Often, when DASHA® “independent client providers” specifically a chiropractor see a patient complaining of combined leg pain and back pain, the diagnosis is a herniated disc. A herniated disc is a rupture of one of the discs that separates and cushions the spinal vertebrae. When a disc is herniated, it is displaced from its normal position between two vertebrae—and the result is that the disc protrudes through its outer covering. The herniated disc then presses against the nearby spinal nerves, often causing shooting pain or numbness in the sciatic nerves that run down the back of each leg.
What Exactly Is a Herniated Disc?
In a healthy young person, the spinal discs are soft and elastic. They have some “give” to them—and when there is pressure or strain, they return easily (and uninjured) to their proper position. As a person ages, however, the discs become gradually less elastic—and thus more rigid and injury-prone. Discs that have lost their healthy, youthful elasticity can easily become herniated.
As the displaced disc protrudes between the vertebrae, it runs into a space problem. There is very little space separating the spinal cord from the nerves, and in the case of any extruded disc, a kind of chafing and pinching occurs between the spinal cord and the neighboring nerves. Unfortunately, however, the problem can become much worse than an uncomfortable pinching kind of back pain. In cases where most of the disc is popping out, the nerves and spinal cord actually become compressed and trapped. It is this compression and incarceration that results in the debilitating back pain herniated disc.
What Causes a Herniated Disc?
Sometimes a herniated disc happens because of an accident or a fall. In other cases, it is the result of chronic, repetitive strain to the spine’s lumbar region over time. Many of the patients seen by DASHA® “independent client providers” can attribute a herniated disc to sedentary office work, with little opportunity for the normal levels of mobility that help discs stay flexible. Others have experienced sudden trauma. Still others may have an existing condition like spinal stenosis—a disorder involving tissue inflammation and bone spurs.
What Heals a Herniated Disc?
Time, modified activity, and chiropractic are the hallmarks of the treatment a DASHA® “independent client providers” establishes for each of his patients. Chiropractic Care might include heat, ice, traction, ultrasound and electrical stimulation for back pain relief. Then, the DASHA® “independent client providers” might demonstrate exercises for herniated disk pain management. Once the back pain is under control, therapists focus on rehabilitation, using a core strength program to increase stability and guard against further injury.
