Chiropractic Treatment for Herniated Disc in Redwood City
A herniated disc is a disc that has slipped or bulged out of place or a portion of the inner disc has broken through the outer disc material.
At Awender Chiropractic, we have been offering herniated disc treatments since 1961. Our second generation, Spanish chiropractor in Redwood City, Dr. Joseph E. Awender II, is proud to continue the family tradition of providing conservative treatments for herniated discs.
The Symptoms of a Herniated Disc
Herniated discs often cause lower back pain and a loss of range of motion of the spine because they put pressure on the surrounding soft tissues and nerve roots. If the disc puts pressure on the sciatic nerve, the injury is called sciatica, and it causes lower leg pain and difficulty walking as well as pain in the lower back.
Between the bones of your spine are small gel-filled structures called discs. If damage occurs to one of these discs, it can cause the inner gel-like fluid to leak out. This is called a disc herniation.
A herniated disc can put pressure on nearby structures, including nerves, muscles, and other tissues, which can cause a variety of symptoms including pain in the back, buttocks, hips, or legs, back stiffness, and muscle spasms. Causes may include a sedentary lifestyle, being overweight, poor posture, and accidents such as slips.
Herniated disc symptoms may not get better with time. Thankfully, our chiropractor can help you find pain relief Redwood City with a variety of non-invasive chiropractic treatments.
Causes of a Lumbar Herniated Disc
Even though those outer layers are tough, they can be weakened by age, general wear and tear, a sedentary lifestyle and/or obesity. Weakened discs are more easily damaged by repetitive motion, force, and the act of lifting heavy weight and then shifting that weight. When the outer layers of the disc are weak, the pressure from the jelly-like center pushes on the weak layers and changes the shape of the disc. We call that change to the shape of a disc a bulge, or prolapse. The outer layers of the disc can also tear, and if that jelly-like center starts to ooze between the torn layers, that is a disc herniation.
In both a disc bulge and a disc herniation, the changed shape of the disc can put pressure on the nearby nerves and/or spinal cord, and that pressure often causes pain. The location of the disc bulge or herniation may cause pain in other areas. For example, a bulging or herniated disc in the low back (lumbar spine) may cause radiating pain, numbness or tingling, or muscle weakness in one or both legs and/or feet. A disc problem in the neck (cervical spine) may cause similar symptoms in the arms or hands.
Diagnosis of a Lumbar Herniated Disc
To diagnose a disc problem, chiropractors perform neurologic and orthopedic tests during your initial examination. These tests help figure out whether you have a disc problem, and which nerves may be affected by a disc bulge or herniation. Depending on the findings of your physical examination and the severity of your symptoms, an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) or x-rays may be requested.
Chiropractors sometimes look at the spacing between the vertebrae on an x-ray to get an idea of the disc height and spine health in general, but an MRI is the best way to get detailed information about soft tissues, such as discs. It is possible that a bulging or herniated disc is seen on an MRI but is not causing any discomfort, so sometimes the condition is discovered when a person has an MRI for some other reason.
Treatment Options for a Lumbar Herniated Disc
If you are considering chiropractic care Redwood City for your herniated disc, our chiropractor, Dr. Joseph E. Awender II can help you. There are many different options for treating a bulging or herniated disc. Chiropractors can help diagnose a disc problem and create a treatment plan with you to decrease your discomfort and improve the health of your spine. Dr. Awender offers combination treatment programs for herniated discs that include spinal decompression and chiropractic adjustments.
Spinal Decompression
Spinal decompression in Redwood City is an effective way to help heal herniated discs. The treatment works by applying a force on specific sections of your spine to stretch it. This helps increase the spaces between your vertebrae so that your bulging or herniated disc has room to retract and refill with fluid.
When you come into our office for your spinal decompression session with our Redwood City chiropractor, you will be asked to lie down on a spinal decompression table. A belt that is connected to a pulley system will be placed around your waist, and our chiropractor will set the machine for your specific treatment.
The sessions typically last between 20 and 45 minutes, and you do not need to do anything while you lay on the table. This treatment is generally relaxing and requires no recovery time after your session.
Chiropractic Adjustments
Receiving a chiropractic adjustment in Redwood City in conjunction with spinal decompression sessions can help decrease your recovery time by ensuring your vertebrae are correctly aligned. When the vertebrae in the spine are slightly misaligned, which is called a subluxation; it can put pressure on your bulging disc and the surrounding soft tissues, which can slow the healing process.
By correcting your subluxations and offering spinal decompression, our Redwood City chiropractor is helping to heal your injury while providing you with natural pain relief.
Visit Our Redwood City Chiropractor Today
Redwood City chiropractor, Dr. Joseph E. Awender II, has been providing back pain relief caused by herniated discs in Redwood City and the surrounding communities for years. Along with his team, he is committed to providing drug-free, non-invasive, natural healing methods to all patients looking to restore their health.
To learn more about our chiropractic care in Redwood City or to schedule your initial consultation, contact us at (650) 366-1273 now. New clients receive our exclusive offer for an initial consultation!