Herniated Disks - Causes, Symptoms, Hereditary Tendencies, And Treatment
Herniated disks are a common abnormality in the spine. A large number of people suffer from disk herniation. These disks are also termed as bulging disks, slipped disks, extruded disks, and ruptured disks.
Inter-vertebral disks absorb the shock of the spine surrounding area. They are found between the spinal bones known as vertebrae. These disks are soft so as to provide a cushion for the vertebrae and increase spinal flexibility. These disks are made up of a thick outer wall known as annulus fibrosis, and a soft inner core known as nuclear pulposus.
Herniated disks occur if the above outer wall bulges more and more outwards. This bulging can be on the front, back, or on either side of the spine. Often, the outer wall tears open and the disk nucleus leaks into the body fat. Disk herniation can occur due to various reasons such as injury-related trauma and other such spinal conditions or degenerating processes. This condition is not a disease, but a normal aging process. A herniated disk compresses the roots of spinal nerves, as these come out from the vertebral foramina on both sides of the spine. This incidence of nerve impingement gives rise to a lot of symptoms throughout the area that surrounds the nerve impingement in the spine. These symptoms can affect the sensory, motor or autonomous capabilities in the region of the impinged nerve. In most patients, who are diagnosed with a herniated disk, the pain gets worse. This is often the major responsible factor for chronic back pain.
A number of people who are afflicted with herniated disks are totally unaware of it. The reason for this is that most of the people do not feel pain in herniated disks. Further, herniated disks usually self-recover in a time period of three to four weeks and do not even require any medical treatment. However, there are some risk factors associated with herniated disks such as it is a natural aging process, which happens due to continuous loss of water and proteins from disks. Further, this condition is hereditary. Herniated disks can be inherited from one person to another. Obesity and extra body weight can also lead to herniated disks, as these add extra stress on the spinal region. The occurrence of herniated disks also depends on the type of physical work normally done by person concerned. Bending, continuous sitting, lifting of heavy objects and vibrations can all lead to disk herniation. If you smoke, your body will get deprived of blood flow and nutrients needed for spinal repairs. Even an earlier history of herniated disks and back injuries can lead to further herniation of disks. Treatments for herniated disks depend on the medical history of the patient. Treatments can include medication, injections, physical therapy and surgical treatments for severe cases.
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