Ypsilanti Chiropractors and Ann Arbor Chiropractors Help Bulging Discs
The vertebrae are the bones of the spine. In between those vertebrae are discs. These discs act like shock absorbers. They help to prevent wear and tear of your spine and help to keep you moving with ease. These fantastic discs sometimes have problems or their own! But don’t fear, Ann Arbor chiropractors and Ypsilanti chiropractors are experts at treating disc issues. In this blog post, we will explore some of the issues that can happen with the discs of your spine and also how chiropractors can treat those issues.
DISC BULGES AND HERNIATIONS
The words disc bulges and herniations are often used interchangeably. When you have a disc bulge, the jelly donut center of your disc called the nucleus pulposus is squished out of the side of your disc. This will put pressure on the nerves that come out between the bones of the spine. Sometimes disc bulges can happen all at once like a lifting injury, or they can happen slowly over time, like with repetitive traumas. Sometimes you can have debilitating and crippling pain that extends all the way down to your feet and sometimes you might not have that much pain at all. This all depends on the degree of your disc bulging and the surrounding structures that it interacts with.
One of the most common causes of a building disc is lifting injury, like when someone bends down to pick up something heavy. The added stress and position of the spine makes it more likely you will get a lumbar disc bulge.
BULGING DISC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Most of the time, disc bulges happen in the lumbar spine. However, it is possible to have a disc bulge at any level of the spine. Generally, a disc bulge starts with intense back pain. This pain can travel down the leg even into the foot. You may experience numbness, tingling, or weakness in the leg. Bulging discs usually happen on just one side and therefore cause symptoms down just one leg. However, it is possible to have a disc bulge that causes symptoms on both sides. Bulging discs in the neck can cause pain, numbness, tinging, and/or weakness that travels down the arm into the hand. It is important to seek attention from a medical professional when you have any of these signs or symptoms.
CHIROPRACTIC TREATMENT FOR BULGING DISCS
Thankfully, chiropractic care is a safe and effective treatment for bulging discs. It is important to see a chiropractor you trust and one that is willing and able to communicate with your primary care physician. Chiropractic treatment can include gentle adjusting in an effort to restore proper motion to the joints of the spine. Flexion distraction therapy is used to pump the jelly center of the disc back into place and decrease compression on spinal nerve roots. Additionally, a chiropractic can and should advise you regarding exercises you can do at home to help stabilize your core and decrease your pain.
Though a disc bulge can happen in a matter of seconds, it can take weeks to heal. Therefore, it is important that your chiropractor put you on a treatment plan with clear goals and expectations. If for some reason you do not see any improvement in two weeks or if your symptoms get worse, it is important to follow up with your primary care physician in case you need further imaging.
Collective Culture Health & Chiropractic hopes to be your Ann Arbor chiropractor and Ypsilanti chiropractor. We have several years of experience and will offer your safe and effective treatment. Give our team a call today to begin your healing journey.
