Learning about slipped lower back discs in O’Fallon, MO

Slipped Disc in Lower Back

As hard as most of us try, the odds aren’t good that we’ll be able to avoid lower back pain completely. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) supports this in an article that states that about 80% of Americans will have lower back pain at some point in their lives. If you’ve developed lower back pain in O’Fallon, Missouri, it could be caused by a slipped disc in the lower back. 

What is a slipped disc?

Your spine is designed to move and flex, but there are times when it can move too far or in a way it’s not designed to. This is what happens when people develop a slipped disc. With this issue, one of the vertebrae in the spine slips forward over the one below it. This can cause nerve roots in the spine to be pinched, and this happens because the abnormal alignment presses the nerve against the disc between the vertebrae. This type of misalignment issue is especially common in the lower back. 

What causes a slipped lower back disc? 

It takes a high level of force to cause a slipped disc in the lower back. However, there are several times when your spine could be subjected to this level of force. For example, motor vehicle accidents place extreme stress on the spine, and this is why slipped lower back discs are common after car accidents. Also, impacts from playing sports like football and rugby can lead to this issue. 

What are the symptoms of a slipped disc in the lower back? 

Slipped lower back discs can cause you to experience several symptoms. The most common of these symptoms is back pain. For some people, the pain may be felt in the lower back, but other people may experience pain  radiating down their leg. The pain of slipped discs also tends to be at its worst when lying in bed at night or when doing certain movements. Besides pain, this issue can also lead to feelings of numbness and weakness in the lower body muscles. 

Find treatment for slipped lower back discs at Excel Sports & Physical Therapy in O’Fallon, MO

Physical therapy can be an effective treatment option for slipped discs. However, that doesn’t mean you’ll have to leave town to find treatment. Excel Sports & Physical Therapy has a therapy team with experience treating this and other back problems, and we have a clinic right here in O’Fallon. Our personalized treatment plans are intended to offer many benefits, and they’re able to do this thanks to the many therapy methods we can include in them, such as: 

Don’t wait to find out how we can help your slipped disc. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.