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disc herniated occurs when one of the spinal discs is injured, usually from some form of traumatic injury. The spinal discs are located between each set of spinal vertebrae (bones of the back), and their purpose is twofold. First of all, they act as ligaments, which hold the vertebrae together. Secondly, they act as cushions or shock absorbers, preventing the vertebrae from touching.

A spinal disc is composed of a firm outer layer (called the annulus fibrosus) and a jelly-like center (called the nucleus pulposus). I like to compare them to jelly doughnuts, because of their structure – this also makes it easier to understand what occurs when disc herniated occurs.

A bulging disc will develop when the outer layer tears, and the jelly center starts to push through this weak area. In other words, the jelly starts to push out of the doughnut.

What’s interesting about the spinal discs is that they do not have the ability to feel pain. So, the question becomes – why is this problem so painful and debilitating?

Well, the true cause of the pain you experience with disc herniated is from the spinal nerves. The spinal nerves control everything in the body, and they leave the spine directly behind each spinal disc.

When a disc bulges, it usually applies pressure directly on at least one of the spinal nerves, which is very painful. The pain, however, is usually the least of your worries with a bulging disc.

Because the spinal nerves control everything in the body, there tend to be other complications that develop in the body. For example, if a person has a bulging disc in the neck, they may also feel arm pain, weakness or numbness, headaches, vision problems, chest pains, etc. All because the nerves of the neck control all of these other parts of the body.

It’s the same in the low back – a person with disc herniated in the low back will also tend to have leg pain, weakness or numbness, bowel and bladder problems, problems walking, etc.

So, what can you do about this problem? Most physicians will prescribe medications, pain injections (such as cortisone or epidurals), physical therapy, and surgery (as a last resort).

The success rates of these treatments are not excellent, primarily because their purpose is not to heal the disc – it is to numb the agravated nerve.

Although that sounds good at first, if the disc doesn’t heal completely, the pain will inevitably return, becoming more and more stubborn with each episode of pain.

Please click here (disc herniated) to continue reading this article, where you’ll learn the top 3 things you can do from home for relief from herniated disc pain.

Tags: Diseases, Conditions & Treatments //