What Are The Symptoms
Symptoms of a herniated disc vary greatly depending on the location of the herniation and your own response to pain. If you have a herniated lumbar disc, you may feel pain that radiates from your low back area, down one or both legs, and sometimes into your feet . You may feel a pain like an electric shock that is severe whether you stand, walk, or sit. Activity such as bending, lifting, twisting, and sitting may increase the pain. Lying flat on your back with knees bent may be the most comfortable because it relieves the downward pressure on the disc.
Sometimes the pain is accompanied by numbness and tingling in your leg or foot. You may experience cramping or muscle spasms in your back or leg.
In addition to pain, you may have leg muscle weakness, or knee or ankle reflex loss. In severe cases, you may experience foot drop or loss of bowel or bladder control. If you experience extreme leg weakness or difficulty controlling bladder or bowel function, you should seek medical help immediately.
Chiropractor Located In Brooklyn Ny
Herniated discs cause a significant amount of back pain and can contribute to mobility issues. When patients in the Brooklyn, New York area suffer from back pain, they make an appointment with Kenneth Campo, DC at Park Slope Chiropractic for a comprehensive exam to determine the cause of the pain. Dr. Campo provides effective treatment for pain caused by a herniated disc or other conditions.
Symptoms Of Herniated Lumbar Disc:
Lower back pain Leg pain Leg numbness or tingling Pain is worse from sitting Restricted trunk flexionSciatica pain
Please note, a herniated disc DOESNT always cause pain, so you must get a proper diagnosis.
IMPORTANT:
Lower back pain is typically the first symptom of a lumbar disc herniation. Often this pain will last for a few days and then subside, but leg pain, numbness or tingling, and/or weakness of the lower extremity often follows.
Typically the leg pain eventually travels below the knee and can even affect the ankle and foot.
How long does the pain last?
Most patients with a lumbar disc herniation will improve gradually over a period of days to weeks, with most patients being symptom free within 3 to 4 months.
Exercise works.
Patients that actively participate in an exercise program often report a significant reduction of pain and improved ability to perform their activities of daily living.
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What Are The Causes Of Herniated Discs
Herniated discs result from natural and age-related wear and tear on your spine, causing disc degeneration. Children and young adults have discs with high water content, but as they age, this decreases, making the discs less flexible and begin to shrink. When this happens, the spaces between each spinal vertebrae become narrower, causing excruciating pain.
Here are the different causes of herniated discs.
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Physical Trauma – Physically traumatic events like a fall can cause herniated discs.
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Improper Lifting – Improperly lifting heavy loads can also cause this medical condition. For instance, using back muscles instead of your legs to lift these objects can place tension on your spine, causing herniation. Additionally, twisting when you lift makes your back more vulnerable.
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Repetitive Motion – Doing repetitive activities can strain your spine, especially for tasks that are physically demanding. If you work laborious jobs often, including constant lifting, pulling, twisting, and bending, it can put excessive pressure on your spine, causing herniation.
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Frequently Driving – Staying in a seated position can place tension on your spine and discs. Moreover, the vibration from the car’s engine makes this ten times worse.
Herniated Discs And How Chiropractic Care Can Help
What is a herniated disc? A herniated disc can occur when the soft rubber pad that supports the spinal disc slips out of place. Sometimes the disc can press up against a nerve, which can lead to even more excruciating pain. A herniated disc in the lower back can be very common and can be very painful. Some can go unnoticed and have no symptoms, while others can be very excruciating.
Disc injury can occur in any part of the spine, including the neck and upper back, but a herniated disc in the lower back can become the most painful. A disc can herniate by moving the wrong way or lifting an object improperly. Car accidents or simply getting older can also cause a disc to herniate. As mentation before, its unbearable but is treatable finding a chiropractor can help relieve the pain from a herniated disc.
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Chiropractor Or Surgery For Herniated Disc
Sometimes, when herniated discs are treated by physicians, the only available courses of action are steroid injections, drugs, and surgery. And while its true that some extreme disc herniations will require surgery, the majority of them will heal better without invasive treatments.
Another case study explains the case of a 54-year-old man who had sciatica and back pain due to a herniated disc. He could not perform regular activities and couldnt even walk without pain. He had been treated with steroids and surgery, but neither treatment worked. So, when invasive treatments didnt work for him, he went to a chiropractor.
Within seven visits, his symptoms began to fade. The chiropractic doctor used a combination of spinal manipulation, core strengthening exercises, posture adjustments, and other rehabilitative exercises. The patient continued to have a positive response after he was released to home exercises and limited chiropractic care.
- Lifting*
- I can lift heavy weights without extra pain.
- I can lift heavy weights but it gives extra pain.
- Pain prevents me from lifting heavy weights off the floor, but I can manage if they are conveniently positioned, for example on a table.
- Pain prevents me from lifting heavy weights, but I can manage light to medium weights if they are conveniently positioned.
- I can lift very light weights.
- I cannot lift or carry anything at all.
- Name
- Name
- Sleeping problems caused by pain*
- None
- Incapability of lying on the painful side*
- None
- Name
How Long Does A Herniated Disc To Heal Without Surgery
The good news is most herniated discs can be treated without surgery. When searching for how long does a herniated disc to heal without surgery, the average answer is up to eight weeks. Getting with a chiropractor and going over a treatment plan, and following the program will help heal the disc. When using the chiropractor, they will show self-treatment exercises to help improve the range of motion for your back.
The McKenzie method has been taught to help stretch the back and help relieve the pain. Some chiropractors will use spinal traction using specialized tables or spinal manipulation to help ease the pain of a herniated disc in the lower back.
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What Is A Herniated Disc And Can A Chiropractor Help
Herniated discs are a problem with the discs located in the vertebrae of the spine. These discs are made up of two parts, a tough exterior and a soft center. When that soft center tears through the hard outer shell, the disc is herniated. Herniated discs are also sometimes called ruptured discs, or slipped discs.
Sometimes a herniated disc compresses nerves, which can make them extremely painful. People often find herniated discs debilitating, leaving them unable to work or perform normal daily functions. In other cases, a person may suffer from a herniated disc and not even know it because it does not cause that person any discomfort.
Anyone who suspects a herniated disc should speak to a Chester chiropractor who can help. Even when the herniated disc is not painful, it could throw a persons entire alignment off, resulting in other problems. When chiropractic care can treat the herniated disc, it will also act as a preventative measure safeguarding against those future issues.
Can Chiropractic Help With Bulging Or Herniated Discs
Can Chiropractic Help With A Bulging or Herniated Disc?
A bulging disc is often thought of as a normal part of the aging process. It may causes pain and decrease mobility. Athletes and people who have very physical jobs are often prone to bulging discs as well as other disc issues. Not getting enough water and nourishment to the disc can also cause it to become weakened. Chiropractic has been proven to be an effective treatment for bulging disc and the associated pain.
A herniated disc is a relatively common condition that can occur anywhere along the spine, but most often affects the lower back or neck region. Herniated discs are typically caused by overuse injuries or trauma to the spine however, disc conditions can also develop as a result of the normal aging process. It is also known that there is a genetic factor that contributes to the development of disc degeneration and herniated disc.
WHAT ARE BULGING AND HERNIATED DISCS?
The most common causes of herniated disc are:
While a herniated disc is likely more painful, a bulging disc can also cause pain that can increase over time. Symptoms of a bulging disc include:
- Tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness in one or both legs
- Changes in bowel or bladder function
- Hyper reflexivity in one or both legs
- Paralysis below the waist
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What Is A Herniated Lumbar Disc
A herniated disc occurs when the gel-like center of your disc ruptures out through a tear in the tough disc wall .The gel material is irritating to your spinal nerves, causing something like a chemical irritation. The pain is a result of spinal nerve inflammation and swelling caused by the pressure of the herniated disc. Over time, the herniation tends to shrink and you may experience partial or complete pain relief. In most cases, if low back and/or leg pain is going to resolve it will do so in about 6 weeks.
Different terms may be used to describe a herniated disc. A bulging disc occurs when the disc annulus remains intact, but forms an outpouching that can press against the nerves. A true herniated disc occurs when the disc annulus cracks or ruptures, allowing the gel-filled center to squeeze out. Sometimes the herniation is so severe that a free fragment occurs, meaning a piece has broken completely free from the disc and is in the spinal canal.
Most herniated discs occur in the lumbar spine, where spinal nerves exit between the lumbar vertebrae, and then join together again to form the sciatic nerve, which runs down your leg.
Research On Herniated Discs And Chiropractic
In one study, a group of doctors from Switzerland selected 148 patients who were suffering with pain in their low back and legs due to a herniated disc . Each individual then received chiropractic adjustments that focused on the area of his or her disc herniation.
Data was gathered after the initial treatment session at set intervals–namely, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year–to find out what type of short-term and long-term effects, if any, chiropractic offers when it comes to resolving this particular problem. Among the data gathered was the person’s self-reported changes in both low back and leg pain.
Researchers found that, as a whole, the study participants reported “significant improvement” for both types of pain every time the results were collected. In fact, over 90% of the study participants stated that their pain “improved” within the first three months, with 88% still citing improvement one year after their first treatment session.
Even those test subjects who were defined as “chronic” still reported an improvement in pain at a rate of 89% one year beyond when treatment first began. This is the same positive result that was found in the following case study.
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Are Chiropractors Good For Herniated Discs
Now that you know what causes disc herniation, lets talk about how to fix it. Chiropractic care is ideal for herniated discs for several reasons. Chiropractic doctors are spinal specialists, and they know how to align the spine correctly, which can take the pressure off the discs, helping the herniation to heal naturally. And they do this with non-invasive and drug-free techniques.
But since medical care should always be based on science, lets take a look at some different studies about chiropractic care for herniated discs.
Studies Support Chiropractic For Herniated Discs
Several studies have been conducted to show how chiropractic adjustments are beneficial for those suffering from the pain of herniated discs. In one such study, three out of four trials showed that chiropractic care improved pain associated with herniated discs. Another study conducted saw improvement from chiropractic adjustments among those who were told they needed back surgery or a spinal block. After five weeks of adjustments, their pain subsided, they were able to sleep again, and surgery was no longer needed or recommended.
If you or someone you love is suffering from the pain of a herniated disc, contact Lithia Springs chiropractor Dr. Ronnie Bolar of Vital Life Chiropractic for more information on how chiropractic can help.
Hincapie, C.A., Cassidy, J.D., Cote, P., Rampersaud, Y.R., Jadad, A.R., Tomlinson, G.A. Chiropractic Spinal Manipulation and the Risk for Acute Lumbar Disc Herniation: A Belief Elicitation Study. European Spine Journal, 2017: 1-9. .
Snelling, N. Spinal Manipulation in Patients with Disc herniation: A Critical Review of Risk and Benefit. International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, 2006 Sept 9: 77-84.
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Causes Of A Disc Herniation
In many cases, the cause of disc herniation may be unclear. However, there are a range of factors that can play a part in someone experiencing symptoms of a disc herniation:
- Engaging in jobs, sports, or other activities that involve repetitive lifting, bending, twisting, or pulling
- A family history of herniated discs
- Being overweight or obese
- Older adults, since the aging process causes wear and tear along with disc degeneration
- Improper lifting techniques when moving heavy objects
- A traumatic event or injury to the back, such as a fall or car accident
- Smoking and other lifestyle choices that impair circulation
Most cases of herniated discs result from a combination of injury and age-related changes. But each of these causes places someone at risk of developing a herniated disc.
What Is A Slipped Disc Is It The Same As A Herniated Disc
With the exception of the first 2 vertebrae in the neckthe atlas and the axis there is an intervertebral disc between each vertebra of the spine. Discs act as a shock absorber and a shock distributor, and provide flexibility.
Imagine if you jump up and down. What would happen to the stack of bony vertebrae that make up the spine without the cushioning and support of these discs? Now, move your back from side to side. Again, you can visualize the give and take of the discs between the vertebrae. Without these discs, your spine couldn’t function.
Intervertebral discs don’t really “slip”although the phrase “slipped disc” has come into popular usage to refer to bulging, ruptured, or herniated discs. Throughout this article, we’ll refer to herniated discs, which is the more correct term.
Your discs are made up of the annulus fibrosus and the nucleus pulposus . When cracks occur in the outer layer of the disc, the material inside of the disc can begin to push out. Numerous factors can cause a disc to herniate.
For example, there may be too much stress on the disc due to poor posture or from being overweight. In fact, a herniated disc can be caused by a combination of factors or a physical injury.
Figure 1. An overhead view of a normal vertebral body and intervertebral disc and a herniation. The nucleus pulposus, annulus fibrosis, spinal canal, and compressed nerve root are illustrated. Photo Source: 123RF.com.
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Do You Think You Have A Herniated Disc Call A Chiropractor
Herniated discs can cause real problems, even when you do not know you have one. If you have experienced any of the symptoms associated with herniated discs, contact a chiropractor in Chester who can help.
At the Injury Care Center, our healthcare professionals want to get you back on the road to good health. We are happy to meet with you to discuss any problems you are having and talk about possible treatment options. Call us at 877-444-2422 or fill out our online form and we will get in touch. You should not have to live with the pain any longer. Contact us today and find out how we can help.
Determine If The Patient Is A Good Candidate For Chiropractic Care
After your diagnosis has been confirmed whether you in fact have a herniated disc and whether it is located in your neck or back your chiropractor can determine whether or not chiropractic care is the best route for you to take.
At Cascade Spine and Injury Center, we believe that conservative care should always come before more invasive measures like surgery.
An example of when conservative care may not be the first option is if you have a herniated disc in your lower back pinching a nerve. If this disc is causing weakness in one of your legs, or even complete loss of function, we would want to refer you to a surgeon to avoid any permanent damage.
In other circumstances, where the herniated disc may not be causing weakness, but pain or discomfort, our chiropractors are ready to help!
Well look at things like
- The biomechanics above and below the herniated disc
- Your core strength and
to help find the best treatment plan for your unique case.
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