Herniated Disc

Your Chiropractor Is the Expert in Drug-Free, Non-Surgical Relief of Pain Caused by Herniated Disc Symptoms

Dr. Sean Sorrell and Dr. Scott Iversen at Sorrell-Iversen Chiropractic Clinic in Manhattan, KS, are experts in treating pain caused herniated disc symptoms. Before we get into a discussion of what your chiropractor in Manhattan, KS, can do for you, let's start with a quick review of what a herniated disc is. 

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What Is a Herniated Disc? Is It the Same as a Bulging Disc or a Slipped Disc?

The discs in the spine act as shock absorbers and shock distributors for the bones of the spine, also known as the vertebrae. All but the first two vertebrae in the neck, the atlas (C1) and the axis (C2) are cushioned by at least one disc.

Think of what would happen when you jumped up and down if your spine did not have discs. What do you think would happen to the bones of your spine if they did not have these natural cushions between them? They would develop tiny fractures that would accumulate to cause constant pain and eventually major breaks in your bones. We cannot function without the discs between the vertebrae of our spines.

The discs in our spines can't really "slip." They can bulge, herniate, or rupture. Every disc consists of a tough outer ring called the annulus fibrosus. It contains a squishy fluid known as the nucleus pulposus. When there is too much stress on the disc as the result of poor posture or obesity, or the annulus fibrosus becomes dehydrated, the outer protective layer of the disc can crack and the cushioning fluid inside it can leak out. This causes the disc to become herniated so that it bulges and the joint it protects appears to "slip." It is more accurate to refer to this problem as a herniated disc.

What Did I Do to Cause a Herniated Disc? How Can My Chiropractor Fix It?

Damage to discs tends to be cumulative, but usually there is some kind of precipitating event that triggers back or neck pain. Years of poor posture or putting on the pounds may have no effect at all until you pick up something too heavy, or you try to bend a little too far, or, in some cases, when you sneeze and a weakened disc finally becomes a herniated disc. 

What your chiropractor does to treat a herniated disc is to relieve the misalignment that created it. This usually involves multiple treatments. The treatments your chiropractor gives you stop the ongoing damage so the disc can heal itself. You will usually get some pain relief with your first visit, but it will take more than one visit to encourage your spine to return to proper alignment and pain-free flexibility.

Don't Suffer Herniated Disc Pain without Treatment

Dr. Sorrell and Dr. Iversen are here to help. Request an appointment online or call us at 785-776-2001 during regular office hours or text us at (785) 776-7568. The Sorrell-Iversen Clinic is located at 630 Poyntz Avenue in Manhattan, KS, 66502.

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