A herniated disc is a very painful condition, sometimes the pain can be associated with only the back and other times you may get sciatica. This creates an even more debilitating condition.
A herniated disc is the end product of a weakened out disc called the annulus fibrosis allowing the softer more pliable central portion of the disc the nucleus pulposis to migrate it’s way through.
Due to the fact that only the outer 1/3 of the disc actually contains pain sensitive fibers damage can accumulate without the person ever really feeling it.
The start of a disc injury is usually repetitive activities like bending or twisting, a traumatic indecent or bad sitting posture. These activities create a weakening of the outer fibers making them susceptible to migration of the inner nucleus.
Once the inner nucleus migrates outwards to the point that the outer fibers are contacted the pain sensitive nerve fibers become irritated leading to localized back pain in the beginning.
Usually a short period of relief may follow the initial beginnings of back pain related to a disc injury. As the activities responsible are modified the pain may lessen.
This can however be dangerous because most people think that the pain won’t come back. Research however shows that in the majority of cases it always comes back, because appropriate treatment was never initiated.
Once the pain returns it is usually worse and as the pain returns over and over again it usually starts with move it’s way down the leg or arm as the nerves become affected.
Once pain begins to move into the leg it is often called sciatica. This condition is associated with involvement of the sciatic nerve.
Sciatica can be caused by direct compression on the nerve from the herniated disc or from irritation caused by inflammation around the injured disc.
If the problem causing sciatica is chemical or compressive it really doesn’t matter. The disc has to be treated properly for a long term solution. This is best accomplished with spinal decompression.
Spinal decompression actually creates negative pressures in the disc to draw back the herniated material so the disc can actually heal.
Spinal decompression is the best treatment to actually heal a herniated disc relieving sciatica pain.
