Introduction
The herniated disc is one of the neurological diseases that occur quite frequently in Germany and has a new occurrence rate of over one percent in western industrialized countries. The majority of herniated disks occur between the ages of 30 and 50 years. Mental or psychosomatic causes have not yet been described in the literature, since it is a purely organic cause, if one uses the definition of a herniated disc. The symptoms of a herniated disc, however, could in rare cases actually have psychological or psychosomatic causes. The consequences of the herniated disc can, however, have a very strong impact on the psyche and also on the psychosomatics of the patient.
The psyche has this influence on the development of a herniated disc
While no connection can be made between psychological problems and a slipped disc on the basis of conventional medicine, various alternative healing methods see a connection. Since the basis of the herniated disc is a leakage of the intervertebral nucleus, only a physical cause can be considered. As a result of overloading or incorrect posture.
In other medical fields, however, the spine is seen as the counterpart of the spine. According to this view, psychological distress or doubts about oneself can also have effects on the spine. Although the ultimate cause of the herniated disc is not denied in these circles – namely that the spinal cord is compressed by a defective disc – the cause is then seen in both physical and psychological stress.
These psychosomatic consequences accompany a slipped disc
Especially in the case of neurological diseases, it is difficult to separate psychosomatic consequences of an illness from symptoms or consequences that are actually organically caused. A concrete statement, which psychosomatic consequences can result from a herniated disc, can therefore not be made. For example, effects on the so-called pain memory are often possible.
The patient could feel pain in the regions previously affected by the herniated disc, although there is no concrete organic evidence of this. In addition, pain could also occur in other regions of the body that are comparable to those affected by the herniated disc. Here, too, the whole thing can take place without any concrete organic evidence. Sensitivity disorders, which are usually associated with a herniated disc, could also be felt again, for example, again without any organic evidence of the origin of these disorders.
How a herniated disc changes the psyche
To what extent the psyche can be affected by a herniated disc is simply impossible to predict. The effects can be as different as the people themselves. On the whole, however, two overarching scenarios would be conceivable.
On the one hand, there are people whose psyche is not changed by the herniated disc, and on the other hand, there are those whose psyche is not changed by the herniated disc. This group can be roughly divided into those people who after the herniated disc a more passive, or anxiety-preventing lifestyle and those who can pull out of the herniated disc a strengthening of their psyche. In general, however, it can be assumed that the first of these two subgroups will predominate.
For some people, this could mean that they move less, possibly stop sports activities, etc. for fear of a new herniated disc. Furthermore, the effects on the psyche are of course also dependent on whether the herniated disc can be repaired without leaving any residue or whether consequential damage has resulted. For example, muscle paralysis or incontinence problems after a herniated disc could cause people to begin to isolate themselves socially, as they feel ashamed in front of other people.
