| What is a Herniated Disc |  |
So what in the world is a Herniated Disc??? Well, rather
than confuse you more, I am going to give you my simple,
easy to understand definition.
a herniated disc is simply a protrusion, or sticking out of
the disc. Think of a disc as a balloon being held in place
between your hands. if you push your hands together unevenly
the balloon will bulge out on the opposite side. This is
what happens to the disc between the vertebrae.
A Bulging Disc is the same thing as a herniated disc. just a
different name.
Herniated discs are probably one of the most common
diagnosis's for back pain out there and is often used when a
doctor can't find an explanation for the person's pain.
similar to a doctor explaining away various aches and pains
as arthritis.
The problem is, many people who are diagnosed with a
herniated disc don't have pain because of it. and, for
years, research has shown that in many cases, people live
with herniated discs yet never have any back pain or
symptoms. The point is, if you've been diagnosed with a
herniated or bulging disc, it may not be what's really
causing your back pain!
Even if you've had x-rays and MRI's done that show a
herniated disc, chances are still very good that it's not
the problem. so read on to learn more and find out what's
causing your back pain.
So what causes a disc to herniate?
Well, many people want you to believe it's old age, excess
weight, stress, poor genetics, or how you lift a heavy
object.
while these are all potential factors, the biggest factor or
cause is uneven pressure placed on the disc. Yes, you read
that right. uneven pressure on discs is the biggest cause of
herniated discs.
Remember we talked earlier about the uneven pressure? Well,
months and years of this uneven pressure causes discs to
breakdown.
Do you have any idea what causes this uneven pressure?
It's something so simple that it amazes me how many people,
including the experts (orthopedic specialists,
chiropractors, physical therapists, etc) fail to recognize
it.
So what is it??? Muscle Imbalances.
You see, muscle imbalances pull your bones and joints,
especially the pelvis and spine, out of place and this
places excess and uneven wear and tear on the body.
This is where Chiropractors come in.
The whole concept of chiropractic care is to manually move
the bones and joints back into the proper position.
Makes sense right? WRONG! Why? Because the same muscles that
pulled those bones and joints out of place to begin with,
will do so again, usually within days.
The ONLY way to address muscle imbalances is to first
identify them, then work on correcting them with the right
combination of corrective exercises and stretches. and any
treatment that fails to include this formula, is doomed to
fail!
To learn more about muscle imbalances, be sure to read my
article titled "Aches, Pains, and Injuries" here:
http://www.losethebackpain.com/achesandpainsarticle.html
So when does a Herniated Disc actually cause pain?
Typically, a herniated disc will cause pain when it is
putting pressure on a nerve or nerves and this pain is
usually felt down the backside of the leg. However,
occasionally individuals experience pain in the disc itself
or the area around it.
How do you know then what's causing your back pain?
Whether your pain is in the disc or shooting down your leg,
I am willing to bet that it has something to do with muscle
imbalances.
In my opinion, it always makes sense to start at the
beginning. so the first thing to do is identify what muscles
imbalances you have and then begin work on correcting them.
DON'T try things like ultrasound, electrical stimulation,
cortisone shots and then feel disappointed that they didn't
work. how can they??? Remember, they don't address the root
cause of the problem!
I am not saying that these types of treatments don't have a
place, it's just that they will not give you the long-term
relief you are looking for. For example, ultrasound may be
helpful in conjunction with a corrective exercise and
stretching program but it's not likely to do much on it's
own.
The real key is to not only treat the symptoms, but address
the cause of the problem also. You can learn more about how
to identify and correct your muscles imbalances in our
video, Lose the Back Pain.
In it, we take you thru a series of self-assessments in
which you'll identify which specific muscle imbalances you
have. We then show you step-by-step what to do to correct
them in our Corrective Action Plans. all you have to do is
follow the instructions and in weeks, maybe days, your back
will be feeling great again. Order your copy online at
http://www.losethebackpain.com or call 1-888-343-FITT
(3488)
Article by Jesse Cannone of http://www.losethebackpain.com.
Jesse is a certified personal fitness trainer and post-rehab
specialist and he has helped hundreds of individuals to
eliminate their back pain. Visit his site now and be sure to
sign up for his free email course on eliminating back pain.
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