Another name for a bulging or herniated disc, a slipped disc occurs when the disc pushes out from between the vertebrae. Our discs help carry the weight of our body and they take a lot of abuse throughout our life and can begin to break down. A disc can also slip from an injury caused by a fall, car accident or sports.
There are four stages of a slipped disc:
- Degeneration: During this stage, the material inside the disc begins to weaken due to age and starts to dry out. Although it is not bulging yet, it cannot fully absorb the shock from your body’s movements.
- Prolapse: In the second stage, the disc moves and may begin to press on nerves as it starts to bulge.
- Extrusion: As the gel in the middle of the disc starts to break through to the outer layer, extrusion occurs. The disc’s external wall is not yet breached during this stage.
- Sequestration: The final stage occurs when the gel inside of the disc begins to leak into the spinal cavity.
Slipped discs can cause minor discomfort up to excruciating pain depending on the severity of it. Symptoms include:
- Tingling
- Aching
- Burning sensation
- Muscle weakness
- Pain and numbness on one side of the body
- Pain that spreads to extremities
- Pain that increases after sitting or standing
- Difficulty walking
Chiropractic care offers relief to patients with slipped discs without using drugs or surgery. Spinal manipulation, corrective exercises, ultrasound, electric muscle stimulation and massage therapy can be employed to resolve the condition that created the slipped disc and help your body to heal.