Easy exercises that relieve the pain of a bulging disc

We have often heard back pain is probably as common as influenza, affecting most Americans and individuals elsewhere. We exercise to keep ourselves healthy. But only consider consulting a doctor or chiropractor when we have problems performing our daily routines. This condition (Bulging disc) is a common condition among young as well as the aged population of this country.

Stretching exercises are recommended by neuro physicians for Bulging discs. Let us review the anatomy of the back to understand how herniated discs affect our back and promote chronic pain. The back or vertebrae is a curved bone S shaped structure. The vertebrae are lined on top of each other and starting with the S1 to Lumbar L1 discs ending at the sacchrum and coccyx. Consider the vertebrae as building blocks of the back cushioned by soft jelly like mass that absorbs shock and injury to the back. The soft mass in-between the vertebrae or the jelly like material is aligned with the circumference of each vertebrae.

When the jelly like substance protrudes out of the vertebrae it results in a condition called a bulging disc. Bulging disc affects young and old individuals and results in chronic pain on the left or right side of the back. This condition affects the lower lumbar region or low back and occurs over a time period. Pain or sciatica occurs when the bulging disc is herniated meaning the bulging disc is pinching a nerve surrounding the spinal cord. Bulging disc can be diagnosed by modern imaging techniques like MRI.

Physicians prescribe heat or cold therapy along with cortisone injections to treat bulging disc. Stretching exercises, physical therapy or yoga can be used for treating Bulging disc. Pseudo gout is considered to be inherited and affects the parathyroid glands. Rheumatoid arthritis is sometimes misdiagnosed in place of pseudo-gout. A bulging disc is defined by the soft material moving away from the nucleus and protruding into the nerve region of the spiral column. Thus pain is caused and later results in sciatica affecting the left side of the back.

Deposits of uric acid between the joints results in a medical condition called Gout. Pseudo gout or gout can cause severe back pain. Rheumatoid arthritis rarely affects the back but it does affect the spine resulting in a condition known as myelopathy. It weakens the tendons and ligaments that are the connections for the vertebrae and eventually leads to neck and back imbalance. This can get very serious; at times even life threatening for the patient.

Relief can be found from a bulging disc condition by performing stretching exercises and yoga. Simple stretching exercises are known to have cured people suffering from chronic back pain. Yoga exercises such as knee rolls, knee lifts, pelvic twists, and sit ups can help low back pain. These exercises cause the stomach muscles to stretch and hence strengthen which compensates for the loss of function of the vertebrae. Commonly performed yogasanas are recommended which stretch the back to improve circulation to the vertebrae. A therapeutic or trained yoga expert should be consulted and good caution should be taken before performing such stretching exercises.