What Is A Disc Herniation?
An intervertebral disc is the jelly-like cartilage that sits between each of the bones of your spine
This jelly-like substance moves as your spine moves. The more bending forward that occurs, the farther back in your spinal column the jelly is pushed. The jelly in your disc can be pushed far enough backwards where it is displaced out of the disc causing a 'herniation'. These herniations can cause back pain, pain shooting down one of your legs, or cause no pain at all.
What Causes A Disc Herniation?
Disc herniations are typically caused by degeneration, trauma, or repeated movements
Those these are not the only causes of a disc hernation, they are the most common. Traumatic cases of disc herniations occur if attempting to lift a heavy object off of the ground or in an awkward position causing immediate and, often, excrutiating low back pain. Herniations can also happen over time with excessive bending or sitting. The more forward bending that occurs the farther back our discs are pushed back in your spinal canal. Herniations can then happen with something as mild as bending down to grab the newspaper.
How Can Chiropractic Care Help A Disc Herniation?
Chiropractic care has been proven to help many people suffering from a disc herniation
Patient education is a crucial tool used for treating disc herniations. Disc herniations often occur due to repetitive movements or suddenly from bending movements. Educating patients on what movements to avoid and what movements to focus on is one of the best ways to treat disc herniations. Spinal manipulation, flexion distraction, and dry needilng have also been proven to decrease pain and dysfunction of disc herniations.