Inversion Table Guide

Imagine a jelly donut with its filling oozing out one of its side. That’s practically how a herniated cervical disc would look like.

It’s is one of the most commonly diagnosed spinal injury. It occurs when two adjacent vertebrae in the spine put too much pressure on the soft spinal tissue between them. As a result, the liquid that’s located at the center of that disc bulges outward, hitting nerves and causes pain. This pain can be felt all the way to the tips of your fingers and toes.

Herniated cervical disc symptoms vary, depending on which part of your spine is damaged. One may experience any one or two of the following basic symptoms:

• Shoulder pains
• Weakness in the biceps or in any upper arm muscle
• Numbness and tingling (usually accompanied with pain) felt in the arms and legs
• Weakness in handgrip

Herniated cervical disc treatment can be administered in many ways. Spinal decompression and inversion therapy are methods that are growing in popularity. Pain and other symptoms can be controlled through medication and, oftentimes, surgery (although there is very little need for this).

Prevention is still better than cure after all. Even if you’re in your early twenties, you can still acquire a herniated cervical disc through some of your bad habits. Here are some tips to decrease the likelihood you will develop this kind of problem:

· Mind your posture. The primary risk factor for cervical herniated disc is posture. If you sit in front of a computer for long periods of time, don’t slouch or hunch over. Avoid sitting with your legs crossed.

· Invest in good pillows. You spend about one-third of your life in bed. The softness, height and size of your pillow will have an effect on your cervical spine. When you lie down, your cervical spine should stay straight. Choose a pillow that’s made of elastic cotton or similar materials. The height of the pillow shouldn’t go lower than 5 centimeters when your head is positioned on top of it.

· Keep your neck warm. Especially in cold weather. Too much cold can lead to stiff neck, muscle spasm and other neck injuries.

· Be careful when you’re doing neck work-outs. Don’t overdo them.

· Get enough vitamin C. It not only boosts your immune system, it also helps prevent cervical spine injury and disease.