Is The Health Care System Making You Sick?

Posted on November 15, 2015August 24, 2016 by Dr Bradley Moore

Is The Health Care System Making You Sick?

'The health care system has failed in keeping us healthy.'

Many developed countries around the world follow a similar system of looking after and treating the ill and infirmed. Mostly, we refer to this as 'The Health Care System'. But is it possible that this system that so many people depend on, unquestioningly, could be actually making us sicker?

The current strategy of our health care system is to diagnose and treat sickness and disease. And there is no doubt that there is a need for this kind of intervention when you are sick.

However in order for the system to work you have to get sick first. It's like closing the gate after the horse has bolted, right? So in actual fact, this is really a sickness care system, not a health care system at all!

While this system is great once you become sick, it does nothing to promote or maintain better health.

In fact, there is now more heart disease, more cancer, more diabetes, more arthritis and more chronic disease in the world than ever before! Even though we are living longer than we ever have, we simply are not living better.

Now we want to be perfectly clear right up front, HealthySpines.org is in no way anti-medicine or anti-doctors. The things that modern medicine can do now are miraculous, and the bottom line is that it can, and does, save millions of lives.

But the reality is this. The ‘health care system’ has failed in keeping us healthy.

Billions of dollars are poured into medical research every year, and we continually develop newer machines and better, more accurate medical tests that enable us to detect disease at it's earliest stages. And lets be very clear here, it still means you have to have the disease first.

Too often we place our trust in the hands of the system that has been developed by the pharmaceutical industry (read 'big business') to basically get us taking their products. That is, drugs and medications, and to take them for as long as possible. And don't be fooled, these guys are out to make money. Full stop!

It is well known now that most medications are simply designed to cover up the symptoms, and not actually affect the underlying cause of the disease, or offer any kind of cure. eg. Statin type drugs will lower your cholesterol. No doubt. But why would your body be making all that extra cholesterol in the first place? And who determines when it is too much? (Not to mention that there is NOT ONE scientific study that shows that statins have prevented even one heart attack! However, there is plenty of research that shows having LOW levels of cholesterol are linked to higher incidence of dementia!) Did your doctor forget to tell you that?

It is also well known that all medications also carry associated risks, which have been labelled as 'side effects'.

**What does that even mean? Are they the effects of the drug that happen to the side of the effects that we want?**

NO! Side effects are just the other effects that the drug has on your body. It's like saying bleeding is a side effect of being stabbed in the leg! Side effects are a result of taking the medication, full stop!

For example, if you take enough anti-inflammatory medications, you run a real risk of a gastrointestinal bleed. That is because one of the effects of the drug, as well as decreasing the inflammatory response (that is really just a part of your bodies healing process, read more here) is that it also eats away at the lining of your stomach. And ALL medications have some kind of so-called 'side effects'. Statins (cholesterol medication) are well known to cause body aches and pains. Sorry, they don't 'cause' it, it is a side-effect. Apparently.

Unfortunately, the health care system response to this is usually more medication to counter the 'side effects' of the other meds you are taking! It seems ridiculous, but this is the way it works. And all the time your health is going down hill, because the pills are not improving your health in the first place, they are only hiding the symptoms of being sick.

It is for this reason that by becoming dependent on the 'sickness care system' you are only going to become slowly sicker.

So how do you beat it?

Frankly, you have to take it upon yourself to learn about health and well-being. What it is, and what you need to do improve and maintain good health. Then you have to take action on what you have learnt. Make some changes if you need to.

It is completely up to us to take the steps to stay vibrantly healthy. And it is simple, old-fashioned advice that rings true. Remain active and get regular exercise. Eat lots of fresh, healthy foods. Simple as that.

You can read more about healthy choices here.

Unfortunately we can't rely on a system that is so entrenched in it's way of thinking about sickness and disease. And because that system is worth trillions of dollars, the government is not going to rock that boat any time soon, you can be sure.

All we are really saying is that you need to make informed choices about your health.

Only when we take it upon ourselves to become educated about health, and then take the necessary action to be truly healthy, can we become less dependant on a 'sickness care' system (that will leave you stuck on the pharmaceutical roller coaster).

That is a true health care strategy!

If you have any questions, or would like to share your own experience, please leave us a comment below.

Also, if you have found this article helpful, please share it so we can help even more people! Thankyou.

Spondylolisthesis In The Lumbar Spine? You Can Treat It Right At Home!

Posted on November 9, 2015August 27, 2016 by Dr Bradley Moore

Spondylolisthesis In The Lumbar Spine

Spondylolisthesis in the lumbar spine occurs when one of the spinal lumbar vertebra slips forward on the one below. It can also occur in the neck (cervical vertebra), but is much more common in the lower back.

In some cases spondylolisthesis can lead to compression of the spinal cord and/or the spinal nerves. This may cause back leg pain as well as possible numbness or tingling in the legs. Often the symptoms are hard to distinguish from spinal disc problems. Bad cases of spondylolisthesis can affect bowel and bladder function, and you should see a health professional if this is the case. Luckily most cases of spondylolisthesis in the lumbar spine can be easily treated right in your own home using some simple exercises. Read on!

What Is Spondylolisthesis?

Spondylolisthesis is the result of fractures in the pars interarticularis (towards the back or posterior aspect of the vertebra) that allows the vertebral body to slip forwards on the one below. It is known to be a fairly common cause of lower back and leg pain in younger adults and teens as the result of a spinal fracture, and in older adults as a result of degenerative change in the spine. It is usually graded from 1 to 5 depending on the amount of forward slippage. Spondylolisthesis is often due to hyper-extension (backwards bending) injuries of the spine. It is commonly seen in gymnasts and other sports people.

Spondylolisthesis can be classified in to 5 different types or causes.

1.Isthmic. This is the most common form of spondylolisthesis and is estimated to affect 5-7{95f364b8aea3ba4afb976a81c1dcc2e8147daac1866ef443968911255633a999} of the population, although it mostly does not cause any symptoms. It occurs when there is a small fracture in the pars interarticularis, a part of the bone at the back of the spinal vertebra.

This fracture is not usually a result of a trauma, but rather it is caused by an accumulation of stress on the bone and rarely will cause pain when it happens. Isthmic spondylolisthesis usually occurs at quite a young age (between 5 and 16 years of age), but may go unnoticed until you are an adult.

It is more common in sports, particularly gymnastics and weight lifting.

2. Degenerative. Degenerative change of the spinal facet joints can lead to instability and weakening of the Ligamentum Flavum, allowing the affected vertebra to slide forward on the one below.

3. Traumatic. Occurs very rarely when there is an acute fracture to the spinal vertebra, other than at the pars interarticularis.

4. Pathological. As a result of damage to the vertebra due to bone disease such as tumours, metastases, or Paget’s disease.

5. Dysplastic. A rare congenital condition due to malformation of the spine.

Symptoms of Spondylolisthesis.

The most common symptom of spondylolisthesis is lower back pain. This is often worse after exercise, especially activities that involve extension (leaning backwards) of the lumbar spine.

Leg pain is also common, especially pain that runs from the lower back to the buttocks and down the backs of the legs.

Other symptoms may include tightness of the hamstrings and decreased range of motion of the lower back. It may even cause difficulty walking.

Some patients can develop numbness, tingling or weakness in the legs due to nerve compression.

Severe compression of the nerves can cause loss of control of bowel or bladder function, or cauda equina syndrome. This is considered a medical emergency, and you should seek medical attention.

How To Treat Spondylolisthesis At Home

Try these simple exercises that are well known to help relieve back pain caused by spondylolisthesis.

Knees to Chest

1. Curl up into a ball. Spondylolisthesis is aggravated by spinal extension, so by pulling your knees to your chest, you are bringing your spine into a more flexed position. Start by lying on your back, them simply pull both of your knees to your chest and hold them there for 10-30 seconds.

Low Back Stretch

2. Cat Stretch. Similar to curling up into a ball, cat stretches bring your spine into flexion. Start in a kneeling position, then sit back onto you feet. Stretch your arms out in front of you along the floor. Feel the stretch in your low back and hold for 10 seconds.

Plank1

3. Planks. Building abdominal strength helps to give some stability to your spine, and prevents over-extension. Basically, you need to hold still in a push-up position. Start kneeling on the floor on your hands and knees. Keep both shoulder width apart. If you have not done these before, slowly walk your hands out until your body is in a straight line, hands below the shoulders. You can hold it here, or come down to rest on your elbows, keeping them directly below the shoulders. Keep your body straight and rigid, like a plank or a bridge (see where the name comes from!).

4. Sit-ups. Sit-ups are great for really getting your abs strong. Lying on the floor as above, lift your upper body (head and shoulders) off the floor by curling up. Don’t try to lift to high, just enough to get your shoulders slightly off the floor. Repeat 10 times. You can do more sets of 10 as you get better!

These simple exercises can make a real difference if you are suffering with spondylolisthesis in the lumbar spine. Give them a go and see if they help you out, but remember to just start slowly and gently! If this does not help you then I would recommend seeking professional advice. Also check out our Total Back Pain Solution for a complete spinal rehabilitation program. It has been developed to specifically restore long term spinal functional integrity. You can beat back pain, and for good!

If you have any questions, or would like to share your own experience, please leave us a comment below.

Also, if you have found this article helpful, please share it so we can help even more people! Thankyou.

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Do You Have Severe Spinal Stenosis Symptoms? Try This Easy Treatment For Spinal Stenosis!

Posted on October 21, 2015August 17, 2016 by Dr Bradley Moore

Spinal Stenosis

Severe spinal stenosis symptoms are not very common. Usually the symptoms are mild to moderate, but they can affect both the lower back and legs. If you are suffering with severe back pain, there are probably other problems on top of any spinal stenosis that might be present. Treatment for spinal stenosis in most cases can only offer a temporary fix, and it really depends on the underlying cause as to how effective any treatment will be. Read on to find out why.

What is Spinal Stenosis?

Spinal stenosis occurs when the spinal openings or canals for the nervous system become narrowed. This can either affect the central spinal canal, where the spinal cord descends from the brain, or more commonly it will occur where the spinal nerves exit from the spine. This canal where the nerves exit from the spine is called the neural foramen.

Because the spinal cord and nerves are totally encased by bone, if the Central Spinal Canal or the Neural Foramen become too narrow, the bone can start to compress the nerves.

Central canal stenosis symptoms are rare, as it needs to be moderate to severe narrowing before it will compress the spinal cord.

Most commonly it is foraminal stenosis that causes problems as the bone encroaches on the spinal nerve.

What Causes Spinal Stenosis?

There several different causes that can lead to narrowing of the spinal canals.

Spinal Degeneration. Most cases of spinal stenosis are a result of degenerative changes as we get older. This is basically a result of wear and tear of the spinal structures. Degenerative disc disease decreases the space between the vertebra, therefore narrowing the neural foramen. Formation of bone spurs (particularly around facet joints) can grow into the spinal canal, encroaching on the nerves.
Herniated or Bulging Discs. If the disc is pushing into the spinal canal or neural foramen, it can create nerve pressure and irritation. Read more about the discs here.
Hereditary. Some people are born with a smaller spinal canal. This may cause symptoms from an early age, but more likely just makes you more susceptible as you age.
Spondylolisthesis. This condition occurs when one vertebra slips forward on the one below. This can be the result of degenerative changes or an injury. The forward slippage can create a narrowing of the spinal canals.
Tumours. Although not common, abnormal growths can invade the spinal canals, creating spinal stenosis.

Spinal Stenosis Symptoms.

Spinal stenosis can cause lower back pain as well as pain in the legs. Leg pain can be cramping, achy, or even like sciatica. It is often aggravated by extended periods of activity, such as walking or standing.

Lumbar nerve compression from stenosis can affect the nerves that control muscle power and sensation in the legs.

This can lead to weakness, tingling or numbness. In severe cases it can even effect bowel and bladder function. This requires immediate medical attention.

The symptoms of spinal stenosis can often be relieved bending forwards. This helps to open up the spinal canals and reduce nerve pressure. Sufferers will often need to sit for a few minutes if they have been walking or standing for a while.

Lumbar spinal stenosis symptoms are also medically known as 'neural claudication'. This means leg pain when walking, and can also be caused by vascular insufficiency (problems with the blood circulation). It is important to get a correct diagnosis if you have claudication. But as a general idea, stenosis pain can be worse when walking down hill, but not as bad going up hill (as you lean forwards slightly, decompressing the nerves!) Vascular claudication is often worse going up hill as it requires more exertion.

Treatment For Spinal Stenosis.

Although there is no cure as such for spinal stenosis, the following treatments are the most common. Depending on the severity and site, one of the following options can be considered.

Medications. NSAID's (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory) drugs, painkillers and muscle relaxants are often prescribed for spinal stenosis. They may help to temporarily relieve the pain, but do not correct the cause and carry side effects.

Injections. Cortico-steroids may be injected to reduce inflammation and reduce nerve pressure around the swollen and irritated nerves. See above.

Surgery. Surgery may be considered if more conservative treatments haven't helped or if you're disabled by your symptoms. The goal is to relieve the pressure on your spinal cord or nerve roots by creating more space within the spinal canal. Most commonly a Laminectomy, which is where the posterior, or back, part of the spine is removed to allow more space for the nerves. Often the affected vertebra will also be fused to the vertebra on either side.

Activity Modification. For most spinal stenosis cases, the pain is relieved when bending forwards, and aggravated when bending backwards. Being aware of this allows you to modify your behaviours and avoid activities that cause pain, for example working over head such as hanging out washing. Diet and nutrition also play a roll. Maintaining a healthy weight means less stress and strain on the spine, and overweight people tend to have to lean backwards slightly which can increase nerve compression.

Exercise and Physical Therapy. Activity can aggravate spinal stenosis, so it is common that sufferers will become less active to reduce their pain. This can lead to muscle weakness and further spinal instability. So it is important to maintain a reasonable level of exercise to maintain strength and fitness. An exercise program such as Total Back Pain Solution, which is designed specifically to improve long term spinal stability, is of the most benefit.

This exercise is well known to relieve the symptoms of spinal stenosis because it opens up the spinal canal space. Start by lying on your back, them simply pull both of your knees to your chest and hold them there for 10-30 seconds. This brings your spine into a flexed posture and widens the space for the nerves. Easy and effective!

This simple treatment for spinal stenosis can give quick relief from back pain, even if you have severe spinal stenosis symptoms. But the real key is working towards improving your spinal control and stability.

Always seek professional advice when suffering from back pain, as there are many different causes. Mostly these will be a mechanical problem (read more here), but can sometimes be the sign of something more sinister.

Fortunately, many people successfully manage the symptoms of spinal stenosis with the non-surgical therapies. For others, symptoms may become disabling and surgery may be considered.

If you have any questions, or would like to share your own experience, please leave us a comment below.

Also, if you have found this article helpful, please share it so we can help even more people! Thankyou.

What Causes Sciatic Pain? Can Exercises For Sciatica Help?

Posted on September 16, 2015August 10, 2016 by Dr Bradley Moore

Sciatica

Sciatica is the name that is given to a common type of pain that radiates along the sciatic nerve, a large nerve that runs down the back of the leg. This article will help to explain what causes sciatic pain, and guide you to which exercises for sciatica may be of benefit.

What is Sciatica?

Sciatica is not a medical diagnosis as such, but rather a way to describe a particular set of symptoms that can occur due to an underlying medical condition that causes compression of the sciatic nerve.

These symptoms of sciatica are usually only on one side, and may be one of, or a combination of:

Pain that runs from the lower back down the back of the leg or buttock. The pain can vary from a mild ache to a sharp, burning or shooting pain that can become debilitating.
Pain that is worse when sitting.
You may experience numbness, tingling or weakness in the affected leg.
The pain can be made worse by coughing or sneezing.
Sharp pain that can make it difficult to walk.

The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body and is about the diameter of your thumb. It runs from the lower back all the way down your leg and as well as being the biggest, it is also the longest nerve in the body. It is derived from the spinal nerves that exit the spine from L4 through to S3 joining together.

The symptoms of sciatica occur when the any one of these nerve roots that form the sciatica nerve is being compressed or irritated in the lumbar spine. This is what people classically think of as a 'pinched' nerve. It is not usually the result of a single injury, but an accumulation over time.

Most cases of sciatica will do away over time. How ever you should seek urgent medical attention if the pain has a sudden onset, is the result of a bad injury such as a car accident, it is not getting better after a week, or if you ever have trouble controlling your bowel or bladder.

What Causes Sciatica?

Compression of the sciatic nerve is most commonly caused by a herniated disc at the L5-S1 spinal level. You can read more about herniated discs here.

Other causes of sciatica are:

Degenerative disc disease (breaking down of the spinal discs, read more here.)
Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal nerve canals in the lumbar spine, usually as a result of calcification/bone spurs.)
Spondylolysthesis (a condition where one vertebra slips forward on the vertebra below.)
Piriformis Syndrome (a muscle in the buttock that can compress the sciatic nerve if it spasms.)
Sacro-iliitis (Dysfunction of the sacro-iliac joint can irritate the L5 nerve root)

Rarer causes of sciatica may include pregnancy, spinal tumour, scar tissue, or infection.

Exercises For Sciatica

It is important to obtain an accurate diagnosis from your health care professional before starting any exercises, particularly if you are suffering with sciatica. There is not much point in stretching your Piriformis muscle if you have a disc herniation! And this is exactly why you have to be very careful before attempting any exercise regime. There is a real possibility that you could aggravate your condition if you do the wrong thing.

The next article will guide you through the exercises that will help to relieve sciatica, relevant to the cause. Try to start exercising as soon as possible, within a few days of the sciatica flaring up. The longer you leave it the worse the condition becomes. You can find the article that covers the exercises (with diagrams) by clicking this link.

Before beginning any exercise program, particularly exercises for sciatica, you should see a health professional to get a correct diagnosis for your pain to rule out any potentially serious problems. We would like to stress again the importance of a correct diagnosis, that way it will give you the best chance to really find out if sciatica exercises relieve pain.

The proper exercises differ based on the underlying condition that is causing the sciatic pain, so patients should not try to self-treat their sciatica before consulting a health professional or spinal specialist such as a chiropractor.

If you have any questions, or would like to share your own experience, please leave us a comment below.

Also, if you have found this article helpful, please share it so we can help even more people! Thankyou.

What Does Herniated Disc Lower Back Pain Feel Like?

Posted on September 9, 2015November 18, 2016 by Dr Bradley Moore

Herniated Disc Lower Back Pain

When it is bad, herniated disc lower back pain is probably the most painful thing that could ever happen to you! The level of pain can become debilitating. And it might not be just limited to your back. The pain can be shooting down your leg in severe cases (known as sciatica).

Fortunately, these sorts of severe cases are not that common. But most herniated discs in the lower back (the L4-L5 spinal level is the most common) are going to be uncomfortable.

The spinal discs are often described as being like a jelly doughnut. The discs have a tough outer layer (annulus fibrosus) and a softer, jelly like centre (nucleus pulposus). A herniation occurs when some of the softer centre pushes out through tears or cracks in the annulus fibrosus. These cracks and tears can form as part of the degenerative process, or as a result of injury to the disc.

More details on the spinal discs can be found by reading Spinal Discs. Are They Causing your Back Pain?

The North American Spine Society defines lumbar disc herniation with radiculopathy as “. . . localized displacement of disc material beyond the normal margins of the intervertebral disc space resulting in pain, weakness or numbness in a myotomal or dermatomal distribution.”

You can actually have a herniated disc in your spine without even knowing about it. They can even show up on spinal scans of people that have no back pain at all. However, if the ruptured disc is pressing on or irritating the spinal nerves, the disc herniation is likely to cause pain and possibly other symptoms.

The most common signs and symptoms of a herniated disc in the lower back are:

Lower back and/or leg pain.

Depending on the size of the herniation, you may have a dull low back ache if there is only a small herniation (that can be hard to differentiate from Degenerative Disc Disease), through to intense shooting pain into the buttocks and leg. Pain down the leg is due to the herniated disc pressing on the nerves from the spine that run down the leg, it is usually referred to as sciatica.

Numbness or tingling.

Nerve compression as a result of a disc herniation can alter the nerve signals, resulting in a change of sensation such as numbness or tingling.

Weakness.

Muscles that are supplied by a nerve that is being compressed tend to become weak due to a loss of proper nerve messages. This may cause you to stumble or trip, and you may have difficulty getting out of a chair.

If the disc herniation is extremely large, it can compress the nerves enough to cause a loss of sensation in the groin/saddle area, and bowel and bladder problems (for example, incontinence). This is known as Cauda Equina Syndrome. It is a medical emergency and you should seek medical attention immediately.

Diagnosis

Correct diagnosis of a herniated disc requires spinal imaging. X-rays show bone, but do not show the soft discs. So either a CT Scan or an MRI is required. This will allow your doctor to see whether you have a herniated disc, and exactly where it is in your spine.

Initially, your doctor should take a careful medical history to find out where you are feeling the pain, what the pain feels like, and how long you have been suffering. Your doctor should also ask how the pain started. Was there an injury or some kind of twisting, bending or reaching movement. They wil want to know if you have any weakness, numbness or tingling.

Neurological examination is also helpful, and you may have your reflexes, strength and ability to feel light touches, pinpricks or vibration.

Treatment For a Herniated Disc.

If it is determined that you have a herniated disc, you will have some choices regarding possible treatment strategies. Most herniated discs will resolve themselves over time, but this can take several months.

In severe cases where the herniated disc is compressing nerves, spinal surgery may eventually be an option. A Discectomy (removing the disc, or, usually, a small portion of it) can be performed to take the pressure off the nerves. However, all surgery is risky, and should only be performed in exceptional cases where all other options have been exhausted.

Medications such as pain killers, anti-inflammatories, or steroids (such as Cortisone) can relieve the pain, but do not fix the underlying problem.

Chiropractic manipulation can increase spinal range of motion, relieve nerve pressure, restore blood flow and reduce muscle tension. It is low risk and has a very good success rate.

Ultrasound and massage can help to restore blood flow and reduce muscle tension. Hot and cold therapy, losing weight and quitting smoking are all known to be beneficial as well.

A specific exercise program designed to progressively stabilise the spine and increase flexibility, such as the Total Back Pain Solution, is often the only way to achieve long-term healing for most sufferers of a bulging spinal disc.

Most people with a herniated disc can make a full recovery with the right help. Unfortunately, there is not usually a quick fix. Recovery periods vary from several days to several months, depending on the severity and other factors such as age, weight, whether or not you are a smoker, commitment to a treatment program, etc.

It is important to understand what causes the discs to wear and tear in the first place. You can read more about that by reading What Causes Back Pain?

The vast majority of treatments for herniated disc lower back pain are solely focused on pain relief. Whilst critical at the start, a more long term approach to rehabilitating and stabilising the spine is the only solution to prevent a recurrence.

If you have any questions, or would like to share your own experience, please leave us a comment below.

Also, if you have found this article helpful, please share it so we can help even more people! Thankyou.

Do You Have Bulging Disc Lower Back Pain? What Are Your Bulging Disc Treatment Options.

Posted on August 25, 2015July 10, 2018 by Dr Bradley Moore

Bulging Discs And Lower Back Pain

Although it sounds like a serious problem, bulging disc lower back pains are usually not severe, and bulging disc treatment options are often very effective at resolving any back pain that you might be suffering with.

Like all disc problems though, it can be very hard to determine exactly what is causing back pain, and often the differing terms (disc bulge, herniation, degeneration) are used interchangeably. In particular, a disc bulge is often confused with a disc herniation, but they are actually different things. We will be covering this in more detail as you read through.

Another thing that might be somewhat of a surprise is how common bulging discs are, even if you are not experiencing any symptoms. A study that was published in the highly regarded New England Medical Journal in July 1994 by M.C. Jensen titled ‘ Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Lumbar Spine in People without Back Pain.’ examined scans of people who had no symptoms of back pain.

They found that 52% had disc bulges! That is, over half of people with no back pain had a bulging spinal disc! And this number increases with age.

128805-532318-30 A bulging disc occurs when the discs inner material, the nucleus pulposus, starts to squeeze out into the outer ring of the disc (annulus fibrosis). This can cause the disc to swell and bulge. It is thought to be a natural part of the ageing process, like Degenerative Disc Disease. This process will happen quicker if their has been an injury to the disc through trauma, or long term spinal stress and strain as a result of things like poor posture and prolonged sitting. Smoking is also known to speed up disc problems.

It is worth mentioning that discs do bulge very slightly when we are standing as they absorb our body weight.

A bulging disc is not necessarily a sign that anything serious is happening to your spine, and they often do not cause any pain.

But, if the bulge is large enough it can press into the spinal canal. This can directly irritate the spinal nerves, resulting in pain. If there is any calcification or spurs (also known as osteophytes) in the area the problem can become much worse.

The easiest way to think of a bulge is as a generalised swelling of the disc. A herniation is different, and occurs when the gel like nucleus pulposus actually squeezes through cracks in the fibres of the annulus fibrosis and pushes out into the spinal canal. The gel like nucleus can even squirt out into the area behind the disc, and this can result in severe pain and neurological problems if it compresses the nerves.

The best way to diagnose a bulging disc is with an MRI. Because the discs are soft tissue, they can not be seen effectively on an X-ray.

This MRI shows a disc bulge at the L4-L5 spinal level. In the centre of the picture you will see the vertebra of the spinal column like a stack of blocks. The lighter coloured pancakes in between are the discs.

You will notice that one of the discs is darker in colour, and is bulging to the right, into the spinal canal where the spinal nerves are. This is a disc bulge. The darker colour of the disc is generally indicative of dehydration of the disc, a result of Degenerative Disc Disease. Bulging discs and degenerative change usually go hand in hand.

Symptoms of Bulging Disc Lower Back Pain

Like Degenerative Disc Disease, the symptoms of a bulging disc vary. As mentioned above, 52% of people with no back pain at all have a disc bulge. Some people may only experience occasional back ache in the mid-line.

However, if the bulge is large enough to irritate a spinal nerve you can experience severe back pain on one side that may even extend into your buttocks or down your leg. You may even have some numbness or tingling, or muscle weakness. (Although the more severe signs are usually due to a disc herniation.)

Bulging Disc Treatment Options.

In severe cases where the disc bulge is compressing nerves, spinal surgery may be an option. A Laminectomy (removing the posterior, bony portion of the vertebra) or a Discectomy (removing the disc) can be performed to take the pressure off the nerves. However, all surgery is risky, and should only be performed in exceptional cases where all other options have been exhausted.

As per the treatment for Degenerative Disc Disease, there are several other, more conservative options.

Medications such as pain killers and anti-inflammatories can relieve the pain, but do not fix the underlying problem.

Chiropractic manipulation can increase spinal range of motion, relieve nerve pressure, restore blood flow and reduce muscle tension. It is low risk and has a very good success rate.

Ultrasound and massage can help to restore blood flow and reduce muscle tension.

Hot and cold therapy, losing weight and quitting smoking are all known to be beneficial as well.

Once you understand that spinal problems like a disc bulge, or facet joint pain are all the end result of an underlying spinal instability, it becomes obvious that it is ultimately up to ourselves to protect our spine by looking after it correctly. Only by doing this and making a little effort can we look forward to a life that is not limited by whether by the level of our back pain.

Next Page: What Does Herniated Disc Lower Back Pain Feel Like?

If you have any questions, or would like to share your own experience, please leave us a comment below.

Also, if you have found this article helpful, please share it so we can help even more people! Thankyou.

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The Stages Of Healing.

Posted on August 19, 2014July 13, 2016 by Dr Bradley Moore

The Stages Of Healing.

Or - How Long Does It Take To Get Better?

Everyone who has ever had lower back pain, wants it to stop fast! There are many factors that will influence your recovery from injury, which effects how long it will take. The specific body tissue that has been damaged and the severity of the injury are key factors, but also more personal factors such as age, general health, dietary factors, weight, whether you smoke (smokers get better slower), and what you do when first injured.

The bottom line is, everyone gets better at different rates. Most of us can feel improvement within a few days, yet for others it might take several weeks or even months to feel better as you slowly regain the strength and stability that supports your spine well.

Now for the good news! Our bodies have an amazing ability to heal and repair just about any damage that has occurred. If you have ever injured yourself you probably have seen this happen right before your eyes!

For example if you have ever cut your hand or grazed a knee, you will have noticed that it didn’t stay that way. Instead your body eventually healed the damage, usually to the point where you can’t even see where you hurt yourself. If the injury was bad enough, you may have been left with a scar. Either way, your body miraculously fixed itself and didn’t leave you with an open wound that would be prone to infection or further injury. What is even cooler is that it happened without you having to do anything!

Now pay attention to the following, because it is very important. If you understand this, you will never fall for some of the ridiculous claims that others make regarding '7 Day Back Pain Cures' and the like. Nothing can be cured in 7 days, it is physiologically impossible. Be very careful of so called 'Miracle Cures."

Let’s look at the stages of how our body repairs itself from injury.

1. Immediately following any tissue damage the body starts an inflammation process. During the Inflammatory or Acute Stage there is a change in blood flow at the injury and the body releases specific chemicals and specialised cells at the site of injury to start the healing process. Inflammation is characterised by pain, redness, swelling and heat. This acute stage will last for 48-72 hours (2-3 days). Anti-inflammatory medications can ease the pain, but they are designed to interfere with this process and can stop full and proper healing. If you can cope without them, it is advised to refrain from medication. If in doubt always consult a health professional, preferable one that is not being paid or encouraged to promote these products (unfortunately this is a reality, and very hard to identify).

2. New tissue starts to form in the Sub-Acute or Repair Stage. This will typically last for 4-6 weeks as new tissue is gradually being rebuilt by your body to replace the damaged, injured tissue. This scar tissue is mostly comprised of collagen (the building block of soft tissue) and is rarely as strong as the original tissue.

3. For the next 3-6 months the newly formed tissue strengthens and becomes more organised. This Remodelling Stage is perhaps the most important as it is very easy to reinjure yourself if you are not careful with your movements. This can lead to a chronic weakness if the injury does not regain full strength. The remodelling stage is where my rehabilitation program is designed to be the most effective. Although the program will help your recovery in all stages, and is designed to move you progressively through the different phases of healing, we want the new tissue to form correctly and to be as strong as possible. It’s like a totally new you!

4. It can take up to 12 months for the new tissue to complete the Maturation Stage. This is basically fine tuning the functioning of the new tissue to further increase its’ strength and durability. It is important during this long term phase to remain as active as possible as outlined in my rehab program.

If the pain is still persisting for more than 3 months after the original injury, it is then considered a chronic problem. The current opinion on this is that the body has not fully repaired the damage correctly, for whatever reason. At this point it will be more difficult to treat and will require more time and patience on the part of person.

Unfortunately this is the situation for many of us, as we did not get the correct care at the start, or we ignored the problem and hoped it would just ‘go away’. Even if this is the case for you, as it was for me after my water-skiing injury, don’t worry, you will still get better, it will perhaps take a bit longer. You need the determination to keep at it and take action every day.

It is also very important to understand that the pain is not the problem! Many people think that when the pain goes they are all better and the problem has gone away. This is simply not true. Just like a paper-cut on your fingertip, the pain eases long before the skin heals up. It is the same with low back pain, your back will begin to feel better long before it has regained full strength and stability. It is important not to stop your rehab exercises too early just because the pain has gone!

So there you have it, whether you have just injured yourself, or you have been suffering with an old injury, your body has to follow the natural course of events as you progress through the stages of healing. There is no other way. It takes time to get better, and the step by step action plan of the Total Back Pain Solution will make sure that as your body progresses through the various stages of healing the damage, it will do so correctly to ensure optimal spinal strength and stability for the years to come.

If you have any questions, or would like to share your own experience, please leave us a comment below.