Are Chiropractors Good For Treating Herniated Discs?
Clear Lake Chiropractor Comments: Herniated discs can occur anywhere in the spine, with the neck (cervical) and low back (lumbar) being the most common. Usually, people will be complaining of pain or weakness either radiating down their arm or leg along with neck or back pain.
Just because you are having pain or weakness going from your neck or back down your arms or legs does not automatically mean that you have a herniated disc. You can have a radiculopathy (pinched nerve) or sciatica from irritation of the nerve due to arthritic degeneration or trauma that does not affect the disc.
Sometimes people have gone to their regular medical doctor, who ordered an MRI that stated that they had a herniated or bulging disc. They assume that since the MRI showed a disc complaint then that must be the cause of their pain. Well, 25% of the population has an asymptomatic herniated disc. The doctor needs to make sure that the herniation is clinically relevant. In other words, is the disc herniation on the same side as the problem and is it at the vertebral level where the symptoms are located.
With all of that said, chiropractors are very good for treating herniated discs, bulging discs, and disc protrusions. The only type of disc injury that chiropractors typically do not get good lasting results from are disc injuries with a sequestered fragment. These injuries usually only get temporary relief and require surgical co-management.
If the cause of your symptoms is a herniated disc, then chiropractors are the best non-surgical option. Most chiropractors will treat the herniated disc with physical modalities, stretches, and exercises, just like a physical therapist (PT). In addition, a chiropractor will include spinal manipulation to take the pressure off the herniated disc. The spinal adjustments will help to decompress the affected area. This combination of therapy and spinal manipulation gives the best lasting benefit. Most patients have relief of their pain in weakness in 4-6 weeks after 8-12 therapy sessions.
In our office, we will comanage the problem with your medical doctor if the pain is too great or if there is too much muscle spasm.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at www.BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
