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Herniated Discs

There are many different terms used to describe spinal disc pathology and associated pain, such as “herniated disc”, “pinched nerve”, and “bulging disc”, and all are used differently by doctors.

Unfortunately, there is no agreement in the health care field as to the precise definition of any of these terms, and patients are often frustrated when they hear their diagnosis referred to in different terms by health care practitioners. A variety of additional terms such as ruptured disc, torn disc (or disc tear), slipped disc, collapsed disc, disc protrusion, disc disease, and black disc often add to a patient's confusion.

Rather than try to reconcile the terminology used to refer to a herniated disc or other disc problems, it's generally more useful for patients to gain a clear understanding of the precise medical diagnosis, in other words, to gain an understanding of the actual cause of the upper or lower back pain, leg pain, neck pain or other symptoms.

Chiropractic Care and Herniated Discs

Chiropractors evaluate the entire spine, so if you have a herniated disc, your chiropractor will look at other areas of the spine, too.

Because the spine functions as a whole, mechanical problems in one part of the spine can affect another area of the spine.

To treat a herniated disc, your chiropractor will develop a treatment plan that may include spinal manipulation and other chiropractic techniques to help ease your herniated disc symptoms. This will be an individualized treatment plan, but it may include manual therapy and therapeutic exercises.