Herniated Discs May or May Not Cause Pain
Spongy, intervertebral discs prevent vertebrae from grinding against each other and facilitate movement of the spine. When something forces the the soft, middle portion of a disc to rupture through the annulus fibrosus (the outer ring of the disc), a herniation occurs. It may or may not cause pain, depending on whether nerve tissue is irritated by the rupture.
Herniated (“slipped”) discs typically affect discs located between the fourth and fifth lower back vertebrae because this area bears the full weight of the upper body during all activities. The most common reason for suffering a herniated disc is aging, followed by incorrect lifting of heavy objects (i.e. using back muscles instead of thigh and leg musles). If a herniation is severe, you may feel shooting pain into your buttocks and thighs due to irritation of the sciatic nerve. An extremely serious herniation causing intense pain, weakness in the legs and incontinence is called cauda equina syndrome.
Bulging Discs May Lead to Herniated Discs
Bulging discs extend outward from between vertebrae but haven’t ruptured because the exterior layer of cartilage remains intact. Also a part of aging, bulging discs occur primarily in the lower back if a disc shifts out of alignment and bulges through a crack in the spine. If you have a bulging disc but it doesn’t rupture, you may never know you have one unless your doctor orders an MRI to examine a secondary condition.
Are Pinched Nerves Really Pinched?
Millions of nerves extend from your spinal cord to the brain, constantly sending messages regarding external and internal stimuli. If nerves become compressed, or “pinched”, your brain receives strong, unrelenting pain signals. Causes of pinched nerves include stress from repetitive motions, holding your body in certain positions for extended periods or herniated discs. Untreated pinched nerves may lead to a diagnosis of tennis elbow, peripheral neuropathy or carpal tunnel syndrome.
Have you ever thought you might have a herniated disc or pinched nerve? Call us today and find out how we can help 301.777.3710
Introducing KDT Spinal Decompression Therapy
As a safe and effective method for pain relief, our chiropractors Drs. Bohn and Murray provide spinal decompression therapy. Here at Accent on Health we provide complete chiropractic care. In order to fully treat our patients we offer comprehensive services include spinal decompression treatments for pain management, as well as drug-free spinal care.
The Basics of Spinal Decompression
The spine is positioned in the central area of the musculoskeletal system. When the spinal column, more specifically vertebrae discs, are out of place, this can lead to pressure on nerve endings and muscle tissue. This pressure is a primary cause of pain, particularly due to herniated discs or bulging discs. In order to realign the spine and reduce pain our advanced spinal decompression techniques stretch out the disc space between the vertebrae.
If you have discs that are swollen or inflamed this decompression therapy takes the pressure off of the irritated or “pinched nerves”. This can also reduce pressure on the surrounding nerves and muscles. Our chiropractors use spinal decompression as a form of pain relief, as well as for pain management for chronic conditions, such as fibromyalgia.
Our non-surgical and drug-free approach to back pain treatment frequently includes spinal decompression because it is particularly useful for spine care. Decompression therapy can help to improve posture and reduce inflammation along the spinal column with regular spinal decompression treatments. By committing to this treatment on a regular basis you can also remedy issues, such as bulging discs or sciatic nerve pain, during early onset. Early detection of painful conditions offers you the best and fastest solution for pain relief.