Have I got a disc problem?
Discs don’t slip
You have probably heard of discs slipping or bulging. Discs don’t actual slip, they can’t go anywhere. You can get a weakness in the wall of the disc which will bulge out and may touch a nerve.
Identifying disc problems
An assessment by a health professional will demonstrate if your symptoms may be caused by your disc – looking for weakness or loss of sensation. It is often difficult to be sure what tissue is causing pain – disc, muscle, ligament – that is if it is caused by a tissue.
Disc problems can be normal aging
There are many adults who have no symptoms and yet on a scan they have discs that are bulging. This is normal internal ageing. Just like you get grey hairs and wrinkles you age on the inside too.
Discs heal
Your disc may be contributing to some of your symptoms and may cause nerve pain. But bulging discs heal. You can do a lot to make your pain better. Just because you may have had a disc bulge at one time does not mean you are going to have recurring disc-related back pain. Discs heal and backs are strong.
Hands on treatment may help with pain relief but exercise is one of the most helpful things you can do to improve your pain and return to living life to the full again. If you are concerned about your pain make an appointment for an assessment.