Depending on your individual case, symptoms may vary widely. Usually, a slipped disc results in either radicular or referred pain.

Radicular pain may run from the spine down to the foot or other areas. It is a sharp linear pain that may ‘shoot’ along the path of a compressed nerve.

Referred pain can be felt in several different parts of the body, you might feel it in your legs, bottom or hips. It’s usually duller in nature.

Typically, the pain worsens for a couple of hours in the middle of the night and first thing in the morning. It may also become more acute when sitting for long periods of time, during a bowel movement or when coughing or sneezing.

If the herniated disc material isn’t pressing directly on a nerve, you might just have a general backache, rather than a distinct linear pain.

Other symptoms you could experience are muscle weakness, spasms or cramping. Some people also have altered sensation in their lower legs and feet.

Our spines are delicate. A slipped disc can be caused by a one-time injury, or small but repetitive strains.

Poor posture while sitting at a desk can cause the spine to bend habitually around one spot, putting you at risk for a slow disc herniation.

New parents, unaccustomed to carrying heavy loads on a regular basis are more at risk, as are weight-lifters, as weight-bearing actions regularly stress discs.

Having a prior injury can affect your posture and gait, leading to increased stress on the vertebrae and a heightened chance of a slipped disc.

Your slipped disc will be treated as a unique case, and your treatment plan personalised to suit your specific needs.

By treating your body as an interconnected mesh, rather than as separate parts, our osteopaths promote integrated and sustained healing. A slipped disc often comes hand in hand with other areas of weakness. By addressing and strengthening these areas, our osteopaths will reduce pressure on your spine and encourage a full recovery.

A range of techniques can be used to support your healing process. Stretching and strengthening programmes can help you work towards a more balanced posture, while improving core strength helps improve the function of your spine and reduce the risk of relapse. Other treatments like massage, counterstrain, lymphatic techniques and myofascial release therapy can help increase blood flow and nutrient supply to your spine. By doing this, our osteopaths can help relieve your pain and speed up your recovery process.

Our naturopaths can also support your journey towards wellbeing by prescribing potent herbs and supplements to aid sleep and relieve pain. For personalised and comprehensive supplement advice to support your healing, you should book an appointment with one of our naturopaths.

There’s no need to suffer with a slipped disc. By empowering you with tools for sustained healing, our practitioners can help you lead an enriching life, pain-free.