Disc herniations and chiropractic
Your intervertebral disc is the “shock absorber” of your spine. It cushions compressive loads and allows you to bend, twist and move freely. The disc is what gives life to the spine. If we don’t take care of it, problems can arise…
First, let’s talk about the structure of your intervertebral disc. It is made up of two major components; the outer annular fibers (which act as the outside of a jelly donut) and the inner nucleus pulposus (which acts as the inside of the jelly donut). The job of the outer fibers is to hold in the inner “jelly” content. The job of the inner “jelly” is to disperse compressive force, allow motion and keep the disc healthy through the diffusion of nutrients.
So, now that we know the structure and function of the disc, what is a disc herniation? A disc herniation occurs when the outer fibers of the disc wear away over time leading to a tear that causes the inner “jelly” to “squirt” out. Symptomatically, this can cause pain in the spine as well as pain, numbness and tingling in the extremities as the herniated “jelly” presses on your nerve roots.
What causes a disc herniation? A disc herniation is a degenerative change that occurs after years of structural change. The process starts with a structural change in your spine that creates an unstable structure (ex: lost curve). The way our bodies stabilize an unstable area is they quit moving it (leading to subluxations). The problem is, your discs don’t get blood supply. They get their nutrition through motion. As the segment above and below move, it pumps nutrients through the endplate. When that motion is lost, the disc doens’t get proper nutrition. Couple that with abnormal mechanics due to the structural changes and it leads to the disc wearing out over time. As the disc wears out, it becomes weaker and weaker until eventually, one event causes the disc to herniate.
How can chiropractic help? The first goal in care for disc herniations is to determine the segments that aren’t moving (subluxations) and work to restore motion at these segments. We are never going to re-grow the disc, but restoring proper motion and mechanics takes pressure off the disc and allows your body to heal the area. We will also recommend targeted exercises that help your body reabsorb the “jelly” material back into the disc and away from the nerve roots. As we start to restore motion and proper mechanics, we will add in exercises to stabilize the spine so you can return to doing the things you love to do.
When it comes to disc health, it is always important to address things sooner rather than later. The goal is to restore proper motion and function to your spine and get you back to living the life you want!
