You’ve probably heard people mention they have a “slipped” or “ruptured” disc in the back. Sometimes they complain that their back “went out”. What they’re most likely describing is a herniated disc. This painful condition is a common source of back and leg pain.

Discs are soft cushions found between the vertebrae that make up the spinal column (your backbone). In the middle of your spinal column is the spinal canal, a hollow space that contains the spinal cord. The nerves that supply your arms, legs, and torso come from the spinal cord.

The nerves from your neck supply your arms and hands, and the nerves from your lower back supply the butt and legs. The discs between the vertebrae allow your back to move freely and act like shock absorbers.

Your disc in your back is made up of two main sections. The outer part (the annulus) is made up of tough cartilage that is comprised of series of rings. The center of the disc is a jelly-like substance called the nucleus pulposus. A disc herniates or ruptures when part of the jelly center pushes through the outer wall of the disc into the spinal canal, and puts pressure on the nerves. A disc bulge is when the jelly substance pushes the outer wall but doesn’t completely go through the wall.

What do you feel?

Low back pain in mid-Michigan will affect four out of five people during their lifetime. The most common symptom of a herniated disc and probably the most painful is “sciatica”. Sciatica is best described as a sharp, often shooting pain that begins in the buttocks and goes down the back of one leg. This is most often caused by pressure on your sciatic nerve that exits the spinal cord.

Other symptoms include:

• Weakness in one leg or both legs

• Numbness and tingling in one leg (pins & needles)

• A burning pain centered in the low back

• Loss of bladder or bowel control (seek medical attention immediately)

• Back pain with gradually increasing leg pain. (If you have weakness in both legs. Seek immediate attention.)

Your medical history is key to a proper diagnosis. A physical examination can usually determine which nerve roots are affected (and how seriously). A simple x-ray may show evidence of disc or degenerative spine changes. An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is usually the best option (most expensive) to determine which of your disc has herniated.

Discs in your back are primarily composed of water. As we become older (after the age of 30), the water content decreases, so your discs begin to shrink and lose their shape. When your disc becomes smaller, the space between your vertebrae decreases and becomes narrower. Also, as your disc loses water content the disc itself becomes less flexible.

While aging, excess weight, improper lifting and the decrease in water in the discs all contribute to the breaking down of the discs in your back, the primary cause of a herniation or bulge is uneven compression and torsion that’s placed on the discs.

This uneven pressure is caused by imbalances in muscles that pull the spine out of its normal position and then your body is forced to function in what is referred to as a physical dysfunction. Every human being develops these dysfunctions over time and eventually they cause enough damage to create pain.

When it comes to treating your herniated disc, there are traditional treatments such as ice/heat, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, cortisone injections, anti-inflammatory medications and even surgery. While these may deliver some relief, it will usually be temporary, if at all.

But the major problem with these traditional treatments is that they can’t fix or heal a herniated disc as they do not address the actual cause of the problem. For example, even if you were to have a surgery and get some back pain relief, the fact is the dysfunctions that caused the disc to herniated in the first place are still there and if not addressed, they will continue to place uneven pressure and strain on the discs and sooner or later you will likely have another problem with that disc, or others.

Without identifying and addressing the underlying cause of the problem, which is the physical dysfunctions caused by imbalances in muscles, you will likely continue to suffer with this condition and the continuous flare ups for years.

So, unless you have a doctor or physical therapist that does spend some time and focus on identifying the physical dysfunctions that are responsible for the condition, most people will just end up jumping from one useless traditional treatment to the next and suffer for months or years unnecessarily.

If you have been diagnosed with a herniated disc, or are wondering if your back pain may be caused by a herniated disc, either way you must identify and address the physical dysfunctions beforehand that are causing your pain as part of your recovery.

Colestock Family Chiropractic specializes in using the Activator Method Technique to pinpoint those problem areas. It’s a very targeted and painless approach to back pain relief. Stop in our give us a call to schedule an appointment at 517.663.8825.

This video showcases Dr Denise Colestock performing an adjustment on a new client with the gentle approach to chiropractic care using the Activator Method Techique.

So the new year is here and you’ve decided to finally get to the bottom of your lower back pain that has been nagging you for way to long.

Once and for all you’re finally going to do something about it.

The first step is understanding the various causes of low back pain and learning a little bit about the normal design anatomy of the tissues in this area of your body.

Important structures of the low back that can be related to symptoms there include the bony lumbar spine vertebrae, discs between the vertebrae, ligaments around the spine and discs, spinal cord and nerves, muscles of the low back, internal organs of the pelvis and abdomen, and the skin covering the lumbar area. Many muscle groups that are responsible for flexing, extending, and rotating the waist, as well as moving the lower extremities, attach to the lumbar spine through tendon insertions.

Fortunately, most occurences of low back pain go away within a few days. Most lower back pain follows injury or trauma to the back, but pain may also be caused by degenerative conditions such as arthritis or disc disease, osteoporosis or other bone diseases, viral infections, irritation to joints and discs, or congenital abnormalities in the spine.

Obesity, smoking, weight gain during pregnancy, stress, poor physical condition, posture inappropriate for the activity being performed, and poor sleeping position also may contribute to low back pain.

Nearly everyone has low back pain sometime. The risk of experiencing low back pain from disc disease or spinal degeneration increases with age.

Exercise may be the most effective way to speed recovery from low back pain and help strengthen back and abdominal muscles. (Read elsewhere on this website about proper back exercises)

Most low back pain is triggered by some combination of overuse, muscle strain, and injury to the muscles, ligaments, and discs that support the spine. When low back pain strikes, we become acutely aware of just how much we rely on a flexible, strong back. The causes of low back pain tend to be interrelated.

Just What Are the Low Back Pain Symptoms?

The term “low back pain” is used to describe a spectrum of symptoms. Depending on the cause, low back pain may be dull, burning, or sharp, covering a broad area or confined to a single point. Leg symptoms can be caused by lower spine problems that place pressure on a nerve to the leg; they can occur on their own or along with low back pain. Your health professional can assess acute low back pain by talking to you about your medical history and your work and physical activities, and doing a simple physical examination. However, some episodes of low back pain are signs of more serious conditions. Low back pain can result from something simple, like cleaning house or lifting a heavy box, or it can be caused by a diagnosable spine condition like a herniated disc or degenerative disc disease.

Effective pain relief may involve a combination of prescription drugs and over-the-counter remedies including BioFreeze (a product Colestock Family Chiropractic endorses and carries). Some type of Lumbar Support is also important for constant support for low back pain.

The vast majority of lower back pain conditions will eventually get better with time and can be addressed with non-surgical treatments, such as osteopathic or gentle chiropractic care such as the Activator Method Technique, physical therapy, pain medications, etc.. Low back pain responds very well to appropriate conservative treatment such as physical therapy with the Activator Method; along with proper medication which can be prescribed by your physician.

If you’re experiencing any kind of lower back pain and reside within driving distance of Mid-Michigan, contact Colestock Family Chiropractic in Eaton Rapids at 517.663.8825 to schedule an appointment today. As one of only a few thousand proficient-rated professionals in the entire world using the Activator Method Technique, Dr Denise Colestock is only a phone call away in alleviating your lower back pain in Mid-Michigan.