- February 21, 2023
Herniated discs are among the most common causes of back injuries and related disabilities. A slipped disc can cause chronic pain, limited range of motion, loss of mobility, and other concerns. It could keep you out of work and prevent you from enjoying your favorite hobbies. Our physicians provide Hollywood herniated disc treatment via chiropractic adjustments and physiotherapy services.
Contact us today by calling (239) 369-9109. At Specific Care Chiropractic, we want to help you get the treatment and support you need to become stronger, healthier, and pain-free. We even help some patients reduce their disability rating and return to work. Call to learn more.
Herniated Discs Cause Pain and Disability
A herniated disc (also known as a slipped, ruptured, or bulging disc) is a common back injury. It becomes more likely as you age, although several other risk factors exist.
Between each vertebra in your spine are flexible discs that provide cushion and allow the spine to flex. As these discs endure more stress and as time passes, they weaken. Eventually, they can rupture or push out through the opening between the vertebrae. This is most common in the lumbar (lower) spine but can occur anywhere along the spinal column.
After herniating, the disc “bulges” into the spinal cord, causing symptoms, including:
- Chronic pain
- Inflammation
- Nerve damage along the back, down the legs, or in the arms
- Nerve pain, numbness, and weakness in the affected limbs
The nerve damage and chronic pain often make it challenging to get around and hard to hold some jobs. Back injuries are a common reason people pursue disability.
Some herniated discs are relatively minor and do not cause significant symptoms. More serious cases may require pain management and physiotherapy in addition to chiropractic care. Our team seeks to avoid spinal surgery for our patients when possible.
Let Our Physicians Assess Your Injury and Prescribe Treatments
The Specific Care Chiropractic team creates an individualized treatment plan for each patient. We do not take a one-size-fits-all approach to treating herniated discs or any other neck or back injury. Instead, we evaluate the patient’s individual needs and prescribe the chiropractic adjustments and physiotherapy techniques that best meet them.
This is possible because of our initial intake exams. During your first appointment with our team, you’ll undergo an examination that gives us a good sense of your injury, symptoms, and other important details. This exam includes:
- Answering questions, both on paper and in person, to give our team a better sense of your symptoms, how they affect your life, what led to your injuries, whether you have pursued treatment before, and other relevant factors
- X-rays and other imaging scans so we can locate and visualize the injury
- Other screenings to help us understand your baseline for flexibility and strength
- A physical exam of the affected area of your back
Once treatment begins, our physicians will continue to assess your ongoing needs. We look at healing, improvement of symptoms, increasing strength, and other hallmarks that allow us to measure the success of your current plan and tweak it as needed.
Our doctors can also help you seek recovery in another way. If your injuries occurred because of a car accident, fall, or an on-the-job injury, you may be pursuing a civil case to help you pay for our services. If you wish, we can provide imaging, medical records, and other assistance documenting your injuries to you or your attorney.
Our Prescribed Treatments for Herniated Discs in Hollywood
While each treatment plan is unique, there are some treatments that we commonly use to address herniated discs. If you trust our team with your treatment and care, we may prescribe one or more of these chiropractic adjustments and physiotherapy services:
Chiropractic Adjustments Using an Activator
While we believe chiropractic adjustments are essential for managing herniated discs and similar conditions, we need to ensure we can make targeted manipulations of the specific area of your spine affected. This is why we generally use an activator. Unlike manual manipulation, where the chiropractor uses their hands to apply force, the activator uses a hand-held device that provides high-velocity, low amplitude (HVLA) force.
This force replicates the movements of our physicians to manipulate the spine but allows for precise application in only the necessary area. This provides a more targeted, controlled adjustment.
Rehabilitative Therapy
Our physiotherapists provide targeted rehabilitation exercises that address weakness, pain, and other issues related to your herniated disc. The exercises and activities used will depend greatly on your injury and specific needs. The goal is to reduce pain, regain strength, and increase abilities. If you need to relearn certain skills because of permanent nerve damage, our therapists can help with that, too.
Strength and Flexibility Conditioning
Once you complete rehabilitation, we will prescribe additional work that will help you improve your fitness and health. Our therapists will teach you exercises meant to build strength and flexibility to help you prevent back injuries in the future. We want you to leave our care stronger and healthier than when you came to us with your injury.
Electrical Muscle Stimulation (E-STIM) Therapy
We commonly prescribe E-STIM therapy for our patients with herniated discs. This therapy uses a harmless electric current to stimulate the areas affected by your herniated disc. This type of therapy can help repair nerve damage, allowing you to regain strength, become mobile again, and reduce your disability rating.
Contact Our Team About Hollywood Herniated Disc Treatment
At Specific Care Chiropractic, we begin our relationship with all new patients with a comprehensive intake exam. This exam allows our physicians to better understand your injury, symptoms, and health history. These factors play a key role in your treatment plan. You can schedule your initial intake exam today.
Call (239) 369-9109 to speak to a team member who can set your appointment with our Hollywood herniated disc treatment team or contact us online.
