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Through diligent practice, we provide Calgary, AB with quality chiropractic services, helping the community get back to pain-free health. With a focus on quality service and the scientific approach, Associate Chiropractic Clinic offers wide-ranging therapy options at affordable rates. Research has shown that chiropractic, acupuncture, and massage therapy may be helpful for a wide variety of conditions:

ARE YOU SUFFERING FROM DISC INJURY? DISC HERNIATION?

A model of a spine with the vertebrae and a disc showing how a herniation occurs and what it may do to cause pain.
If you suffer back pain that radiates through your lower back, you could have a slipped or herniated disc. A herniated disc, also commonly called herniated disk, can be a leading cause of lower back pain. You can experience a herniated disc from an auto injury or work injury.

You can also experience pain arising from a herniated disc because of gradual wear and tear of the spine. Your spinal disks can become weaker and drier with age, making you more susceptible to a herniated disk.

Although sometimes a slipped disc has no symptoms, you can suffer extreme pain and numbness if the herniated disk presses on any nerves.
What are the risk factors for herniated disks/discs?
Your spine is made of 24 bones stacked on top of each other, called the vertebrae that form the spinal column. The bones are cushioned by discs that have a soft jelly-like consistency.

The discs cushion the bones, protecting them by absorbing the stress from daily activities like walking, running, etc. The disc has two parts, a tough outer ring, and a soft gelatinous core.

As a result of any injury, the inner portion protrudes out of the outer ring, causing a slipped or herniated disc.

While a herniated disk can occur in any spine area, it is common in the lower back area. A slipped or herniated disc can cause pain, numbness, and discomfort in the place it occurs.
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The factors that can increase your chance of suffering herniated discs are:
  • Age
  • Genetics
  • Weight
  • Certain physically demanding occupations
  • A sedentary lifestyle
  • Smoking
What are the symptoms of herniated disks/discs?
While you can have a slipped disk in any part of your spine, it is most common in the lower back area. The symptoms depend on where it occurs and whether it is pressing on a nerve.

If the herniated disk is not pressing on any nerve, it may not have any symptoms. But a herniating disk pressing on any nerve can cause severe pain and numbness along the affected nerve.

Herniated disc symptoms usually occur on one side of the body. The discomfort gets aggravated while you are active and lessens while resting.
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Some common symptoms of a herniated disk are:
  • Pain and discomfort
A herniated disk can cause a sharp pain or a burning sensation that starts in the lower back and radiates towards the arms and legs. The pain worsens at night or after sitting or standing for an extended period. Often, movements while coughing and sneezing can worsen the pain and discomfort in the affected area.
  • Tingling sensation or numbness
When the herniated disc presses onto any nerve, you can experience numbness or a tingling sensation along the pressed nerve towards your arms or legs;
  • Muscle weakness
Herniated discs pressing on any nerve can cause weakness in the muscles connected to the nerve, increasing your risk of falling or stumbling while walking.
Herniated Lumbar Disc
(Slipped disc in the lower back)
A herniated disc in the lower back can cause sciatic nerve pain. It can cause a sharp pain in your lower back that moves down your buttocks on one side, spreading to your legs and foot.

With a herniated disc on your lower back, you can also experience a tingling sensation or numbness in your legs and general muscle weakness in the surrounding area.
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Herniated Cervical Disc
(Slipped disc in your neck)
A slipped disc in your neck area can cause the following symptoms:
  • Pain in the back and side of your neck area
  • Pain between your shoulder blades
  • Pain that aggravates if you move or turn your neck
  • Neck pain that radiates to your arms and shoulders, spreading to your hands and fingers
  • Tingling or numbness in arms
 
Thoracic Region
(Slipped Disc in the middle back)
Where the herniated disk occurs in the middle back, the pain can travel around the ribcage towards the front of the body. It is the least common area for the occurrence of a herniated disk.
Long-term complications:
In rare cases, a herniated disk can compress your entire spinal cord leading to paralysis or permanent weakness. You might need emergency attention if you experience the following symptoms from a herniated disc.
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A worsening of symptoms
Where the pain, numbness, and tingling sensations affect your everyday activities;
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Loss of bladder or bowel control
A severely herniated disc, if left untreated, can cause permanent nerve damage. In rare instances, a slipped disk can cut your nerve impulses to the cauda equina nerves in the lower back and legs, causing you to lose control over your bladder or bowel functions.
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Saddle anesthesia
In this case, a herniated disc can cause loss of sensation in the areas that touch a saddle, like the inner thighs, the area around the rectum, and the back of your legs.
Disc herniation hot spot showing how a disc can herniate and press onto or irritate the nerves and spinal cord

What are the treatments of herniated disks/discs?

The treatments for a herniated disk can include medications, physical therapy, and surgery.

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Chiropractic Services
At Associate Chiropractic Clinic, our chiropractors can help ease your back pain from disc injury and herniations naturally without surgery by using the following techniques. Due to the nature of the injury, healing may require frequent and multi week treatment plans:
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  • Spinal manipulation: Adjustment is made to the spine using a wide range of motion and applying force to the joints and muscles will help move joints to take pressure off the damaged discs.
  • Flexion-distraction: Spinal decompression done by a chiropractor applied with pressure and a gentle pumping motion to create negative pressure inside the disc to suck the damaged tissue back in, relieve pain, and treat disc and joint disorders in the lower back.
  • Soft tissue release techniques: Utilizes precise pressure combined with stretching to relieve muscle tension and restore proper motion to promote functional healing.
  • Exercise and stretches: muscles are stretched to relieve pain and improve spine mobility.

 

Visit Associate Chiropractic Clinic for Disc Pain Relief

Herniated Disc and Disc injuries if left untreated, can have long-term consequences. We at Associate Chiropractic Clinic can provide the best possible care and customized treatment for your unique needs.

Whether your disc pain is work-related, a result of an auto injury, or some other reason, our experienced doctors can diagnose your condition to discuss your back pain treatment options. The right treatment can provide immediate pain relief, and help to prevent it from becoming chronic.

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We’ve got your back

From massage to adjustments, we help you get back to your best.

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