- Types of herniated disc
- Herniated Disc Symptoms
- How the diagnosis is made
- What causes herniated discs
- Herniated Disc Treatments
- Herniated disc in pregnancy
Herniated discs are characterized by bulging of the intervertebral disc, which can lead to symptoms such as back pain and a burning or numb sensation. It is more frequent in the cervical spine and lumbar spine, and its treatment can be done with medication, physiotherapy or surgery, and, depending on its severity, it can be completely cured.
Herniated disc can be classified according to the region of the spine it affects and, therefore, it can be:
- Cervical disc herniation: affects the neck region; Thoracic disc herniation: affects the mid back region; Lumbar disc herniation: affects the lower back region.
The vertebral disc is a fibrocartilage structure that serves to avoid direct contact between one vertebra and another, and to cushion the impact generated by heels, for example. Thus, a disc injury, or discopathy, as this condition is also known, impairs the function of the vertebral disc itself and still presses on other important structures of the spine, such as the nerve root or spinal cord.
Types of herniated disc
The onset of a disc injury can happen when the person does not have good posture, does weight lifting without bending the knees and does not drink about 2 liters of water per day. In this case, despite not having formed a hernia, the disc is already damaged, has less thickness, but still maintains its original shape: oval. If a person does not improve his posture and lifestyle in a few years, he will probably develop a herniated disc.
Hernia occurs when the vertebral disc loses its original shape, ceasing to be oval, forming a bulging, which is a kind of 'drop', which can press on the sciatic nerve root, for example. Thus, the 3 types of herniated discs that exist are:
- Protruding disc herniation: it is the most common type, when the disc core remains intact, but there is already loss of the oval shape; Extruded disc herniation: when the disc core is deformed, forming a 'drop'; Herniated disc herniation: when the nucleus is severely damaged and can even split into two parts.
A person may have more than one herniated disc and it may increase in severity over time. Usually when the person has only dehydration of the disc, he has no symptoms and only finds out if he does an MRI for any other reason. Symptoms commonly arise when the hernia has worsened and is in the protrusion stage.
The hernia must still be classified according to its exact location, which can be postero or lateral postero. A lateral postero herniated disc can press on the nerve causing a tingling sensation, weakness or loss of sensation in an arm or leg, but when there is a posterior herniated disc, the pressed region is the spinal cord and therefore the person may present these symptoms in both arms or legs, for example.
Herniated Disc Symptoms
The main symptom of a herniated disc is intense pain where it is, but it can also generate the following symptoms:
| Herniated cervical disc | Lumbar disc herniation |
| Pain in the neck or neck | Lower back pain |
| Difficulty moving your neck or raising your arms | Difficulty moving, bending, getting up or turning in bed, for example |
| There may be a feeling of weakness, numbness or tingling in one arm, elbow, hand or fingers | Numbness sensation in the buttocks and / or legs, in the back, front or inside of one of the legs |
| --- | Burning sensation in the path of the sciatic nerve that goes from the spine to the feet |
The pain of a herniated disc usually worsens with movements and can be aggravated by coughing, by laughing and can get worse when the individual pee or evacuate, and may appear suddenly or worsen over time.
How the diagnosis is made
The diagnosis of herniated discs can be made through observation of symptoms and physical examination, but it can also be confirmed by tests, such as computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, which serve to assess the disc, its thickness, the exact location of the hernia and what kind of hernia a person has.
The X-ray exam does not clearly show the hernia, but it can be sufficient to show the alignment of the spine and the integrity or destruction of the vertebrae. Therefore, sometimes the doctor initially requests the X-ray and with the result of this, requests the resonance or tomography to assess severity.
When confirming that there is one or more herniated discs, the doctor can indicate the treatment that can be done with physiotherapy, Pilates, RPG, osteopathy, or surgery. Usually, surgery is the last treatment option, being reserved for cases where the person does not show improvement of symptoms with other forms of treatment, for a period greater than 6 months.
What causes herniated discs
The main cause of herniated discs is poor posture on a daily basis, and the fact that the person is not careful when lifting and carrying very heavy objects. Thus, it is common for people who work as servants, painters, domestic workers, drivers and masons, to develop discopathy or herniated discs, around 40 years of age.
About 10 years before discovering a herniated disc it is common for the person to have already experienced symptoms such as back pain that does not stop quickly. This is one of the first warning signs that the body emits, but that is usually ignored, until the hernia in the spine then appears.
Some factors that favor the installation of the hernia are aging, excess weight and inadequate physical effort and, therefore, for the success of the treatment it is important to eliminate all these factors.
Herniated Disc Treatments
When the treatment is carried out correctly, the symptoms can disappear within 1 to 3 months, but each individual responds in a different way to the treatment and, therefore, in some cases this period may be longer. For the treatment to be successful, it is important to know the exact location of the hernia and its type. The most common type, which is disc protrusion, can be treated with:
- Use of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs prescribed by the doctor; Physiotherapy sessions with equipment, stretching and individualized exercises; Osteopathy that consists of cracking the spine and realigning all bones and joints; Exercises such as RPG, hydrotherapy or Pilates guided by a physiotherapist.
During treatment it is recommended that the person stay away from activities that have caused the hernia, do not make efforts and do not engage in any type of physical activity.
Check out these and other tips in the following video:
Herniated disc surgery is indicated when the person has an extruded or sequestered herniated disc and the clinical and physiotherapeutic treatment was not enough to decrease the symptoms and improve the individual's quality of life.
Herniated disc in pregnancy
A woman who has already diagnosed a herniated disc before becoming pregnant should know that during pregnancy the herniated disc can worsen, causing severe back pain that can press on the nerve roots, such as the sciatic nerve. When the sciatic nerve is affected, the woman feels pain in her back, buttock or behind the thigh.
This happens because during pregnancy, progesterone leads to an increase in the looseness of all ligaments in the body, and since the spine also has ligaments, they become more elastic and end up allowing the vertebra to drain a little, which can aggravate or cause a herniated disc.
During pregnancy, medication other than paracetamol should not be taken, so if the woman has back or gluteal pain, she should rest lying down, with her legs resting on a cushion or pillow, for example. Placing a warm compress on the site of the pain can also relieve this discomfort. Know the risks for the baby, how is the delivery and treatment options for herniated discs in pregnancy.
