Slipped Disc

What Is A Slipped Disc?

A slipped disc is really a misnomer as technically the disc doesn’t slip out, rather it bulges out of place. Discs are structures that lie in between the vertebrae and their function is to absorb shock that travels through the spine to protect the bones. In order to do this effectively, the disc is made up of a soft fluid centre encircled by many rings of tough fibrous tissue. If there is excessive pressure on one side of the disc e.g. if we spend a lot of time sitting or bending forward, then the fluid is forced in the opposite direction, which over time can cause it to start breaking through some of the fibrous rings. If the fluid centre breaks through enough of the outer rings, it can cause that part of the disc to bulge out or in extreme cases burst out completely (this is called a disc prolapse). Sometimes a disc bulge can cause no pain at all, but other times it can cause severe back pain and sciatica. Our physio’s at The Physiotherapy Place have a lot of experience in treating slipped discs.

How Do We Treat A Slipped Disc?

Slipped discs can be treated effectively with physiotherapy techniques such as manual therapy and manipulation. There are certain hands on techniques and exercises that will help to ease the disc bulge back into it’s correct position. Any nerve irritation will also need to be treated in order to reduce muscle spasm. Because the root cause of most slipped discs can be traced back to poor posture, this must be corrected in order to effectively treat the disc and also to prevent future re-injury.

What Is The Recovery Time For A Disc Bulge?

This can vary significantly depending on the degree of disc bulge or prolapse, whether there is any nerve entrapment, and how the general health of the back is in the first place. The best case scenario is that the disc bulge reduces quickly allowing the back to move fully and the muscles to relax and this can happen in about 6 weeks with ongoing posture and core exercises to be done at home. At the other end of the scale, some slipped discs can take months to settle down, leaving people with chronic sciatica which can make it hard to lead a normal life or get a decent sleep. With the correct treatment and management from the off, most slipped discs will settle towards the shorter end of this scale.

Can A Disc Bulge Heal Itself?

Yes it can, and most often does. However this depends on the person managing it in the correct manner with the right exercises and postures which will allow the disc to heal. If this doesn’t happen and the disc is getting constantly irritated then it makes it difficult for it to heal itself.

Can You Push A Slipped Disc Back In?

In the same way that a slipped disc can bulge out due to excessive stress placed on it in one direction, the bulge can usually be ‘slipped’ back in by applying force in the opposite direction. This principle forms the basis of much of the exercise program that you will be given for a slipped disc.

What Exercise Can I Do With A Slipped Disc?

The exercise that you need to do will depend on where the disc has slipped bulged out. The vast majority of discs bulge out to the back and in this case many of the exercises are based on the extension principle i.e backward bends. Once symptoms have started to settle, a core stability program should be commenced.

How Do You Fix A Slipped Disc?

The aim of all of the treatment for a slipped disc is to ease the disc back to its normal position. Once this is achieved then the disc can settle and heal as long as there isn’t excess stress placed onto it. This is achieved through a combination of education, posture, exercise, manual therapy, massage and acupuncture.

What To Avoid When You Have A Slipped Disc?

It is very important to try to avoid positions that aggravate your symptoms. In the majority of cases the aggravating movement is flexion, which means that flexion positions such as bending, sitting, and driving are to be avoided where possible.

What Will A Physiotherapist Do?

A physio will assess where the disc bulge is and which direction it is bulging out. This will determine the treatment that needs to be done to get the problem solved quickly. Treatment should commence as soon as possible. Treatment will consist of a combination of manual mobilisation of the spine, exercise to reduce the disc bulge and techniques such as acupuncture and massage to ease the pain.