All along the spine are soft, flexible, rubbery pads that act as both shock absorbers and support for the back. When part of the center of the disk pushes out through the edge of these pads and presses against the spinal cord, it is called a herniated disk.
People often refer to this as a slipped disk or a ruptured disk. No matter what is it called, the result is the same: Pain. The pain can be in the neck, back, legs or arms. Occasionally, instead of pain, numbness is felt in one or both legs or arms.
In more than 90% of cases, pain from a herniated disk can be relieved through non-surgical treatments. The pain won't go away overnight, but does decrease gradually over a period of time. All exercises and treatments should be done slowly and carefully. Strengthening exercises may be needed and getting professional advice and guidance may be necessary.
Seeing a chiropractor for progressive rehabilitation proves useful for many people with a herniated disk. Chiropractors will diagnose, create an individualized plan for physical therapy and treat the problems, all the while educating you on prevention. Diagnosing the problem normally includes a physical examination, a complete medical history, and some x-rays. Many chiropractors can do this all in one visit and won't require you to go to separate appointments or offices to get diagnosed.
After the chiropractor gets an accurate diagnosis, progressive rehabilitation can start. Progressive Rehab brings technology to chiropractic care and pain relief. It uses modern chiropractic practices with rehabilitation therapy. This includes massage therapy, electronic muscle stimulation, cold laser therapy, nutrition, physical therapy, and non-surgical spinal decompression. Research has shown that spinal decompression is very successful in treating pain caused by a herniated disk. The ultimate goal of Progressive Rehab is to accurately diagnose why you have the pain, eliminate the pain and prevent the pain from returning.
In a very small amount of cases, surgery is required to treat a herniated disk. Surgery is needed when a piece or fragment of the spinal disk works its way into the spinal canal and presses on the nerve. In most cases, the surgery involves fusing the disks together. Surgery for a herniated disk is done under general anesthesia at a hospital.
Hospital stays can vary from same-day release to several days in the hospital. Return to work and normal activities occurs somewhere between 6 weeks to several months after surgery, depending on the type of surgery needed.
Prevention of a relapse is equally important. Maintaining a healthy body weight and exercising on a regular basis is imperative to a healthy back. To reduce stress on the back, practice good posture. Rolling a towel and putting it behind the small of your back helps to maintain proper alignment when sitting.
At night, sleep on your side with a pillow between your knees. Most importantly, use care when lifting. Lift with your legs and not with your back. Finally, avoid twisting when you lift. Treat your back with care because prevention is better than any treatment.
Author Resource:-
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