There are various types of spinal disc issues with similar symptoms. A chiropractor can help evaluate the disc condition and alleviate nerve pressure.
Can you start by explaining what spinal discs are and the important role spinal health plays in body function?
The spinal discs are a tough, flexible, gel filled cushion situated between each vertebra. They act as shock absorbers and spacers. Spinal health is vital in overall body function. It ensures uninterrupted nerve signals, which control every cell tissue and organ in the body and allow the body to work at its optimal level.
What are the main types of spinal disc problems such as bulging and herniated discs? And can you describe the symptoms and characteristics of each?
Dr. Scott Gardner: So, the main types of spinal disc issues are degenerative discs, bulging disc and herniated discs. The symptoms can be similar with all three such as localized pain, radiating or shooting pain, also numbness, tingling, and even weakness. And in extreme cases, people may start to lose the ability to use their arm if it’s coming from their neck or the ability to lift their leg. In extreme cases, bladder and bowel function can be affected as well. And those would be immediate emergency, let’s get to the hospital situations.
The thing is you really can’t make a diagnosis from symptoms only because they are so similar. You would really need an examination and x-rays to start. And if we found that we weren’t able to come to a conclusion based on the physical examination and the x-ray findings, then an MRI is really the gold standard for confirming disc bulges or herniated discs.
What are the most common causes of disc problems?
Dr. Scott Gardner: The most common causes are wear and tear, just overuse and abuse to the body. But even something like somebody spending eight to ten hours a day working on a computer, sitting all day long, sudden injuries, even carrying excess weight. Like I said, prolonged sitting, tech neck or text neck, poor posture and really one of the biggest effects is lack of maintaining that normal alignment of the spine. If we’re not maintaining that normal alignment, then we are really not handling the stresses of daily life the way that we could and should.
How can chiropractic care help support patients dealing with certain types of spinal disc problems?
Dr. Scott Gardner: Chiropractic care can help patients by alleviating nerve pressure, reducing inflammation, increasing motion, and promoting healing. Care focuses on really restoring normal spinal alignment, improving the spinal biomechanics and creating overall better posture.
You really would need a complete chiropractic examination consisting of a detailed history to determine what the next steps would really need to be as far as, okay, let’s do a physical examination, posture examination, which orthopedic and neurological testing would be necessary, x-rays. And again, if we still didn’t have that answer, then the MRI would be the final step.
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