Herniated Disk

What is a Herniated or Bulging Disc?

All but two of the vertebrae of your spine have a kind of shock absorber known as a disc. These disc prevent injury to the spine as well as increase your flexibility. If you jump and down, your discs cushion the tops and bottoms of your vertebrae, preventing spinal injury. If you move side to side, your discs give your spine the flexibility you need for optimum range of motion.

Your discs have a tough exterior and a soft interior. When the tough exterior of a disc cracks, the soft interior gelatin like substance can leak out resulting in a disc bulge and larger bulges are call disc herniations. (You can have more than one disc bulges.) After a disc bulges it doesn’t offer the same degree of protection for the vertebrae above and below the injury. It is possible for this to result in pinching a nerve causing considerable pain and immobility.

What Causes a Herniated Disc?

As we age, our discs thin, dry out and degenerate making them more susceptible to injury. Changes in weight and posture can then place stress on discs causing it to bulge.

What Can Your Chiropractor do About Disc Problems?

The great thing about discs is they often heal on their own. However, the process is quite slow; it generally takes a year for the disc to heal on its own. Most of us, of course, can’t take a year out of your lives. We need to get back to normal, so we can pay our bills, feed our families, and enjoy life. Your chiropractor at Bluegrass Chiro can help with that. 

Chiropractic adjustments put vertebra back in line and improves spinal motion which takes the pressure off the nerves, relieves pain, and restores mobility. You may need more than one chiropractic adjustment to relieve your pain but chiropractic may help you get going again without potentially addictive medication or surgery.

You don’t have to live with herniated disc symptoms. Bluegrass Chiro has offices all across Kentucky. Request your appointment online today!