Top Tips To Help You Avoid Getting A Herniated Disk

Your spine is a complex and impressive structure. It’s made up of 33 bones, known as vertebrae. Each of these is separate from the next with a soft disc. This allows the back to flex in all directions while retaining the strength needed to hold your body in an upright position.

Your spine is constantly placed under pressure from the various activities you undertake. Unfortunately, this can lead to one of the soft discs between vertebra splitting and allowing the soft jellylike substance inside to spill out. This is referred to as a herniated disc.

Symptoms Of Herniated Disk

In some cases, there will be no sign that you have a herniated disk. However, in most cases, the issue happens in your lower back and it will cause pain in your back and legs. It can even make parts of the lower part of your body feel numb.

This is often caused by the jelly substance that comes out of the disc. It can press against nerves and cause inflammation as well as pain to radiate through your body.

Although it can heal by itself, it’s recommended you speak to a reputable neurosurgeon. They can confirm the issue, guide you through treatment, and help to prevent spondylolisthesis, when one vertebra slips forward in relation to the one below it.

If possible, it’s better to avoid the herniated disk in the first place:

Lift Correctly

The key to lifting correctly is to use your legs, not your back. That means bending your knees and keeping your back straight as you lift. The same applies when lowering the load down.

This ensures the strain is on your legs which are generally much stronger than spines.

Check Your Posture

Adopting good posture, which means standing up straight, will help to strengthen your back. In addition, you should sit properly if sitting for long periods. That means feet flat on the floor, knees bent 90°, and back properly supported in the chair, preferably with a dedicated lumber support.

Exercise Frequently

Exercising regularly is one of the best ways to strengthen your spine, improve your overall fitness, and keep a variety of age-related illnesses from happening. Although there are no guarantees, regular exercise is definitely beneficial and can help you stay healthy as well as live longer.

Lose the Weight

If you’re carrying excess weight then it’s time to lose it. The heavier you are the more strain will be placed on your back and the more likely it is you’ll suffer from back issues. By losing weight and ensuring you have a healthy BMI you’ll be less likely to experience a herniated disk

Stop Smoking

Smoking is considered as generally bad for your health. In fact, research shows that it can weaken the disks in your spine, increasing the likelihood of them rupturing and causing the jelly-like substance to spill out.

Simple lifestyle changes can make a big difference to your health and whether you experience a herniated disk or not.