Sciatica From A Herniated Disc
Sciatica From A Herniated Disc
by Randall Pruitt, DC, DACNB, DAAPM, MUAC
The pain from a herniated disc can be quite excruciating. Not only can you have back pain but you can also experience sciatica. This can be a doubly painful situation.
When the center of a disc called the nucleus pulposis breaks through the outer fibers of the disc referred to as the annulus fibrosis a herniated disc is the result.
The disc has actually been shown to only be painful in it’s outer 1/3. So the migration of the central portion can go on for some time before pain is experienced.
The start of a disc injury is usually repetitive activities like bending or twisting, a traumatic indecent or bad sitting posture. These activities create a weakening of the outer fibers making them susceptible to migration of the inner nucleus.
Local back pain is usually the first sign of a disc problem. As the nucleus moves it’s way out it begins to contact the outer fibers irritating their pain sensitive nerve fibers.
After the initial bout of back pain from a disc problem occurs a short period of relief or lessened pain may come about. This is usually due to the fact that the activities that caused the problem have been modified or stopped.
Once a bout of disc related pain begins however, the research shows it is almost always likely to come back without proper treatment. This is often dangerous for unsuspecting people who think they are out of the woods.
Once the pain returns it is usually worse and as the pain returns over and over again it usually starts with move it’s way down the leg or arm as the nerves become affected.
Once pain begins to move into the leg it is often called sciatica. This condition is associated with involvement of the sciatic nerve.
Sciatica can be caused by direct compression on the nerve from the herniated disc or from irritation caused by inflammation around the injured disc.
In either case proper treatment is a must. This means actually working to fix the disc problem through proactive means. The best treatment I have come across is for this is spinal decompression.
The negative pressures created inside the disc during spinal decompression help to draw in the herniated material so the disc can mend.
Spinal decompression is the best treatment to actually heal a herniated disc relieving sciatica pain.
Dr. Randall Pruitt is a chiropractic neurologist in Phoenix Arizona. His practice focuses on chronic back and neck pain. If you have a herniated disc you can learn more by going to www.arizonabackinstitute.com. They also have a lot of experience dealing with chronic sciatica. So if you are suffering from back or neck pain call the Arizona Back Institute today at 480-503-3344.
