Can a sneeze cause a “slipped disc”?
The low back “slipped disc” is almost always the result of a process. As is often the case with joint and back injuries, the problem starts small and then builds until it becomes symptomatic. It’s a little corny to talk about “the straw that broke the camel’s back,” but it gets the point across. For example, a patient sneezes and experiences sudden back pain that then proceeds to leg pain. However, the sneeze didn’t cause the disc to “slip,” but represents the final “straw” in a much longer process. Factors that precede the pain and symptoms of disc injury include disc dehydration, unusual stress on the disc secondary to disturbed mechanics, and too much load on the disc. Bulging Disc Discs depend on water to keep their height and perform efficiently. When we’re young, discs have their own circulation that helps keep them hydrated. As we get older, this circulation ends and the spine must move so that water can be drawn into the discs. If discs become dehydrated and lose their height,
