Chiropractic Treatment: Slipped Discs

When it comes to treating herniated discs, you have several treatment options, including chiropractic care.

A herniated disc can press against a nerve that exits next to the disc. This can cause inflammation of the nerve, which can lead to pain along the path of the nerve into any area of the body, including the back, neck, and leg. Chiropractic works by addressing your pain and other symptoms.

Chiropractic Care for a Herniated Disc
A chiropractor can help address back pain and other herniated disc symptoms.

At your initial appointment, your chiropractor will go through your medical history, do a physical exam, and perform orthopedic and neurological tests.

Your chiropractor will look for several things.

• Are the reflexes intact?
• Is there loss of muscle strength or signs of muscle wasting?
• Is there loss of sensation along the path of a nerve?

These are important questions the orthopaedic and neurological exams can help your chiropractor answer.

The chiropractor will also carefully look at your posture, and he or she may order an x-ray or MRI, if necessary, to help with the diagnostic process.

After reviewing this information, your chiropractor can determine if you have an intervertebral disc injury. The type of disc injury you have will determine what treatments your chiropractor will use to address your symptoms.

Some patients are not good candidates for some types of chiropractic care treatments. For example, if you have cauda equina syndrome (a condition in which you lose control of your bowel/bladder with an accompanying intervertebral disc injury), then you will need immediate medical care as this is something that cannot be treated by your chiropractor.

In addition, if your chiropractor finds that you have advanced loss of strength, sensation, reflexes, and other unusual neurological findings, then he or she will refer you to a spine surgeon.

However, most intervertebral disc injuries are related to a herniated disc, and your chiropractor can provide you with various treatment options to address your pain and other symptoms.

It's a misconception that chiropractors "pop a disc back in place" using forceful adjustments. Another misconception is that chiropractic care involves a few quick treatments, which can "fix" your disc. Instead, chiropractors treat herniated discs using gentle low-force techniques. Your chiropractor will develop a treatment plan for your herniated disc, and if your symptoms do not improve with chiropractic care techniques, your chiropractor may recommend a consultation with a spine surgeon.