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HEALTH & WELLBEING
So you have a slipped disc – what is a
disc and what does this mean?
with Andreas Klein
‘ Intervertebral discs’ have a hard outer connective tissue( annulus fibrosus) and a‘ gelatinous’ interior( nucleus pulposus). At the top and bottom are endplates, the transition tissues between disc and bone.
Discs have several important functions.
They act as:
• shock absorbers for the vertebral column
• ligaments that tie the vertebra above and below the disc together
• spacers between vertebrae to allow appropriate nerve exit from the spine
• movement-enablers for vertebrae relative to each other, allowing us to bend and twist As we age, disc tissues may begin to deteriorate and weaken, showing progressive signs of disc disease. This weakening may eventually lead to herniation of one( or more) discs, which we colloquially call a“ slipped disc”.
Disc herniation often occurs gradually, but significant trauma can also lead to disc extrusion or sequestration. Discherniation stages are pictured.
If a herniated disc contacts a nerve, this may result in significant nerve compression( occlusion) and pain in the lower back and down the nerve course. Compression may also lead to‘ radiculopathy’, i. e. pathological changes in nerve function resulting in one of several‘ neurological deficits’, including:
• sensory changes such as tingling, altered sensation or numbness
• motor changes such as muscle weakness or reflex loss. Any or all such symptoms, often referred to as sciatica, may be experienced by patients with a slipped disc. MRIs( involving no radiation exposure) are the best scan for enabling physicians to see the soft spinal tissues unseen with conventional X-rays.
Things are, however, a little more complex than this. A study by Luoma et al.( 2000) showed that many patients may have both low back pain and sciatica yet have no disc bulges. A further study by Livshits in 2011 showed that degeneration of the discs alone, whether or not a bulge was present, was highly associated with lower back pain, and so it may be that the chemicals of
inflammation released from degenerating disc tissue become a key factor in generating lower back pain, possibly sciatica. As discussed here previously, cleaning muscles of inflammatory infiltrate while lengthening them is key to tissue healing and remediation of symptoms.
Contact me on 0418 166 269 for assessment or further information.
A Child’ s Learning Centre
Care hours 6.30am to 6.30pm Open 49 weeks of the year Care from birth to 6 years Nutritious meals prepared daily Pre school transition programs Qualified and experienced staff Special needs catered for All daily needs supplied Community based non-profit centre Established in 1989
Images courtesy of SpineUniverse. com.
69 Andrew Thompson Drive, McGraths Hill Phone 4587 7141 admin @ mcgrathshillchildrenscentre. com. au
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SUFFERING constant BACK PAIN? Want to ENJOY LIFE again?
Work & play like you used to after just a few sessions!
Andreas Klein Nutritionist & Remedial Therapist
BSc, Adv Dip Nut Med, DRM
FREE OFFER!
If you’ re sick of being in constant back pain CALL NOW for your FREE 30min Assessment Session!
Valued at $ 55
I’ ve personally developed this technique after 16 years experience:
“ After years of severe back pain I’ m now enjoying golf, fully pain free and even started brick-laying again!” John Hasler, Glenmore Park
“ I’ d given up really- I’ d tried so many things. In just a couple of sessions the pain and muscle spasms had gone. I’ d recommend your work to anyone.” Craig Gibson, Richmond
Remedial Muscle Elongation Therapy targets the cause of chronic back pain and inflammation to really eliminate them. This technique works well for shoulders and knees too!
Call Andreas 0418 166 269
THE HAWKESBURY INDEPENDENT theindependentmagazine. com. au ISSUE 188 // JANUARY 2026 19