Back Clinic Treatments. There are various treatments for all types of injuries and conditions here at Injury Medical & Chiropractic Clinic. The main goal is to correct any misalignments in the spine through manual manipulation and placing misaligned vertebrae back in their proper place. Patients will be given a series of treatments, which are based on the diagnosis. This can include spinal manipulation, as well as other supportive treatments. And as chiropractic treatment has developed, so have its methods and techniques.
Why do chiropractors use one method/technique over another?
A common method of spinal adjustment is the toggle drop method. With this method, a chiropractor crosses their hands and pressed down firmly on an area of the spine. They will then adjust the area with a quick and precise thrust. This method has been used for years and is often used to help increase a patient’s mobility.
Another popular method takes place on a special drop table. The table has different sections, which can be moved up or down based on the body’s position. Patients lie face down on their back or side while the chiropractor applies quick thrusts throughout the spinal area as the table section drops. Many prefer this table adjustment, as this method is lighter and does not include twisting motions used in other methods.
Chiropractors also use specialized tools to assist in their adjustments, i.e., the activator. A chiropractor uses this spring-loaded tool to perform the adjustment/s instead of their hands. Many consider the activator method to be the most gentle of all.
Whichever adjustment method a chiropractor uses, they all offer great benefits to the spine and overall health and wellness. If there is a certain method that is preferred, talk to a chiropractor about it. If they do not perform a certain technique, they may recommend a colleague that does.
A healthcare professional’s clinical diagnosis focuses on finding out the source of a patient’s pain. For this reason, the clinical identification of pain in the herniated disc relies on more than only the findings from a diagnostic evaluation, like CT scan or an MRI scan.
The spine care professional arrives at a clinical diagnosis of the cause of the patient’s pain by means of a combination of findings by a comprehensive medical history, conducting a complete physical exam, and, if appropriate, running one or more diagnostic tests:
Medical history: The physician will choose the patient’s medical history, such as a description of if sciatica, the back pain or other symptoms occur, a description of how the pain feels, what remedies, positions or activities make the pain feel better and more.
Physical examination: The physicians will conduct a physical exam of the individual, such as muscle power and analyzing neural function in parts of the leg or arm, analyzing for pain in positions and much more. Ordinarily, this series of physical tests will give a good idea of the type of back issue the individual has to the spine professional.
Diagnostic tests: After the physician has a fantastic idea of the origin of the patient’s pain, a diagnostic evaluation, such as a CT scan or a MRI scan, is often ordered to confirm the presence of an anatomical lesion at the backbone. The evaluations can give a picture of the location of nerve roots and the disc.
It’s important to emphasize that MRI scans and other diagnostic tests aren’t utilized to diagnose the patient’s pain; rather, they are only utilized to confirm the existence of an anatomical problem that was suspected or identified throughout the medical history and physical examination. Because of this, while the radiographic findings on an MRI scan or other tests are significant, they aren’t as important in diagnosing the reason for the patient’s pain (that the clinical investigation demonstrated) as are the findings from the medical history and physical examination. Many times, an MRI scan or other kind of evaluation will be used for the purpose of treatment, so the healthcare specialist can determine the way it’s currently impinging on the nerve root and precisely where the herniated disc is.
When MRI is Used to Diagnose Herniated Discs
When patients have predominantly experienced leg pain along with a lumbar disc herniation, MRI scans are usually recommended early in a patient’s path of pain.
Therefore, physicians often recommend waiting 3 to 6 months (following the onset of lower back pain) prior to having an MRI scan done as a way to see whether the pain will get better with conservative (nonsurgical) remedies. As a very general guideline, if the results of the MRI scan aren’t likely to affect a patient’s further back pain therapy, and �the patient will continue with non-surgical treatments such as chiropractic treatments, physical therapy and drugs, waiting to acquire an MRI scan, as well as other imaging scans, in most situations is a fair option.
What Happens When a Disc Herniates
Though the spinal discs are made to withstand significant amounts of force, injury and other issues with the disc can happen. After the disc ages or is injured, the outer portion (annulus fibrosus) of a disk may be torn as well as the disc’s inner substance (nucleus pulposus) can herniate or extrude out of the disk. Nerves, and the inner portion of the disc surround each spinal disc that leaks out comprises proteins, therefore when this material comes in contact with a nerve wracking pain that may travel down the length of the nerve can be caused by it. Even a tiny disk herniation which enables a small quantity of the inner disc material to touch the nerve may cause pain.
Pain from a Herniated Disc vs. Degenerative Disc Disease
A herniated disc will generally create another type of pain than degenerative disk disease (another common disc problem).
When a patient has a symptomatic degenerated disc (one which causes pain or other symptoms), it’s the disc space itself which is debilitating and is the origin of pain. This type of pain is called axial pain.
When a patient has a symptomatic herniated disc, it is not the disk space itself that hurts, but rather the disc difficulty is causing pain in a nerve in the spine. This kind of pain is typically called radicular pain (nerve root pain, or tingling from a lumbar herniated disk).
In conclusion, when an individual begins to experience painful symptoms along their lower back, or lumbar spine, although they may sometimes not experience any symptoms, it a herniated disc is suspected, its recommended to seek immediate medical attention and to consider having an MRI, CT scan or other imaging tests to properly diagnose the presence of a herniated disc or other injury and/or condition before following with treatment.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Sciatica
Lower back pain is one of the most commonly reported symptoms among the general population. Sciatica, is well-known group of symptoms, including lower back pain, numbness and tingling sensations, which often describe the source of an individual’s lumbar spine issues. Sciatica can be due to a variety of injuries and/or conditions, such as spinal misalignment, or subluxation, disc herniation and even spinal degeneration.
Exercise is a frequent component of disc treatment. Your pain will be reduced by maintaining a proactive approach and help ensure the long-term health of your spine.
A herniated disc may need 1 or 2 days rest to relieve pain. You need to resist the desire to lie in bed for days at a time since your muscles need conditioning to help the healing procedure. Your body may not respond to treatment, should you forgo physical activity and exercise.
Benefits of Exercise for Herniated Discs
Exercising is an efficient method to strengthen and stabilize your low back muscles and prevent additional injury and pain. Strong muscles support your own body weight and bones, carrying pressure.
However, even if you have powerful muscles to support your spine, you must get rid of �excess weight to truly support your spine. Your back is strained by carrying around extra weight constantly, you’re practically doing all of the time to heavy lifting! Losing weight will reduce your pain and encourage the health of your back. If you need to lose weight, talk to you physician about �the different choices you may have.
Types of Exercise for Herniated Discs
You don’t need to endure an intense cardio program or lift heavy weights, simple stretches and aerobic exercises may efficiently control your herniated disc pain.
Stretching programs like yoga and Pilates enhance flexibility and strength, and supply relief of severe pain in your leg and low back. Your physician can also prescribe dynamic lumbar stabilization exercises. This program contains exercises that work the abdominal and back muscles to address posture, flexibility, and stamina.
Moderate aerobic activities, including walking, biking, and swimming, also help relieve pain. Some activities might be better suited to your particular condition. Speak with your doctor about what exercises will help you.
When beginning an aerobic exercise program, start slow–perhaps 10 minutes the first day–and gradually increase your time each day. Eventually, you should aim for 30 to 40 minutes of activity 5 days per week.
Exercise may be a pleasant and satisfying method to take care of symptoms associated with a herniated disc. Your physician and you can work together to develop a program which you will lower your pain and could stick with. In the end, exercise can help you feel better, and it should help relieve your pain from a herniated disc.
Herniated Disc Exercises (Video)
When Should You Go to a Doctor For Herniated Disc Pain?
Oftentimes, patience and time (and perhaps some medication) are sufficient to reduce the pain of a lumbar herniated disc, however, a new study indicates that waiting too long to seek medical treatment for your low back pain may end up doing more harm than good.
The findings, which were introduced in the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), revealed that patients who waited more than 6 months to report their herniated disc symptoms to a doctor didn’t respond to therapy in addition to those who waited less than 6 weeks to seek out medical advice.
In this study, researchers compared 927 patients who had lumbar herniated disc symptoms for less than 6 weeks to 265 patients who had symptoms for more than 6 months.
The researcher team found that the patients who sought medical therapy within 6 weeks of first experiencing symptoms reacted better to both nonsurgical and surgical treatments.
The lesson patients ought to learn from this research, researchers say, is not to wait too long to see your doctor if your herniated disc pain is severe. Visiting a doctor sooner rather than later might enhance the success of your treatment, in case you have low back pain that persists.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Sciatica
Lower back pain is one of the most commonly reported symptoms among the general population. Sciatica, is well-known group of symptoms, including lower back pain, numbness and tingling sensations, which often describe the source of an individual’s lumbar spine issues. Sciatica can be due to a variety of injuries and/or conditions, such as spinal misalignment, or subluxation, disc herniation and even spinal degeneration.
Chiropractic care is a nonsurgical treatment option for discs. But what is a chiropractor’s approach to healing a herniated disc?
With the exception of the initial 2 vertebrae in the neck–the atlas (C1) and the axis (C2), there is an intervertebral disc between each vertebra of the spine. Discs supply flexibility, and act as a shock absorber and a shock distributor.
Picture if you jump up and down. What would occur to the stack of bony vertebrae that form the spine without the cushioning and support of those disks? Now, move your back from side to side. Again, you can picture the give and take between the vertebrae of the discs. Without these discs, your spine couldn’t function.
Intervertebral discs do not really “slip”, even though the term “slipped disc” has come into popular usage to refer to bulging, ruptured, or herniated discs. Throughout this guide, we will refer to herniated discs, which is the term that is correct.
Your disks comprise of the annulus fibrosus (the tough outer layer) and the nucleus pulposus (that contains a gentle, gelatin-like centre). The material inside of the disc can begin to push out, when cracks happen in the outer layer of this disk. A lot of factors can cause a disc herniation.
For example, there could be too much stress on the disc due to bad posture or from becoming obese. In actuality, a combination of a physical injury or variables can cause herniated discs.
Chiropractic Care and Herniated Discs
A chiropractor can help address back pain and other herniated disk symptoms. In your first appointment, your chiropractor will undergo your medical history, do a physical examination, and perform neurological and orthopaedic evaluations.
Your physician will look for several things. The chiropractor will also carefully look at your position, and they may purchase an X-ray or MRI, if needed, to aid with the diagnostic procedure.
Chiropractors evaluate the entire spine. Your chiropractor will analyze your neck, also if you simply have lower back pain. Recall, he or she wants to see how well your spine is working overall: What happens in one area of your spine can influence other components of your spine and/or body.
After reviewing this information, your physician can ascertain whether you have an intervertebral disk injury. The kind will use to handle your symptoms.
Some patients are not good candidates for some sorts of chiropractic care remedies. As an example, when you have cauda equina syndrome (a condition where you lose control of your bowel/bladder with an uncontrollable intervertebral disk injury), then you will need immediate medical care because this is something which cannot be treated by your physician.
In addition, if your physician finds that you’ve advanced lack of power, sensation, reflexes, and other unusual neurological findings, then he or she will refer you to a spine surgeon.
But, most intervertebral disk injuries are associated with a herniated disc, along with your chiropractor can give you various therapy alternatives to deal with your pain and other ailments.
To deal with a herniated disk, your physician will create a treatment plan which might include spinal manipulation, also called adjustments, and other chiropractic methods to help ease your herniated disk symptoms. It may include exercises and manual therapy, although this is going to be an individualized treatment plan.
The particulars of what are in your treatment plan are particular to your own pain, amount of activity, general wellness, and exactly what your chiropractor believes is best. As with any treatment option, do not hesitate to ask questions about what treatments are being recommended and why. You need to be certain that you understand what’s going to be done and how it can help relieve your pain. Chiropractice treatment is safe and effective .
Below are some examples of chiropractic techniques used for herniated discs.
Flexion-distraction Technique for Herniated Discs
A mutual chiropractic technique is your flexion-distraction procedure, which may be used to help address herniated disc symptoms.
Flexion-distraction entails the use of a technical table that softly “distracts” or stretching the backbone. This allows the chiropractor to isolate the affected region while marginally “bending” the backbone using a pumping rhythm.
There is typically no pain associated with this treatment. Rather, the flexion-distraction technique’s gentle pumping to the painful area makes it possible for the middle of the intervertebral disc (called the nucleus pulposus) to assume its central place in the disk. Disc height may be also improved by flexion-distraction.
This technique can help move the disk away from the nerve, reducing inflammation of the nerve root, and eventually any associated pain and inflammation into the leg (if there’s any associated with your herniated disc).
With flexion-distraction, you generally require a collection of treatments together with adjunctive ultrasound, muscle stimulation, physiotherapy, supplementation, and at-home treatments (your physician will let you know what those are). Gradually, specific nutritional supplements and nutritional recommendations will be integrated into your treatment plan. Your physician will track you.
Manipulation Under Anesthesia (MUA)
Manipulation under anesthesia or MUA is also a suitable chiropractic treatment for some spinal ailments. MUA is performed at hospital or an ambulatory care centre. The type of anesthesia is called sleep; meaning that the duration of sleep and also sedsation is brief. While your body is in, even though the patient is sedated, the therapy area stretches and manipulates Relaxed state. This therapy is generally conducted during 1 to 3 sessions that are.
Pelvic Blocking Strategies for Herniated Discs
Chiropractors also utilize pelvic blocking methods to treat herniated disc symptoms.
Pelvic blocking remedies include using cushioned pliers, which can be placed under both sides of the pelvis. Gentle exercises may be utilized. These will allow changes in mechanisms to draw your disk away from the guts it may be pressing on.
Misconceptions about Chiropractic
It is a misconception that chiropractors “pop up a disc back in position” using forceful alterations. The “pop” sound comes from the release of gas under pressure in a joint. It is similar to the sound.
Another misconception is that chiropractic care involves a few quick remedies, which may “fix” your disc. Instead, as explained above, herniated discs using gentle practices that are low-force are treated by chiropractors.
In Conclusion
Your chiropractor will create a treatment strategy for your herniated disk, and if your symptoms don’t improve with chiropractic care methods, your physician may recommend and comanage your condition with a pain medicine specialist and/or a spine surgeon.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Sciatica
Lower back pain is one of the most commonly reported symptoms among the general population. Sciatica, is well-known group of symptoms, including lower back pain, numbness and tingling sensations, which often describe the source of an individual’s lumbar spine issues. Sciatica can be due to a variety of injuries and/or conditions, such as spinal misalignment, or subluxation, disc herniation and even spinal degeneration.
Pain that travels from the back down the leg and into the foot is known as sciatica, which is an overall expression for pain that is excruciating. The term does not clarify why, or what tissue is injured. In reality accidents can cause gastrointestinal pain, together with piriformis syndrome, lumbar spinal disc herniations, and sprains being the three most frequent types of injuries and conditions affecting health and wellness.
Piriformis syndrome is commonly misdiagnosed as a spinal disc herniation, because the pattern of radiating pain, in the back to the lower elevation, is similar in both cases. With both injuries, individuals experience pain with the same type of motions, particularly rising from a seated position, standing for prolonged period of time, or sleeping. At the same time, the pain related to both injuries feels better once you curl up in the fetal position on your side.
A spinal disc herniation occurs when the jelly-like substance from inside the lumbar disc compresses the spinal cord or nerve. Either the disc material compresses the nerves when squeezed out of this disc, or else the compression of the nervous tissue is caused by inflammation. A spinal disc herniation is generally considered a severe injury, causing a massive amount of restriction and back pain. Some folks lose sensation in their legs. They can experience numbness and tingling through the day. Several have tingling, burning, dull, or pain in leg, glutes, and their own back. These are all symptoms associated with sciatica. Compression of particular nerves causes muscle fatigue and loss of feeling.
Herniated Disc Treatments
Therapy entails helping the body break down the spinal disc material, and relieving the compression of the nerves. Spinal disc decompression treatments are treatments for disc herniations. Flexion distraction therapy is also a way of decreasing pressure in the low back. Patients benefit from at-home utilization of inversion tables. Improve movement in the back joints and stretches and light exercises are used to decrease muscle spasms.
Massage treatment is focused on the back, buttocks, and hamstring muscles to decrease spasms and to reach the lumbar spine and pelvis. Individuals with disc herniations have weakness within their muscles, which need to be strengthened with therapy in order to increase strength, endurance, and muscle coordination patterns. Patients with a history of previous disc herniations or back injuries benefit immensely from strengthening therapy to prevent injuries.
Piriformis Syndrome and Treatment
The piriformis muscle is a really strong and powerful muscle that runs from the sacrum into the femur. It runs beneath gluteal muscles the nerve travels beneath them. If this muscle goes into spasm, then the nerve creates radiating pain, numbness, tingling, or burning out of the buttocks to the leg and foot. People do experience pain together with the syndrome. Other people develop the syndrome while dealing with chronic low back pain.
Activities and motions that cause the piriformis muscle to contract further compress the sciatic nerve, causing pain. This muscle can be contracted once we squat, or stand, walk , go up steps. It tends to tighten when we sit at any position for more than 20 to 30 minutes.
Individuals who have a history of chronic low back pain frequently assume that their radiating sciatic pain is traceable to their lower spine. Their history of disc herniations, or sprains, strains has taught them to assume that it will go away like normal, and that the pain is out of their spine. It is just when the pain doesn’t respond as usual that individuals seek therapy, thus delaying their recovery.
Treatment for piriformis syndrome entails decreasing the intensity of the piriformis muscle spasm that’s controlling the sciatic nerve. Trigger point therapy, massage therapy, ice, heat, electrical, and stretching are involved with the early stages of care. Deep massage therapy is not advised in the first phases of piriformis syndrome. Some of the pain may be relieved during the therapy, but individuals experience worsening symptoms the following day. After the piriformis muscle is worked deeply it might relax for a short time period before it goes to a bigger spasm, further worsening the gastrointestinal pain.
Chiropractic Therapy for Sciatica Symptoms
Chiropractic therapies and treatment goals are to increase joint selection of motion and reduce muscle spasms. Muscle spasms increase tension and pressure on the lumbosacral and sacroiliac regions, which raises back pain. Treatment restores motion in these regions. Treatment and remedies to improve flexibility and reduce spasms accelerate healing and healing times for many types of back pain.
Often, people aggravate their piriformis muscle when they’re protecting or protecting their low back. They may have strength and capacity to compensate, bend, turn, and twist — thus, to squat, they overwork piriformis muscles and their glutes. Treatment should focus on increasing strength and endurance of their muscles, to reduce strain and injury.
Both piriformis syndrome and spinal disc herniations produce radiating pain in the very low back and to the leg. They are two different injuries, requiring treatments for recovery and regular healing. They are both commonly associated with flexibility and low back weakness. Treatment should address the acute traumas but also the core weaknesses that resulted in the condition.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Sciatica
Lower back pain is one of the most commonly reported symptoms among the general population. Sciatica, is well-known group of symptoms, including lower back pain, numbness and tingling sensations, which often describe the source of an individual’s lumbar spine issues. Sciatica can be due to a variety of injuries and/or conditions, such as spinal misalignment, or subluxation, disc herniation and even spinal degeneration.
Herniated discs are a common condition that can occur anywhere along the back or spine, but most often affects the lower back or neck region of the spine.
Also known as a slipped disc or ruptured disc, a herniated disc develops when one or several of the pads found between the vertebrae moves from position and presses on adjacent nerves, resulting in a variety of painful symptoms.
Herniated discs are caused by overuse injuries or trauma to the spine, nonetheless, disc conditions can also develop as a result of the normal aging process or due to degeneration. It’s also understood that there is a genetic element that leads to the development of disc herniation and disc degeneration.
Symptoms of a herniated disc may generally include sharp or dull pain and discomfort, muscle spasm or cramping, fatigue, tingling sensations, numbness or referred pain.
But here is something to consider: From time to time, a disc does not cause any symptoms . That’s called an asymptomatic herniated disc. Your intervertebral disc could be bulging or herniated, but it won’t cause any symptoms, such as pain, unless it is pressing on the spinal cord, its nerve roots or individual nerves.
This brings up a fantastic point about herniated disc symptoms: Your symptoms are dependent on where you’ve got a herniated disc.
Cervical Herniated Disc Symptoms
If you’ve got a herniated disc or bulging disc on your neck (cervical spine), then you will experience:
Neck pain
Muscle tightness or cramping on your neck
Pain which radiates (or travels) down your arm(s) (this can be called referred pain or cervical radiculopathy)
Tingling in your arm(s) or hand(s)
Weakness in your arm(s) or hand(s)
Lumbar Herniated Disc Symptoms
A herniated disc in the low back (lumbar spine) may cause the following symptoms:
Low back pain
Muscle tightness or cramping in your back
Pain that radiates down your leg(s) (this can be known as referred pain, lumbar radiculopathy, or sciatica)
Tingling in your leg(s) or foot/feet
Weakness in your leg(s) or foot/feet
Really infrequent: Loss of bowel or bladder control (Please, even if this occurs, seek prompt medical care.)
A Note on Referred Pain Brought on by a Herniated Disc
Referred pain means that you’ve got pain in another part of your body as a result of the intervertebral disc issue. As an example, in case you’ve got a bulging disc or a herniated disc in your low back (lumbar spine), you may have known pain in your leg. This is called lumbar radiculpathy or sciatica, a shooting pain that can extend from the buttock into the leg and to the foot. Only one leg is typically affected.
When you’ve got a herniated disc in your neck (cervical spine), then you may have referred pain down your arm and into your hand. Arm and shoulder pain caused by a herniated disc is also called radiculopathy.
Lower Back Pain: Causes & Symptoms (Video)
Herniated Disc Symptoms: When Should You Find a Doctor?
The pain from a herniated disc can make it hard to enjoy your daily life; it may make it tough to walk, sit, or even sleep comfortably. If your disc symptoms linger for more than fourteen days, you should make a doctor appointment. Should you experience unexpected onset of pain (after lifting something heavy incorrectly, as an instance), call your physician.
It’s very rare, but herniated discs can sometimes affect bowel or bladder control (as mentioned above). If this occurs, seek medical attention immediately for a proper diagnosis, followed up by treatment.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Sciatica
Lower back pain is one of the most commonly reported symptoms among the general population. Sciatica, is well-known group of symptoms, including lower back pain, numbness and tingling sensations, which often describe the source of an individual’s lumbar spine issues. Sciatica can be due to a variety of injuries and/or conditions, such as spinal misalignment, or subluxation, disc herniation and even spinal degeneration.
A herniated (ruptured or “slipped”) disc results whenever a disc moves from place or bulges and puts pressure on the nerves or nerve roots. This kind of injury is comparatively common. Repetitive movements, lifting, being obese, and high-impact injuries, as well as simply the aging process, can cause a herniated disc.
As we age, we become more prone to disc injuries over time, primarily because the discs begin to degenerate: they dry out and can become torn and cracked. Moreover, certain genetic elements may also predispose a person to suffer from a herniated disc and disc degeneration.
Intervertebral discs would be the cushion-like pads that sit between the vertebrae of the spine; they act like shock absorbers and permit the spine to become elastic. A strong outer layer known as the annulus fibrosus surrounds a center called the nucleus pulposus, similar to a hard candy with a soft center. The spine can be broken up into regions. The vertebrae are numbered, and the discs are numbered by level. For example, the lumbar spine (lower back) vertebrae are tagged L1 to L5, and the discs are labeled L1-L2, all the way down to L5-S1 (where the spine joins the sacrum).
Lumbar Herniated Disc and Sciatica
Several symptoms may indicate a LHD, or lumbar herniated disc. Pain can range from a dull ache to a severe, sharp pain. Sciatica is a type of nerve pain which could be caused by a lumbar disc compressing the nerve. The sciatic nerve originates in the lumbar spine and extends down the buttocks and down each leg. When a disc protrudes, it can compress the nerves, causing sciatica where pain extends from the buttock and thigh down into the leg and below the knee. You might have other symptoms, such as numbness on your leg or foot, burning or tingling sensations (paresthesias), muscular fatigue and/or weakness, abnormal reflexes, and, in severe cases, loss of bladder or bowel control (that constitutes a medical emergency and needs immediate attention).
Lumbar Herniated Disc Diagnosis
The science of a medical diagnosis starts with a history and physical examination. Your doctor will assess body movements and asks about your symptoms. If lifting up the leg while lying down generates pain which radiates down your leg, a diagnosis of LHD is possible, especially if you have other symptoms, such as numbness or paresthesias.
Although X-rays may help rule out other conditions, such as a fracture, for example, other imaging studies, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), are necessary for a diagnosis of lumbar herniated disc. X-rays don’t show soft tissues like discs and nerves. Additional tests, such as nerve conduction studies and an electromyogram (EMG) are needed to confirm that a herniated disc is the source of the symptoms.
LHD and Sciatica Statistics
While low back pain is a common ailment, sciatica happens less frequently. Approximately 80% of the general population experiences low back pain but only 2-3% of people with low back pain actually have sciatica. Most cases of LHD occur in people aged 30 to 50 decades. The level of herniation is L4-L5, followed.
Is Surgery Necessary for LHD?
Herniated disks and sciatica often heal on their own with appropriate care, such as medications, injections, and physical therapy, including chiropractic care and other alternative treatment options. If the symptoms progress and when neurologic problems (such as shooting numbness or pain in the leg) become more severe, or when weakness in the leg or foot gets worse, surgery may be suggested.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Sciatica
Lower back pain is one of the most commonly reported symptoms among the general population. Sciatica, is well-known group of symptoms, including lower back pain, numbness and tingling sensations, which often describe the source of an individual’s lumbar spine issues. Sciatica can be due to a variety of injuries and/or conditions, such as spinal misalignment, or subluxation, disc herniation and even spinal degeneration.
As we get older, we become more prone to injuries, since our bodies are not as elastic as they once were. This is especially true for the inner material of your spine’s discs. Every year you become a little more at risk of experiencing herniated discs, a condition where a stressed disc ruptures, because the elasticity and water content of your intervertebral discs reduces overall.
But herniated discs aren’t only a problem for elderly people. A disc herniation can be experienced by anyone as a result of twisting or lifting the wrong way. And in the event that you currently have a bulging disc, a disc that is hurt but still intact, chances are higher that stress on the affected disc could cause it to rupture or become “herniated”.
A herniated disc can cause pain throughout the entire body, not just back pain. And as you might think of surgery being the sole remedy for a herniated disc, there are lots of complementary and alternative treatment option for herniated discs. Chiropractic specializes in supplying non-invasive spinal decompression treatment and therapy methods.
A visit to your chiropractor will help you confirm whether you have a herniated disc, a bulging disc, or even some other spinal problem altogether. If you do have an injured disc, a doctor of chiropractic can create an individual treatment plan to assist you avoid surgery and return to enjoying your life, pain-free.
What are Herniated Discs?
The 24 vertebrae of your spine are separated from one another by pads of cartilage known as intervertebral discs. These discs have an outer coating with a soft interior to cushion against stresses and strains as well as the shocks experienced in your spine. The discs are subject to injury, disease, and degeneration with use over time. Certain activities and types of work increase the risk of discs being damaged or deteriorating.
Once the soft inside material of a disc pushes or is bulged out through a tear or weakening in the outside covering, the disc is reported to be herniated. Slipped, ruptured and �prolapsed discs are also known as protruding, bulging, or degenerated discs. There are distinctions between these terms, but they really refer to a disc that is no longer in its normal condition and/or position and may require chiropractic care to treat them. Herniated discs trigger pain by impinging on (intruding upon, irritating, and pinching) as well as depriving nerves in the spine.
Chiropractic for Herniated Discs
A healthcare professional can help address back pain along with other herniated disc symptoms. In your first appointment, your chiropractor will go through your medical history, do a physical exam, and carry out orthopedic and neurological tests. The chiropractor will also look over your posture, and may order an X-ray or MRI, if necessary, to aid with the diagnostic procedure and determine the presence of a disc herniation.
Chiropractors assess the whole spine. Your chiropractor will examine your neck, too, even when you simply have back pain. She or he wants to see how well your backbone is functioning and recall: What happens in one area of your spine can affect other parts of your spine and/or body.
After reviewing this information, your physician can ascertain whether you have an intervertebral disc injury. The type of disc injury you have will determine what treatments your chiropractor will use to address your symptoms. Your chiropractor can provide treatment options to you to address your pain and other symptoms.
To treat a herniated disk, your physician will develop a treatment program that might include spinal manipulation–also called adjustments–and other chiropractic techniques to help alleviate your herniated disc symptoms. It might consist of therapy and exercises, although this will be an individualized treatment plan.
The particulars of what are on your treatment strategy are particular to your own pain, level of activity, general health, and what your chiropractor thinks is best. As with any treatment option, do not be afraid to ask questions regarding what chiropractic treatments are being recommended and why. You want to be sure you know how it can help relieve your pain and what will be performed. Therapy is safe and effective for most patients.
Chiropractic provides the distinctive training, techniques, and experience needed to safely and effectively adjust your spine so the stress on the discs is minimized, the pain alleviated, the damaged or displaced structures given a opportunity to heal, and your capacity to return to normal functioning restored.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Sciatica
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