Herniated discs, bulging discs, and related disc problems are common issues treated by chiropractic care. Here is a list of terms used to identify, based on an MRI, the various disc problems.
- Bulging disc
- Extruded disc
- Herniated disc
- Protruded disc
- Ruptured disc
- Sequestered disc
- Slipped disc (a layman’s term, not a clinical word)
Disc problems are very common with around 50% of chiropractic patients being treated successfully for herniated discs, bulging discs, and other related disc problems.
What is a Spinal Disc, and How Does it Function?
The spinal discs are cartilage that act as a shock absorber or cushion between the vertebrae in the spine. They provide important functions that include:
- Providing the space between the vertebrae (intervertebral foramen) that allows the nerves to exit the spine.
- Allow you to twist and bend while cushioning the spinal bones.
- Act as a ligament to help hold the spine in place.
The discs themselves are a fibrous material (Annulus fibrosus disci intervertebralis) and a gel-like center known as the nucleus pulposus. If a disc starts degenerating, it can lose its height, herniate out, or bulge. All of these can put pressure on the nerves as they exit the intervertebral foramen causing pain and affecting the function of your organs and muscles.
Common Causes of Disc Problems
- Subluxations, or misalignments, to the spine. Subluxations are extremely common, and when they are not corrected they prevent the vertebrae in the spine from moving correctly and lead to degeneration.
- Lack of movement and inactivity. Your body and your spine are designed to move. Sitting for long periods, as many of us do at work, puts three times the amount of pressure on the discs as standing. Movement in the spine allows the discs to receive nutrition and stay healthy. As you move, your discs move too allowing fluid to imbibe in and out of the disc. As a result, the disc gets nutrition and remains healthy. Over time, inactivity will block the flow of nutrients to the discs and your discs will start to degenerate.
- Injuries. Traumatic injuries from accidents, falls, improper lifting, sports, bad posture, and more can damage the discs or weaken the discs and the supporting muscles. Failure to have proper treatment will lead to further disc degeneration.
- Unhealthy diet. Over time, an unhealthy diet will lead to increased inflammation in the body, which leads to degenerative changes in the spinal discs.
Disc Problems Symptoms
The lower back (lumbar spine) and the neck (cervical spine) are the two most common areas people experience disc problems. Disc herniations can cause pain and other symptoms like tingling, burning, numbness, or aching sensations that radiate down the arms and legs to the fingers and toes.
Lower Back Pain (lumbar spine) with radiation into the legs
The series of nerves that exit out from the lumbar spine and run down into the legs are known as the lumbosacral plexus. They become one of two nerves, either the sciatic nerve, which is the nerve that runs down the back of the leg to the feet, or the femoral nerve, that goes into the front of the leg.
Neck Pain (cervical spine) with radiation into the arms
The series of nerves that exit from the cervical spine is called the brachioplexus nerve. It runs down your arms to your fingers. Disc problems in the cervical spine show up in symptoms such as recurrent headaches, sleep problems, and a weakened immune system. Since the nerves in the cervical spine (neck) affect the rhomboid muscles (start at the base of the neck and run down), disc problems in the neck can cause pain between the shoulder blades as well.
Chiropractic Diagnosis of a Disc Problem
At Tuckahoe Family Chiropractic, the first step with every patient is to complete a thorough examination that includes your health history, current complaints, orthopedic exam, thermographic nerve scans, neurological exam, and other tests. An X-Ray will allow us to see if your spine has misalignments, disc degeneration, osteoarthritis, herniated discs, bulging discs, or other conditions.
Here are some of the common findings the exams can reveal:
- Diminished deep tendon reflexes in the arms or legs.
- Decreased sensations.
- During orthopedic testing, we will put the spine in different positions, and if it re-creates the radiation of pain in the legs and arms, this could suggest a disc problem going on.
The most reliable way to see a herniated disc is with an MRI. An MRI allows us to see the disc, the water content of the disc, and whether the disc is herniating or bulging out. It also allows us to see if the disc is occluding (obstructing) the hole (intervertebral foramen) where the nerve comes out.
Treatment of Herniated Disc Problems with Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care is proven to be effective in treating disc problems. In 95% of the patients we treat with degenerating disc problems, such as herniated discs, extruded discs, bulging discs, slipped discs, and sequestered discs, we can locate the cause of their disc problem and correct it. 95% of our patients do not need surgery.
We start by reviewing the results of our exams and X-Rays and then develop a treatment plan. The course of treatment may include some or all of the following:
- Chiropractic Adjustments:
Chiropractic adjustments work to remove subluxations (misalignments) and restore proper movement and range of motion to the spine. - Flexion-Distraction:
This treatment allows the center of your disc (nucleus pulpous) to move back into its proper position in the spine, which improves circulation while creating more room for the nerves to exit the spine. It is also effective at increasing spinal movement, increasing intervertebral disc height, and resolving disc bulges and herniations. - Electronic Muscle Stimulation:
We use EMS (electronic muscle stimulation) to help decrease inflammation, diminish pain, and to help speed up the healing process. - Rehabilitative Exercises:
We will recommend rehabilitative exercises to strengthen and stabilize the muscles around the spine, allowing the spine to move properly. Exercises, in combination with chiropractic adjustments, help the disc and spine to become healthier.
Chiropractic care includes gentle adjustments to the spine, correcting any subluxation (misalignment), and increasing your flexibility and range of motion. When the spine is correctly aligned, the pressure is removed from the nerves alleviating pain and other symptoms. This, in turn, helps the spinal discs become healthier and prevents further disc degeneration.
Three Phases to Treating Disc Problems
Phase 1:
The first phase is to get the pressure off the nerves and decrease your pain. Only 10% of your nervous system feels pain, so once you start feeling better we have simply treated one part of your problem.
Phase 2:
Phase two is the corrective phase. Chiropractic adjustments and rehabilitative exercises will be used to stabilize and strengthen the spine. The goal is to keep the pressure off the nerves and correct your problem.
Phase 3:
The third phase is wellness and preventative care to keep your spine correctly aligned, prevent further disc degeneration, and keep your spine healthy.
Set a Chiropractic Appointment at Tuckahoe Family Chiropractic
Dr. Andy Lombardozzi treats patients with herniated discs and other degenerative disc problems. To set an appointment, call 804.740.3434 or use our appointment form. If you have friends and family that can benefit from this article, please share and recommend it.