Herniated Disc Treatment
Herniated disc Specialist
Herniated disc results in significant pain in the body and progressively becomes worse if it is not treated. Once the damage is permanent, it is not possible to get back to the natural spine even with surgery.
Our spines are made up of a stack of individual bones called vertebrae. Between the vertebrae are rubbery shock absorbers called discs. Each disc consists of a tough outer ring (annulus) with a soft gel-like center known as the nucleus pulposus. A disc herniates when cracks occur in the outer rings and the soft gel-like material leaks through.
Chiropractic care can help diagnose the root cause of herniated discs and natural ways to treat them. This page provides information on herniated discs like causes, symptoms, and treatment. Call us today at (425) 742–7772 to book an appointment if you are looking for treatment for Disc Herniation.
Types of herniated disc
- Herniation – This is when the soft gelatinous material leaks through the cracks in the outer rings.
- Disc Protrusion – This is a condition in which the outer layers of the disc remain intact but the disc changes shape or bulges when under pressure.
- Disc Prolapse – This is commonly referred to as a slipped disc, even though the disc does not slip. What happens is the soft gel-like material in the center leaks through a weakness in the outer rings of the disc. This is sometimes referred to as a herniated disc.
Long term problems due to Untreated herniated disc
Most disc problems get better without surgery. The biggest problem with ignoring current symptoms of muscle weakness is permanent atrophy. Ignoring symptoms over the long term can cause degenerative changes. Discs require a blood supply to remain healthy. The blood is circulated through the disc based on movement. Our experience shows that stiff joints left uncorrected over years can lead to degenerative changes in the spine. One common component of degeneration is herniated discs.
Causes of herniated disc
Discs require a blood supply to remain healthy. When spinal joints become stiff, the circulation of blood to the disc is reduced. This reduced blood supply weakens the disc structure. Cracks in the outer rings in the disc can occur slowly over time with repetitive motion or can occur with a large force like lifting or a car crash.
Treatment for herniated disc
Common medical treatments for herniated discs include surgery, spinal injections and physical therapy.
Chiropractors use spinal manipulation and non-surgical spinal decompression. Success rates in our office are around 85 percent.
Symptoms of herniated disc
Symptoms of a herniated disc depend upon where the disc is located in the stack of spinal bones and also whether the disc is pressing on a nerve. A herniated disc will usually only affect one side of the body. Most commonly herniated discs occur in the lower back but can occur in the neck. Many people have herniated discs with no symptoms at all. When discs are symptomatic, below are the common symptoms:
- Leg and arm pain. Lower back herniated discs typically cause pain in the buttocks, thigh, and calf and less frequently in the foot. Herniated discs in the neck frequently cause pain in the arm and shoulder. Shooting pain may occur when you sneeze, cough, or move into certain positions. Patients often describe the pain as burning or sharp.
- Numbness and/or tingling. Patients often describe radiating numbness or tingling in the part of the body that is controlled by the affected nerve.
- Muscle weakness and atrophy. Muscles controlled by the affected nerves tend to weaken. This can cause changes to the way we walk and to our ability to lift or hold things. In our experience symptoms of muscle weakness and atrophy are rare and tend to be more severe.
Awards & recognitions
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How do we treat herniated disc?
Frequently asked questions
Temporary pain relief for herniated disc
Sometimes heat can be helpful as a muscle relaxant. Pay close attention to posture and body mechanics. Finding a position to alleviate nerve root pinching sometimes relaxes the involved muscles.
I didn’t do anything so how cab a disc be involved?
Sometimes heat can be helpful as a muscle relaxant. Pay close attention to posture and body mechanics. Finding a position to alleviate nerve root pinching sometimes relaxes the involved muscles.
Does medical insurance cover herniated disc treatment?
Yes most medical insurances cover our treatments.
Aren’t disc problems simply the normal aging process?
The frequency of disc problems definitely increase with age. This is because accidents and repetitive motion injuries tend to be cumulative.
Learn More
- Chiropractor For Herniated Disc One of the back conditions that patients routinely visit a Lynnwood chiropractor for is a herniated disc.