{"id":3942,"date":"2019-02-14T07:46:12","date_gmt":"2019-02-14T07:46:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=3942"},"modified":"2021-03-26T15:45:07","modified_gmt":"2021-03-26T15:45:07","slug":"14-causes-of-bulging-discs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/14-causes-of-bulging-discs\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Causes of Bulging Discs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A bulging disc is also known as a \u2018slipped disc\u2019 and describes the movement of an intervertebral disc in the spine. These discs exist between the spinal columns in order to cushion them and hold them apart. This prevents friction, while at the same time creating space for the nerves to travel through without being trapped or compressed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When a disc slips then, it causes the spine to become compressed. The area around may become swollen, but most importantly, the nerves can get trapped or irritated. This, in turn, can then lead to a number of painful symptoms such as shooting pains when you try to move, tingling and numbness, or difficulty with your usual movements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So what causes this? How can you avoid it? In this post, we\u2019ll look at some of the common causes of bulging discs and what you can do to avoid them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Lifting, Twisting, Jumping<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A bulging disc<\/a> is a damage to the intervertebral disc. The question is precisely what caused this to happen in the first place!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the answer is that it can come down to a great many different things. Most commonly though, it is due to some kind of awkward movement that acts as a catalyst for an underlying weakness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, many people will find that they experience a slipped or ruptured disc when they try bending over to pick something up from the ground. It is very common to experience a slipped disc while moving home then for instance, during manual labor tasks, or at the gym.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other movements can also cause the problem \u2013 sometimes seemingly harmless activities for instance. Perhaps your friend says your name and you turn to look at them. Maybe you\u2019re getting onto the train while carrying a moderately heavy bag on one arm. All these things can set off the problem and cause the immense pain that follows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Time<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While you might experience the slipped disc as a result of bending, jumping, squatting or engaging in another type of movement, this can then raise the question as to why you don\u2019t always feel pain <\/a>during those movements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why did this particular occasion trigger a bulging disc?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While there are many answers to that question  – and you may never know the answer for sure \u2013 one common answer is just \u2018time\u2019. That is to say that wear and tear can occur over time, making your discs more and more susceptible to damage and eventually leading to your disc rupturing, moving, or otherwise becoming damaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we get older then, our chances of rupture become increasingly great.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Poor Posture<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Several things can make this problem even more likely with time. One is posture<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have bad posture, then that means that you are going to be moving incorrectly on a highly regular basis. Maybe you need to hunch over in order to use your computer at work. Doing so will cause an unnatural curvature of the spine, which may place additional pressure on one or more discs, or which may open them up and leave them open to damage. It is very important therefore to speak with your boss about the positioning of your monitor, the type of chair you are using, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Likewise, you may find that your poor posture is more of an issue during regular activity. If you hunch for instance, or if you lean forward, then you can be causing constant friction and pressure to parts of your spine, which can in turn again lead to an eventual bulging disc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Bad Movement Patterns<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While poor posture can cause cumulative damage over time, the wrong movements can also cause serious, acute issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is especially true going back to the topic of picking things up off the ground. If you bend to pick up a heavy box when moving home, then you might find that this traps a nerve and causes you to experience significant pain. This is an even more common problem for athletes that spend a lot of time in the gym lifting weights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s extremely important for these reasons to spend time training the correct movement patterns and mechanics in order to avoid injury<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, when lifting something off the ground as part of a deadlift or helping someone to move, you should always push through the legs while keeping the spine as perfectly straight as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Impact<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another way that a bulging disc can occur is if you experience trauma <\/a>to the area. Simply being impacted in the spine can cause direct damage to the discs, or it can cause damage or movement to the spine itself which will then lead to the bulge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s very important for any serious impact to the spine to be seen by a physician. This could have potentially caused more serious damage, such as a fracture, or serious swelling. It might have even caused serious trauma directly to the disc. By getting seen by a professional, you can ensure that you aren\u2019t making matters worse as you attempt to recover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Sleep<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sleep is something we generally think of as being very good for us and for our recovery. Unfortunately, there are times when sleep can be the culprit that caused the pain and discomfort in the first place. This is true for those that sleep in an uncomfortable position. For instance, if you sleep on a mattress that is overly soft, then this can cause your spine to curve in a \u2018C\u2019 shape, and thereby trap or irritate the nerve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you woke up in the morning with serious back pain<\/a> that appears to be similar to a slipped disc, then it might be worth considering getting a new bed or at least changing something about the way you are sleeping in order to reduce the likelihood of this happening again and to speed up your recovery in the meantime. If your bed is good, then sleeping well and deeply can actually accelerate your healing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Stress<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Stress <\/a>makes us much more likely to experience a wide range of different injuries, ailments, and other issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are lots of different reasons for this. One is that you might be more likely to rush and make mistakes with the way that you move. Another is that you might be more inclined to hold tension in areas where you shouldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And chronic stress can also negatively impact things like circulation, healing, immune system and more \u2013 thus leaving you more open to future accidents and injuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is another reason why a slipped disc is so <\/em>common when moving house. It\u2019s not just the fact that you are lifting heavy boxes, it\u2019s also the fact that you are likely to be very stressed. Moving home is one of the most stressful things you can do!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Dehydration<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Dehydration <\/a>is yet another issue that simply makes you more likely to experience a slipped disc. If you are dehydrated, then your spine will also be dehydrated and you will find that moisture is missing from many key parts of your body \u2013 including the discs. This, in turn, means you\u2019ll be much more likely to injure yourself there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think of your intervertebral discs as being like sponges. When they are wet, they will be able to squash down, contract, and even lubricate the movement between the spinal columns. But when those same discs get dried out, they can become more brittle and increasingly more likely to get injured. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep drinking then and you will be less likely to experience this problem. This is especially important during exercise when you will be making lots of unusual and rapid movements and <\/em>will be likely to be dehydrated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Combine all these factors and now you have a perfect storm for injury. Imagine that you are dehydrated, stressed, overtired, prone to poor posture, and then you go to move a heavy box. That\u2019s the last straw for your back and suddenly a disc slips and bulges out, leaving you in lots of pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reverse these symptoms to encourage recovery. Rest. Drink water. And fix your posture and sleep going forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Obesity and Inactivity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

More than one-third of Americans have a BMI reading that classifies them as obese. Obesity <\/a>is a severe health disorder that leads to the development of various adverse health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obese and overweight individuals typically live a sedentary lifestyle void of exercise. This fact, coupled with poor dietary choices and excessive calorie consumption, means that obese individuals are at risk of developing structural issues with their spine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People that don\u2019t get any exercise experience muscular atrophy \u2013 a process where the muscular system loses the strength to support the skeleton. The increased load on the spine, combined with inactivity, places pressure on the joints in the spine, causing discs in the vertebrae to hemorrhage and bulge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obese and overweight individuals require exercise and physiotherapy to help them wake their muscles up from the atrophic state. Changes to diet can reduce body weight as well, lessening the load on the spine and pressure on the vertebrae.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. Intervertebral Disc Disease<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This condition describes the degeneration of one or more of the vertebrae<\/a>. These discs absorb pressure placed on the spine while cushioning the impact between the vertebrae, allowing for a full range of motion in the spine. Patients with IDD typically have some form of degenerative bone disease, such as osteoporosis or spondylosis, responsible for the excessive wear in the disc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eventually, the disease reaches a stage where the patient runs the risk of cracking or permanently damaging the vertebrae, resulting in painful structural disorders, such as bulging discs. The patient may find that they start to develop numbness or tingling in their lower limbs, as a result of the bulging disc trapping a nerve in the lumbar region of the spine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Degenerative bone disease can occur due to the aging process, with seniors over the age of 65-years old most at risk. Genetics may also play a significant role in the development of these adverse health conditions as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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11. Age<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned, the natural aging process is one of the most common causes of bulging discs. As we age<\/a>, our body starts to leach calcium from the bones, weakening the skeleton. As a result, seniors are far more likely to develop skeletal disorders or diseases like bulging discs and spondylosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People over the age of 65-years old are most affected by a bulging disc. Another essential factor of the aging process related to skeletal health is a drop in protein synthesis that occurs as part of the aging process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protein is responsible for the production of collagen, a protein that maintains the youthful look of your skin, as well as keeping our bones strong and healthy. As protein synthesis dwindles in later life, bones can longer produce the necessary cells needed to maintain the structural integrity of the skeletal system. As a result, seniors are far more likely to develop back injuries like bulging discs, due to low collagen production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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12. Sports-Related Injuries<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Athletes and sportspeople are also at high risk for spinal injuries<\/a>. Training and competing in contact or combat sports places extraordinary physical demands on the body during practice and competition. Athletes that want to break through the boundaries of their activity will often push their body to its limits in the quest for victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, while the mind is willing \u2013 the flesh is weak. If an athlete pushes themselves too far, they run the risk of getting injured, and that\u2019s a familiar theme in people who experience a sports-related back injury. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

People who train with weights should always adhere to perfect form when executing compound movements like the squat, deadlift, and bench press. Try wearing a supportive kidney belt, to maintain the structural integrity of your spine, while lifting will help you avoid injury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Any sport that involves twisting and turning, or carrying loads, places you at risk of a bulging disc if you do not train with the correct form. Speak to a trainer or kinesiologist about how you can adjust your style to avoid injury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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13. Genetics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the causes of bulging discs \u2013 in your genetics<\/a>. Patients with one or both parents that suffer from degenerative bone disease or spinal problems may inherit the condition from their folks. Some individuals may also be born with weaker spines than others. As a result, they have thinner discs, that are more prone to premature wear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other patients who are living with genetic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis are also at risk of developing bulging discs. These degenerative genetic diseases have no cure, and patients must learn to cope with the symptoms of their condition through managing pain and discomfort with medication and physiotherapy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is no way to identify these disorders in adolescence or youth unless the individual experiences the early onset of these diseases. Some children as young as 13-years old may develop rheumatoid arthritis that ruins their joints and prevents them from taking part in sports and other extra-curricular activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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14. Risk Factors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some people have biological or environmental risk factors<\/a> in their life that predispose them to develop herniated discs. If you find yourself listed among the high-risk groups mentioned below, then make the necessary adjustments to your training or visit your doctor to find out how you can reduce your risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Weight is the most frequently cited risk factor for developing a bulging disc. If you have a BMI that puts you in the overweight category, then consult with a nutritionist and exercise therapist to outline a weight loss and exercise strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People who work in manual labor jobs, requiring them to carry objects around are at high risk. Lifting is the second most common cause of a bulging disc. Always lift with your legs, and not with your back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Genetics is also a concerning factor for the development of bulging discs. If your parents or siblings experience frequent back problems, then this increases your risk of a bulging disc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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