Westside Chiropractic
Disc herniation care in Burlington.
“Slipped disc” makes it sound like something has slid out of place and needs to be pushed back in. Discs don’t actually slip. They are firmly attached to the bones above and below them, and what people usually mean is a disc herniation, also called a bulging disc. It can be painful, but many disc herniations settle over time with conservative care.
What a disc herniation can feel like
In the low back, there may be pain, tingling, or numbness that travels into the buttock and down the leg, the pattern most people call sciatica. In the neck, it can travel down the arm and into the hand. Sitting, bending, or a sneeze often stir it up. That travelling pain comes from an irritated nerve root (the start of a nerve, where it leaves the spine). It can feel alarming, but how much it hurts is not a measure of how much damage there is.
What is happening in the disc
A disc is a bit like a jelly doughnut. It has a tough, layered outer ring and a softer, gel-like centre, and it sits between two vertebrae (the bones of the spine) as a cushion. In a herniation, some of that softer centre pushes out through the outer layers, like jelly squeezing toward the edge of the doughnut. If it irritates a nearby nerve, you feel it along that nerve’s path. Sometimes there is a clear moment, like a lift with a bend and a twist. Often there isn’t, and it builds quietly over time.
Your care
How we help
Most disc herniations improve over time with conservative care (care without surgery or injections), so we focus on helping you stay moving while that happens. Depending on what we find, care can include chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue work, medical acupuncture, and a graded exercise and rehab plan, plus massage therapy where it helps. We also show you which positions tend to calm the nerve down and which tend to stir it up.
For some disc-related low back and leg pain, one option we may use is our Cox flexion-distraction table. It is a purpose-built treatment table that lets the chiropractor gently and rhythmically flex your low back while you lie face down. It is not right for everyone, and we will talk it through with you before we use it. If your assessment points elsewhere, we will refer you on.
How we assess it
We start with your story: where the pain began, where it travels, and what changes it. Then we look at how your back or neck moves and do a neurological exam (checking strength, sensation, and reflexes to see how the nerve is working). Disc pain has look-alikes, such as the sacroiliac (SI) joint, so we rule those in or out and explain what we find in plain language.
When to get it checked sooner
Most disc herniations are not an emergency, but please seek medical care right away if you have loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness in the saddle area (between the legs), or progressive weakness in a leg or foot, such as foot drop (the front of the foot catching or slapping as you walk). With a neck disc, watch for weakness in an arm, clumsy hands, or trouble with balance or walking. These need a medical assessment first. If any of them come up during your assessment with us, we will refer you on right away.
Common questions
Disc herniation questions
Can a chiropractor help with a herniated disc?
Do I need an MRI first?
Book a visit for your disc pain
Booking online takes just a couple of minutes. Or call the office and Rosanna will help you find a time that works.
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