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Does this scenario sound familiar? You bend over to pick a Kleenex off the floor. Your back locks up. You begin to experience lower back pain radiating into the buttocks and down the leg. You consult with your doctor who orders an MRI. The MRI report identifies a herniated disc. Bad news? Maybe but in all likelihood, it's not as bad as you may think. You may have heard people say they have a "slipped" or "ruptured" disc in the back. You may have even heard terms like "bulging" or "protruding" discs. These are common "street names" that describe a herniated disc. The Truth About Herniated Disks May Shock You Did you know that if we were to perform an MRI on people with NO back pain, as high as 85% of those people would show evidence of a herniated disc? The truth is that if you have back pain, there's a good chance a herniated disc has NOTHING to do with your pain. Low back pain will affect 80% of the American population at some point in their life. And, of the 80% who experience a first time episode of back pain, the pain will resolve with little or no intervention. In fact, only 10% of all back pain sufferers ever require surgery. Yet, despite these favorable back pain statistics, a herniated disc diagnosis continues to cause concern in people suffering with back pain. To alleviate this concern, it's important that you understand the process for determining the significance of a herniated disc. Plus, you should know the steps you can take to reduce the chances of a herniated disc ever becoming an issue. How to End Your Worrying & Your Back Pain 1. Understand that the presence of low back pain, pain radiating down the leg, and a positive MRI do NOT necessarily implicate a herniated disc as the source of your back problem. Pain that radiates into the buttocks and down the leg is often referred to as sciatica. Yes, sciatica pain can be caused by irritation of the nerve root from a herniated disc. But, chances are your sciatica symptoms are the result of irritation of the sciatic nerve from a structure outside the spine. To make this determination, a thorough physical examination must be performed and the findings corroborated with MRI films. WARNING: Your report of symptoms and a study of the MRI film DOES NOT constitute a thorough physical exam. It should include a detailed medical history, an actual assessment of your movement, strength, reflexes, sensation and any pertinent clinical tests plus a review of the MRI film. 2. Increase your awareness of specific symptoms that may implicate a more serious back problem. These include:
Article Source: http://www.new.citynewslive.com
About Author: Malton Schexneider PT, MMSc, provides simple, easy and safe back pain relief strategies for people suffering with low back pain, sciatica, herniated discs and degenerative disc disease. Now, for the first time ever, Malton reveals top insider secrets that will erase your back pain. Now with this limited time offer, you can get his NEW eBook,"Back Pain Relief Secrets" for FREE at: eraseyourbackpain.com/free-patient-guides
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