If you’re experiencing neck or back pain that may have spread to your legs and arms, or if you’re feeling any stiffness or tenderness in your spine or spinal muscles, you may have a bulging, ruptured or herniated disc. Herniated discs are one of the most common spinal problems among St. Petersburg patients. Unfortunately, many of those suffering from slipped discs are living with the pain unnecessarily because they don’t fully understand the treatment options available to them. In fact, chiropractic treatment is the most effective, non-invasive option for managing your pain and treating its cause.
What Is A Herniated Disc?
Each vertebra of your spine has an intervertebral disc, which acts as a shock absorber and distributor. When too much stress is put on one of your intervertebral discs, the outer layer of the disc can crack, pushing the inner gelatin-like material through, limiting the disc’s ability to function.
Too much stress on your spine can cause this chain of events to occur. There are a few common ways you could be over-stressing your spine:
- Poor Posture
- Obesity
- Injury
- Wear and Tear Over Time
Why Chiropractic Treatment Is Your Best Option
Although each St. Petersburg area practitioner has unique approach, most chiropractic treatment plans will include multiple physical modalities:
- Hot/cold therapy can reduce pain and discomfort.
- Staying mobile is actually recommended over bed rest, which could make the problem worse.
- Spinal manipulations can realign the spinal column, slowly moving the disc back into place away from the nerve, which will reduce pain and inflammation.
- Physical therapy and gentle stretching can help relieve pressure or pinching of the surrounding nerves.
All patients are different, so pain management plans and rehabilitation methods should be devised based on your individual needs.
Some doctors may steer you in the direction of spinal surgeries or injections, but Dr. Bond Thomas and his associates offer their St. Petersburg patients a gentler, less-radical approach through chiropractic treatment. If you’ve suffered a traumatic sports injury, been in a recent car accident, or noticed bodily pain or discomfort, call Bond Thomas Chiropractic at (727) 522-1900 to schedule an appointment today.