Advanx Health

Health Risks Lumbar Disc Disease/Back Pain

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Based on your genetics, your genetic predisposition for Lumbar Disc Disease/Back Pain is

Normal

Low

Normal

High

What does this mean?

Your genotype indicates that you have a typical risk for lumbar disc disease (LDD)/back pain.

How Is Your Genetic Risk Calculated?

Your genetic risk assessment is

0.4

This result is based on the SNPs(single nucleotide polymorphism)that are associated with Lumbar Disc Disease/Back Pain.

Genes

Your Genotype

What it means?

Genes: COL11A1

Your Genotype: TC

What it means? Increased risk for lumbar disc herniation and associated with more severe disc degeneration (primary cause of back pain)

Limitations

This report does not diagnose any health conditions or provide medical advice. This should not be used as a diagnostic tool.
This result is limited to existing scientific research.
Please consult with a healthcare professional before making any major lifestyle changes or if you have any other concerns about your results.

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What is Lumbar Disc Disease/Back Pain?

One of the most common health conditions people face today is lower back pain. Lumbar disc disease (LDD) is the primary cause of low back pain. It can lead to reduced physical activity, poor quality of life and psychological distress. 70-85% of the people are affected by low back pain at some point in their life, and lumbar disc herniation, a form of lumbar disc disease, is one of the most common causes in individuals younger than 45 years old

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How It Affects Your Body

As people become older, daily activities exerts stress on the spine and infrequent injuries, including minor or even unnoticed ones, which can harm the discs in the back. When the human body has less padding between each disc, the spine becomes unstable resulting in lower back pain. This condition may occur due to two causes. Firstly, it may occur due to the loss of jelly-like matrix. As people age, the fluid content decreases, making the disc thinner. As the distance between bones becomes smaller, it also becomes less effective as a shock-absorber. Another cause would be when tiny or small cracks grow in the outer layer of the disc. When that happens, the soft substance in the inner part may seep through the cracks, which results in a swelling or ruptured disc that may break into fragments.

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How does it affect the body?

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Signs and Symptoms

Back and neck pain - sharp or constant

depending on location of weak disc

Pain in lower back, buttocks, upper thighs

Pain that comes and fade suddenly

can be persistent or severe

Pain that worsens when seated, but improves with movement

Pain that worsens with bending over, lifting, or twisting

Pain that improves when you change position or lie down

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Symptoms

Back and neck pain. The pain will be sharp or constant depending on the location of the weak disk.

Common signs include pain that: Is in your lower back, buttocks, or upper thighs Comes and fades suddenly. It can be persistent or severe, and can last from a few days to a few months.

Get worse when you take a seat, and better with movement and walkling

Feels bad with bending, lifting, or twisting

The pain improves when you change positions or lie down

Risk Factors Can Influence The Risk of Developing Lumbar disc disease/back pain

Genetics are NOT the only risk factor for Lumbar Disc Disease/Back Pain.
Lumbar Disc Disease/Back Pain is believed to be caused by a combination of environmental, genetic and lifestyle factors. Now that you have learnt about your genetic risk, you can determine how aggressively you need to make lifestyle changes to reduce your risk.
The earlier in your life that you commit to living a healthy lifestyle, the more you can reduce your risk for or delay the development of Lumbar Disc Disease/Back Pain.

Risk Factors

Posture

Bad positioning from sitting, walking and sleeping can develop lower back pain in the long run

Occupation

Jobs that require pushing, heavy lifting, pulling or any activity which needs strength from the spine can expose the individual to risk of back pain.

Genetics

Certain variations of genes among individuals can have a higher speed of lumbar disc degeneration that can contribute to lower back pain.

Weight

Overweight can exert stress on our spine.

Pregnancy

Straining effect on your back and pelvis can occur during pregnancy as the ligaments are soften to prepare the body to undergo labour.

Fitness

Regular exercising can help relieve back pain

Age

Usually happens between 30 and 50 years old has a higher risk of experiencing lower back pain.

Suggested Lifestyle Changes

Dietary Recommendations:

Food that could cause inflammation should be avoided. For example, fried foods, sodas, refined carbs, lards and processed meats.
Controlling your blood pressure and cholesterol will not only help your heart, but will be beneficial to your spine as well. Consume heart-healthy foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. For example, salmon, tuna, beans, whole grains, nuts, etc.

Lifestyle Recommendations:

Maintain ideal weight according to your BMI as being overweight will increase the risk for LDD.
Keep a proper posture when standing or sitting.
Maintain adequate muscular strength. However, keep in mind to practise proper lifting mechanics and avoid lifting heavy objects using lower back muscles as it places unnecessary stress on the back.
Be sure to maintain proper sleeping positions as it can help to prevent back pain.
Quit smoking as smoking and mechanical stresses imparted to the spine contribute to the development of LDD.

Exercise Recommendations:

Ongoing exercise, or in combination with education, help in reducing the risk of low back pain, at least in the short term.
Physical activities that increase back muscle strength and flexibility can reduce the risk of developing and help relieving lower back pain. For example, knee to chest stretch, piriformis stretch, seated spinal twist, etc.
Core stability exercises can also help to improve symptoms of lumbar disc disease. For example, plank, side plank, bridge, and modified push-up.

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If you think you have the symptoms, consult with a healthcare professional.

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