How to Treat a Herniated DiscWell, it has been nearly five years since I hurt my back.  Everything has been going great… up until last Friday.  Five years ago I had a disc injury that left me with pain every day for 10 months.  I remember waking up one morning in October saying, “I don’t have back pain today!”

Fast forward to now and I did the same thing again.  I was playing basketball last Friday morning and I didn’t feel like bringing the proper post workout nutrition (aka my protein shake), nor have I been eating very well over the past week due to three celebrated birthdays towards the end of January.  Anyway, I felt a small twinge while playing my last game, and guess what worsened as the day went on – my back!

I was able to finish out the day, but I texted my wife from the grocery store on the way home saying that shopping right now was like torture.  I have been trying to eat better throughout the weekend (although I can’t avoid the birthday cake), but I still needed the assistance of Ibuprofen.

Here is the up side.  I know exactly what to do to fix the problem, and I know that it will take some time to heal.  First of all, I have to stop working out.  Don’t worry, I won’t be out long.  I just need one week to let things heal.  I also plan to get adjusted three times a week over the next week and I will continue that pattern until the pain goes away.  After the pain is gone I will return to the gym, but still get adjusted twice a week for the next 2-4 weeks.  Then I will begin to taper down my adjustment frequency.

Here’s where the specific adjustment makes a difference.  I will not get side posture adjustments right away.  These sometimes can inflame the disc in acute situations (not always, but I’m not taking a chance in the beginning).  I will get drops to correct my pelvis and/or sacrum, but then move to the flexion/distraction table for treatments on my lumbar spine.

Fortunately our office is equipped with this special table.  The table was designed to treat disc herniations and disc bulges in a non-invasive manner.  It allows the spine to create a negative pressure to temporarily resorb the bulging disc.  This table is a life-saver.  Not to mention we are the ONLY chiropractors in Mooresville to have this specific adjusting table.  Not only can it treat lumbar disc pathologies, but it can also treat cervical disc herniations or bulges.

Add this specific care to a better diet, and I will be back to my old self within weeks.  I will be back to my regular routine within a week, but I guarantee there will be small levels of discomfort for a little while.  I’m not worried, though, because I have faith that my body was designed to heal itself, and that is just what I am going to let happen.  Chiropractic care is the best method out there to make this happen.  I will keep you posted to my recovery, but let me know if there are any family or friends that may be in the same pain I am in.  I am confident that this method of treatment can work for them too.

 

Dr Spencer Charlet
Chiropractor in Mooresville, NC
704-663-7625