Many people experience pain from a “slipped disc”. Although it is very painful when you injure your disc, it really doesn’t “slip out”. Your disc is like a jelly donut that sits between your vertebra, or bones in your spine. The jelly on the inside moves as you move, and the fibrous wall around the disc contains the “jelly”. If you do things like sit for long periods of time or bend over lifting repeatedly, there is pressure placed on the front of the disc and the jelly like substance pushes backwards. Over time, the back wall of the disc can stretch, bulge, or even tear, causing pain.
There are many pain receptors in the material that creates the wall of the disc which tells you whether that area has pain or not. Some people refer to this phenomenon as a “slipped disc”. With a large disc bulge, it can be difficult to even stand straight, as when you try to stand straight, the bulged disc can feel pinched.
So how do you protect yourself from the pain of a “slipped disc”, or disc bulge?
Do the opposite movement of what caused the problem in the first place. If your disc injury is not too acute, you can stand upright and arch your back backwards 5-10 times, several times per day. If that is too sore, you can try lying on your stomach with or without a pillow under your hips for 5-10 minutes at a time, several times per day. The progression once you have mastered that position, would be to lay on your stomach, resting up on your elbows. This allows the jelly like material in the disc to gradually seep back into the centre of the disc, relieving your pain. If these strategies do not help, or even worsen your symptoms, stop the exercise. You may need to see a physiotherapist who can further advise you on what to do for your injury.
In order to prevent a disc injury, always lift with your core muscles engaged, and your back straight, using your legs to bend and straighten. If you sit for long periods, always get up and change positions frequently, or arch backwards a few times once standing.
Please feel free to contact the Halton Community Rehabilitation Centre if you have any further questions regarding a “slipped” or bulged disc.
