Controlling Back Pain With Chiropractic Care

Posted on: 16 September 2016

A slipped disc, also known as a herniated disc, can cause an array of symptoms from tingling in the hands and feet to severe pain in the back and neck. Depending on the location of the disc that's damaged, you may also have trouble moving one or more limbs, and you may even experience frequent headaches. If you have your slipped disc treated at the doctor's office, they'll often rely on pain relievers and steroid injections. While these treatments work for some, many patients don't experience as much relief as they'd like with conventional medical treatments for a slipped disc. Chiropractic care is another option – one that may ease your pain safely and naturally.

How does your chiropractor treat a slipped disc?

Standard medical practice tends to rely on treating the symptoms of the slipped disc. Pain relievers temporarily mask the pain. Steroids relieve some swelling. Chiropractors, on the other hand, prefer to treat the underlying causes and contributors of an ailment, which ensures that when the condition does heal, it does so permanently.

It's important to note, at this point, that a slipped disc has not actually slipped; it has simply bulged out on the side because too much pressure has been placed on it by one or both of the vertebrae on either side of it. To treat a slipped disc, your chiropractor will begin by adjusting your spine to alleviate pressure in the area around the slipped disc. He or she may press on specific areas of your spine. You may hear a pop as your vertebrae move into place, and there may be some slight soreness if the area around your slipped disc is already sore – but you should not experience any serious pain.

How quickly does this treatment work?

Since the adjustment alleviates the pressure on the damaged disc, you are likely to feel some immediate relief after your adjustment. However, to fully heal the slipped disc, you'll need repeated treatments over a period of several months. Your chiropractor can tell you how often to return for adjustments; this varies widely between patients.

The idea is that as you go throughout the day, your spine tends to settle back out of alignment, especially if you have poor posture or partake in activities that are hard on your back. Regular adjustments keep your spine aligned so it does not place pressure on the slipped disc, and if you maintain this long enough, the slipped disc will eventually heal.

For more information, contact a clinic like Rockwood Chiropractic.