THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A SLIPPED DISC
Just like a free lunch, a slipped disc does not exist. This is the first thing
you should know about the misnamed "slipped disc."
Discs are the fluid-filled cushions found layered between the spinal bones.
Vertebral discs act as shock absorbers between the dense bones of the spine
and keep the spinal bones separated and help them move easily as you bend and
turn. The discs allow the spine to support normal body movement and keep the
spinal bones from grinding together. As long as the spine is balanced and lined
up properly, the discs can do their job. With movement the discs can stay full
of fluid and keep the spinal bones from pressing together and possibly causing
pain.
Somehow "slipped disc" has become a common saying, as if we're talking about
a stack of slippery plastic poker chips. The discs are in fact deeply imbedded
in the spinal bones above and below them. The outside sleeves of the discs are
made of elastic mesh-like tissue that is actually fused into the adjoining vertebrae,
the spinal bones. Inside of this elastic webbing is a gel-like hydraulic system
which is 88% water and helps react to compression. If the discs become compressed
then healthy function is impossible. Discs could become compressed due to poor
posture, bad habits, repetitive incorrect lifting, or other injuries that create
misalignments of the vertebrae.
When the vertebrae is dislocated, bent, or slightly out of joint, the discs
are over-stressed or injured. With continued compression, the discs lose their
fluid content and may bulge out between the edges of the spinal bones. With
continued compression, the discs lose their fluid content and may bulge out
between the edges of the spinal bones. If this condition continues, the discs
eventually lose their ability to regain fluid, leaving the vertebra to grind
against each other. This malfunction leads to extreme pain in many cases. In
the past, many looked to surgery to fix this pain. The pain might be reduced
eventually, but new government healthcare guidelines do not readily endorse
surgery because it carries a high risk of complications. Surgery also does not
correct the cause of the symptoms. More and more, the suggestion is for a more
conservative treatment.
The thing to do is to stop the progression of this damage to the disc by correcting
the problem that caused the bulging in the first place. Chiropractic is very
effective at correcting spinal misalignments that create bulging discs. We chiropractors
work to gently realign the spinal bones. This de-stresses and decompresses the
discs which can then absorb fluid with normal movement and therefore regain
their spongy, shock-absorbing function.
Don't slip up when you have a bulging disc. See us right away.
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