Back pain continues to be one of the main issues for people who seek chiropractic care. Herniated discs in particular are one of the leading causes of back pain for many Americans. Laguna Hills chiropractic care offers patients a drug-free alternative for this painful and debilitating condition.
There is some confusion regarding terminology so it's worth clarifying the difference between a herniated disc (also known as a bulging disc) and a ruptured disc. Herniation occurs when the soft nucleus of the disc sticks out through its fibrous outer casing (known as the annulus). This condition is the less problematic of the two and is easier to alleviate.
A disc is deemed ruptured when the nucleus makes a more complete break through its outer casing. This puts pressure on the spinal cord and presents a more severe medical problem. Either way, it's the pressure placed on the spinal cord and/or nerve roots or sciatic nerve that are the cause of the pain.
Fortunately, a chiropractor has quite a few options when it comes to caring for patients with this problem. Before any plan of care is begun however, each patient is given a full examination. In the main, the chiropractor will check the patient's reflexes, posture, nerve sensation and muscle strength.
X-rays or an MRI may also be undertaken if the practitioner requires them. When the examination is over, the chiropractor will draw up a plan of care that is custom made for the patient. This will almost certainly include spinal manipulation as this helps bring the spine back to its proper shape and release pressure on the discs and nerves.
The chiropractor may also make adjustments to the neck and pelvis, and may stretch and massage specific muscles. An additional intervention is spinal decompression. This is the practice of gently elongating the spine on a traction table (or a motorized device) to ease pressure on the discs and thus reduce pain.
There is some confusion regarding terminology so it's worth clarifying the difference between a herniated disc (also known as a bulging disc) and a ruptured disc. Herniation occurs when the soft nucleus of the disc sticks out through its fibrous outer casing (known as the annulus). This condition is the less problematic of the two and is easier to alleviate.
A disc is deemed ruptured when the nucleus makes a more complete break through its outer casing. This puts pressure on the spinal cord and presents a more severe medical problem. Either way, it's the pressure placed on the spinal cord and/or nerve roots or sciatic nerve that are the cause of the pain.
Fortunately, a chiropractor has quite a few options when it comes to caring for patients with this problem. Before any plan of care is begun however, each patient is given a full examination. In the main, the chiropractor will check the patient's reflexes, posture, nerve sensation and muscle strength.
X-rays or an MRI may also be undertaken if the practitioner requires them. When the examination is over, the chiropractor will draw up a plan of care that is custom made for the patient. This will almost certainly include spinal manipulation as this helps bring the spine back to its proper shape and release pressure on the discs and nerves.
The chiropractor may also make adjustments to the neck and pelvis, and may stretch and massage specific muscles. An additional intervention is spinal decompression. This is the practice of gently elongating the spine on a traction table (or a motorized device) to ease pressure on the discs and thus reduce pain.
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You can get fast neck, spine and hip pain relief through chiropractic care. Get more information about a well-respected Laguna Hills chiropractic doctor at http://www.claytonthomasnoel.com now.
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