Happy New Year.
Hope you had a great evening, and the start of the year has kicked off well.
Most of us are back into the swing of things tomorrow.
I went back into the clinic on Thursday 2nd. However, I have been struck down by a severe case of the man flu. It is a real thing….
I’m feeling better today though, lots of ginger shots have helped albeit extremely spicy.
I watched the Darts final on Friday night, I don’t count myself as a darts fan but during Christmas I do find myself getting into it and checking the results. The winner this year was teenage sensation Luke Littler who is just 17 years old from Warrington.
He looks about 30 years old, but more than that, he doesn’t hold himself like most 17-year-olds. He is composed, relaxed and unphased by the big stage. It is incredible to watch how he has developed.
Just 12 months previously in the same tournament he lost in the final, to now win it just 12 months on against one of the greats, Michael Van Gerwen is extraordinary. Well done, Luke.
This week we are recovering from the holidays and rest, some of you may be coming back with a sore back from the change in activity.
Less movement, more sitting and relaxing can sometimes spell bad news for back pain.
It can trigger pain to kick in and can also flare up a slipped disc.
One thing we get asked a lot is ‘Can a slipped disc heal naturally?’
The short answer to this one is YES. With shades of grey. It’s not always as black and white as we think. The more severe the disc herniation is than the less likely it is to heal on its own.
Also, if the disc has been compressed for several years, then it is less likely to heal on its own. If you think about a jam donut and someone pressing it from top to bottom over a period of a few years, there won’t be much jam left in the donut therefore it cannot go back to its original position. You can move the bones either side to allow the nerve to have more space, but the disc won’t support the force going through the joint.
This is why it is crucial to act early if you have symptoms of a slipped disc. To ensure that any chance of recovery is increased.
What are the symptoms of a slipped disc?
-Pain when bending forwards in the spine or the leg
-Lifting the leg up can cause pain in the buttock or leg
-Shooting, pins and needles or numbness In either or both legs
-Acute back pain that has come on suddenly
-Any bowel or bladder changes
How does a spinal disc heal?
If a spinal disc has recently prolapsed, then the body will try to retract the disc back in. The fibres around the outside of the disc (annulus fibrosus) have weakened and this causes the jam to come out of the disc (the jam is nucleus pulposus) and this can cause a lot of local inflammation, pain and can press on a nerve.
- Retraction-this is where the body will try to get the jam back in. If there is severe compression then it is unlikely this will happen, however if the patient is younger and this is the first time It has happened then there is a better chance of retraction.
We use spinal decompression therapy which helps to retract discs back in and this will take pressure off the nerve and surrounding structures.
You can see how to do spinal decompression at home in a previous blog post I wrote. You can read it here.
2. Resorption-this is where the body resorbs the disc material, this is usually done via an immune response. This is effective as it removes the disc material from the spinal canal and reduces inflammation and nerve compression.
Ok great, however we are left with a damaged disc with less material in it, therefore this can get smaller and compressed over time and then the bones get closer together which can press on the nerve. This is stenosis and tends to happen as you get older.
Spinal decompression can work well for resorption discs as it can increase the space, you then need to build core stability to ensure the space is maintained as there is less disc material to maintain the disc space.
Core exercises to do to help this would be the plank and dead bug to help the core get stronger and take pressure off the disc once the pain has subsided and you feel better. DO NOT start doing these when the pain is acute.
- Plank-hold this for 20 seconds, suck the tummy button in and squeeze your glutes. Ensure that you really suck in the tummy to engage the deep core stabilisers. Repeat 3 times, if doing it on the elbows is too hard then move to doing it on the knees.
b. Deadbug– lie on your back, ensure the back is completely flat, you will need to rock your pelvis and engage the lower tummy to do this. One leg drops down and the opposite arm goes above the head, at the point where both are extended, this is where it gets hard, and you will need to squeeze the tummy and maintain the back being flat on the floor.
Repeat 5 times on each side, 3 sets. Do it very slowly, 5 seconds down and 5 seconds back up.
Book a consultation with a Chiropractor here
If you do know someone who wants more advice, please send them our details. You can send them this assessment as well to diagnose their back pain. It is a great tool to understand where your back pain is coming from, it is free and takes 60 seconds. Click here for assessment
