With a sedentary work lifestyle, experiencing back pain is common, especially if you are working either in an office environment or in a work-from-home setting.
Sedentary work lifestyle can lead to lumbar disc lesion. This type of disease happens when the discs that cushions the vertebrae in the lumbar spine dry out or become injured. The changes can cause the disc to compress and change its shape, which may put pressure on the spinal column. It begins with repetitive disc sprain followed by herniation then ends in degeneration.
The disc acts as a shock absorber for the spine during movement and holds the highly pressurized spine in its place. When it’s injured, it can cause pain to your lower back. There are three disc injuries you should know and these are:
- Herniated disc;
- Bulging disc; and,
- Degenerative disc.
During adulthood, the discs turn hard, almost like rubber. Hence, this is the reason adults are prone to disc injury and degeneration. Almost 35 to 50 percent of the adults experience it at some point in their life, mostly amongst men.
Risk Factors and Symptoms
What does this have to do with having a sedentary kind of lifestyle? Well, the lumbar disc pressure can increase up to 50 percent from the sitting position to bending over. Meanwhile, it can increase by around 80 percent when you change from a standing position to a sitting position with no back support.
Aside from the lifestyle, some of the factors may include repetitive mechanical stresses such as compressive loading, shear stress, and vibration that weakens the annular fibers – a tough circular exterior of the intervertebral disc – leading to its disruption.
Other risk factors in a developing lumbar disc lesion may also relate to smoking, driving motorized vehicles, a woman’s previous full-term pregnancy, and an increase in a person’s BMI.
The symptoms of lumbar disc lesion include:
- Lower back pain;
- Muscle weakness specifically in the legs;
- Neck pain;
- Spasms in the back muscles;
- Decreased reflexes at the knee or ankle;
- Numbness in the leg or foot; and
- Sore butt, hips and legs.
Chiropractic Treatment is Safe
A study recently conducted by the European Spine Journal asserted that chiropractic treatment for back pain and sciatica caused by a bulging or herniated lumbar disc is safe.
Most people fear going to the chiropractors believing that they might hurt their back and get worse due to the “pop” sound that comes out from the release of gas pressure in the joint. However, chiropractors offer varied gentle treatments, not quick treatments that can fix your disc. These treatments will help cure that back pain and get you moving again.
Licensed chiropractor Dr. Michael Grossman advises patients experiencing some of the symptoms to seek help before it gets worse.
Patients Not Qualified for Chiropractic Care
However, some patients can’t be considered as candidates for some types of chiropractic care treatment.
If you experience where you lose control of your bowel movement with an intervertebral disc injury, then you have to seek immediate medical care.
There are also cases when he refers you to a spine surgeon instead. It happens if he finds that you have an advanced loss of strength, reflexes, and other unusual neurological findings that will require surgery.
Chiropractic Treatment Applicable to those with Lumbar Disc Lesion
First, Dr. Michael Grossman will evaluate the entire spine to see how it is functioning. He may also look through your patient’s history and may ask for an MRI so that he can prescribe a suitable treatment plan for you.
After the examination, Dr. Grossman can already determine whether or not you have a lumbar disc injury. The type of disc injury you have will determine which treatment Dr. Grossman will use to address your symptoms.
Most lumbar disc injuries related to all three kinds of injury – mostly herniated disc – can be treated by Dr. Grossman with various treatments provided to address the pain and symptoms.
Spinal manipulation (adjustments) can be applied to the patient to ease your herniated disc symptoms. Other treatment plans also include manual therapy and therapeutic exercises for back pain. Dr. Grossman uses gentle force techniques to relieve painful symptoms.
Dr. Grossman will also make use of lumbar traction machines that can help in opening the joints of the spine up to release the pressure of the disc. This technique will allow the bulge and herniation to absorb back to where it needs to be.
Other treatments applied to treat disc injury also include:
- Flexion-distraction technique for the herniated disc;
- Manipulation under anesthesia; and,
- Pelvic blocking technique for herniated discs.
For those who are experiencing difficulty leaving home, you can have a virtual patient consultation and check-up with Dr. Grossman. Secure a Telehealth Visit with Dr. Grossman.
Grossman Chiropractic Clinic continues its commitment to providing effective chiropractic care and treatment clients deserve. You may schedule a consultation at Grossman Chiropractic Clinic by calling us at 669-244-2126 or fill up the online form today. Our chiropractic clinic is located at 1210 S. Bascom Avenue #136, San Jose California.
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