Introduction
In the case of a herniated disc, one or more discs are forced out of their physiological position and slide towards the spinal cord, which they ultimately compress. This causes severe pain, up to paralysis and complete loss of function.
An overview of the most common causes
- Age-related wear
- Malpositions
- Labor
- Lack of exercise
With increasing age, not only does the flexibility and elasticity of the intervertebral discs decrease – years of physical exertion often lead to disturbed water retention in the disc. Due to these signs of wear and tear, the intervertebral disc is no longer as hard-wearing, adaptable and robust as it was in younger years. The risk that the fibrous ring of the intervertebral disc tears increases significantly.
In the long run, physical work is a great strain on the vertebrae and the intervertebral discs. Especially heavy lifting or carrying puts a great load on the intervertebral discs, which compresses them. In heavy physical work it is therefore particularly important to concentrate on a healthy posture.
If possible, the loads should be adapted to your own body weight and physical condition. Regular breaks should be observed. Regular exercise and sporting activities supply the ligaments with water and nutrients.
Nowadays, however, we are less and less inclined to engage in sports. Location Working hours in the office leave hardly any time to do regular sports in addition to work and other leisure activities. This lack of exercise greatly promotes the development of a herniated disc.
If you do not get enough exercise, the supply of the intervertebral discs is insufficient and the risk of a herniated disc increases significantly. An important factor in our digital age is the increasing use of PCs, mobile phones and tablets. If you observe yourself when using the keyboard, or your mobile phone, you will quickly notice that your head is always bent down – a torture for our spine, especially the cervical spine.
Of course, not all mobile phone users suffer from a slipped disc after five years of intensive mobile phone use, but mobile phone and PC at work are considered risk factors. A herniated disc can not only be caused by using mobile phones or long working hours at the PC. Also the general attitude in everyday life is a factor that plays a role. Take care to stand up straight, not to let your shoulders sag and not to bend your back permanently.
Factor stress
A slipped disc can be promoted by stress, whereby stress is an accelerating factor, but not the immediate cause. Stress causes a hectic pace, and hecticness tempts you to pay less attention to your own body. Thus, pain may be ignored at first and possibly even eliminated with painkillers.
There are different degrees of severity of a slipped disc. While in the early stages, stabbing pain still determines the model, severe forms lead to paralysis with nerve root irritation and damage. In a profession where one has to endure a lot of stress, one tends to postpone the stabbing pain until a bad night, or until one has “embarrassed” oneself.
If you have stress at work, you also tend not to stick to spine-friendly movement patterns, such as sitting ergonomically at work. However, it is precisely here that most of the problems that cause the late effects of a slipped disc arise. Especially the cervical spine (cervical spine) is then particularly susceptible to a herniated disc.
People with very demanding jobs are therefore advised to shift down a gear from time to time and pay attention to the signals from the body. In summary, however, reducing stress factors is not enough to prevent a herniated disc. Rather, the back must be strengthened through training in the time gained, attention must be paid to ergonomic sitting at the workplace and heavy physical work must be avoided. This is the only way to effectively prevent a herniated disc.