What are the causes of a herniated disk?

In between the vertebrae in your backbone can be found flexible, squashy, spinal discs that are shielded by a harder surface layer. This layer surrounds the soft nucleus that allows for cushioning and the smooth movement of your backbone, like shock absorbers for your car. When one of the spinal discs becomes compressed between the bones in the spine, it can make the squashy material of the disk become herniated through the disc and press on the nerves in your lower back or neck. This bulging or herniated disk causes friction from direct contact with nerve endings. Herniated disk is also frequently called slipped or ruptured disk.

As the body grows older, especially if a person leads an inactive lifestyle without much activity to keep the backbone limber and flexible, the discs can degenerate and become flattened. The spinal disc can become brittle if the degeneration is allowed to progress, which can potentially make them more susceptible to injury.

A herniated disk can be caused by a strain from twisting the back rigorously. This injury can happen anywhere on the spine, but it most generally occurs in the lumbar region or the neck. The patient will feel discomfort in the location where the disk has been ruptured and they could have shooting agony down their legs or their arms.

Symptoms of herniated disk

There are many tell-tale signs of a herniated disk. The patient begins to feel shooting pains from the back down into the legs. There may be tingling and numb sensations in the legs and hands from the nerves being pushed down. The agony can fluctuate from mild to intense dependent on the situation of the hurt disk and degree of injury.

Decompression: a safe, non invasive treatment option

Spinal Decompression is a leading edge technology that is safe, non-invasive, and approved by the FDA to treat spinal conditions such as herniated disc and other agonizing conditions effecting the spine. Designed to alleviate the pressure from the herniated disc and compressed nerves by slowly and softly stretching the backbone at a certain angle followed by cycles of partial relaxation. This pattern of distraction and relaxation creates a “vacuum effect” or negative intra-disc pressure.

Relieving the compression on the disk may lead to the herniated or bulging disk to retract or get sucked back in the protective annulus therefore removing the pressure from the nerve that was causing the agony and numbness.

The repetitiveness of gradually stretching and then relaxing the spinal discs over the course of one or two visits to the Chiropractor’s office, allows oxygen and nutritious fluids to flow into the disk allowing the damaged discs to start the recovery process.

Spinal decompression treatment is a non-surgical treatment for precise back pain conditions, including:

- Degenerative disc disease
- Facet syndrome
- Herniated disc
- Lower back pain
- Neck pain
- Neuralgia
- Pinched nerve
- Sciatica
- Spinal stenosis
- Bulging disc
- Numbness & Tingling

Is decompression a painful procedure?

Spinal decompression is a pain-free, non-invasive care that mitigates back pain and neck pain. The patient will be strapped in to the machine and the straps are connected to the computer, which softly separates the backbones with a specific stretching force. The treatment is so snug that many patients really go to sleep.

When people do not want to spend their money on a doctor and get medication for their aches and pains, they will turn to other methods, such as holistic treatments or chiropractic care. Chiropractors will pull and stretch muscles, contort bones and manipulate the body in a way that relieves pains caused by illness, injury or aging.

These professionals will give their patients information and advice about how to best care for their bones and will instruct them on a few exercises they can practice at home so they can help themselves. Chiropractors will also give their patients advice on how to avoid harm to their spine and bones. They will instruct the patient how to do specific exercises and contortions on their own, to create a more flexible environment for his or her body.

Holistic methods are very often chosen under these circumstances. People want to eliminate the ache but may not want to risk becoming dependent on a medication to alleviate it, or high doctor bills to pay. It is a good idea for anyone considering holistic methods to do a lot of research on the Internet about what method might work best for them. There are several options they can choose from.

People very often experience difficulty in the lower spinal area. This is a place on the body that is relied upon for balance and control. The muscles surrounding the lower spine are used for lifting, bending and moving about. This is why this kind of pain can cause a patient to lose their mobility. Infections, illnesses and injuries can have an affect on this area of the body even if the condition was not directly related to it. This is the best reason for patients to make sure their doctor, chiropractor or holistic method therapist knows about their medical history in full.

A very popular method is massage therapy. An expert therapist will massage and tenderize the muscles of the upper and lower back, alleviating tension and stress in that area. These professionals are well-educated in human anatomy, the same as chiropractors and acupuncturists. Acupuncture is also very popular as a way of relieving painful tension. This method is one in which a professional therapist will place needles in specific areas of the body and will slowly rotate them. This has a calming, relaxing effect on the mind and body of the patient.

Methods that can be used to help with this condition at home, like stretching, yoga and meditation are popular among people with this kind of ailment. Along with any of these methods, incorporating a healthy diet very often contributes to recovery from pain.

Anyone who is having difficulty with severe Palm Desert back pain should consult their family physician to get a proper diagnosis if they are unsure what has caused the aching. Sometimes, unrelated conditions will cause this area to flare up. Physical therapy may be in order for patients who have been injured, instead of alternative methods.

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Spinal decompression treatment is used when nerves become pinched by the vertebra or discs in the spinal column. Approved by the American Food and Drug Association, this is a non-surgically invasive, non-chiropractic therapy. Treatments are received while the patient is lying on a special table, which is connected to a computer. The computer software controls a built-in traction device, and is able to adjust the duration and level of treatment, allowing precision control of the length, angle, and force of distraction.

Patients are usually strapped to a decompression table, which is designed to gently move in a way that will decompress a disc. The movements are computer controlled, and the intended result is the creation of of a small space between vertebra. This small spinal elongation places the bones in a configuration that doesn’t compress or pinch nerves. More than one treatment is usually required.

This type of treatment originated in the late 1980s. It has a success rate ranging from moderate to high, and has provided relief for many people who sought a form of treatment that didn’t involve the need for surgery or daily pain medication. Because it is relatively new, spinal decompression treatment methods are evolving, and are making use of new aspects of therapy that were not previously available.

In the beginning, decompression was accomplished by utilizing a software controlled system of pulleys on a table. Similar to traditional traction devices in physical design, these systems were computer controlled to some extent, but could not pinpoint pressure as accurately as desired. In addition, due to physical limitations some back patients had difficulty in participating in such procedures, and the early models excluded the neck area.

As computer technology improved, so have the machines. Advanced software allowed some essential treatment options that were previously unavailable. These new programs are designed to reach an affected vertebra with pinpoint accuracy, and now include treatment of neck problems. Isolating the segments of the spine enables the therapist to decrease and increase the speed and extent of joint distraction or movement, cutting treatment times for patients with difficulty maintaining an aligned posture.

For many patients, this kind of controlled joint distraction is nearly free from pain. And, for those patients who may benefit from a slightly different approach, these devices now include gravitational protocols. These protocols make use of the lower body’s natural mass and weight to help stretch the spine and neck back into a less painful configuration, and are now an integral component of many newer devices and software.

Medical advancements on spinal decompression and back pain today include biotechnological improvements in the areas of multi-directional treatment via advanced software, and the development of gravitational methods of therapy. While no medical treatment can be 100% guaranteed to reduce back pain for every patient, studies show a remarkably good result for those who experience spinal decompression. For many people, this kind of treatment has provided greater pain reduction than medication or invasive back surgery.

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The spine is divided into three sections. They are the lumbar, thoracic and cervical (neck). There are no less than 24 vertebrae and 110 joints making up the spinal column through which vital nerves and the even more important spinal cord travels. Alterations in vertebrae, the discs between them (like cushions) and joints can all cause great pain and even changes to certain bodily functions; particularly when nerves become pinched or pressure is placed on the cord. Whiplash is the leading injury sustained during motor vehicle accidents and deterioration may only be noticed months or years later.

Symptoms can be varied, as it depends on which C level (cervical), T level (Thoracic) or L level (Lumbar) has been injured. There may be morning back stiffness (revealing inflammation), pain in the hips, neck, shoulder, temple area or occipital skull area. Feeling constantly weary, with body aches and pains and even buttock and thigh pain may occur. One herniated disc or more, may be present.

Your doctor will see to your pain relief and suggest exercises in an attempt to keep you supple and build bone. You will most likely be placed on anti-inflammatory pain medication. Nature tries (but not without causing pain) to stabilize injuries to the spine by arthritic changes, bony protuberances called osteophytes and creating constrictive muscle-spasms.

Signs of importance to your orthopedic surgeon or doctor will include whether or not you have changes in primary bodily functions, numbness, pain or tingling in the outer extremities of your limbs, and perhaps a feeling of constriction of the chest. He will test the gripping strength of your hands, for example and note where exactly you feel discomfort. The disorder could go from acute to chronic and back over a long period of time interfering with daily activities, including your work.

As an adjunct to the care your doctor provides, he will no doubt refer you to a physiotherapist. Her expertise in gentle manipulation, massage, heat therapy, and gentle acupuncture using laser needles will become essential to the management of your pain. She may encourage you to use a back brace or cervical collar from time-to-time to warm and support your body. As stress can play a part in worsening symptoms, you may be placed on tranquillizers or even anti-depressants. Anti-depressants play a role by bringing your pain level down. A firm mattress and orthopedic pillow is also essential.

It may become necessary to have surgery at some stage. This is useful in restoring mobility to say, damaged knee or hip joints. Fusion of the cervical area is a last resort. Your physician will probably want you to have pain-reducing blocks or Rhizotomy treatments instead. Fused vertebrae only cause temporary relief as other vertebrae and joints take over their work. Alternately, the spinal level involved may be too high (at C1 and C2 for example) for fusion.

Unfortunately for the sufferer, the late effects of car injuries are usually not taken into any great consideration when insurance claims are paid out. That minor whiplash which invariably evolves into degenerative disease with time could handicap you to the extent that you cannot work.

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Patients with herniated disc of the lower back (lumbar spine) are treated either face up or face down on a table.

A cable from a computerized traction head is attached with a clip the lower harness. Then the pelvic portion of the table is released to allow sliding giving the decompression effect.

The computer traction head is programmed, for example, 50 pounds of traction for 45 seconds and then releases to 20 pounds traction for 25 seconds. Length of treatment is usually 10-15 minutes but is customized to the patient’s needs and comfort. Lumbar spinal decompression initially starts with about 30% of the patient’s weight and is increased to the patients comfort. However, the pounds of traction is limited to 90 pounds at the upper end. More traction is not always better. Rather the least amount of traction that cause the best result is the best choice.

Patients with herniated disc of the cervical spine starts with the patient lying flat of their back with their head in a sliding carriage that has two cushions placed below the base of the skull. Once the two cushions are tightened snugly around the sides of the neck, the patient’s head is strapped down to help keep the patient’s head in place so not interrupt the patient’s treatment.

Traction can be started with a pull tension of 15 pound but never to exceed 40 pounds of pressure. The pull pattern most often in the neck is 45 seconds of holding traction and relaxes to a resting traction 5 pounds of pressure for 25 seconds. Again treatment time is 10-15 minutes.

Patients treated with spinal decompression should allow for 30 minutes of treatment time in the clinic for one area and 45 minutes for both lower back and neck treatments.

Remember, spinal decompression is 1) extremely safe, 2) likely effective, 3) cleared by the FDA, 4) non-surgical, and 5) affordable.

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A car accident can be an emergency situation when the victims have to be rushed to the hospital in an effort to save their lives. Here, medical attention will be administered by a medical doctor who may prescribe x-rays, pain medication, and perhaps surgery if it is deemed necessary. Alternatively, it may be found that the victims have suffered damage to the musculoskeletal. This is where a chiropractor is of more help.
A chiropractor specializes in the treatment of muscles and joints with emphasis on the spine. Their method of treatment is holistic and offers hands-on care. Chiropractors work by making gentle adjustments to the spine. Some treatment also includes physiotherapy, therapeutic massage, and/or exercise.

Some car accident victims who have sought the services of a chiropractor have reported that they have felt better faster with chiropractic care than with medical drugs or doing nothing. This is especially true for those whom have suffered soft tissue and whiplash injuries.

Another advantage of using chiropractic treatment after a car accident is that a chiropractor may be able to identify injuries that were not detected right after an accident. When a person faces a situation such as an accident, the body’s natural reflexes put the body in defense mode. One way the body tries to protect itself is by producing hormones called endorphins which are natural painkillers. Once these hormones are present, an injured person may not feel pain and does not recognize that they have suffered an injury. An examination by a chiropractor is therefore recommended as a precaution even after being attended to by a medical doctor.

Some car accident victims also complain of persistent pain even after long periods of continued prescription drugs. This may happen because the effects of drugs may have worn off and the cause of pain is still present. Besides treating your sprains and strains, doctors of chiropractic will examine to find the root of your problem and make the necessary recommendations to zone in on the site of injury. Recovering from car accident injuries can be a long and painful process. Making use of a therapy that will hasten the recovery of general body aches, offer targeted pain relief and detect any underlying problems is the sensible thing to do. A trained chiropractor is the perfect physician to do so.

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Herniated or bulging discs can put a great deal of pressure on the surrounding nerves. Similar conditions like spinal stenosis, degenerative disc and pinched nerves can all benefit from spine decompression. This method stretches out the spine returning it to its normal positioning and pushes out the bulging disc to its correct place in the spine. When pressure is relieved on the spine the surrounding nerves can relax and will no longer send pain signals to the brain.

Many people have degenerative disc disease. It comes with age and can vary in severity. With the constant motion we put our backs and necks through after time the discs can show changes and sometimes this can cause a lot of pain. The pressure of this disease can be alleviated by the reduction of pressure on the nerves and proper alignment.

The way spinal decompression works is by separating the vertebrae. A vacuum or negative pressure is created inside of the spinal discs. This allows for retraction of the bulging or herniated disc and treatment takes from four to six weeks.

This method works by cycling through decompression and partial relaxation. By lying down on a table a computerized console guides the technician through each treatment which lasts about 20 to 45 minutes. Pain relief is often felt in the first few sessions. The vacuum effect that is created in the spine stimulates blood flow producing a healing environment.

For less severe cases stretching can be done at home to elongate the spine and create negative pressure in the discs. This allows for natural recession of the hernia or bulge and healing can take place naturally. Chiropractors are sometimes employed to assist is spine manipulation and to gently pull the upper and lower body to lengthen the spine. Inversion tables can also be beneficial. By hanging upside down by the feet the weight of the body pulls itself down to elongate the spine.

The spinal decompression machine mimics the hands of the technician by pulling and manipulating the upper and lower body to create a vacuum in the spine. This vacuum minimizes or eliminates the bulge in the disc and relieves pressure. It is used for back and neck pain. Using this method versus traditional surgery methods will help you to avoid the risks of infection, scar tissue and returns the body to stability in a shorter amount of time.

This FDA approved method is a safe and non-surgical treatment to eliminate the pain of a bulging disc. The success rate is high to moderate and much of this has to do with the doctor you are working with. In as few as 15 sessions you can feel a tremendous lessening of symptoms or even complete relief.

Back pain is a common thing, but that doesn’t mean you have to live with it. Do you want spinal decompression? Perhaps you need a disc bulge correction? Either way, we want to help.

This is an extremely painful and can be debilitating. With this group of symptoms there can be a large amount of actual causes. The most common cause for it is compression of a few of the sacral or lumbar nerves. These nerves are the ones in the base of your spine and the lower back. Another cause is when a spinal disk slips out of place and sits on the nerve.

Due to the broad range of causes this cluster of symptoms can be different for every individual which makes treatment difficult. There are a lot of doctors who disagree about how the different symptoms should be treated. It is difficult to tell what to treat and if the underlying cause is not found or is self inflicted it can be even harder. There are very few treatments that work other than to mask the symptoms and to relieve the pain.

These days there are as many causes of sciatica that are self inflicted as non self inflicted. There are ways that you can stand or sit on your wallet that can cause the symptoms of this disorder. Weight problems also contribute a great deal to this. A person that is over weight or obese can cause damage to their own lower nervous systems creating these symptoms. This is yet another reason why it is important to maintain a healthy body weight.

Although there is no cure there are ways to stop or help the symptoms of sciatica. The issue with these treatments is that they do not actually help what is causing the pain, numbness, or other issues. Drug treatments include anti-inflammatory drugs as well as common nsaids and pain killers. Not only are most of these things addictive they can also wreak havoc on other body systems. There are also weight loss treatments, massage therapy, and as a last resort surgery to help the symptoms.

As far as researchers are concerned you can treat the symptoms but unless the underlying cause is discovered then there is no cure. Thousands of people suffer from these symptoms and use pain killers to alleviate the pain. Unfortunately due to the wide variety of causes there most likely will never be a cure.

There are herbal and alternative medicine treatments that can be tried. Sometimes different forms of exercise along with supplements and medications helps. There are a lot of doctors who think that with the right diet and exercise the symptoms can be treated.

It does not matter what causes sciatica it is still a very painful, very difficult to treat group of symptoms. It is also very hard to diagnose. There are things that can be done to help it and it is suggested that you try everything until you find something that works for you. If you are just taking pain killers then you are merely masking what could be a correctable problem.

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Electrodes similar to EKG patches are placed along the course of the nerve during a Nerve Conduction Test. There is a small electrical current to stimulate the point on the skin. There nerve must transmit a signal along its course and the electrode placed further down the leg or arm captures the signal. A health nerve will transmit the signal quicker and stronger than a sick nerve.

Electromyography (EMG) measures that electrical activity in the muscles. Muscles transmit a constant electrical signal from healthy nerves and send out their own healthy signal. The doctor places acupuncture like needles into the muscle to recode these signal from muscles in the arms, legs or spine. Should a nerve not broadcast an adequate signal from the nerve which may show that the nerve is confused.

From the Nerve Conduction Test and the EMG’s, the doctor can correlate which nerves are pinched and the seriousness of the condition. This information can then be used to help formulate further chiropractic treatment plans.

There are minimal risks with these tests. The muscles that are tested may feel soreness were the electrodes are placed or there needle inserted.

Documenting hidden injuries are discovered by diagnostic testing. If you or someone you know have been injured and you can not pin point where the pain is, then this test may be what you need.

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Massage is the a basic instinct that people used as a natural remedies. This basis need to touch is comparable to our innate fight or flight instinct. Health practitioners believe that massage has powerful healing properties no matter how soft or deep.

Massage has developed greatly over time! There are in fact many different types of massage techniques but we have listed four of the most commonly used methods from our own office experience.

SWEDISH MASSAGE works the whole body using a tapping, soothing and kneading strokes to relieve tension and heal sore joints. Swedish massage is superficial and have basic strokes; effleurage or stroking; petrissage or muscle lifting and grabbing; friction or use of fingers and thumbs working the deep thick muscles; tapotement or chopping tapping or beating movements; and vibration for finger pressed firmly on the muscles, then the area is stimulated quickly for several seconds. The effleurage and tapoement strokes are the most popular.

DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE targets chronic tension in muscles that lie far below the surface of your body. You have five layers of muscle in your back, for instance, and while Swedish massage may help the first couple of layers, it won’t do much directly for the muscle underneath. Deep muscle techniques usually involve slow strokes, direct pressure or friction movements that go across the grain of the muscles. Massage therapists will use their fingers, thumbs or occasionally even elbows to apply the needed pressure. This method is best used with certain long standing injuries which seem to be persistent and require a bit more to release spasm.

SPORTS MASSAGE was developed to help people train better and recover quicker. If you are a world class athelete or just a weekend warrior this massage may be best for you. This massage is like a Swedish and Deep tissue massage using both strokes to help the athlete. Pre-race massage warms the muscles and increases circulation. After a game or race, this massage helps rid of toxin build up in the body and quicken the recovery time.

NEUROMUSCULAR MASSAGE is a form of deep tissue massage that is applied to individual specific muscle group’s muscles. It is used to increase blood flow, reduce pain and release pressure on nerves caused by injuries to muscles and other soft tissue. Neuromuscular massage helps release trigger points, and muscular adhesions (areas which form due to micro traumas) and can also “refer” pain to other parts of the body. Relieving a tense adhesion or trigger point area in your back, for example, could help ease pain in your neck, shoulders, low back, etc. This technique is especially beneficial when used with spinal manipulation and adjunct forms of physical therapy.

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