Page 17 - Florida Sentinel 1-31-20

Health
What Causes It?
It's often hard to know ex- actly what makes a disk break open. It could be that you lifted something heavy and strained your back. A simple awkward turn or twist could do it, or even a fall or sudden hit to the body. Sometimes it's just aging. As you get older, your disks start to lose water, which means they don't flex as well and may tear more easily.
What Are the Symp- toms?
You might notice a sharp pain that shoots from your rear end down the back of your leg.
Your leg or foot could feel weak, numb, or tingly. In the neck, a herniated disk can send pain, tingling, and numbness down your arm and into the muscles between your neck and shoul- ders.
Who Gets It?
You're more likely to tear a disk if you lift, push, or bend a
lot or do the same motion over and over. Think of warehouse or delivery workers. Sitting all day in the same position, as many of- fice workers do, can also do it. It happens more after middle age and if you're overweight or a smoker. Some people inherit genes from their parents that lead to disk problems.
How Is It Diagnosed?
Your doctor will ask detailed questions about your symptoms and test your reflexes and mus- cle strength. She might rub, touch, or prick your skin to see how much you can feel. You may also need to get some imaging
tests, like an X-ray, CT scan, or MRI.
Which Medications Help?
You can start with over-the- counter meds that lessen swelling and pain, like ibuprofen and naproxen. If you're hurting a lot, your doctor may prescribe
stronger drugs like narcotics, an- ticonvulsants, and muscle relax- ers. To curb inflammation around your herniated disk, you may need to take steroid medi- cine by mouth. Your doctor might also inject steroids into your back to ease swelling near the disk.
Cold and Heat Treatments
Try an ice pack at first to ease pain and swelling, but don't use it for more than 20 minutes at a time. In a few days, after any muscle spasms settle, you also can switch to some gentle heat to relieve pain.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 2020 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 5-B