Herniated Disc Treatment in Grand Rapids MI

Suffering from back pain and unsure what caused it? You are not alone. The number of reported cases of back pain rises every year; the National Center for Health Statistics has estimated that more than 13% of all hospital admissions involve some variation of back pain. While fractures, sprains, strains, and spinal stenosis can all be responsible, a herniated or bulging disc is by far one of the most common causes, and studies suggest that roughly 35% of Americans have one, many without any symptoms yet.

What a disc actually does

A typical person has 23 intervertebral discs, each separating neighboring vertebrae. Every disc has two primary components: the annulus, a ring of tough circular fibers, and a fluid nucleus at its center. Picture a jelly donut, with the nucleus as the jelly inside the annulus. Simple as the design is, these discs are among the most remarkable structures in the human body. They act as the spine's only shock absorbers, cushioning every step and motion of your life while protecting the surrounding nerves and muscles.

What is a herniated or bulging disc?

Discs are extremely strong, but they can be damaged and weakened. Over time, damage can weaken the annulus, allowing the inner nucleus to bulge at the weak spot or, in the most severe cases, herniate completely through. Back to the jelly donut: when you bend forward to pick something up, pressure on the front of the disc shifts the jelly toward the back. In a healthy disc, everything returns to its normal position once the stress is removed. In a compromised disc, the bulge stays put, disrupting or damaging the structures around it, including the nerves that run down your legs.

So what weakened the disc in the first place? Usually the pain has been building for years. The heavy box, the bent-over shoe tie, even the cough that made it suddenly noticeable was just the final straw. Long before that moment, factors such as spinal misalignments (subluxations), osteoarthritis, loss of the spine's normal curves, and everyday poor posture were quietly weakening the outer annulus. The moment you felt the pain was most likely the moment the nucleus pushed through and began pressing on the surrounding nerves.

How we fix a herniated or bulging disc

With any treatment, starting with the least invasive, most conservative approach is the wise move, and for herniated discs, the conservative approach has also proven to be among the most effective. Dr. Paul McAllister begins with a comprehensive evaluation, using on-site X-rays (or MRI referral when indicated) to confirm the diagnosis, then explains exactly what is going on in a clear Report of Findings.

Because vertebral misalignments around the disc are one of the most common contributors to herniation, precise chiropractic adjustments are one of the most effective treatment choices, especially when combined with spinal decompression therapy. Decompression gently opens space between the vertebrae, easing pressure on the disc and giving it room to heal, while enhancing the results of your adjustments and speeding recovery. And because Dr. McAllister is an Advanced Certified Activator Methods chiropractor, those adjustments can be delivered with a gentle, low-force instrument, no twisting of an already irritated spine. Compared with surgery, this combination carries far less risk and far less cost.

Related conditions

A herniated disc in the low back is one of the most common causes of sciatica, the shooting pain that runs from the low back down the leg. It is also closely related to general back pain and other disc injuries such as slipped and extruded discs. If any of those sound familiar, the evaluation is the same.

Find out what your discs are doing

If you are suffering from back pain, or you simply want an evaluation to find out whether you are one of the many Americans with an asymptomatic disc bulge, contact Kentwood Family Chiropractic in Grand Rapids MI today. Better to find out now than when the ticking clock runs out.