How can Chiropractic care help with Slipped Disks?

Herniated disks or slipped disks; whatever you call them, they’re painful. The aging process makes adults increasingly more susceptible to problems with the disks between spinal vertebrae, and treatment can be tricky. When even surgeons urge patients to avoid surgery whenever possible, where should you turn for treatment?

What is a Slipped Disk?

Another name for a herniated disk, a slipped disc is a condition in which the spongy, shock-absorbing disks between vertebrae gradually become less flexible and more prone to tears and ruptures. Often, patients suffering from this condition have difficulty pinpointing the injury that caused a herniated disk, simply because even a minor strain or ill-timed twist while lifting can be the culprit.

There are two types of slipped disks: prolapses and protrusions. The latter occurs when the disk begins to bulge and be pushed out of shape by the surrounding bone and tissues. The former is a more serious condition, in which the disk bulges until it separates completely. When this happens, the disk begins to put pressure on the nerves and spinal cord, causing severe localized pain, loss of muscle control and numbness in the feet or legs.

While they’re more likely to occur as you get older, as the disks between your vertebrae lose more water content, there are some factors that can increase your risk of a herniated or slipped disk. You may be genetically more predisposed to the condition, and a physically demanding job can also increase your risk, along with being overweight.

How Do Chiropractors Treat a Slipped Disk?

In most cases, a herniated disk will be diagnosed by a medical doctor when you make an appointment to complain of back pain. Your primary care provider may recommend non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications and referral to a specialist, or they may recommend visiting a chiropractor.

While a Doctor of Chiropractic treats more than just back pain, it is one of their most commonly treated conditions. When you have a herniated or slipped disk, your chiropractor will work closely with you to create a treatment plan designed to lessen pain, increase flexibility and strengthen your back. Your chiropractor may order imaging tests like x-rays to get a more thorough view of your spine and its current condition. Once they’ve completed their evaluation, in most cases, your chiropractor will want to have a conversation about your own health management goals as they related to your slipped disk.

Treatment will often include spinal manipulation and adjustments, but your chiropractor may also devise a custom exercise schedule based upon your needs and the location of your slipped disk to help you work toward recovery on your own time.

The complication rate, risks and expense of invasive spinal surgery are very real concerns. If you’re suffering from the pain of a slipped disk, which may present as pain, tingling and numbness in the extremities due to the nerves that are affected by the herniation, a chiropractor may provide the clearest, lowest-risk path to recovery.