Well, I went to the doctor yesterday for a physical. The physical was prompted by the back pain I have been experiencing. After a pretty thorough workup, I have been diagnosed with a bulging disc. I have since done some research of my own and discovered that bulging disc, slipped disc, herniated disc, etc. are terms that are used interchangeable, but mean the same thing. So what is a bulging disc?

The disc is a circle of cartilage between each vertebra in the spine that acts as both a shock absorber and a shock distributor. If you jump up and down, imagine what would happen to the stack of bony vertebra that make up the spine without the cushioning of the discs. Move your back side to side. Again, you can visualize the give and take of the discs between the vertebrae. Without discs, the spine simply could not function.



Discs don't really "slip". Instead, they bulge, herniate, or rupture. Saying a disc has "slipped" does suggest that something has "slipped out" and is not where it's supposed to be, which is what happens in disc injuries.

Discs are made up of concentric circles or rings of fibrous material with a tough gelatinous center. When cracks or fissures occur in the fibrous rings, the gelatinous material in the center can begin to push out. A number of different factors may cause the disc to "slip".

Probably chief among the reasons in my case is being overweight. Lack of a firm abdomen and core puts extra stress on the spine. In addition, another of the most frequent causes is poor posture when sitting - I do a ton of sitting hunched over my computer... (as I am doing each time I blog.) The solutions however are for the most part in my control.

While surgery is an option in extreme cases, many symptoms are relieved through a regimen of weight loss, exercise, stretching, and improved posture. I think I can handle those...

- posted by Chris @ 8:17 AM