If you have neck pain due to a cervical (neck) herniated disc and chiropractic care is your choice, surgery may be avoided! We’ve got some great information to share below.
Chiropractic West Palm Beach: What is a Herniated Disc?
The term ‘disc’ is short for ‘intervertebral disc’. The disc is essentially divided into two parts: (1) a central, softer jelly like inner nucleus pulposus. And (2) an outer tougher, dense connective tissue (fibrocartilaginous) annulus fibrosus surrounding it. The discs separate the bones of the spine (vertebrae).
A herniated disc refers to a problem with one of the discs that sit between the individual bones (vertebrae) that stack to make your spine. Sometimes called a slipped disc or a ruptured disc, a herniated disc occurs when some of the nucleus pulposus pushes out through a tear in the annulus fibrosus. A herniated disc, which can occur in any part of the spine, can irritate a nearby nerve.
Chiropractic West Palm Beach: Diagnosis of a Herniated Disc
After an examination entailing Orthopaedic/neurologic testing, imaging will be ordered by your doctor. Next, radiographic (x-ray) evaluation of the neck is sometimes necessary to determine the degree of bony foraminal encroachment causing irritation to the nerve root. Finally, a MRI (magentic resonance imaging) may be ordered to actually visualize the herniated disc.
Chiropractic West Palm Beach: Symptoms of a Herniated Disc
Depending on where the herniated disc is in your spine, it can result in pain or weakness in an arm or leg. In the neck, you may have neck, arm pain or hand weakness. You often will have a painful restriction in moving often more on one side of the neck. It can cause a deep ache or sharp, electric shock like pain or numbness. Movements such as sneezing, laughing, coughing, or any other sudden movement can exacerbate the pain. Some patients report some relief with the hand held behind the head for neck herniations.
Chiropractic West Palm Beach: Causes of a Herniated Disc
Firstly, most often, a disc herniation is the result of a gradual, aging-related wear and tear called disc degeneration. As you get older, your discs become less flexible and more prone to tearing or rupturing. However, a disc herniation can occur from a traumatic injury such as a fall or a car accident. Many people state it happened after a simple sudden twisting or bending movement. Furthermore, it may cause neck and arm pain that came on after only a minor injury or insidiously (subtle but harmful).
Secondly, repetitive strain over time with incorrect posture and motions, can eventually herniate a disc. This may be repetitive movements in sports or at work. Additionally, you may have a past history of multiple occurrences of neck pain that resolved.
Thirdly, nerve root irritation may occur as a result of a disc herniation. In the past it was believed that all referred pain that was radicular (nerve root origin) was due to compression of a nerve root by a herniated nucleus pulposus. Current thinking is that the nerve root is inflamed, but not always compressed. It is theorized that herniated disc material initiates an autoimmune inflammatory reaction or releases irritating substances. So the disc, the corresponding inflamed nerve root, or compression of the nerve root by the disc may be the source of pain.
Chiropractic West Palm Beach: Neck Pain Due to a Herniated Disc
Dr. Natalie Meiri will examine you and come up with a treatment plan to get you better. Through regular visits, you can get pain relief and improve your neck and back health with chiropractic manipulative treatments without surgery.
“Softer” approaches involving “no rotation” chiropractic manipulative treatments such as flexion-distraction, blocking, and prone (patient face down) drop-table adjusting are available. Meiri Chiropractic’s very effective technique is to manipulate at sites other than the herniation. Our other therapies, such as soft tissue techniques, therapeutic exercise and electric muscle stimulation, and ice/ heat therapies may also provide some relief for your pain.
Call our office which serves West Palm Beach, Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, North Palm Beach and the surrounding areas at 561-253-8984 to make an appointment. Get out of pain today and find out more about Chiropractic West Palm Beach: Neck Pain Due to a Herniated Disc.
Meiri Chiropractic
5601 Corporate Way, Ste. 102
West Palm Beach, FL 33407
561-253-8984