Concerned you might be suffering from a herniated disc? Dr. Fermin de la Jara and the team at Virginia Family Chiropractic Health Center in Woodbridge, VA, offer various effective techniques to relieve your pain.
Signs of Herniated Discs and How to Address Them
Herniated discs don’t always create symptoms. When they do, they are often debilitating. Managing normal movements can become incredibly challenging. In this guide, Dr. de la Jara and the team at Virginia Family Chiropractic Health Center in Woodbridge, VA, share common signs that you might have a herniated disc and what to do if you notice those signs.
What Are Herniated Discs, and How Can I Tell If I Have One?
Herniated discs typically occur when too much pressure has been applied to the spinal disc, and it develops a tear. These discs are filled with a jelly-like substance that helps the disc act as a cushion. When a tear is present, this substance leaks out.
Most people don’t notice symptoms because the filling hasn’t spilled onto anything. However, in some cases, that filling spills out onto a nearby nerve root.
When this occurs, you’ll notice tingling, numbness, or weakness on the side of the body that the filling has impinged. If the filling spills out onto the sciatic nerve – the nerve that travels from the lower back to the feet – you are likely to feel these symptoms along with shooting or burning pain in the legs and feet.
Typically, the symptoms only occur at certain times. For example, you might notice pain or numbness when you bend forward, cough, sneeze, or lift an object. Symptoms will often dissipate when you stop that activity or change positions.
How to Address Herniated Discs
Visiting a chiropractor can help you achieve natural and lasting relief. Chiropractors seek the source of your pain and work to correct it. In many cases, a misalignment causes undue pressure on the disc. Therefore, adjustments are performed to correct the misalignment.
Decompression therapy is also effective. This technique is one that gently stretches the spine, pulling herniated discs back into place along with its filling. As this stretch occurs, it also pulls in oxygen and healing fluids to properly restore the disc.
Soft tissue therapy and therapeutic exercises are often utilized to achieve optimal relief. Treatment also includes addressing the habits and lifestyle factors that contributed to the development of the herniated disc.
Don’t let a herniated disc keep you down. Schedule an appointment with Dr. de la Jara at Virginia Family Chiropractic Health Center in Woodbridge, VA, by calling (703) 730-1600 today.