Black Disc Disease

Black Disc Disease, also known as Degenerative Disc Disease, is commonly found in those over the age of 35. This is a degenerative process that will occur to all of us as we age but it can affect some people more than others, and while exercise and diet can slow down this process or make it less damaging, once it begins there is no way to reverse it. All you can do is, consult with best spine surgeon in Chennai and get it treated as soon as possible.

The reason why this condition is called black disc disease is, if you where to look at a healthy inter-vertebral disc on an MRI it will look white indicating high water content. As you get older though the fluid in your discs decreases and your inter-vertebral disc will show up as dark or black due to the lack of water in the disc structure.

We will all experience this decrease in water in our discs as we age but fortunately most people are not aware of it as it causes no problems and does not interfere with their day to daily life.

When you begin to have back pain due to Black Disc Disease it is because your discs act like shock absorbers for the spine. When damaged they are no longer able to support the spine and it can lead to a decrease in your ability to flex, bend and twist your back in a normal fashion. This inability is what causes people to seek out treatments and therapies.

When you are young your discs are made up of at least two thirds water. Fluid loss in the discs can mainly be attributed to age, but smoking, weight, and traumatic injuries can also have an impact on the fluid in your discs.

Once your discs start to dry out it can lead to other problems with the facet joints and the vertebrae in your spine as they no longer have the extra cushioning they require.

For those who do experience back pain due to a black disc it should have come on gradually, many times people are not able to pinpoint an exact date or event that started their back pain.

Once diagnosed with this condition there are many things you can do to limit the amount of damage being done to your spine, but you must be pro-active and committed to changing your lifestyle.

Symptoms of black disc disease are:

• Lower back pain that may become worse if you sit for long periods of time. This is due to the fact that when you are in a sitting position there is three times the load on your spine as when you stand

• Pain may worsen if you bend, lift or twist your back

• Pain decreases if you walk or run

• Pain decreases if you change positions often

• Your pain may not be constant, there will be times where it is very severe only to go away and come back as a mild pain

There are symptoms that can be more serious, if your pain is disabling or if it is becoming worse, if you have leg weakness or numbness or if you lose control of your bowel or bladder functions, you should contact your doctor immediately as all of these can have serious consequences.

Back Pain: A Result Of Poor Posture Or Muscle Strain

Back pain is a common phenomenon and most of the people are suffering from it. However, a large portion of them are unaware of the reasons or the causes of this problem. A strain in the muscles is a major cause of the pain the back. Although back related pain may emerge suddenly, it may be caused by a problem which has plagued us for a long time.

Back related pain is generally not a serious problem and disappears quickly in most of the cases. However, medical advice by a best neurosurgeon in Chennai is essential in cases where the pain persists for a long time. It is a general notion that bed rest is the best cure for this pain. But evidence has shown that rest does not aid in the recovery of a person suffering from backache. It is much better if one carries on with normal activities while taking some measures for relieving the pain.

It is one of the most common ailments with 8 out of 10 people experiencing it at one or the other point of time in their life. Pain can be acute, recurrent or chronic. Most of the people suffering from back pain fall in the first category wherein the pain vanishes in about six weeks and home remedies prove to be very effective. In the case of the recurrent category, the pain reappears after some time while chronic pain lasts for a longer period of time.

The intensity of back pain varies from person to person. It can vary from a dull ache to a searing pain and its onset may be sudden, without any reason. Severe and recurrent pain should not be ignored and proper medical advice should be sought. People experiencing difficulty in passing urine or having numbness in the back or the genital area, weakness and a shooting pain in the leg or feeling unstable while standing should consult a physician immediately.

Back Pain Remedies

Massage is an effective way of reducing back pain. The incidence or the severity of the pain can be reduced by finding out the exact reason for the pain, eliminating or modifying the factors/situations causing pain and trying to find the best possible remedy. A poor posture or manual activities such as lifting, bending and twisting can result in back related pain.

Early recognition of symptoms, proper treatment and appropriate rehabilitation measures are very important and help in minimizing the problems caused by back pain. A person suffering from back related pain may need to get the following tests done to find out the exact cause:

• Blood test
• Urine examination
• Ultrasonography of abdomen and pelvis
• An X-ray of the lumbar or sacral region
• MRI of the spine
• Examination of rectum, prostate, genito urinary organs.

Several over the counter medicines are available for the treatment of various back pains. Acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are the two commonly recommended drugs that for people suffering from low back pain. In case of acute pain, the doctors may recommend narcotic pain medications or muscle relaxants.

Do You Have A Bulging Disk?

The disk is the soft and gelatinous materials responsible for the vertebrae cushioning in the spine. A bulging disk is a spine related conditions in which presents itself when the spine disks shift from its normal radius. This is commonly classified with age. The condition is caused by the inner disc's nucleus pressing on the outside wall leading to the bulging of the disc. This bulges inside a pocket and never ruptures.

Unlike the herniated disk which occurs as a result of an injury, a bulging disk occurs gradually over a long period of time. Pain is not prominent in this medical condition and can only present itself incase the condition becomes herniated or starts to protrude into a nerve. It can however, only be found via routine diagnostic imaging like the MRI (magnetic resonance imagining) by neuro specialist in chennai.

Bulging disks have been diagnosed more often than not as being a secondary result of another problem. However, they are never a problem unless they start to cause pain. The pain is commonly caused by herniated or rupturing. This is where most people start seeking for medical attention.

Basically, a bulging disc takes two paths. On the first path, no medical treatment is needed since it heals on its own. This is a common path followed by many disc injuries and some even go unnoticed. The next path requires medical attention. It is caused by extreme bulging of the disc to the extent of them rupturing. In spite of this not necessarily being symptomatic, it can be quite painful. At times, they can stabilize and the pain ebbs on their own. However, in chronic disc pain, medical treatment is necessary.

Common Causes of bulging disc

Age

This is the most common cause of the bulging disc. It occurs as a result of the inter-vertebral discs losing water which in the process leads to their drying up. Due to this drying up, the disc compresses. This leads to the weakening of the outer ring of the nucleus which leads it to bulge out. This leads to the bulging disc.

Strain

This is another common cause of the bulging disc. It is caused by continuous stress on the spine which leads to the rupturing of the annulus. This leads to the formation of a herniated disc. The materials of the disc then cause pressure on nerve roots which in the process leads to excessive pain, weakness, change in sensation or numbness.

Degenerative diseases

This occurs on the same way as the strain. These conditions are common in aged persons and can put the discs in the danger of bulging or get herniated.

Accidents

An injury can also lead to the abnormal positioning of the spinal discs. This subsequently leads to their bulging.

Overweight

Overweight persons give extra pressure on the discs leading to their bulging.

Posture

This is caused by poor sitting position, wearing of high heels or sleeping on the stomach. This leads to change in posture and in the process lead to strain on the spine.

Arthritis

This is also a common cause of the condition. It is caused by the inflammation that pushes discs out from their normal position. It is common on the upper back and the neck.

Treatment

The treatment of the bulging discs is known to be very conservative. Doctors often recommend heat and ice therapy as well as the anti-inflammatory medications. Cortisone injections are also used to deal with this condition. Severity of the condition can also lead to back surgery to relieve pain via relieve of compression on the nerves.