The human spine consists of several sponge-like discs. These tiny discs absorb the force exerted on the spine which can be caused by daily activities such as heavy lifting or general movement. The discs maintain the flexibility of the spine. A herniated disc, a slipped disc or ruptured disc, occurs when a damaged disc bulges or breaks open. Herniated discs are typically caused by the following two factors:
Natural age - as people grow older, the flexibility of their discs may decrease.
Spinal injury - excessive force placed on the discs can crack the hard outer layers of the discs, allowing the gel inside to bulge out and the disc to break.
A herniated disc can occur in different locations of the spine. Herniated discs in each location can result in different symptoms. The most common symptom is Sciatica, which occurs when experiencing leg pain in various degrees of intensity. Herniated discs in other locations can cause pain in your ankle or when standing on your toes. For a full list of herniated disc symptoms click here.
Treatment options, for herniated disc patients, focus on methods that reducing pain. Surgery is rarely used in treatment for herniated disc patients. Non-surgical options include physical therapy, pain medications, and chiropractic manipulation among others.
Chiropractic treatments can prevent further deterioration of the damaged disc and can also reduce the amount of pain experienced. After a full spinal evaluation, our chiropractors at Connetquot Chiropractic will determine an individual plan of treatment catered to your specific injury. These plans will typically consist of spinal manipulation, therapeutic exercises, and manual therapy.
Our team of chiropractors uses gentle low-force movements to release gas from the spinal joints. For a full list of services, operation hours, or to schedule an appointment visit Connetquot Chiropractic. We look forward to hearing from you!