Herniated Disc Causes

Herniated disc causes vary quite dramatically from individual to individual.  Many think that the main cause of a herniated disc is an injury of some sort, which can be true, but isn’t necessarily the truth all of the time.

In fact, the causes of a herniated disc can be summarized by three main categories:  injuries, toxins, and genetics.  This article will discuss how each of these categories will cause a herniated disc, and then we will go over some simple tips for improving in these categories.

Injuries by far are the most common group of herniated disc causes.  Injuries could include a car accident, a slip and fall, or even lifting something heavy.  The injuries don’t have to be major injuries, either.  It is also possible for an individual to suffer small traumas to their spine, which can eventually lead to a herniated disc.

A great example of this that you may have never thought of is a person who has a desk job and sits for most of the day.  The discs of the spine are designed to move, and lack of movement can cause damage to the discs over time.  So, a person who sits most of the day is very likely to eventually develop a spinal injury simply because of this fact.

It’s easy to see how an injury can cause a herniated disc – each disc of the spine is composed of a strong outer covering and a jelly center.  If a force is applied to the disc through an injury, the outer covering can tear and the jelly will begin to shift into the area of weakness.

Toxins are the next category of herniated disc causes.  This may sound odd, but it is very common for toxins within the body to cause this condition.

This primarily refers to a person’s diet and other health habits.  If you have a poor diet, smoke, drink excessive alcohol, or even lack exercise, toxins can build up in the body and weaken the walls of the discs.

In addition to this, a poor lifestyle will cause the entire spine to deteriorate more quickly, leading to arthritis and other spinal conditions.

The third herniated disc cause is genetics.  An individual who has other family members who suffer from this condition is also more likely to develop it.  This shouldn’t worry you that much, however, because genetics plays a very minor role in the development of a herniated disc – the other 2 causes are much more prevalent.

So, keeping these causes in mind, what can you do differently to improve your condition?

Let’s discuss injuries first.  The main concern with an injury is the possibility of scar tissue developing.  When the spine experiences a physical trauma, the soft tissues of the spine (the discs, muscles, and ligaments) can be damaged.  

If a person doesn’t experience the appropriate treatment for these injuries within a certain time frame, the body will heal the problem area with scar tissue.  This is a real problem, because scar tissue is weaker than normal tissue, and you will find that this will lead to a situation where you are continuously re-injuring the same area of the body.

Have you ever heard a person say they have a “bad something?”  This could be a bad back, a bad ankle, etc. – what they’re telling you is that that area of their body is weak and they keep injuring it over and over.  What they’re really experiencing is scar tissue in those areas.

So, what does all of this mean?  It’s very important that you seek a proper evaluation by a doctor whenever you have an injury.  Choosing the appropriate doctor is also important – for example, with soft tissue injuries of the spine, it’s a very good idea to see a chiropractor because this is what we specialize in treating.

The next herniated disc cause – toxins – requires a little work, and sometimes a commitment to change.  Some simple changes you can make in this category are increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables (you should be eating at least 5 servings a day to reduce toxin build up within the body), increasing your water intake to at least 8 glasses a day (a glass equals a cup), reduce or eliminate tobacco use and alcohol use, and begin a regular exercise routine (but be careful – this can be difficult and cause problems for a person suffering with a herniated disc).

As far as the third herniated disc cause, genetics, obviously this is not something you can change.  However, if you know you have a genetic predisposition for developing a herniated disc (or any back problem, for that matter), you need to become aware of what you can do to keep your spine strong and healthy.

Because genetics plays such a small role in this condition, your choices will make a big difference in whether you develop this problem or not.

If you would like more information about herniated disc causes, as well as the important steps you can take for relief and healing, please click here.

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