At Lovett Family Chiropractic in Centennial, CO, disc injuries are among the most common conditions we treat. Spinal discs, or intervertebral discs, are the pads between each spinal bone, or vertebrae. The discs act as shock absorbers, which allow bending, extending, twisting, and bending to the side. The discs also protect the vertebrae from grinding on one another.
The discs are cartilage structures with two major components. The outer wall of the disc is called the annulus fibrosis. The inner, jelly-like part of the disc is called the nucleus pulposus. After about 25 years of age, the discs do not have a direct blood supply. This is important because the way that they get their hydration and nutrition is with proper movement. For many of us, we don’t move as much or as efficiently as we should, which can lead to disc damage.
Many everyday movements and activities can cause damage to the annulus and the nucleus. It could be long hours sitting at a desk each week. It could be long hours standing at a cash register or at a job site. It might be repeatedly bending to pick up a child or grab a basket of laundry. All of these activities can put a lot of stress on our spine, day after day.
More traumatic forces can also damage the discs.
- Falling off a bike when you were a kid
- Slipping and falling on ice
- Sports
- Car accidents
- Hitting your head while getting into a car
All of these are examples of traumas that many of us have experienced at some point in our lifetime, which can damage our spinal discs.
When a disc is injured, it may bulge, herniate, or degenerate. A disc bulge occurs when the nucleus pushes against the disc wall, causing it to bulge; however, the wall remains intact. A disc herniation occurs when the outer wall of the disc, the annulus, tears, and the nucleus pokes out through the disc wall. A degenerated disc occurs when the disc is damaged and no longer receives the nutrients it needs. The disc is slowly getting thinner because it is unhealthy.
A bulging, herniated, or degenerated disc can compress the spinal cord or a spinal nerve root, causing numbness, weakness, tingling, inflammation, and pain. Depending on the location of the disc injury, these symptoms can be felt in the back, neck, arms, legs, hips, face, or head.
It is critical to address disc injuries as soon as possible. The longer disc damage is allowed to linger, the harder it will be to heal and the more likely it is to affect the nerve. Early intervention increases the likelihood of complete healing and better long-term outcomes.
Conventional medical treatment for disc injuries may include physical therapy, pain medications, steroid injections, or, in the most challenging situations, spinal surgery. These treatments rarely address the root cause of the disc injury and act as a band-aid to cover up the symptoms. These treatments can also have dangerous side effects and/or long recovery times.
Chiropractic care is safe and effective at treating disc injuries for two reasons.
- Chiropractic adjustments specifically target the dysfunctional vertebral segment.
- Chiropractic adjustments promote proper spinal biomechanics, reducing stress on the spinal discs. This allows hydration and nutrition to reach the disc, helping it heal.
Chiropractors use spinal adjustments and spinal decompression to restore proper movement and function to the spine. Chiropractic adjustments, in combination with spinal decompression, are the best choice for patients with disc injuries because they target the root cause of the problem, taking stress off the disc and allowing the disc to heal.
$49 New Patient Special
First visit includes a consultation, case review, careful exam, X-rays (if necessary) and initial adjustment. Second visit includes a doctor’s report of findings, care plan recommendations, and treatment if you decide to move forward. Not valid with any other offers or promotions. Restrictions apply. Must mention this coupon at the time of scheduling.
How Our Care Protocol Works
First, we perform a thorough chiropractic exam and x-rays to determine exactly where the lack of proper movement is in your spine and which specific vertebrae need to be addressed.
Second, we restore proper motion to your spine and take stress off of the nerve by performing biomechanically and neurologically correct chiropractic adjustments.
Third, we teach you specific exercises to strengthen and stabilize your spine. These exercises are carefully designed to get you great results and NOT aggravate your condition.
Fourth, as clinically indicated, we perform non-surgical spinal decompression to take pressure off of the disc and off of the nerve giving you relief like you haven’t felt in years!
Common Causes of a Disc Injury In Centennial, CO
Heavy Lifting
Lifting weights is an excellent form of exercise for many reasons. But you have to make sure you use proper form at all times. This even includes when you are taking the weight off the weight stand. Then, during the exercise, you have to make sure you use proper form and biomechanics. Even the slightest deviation can change the stress and pressure on your spine. Make sure that you engage your core. You should be lifting with your hips and knees, not your back. For 99% of us, we’re not trying to set world records. Don’t try to be a hero by lifting too much or using improper biomechanics. Make sure that you know your limits, use proper biomechanics, and ask for help if necessary.
Poor Posture
It might not seem like a big deal, but poor posture can put significant long-term stress on your spine and lead to disc injuries. It’s essential to be mindful of your posture in all activities, even while sleeping. The cool thing is that chiropractic adjustments make your brain more aware of your body’s position in space. When that happens, your brain is aware of posture, even subconsciously.
Degenerative Disc Disease
Degenerative Disc Disease is a condition in which the discs of the spine become thinner. After about 25 years old, discs no longer have a direct blood supply. The way that discs stay healthy is a process called imbibition. Imbibition is the process by which oxygen, nutrients, and hydration are transported to the disc through movement.
Think of it like a watch that stays on time even when it’s moved. When our spine doesn’t move as it should, the affected discs won’t receive the nutrients they need, which can lead to degeneration.
The nerve root is positioned right behind the disc. As the disc thins, there is less room, up and down, for the nerve root to exit. This can affect how well the nerve functions and even cause severe pain. Chiropractic adjustments, along with spinal decompression, do a great job of maximizing spinal movement, which typically can stop or slow down the degenerative process in the disc.
Age? Not Really.
People commonly think that because they are older, it is natural for their discs to degenerate. I can understand where people are coming from. However, when you perform a thorough spinal exam on those same people, you will commonly notice that their spine is subluxated (aka stuck) precisely where they have the most degeneration.
I will commonly look at an X-ray with a patient, and they will remark that they have degenerative disc disease because they are X years old. However, that disc might be the only one in their entire spine where they have degenerative disc disease. I will ask them, “If it was just a matter of you being X years old, why is that the only one that is unhealthy and degenerating?” and it will confuse them.
The fact is that if their degenerative disc disease were only related to their age, all of their discs would show the same amount of damage, but that is rarely the case. Maintaining proper spinal movement through regular chiropractic care can help minimize the effects of age on our spines.
How We Treat Disc Injuries in Centennial, CO
Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression
Our Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression in Centennial, CO, is unique in its ability to relieve spinal stress. Decompression uses a specialized table and proprietary protocols to create a negative pressure in the disc. Similar to how, when you pull an accordion apart, it sucks in air. The decompression machine is doing the same thing to the disc. By pulling on the spine, it is taking pressure off the disc. This encourages the uptake of healing nutrients, oxygen, and hydration into the disc, thus promoting its healing.
We use spinal decompression in conjunction with spinal adjustments to get the best results. Neurological adjustments retrain the brain and the body to move correctly. Spinal decompression reduces pressure on the disc and nerve, providing significant relief.
Rather than resorting to masking your symptoms with dangerous pain pills, muscle relaxers, or needle injections, our therapies help your body to heal from the inside. We have found that combining adjustments and decompression supercharges results for patients with disc injuries. Decompression, along with spinal adjustments, helps our patients to heal more completely and maintain better spinal health over the long term.
Check Out Our Location Near You
12201 E Arapahoe Rd B10, Centennial, CO 80112
Frequently Asked Questions
Can chiropractors in Centennial, CO help with disc injuries?
Absolutely. Disc injuries are among the most common injuries we see in our office.
Is it safe to go to the chiropractor if you have a disc injury?
Absolutely. We commonly see patients with disc injuries, and they often get tremendous relief from the care they receive in our office. At first, we need to be very mindful of how we treat the injured disc so we don’t exacerbate it. As time goes on and the patient heals, we can change our approach.
How long does it take for a bulging or herniated disc to heal?
Many patients report improvement in their symptoms within 2-6 weeks. However, for true healing and stability to occur, it can often take 3-6 months, just as it does when you slam your thumb in the door. The pain may be gone, but it’s going to take considerably longer for the nail to heal fully.
What are some common signs of a herniated disc?
Some of the most common signs of a herniated disc are:
- Sharp pain in the neck or back with coughing or sneezing.
- Sharp pain in the neck or back with bearing down, like during a bowel movement.
- Sharp pain in the neck or back when flexing your neck or back forward.
- Flexion of the spine causes the disc to push backwards, slightly more to one side than the other.
- Sharp pain in the back when going from sitting to standing, or even getting out of the car.
What activities should you avoid if you have a bulging or herniated disc?
Anything that puts your spine in flexion probably won’t be comfortable. This could include bending, lifting, sitting on the couch, sitting in the LaZBoy chair, and getting out of the car. Also, be very careful about sneezing and coughing, as they can exacerbate your symptoms.
$49 New Patient Special
First visit includes a consultation, case review, careful exam, X-rays (if necessary) and initial adjustment. Second visit includes a doctor’s report of findings, care plan recommendations, and treatment if you decide to move forward. Not valid with any other offers or promotions. Restrictions apply. Must mention this coupon at the time of scheduling.