A slipped disc can make bending, sitting and even sneezing painful. We help settle the pain, rebuild your strength and get you back to normal life.
What is a slipped disc, bulging disc or disc prolapse?
‘Slipped disc’ is the everyday name for a disc prolapse. It happens when the soft centre of a spinal disc is pushed out through its tougher outer shell.
Think of a jam doughnut. Squeeze it hard enough and the jam is forced out of the side. In your spine, that material can press on nearby nerves, causing pain in your lower back, buttocks and even down your legs.
A bulging disc is the stage before a prolapse. If you have pain and have been told you have a bulging disc, it’s worth getting the right help early.
What causes a prolapsed disc?
A disc prolapse often happens when you put pressure on your spine by lifting something heavy the wrong way. A direct injury, such as a fall or whiplash, can also cause one.
For most people, it’s the final straw rather than a single event. Repeated bending, lifting or sport, or a sudden change of position, can all play a part.
What are the symptoms of a disc prolapse?
- Sudden, moderate to severe lower back pain, with or without leg pain
- Pain in one or both buttocks
- Pain that’s worse when you bend forwards, stay in one position for long, lift, cough or sneeze
- In some cases, numbness or weakness in the leg
Lying down, often on your pain-free side, usually eases the pain.
Physiotherapy for a disc prolapse
Physiotherapy is an effective way to reduce pain and stiffness after a disc prolapse. It also builds your strength and flexibility, which helps lower the risk of it happening again.
Your treatment may include:
- Extension exercises to calm nerve irritation and pain
- Heat therapy
- Soft tissue massage
- Joint mobilisation to ease pain and stiffness
- A back exercise programme of strengthening and stretching to restore comfortable movement and support your spine
- Acupuncture
- Posture advice
Your physiotherapist at Recover Physio will build a rehab plan around you, so you can get back to living the way you want to.
