A chiropractor is your go-to for help curing a herniated or bulging disc. Herniated disc pain chiropractic solutions that include spinal manipulation offer an alternative treatment that reduces the need for pain medication or surgical intervention.
Every patient is unique, so a diagnostic analysis and personalized treatment plan are the best ways to ensure a desirable result for your ailment. While a chiropractor may not be able to fix a herniated disc entirely, they can provide necessary supportive care.
What is a Herniated Disc?
Discs are rubbery cushions made from cartilage that sit between the vertebrae of the spine. When functioning properly, a disc protects the bones, ligaments, tendons, and nerves that make up the spinal column.
Sometimes, strain or acute trauma causes a disc to dislocate within the fibrous ligament, which holds it in place. This injury is known as a herniated disc.
A herniated disc chiropractic treatment cannot provide the support and protection your spinal column needs to work correctly. The protruding disc may cause severe nerve pain and numbness when pressed against nearby nerves and tissues. Nerve compression from a herniated disc leads to weakness in the area.
What Causes a Herniated Disc?
Herniated discs can happen due to many internal and external problems. Common causes of disc herniation include:
Overuse and Strain When Lifting
Strenuous activity can cause disc herniation, particularly in middle-aged and older men. Lifting heavy objects strains all parts of your back, mainly the lumbar and cervical spine. You may risk disc compression even if you maintain the ideal posture while moving heavy or unwieldy objects.
Repetitive Twisting and Bending Motions
Twisting or bending the neck or lower back repeatedly creates disc herniation in the cervical and lumbar spines. Such injuries are very common in physical labor jobs.
Standing or Sitting in One Position
Whether you sit somewhere for a long time or stand at an assembly line, a static position can be risky to your back health.
Similarly, an inactive lifestyle degrades the strength of the muscles that support the spine, making you more likely to sustain a damaged herniated disc.
Infection or Illness
If you suffer from a neurological or autoimmune disorder, you may be at greater risk of disc herniation. A tumor that affects spinal placement can lead to a herniated disc. In addition, inflammation from an infection in the spine could cause disc herniation.
External Trauma
You could experience a herniated disc after an external trauma to the body. Examples include a car accident, a fall from a height, or being struck by an object. Even if your back was not directly affected, the jolt from a heavy force could cause a disc to slip out of alignment.
Ways a Chiropractor Helps With a Herniated Disc
In some cases, chiropractic intervention can reduce herniation while solving pain and mobility issues. In others, chiropractic care for herniated disc relief is a follow-up to other treatments like surgical intervention.
The best chiropractors for herniated disc with physiotherapists can provide the right assistance to manage pain, encourage healing, and strengthen supporting muscles. In many cases, chiropractic treatment for herniated discs works best along with physiotherapy techniques like-
- Massage therapy: In this method, a therapist applies pressure to the muscles to improve circulation, relieve nerve compression, decrease tension, and enhance flexibility.
- Electrical stimulation (ES) therapy: A physician attaches electrodes to the affected area, and the electrodes deliver magnetic pulses that promote healing and eliminate pain.
- Rehabilitation and strength training: Building muscle and improving range of motion can make you less prone to injury in the future.
Your chiropractor and physiotherapist may work closely with you to determine the best course of treatment for your herniated disc.
Preventing a Herniated Disc
Sometimes, you can’t prevent a herniated disc. However, there are certain things you can do to maintain a healthy spine and reduce your chances of injury, such as:
- Maintaining a healthy weight: Excess weight can put more pressure on your spine.
- Exercising regularly: Keeping strong muscles supports a healthy back.
- Good posture: Sitting and standing straight has less strain on the back.
- Quitting smoking: Smoking takes a toll on your entire body and even weakens the spine. Try quitting it to see visible results.
- Proper lifting: Don’t bend at the waist while working physically. When you need to pick something up, bend at your knees, keeping your back straight.
Your physician may suggest other things to keep a healthy, aligned spine.
Find a Professional Chiropractor for a Herniated Disc
A herniated disc can be painful and life-altering, even if it does not demand major surgical intervention. The licensed chiropractors at Tropea Chiropractic Inc. can help you cope with the pain and discomfort of disc herniation.
Contact our office today or call (408) 329-9604 to discuss your treatment options and schedule your first appointment.