Accidents can occur and leave Georgia residents dealing with catastrophic injuries affecting the spine. Spinal disk problems can be debilitating and affect your daily life.
What is a spinal disk problem?
A spinal disk problem involves damage to the rubbery pads between the vertebrae in the spine. The disks provide cushioning to absorb shock to the spinal cord. Damage caused by an accident or wear and tear due to aging can lead to a variety of symptoms.
What are the symptoms of spinal disk problems?
Spinal disk problems can affect any portion of the spine. Often, they occur in the lower back, but they can also impact the neck or upper back. A person can experience different side effects depending on the disk that’s affected and whether it’s pressing on a nerve.
Arm or leg pain is a common symptom of spinal disk problems. If the affected disk is in the lower back, the pain can radiate from the leg into the calf, thigh and buttocks. If it’s in the neck, pain is localized to the shoulder and arm and is often burning. Sneezing or coughing can make the pain even worse.
It’s also common to experience tingling or numbness with spinal disk problems. This happens because the nerves are affected. Weakness can also occur and cause problems with holding things or balancing properly.
Although not all spinal disk problems are avoidable, you can do your part to prevent them. Keeping good posture and avoiding smoking or quitting if you do smoke can improve your health. You should also exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight to prevent a disk injury. Avoid being too sedentary. If you have to sit down for your job, make sure to get up and take regular breaks. Walking or even stretching can help keep your spine in better condition.
Any spinal injury can change your life. If you’ve been affected, knowing how you can recover is important.