Disc Injury Treatment In Fairhaven, MA

Due to prolonged causes, such as repetitive movements, or more immediate causes, such as trauma, the rings of cartilage can be damaged. When this happens, the disc’s nucleus takes the path of least resistance and pushes into the damaged space. This is typically not symptomatic, so the individual would not know at this time that a disc injury was occurring. As this condition progresses and damage is sustained to the last ring of cartilage, the disc material pushes out from the disc into the spinal canal, where the spinal cord and nerves are located. This can be extremely painful in the lower back and can even cause pain to travel down the legs (sciatica).

Traditional medicine treats disc herniation using medications as strong as opioids, steroid injections, or surgical intervention if less invasive treatments are unsuccessful. Chiropractic is an effective and least invasive treatment that gets to the root of the problem. At Barley Wellness, we treat disc injuries daily and are ready to help you. At this time, immediate intervention is required to have the best prognosis going forward.

Common Causes of Disc Injury in Fairhaven, MA

Bulged Disc

Spinal discs wear and tear with age. Over time, discs will dehydrate, and the outer layer of cartilage will stiffen. These changes can cause the outer layer of the disc to bulge out. Some protruding discs can be painless, but if the disc bulges out enough, it can irritate nearby nerves leading to numbness, tingling, weakness, cramping, spasms, and shooting pain.

Age is the most significant risk factor for a bulged disc, making it more common in older people than younger people. Improper lifting techniques, accumulated trauma from poor posture, obesity, genetics, or acute trauma can lead to bulging discs.

Herniated Disc

Bulged discs can worsen to the point of rupture and cause serious symptoms. A disc herniation is more likely to cause pain than a bulged disc. A disc herniates when the outer layer of cartilage tears and the softer, inner gelatinous material protrudes out of the disc. The disc’s nucleus will irritate nerve roots causing painful inflammation that could affect your ability to walk or change your bowel and bladder function.

Degenerative Disc Disease

One of the most common types of disc injuries isn’t generally considered to be an acute onset problem. Degenerative disc disease is an age-related condition in which the discs of the spine wear down over time and get smaller. We often look at X-rays of elderly patients where one joint has degenerated drastically more than the rest of the surrounding joints. This is evidence a subluxation of those vertebrae started a long-term degenerative process. When this happens, the holes on the side of the spine through which nerves exit get smaller, which can put pressure on these nerves and cause symptoms. Besides repetitive motion and wear and tear, other risk factors that accelerate its progression include being overweight/obese and smoking. Common symptoms include lower back pain, but radiating pain down into the hips and legs can also be felt depending on how much the nerves are affected.

It’s important to understand that Degenerative Disc Disease is irreversible. However, we can manage it by slowing down its progression. Chiropractic care, massage, and exercise are three fantastic treatment options that can improve your range of motion, decrease pain, and increase your overall function. Since we cannot fully correct the condition, the goal becomes achieving and maintaining the highest quality of life possible. A chiropractic lifestyle can help make that a reality for you or someone you know who suffers from degenerative disc disease.

Slipped Disc

A herniated disc is often referred to as a slipped disc. When the outer cartilage becomes weak and tears, the inner gelatinous center of the disc can “slip” out. The length of time the vertebrae have been injured or subluxated is a primary factor in this condition because of general wear and tear on the disc, but certain repetitive motions or improper lifting techniques increase the risk of a slipped disc. An untreated herniated or slipped disc can lead to permanent nerve damage, that’s why it’s so important to have any discomfort examined by a chiropractor who can perform imaging if necessary to get to the root cause of any symptomatic pain.

Repetitive Motion and Stress

As was mentioned earlier, disc injuries are commonly the result of a gradual process of wear and tear on the cartilage rings surrounding the nucleus. It isn’t so much the incident when you felt a pain that is the cause, but rather the thousands of movements before that which slowly caused damage over time.

For this reason, certain fields of work tend to have more disc injuries than others. One example is hard labor jobs, such as roofers, mechanics, and laborers. These jobs frequently require lots of bending, lifting, and twisting motions throughout each shift.

Putting the spine in flexion forward and rotation simultaneously is the primary mechanism through which disc bulges and herniations can happen. The stress and pressure placed on these discs make them vulnerable and weak over time, where a simple motion can be the final straw that starts a cascade of pain and suffering. If you do this work for a living, being conscious of your posture and how you move and lift things is paramount to your safety and productivity at work.

Heavy Lifting

Lifting weights is an excellent form of exercise that provides numerous physical and mental health benefits. However, heavy lifting also places a great deal of stress on the body, especially on the spine. Our spine is always bearing the weight of our head plus the weight of gravity. When we add weight on top of that, we increase the load on the discs in our spine. Performing heavy lifts sharply increases intra-abdominal pressure, which also increases pressure in the spine. If there is pre-existing weakness in the discs, then the likelihood that they will bulge or herniate drastically increases. It is crucial to have your spine adjusted to prevent disc injury in the gym. Lifting in the gym is important, so your body is ready to lift and perform your activities of daily living without getting hurt.

It’s important to remember that heavy lifting doesn’t just occur in the gym. People move furniture around their houses or move houses altogether. There are many circumstances in which lifting is necessary. Lifting improperly, though, then the discs are at increased risk of getting injured in the process. Lifting should always be done primarily with the legs rather than bending at the waist and using the back. This is the best way to avoid unnecessary stress on your lower back. Barley Wellness will help you with your exercise goals to gradually improve your health.

Auto Accidents

It is important to remember that disc injuries can happen in parts of the spine other than the lower back. The cervical spine (neck) is also commonplace where disc injury occurs. One common cause of disc injury in the neck is auto accidents, especially when whiplash is involved. Whiplash occurs when the head moves violently back and forth in response to the impact of an auto accident. It damages the muscles and ligaments around the cervical spine and can even cause damage to the discs as well. Symptoms can include neck pain, arm pain, numbness, tingling, burning, or weakness.

Barley Wellness can provide the care you need after your accident to get you back to pre-accident status (how you felt just before the accident occurred). We will work with insurance companies and attorneys alike to ensure that the process is smooth and stress-free for you, which will help maximize and accelerate your recovery.

Respiratory illness

In the midst of a pandemic, the world is very clued in on respiratory diseases such as COVID-19, the flu, and the common cold. Everyone is hyper-aware of each and every symptom they are experiencing. With respiratory illnesses such as these, it is widely known that two of the most common symptoms are coughing and sneezing. Unfortunately, these two activities can cause problems for the intervertebral discs in the spine.

Coughing and sneezing are two actions that require a sharp increase in intra-abdominal pressure. An increase in intra-abdominal pressure leads to increased pressure in the spine and, therefore, in the discs. If damage is already sustained to a disc, a bout of coughing or sneezing lasting a few weeks can cause further disc injury due to the constant spinal pressure. If you feel this may have happened to you, Barley Wellness is here to help. Provided, of course, that you are now symptom-free following your illness.