Disc Injuries

Disc injuries may result in a bulge or herniation, which may be caused by an accident but is often caused after years of degeneration and gradual change. Repetitive lifting of heavy objects or other repetitive movements, or other spinal dysfunction or pressures, can gradually lead to disc injury. Other causes may be a sedentary lifestyle, which includes working at a desk, smoking which introduces toxins into the body known to degrade disc cartilage, poor diet and obesity that may increase the pressure on joints and speed up their degeneration, and the aging process.

Disc injury, which may be referred to as disc bulge, slipped-disc, disc protrusions, herniation or prolapse, can be sustained at any point along the spine from the neck to the lower back. This can be very painful as it may intrude into neurological structures of the spine. The pain caused may be felt in the arms or legs to which the affected nerves lead.

Some of the more serious disc injuries can cause a rupture of the disc, allowing the fluid inside the disc to leak. This fluid is highly neurotoxic and can seriously affect the spinal cord and nerves, creating a great deal of pressure on them.

How Disc Injury Chiropractic Can Help?

Research that investigated the outcomes of certain chiropractic techniques used in the post-surgical treatment of people with disc injuries has found that significant benefits may be achieved through chiropractic care. One study reported more than 50% pain reduction in 81% of the people involved in that study. Other research indicates that intervertebral disc height can be increased up to 17%, nerve openings up to 28%, the pressure within the discs may decrease and range of motion can improve.

Chiropractic care aims to help disc injury by:

● Carefully examining and diagnosing the exact problem and its location
● Improving movement in the spine
● Decreasing pain and pressure
● Increasing Intervertebral disc height and nerve openings
● Providing exercises and advice to speed the recovery and avoid further aggravation of the injury