Disc Injury in Covington?

Are you living with a slipped disc or other disc injury in Covington? If you have a suspicion that your chronic back pain is being caused by a disc injury, or you have received a diagnosis that confirm you are dealing with this kind of issue, you will probably benefit from the best chiropractic care in Covington you can find.

Whether the pain is mild or severe, it is important to deal with it promptly so that the issue does not progress an cause more permanent damage. The following article discusses some of the symptoms of disc injuries with the aim of helping you to understand what you are dealing with. It also goes over how chiropractic care may give you immediate relief from the pain and discomfort associated with a disc injury, as well as possible long-term recovery.

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Disc Injury Treatment in Covington

The little pads that lie between your vertebrae are called the intervertebral discs. Each of these discs has a tough outer ring and a soft gel-like center. Your disc's job is to both join and to separate your vertebrae from one another. These discs act as cushions, or shock absorbers, so that the bones don’t make contact with each other as you move around, carry large objects, and bend over. Without the discs you would literally be unable to move your upper torso. Here are a few of the different kinds of disc injuries that make movements of the upper torso painful and difficult:

• A protruding disc occurs when the disc becomes asymmetrical and the gel is pushed out or bulging.
• A herniated disc is when the disc material has ruptured to the point that the gel pushes outward.
• A disc extrusion is the worst type of disc injury. This is when the gel balloons extensively into the area outside the vertebrae or breaks off from the disc.

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Signs and Symptoms of a Disc Injury

All of the above issues tend to result in considerable back pain, numbness, and limitation in range of motion due to the irritation of the nerve roots at the point where the injury occurs and the impact this has on the surrounding tissues. A number of distressing symptoms can arise from this nerve irritation and damage, including but not limited to:

• Back pain
• Neck pain
• Weak legs or feet
• Leg and foot pain, numbness and tingling (also known as sciatica)
• Loss of bladder or bowel control

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WHAT IS A HERNIATION OR A BULGING DISC?

While discs are extremely strong, they are susceptible to damage and subsequent weakening. Over time, damage to the disc can weaken the annulus allowing the inner nucleus to bulge at the weakened area, or in the most severe cases herniate completely through. We will refer back to the jelly donut analogy to illustrate this concept. As pressure is applied to the intervertebral disc, it typically causes a slight enlargement on the opposite side of the disc due to a shifting of the fluid nucleus (jelly). For example, when a person bends forward to pick something up they increase the pressure on the front of the disc, causing the jelly (nucleus) to shift to the back. In a healthy disc, the enlargement and fluid will return back to its normal position once the added pressure or stress is removed. However, when the disc has been compromised, it will often remain in its deformed state causing disruption or even damage to the surrounding structures.

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DO YOU HAVE A PINCHED NERVE

Your spine is designed to allow a certain amount of turning and bending while keeping the nerve supply open. The spinal cord is protected by these 24 bones and nerves extend off each side of the spinal cord at each segmental level to its corresponding organs. Just like a hose, when a nerve is being compressed it impairs your body’s ability to function at its full potential.

When a vertebra is out of its natural position, it can compress the nerve that passes through the surrounding openings and then those nerves become irritated. When this change occurs we refer it the resulting structure as a subluxation. Even more than just a subluxation occurring, there are two different classifications for this nerve interference.

The first is a compressed lesion which is actually not very common. It’s a more eloquent way of saying “pinched nerve”. The most common is what is known as a facilitative lesion. This is the result of the nerve root being twisted, strained, or chafed.

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Chiropractic Care for Disc Injury

Chiropractic care in Covington for disc injuries has a proven track record of providing both short-term pain relief and long-term recovery. A chiropractic treatment involves a thorough assessment of your medical history and x-rays, as well as a physical examination in order to determine the extent of the disc injury and the appropriate treatment.

The approach that is taken will be individually tailored to your specific issue and will always include gentle adjustments to the spine to relieve pressure on the nerves and deal with the pain and discomfort. If you have a disc injury, call our team at Tru-Health Wellness Center today to receive a consultation and start on the path to recovery.