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Slipped Disc
A slipped disc can be caused by several different circumstances. It can occur suddenly or over an extended period of time. The name of this condition is misleading, since it implies that the disc has moved out of place in the
spine.
This is not the case, since the disc is firmly anchored to the
vertebrae
above and below by cartilaginous end plates. What the condition actually refers to is a herniation of the interior
nucleus pulposus,
not a complete movement of the disc structure.

Causes of Slipped Disc
A common cause of disc pain is sudden trauma due to a
back injury.
Falls on the lower back, especially when landing in a sitting position, have a good chance of causing a
herniated disc.
Car accidents
can also cause a disc injury in the lower back or neck. Any great force that is applied to the spine can cause a disc to
bulge
or
rupture.
Herniated discs can also result from such activities as lifting a heavy object. This is especially true if you lift with a bent back.
Sports
are a contributing factor to causing herniated discs. Any
repetitive action
that puts stress on the back is creating the right scenario for a disc injury to occur.
Another usual cause for herniated discs is simple
degeneration,
or “wear and tear”. This occurs mainly in the lower back and neck areas of the spine, since they are the areas that must bend and flex the most.
Studies have shown that
SMOKING
can erode the disc material. Smokers are more likely to suffer a herniated or
degenerated disc
as a result.
YOU MUST KNOW BY NOW THAT SMOKING IS BAD FOR YOU…SO STOP IT ALREADY !!!
Finally,
obesity
also factors in to the cause of a herniated disc. Overweight people put more stress on their spines than thinner people. This stress can cause a herniated disc due to the increased spinal pressure. Remember back in school? FORCE = MASS x ACCELERATION. More mass = more force… enough said
Recommendation for Slipped Discs
Regardless of the cause of a herniated disc, the condition does not always cause pain. Many people are walking around with herniated discs right now and do not even know it. I still have 2 of them and they do not hurt me at all...Do not let a diagnosis of herniated disc scare you into a painful condition. If you did not experience pain before you learned about your herniated disc, then you should not expect to feel pain after the diagnosis.
Slipped Disc to Back Pain Home
5/20/06 Revised 10/19/09

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