Back pain and influenza are probably one of the most common illnesses affecting most Americas and individuals globally. Daily exercise keeps us healthy. But only visit as doctor or chiropractor when there is a problem with us performing our daily routines. A common condition (Bulging disc) affecting both the young and old population alike of this country.



Neuro physicians recommend stretching exercises to ease Bulging disc. We first need to go over the anatomy of the back to comprehend how herniated discs affect the back and cause chronic pain. The backbone is a curved bone 'S' shaped structure. Vertebrae are stacked one on top of the other starting with the S1 to Lumbar L1 discs and concluding at the sacchrum and coccyx. The vertebrae are lined as building blocks of the back cushioned by soft-jelly like material that enables the back to absorb shock and injury to the back. The jelly like mass is in-between each vertebrae, it covers the circumference of each vertebrae.

Bulging disc is caused when the jelly like substance protrudes out of the vertebrae. Affecting all individuals young and old alike it results in chronic pain on the left or right side of the back. Occurring over a time period it affects the lower back or lumbar region. When the bulging disc is pinching a nerve surrounding the spinal cord, it causes pain or commonly called sciatica. Modern techniques like MRI's are also used for diagnosing Bulging discs.

Treatment for bulging disc prescribed by physicians includes heat or cold therapy along with cortisone injections. Bulging disc can be treated by stretching exercises, physical therapy or yoga. Pseudo gout is a condition that is thought to be inherited and affects the parathyroid glands. It is important to note that pseudo-gout can be mistaken or misdiagnosed for rheumatoid arthritis. A bulging disc is characterized by the soft mass slipping from its nucleus and protruding into the nerve region adjacent to the spine. This causes pain and results in sciatica affecting the left or right 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.