Dear Dr. Bart,
About 6 months ago I was at a family gathering when I tripped and fell. I immediately knew something was wrong. It felt like something in my lower back had given out. As it turns out, I had herniated one of my discs. I’ve been in pretty terrible pain ever since. For a while, I couldn’t even tie my own shoes. It seems like I’ve tried everything to fix the problem, but I’m not getting anywhere. Even traditional chiropractic doesn’t seem to help. Do you have any suggestions?
Sincerely,
Sarah
Sarah, at this stage, we would recommend you explore Spinal Decompression, a type of treatment that we offer at River Ridge Chiropractic. We’ve had many patients in your position who have benefited from Spinal Decompression.
What is a “Herniated Disc”?
A spinal disc herniation is a medical condition affecting the spine, often due to trauma or lifting injuries in which a tear in the outer, fibrous ring of intervertebral disc allows the soft central portion to bulge out (see image). This tear in the disc ring may directly cause severe pain, even in the absence of nerve root compression. Disc herniations are normally a further development of a previously existing disc protrusion, a condition in which the outermost layers of the annulus fibrosus are still intact, but can bulge when the disc is under pressure.
Spinal Decompression as a treatment utilizes a Spinal Decompression table. The table has a harness system that attaches to your hips, thoracic cavity or neck (depending on the location of the problem) that then gently distracts the area open creating negative pressure. This sucks the disc’s material back into place, alleviates pressure on the nerve, and promotes healing. The great thing about this type of treatment is that it is an alternative to costly and risky back surgery.
Here is what patient, Tim, had to say about his experience with the treatment:
Initially, I was nervous about it, but I was pleasantly surprised that the Spinal Decompression wasn’t painful or uncomfortable. Oftentimes after my treatments, I felt immediate relief. As the treatments progressed, I found myself regaining mobility. My quality of life was definitely improved, and I was able to avoid having surgery.
The frequency of treatments, as well as the length of the treatment plan will vary from patient to patient. At River Ridge Chiropractic, we analyze a number of factors to in order to develop the best treatment plan for you. In the next blog, I’ll be discussing exercises that a patient can perform in conjunction with Spinal Decompression Therapy to aid their recovery.
