Herniated Discs Non-Surgical Treatment

Herniated Discs Non-Surgical Treatment

at Advent Health Daytona (Formerly Florida Hospital)

The DRX9000C Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression at Wakeman Chiropractic is effective at treating herniated discs.

The spinal column is made up of 33 individual bones stacked one on top of the other. Of the 33, there are 24 moveable bones or vertebrae. These vertebra are separated and cushioned by an intervertebral disc, keeping the bones from rubbing together. These disc are made up of a tough fibrous outer ring called the annulus and a softer gel like center called the nucleus pulposus.

Discs have 3 primary functions:
1.)They act as shock absorbers from everyday wear and tear.
2.)They allow movement of the spine.
3.) They separate the vertebrae. The gel filled center, the nucleus, is composed mostly of fluids.

This fluid is absorbed into the disc during the night as you lie down and is pushed out of the disc as you move around during the day in an upright position. This process, known as imbibition, is how the disc takes in nutrients which keeps it healthy and functional. With age, the discs increasingly lose the ability to reabsorb this fluid causing them to become dry and brittle. This is also the reason we get shorter as we grow older.
A herniation describes an abnormal condition of the disc. Herniated and bulging discs begin when the inner gel like substance begins to push out into the outer fibrous rings which can compress the nerve roots causing back pain. This can occur from poor spinal posture, repetitive stress, trauma, or through the natural aging process.

When a herniation or bulge occurs, pressure may be put on a spinal nerve which can cause various symptoms including localized pain, pain into the arms or legs, numbness and tingling, and even weakness. Compression on a nerve root leads to pain, inflammation, and eventually deterioration.
Diagnosis of a herniated disc can be made through a physical examination and confirmed with an MRI.
Traditional treatments for herniated or bulging discs include chiropractic care, physical therapy, epidural injections, surgery, pain management, and non-steroidal anti inflammatory medication.
Herniated discs can also be treated through non-surgical spinal decompression therapy. Non surgical spinal decompression therapy focuses on taking pressure off the disc, which in turn, relieves pressure on the affected nerve reducing pain. Decompression works by creating negative intradiscal pressure allowing the affected disc to begin to resorb and increase nutrient imbibition. This results in a reduction of inflammation and pressure along the nerve root thereby reducing or eliminating pain.