Herniated Disc Treatment in NYC’s Flatiron District

If you often deal with back and leg pain, or you have weakness, numbness or tingling in your extremities, you might be suffering from a herniated disc. This condition can be quite painful depending on the severity of the disc injury. For those who have extremely severe pain, it can affect their lifestyle daily to the point where it becomes a constant burden on the mind.

Jump to treatment component overviews:

• Spinal Decompression Therapy
• Super-Pulsed Laser Therapy
• Active Therapeutic Movements
• Graston Soft Tissue Mobilization

Bones that are in a healthy spine have adequate cushion from these intervertebral discs which are usually soft and gelatinous. The discs are there to absorb shock and keep the spine properly flexible and are approximately 70% water. But if a disc becomes damaged or dehydrated, it can break apart or bulge outside of the spine itself. When this has occurred, it is called a herniated disc. It is sometimes also called a ‘slipped disc’ or ‘ruptured’ disc.

This is fairly common in people who are aging, because discs become less lubricated as we grow older. Poor posture and accumulation of damage as a result of repetitive stress on top of this degenerative posture significantly contributes to the speed at which this process occurs.  However, this can also happen due to injury that may have occurred to the spine. It is common to gain herniated discs after receiving a severe back injury. However, if the disc itself is not pressing on one of the nerves in your spine, you may actually not even feel any pain from the disc itself.

If you are experiencing numbness or pain, then the disc is likely pressing on a nerve in your spine or causing inflammation around the spinal nerve or nerve roots. This is also the cause of ailments like sciatica. Pain, tingling, weakness, or numbness can be caused by an injured disc that is compressing or causing insult to a nearby nerve. You should get examined as soon as possible to find out the severity of the condition and receive adequate treatments.

A misconception that people often have is that taking lots of rest will help a herniated disc. In actuality, this can cause more harm than help. Resting should only be done for a short amount of time if you are in a lot of pain. More than two days on rest can worsen the condition by weakening the muscles. It is best to stay active, even if it is only by taking short walks.

Pain that is typically associated with the condition can be treated in a variety of ways. Ice packs and heating pads can be useful in relieving some of the pain. These can be used for fifteen minutes during intervals of a couple of hours.  Light stretching or mobilization in pain-free ranges of motion may also aid in relieving some of the pain.

Herniated discs cannot necessarily be prevented, but there are precautions that you can take to keep your discs in healthy condition. Try your best to keep proper posture and lift objects safely. Exercising regularly and keeping yourself at a good weight is also recommended to take strain off of your back.

It is a good idea to talk with a doctor and find out what will be the best for you in your own experience.