.jpg)
Herniated discs are some of the most common causes of neck pain, but many are told they have this with no further explanation as to what that even means and more importantly what to do about it. Each disc is connected by two vertebral bodies and corresponding facet joints that all work together to provide movement and stability in your neck. Pain can proceed after a direct trauma from a car accident, whipash, or sports injury versus this occuring overtime with people aged from 40-50 being the most common age effected.
Pain symptoms commonly include:
- Pain noted as burning or stinging
- Paresthesia that can radiate to the shoulder, scapula, or midback
- Painful and limited range of motion
- Neck or Upper extremity muscle weakness
The intervertebral disc (IVD) comprises a thick outer annulus fibrosis and an inner nucleus pulposus. Many use the jelly donut analogy to reference where the “jelly”, or inner nucleus pulposus protrudes out of the outer donut, or annulus fibrosis to describe anatomically what happens when a disc herniation occurs. There are also varying levels of disc herniations that classify from mild to more severe: Bulging disc, disc protrusion, extrusion, and disc sequestration.
The majority of cases do not require imaging or even surgery as conservative care has been shown to be very effective in treating cervical herniated discs and even in the cases that are the most severe, conservative care is required post-surgically to decrease pain, increase range of motion and help you recover.
At Strength & Spine Chiropractic, we use every tool that we know can help you whether this is an acute injury or something that has bothered you for years. This can include things you may have seen before like cervical mobilizations/manipulations or soft tissue therapy but we take it to another level. We also utilize Winback Tecar therapy to alleviate pain and inflammation, NXPro device that uses Interactive Neuromuscular Stimulation (INS) to decrease pain and also reintroduce healthy movement patterns. This in combinations with rehabilitative exercises like the McKenzie approach and other exercises have helped people not only decrease their pain but strengthen the structures of their neck to allow for better tissue remodeling and better long term results!
If you're experiencing neck pain in the Tampa and St. Pete area and want to learn how to manage your neck pain effectively, go to strengthchiro.com and schedule your FREE Discovery visit or your New Patient appointment!
.jpg)
