Herniated discs are common causes of low back pain. They can cause dull aching pain or severe sharp stabbing pain with muscle weakness and loss of feeling. The pain will often radiate from the back down the leg. The severity of symptoms and the time it takes to heal varies depending on the extent of the herniation.
To better understand this condition, here is a brief background on the structure of our vertebrae. The disc is a circle of cartilage that manages each shock that the vertebrae receive. That stack of bones in the vertebrae is cushioned by the disc as the body moves up and down or side to side. Without the discs, the spinal bones are simply incapable of bending. As these discs are made of gelatinous fibrous material, it is prone to wear and tear. When cracks or fissures occur in the disc, it causes the disc to slip out or be misaligned.
Discs are damaged when a person experiences discs dehydration, unusual stress on the discs or too much load. The efficient performance and height of discs depends largely on water. As a person ages, the natural ability of the discs to circulate and rehydrate diminishes. The discs then rely on the movement of the spine to draw water into the system. A set of dehydrated discs is very prone to cracks and tear which may eventually lead to misalignment.
When one suffers from back pain that goes down to your leg, daily activities become problematic and at times even intolerable. Herniated disk is one of the causes of back pain. It is also known as ruptured disk or slipped disk. The spine consists of bones that are cushioned by small pads that are oval in shape and they contain disks or cartilage. These disks include hard outer layer or annulus and soft inner layers or nucleus.
A small part of the nucleus comes out from a tear in the annulus in the spinal canal when herniated disk takes place. The result of a ruptured disk is pain, irritation in the nerve, weakness in the back, arm and leg and numbness as well. Conservative treatment works well with a disk herniation. Surgery is not a good option for herniated disk as it is not even necessary.
At times, you might have the problem of disk herniation and you might not even be aware about it. People who have no disk problem or any symptoms even can see spinal images of bulging disks. But there are cases when herniated disks can cause pain. Some of the symptoms of herniated disk are numbness and weakness in the lower back, neck, chest, shoulder, leg or arm, pain, leg pain or low back pain that gets worse when you sneeze, sit or cough and sciatica which is pain and tingling that originates from your buttock and goes down to your back till your leg.
Studies show that the more effective treatment and management of lower back herniated disc conditions is through chiropractic care. Still, most people at present still resort to surgery when they have back problems. It is almost “tribal knowledge” to resort to a medical doctor for bodily ailments. And not to degrade medical doctors, but chiropractic care produces miracle-level results when properly applied by a chiropractor.
Treatment of such condition may be done through chiropractic care. At Healing Hands Chiropractic, located in Murfreesboro, TN, Dr. Dee uses a low force technique and gentle program on the patient in an organized protocol of treatment. Contrary to common misconception that chiropractic treatment involves quick fixes, a chiropractor will have the patient undergo some tests like an X-ray or an MRI to see if chiropractic care is the appropriate treatment.
If after a series of treatments the patient is still not responding well to the program, the doctor will then recommend the patient for imaging studies or to spine specialist for further evaluation. This is quite a standard procedure practiced among chiropractors.
You should consult Healing Hands Chiropractic in case you suffer from severe back pain continuously for a week. Back pain usually gives you problem with your daily activities for a week or two. The pain and discomfort gets better in a time span of four to six weeks. If you try to take rest and still see no difference in the level of the pain in over three weeks, you should consult your chiropractor. In case the pain is heightened when you cough, sneeze or sit, then the problem might be disk herniation.
You should get help if your pain enhances and not decreases, if you feel numbness and weakness in your legs and if you lose control over your bowels. Many nerve roots get compressed in your spine due to herniated disks or spinal tumor. This compression is called cauda equine syndrome and is really bad. But if you go for chiropractic treatment at the right time, you can heal fast and get relief from the pain.
Chiropractic care is considered a conservative care for disc problems because it is non-intrusive, non-surgical and does not need any medicine. The efficacy of this practice in treating such conditions has been proven to be successful over the years. Due to its nature as a treatment, it would be logical as a first resort, rather than surgery or medication.
Several factors will help prevent disc injuries which include proper exercises, maintaining a proper body weight, and improving posture. Poor posture places bad stress on the disc, especially with extended periods of sitting or improper lifting.
Low back injuries are often associated with poor control of the core musculature which leads to re-injury. Specific exercises will improve this performance and improve quality of life. People who properly retrain the core musculature will see a decrease in future occurrences and reduction in low back pain.
As every individual has different levels of strength and injury, it is important to seek professional help when trying to rehabilitate core strength after low back injuries. Many people make the mistake of starting exercise programs that are too intense, and eventually lead to injuries instead of preventing them. Contact Healing Hands Chiropractic today to get started!
