| We all have these little jelly donuts between the bones | | | | We always talk about the importance of training using |
| of our spine. Okay, they're discs, but they're actually | | | | core exercises. This situation is no exception. Any |
| built much like a jelly donut. These discs are made of | | | | deep core exercises and stretching helps improve |
| cartilage on the ouside and a jelly like substance on the | | | | your posture while taking stress off your spine. If you |
| inside. The disc's job is to absorb shock to the spine. | | | | still find yourself with a herniated disc you'll need the |
| Sometimes, due to an abnormal force, or a long term | | | | right care to get you out of pain. |
| stress, part of the cartilage gets torn and the jelly | | | | How we care for a herniated disc |
| starts to leak out. | | | | Our first goal is to get you out of pain. Once we get |
| This causes a herniation of the disc | | | | you comfortable we begin strengthening the muscles |
| The jelly pushes out because there's less support on | | | | around the spine. This takes the stress off the nerve. |
| one side of the disc. Faulty posture or too much | | | | It's important to remember once the wall of the disc is |
| pressure on one side also pushes the jelly to the | | | | compromised it can't be repaired only supported. So |
| weaker side. This looks much like what happens with a | | | | you'll need to be stronger to compensate for it. This |
| bubbled tire. | | | | way you can keep the jelly where it belongs. |
| This bubble causes you pain because it compresses | | | | Summary: |
| the nerve around the injured disc. | | | | * The discs that absorb a shock to your spine are like |
| In extreme cases... | | | | jelly donuts, cartilage on the outside, jelly on the inside. |
| The disc tears completely causing the jelly to rush out. | | | | * A tear in a disc happens much like a blown tire. An |
| This leads to the need for surgery, known as a | | | | abnormal force or long term stress cause the disc to |
| discectomy. This procedure removes the leaked jelly | | | | bubble |
| and eases the irritation to the nerve. This is a | | | | * The tear cannot be healed, but the muscles around it |
| procedure you'd hope to avoid. | | | | can be strengthened to relieve the pain and pressure. |
| How to avoid a herniated disc | | | | |