・ Neck and back pain
- Hands and feet go numb
Some people may have been diagnosed with a herniated disc when they visited a hospital with these symptoms.
Some people have been diagnosed with a hernia, but some people have become a follow-up observation without surgery. In such a case, I think that many people do not know what to be careful about in their lives.
In this article, I will explain what not to do with a herniated disc.
table of contents
What not to do with a herniated disc
What you should not do with a herniated disc is slightly different between a cervical disc herniation and a lumbar disc herniation.
[What not to do with cervical disc herniation]
・Do contact sports
・It becomes a way of sitting with a bad posture and a stooped back
・Doing activities that put a strain on the neck
・Falling from a motorcycle or bicycle
[Do not do with lumbar disc herniation]
・Long-term rest
・Hold an object in a forward-leaning position
・Smoking
I will explain each.
What not to do with a cervical disc herniation
play contact sports
There are various kinds of sports, but it is better to avoid playing sports where the body collides. If you have been diagnosed with a cervical disc herniation, playing contact sports can impact your neck and cause further damage to your nerves. Impact can further exacerbate a cervical disc herniation and increase numbness in the hands and feet.
Stooping or sitting in a bad posture
If you are in a hunched state or sitting in a bad posture, your neck will naturally tend to bend.
In cervical disc herniation, when the neck is bent, the deformed intervertebral disc becomes even more stressed. Therefore, you need to be careful to keep your neck straight. The point when paying attention to posture is to be conscious of the posture of the whole body. Even if you try to stretch your neck, it's quite difficult. If you slouch or bend your back, the effect will spread to your neck. In order to keep the neck in good condition, it is necessary to manage the posture of the whole body.
Doing movements that put a strain on the neck
A cervical disc herniation is a misshapen disc. Bending your neck puts more stress on the disc, which can cause it to collapse and make the herniation worse. Therefore, movements that bend the neck excessively or put pressure on the neck should be avoided.
fall from a motorcycle or bicycle
A fall can put a lot of pressure on your neck. Young people are less likely to fall while walking, but they should be careful not to fall while riding a motorbike or bicycle. Recently, more and more people are riding bicycles with thin tires, such as road bikes and cross bikes. Compared to normal bicycles, they tend to go faster and fall more easily. Falling on a motorcycle or bicycle is a strong impact, so it has a great impact on the neck. If you commute to work or school by bicycle or motorcycle, be careful.
What not to do with a lumbar disc herniation
long periods of bed rest
As a common thing for people with a hernia in the lower back, there is a tendency to rest because it causes back pain.Bed rest is not recommended as a treatment for back pain. By resting, muscle strength decreases throughout the body, and the body becomes more susceptible to strain on the lower back.
It is necessary to carry out normal life as much as possible within the range of pain. You can rest as soon as the pain starts, but it's about 3 days at most. A week of rest is too long. Once the pain subsides, start moving slowly. If the pain is strong and you can't move even after a few days, it may be something other than a lumbar disc herniation. In that case, please consult your doctor.
hold an object in a forward-leaning position
The pressure on the intervertebral discs is determined by the curvature of the spine. The worst is when you lift something with your back bent. A slightly arched waist is considered normal. Studies have shown that a slight bend in the lower back increases the pressure on the intervertebral discs. In a study investigating severe cases of herniated discs, there was a greater tendency for the lumbar curvature to decrease and the pelvis to tilt backwards.
Studies have shown that bending your legs firmly and bending your lower back slightly when lifting an object reduces stress on the intervertebral discs.
to smoke
Smoking also has a negative effect on the intervertebral discs. Although it is an experiment using rats, it has been clarified that smoking increased inflammatory substances and the intervertebral discs deteriorated. The recurrence rate of hernia is also known to be high in smokers. It may be difficult to quit smoking, but try to quit smoking to prevent the hernia from getting worse.
summary
In this article, I have explained what not to do with a herniated disc. The point is not to put stress on the intervertebral disc. Cervical disc herniation and lumbar disc herniation have slightly different things to be aware of, so please check the items that suit you.
Lifestyle habits such as daily posture, smoking, and sports also affect hernias. In order to prevent hernia, let's try to keep posture and quit smoking on a daily basis.
References
・Oda, Hiroshi, et al. “Degeneration of intervertebral discs due to smoking: experimental assessment in a rat-smoking model.” Journal of Orthopedic Science 9.2 (2004): 135-141. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0949265815329018
・Kenji Endo, et al. “Clinical features and lumbar-pelvic sagittal plane alignment of lumbar disc herniation with anterior trunk tilt.” Japanese Journal of Low Back Pain 14.1 (2008): 129-133. https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/yotsu/14/1/14_1_129/_pdf
・Shota Hayashi, Junji Kappei, and Hitoshi Maruyama. “1B2-1 Comparison of intervertebral disc compression force caused by lifting motion-Does lumbar load change by instructing forward pelvic tilt?” Ergonomics 50.Supplement (2014) : S138-S139. https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jje/50/Supplement/50_S138/_pdf
Supervision: Dr. Yasushi Tsuda