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More than 3 million herniated disc cases are reported each year in America. This common condition occurs when the soft center of a spinal disc breaks through a weakened or cracked area of the tough, exterior casing. A herniated disc can cause major problems. Depending on where it leaks out, it can pinch on the nerves or spinal cord and cause severe pain and/or numbness to the locations those nerves travel to. In this article, learn 6 ways that our Texas Spine & Sports Therapy Center physicians, technology, and advanced techniques can help you find relief from your herniated disc pain and dysfunction.
What is a Herniated Disc?
A herniated disk is a condition that involves dysfunction in the rubbery cushions (disks) between the individual bones (vertebrae) that make up your spine. This spinal disc herniation results from a tear in the fibers that form a ring around the outside of each disc. Inside this fibrous exterior is a soft interior that provides a cushion from the forces of walking, running, and standing. This soft interior core can be pushed outside through the tear, not unlike how a hernia breaks through a tear in the abdomen muscle wall.
Spinal Decompression Therapy
An effective treatment option for herniated discs that we offer is non-surgical spinal decompression. This therapy option is administered by gently stretching your spine and altering its position and corresponding pressures. Spinal decompression therapy uses gentle, motorized traction techniques to alleviate back pain. Non-surgical spinal decompression therapy reduces pressure on your spinal discs by generating negative pressure on the disc. By addressing the pressure on your spinal discs, bulging or herniated discs can withdraw, eliminating the pressure your nerves and other spinal structures were sustaining. Without this pressure on your discs, non-surgical spinal decompression therapy restores movement of water, oxygen, and nutrient-rich fluids into the discs which accelerates healing.
Class IV DIOWAVE Laser Therapy
Another approach to treating your herniated disc symptoms and pain is DIOWAVE Class IV Laser Therapy. This innovative and powerful treatment penetrates the affected tissues, providing faster healing while offering natural pain relief. DIOWAVE Laser Therapy uses the power of photobiostimulation to heal–which is how our cells naturally respond to waves of light. DIOWAVE delivers a concentrated dose of light–at a predetermined wavelength and frequency–and triggers your body’s cells to produce more Adenosine Tri-Phosphate (ATP). ATP is the substance responsible for cellular energy production. With increased cellular energy your body experiences better blood circulation, heightened DNA/RNA activity, accelerated collagen production, less inflammation, optimized cellular regeneration, and faster healing.
Cortisone Injections
Long-term pain relief can be found with cortisone injections delivered right to the site of your pain. Anesthetic shots relieve nerves that are repeatedly sending out pain signals from your nerve compression. Since the cortisone relieves inflammation in general, injections can help reduce swelling and heat in addition to the pain you are experiencing. The needle is used to penetrate right into the affected area so the medications are delivered right where they are needed.
Massage Therapy
Herniated discs can cause symptoms like numbness, weakness, stiffness, or limited muscle mobility. Massage therapy can help release the tightness within muscle tissue from nerve compression that is triggering pain in other parts of your body. Through gentle, targeted massage techniques with your Texas Spine & Sports Therapy Center provider, we can help you locate the source of your pain and diffuse it–naturally. Massage therapy helps release the constricted muscles related to your nerve compression and relieve your pain. Patients find significant relief from their pain after just one treatment.
Tracking of Bulging Discs
One of the ways to help treat your current herniated disc is to track the bulging discs that aren’t causing symptoms. A bulging disc differs from a herniated disc because it isn’t torn. A bulging disc is diagnosed when you have cartilage between two of your spine’s vertebrae that extend past their normal placement. By paying attention to bulging discs, we can help you avoid having discs rupture or become herniated. Strengthening exercises and practicing proper ergonomics can help you keep your problem from worsening. Lower back pain is often from a bulging disc because the lower back sustains the largest amounts of stress and pressure.
Medically Supervised Weight Loss
According to the American Obesity Association, occurrences of musculoskeletal pain, and especially back pain, are common among the nearly 1/3 of Americans who are classified as obese. Every pound of weight on your body adds strain to the muscles and ligaments in your back. When you are overweight, the body tries to compensate for the extra weight. This can result in the spine undergoing excessive stress and even affect its ability to remain upright. Overtime, this can cause an unnatural curvature to develop which puts your spinal structures, tissues and nerves at risk for injury. Extra weight on your abdomen can pull your pelvis forward, straining your lower back and causing lower back and disc issues. Choosing Texas Spine and Sports Therapy Center to help you with one of our customized, medically-supervised weight loss programs will help you–safely–lose the weight you need and help relieve your symptoms and back aggravations.
Call for a Herniated Disc Consultation
Take control of your life again by enlisting the help of our team to treat your current herniated disc back pain. Our Texas Spine and Sports Therapy Center team includes a medical doctor, chiropractor, and experienced massage therapists allowing us the opportunity to give you a full range of services without sending you out of the office. If you would like to learn how our clinic and services can help treat your back pain – and prevent future pain – give our office a call at (512) 806-0015 today to schedule your free consultation!
