Principles of prevention of spinal hernia

A herniated disc occurs as a result of long-term degenerative changes, when the disc ceases to receive the necessary substances, loses its elasticity and cracks. Through the formed defect, the contents of the nucleus come out, which begins to compress the surrounding structures, which threatens to disrupt the function of vital organs. Severe disc deformity can be prevented, but this requires a comprehensive approach with lifestyle changes.

Prevention of intervertebral hernia is a series of measures aimed at normalizing the nutrition of the disc, improving the mobility of the spine and strengthening the muscular corset.

The main danger of a hernia is identified by neurologists as stenosis of the spinal canal, which causes inflammation and compression of the nerve roots. Such processes threaten muscle paralysis, dysfunction of the pelvic organs, decreased tactile sensitivity, and many other deviations.

Rules for the prevention of disc herniation

Prevention of vertebral hernia can be carried out both at home and in special centers where various wellness procedures are offered. For the health of the back, it is important to ensure normal physical activity, which does not require additional devices. Regular walks, cycling, swimming will be good prevention. If there are no problems with the spine, exercising in the gym under the supervision of instructors, dieting and eliminating bad habits will be enough to prevent such an unpleasant disease.

Almost every person after 25 years of age already has various disorders of the musculoskeletal system associated with a sedentary lifestyle, physiological aging of the body and many other factors. This significantly complicates the process of maintaining the health of the back, but even in this case, it is possible to slow down the process of destruction of the intervertebral disc.

Hernias of the lumbar spine are more often diagnosed, which is explained by the high load on this area. This is exacerbated by excess weight, trauma and sedentary work. It is enough to know the risk factors for the onset of the disease in order to exclude it. A hernia can also occur after spinal surgery, but then a special approach is needed under the supervision of a specialist. Hernia prevention is no less important process than treatment, and it has its own rules.

What you need to know to prevent lumbar disc herniation:

• pathological protrusion of the disc does not occur immediately, it is a chronic disease that begins with malnutrition, and if normal metabolism in the spine is ensured, pathology can be avoided;
• a hernia can be the result of an injury, then the nutrition of the disc will not matter, but during the recovery period, treatment will also be aimed at improving diffusion in the diseased back;
• physical activity is an important step in the prevention of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, but it can also be harmful when it comes to traumatic and extreme sports;
• conditions for the development of disc herniation usually appear in childhood and adolescence, and every year more and more cases of juvenile osteochondrosis are diagnosed, which becomes a factor in the destruction of the fibrous body and the release of the nucleus to the outside.

Considering these factors and the fact that it is important to undergo a comprehensive examination of the body every year, you can easily maintain the health of the spine, preventing a hernia.

Daily care of the spine

Every day you need to devote at least 40 minutes to your back, which will be enough to maintain muscle tone and normalize the nutrition of the disk. During these 40 minutes, you can do exercises, hang on the horizontal bar, swim and do everything that will ensure the movement of the spine. But it is equally important to remember the correct posture every day. By keeping your back straight, you can avoid curvature of the spine, which also leads to damage to the vertebrae and discs.

Intervertebral hernia is a dangerous condition not only for health, but also for life, so daily care of the spine will not be a waste of time and effort.

Effective prevention of spinal hernia includes:

1. Weight normalization. The risk group for the appearance of a hernia of the spine includes overweight people who have a large load on the musculoskeletal system. The lumbar region suffers more from excess body weight. But a sharp weight loss will be dangerous for the spine, because with weight loss, you need to simultaneously strengthen the muscle corset.
2. Physical education . Strengthening the back muscles is important not only to prevent disc prolapse, but also for good posture. A healthy muscle corset supports the spine, ensuring an even distribution of the load on each department, which is extremely important for the whole body. Normal blood circulation prevents stagnant processes, which eliminates swelling, chronic pain and spasms.
3. To give up smoking. The harmful effects of nicotine are known to everyone, but the harm does not appear immediately, which still makes this habit common. Tobacco destroys the body gradually, disrupting normal blood circulation and clogging blood vessels. Smokers often suffer from numbness in the hands and feet, swelling, and impaired skin sensitivity. Smoking interferes with the normal nutrition of the intervertebral disc with all the ensuing consequences.
4. Massage . Its task will be to improve blood circulation in sedentary areas of the spine. Therapeutic techniques involve the impact on certain areas in order to keep the muscles and intervertebral discs in good shape.
5. Balanced nutrition . Diet should become a part of life when there is a goal to prevent spinal diseases. There are no strict restrictions, but the food consumed should fill the body's need for vitamins, trace elements, fats and other essential substances. For the health of the spine, it is useful to eat animal protein, which is found in fish and meat, and vitamin vegetables and fruits are no less important.

Physiotherapy

Daily exercise is the best prevention for hernia and chronic low back pain. In the morning, you definitely need to do exercises to prepare the body for stress, but in the evening, a relaxing massage and a bath are useful. Exercises can be chosen independently, focusing on the standard complex, but when there are already problems with the spine, it is better to consult a specialist.

Useful and simple exercises for the prevention of disc herniation:

1. Walking on all fours.
2. Hanging on the horizontal bar.
3. Lifting the pelvis in the supine position.
4. "Bicycle" in the supine position.
5. Twisting - simultaneous raising of the head, shoulders and legs in a prone position.

Important recommendations

What not to do to maintain the health of the spine:

• overload the back, perform complex exercises without warming up;
• land on your heels while running and jumping;
• long time to sit in one position;
• stoop, walk with your head down;
• sleep on a very soft mattress.

It is possible to prevent a hernia of the spine, and it is easier than to deal with the consequences of the disease in the form of compression of the spinal cord and roots. Prevention will be more effective when choosing a set of measures together with the doctor after the examination.