Herniated Disc and Upper Cervical Chiropractic
What is a herniated disc? A herniated disc is when a disc of the spine loses strength allowing it to bulge or the internal fluid to break free and push up against the nearby spinal nerve or spinal cord. Common names for this problem are:
- Slipped Disc
- Bulging Disc
- Herniated Disc
- Ruptured Disc
The best way to think of a disc is to imagine a squishy gel pad that goes in your shoe. When you walk, the gel in the pad is compressed but gives a cushioning feel between the foot and the hard floor. Discs in the neck and back act the same way to help cushion your spine as you walk.
Disc herniation happens in one of two ways. 1.) An accident or injury to the head, neck, or spine. This is often a whiplash injury, but can have many different mechanisms. 2.) Repetitive motions and daily tasks including constant lifting or even poor daily sitting posture begin to break down the the support structure of the spine. This, overtime will lead to weakness and bulging discs in the low back and neck. If the disc herniation is in the neck, we often experience cervical radiculopathy. If the disc herniation is in the low back we can expect to have sciatica, lumbar radiculopathy, and even central canal stenosis related pain.
Whether you herniated disc happened during an accident, years following an accident, or from daily wear and tear, it means there is a significant problem that must be corrected. Ruptured discs happen when there is a shift of stress and pressure into one disc, rather than pressure evenly distributed throughout all of the spinal discs. For this to happen, a spinal misalignment must be present. The most important part of eliminating disc herniation symptoms is to correct the spinal misalignment, which will then free the disc of stress and pressure.
How can Upper Cervical Chiropractic – NUCCA Chiropractic Help a Herniated Disc?
Your Upper Cervical Chiropractor or NUCCA Chiropractor starts by performing a detailed spinal analysis and postural assessment to identify the cause of the disc herniation. Spinal misalignment is the #1 cause of stress on a herniated disc. Thus if the evaluation shows evidence of a spinal misalignment, your NUCCA Chiropractor will take specific X-rays of the spine in order to identify the severity of the misalignment and exactly how it needs to be corrected.
The Upper Cervical Chiropractor uses the detailed X-ray information to perform a gentle and precise spinal correction. The NUCCA correction is designed to restore spinal alignment and body balance, removing stress and compression of herniated discs. Once this happens, the discs and spine quickly begin to heal and recover from the damage of the spinal misalignment. Depending on how long the problem has been there, most people feel immediate relief or improvement from their pain.
Molland Spinal Care doctors are Eatontown Upper Cervical Chiropractors trained by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA). Our NUCCA Clinic has helped many people find natural relief from post-concussion syndrome in Eatontown, New Jersey. As NUCCA Chiropractors we are uniquely trained to correct problems in the Upper Cervical Spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different problems. More information can be found on our website at https://www.mollandspinalcare.com
Resources and Useful Links
- NUCCA Association
- NUCCA Association
- Upper Cervical Chiropractic NJ
- Spine-Health
- Mayo Clinic