Unlike sports injuries or accidents that are usually treated by car accident chiropractors, disc herniates are usually produced from constant spinal abuse for years. There are people, for example, which are the line of work that requires a lot of bending, rotating, lifting, or sitting for a long time, and they are people who are at risk of developing disc herniation.

Symptoms of Disc Herniation

People with lumbar disc herniation feel pain not only on their backs but in their feet too. They experienced muscle spasms, muscle weakness, numbness in these areas. Many also report having a “pin and needle” feeling in their feet.

The pain caused by disc herniation deteriorates when one coughs or sneezes and during flexible activities. Often, people try to alleviate pain by bending back or leaning against the opposite side where the pain feels. However, the pain is never lost and can even be worse from time to time.

Treatment with Chiropractic Care

In most cases, discs hernia pain can be bearable. However, it can also affect the quality of life. Some people don’t enjoy life because it’s hard to walk or even sit or sleep comfortably. In rare cases, In rare cases, it can even lead to a lack of bowel or bladder control, in which case urgent medical attention will be needed.

For those whose conditions are still bearable, chiropractic care is highly recommended as a treatment method. According to scientific research, good chiropractic treatment can effectively overcome lumbar disc disorders.

When a patient presents symptoms of lumbar disc herniation to the chiropractor, then the chiropractor will carry out a thorough medical examination to determine the right location and injury properly. However, he won’t deal with only the spine-specific area; The spine works overall, so the chiropractor will treat the entire system through spinal manipulation, therapeutic exercises, and other applicable and effective techniques for specific conditions.

Conclusion

To avoid disc herniation, you must change your lifestyle and make it a healthy lifestyle. If you focus on exercising regularly, and working hard at the gym, it will help to avoid disk herniation. Avoiding disc herniation is about changing your lifestyle and which also includes avoiding smoking and unhealthy activities that might have the reasons for disc herniation. Gaining excessive weight is also the most common reason to have this condition and especially in the abdominal area because it puts additional tension on your lower back and limits your body mobility which ultimately leads to a hernia disk. So keep your body healthy and treat it gently.

Having back pain because of lumbar disc herniation is not something that can be ignored. If you are included in the high-risk group and you have pain in your back, it’s better to consult a chiropractor in Orange immediately to relieve the pain.

If two doctors gave you two different words for your back problem, you are not alone. Patients often come to us with one report that says “herniation” and another that says “protrusion,” and they wonder if they have two problems. In most cases they do not. The two words describe the same family of disc problems, and the difference lies in the shape of the displaced disc material.

Key point

Herniation is the umbrella term. Protrusion, extrusion and sequestration are the specific types of herniation, from least to most displaced.

Based on the 2014 lumbar disc nomenclature, version 2.0

How a Spinal Disc Is Built

Between the bones of your spine sit discs that work as shock absorbers. Each disc has two main parts. The center, called the nucleus, is soft and gel-like, and it absorbs most of the load. Around it is the annulus, a set of strong, ring-shaped fibers that holds the nucleus in place. A disc does not “slip” out of position the way the phrase “slipped disc” suggests. Instead, disc material can push outward past its normal boundary.

The Terms, Explained

In 2014, three major spine societies published a shared set of terms, called lumbar disc nomenclature version 2.0, so that doctors and radiologists describe discs in the same way. You can read a summary on Radiopaedia. In plain language:

• BulgeDisc tissue extends evenly past the edges of the vertebrae over a wide stretch, more than a quarter of the disc’s circumference. A bulge is often a normal part of aging.
• ProtrusionA smaller, focal area of the disc pushes out, covering less than a quarter of the circumference. The base is wider than the outer tip of the displaced part.
• ExtrusionNucleus material pushes through a tear in the annulus. The base is narrower than the displaced part, but the material is still connected to the disc.
• SequestrationA piece of the extruded material has separated from the disc and moved away from it.

Notice that protrusion, extrusion and sequestration all fall under the word herniation. That is why one doctor can say “herniation” and another “protrusion” about the same disc without disagreeing.

Why the Label Is Not the Whole Story

It is easy to assume that the further the disc material moves, the worse the pain. That is not always true. What matters most is where the disc material sits and whether it touches a nerve. A small protrusion pressing on a nerve root can cause strong leg pain, while a larger herniation that stays clear of the nerves can cause very little. Studies of people with no back pain show that disc bulges and protrusions are common on scans, especially with age. This is why a report on its own does not tell us how you feel or how you will recover. Your history and your exam have to match what the scan shows.

Symptoms to Pay Attention To

• Low back pain that may travel into the buttock, thigh or leg
• Numbness or tingling in the leg or foot
• Weakness in the leg, or a foot that catches when you walk
• Pain that gets worse when you sit, bend or cough
• In the neck, pain, numbness or tingling that spreads into the shoulder, arm or hand

Leg pain from a disc that irritates a nerve is often called sciatica. Our pages on sciatica and low back pain explain how we assess each.

How a Disc Problem Is Diagnosed

1. History. We ask when the pain started, where it travels and what makes it better or worse.
2. Physical exam. We test movement, reflexes, muscle strength and sensation, and use specific tests that show whether a nerve is irritated.
3. Imaging when needed. An MRI can show the disc and nearby nerves. It is most useful when symptoms are severe, getting worse, or not improving with care.
4. Putting it together. We compare the scan with your symptoms and exam to decide what is really causing the pain.

Treatment Options

Many disc problems improve over time with non-surgical care, and the plan depends on what we find. Care may include gentle chiropractic adjustments, movement and exercise guidance, changes to your daily activities, and spinal decompression when it suits your case. You can read more in our article on chiropractic treatment for lumbar disc herniation. Surgery is usually considered when nerve symptoms are serious or worsening, or when pain does not respond after a fair trial of care. We will tell you plainly if you should see a surgeon or another specialist.

Protecting Your Discs Day to Day

• Change positions often instead of sitting for hours at a time.
• Lift with your legs and keep the load close to your body.
• Build core and hip strength with a steady, gradual program.
• Stay active, walking is a good place to start.
• Pay attention to early warning signs and get them checked.

See Dr. Mina for a Disc Evaluation

If you have been told you have a herniated or protruding disc, a clear explanation is the first step. Dr. Mina Iskander sees patients at our Culver City and Orange offices. Learn more about our disc herniation care in Culver City and disc herniation care in Orange.

This article is for general information and is not a substitute for medical advice. Talk with a qualified provider about your symptoms.