A herniated disk is a specific type of back pain. It occurs when there is a problem with one of the rubbery cushions commonly called disks which sit between the individual vertebrae of your spinal column. While herniated disks can occur in any part of the spine, they are most common in the lower back area.
What Is a Herniated Disk?
Herniated disks are often the result of gradual wear and tear tied to aging, which is commonly referred to as disk degeneration. The further the disk degenerates, the more likely it is to become herniated by even a minor movement. Herniated disks are sometimes referred to as ruptured or a slipped disk.
Causes Of Herniated Disks
Because it can be difficult for people to pinpoint the cause of their herniated disks, it is often a better practice to prevent the risk factors of a herniated disk. The greatest risk factors for potential herniated disks are overweight, genetic disposition, and sedentary lifestyles. Smoking has been noted as increasing the risk of herniated disk due to depleting the oxygen supply to the disks. For these reasons, your lifestyle holds the largest potential to herniate spinal disks and the greatest ways to prevent herniated disks are though exercise, good posture, supporting products and maintaining a healthy body weight while not smoking.
Preventing Herniated Disks
Even with proper exercise and being intentional with our sitting durations, however, might not be enough to fully prevent a disk herniation. When a herniated disk occurs, there are few solutions for it. The first is to deal with the pain through pain pills either prescription or over the counter or with cortisone injections. While these methods do not fight the cause of the herniated disk, they do a great job of dealing with the pain created by the herniated disk.
Treating Herniated Disks
There are, however, only two true surefire methods for dealing with a herniated disk. The first is through surgery and the second is through chiropractic adjustments. Surgery is a very invasive way of treating a herniated disk, so utilizing chiropractic adjustments is generally the preferred method.
The chiropractors of Crossroads Chiropractic are trained in treating herniated disk. Additionally, we also offer acupuncture, which can assist with the pain from herniated disks without the need for opioids. Contact us to receive the care you need.
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