Cervical Disc Exercises are very important when it comes to healing any disc condition in the neck.  This article will discuss a few very simple exercises you can do from the comfort of your home for relief.

Before we discuss the exercises, though, it’s important for you to understand that there are three major problems that you will face when trying to heal your cervical disc condition.

The first problem is that most people with a disc problem in the neck will have a straightened cervical curve.  This is really important to realize, because the disc problem will tend to be at the back of the disc.  When the curvature in the neck is straight, it puts more pressure at the back of the disc, which dramatically slows the healing process.

The second issue is that the discs of the spine do not receive very good blood flow.  This is significant because the body normally uses blood to transport oxygen and nutrition to an injured area for faster healing.  Because the discs do not receive very much blood supply, healing can be very slow, and may never happen if you don’t do the right things.

The third issue is that the muscles in the neck will become weaker with this condition.  This is also a major issue because if the muscles are not strong enough, they will not maintain the proper alignment of your neck, which adds more pressure to the disc and slows its healing.

So, what can you do about these three issues?  Well, there are three exercises that you can use to address these problems.

The first exercise I’ll teach you is actually more of a stretch, and will help with the straightened curvature in the neck.  What you want to do is to roll up a hand towel and place it under your neck while lying down.  Try to lie on this for at least 15 minutes every day.

This will encourage a more normal curvature to develop in the neck over time if done consistently.  Also, when you’re sleeping at night, it helps if you have a good pillow that supports the normal curvature.  I am a big fan of the Tempur-Pedic pillows, but any good orthopedic pillow will do.

The second exercise will address the issue of blood flow.  You will need a therapy ball for this exercise, which is one of those large balls you see people using at health clubs or in physical therapy clinics.

All you want to do is to sit on the ball and gently bounce up and down for 5 minutes every day.  The bounce should be so light that you do not even come up off the ball. 

You may be wondering how this exercise could help you – especially if your problem is in the neck.  Well, although the discs do not receive oxygen and nutrients from blood flow, what does happen is that each disc will store oxygen and nutrients in the center of the disc.  The only way to replenish this oxygen and nutrient supply is to physically pump the disc, which is what this exercise does.

This exercise will pump every single disc in the spine, so it doesn’t matter if your problem is in the neck or anywhere else in the spine.

The final exercise I’ll teach you requires a mini-trampoline, and it will address the issue of muscle weakness.  All you need to do is stand in the center of the small trampoline and march in place for 5 minutes a day.

This exercise forces you to balance, which will re-strengthen all of the muscles that surround your spine – including the neck muscles.

If you would like to learn more about the most effective cervical disc exercises that you can do, in addition to other treatment methods that are very helpful, please click the following link (Cervical Disc Exercises).

What Are The Most Common Cervical Disc Conditions, and What Can Be Done About Them?

Cervical Disc problems come in many varieties, but by far the most common problem is called Cervical Disc Disease (which may also be referred to as Degenerative Disc Disease).  This condition is actually a form of arthritis that occurs within the disc.

Each spinal disc is made up of a strong outer covering called the Annulus and a soft jelly center called the Nucleus.  The jelly in the center is full of water, oxygen, and nutrients for proper joint health.

Over time, the jelly in the center of the disc will begin to dehydrate, and when this happens, the disc will start to become shorter.  This brings the bones closer together and begins to pinch nerves within the neck.

The other most common condition that can occur is a Bulging Disc or Herniated Disc.  These terms are used interchangeably by most healthcare practitioners, but essentially what happens is that the wall of the disc becomes weak and begins to tear.  This causes the jelly in the center of the disc to shift where the disc is weakest, creating a bulge in the wall of the disc.

Both of these conditions are treated very similarly with medications, pain injections, physical therapy, and sometimes surgery (but not as often, because the success rate of surgery for spinal disc conditions is very low).

Alternative treatments such as chiropractic, massage therapy, and acupuncture are also usually helpful.  After working with thousands of patients with these types of conditions, however, I have found that it’s actually a combination of treatments that is most successful with these types of conditions.

If you would like to learn more about the most successful treatments available for Cervical Disc Conditions, you can click the following link (Cervical Disc Exercises).