At Dr. Scott M. Pint, we are here to help everyone who suffers from back pain in Pittsburgh, PA. If you are looking for a chiropractor who can help you with the treatment of back pain, then you have come to the right place. Among the possible reasons why someone might suffer from back pain, one of the most common is a herniated disc. This is a debilitating condition that we can help our patients treat. Learn more about how a chiropractor can treat this condition below!
request an appointmentWhat is a Herniated Disc?
A herniated disc is a common cause of back pain. The spinal cord and vertebrae are separated by small cushions. These cushions are called discs. The discs are in place to prevent the vertebrae from rubbing against each other, including the nerves. The most common causes of a herniated disc include heavy lifting and auto accidents. When someone suffers a herniated disc, the most common location for this to happen is between L3 and L4 or between L4 and L5.
If someone develops a herniated disc, this can present in a variety of ways. The most common presentation involves back pain in the lower back that transmits shooting, shock-like pains down the legs that make it hard to move. That is where we can help.
Do I Need Surgery for a Herniated Disc?
When someone has been diagnosed with a herniated disc, they almost always think they need surgery. The good news is that this is not always the case. The goal in the treatment process of a herniated disc is to restore the space that used to be present between the vertebrae that were lost when the disc ruptured. We have a variety of tools to make this happen. One of the most important tools that we can use is called traction therapy. We place a slight amount of traction on the back to decompress the spine. This will increase the space around the irritated nerves, helping to alleviate someone’s symptoms. That is how we treat a herniated disc in the back.