Can Chiropractors Heal A Bulging or Herniated Disc?
As part of aging, your discs also undergo a degenerative process called a herniated or bulging disc. It results in pain and reduces mobility with increasing age. People who have stressful jobs and athletes are more prone to develop bulging discs as well as other spinal issues. Lack of hydration and imbalanced diet nourishment can also cause your disc to weaken. Chiropractor for a bulging disc in the lower back has been proven to be an effective treatment for overcoming bulging disc and the associated disc pain.
A herniated disc is a common condition that may occur anywhere along the spine but most often affects the lower back or neck region. Herniated discs are typically caused by overuse injuries or trauma to the spine; however, disc conditions can also develop as a result of the normal aging process. It is also known that there is a genetic factor that contributes to the development of disc degeneration and herniated disc.
How Do Chiropractors Start Your Appointment?
A chiropractor starts your appointment by taking a detailed medical history of your pain. They start performing a physical examination and run some lab tests or radiological exams to determine if chiropractic care is appropriate to deal with your back pain or the level of chiropractic care needed to deal with the pain. If the findings are not relevant or enough, they may request you to get another X-ray done to visualize the spine better for enhanced results.
What Happens During Your Appointment?
While your chiropractor is carrying out a typical spinal adjustment, they will ask you to lie down in various orientations, so they can treat the affected areas. They ask you to lie face down on the padded chiropractic table.
The chiropractor then proceeds to use their hands to apply targeted pressure. The pressure is applied in a controlled manner to ensure that sudden force acting at the affected joint. The force being applied by the chiropractor causes the ligament to move beyond its regular range of motion to enhance flexibility. You may hear a cracking sound as your chiropractor mobilizes the joints during the session, completely normal.
Chiropractic Session Aftercare
Anyone who undergoes a chiropractic session experiences minor side effects such as headaches, fatigue, or mild to moderate pain in parts of the body treated during the appointment.
What Do We Mean By Bulging And Herniated Discs?
As we increase in age, the herniated discs eventually lose fluid volume. The process starts at around the age of 30 and slowly increases over time. Bulging discs are different from herniated discs. A herniated disc refers to a crack in the outer layer of the disc, which is called an annulus.
Typically this affects a small part of the disc, which allows the soft material inside the disc called nucleus pulposus to protrude out. This is not the same as a bulging disc because there is no crack in it. The disc bulges out of the space in the spinal cord. However, it doesn’t crack, which doesn’t make the material protrude out.
The most common causes behind a herniated disc are given below.
Wear and tear: Discs tend to dry out and aren’t as flexible as they were when you were young.
Repetitive movements: Certain jobs, lifestyles, and a couple of sports activities tend to put stress on the spine, especially the lower back, which results in the weakening of an already vulnerable spot.
Lifting the wrong way: Never lift an object while bending your body at the waist. Proper lifting techniques entails lifting an object with your legs while keeping your back straight
Injury: High-impact trauma can cause the disc to bulge, tear, or rupture.
Obesity: Carrying excess weight puts an undue amount of strain on the spine.
Genetics: There are some genes that are more commonly present in individuals with disc degeneration. More research is needed to investigate the role of these genes—they could be targets of biological treatment in the future.
While a herniated disc is likely more painful, a bulging disc can also cause pain that can increase over time. As time passes by, it becomes tougher and more intense to deal with the symptoms. Therefore, experts suggest that you reach out to a chiropractor as soon as you experience any of the symptoms listed below.
- Tingling, paralysis, or muscle weakness in one or both legs
- Changes in bowel habits or bladder
working
- Hyperrelfexive reactions in one or both legs
- Paralysis that occurs below the waist
- The deep pain that starts over the shoulder
- blade and
radiates to the chest
Pain when mobilizing the neck or low back
How Does Chiropractic Treatment Heal Bulging Discs?
Chiropractic is a preferred treatment option for many people with bulging and herniated discs because it is a non-invasive process and does not require drugs or injections. Once you have reached your diagnosis, you and your chiropractor can work hand in hand to look for the best way to treat your condition.
For verifying your condition, your chiropractor needs to go through questions regarding your medical history. The chiropractor will also perform a thorough physical exam, which assesses the current condition of your discs and is used to locate the herniated one. Tests will also be performed that include nerve function, tendon reflexes, and muscle tone. Your chiropractor will also ask you to run some diagnostic tests such as MRI or x-ray so they can obtain a better picture of what is going on inside your discs.
One of the popular features of chiropractic care is the holistic approach to wellness and health. The chiropractor will have a look at your entire spine and not just focus on the area that is painful. They will treat your spine and provide you with self-care direction, exercise plans, and nutritional recommendations based on the needs of your body.
Through well-focused chiropractic adjustments, your chiropractor will make use of low force techniques that work gently to relieve the painful symptoms caused by herniated discs. Manipulating the spine around the disc that has been effected helps to alleviate the pain.
Using cervical or lumbar traction machines can help to open the vertebral joints to relieve pressure off the disc, which allows for the bulge and herniation to go back to where it belongs.
Chiropractic treatment used for bulging or herniated discs is a safe, effective, and long-lasting method for relief. If you are suffering from back pain due to a disc problem, you owe it to yourself to explore quality chiropractic care so that you can experience less pain, increased mobility, and better quality of life.
Final Words
Always remember that it’s never too late to refer to a chiropractor for help if you’re suffering from pain or discomfort. A chiropractor will locate your problem points and will curate the right form of therapy plan, which will engage your bones and muscles to alleviate pain. If you feel that the recovery process is slow, keep in mind that you have to be patient while doing chiropractic sessions.