Herniated discs are very common in the U.S. and more than three million people every year suffer from this condition. Herniated discs occur when the soft center of a spinal disc — the cushion between vertebrae — squeezes through a crack in the exterior casing. You can think of it like the jelly bursting from a donut. Only the donut is made of bone and the jelly bursting out is painful, not delicious.
Herniationation is usually a process that occurs over time, and the disc material degenerates over time. But that doesn’t mean that it isn’t treatable! Revelation Chiropractic professional chiropractors have helped many Fort Collins patients experience less pain. Learn more about herniated discs and contact us for a new patient special!
Symptoms
There’s a big difference between average, stress, or posture induced back pain and herniated discs. Most herniated discs happen in people’s lower back — where most of our chiropractic patients experience pain. The most common signs that you may have a herniated disc are:
– Pain in your buttocks, thighs, and calves. Pain may shoot into your arm leg if you cough, sneeze, or in other certain ways.
– Numbness or tingling. Because a herniated disc is an injury to your nervous system, it produces tingling in the body that’s served by the injured nerves.
– Weakness. Muscles that served by the injured nerves in your spine are not getting the information they need to work correctly, which means you may find yourself stumbling, or unable to lift items.
– No symptoms. You can also have a herniated disc without knowing it. A spinal image or x-ray is necessary to know whether or not you have one.
Herniated discs are serious injuries, and can affect all areas of your body. You should always seek medical attention if you are experiencing any numbness, tingling, or weakness in your body. If you have already been diagnosed with a herniated disc, our Fort Collins chiropractors are happy to work with you on spine specific adjustments and stretches.
Prevention
There are a few things you can do to help keep your nervous and spinal system happy, and hopefully prevent a herniated disc from happening. If you’ve had a herniated disc in the past, these are also good habits to keep in mind to prevent another injury from occurring:
– Exercise. Exercising regularly keeps our bodies strong, which helps stabilize and support our spine. Core exercises are especially good when it comes to protecting the spine.
– Good posture. We tell our patients everyday that posture is key to spinal health. Posture, posture, posture!
– Maintain a healthy weight. Carrying excess weight puts more pressure on the spine, and, in turn, the discs.
– Schedule appointments with a chiropractor. Regular chiropractic adjustments can keep things in order, and keep your body healthy.
Revelation Chiropractic in Fort Collins
Our Fort Collins team of chiropractors know that chiropractic adjustments can change lives — we’ve seen it happen. This is part of what makes us so proud to educate families and individuals and help them find optimal health. We truly believe that your health affects every part of your life, and getting to the root of dysfunction within the nervous system is the best way to start.
We want to help you live life to the fullest, including relieving pain from herniated discs. Contact us today to set up an appointment and ask about our new patient special.