Disc herniation, also known as a ruptured disc, is a medical condition affecting the spine whereby wear and tear occurs in the outer fibrous ring of an inter vertebral disc, allowing the position of the soft part to bulge out beyond the already damaged outer parts. Disc herniations are usually a continuation of a previously protruded disc of the existing one. A condition which the outer part of fibrous is still but can expand when the disc is under pressure. Disc herniation usually occur related age degeneration of the spine tissues causing wear and tear in the disc resulting in the formation of an inflammatory content mediators, which may cause a severe pain in unresponsiveness of nerve root compression. Other terms describing the condition include; ruptured disc and prolapsed disc.
Signs and Symptoms of Disc Herniation
Signs and symptoms of disc herniation changes depending on the herniation disc location and the type of soft tissues that are affected. They vary from less or no pain if the disc is the only tissue affected to severe and lower back or neck pains that will cause effect into other regions that are served by the affected roots which are irritated through the herniated content.
Most herniated discs may not be diagnosed immediately as people visit with different pains in the knees, thigh and also feet. Others may include numbness, muscular weakness and effects on reflexes. Considering the situation of the herniation disc some may have no pain at all or have unnoticeable symptoms this may occur the produced material does not cause any impact on the soft tissues it may therefore have no effect. Herniation in the lumbar spine may cause prolapsed disc in the disc therefore, regulating nerve pain usually felt in the lower groin region and may affect the bowel and bladder.
Causes of Disc Herniation
Degeneration especially in the inter vertebral disc is believed to be the main cause of disc herniation and also the cite trauma is believed to be a low cause, with degenerative contents of the disc, the nucleus pulposus and anulus fibrous are exposed to different loads which makes the nucleus become fibrous and stiff hence unable to withstand the load, if the burden is moved to the disc and fails to support the increased load it can lead to development of fractures, if the fractures reaches the periphery of the anulus the nuclear content can pass through as a disc herniation.
Disc herniation can also result from general wear and tear when doing jobs that require constant sitting or while driving. Symptoms may include, the unique backache and chronic back tiredness which may bring in herniation on the occurrence of events such as falling or bending to pick something like a pencil. In this case disc herniation occurs in that when standing the spine code is straight therefore the internal pressure is equalized on both sides of the disc and while sitting or bending to lift something the internal pressure on the disc may move from low to higher having a rounded back on bending, therefore, herniation of the disc content entering into the spinal canal occurs when the stomach side of the disc is compressed while sitting or while bending forward and the nucleus pulposus contents get pressed against the tight stretched and thinned membrane on the back side of the disc. The combination of the thinning membrane from the stretching and the increased internal pressure results in the rapture of the covering membrane, this causes the jelly like contents of the disc gets into the spinal canal pressing against the spinal nerves which may induce production of intense and disabling pain and other symptoms. There are also strong genetic components which has been demonstrated to contribute to lumbar disc herniation through genetically code mutation of proteins.
Diagnosis of Disc Herniation
Diagnosis of disc herniation include conclusions made by the medical practitioner basing on the physical examination and symptoms and at some point evaluation test may be conducted to confirm or to exclude other causes of such symptoms.
Majority of the disc herniation cases does not require surgery since most of them show some improvement without surgery, beginning treatment mainly consist of anti-inflammatory pain and non-steroid medication but long term use of this drugs by people with continuous back pains is complicated due to some side effects such as gastrointestinal toxicity. Epidural injections also provide a slight short-term improvement but are not of consistent advantage since it may occur if the case are performed in the neck parts and minors. Lumbar disc herniation treatment of non surgical treatment failed therefore leaving surgery as the best option to be adopted, pain medication have been prescribed as the first attempt to reduce the acute pains and allow the patients to begin exercising and stretching.
Spinal manipulation suggests to be more preferable compared to other methods in treating acute acute sciatica and lumbar disc hence, surgery is considered very effective in cases of herniated disc which cause disorder into the legs causing weaknesses in legs. Continuous bladder problems or loss bowel control, this is done through the practical removal of the parts or disc causing the pain which automatically relieves the pain.
"Fifteen years ago, I suffered a herniated disc in my lower back. I spent three months off work lying flat on my back. I was able to tolerate the pain so the surgeon did not want to operate. I did improve some on my own over a long period of time. I continued going to the doctor with the same complaints: pain that shot down my leg and severe muscle spasms that left me unable to work. The doctor eventually told me not to come back until I couldn't move or walk.
Since then, l have babied my back and have moved around gingerly so as to avoid further injury. It has affected my entire life including the work I can and cannot do, my play, and my exercise. I work in retail and stand all day. When I got home after work, I was in such pain I lived on high doses of ibuprofen. The pain was terrible and both hips hurt so badly that I couldn't sleep on either side. The muscle spasms multiplied, moving into my buttocks as well. I only found relief from the pain by lying flat on my back, and I woke up each morning tired and still from sleeping in the same position all night long. Many nights I couldn't sleep at all.
A friend of mine had been successfully treated for sciatica by Dr. Schneider and recommended that I see him. She felt certain he could help me. With reluctance, I kept the appointment she made for me. On my first visit, he found me to be so out of alignment that one leg was almost 2 inches shorter than the other; it was the same in my arms. He treated me with the Activator only - no cracking. I would describe the method as a pressure treatment, for lack of more technical terms.
My arms and legs are now even in length and I am much better able to rest at night. I am still a work in progress, but I feel better with each treatment. I feel certain that without the treatments I wouldn't have been able to continue working. My whole quality of life is much improved - amazingly so, in fact. I have Dr. Schneider to thank for that."
~J. Deger
Chiropractic Treatment
Chiropractic treatment is specifically to make treatment thoracic disc treatment easier since there is limited motion in the thoracic spine cause by the bony barrier of the ribs, this type of medical problem is usually rare however. When they occur they may create much pain and dysfunction and therefore access to the thoracic disc may be complicated since it may involve the removal of some ribs to access the injured disc, therefore, this becomes a complicated surgery which if care is not taken other unintended consequences may occur hence chiropractic is advisable prior to the use of more invasive procedures like surgery and spinal injections. The goal of chiropractic treatment are to reduce pain and dysfunction while the body heals itself slowly.