What is a bulging or herniated (slipped) disc?
Most people suffer from back pain at some or the other times in their lives. This is especially true for mums working in high stress executive jobs who juggle home and work along with extensive work travel, prolonged sitting in long meetings, etc. One of the most common causes of back pain is a herniated or bulging disc, also known as slipped disc. Lets discuss what is a herniated disc and how does this relate to a disc protrusion, extrusion and other terminology around disc problems in this blog. 
 
Our spine is made up of vertebras stacked on top of each other with a disc in between them. The disc is a gelatinous soft structure that acts as a shock absorber and keeps the vertebra from rubbing against each other. A disc is made up of a central jelly like material known as nucleus pulposus that is enclosed within a fibrous ring known as annulus fibrosus. 
Lets take an analogy of a fried egg to understand the concept of a slipped disc. The annulus is like the white portion and the nucleus pulposus is like the yellow of the egg.  If the white part of the egg is given a small cut the yellow yolk runs out but it is still enclosed by the white part of the egg. However if the cut is deeper then the yellow of the egg runs out of the outer edge of the white part. Now let's apply this same logic to your disc. If you have small tears in the annular fibrosus the nucleus pulposus can still stay contained in the periphery of the disc. This is known as a protrusion of the disc. However, if there are deeper tears in the annular fibrosus then the nucleus pulposus will flow out of the disc’s edge and this is known as a disc prolapse. However if this prolapse is larger and the nucleus pulposus is even more out of its original place it is known as a disc extrusion. The next stage and the most severe stage is when nucleus pulposus goes completely out of the area of the disc and this is known as a disc sequestration

Slipped or bulging disc is a generic term used for any of these stages. The extrusion and sequestration stages are also called a complete slip disc and the prolapse and extrusion are known as incomplete slip discs. It is good to know these terms when your doctor discusses these with you or you see them on a MRI report
 
It is not very uncommon to find degenerative changes in the disc of younger people in the late 20’s to 30’s age group due to static and prolonged postures and stresses on the disc. Watch this video to learn more about the symptoms of slipped disc:


If you want to know more about easy ways to manage your spinal (neck & back) and joint pain, join my free community where we discuss this in a judgement free friendly group. We also have free trainings on "Simple Solutions to Manage Your Neck & Back Pain" in this community. 

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MEET SWATI

 
Hi there! 
I am Swati, an Executive Mum Power Coach and a Certified Posture Expert. I use my proven system to help mums of younger kids working in high-stress executive jobs manage their back, neck, and nerve pains, despite low energy levels and brain fog. I do all this without taking away a big chunk of their time out of their already busy day. This enables them to be more productive and capable professionals at work and guilt-free mums who can focus on their kids instead of always being distracted by pain. 



My passion for helping executive mums stems from my own experiences. I have been in the same boat and understand the frustration and helplessness of being in constant pain or being afraid to engage in activities due to the fear of pain. After two pregnancies in the span of three years and juggling my two kids, housework, and a demanding job, I was constantly in pain. The weight gain from motherhood added extra stress to my already overburdened spine and joints. I was stuck in a vicious cycle of weight loss and spinal/nerve pain that I just couldn’t break free from.

On top of the physical pain, I also suffered from adrenal fatigue. I often felt exhausted, waking up groggy even after a full night’s (10 to 12 plus hours!) sleep, and struggled with low energy levels and brain fog. Simple tasks became challenging, and I found myself forgetting things and unable to think clearly. It was incredibly frustrating and made it even harder to balance my professional responsibilities and family life.

My work involved long hours of standing during the day, prolonged hours on the laptop in the evening, and lots of running around and rocking my kids to sleep in between. Despite my knowledge and expertise in pain relief, I still found myself unable to escape the constant daily pain and fatigue.

Sitting at a desk job from 9 to 5, or longer, plus endless meetings that seem to go on forever. The frequent traveling, the uncomfortable hotel pillows that make it impossible to get a good night’s sleep—I’ve experienced it all. I remember not being able to share my discomfort at work because I felt like an imposter, talking about pain relief strategies and focusing on work while I was not able to achieve it myself. I didn’t disclose the extent of my pain and forgetfulness to my colleagues for years. Even though I loved my kids and my job, I couldn’t give 100% to either. The discomfort held me back from reaching my full potential, making me feel guilty as a mum and less productive at work. I felt like I was constantly running on empty, unable to catch a break from the pain and exhaustion.

finally got fed up after years of trying and decided to make a New Year’s resolution to get ‘healthy’ instead of focusing solely on my pain, fatigue, forgetfulness, and weight loss. When I shifted my focus to getting healthier by reducing the inflammation in my body and addressing my adrenal fatigue, the pain started to decrease, my energy levels and focus improved, and the pounds started shedding off too! That, of course, meant a happier spine, nerves, joints, and a happier me! Today, my neck, back, and nerve pain are down to zero, my knee pain has reduced by 75%, my brain fog has reduced drastically and my energy levels are higher than ever. I realized that I had been focusing on the wrong solutions for over a decade!

Now, my mission is to share my knowledge of pain relief and managing adrenal fatigue along with my personal experience with other mums, especially those with younger kids who work in high-stress executive jobs. My goal is to help you find lasting relief, boost your energy, and reclaim your life, just as I did. 

If you can relate to all this, you are not alone. As a mum, I have been there and done that—momma, I got you! I’ve helped hundreds of mums in this situation over the years find their solution to manage spinal and joint pains, low energy levels, and brain fog that hold them back. This enables them to feel confidently in control and empowers them to cultivate that confidence and productivity at work and enjoy being with their kids, to be able to run around with them without the fear of injury or pain.

Are you ready for this journey? Ask me how if you are curious.

Let's DO THIS!
xx Swati
** Executive Mum Power Coach **

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