Herniated Discs and Decompression Therapy
Disc herniation or bulging of the discs most commonly occurs in the lumbar spine (lower back) and typically develops due to the displacement of disc material beyond the space of the intervertebral disc.
The spine is a collection of individual vertebrae that are stacked on top of each other from the neck to the buttocks. The intervertebral disc is the region between each vertebra that provides support and cushioning to prevent rubbing of vertebrae. Furthermore, the intervertebral discs contain a gel-like material inside, called a nucleus pulposus (similar to the oil present in the shocks of vehicles). It is responsible for reducing friction between the vertebra and provide lubrication to aid in spine movement. The rapture of the coverings through the outer layer of the disc surrounding this gel-like substance results in the herniation of a disc. Disc herniation may result in symptoms, including debilitating lower back pain that can make daily activities challenging to perform.
What does a herniated disc feel like?
A herniated disc may have many primary and associated symptoms, but the lower back pain is usually the first symptom. In a majority of cases (mild to moderate ones), this pain will last for a few hours to days and then subside without any medical or surgical intervention. However, the weakness of the lower extremity, leg pain, and numbness or tingling often follow.
In more than 50% of the cases, the leg pain ultimately travels beneath the knee and can involve the ankle and foot. Loss of bowel or bladder control is a rare symptom of lumbar disc herniation which may indicate a more ominous problem. This loss of control results from compression of the surrounding nerves and is regarded as an emergency that needs immediate surgical attention.
How Spinal Decompression Can Treat Herniated Discs?
Research and clinical trials indicate that the herniated disc is responsible for a large number of cases of the back, leg, neck, and arm pain syndromes. As the intervertebral discs don’t have their own blood supply, they don’t receive oxygen and nutrients. Discs use a diffusion process created by decompression and motion to enhance healing and restore nutrients. According to a recent study, specific exercises and combination of stretches is an effective option to relieve lower back pain. However, all cases don’t well respond to these exercises and require additional therapeutic procedures to improve function in persons with symptomatic disc herniation. One of the safest, effective and non-invasive back therapy to reverse disc herniation is spinal decompression therapy. It uses an FDA-approved machine and specifically designed technique to gently and gradually stretch the spine. This stretching ultimately lessens the load on the herniated disc (compressed nerve root) and can result in a reduction or even absolute alleviation of pain.
Decompression therapy, also known as IID therapy is cheap than long-term use of pain medications and surgery. Furthermore, it is non-invasive, completely drug-free and requires no extensive recovery time. Most of all, its prognosis rate is very high as it can help 80-95% of people suffering from chronic back or leg pain due to disc injury.
If you are suffering from herniated discs, degenerative disc disease or bulging discs, you should consult an experienced chiropractor. Many proven alternatives to expensive prescription pain medications and invasive back surgery are available nowadays. The discovery of the right herniated disc treatment solution (like spinal decompression therapy) can dramatically provide pain relief and improve quality of life.