A lumbar disc issue is one of the most troubling health conditions because it is not only painful but can also impair movement. A protruding lumbar disc can cause sciatic nerve pain, which affects the legs. Many sufferers wonder if their lower back pain can be eased by chiropractic care. If so, they want reassurance that the treatment will be safe and not cause additional damage to the body.
The lumbar disc is one of the spinal discs within the lower portion of the back. The discs of our spine are similar to cushions, separating each set of bones within the back. These discs are extremely important to functioning because they serve as shock absorbers when we move. In addition, they prevent the bones in our back from rubbing together, a situation that would be extremely painful. Each disc features a durable outer covering called an annulus and a soft, jelly-like center, called a nucleus. To get a visual of how a disc looks, picture a jelly doughnut.
A bulge is one of the most common lumbar disc conditions and is usually caused by trauma to the body, such as that occurring during a car accident or when lifting a heavy object. When the outer covering of the lumbar disc weakens and tears, the soft center is pushed into the weakened area. A bulge results and some people refer to this as a slipped or herniated disc. Spinal nerves are located directly behind spinal discs and when a lumbar disc bulges, it usually applies pressure to one of these nerves. Spinal nerves are extremely sensitive, so the sufferer often experiences severe pain.
Even more serious is the fact that spinal nerves control the entire body. Therefore, anything controlled by the affected nerve will begin malfunctioning. Aside from pain in the lower back, discomfort may be experienced in the hips, feet may become numb, or the legs may be weak or painful, with discomfort sometimes shooting down the leg, referred to as sciatic pain. Some sufferers even experience bladder or bowel issues.
Unlike other back conditions, like degenerative disc disease (which is actually a form of arthritis), pain caused by a bulging disc tends to remain constant throughout the day and may even increase when the person is engaging in certain activities. Many doctors recommend medication, pain injections, physical therapy, or even surgery. However, none of these have a high success rate because they merely numb the nerves, which does not heal the damaged disc.
Chiropractic treatment can provide relief, according to a study in Clinical Orthopedics and Related Research. In this study, 517 patients with protruding lumbar discs were treated by spinal manipulation. Eighty-four percent exhibited a positive response, leading the authors to conclude that, "Manipulation of the spine can be effective treatment for lumbar disc protrusions. Most lumbar disc protrusions could be effectively treated by manipulation." In the U.S., manipulation or adjustment of the spine is primarily performed by a licensed chiropractor.
The article goes on to mention that the practice of spinal manipulation has been used for many years. During the Tang Dynasty, which spanned from 618 to 907 A.D., the Chinese routinely treated lower back pain with spinal manipulation. Hippocrates, widely considered the father of medicine, is believed to be the earliest documenter of manipulation within the western world.
There may be times when a chiropractor will not use manipulation to treat lower back pain resulting from a lumbar disc problem. In these cases, mobilization, exercises, traction, or electrical stimulation of muscles may be suitable. Many times, a combination of treatments proves most effective at healing a damaged disc, regardless of the specific condition.
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