If you have lower back pain that keeps coming back, or your low back pain extends further down your leg and into your foot, it could be an indication that you have a slipped disc.
Also known as a herniated disc, the pain caused by this condition can be extreme and in some cases debilitating.
Pain Caused by a Herniated Disc
Having a slipped disc can be very unpleasant. But in some cases, symptoms will subside in six weeks or less. This is the case in about 90% of herniated disc cases.
If your disc pain lasts longer than six weeks, or keeps recurring over a period of several months or years, this could be an indication that it may not go away on its own. Other treatment options – including gentle, non-surgical spinal decompression treatment – should then be considered.
What Causes Discs to Slip?
Your spine is composed of a chain of bones known as the vertebrae. The front part of each individual vertebrae is called the vertebral body. Between each vertebrae are soft spinal discs that have a hard, multilayered casing and a gel-like center, known as the nucleus pulposus.
These discs are what allow the spine to be flexible and let us lean forward or turn our upper body from side to side. Our discs also absorb shocks that are transferred to the spine while running or jumping, for example,.
When you have a slipped disc, it means that one of the spinal discs is bulging beyond the edges of the vertebral bodies that are above and below it. There are three types of slipped discs:
- Prolapsed Disc — This means the disc is bulging out between the vertebrae, but the disc’s outermost layer is still intact.
- Extruding Disc – This means there is a tear in the outer layer of the spinal disc, which is causing the spinal disc tissue to leak out. But the tissue that has come out remains connected to the disc.
- Sequestration – This is the most serious type of slipped disc. In this instance, the spinal disc tissue has entered into the spinal canal and is no longer directly attached to the disc.
While all three types of herniated discs can be extremely painful, most people suffering from a slipped disc can receive relief through gentle, non-surgical spinal decompression treatment.
If you are experiencing recurrent disc pain and you believe you may have a slipped disc, you should absolutely consider seeking treatment from one of our medical professionals.
By gently manipulating the spine so that it returns to its normal state, our team of spinal disc doctors can help relieve the pressure caused by your slipped disc and provide instant relief to your back pain.
If you or somebody you know is suffering from disc pain as the result of a slipped disc, contact us today for your free consultation. Our expert spinal disc doctors can tell you if gentle, non-surgical spinal decompression treatment is a good option for treating your pain.
