Do you suffer with disc problems that are causing pain in your spine and other areas? Disc problems can really burden the sufferer between the stiffness in the back, the pain in different areas, and the tingling and weakness affecting the nerves. Chiropractors are constantly seeing people needing treatment for disc herniation and bulging disc problems. Take a look at what it means to have a disc problem and how chiropractors are treating them.
What do spinal discs do?
Spinal discs are those spongy pads that live on the spinal column between your vertebrae. These discs are flat, sensitive, circular capsules only about an inch in diameter and covered in a tougher outer membrane. They are your spine’s shock absorbers during movement and they work to hold the spine in place.
While these sacs are only fluid-filled sacs in childhood, they begin to solidify into adulthood in which the bloody supply stops so that the inner material can harden. Adults are more prone to disc injuries and degeneration since discs harden with age and become like hard rubber by middle age.
Types of disc problems
Some of the disc problems people sometimes encounter are slipped discs or bulging discus. A herniated disc is a bulging disc that occurs when fluid pushes out through a crack in the exterior. This can cause pain or numbness to the nearby nerves in your arm or leg, but in some cases, no symptoms occur from the herniated disc.
If you get a herniated disc, you will either have a prolapse or a protrusion. A protrusion means that the disc is bulging and pushing it out of shape while a prolapsed disc is one that bulges out so much that it becomes separated from the other discs. A severe prolapsed disc could be bad enough to affect daily activities like sitting, standing, and walking.
Symptoms and treatment
Do you have pain in your leg, buttock, or foot? Do you find it painful to do certain movements in your arm, neck, or shoulder? Is your spine stiff or tender? Do you have unexplained numbness, weakness, or tingling in certain body parties? These are all signs and symptoms of disc issues in your spine.
Chiropractic can definitely help you with this problem. There are safe ways to treat bulging or herniated discs. Your chiropractor will likely take digital images and ask about your history to see what type of issue may be occurring and how to treat it.
If you are suffering from a disc problem, talk to us right away so that you can get your spine issues corrected and get back to your daily routines again.