herniated discs
If you have a herniated disc, there are exercises you can do to help facilitate and promote the healing process. For example, stabilizing core exercises and balance exercises are effective, as they strengthen the abdominal muscles and the small stabilizing muscles of the back, the multifidus, which relieves the spine and discs. If you are very sedentary, your hip flexors can become shorter, which in turn causes more problems and puts strain on the lumbar, thoracic and even cervical spine. Therefore, it is beneficial to do stretching exercises for the hip flexors and constantly reflect on your posture. Stretching exercises can be, for example, lunges, sun salutations or yin yoga, where slow stretching exercises are practiced.
Herniated disc sleeping position
How should you sleep if you have a herniated disc? Maybe you toss and turn without finding a position that works without pain? Lying straight on your back or on your stomach is usually painful. When you lie on your stomach, some vertebrae are compressed more, which can be painful. Instead, lying on your side in the fetal position is much more gentle, as you round and relieve your back more. You may also want to place a box or a pillow under your knees when lying on your back, so that your legs and hips are bent at a 90-degree angle, so that your back is pressed down against the surface.
Herniated disc with nerve impingement
Herniated discs can have external effects if certain nerves are pinched, which in turn affect different organs in the body. In the case of a herniated disc, nerves that exit between the vertebrae can become trapped and this can have knock-on effects on other parts of the body. If the nerve is pinched, its signal can be disrupted. Depending on where the herniated disc is located, different problems can occur. Signals to/from different organs can be affected, causing problems with movement and other functions, as well as affecting sensation in different areas.
Should herniated discs be operated on?
Surgery for a herniated disc is not usually an option in the first instance, unless the situation is considered very serious. If the pain is severe and persistent and lasts for several months, or affects the control of bowel and bladder movements, then surgery may be required. However, anyone affected by a herniated disc should initially try treatment before any surgery. Keep in mind that the nerve can be damaged in the long term if it is subjected to prolonged compression, so it is important to try to treat and do your own exercises and movements to mitigate future impact on nerve functions.
The reason why surgery is not prioritized as the first choice is that surgery carries risks, including through the anaesthetic process. In addition, connective tissue and fascia are affected as there is scarring after surgery. Furthermore, surgery always causes stress that will affect the flow of the fascia, i.e. the fluid around all cells, and it also affects the collagen network. The whole body will be exposed to stress and surgery is always irreversible. Trauma and scars are created in the fascia, making it harder for the body to recover and heal afterwards. Therapists report that it is more difficult to treat someone who has undergone surgery than someone who is injured or ill but has not had surgery. For these reasons, the option of surgery is considered a last resort, after trying all exercises and fascia treatments without results.
Treatment of herniated discs
Treatment of herniated discs can be formulated as “it’s about helping the body heal”, whereas surgery is more like “the body is broken – let’s fix it”. There are effective treatments for herniated discs. These include strengthening the body through exercise, such as walking, and ensuring that the body’s load is as balanced and even as possible to take pressure off the discs. A herniated disc can be caused by a misalignment, overload or trauma and can be aggravated by short hip flexors or pelvic rotation. The body then responds by trying to balance the imbalance and further misalignment and imbalance develops, a vicious circle. Fascia clinics’ basic treatment consists of balancing the body, releasing the pressure that is in the body due to the extra load that the body has taken on to compensate for an injured area. The body will then try to rebuild and strengthen other areas to cope with the weaknesses caused by the herniated disc.
The aim of the treatment is to restore the optimal balance that the body should have by releasing tension so that the load on the back and joints is evenly distributed. It is important to try to identify the root cause of the imbalance and disc herniation and then address it. This is done while relieving and removing the pressure that the body has accumulated to overcome the herniated disc.
The treatment is very comfortable, gentle and painless. The Fascia Clinics have treated thousands of people with herniated discs who have been helped and it is definitely worth trying before considering surgery. Treatment can be time consuming as there is no quick fix, especially if you have been carrying imbalances and misalignments for many years before the herniated disc occurred. It then requires several treatments to maintain “straightness” and balance, as posture and balance are essential to avoid misalignment of the vertebrae and disks.
Keep in mind that a pinched nerve can be damaged and function impaired if the pinching continues for a long time, so it is important to try to treat and do your own exercises and movements to mitigate the impact on nerve functions.
Lumbar disc herniation
If you have a herniated disc in the lumbar spine, it can cause pain in the lower back. The lumbar vertebrae are the five vertebrae that lie after the thoracic vertebrae and go down to the sacrum, which consists of five fused vertebrae. A herniated disc in the lumbar spine can cause a radiating pain with tingling and numbness radiating down one leg and into the toes, known as sciatica. You may experience loss of sensation and impaired muscle function. You may also have problems with digestion and bladder or stool control.
For more causes of low back pain see separate article.
Herniated disc in the neck
A herniated disc in the upper part of the neck can cause you to experience pain in the neck and towards the head. If the herniated disc is located in the lower part of the cervical vertebrae, down between C6 and C7, you may experience pain in the shoulder, shoulder, arm, hand and fingers.
Herniated disc in the thoracic spine
Herniated discs in the thoracic spine can cause problems with pain and tingling in the shoulder blades, lungs and even affect breathing.
For more causes of back pain see separate article.