What is a herniated disc? Can chiropractic help?
The spine has 24 individual bones called vertebrae. Between each one of these bones there are cushioning pads called discs that act like shock absorbers.
There are many different terms that are used to describe a herniated disc such as slipped disc or ruptured disc. They all mean relatively the same thing; the displacement of disc material outside of where it normally should be. The most common area for disc herniation to occur is in the lower back but it can also occur in the neck and mid-back as well.
Surprisingly, disc herniation is more common than you may think and often produce no symptoms at all so people may not even know they have one. Some herniated discs can be painful, especially if they are putting pressure on a nerve around it.
The most common signs and symptoms of a lumbar (lower back) herniated disc are:
- Leg pain that can occur with or without low back pain
- Numbness, weakness, or tingling in the leg
- Low back or buttock pain
The most common signs and symptoms of a cervical (neck) herniated disc are:
- Numbness or tingling down the arm with or without neck pain
- Shoulder pain
- Arm weakness or loss of grip strength
Can we help?
Absolutely! We can help figure out WHY the disc herniation happened in the first place and then correct it as well as improve the symptoms. If the spine is not aligned correctly it causes increased stress and strain on the vertebrae and discs which can result in a disc herniation. Many chiropractors are good at relieving symptoms of disc herniation but at Leahy Chiropractic, not only is it is our goal to relieve the symptoms but also help you regain proper spinal alignment and posture making your spine more strong and stable for the future.