Slipped or bulging disc
Discs do not actually slip. They are firmly attached to the bones above and below. What they can do is weaken, bulge, and press on the nerve next to them.
Chiropractic care may help you manage back or neck pain from a bulging disc, and the leg or arm symptoms that can come with it.
What it is
A disc is the cushion between two vertebrae. Under repeated strain, or with age, the outer wall can weaken and the disc can bulge or herniate. If the bulge presses on a nerve root you can get pain, pins and needles or numbness along that nerve: into the leg from the lower back, into the arm from the neck.
A bulge rarely appears for no reason. It usually follows years of load on a stiff or poorly moving segment, which is why the way the whole spine moves matters, not just the sore spot.
What we assess
- Your history, including exactly where any arm or leg symptoms go.
- How your spine moves segment by segment, your posture, and the nerve tests that show which level is involved.
- Joint, muscle and nerve testing, with hands-on examination. On-site X-rays if clinically indicated; a scan if the findings call for it.
Your initial consultation is $49 and includes the examination, on-site X-rays if clinically indicated, an adjustment if clinically indicated, and the planning session where we go through what we found. What to expect →
What care looks like
Adjustments to the segments that are not moving well, chosen for how irritable the disc and nerve are; hands-on work for the muscles.
At-home work: positions that take load off the disc, then movement and strengthening as it settles; a look at how you sit, lift and sleep.
A plan with a number of visits, reviewed as you go. Like all treatments, chiropractic care can have side effects; the common ones are mild and short-lived, such as soreness after an adjustment. We discuss this with you before care starts.
When to see your GP first
Some symptoms need a doctor before anyone else. See your GP, or emergency care, if you have:
- Numbness around the groin or buttocks, or any change in bladder or bowel control: same-day medical care.
- Weakness in an arm, leg or foot that is getting worse.
- Pain after significant trauma, or with fever, or that does not ease at all with rest.
If you are unsure, call us and ask. We would rather send you to the right person than have you guess.
Questions
Will the disc go back in?
Discs do not pop in and out. Many bulges settle over time as the load on them changes and the body resorbs part of the bulge. Care is about managing the load and the irritation while that happens.
Is surgery inevitable?
No. Most disc problems are managed without it. If your symptoms are the kind that need a surgical opinion, we will tell you and help you get one.
Related: Sciatica · Lower back pain · All conditions
Ready when you are.
Your initial consultation is $49 and includes the examination, on-site X-rays if clinically indicated, an adjustment if clinically indicated, and the planning session where we go through what we found.