Herniated Disc Chiropractic Treatment From Bournemouth Chiropractors at Charminster Chiropractic Clinic

What is Herniated Disc?

A herniated disc (sometimes also called a slipped or ruptured disc) can happen when fibres surrounding one of the soft, cushion-like discs between the bones of your spine (vertebrae) get damaged and the inside of the cushion bulges outwards. These discs act like little shock absorbers that keep your back flexible and protect it when you move, lift, or twist. The Bournemouth chiropractors at Charminster Chiropractic Clinic are trained to diagnose and provide chiropractic treatment for herniated disc by allowing the bulge to retract and the fibres to heal better. Our treatment involves allowing the disc to heal better by treating the root cause of the problem and by improving biomechanics, correcting posture or poor movement patterns that may irritate the disc.

When a disc tears, some of the soft inside material pushes out through the outer layer. This bulge can press on nearby nerves, which may cause pain, numbness, or weakness in parts of your body depending on the level of the disc and where in the spine the nerves exit. This can happen in the lower back (lumbar spine) or neck (cervical spine) and present with symptoms to the back, legs, or feet from the low back, or arms, hands and fingers from the neck. Due to the high prevalence of disc bulges in the lower back we will focus mainly on this area in this newsletter.

Common Symptoms

The main symptom of herniated disc is often lower back pain. It might come on suddenly or slowly, and it can range from a dull ache to a sharp and severe pain. Moving, sitting, or standing for long periods can make it worse.

If the disc presses on the sciatic nerve, you might develop sciatica — described as pain or other symptoms that travels down one or both legs. Not all back pain is caused by a herniated disc — other problems, like muscle referred pain or nerve root compression can present and feel similar.

Pain that travels from your lower back through your buttock and down your leg.
Numbness, tingling and burning in your buttock, thigh, leg or foot.
Weakness in your hip or buttock, leg or foot muscles, making it harder to walk or lift your foot.
Muscle spasms or cramps in your back.

When to Seek Urgent Help

You should seek urgent medical help if you notice any of these signs as they represent a rare but serious condition called cauda equina syndrome – it needs emergency treatment to prevent permanent nerve damage!

Very severe and worsening back pain that doesn’t get better with rest, medication and in combination with the symptoms below.
Weakness, numbness, pins & needles, cramping in one or both legs.
Loss of control over your bladder or bowels (you can’t hold your urine or stool).
Numbness around your buttocks, between your legs, groin or genital area (called saddle anaesthesia).

Risk Factors for Herniated Disc

Some factors could make herniated disc more likely to happen or develop and worsen over time.

Age: Most common between ages 30 and 50.
Weight: Being overweight puts extra strain on your spine.
Jobs or activities: Repetitive lifting, bending, twisting, or sitting for long periods can stress your back.
Genetics: If your family members have had disc problems, you might be more likely to get one.
Smoking: Reduces oxygen to the spine and dehydrates the discs causing them to deflate and wear out faster.
Sports or heavy lifting: Activities like weightlifting, rowing, golf, tennis, gymnastics, basketball or rugby are a few examples of sports that may increase the risk of herniated disc.

Examination and Diagnosis of Herniated Disc

In order to diagnose herniated disc the Bournemouth chiropractors at Charminster Chiropractic Clinic will first ask about the problem and talk about the symptoms you may have. Thereafter, we will perform an extensive physical examination of the issue in order to examine the area where the herniated disc may be located.

Ask questions about your pain — when it started, what makes it worse or better, and any other symptoms.
Physical examination often involves checking your reflexes, muscle strength, and specific tests that are designed to make sense of the symptoms and locate the problem.
We may also refer you to have imaging tests such as MRI, x-ray or CT scan if needed. These can assist to confirm and properly diagnose and show us exactly how severe and where the disc is pressing on a nerve.

Chiropractic Treatment for Herniated Disc

Chiropractic treatment aims to improve the biomechanics of the spine and body whilst also optimise physical movements that can help to reduce pain, help you move normally again, and prevent future problems. Chiropractic treatment for herniated disc aims to find root causes of the issue and how to improve it and prevent worsening and future issues using spinal adjustments, manual therapy, mobilisation, trigger point therapy, soft tissue work and rehabilitation to stretch, strengthen, and support your back.

Other Treatment Methods

Stay Active

Gentle, frequent and moderate movement can signficantly help recovery. This could be walking and light stretching to keep your back flexible, increase blood flow and reduce stiffness to promote healing. Movement is helpful but avoiding heavy lifting, sitting for too long, or strenuous exercise is also crucial until you heal.

Pain Relief

Painkillers: Paracetamol can help mild pain. Stronger medications may be prescribed if needed — but use only as directed.
Anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs): Like ibuprofen, can reduce swelling and pain. Avoid certain ones (like diclofenac) if you have heart issues and always go through your GP before taking any other medications!
Ice or heat packs: Ice helps with inflammation; heat relaxes muscles. We recommend applying ice for up to 15 minutes at a time and repeat three times a day.

Injections

If pain is very bad and doesn’t get better with other treatments, your doctor may recommend a spinal injection — usually a mix of a steroid (to reduce swelling) and a local anaesthetic (to numb pain).

Surgery

Surgery is used as a last resort and only needed when pain is so severe with no improvement after weeks of treatment and you have serious pain and nerve complications. Like all surgeries, there are risks such as bleeding, infection, and sometimes symptoms don’t fully go away.

Discectomy: Removing the bulging part of the disc to prevent it from pressing on the nerve, nerve root or the spinal cord.
Microdiscectomy: A smaller, less invasive version with quicker recovery.

Prognosis for Disc Herniation

Sometimes the problem comes back — this is called recurrent herniation. It can happen months after surgery or treatment, often caused by the underlying factors and root causes such as wear and tear, smoking, being overweight or severe spinal instability. Most people with a herniated disc recover well without surgery. Staying active, following your chiropractor’s advice and making healthy lifestyle changes can greatly improve your outcome. If chiropractic treatment helps keep the spine functional to prevent relapse, we recommend receving ongoing treatment. However, if conservative treatment does not help and the herniated disc does not retract by itself, surgery might be advised.

Possible Complications

Chronic back pain that doesn’t go away.
Permanent nerve damage if compression isn’t treated quickly.
Time off work or reduced ability to do normal activities.
Surgical risks: While very rare, complications like infection or paralysis have been reported.

By following these tips and working with our Bournemouth chiropractors at Charminster Chiropractic Clinic, you can receive chiropractic treatment for herniated disc to increase the likelihood of reducing pain and get better spinal movements. Book your chiropractic appointment here today!

References

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441822/#:~:text=Complications%20of%20a%20herniated%20disc,in%20severe%20nerve%20root%20compression