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Back pain that is caused by a herniated disc is one of the most frequent problems that people will come to my physical therapy clinic for. The most common complaints that my back pain patients have are increased pain with sitting of getting up from sitting, pain with coughing and sneezing and pain with bending and lifting. These problems are indicators that a disc problem may be causing the pain in your back.
The discs in the low back, also referred to as intervertebral discs, sit in between the vertebrae of the spine and act as spacers and shock absorbers. They are made up of a hard cartilage like outer layer (annulus) with a more jelly like center (nucleus). When a disc is injured the outer layer can crack or bulge (slipped disc) allowing the jelly like nucleus to squish into the bulge or crack. If the injury is severe enough the nucleus can break through the annulus and squish all the way out of the disc, this is referred to as a herniated disc.
When a disc is bulged, herniated or simple irritated it pushes out from in between the vertebrae stretching and pressing on ligaments and nerves. This causes inflammation that can result in one or all of the following:
Deep low backache
Leg Pain (sciatica)
Painful back spasms
Muscle tightness in the back, hips and buttocks
Nerve symptoms such as numbness or tingling
Muscle weakness in the legs
Injured discs are susceptible to increased pressure in the spine. Sitting, bending over and coughing or sneezing all cause increased in the disc resulting in back pain.
Getting pain relief from a herniated disc is done by reducing the inflammation around the injured disc, relaxing the tight muscles and increasing range of motion in the spine. All of these reduce the pain and help restore natural standing and walking motions.
I see back pain patients in my clinic on a daily basis and fortunately there are a number of very effective stretches and exercise that help reduce inflammation in spine. Regardless of whether you have had an MRI showing a fully herniated disc or simply have a bad case of low back pain these simple stretches can help decrease your pain, increase blood flow, reduce inflammation and expedite healing. These stretches also reduce muscles spasm and stiffness and increase range of motion in the low back. They can be performed at home on the floor of your bedroom and can be done in 15 minutes or less. For more information about stretches and exercises to relieve low back pain click here.
