Dealing with a Disc Injury?

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A disc injury in Clinton, Landover, Waldorf, and Washington, DC is a serious issue that should be addressed as soon as possible with a well-thought-out chiropractic care treatment plan. With a slipped disc or another disc injury, chronic back pain can be a mild or severe problem that grows worse with time. While the disc isn’t properly aligned, it could be causing further damage, sometimes even permanent damage. Whether you have already received a diagnosis or are only having a hunch about what’s causing your back pain, it’s best to learn as much as possible and seek out a trusted chiropractor to find the answers you need.


What is a Disc Injury?

Your spinal column is made up of many interlocking bones known as vertebrae. Between those vertebrae are little intervertebral discs. They have a soft center and a tough outside edge. These discs keep your vertebrae from rubbing against each other while also keeping them joined together. Essentially, your intervertebral discs are shock absorbers in your spinal column. When you carry a large object, bend at an odd angle, or otherwise go about moving your body through the day, your discs are there to keep your body moving fluidly. Without them, the upper torso would become immobile. These seemingly small pieces of anatomy are an essential part of what keeps the body moving.


Symptoms of a Disc Injury

There are different kinds of disc injuries. They happen in different ways and cause different kinds of pain and mobility problems.

One type of disc injury is known as a protruding disc. This is where the soft gel center of the disc bulges out. The disc is asymmetrical. In this situation, nothing is where it should be.

A herniated disc is a common type of disc injury where the gel pushes outward after it has ruptured.

While all disc injuries are serious problems, the worst kind is disc extrusion. The gel in the center of the disc expands, like a balloon. In this scenario, the gel extends outside of the vertebrae, sometimes even breaking off from the disc.

In any of these scenarios, back pain is involved. These injuries can also affect the range of mobility and cause symptoms like numbness.

Surrounding the spinal column are nerves that travel throughout the body. A disc injury can cause these surrounding nerves to become irritated, which can send pain to elsewhere in the body. It can also affect the tissues surrounding the point of injury.

Some symptoms people with disc injuries often have include neck pain, back pain, leg pain, foot pain, numbness or tingling in the legs, weak legs or feet, and loss of bladder or bowel control.

When the sciatic nerve is bothered, sciatica may become an issue. The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body, traveling from the lower back, down the backs of the legs, and into the feet. When sciatica becomes a problem, there may be pain, numbness, or weakness in either leg. In rare instances, it can cause issues in both legs.


Finding Relief with Chiropractic Care

Disc injuries benefit greatly from the help of a chiropractor. A trusted chiropractor can perform an exam, take down a medical history, and work with you to discover the source of the pain. Once the disc injury has been confirmed, they can work to create a treatment plan with you to prove immediate relief and a long-term solution.

Disc injuries have a long history of being treated with chiropractic methods. Your chiropractor will want to create a personalized treatment plan that will work for your symptoms.

Chiropractic care at Maryland Spine Rehab involves noninvasive treatments. Instead of popping pills to lessen the pain, their treatment plan will involve gentle adjustments to the vertebrae, putting your spinal column back to its natural alignment. This will relieve the pressure on the nerves and provide some immediate relief.

Are you ready for a consultation with a Clinton, Landover, Waldorf, and Washington, DC chiropractor? Contact our office today to begin the process of creating a personalized treatment plan for your disc injury.