What is a herniated disc?
Discs are the pads located between your bones in your spinal column that act as a shock absorber.
The discs are made up of a thick outer ring of cartilage (annulus) and an inner gel-like substance (nucleus). Spinal discs are what allow the spine to move and bend. The spinal column protects the spinal cord and nerves. When the cartilage develops a weakness from either a trauma or repetitive motion, the nucleus or gel-like substance can break through. Just like a jelly doughnut, your nuclues can "squirt out" and put pressure on your spinal nerves. Even slight amounts of pressure can cause pain, numbness, or weakness.
A herniated disc in the lower spine can put pressure on the sciatic nerve (sciatica). The sciatic nerve is comprised of several spinal nerve branches as they travel from the spine down the length of the leg. When pinched, sciatic pain may be experienced anywhere along these branches, radiating from the buttocks down the back of the leg and sometimes through the shin and foot. Often, leg pain occurs without any back pain.
What can I do to avoid back surgery?
First the good news:
Up to 90 percent of patients with herniated discs can be successfully treated without surgery.
Here's how it works: Spinal decompression is a type of traction therapy applied to the spine in an attempt to bring about several benefits including:
- Create a negative intradiscal pressure to promote retraction or repositioning of the herniated or bulging disc material.
- Create a lower pressure in the disc that will cause an influx of healing nutrients and other substances into the disc.1
What is spinal decompression treatment like?
Treatment occurs in the office using a specialized table. A thorough evaluation is needed with proper diagnostic testing to make sure you are a candidate for spinal decompression.
Coastal Integrative Healthcare is the only office in Edgewater, FL that has a spinal decompression table used to treat disc herniations. A consultation with one of our doctors will determine if you are a good candidate for non surgical spinal decompression.
There are many spinal decompression systems in use today, most of which work equally well. The cost for 20 sessions can be as high as $5,000 at some facilities (NO ONE SHOULD BE PAYING THOSE KIND OF FEES); we believe spinal decompression should be affordable, so call today for a free consultation and a tour of the DTS Spinal Decompression Table.
- Ramos G, Martin W. Effects of vertebral axial decompression on intradiscal pressure. Journal of Neurosurgery 81:350-353, 1994.
Coastal Integrative Healthcare
315 N Ridgewood Ave
Edgewater, FL 32132
(386) 267-6382