You have some back pain, and before you know it you’ve gone down a rabbit hole of self-assessment. Or maybe you’ve talked to well-meaning friends or family, and suddenly you think your back pain is because you have a disc herniation.
Do you really have one? Maybe, but maybe not. To be honest, it’s a term I hear people throw around too easily, and often inaccurately. So let’s clear a few things up.
Unless it happened in a traumatic situation, in the majority of cases when vertebral discs bulge or herniate, it’s not because it’s genetic. It’s not just random bad luck, either. Often it’s because the movement patterns within the spinal joints have deteriorated. That adds stress on the vertebral joints. The faulty spinal mechanics then cause premature wear and tear on the discs, and over time this reduces their ability to function the way they are designed to.
What’s Actually Happening Inside a Disc
Vertebral discs are crucial to healthy functioning spinal joints. These cartilage discs attach securely between two vertebrae (no, you can’t have a “slipped disc”). They’re made up of 2 parts: tough outer fibres that surround an inner nucleus (semi fluid gel). For simplicity with people in my practice I often use the metaphor of a jelly donut: think of the inner nucleus as the jelly, and the ‘dough’ as the outer annular fibres.
How a Disc Herniation Develops
When spinal mechanics first start to fail, the discs begins to bulge first. This is when some disc material moves because of faulty joint mechanics and subsequent degeneration. Think of a jelly donut, that has slight pressure put upon it so that the dough bulges out the sides slightly. But it’s not enough pressure that some of the jelly comes out. Disc bulges can happen with absolutely no symptoms, but if you don’t encourage the spinal joints to heal, further problems will develop.
When the spinal joint mechanics aren’t corrected, the tension on the disc fibres continues to increase, often over years. And a bigger problem develops. Remember the jelly donut? Now it’s been under enough pressure, for long enough, that some of the jelly inside starts to squeeze out. That causes inflammation around the area – in the muscles, tissues and nerves.
The nerves coming off the spinal cord in the lumbar area are highly complex. And with disc herniations creating pressure on these nerves, there can be some pain that travels down the leg or radiates around the buttocks. Depending on which area of the disc is herniating, the pain pattern can also affect the side or front of the leg. It can even travel all the way right down into the feet.
Do You Actually Have a Disc Herniation?
Just because you have back pain does not mean you have a bulging or herniated disc. In fact, research has shown that many people are walking around with bulging discs while experiencing NO symptoms whatsoever!
So what’s the best way to know if you have a disc herniation, disc bulge, or if your spine is not moving well?
By having a thorough assessment with highly trained Doctors. They spend 4 years (after completing a university degree) studying the anatomy and mechanics of the spine.
Yes, that’s right, see a Chiropractor and have a proper evaluation rather than relying on “Dr. Google” and stressing yourself out. Or even worse, starting your own treatment plan which might not even be appropriate for you and can cause further pain and problems. (Read this post about why using the internet to self-diagnose can be dangerous.)
Getting a Proper Assessment
Your physical assessment will often include postural testing, an evaluation of your range of motion and functional abilities. It may also include spinal joint palpation, gait analysis, orthopedic and neurological tests. You might even have further diagnostic testing such as surface EMG or X-rays.
The clinical results from this type of assessment gives us plenty of information as to what might be going on within the body. Within the first few minutes of any examination I quickly know whether there is irritation within the disc or not. And if the healing process can begin, or whether you need further diagnostics such as an MRI.
So, if you’re struggling with back pain and guessing you might have a disc herniation, consider a consultation with a professional first. It’s our job to clinically assess you and get you on the right path to healing. With the right diagnosis and support, you’ll likely see results sooner than if you struggle with it on your own.
For more information check out this related blog post:
