/ / What is the hernia of Schmorl and how dangerous it is

What is Schmorl's hernia and how dangerous it is

Among the many diagnoses of diseasesspine, you can often find the term "Schmorl's hernia". This type of hernia is not directly related to the intervertebral hernia, but in the absence of treatment it can provoke its appearance, as well as the appearance of some other more dangerous pathologies of the spine.

The name of hernia Shmorlja received in honor ofGerman professor Christian Schmorl, who first described this pathological process. What is the characteristic of this diagnosis and how dangerous is a hernia? As is known, the spine consists of vertebrae, between which there are intervertebral disks, which are shock absorbers, which do not allow the discs to contact each other. Under certain conditions, the hardened cartilaginous tissue of the intervertebral disc penetrates into the vertebra located under the disk or above it. Pain syndrome with such a disease is absent, since the hernia does not squeeze the nerve endings. Usually, patients have several such hernias. Insignificant penetration into the vertebrae of the nucleus nucleus is not a serious disease, but only indicates a disadvantage in this department of the spinal column. But if the penetration is deep, reaching half the vertebra, then this can be very dangerous. At the same time, there is a threat of compression fracture of the spine or the failure of the intervertebral disc. Than such consequences are dangerous, it is not necessary and to speak, it and so it is clear. Complete or partial immobility of a person or constant pain and life on drugs. People with a similar diagnosis are prone to arthrosis and other similar diseases.

Vertebral Schmorl's hernia most often occurs injuvenile age, when the child's body begins to grow. In this case, the growth of soft tissues is much faster than the growth of bone tissue. Here in the tissues of the vertebrae, small voids are formed, into which the elements of the intervertebral disc nuclei can be pressed. In addition, children are very fond of jumping to the ground from a height, for example, from a tree. When landing the child's spine undergoes severe decompression, which can also provoke a similar hernia, especially in light of the above features of the child's body. So the Schmorl hernia can appear in childhood, and the pain symptoms usually manifest with age. What recommendations can be given to prevent such a hernia? Parents should clearly explain to children that jumping from a height higher than the child's own growth can lead to such irreversible consequences.


Let's list the symptoms of Schmorl's hernia:

  • permanent pain in the back while performing any physical work;
  • back pain from prolonged standing or sitting;
  • numbness of the hands or feet, more characteristic of the elderly;
  • deterioration of the spinal flexibility. In particular, a person can not lean forward;
  • pain decreases in prone position.

The Schmorl hernia is usually diagnosed by chance, withcarrying a roentgenography of the spine for any other disease. But if this pathology has been discovered, then you need to do everything possible to reduce its negative impact.

Since Schmorl's hernia implies a complex treatment aimed at relieving pain and preventing further growth of the hernia, the following treatment can be recommended:

  • therapeutic massage, conducted by a good manual therapist.
  • acupuncture, but again, only by a highly qualified specialist.
  • Extraction of the spine with the use of special oils that restore intervertebral discs.
  • therapeutic exercises in the water and swimming.
  • The application of the visualization method, consisting inthat a person must clearly imagine how his spine becomes healthy, and the pain goes away. Thanks to the materiality of thought, such a recommendation, in the opinion of some experts, can be of considerable help in curing.

But physical training with weights and training on power simulators will be better to exclude from their complex physical exercises.

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