Disc Rupture

Commonly, when a patient is told by a medical professional that they are experiencing a herniated or a slipped disc, the layman’s explanation is that a disc ruptured somewhere along their spine in either the back or neck region. This type of injury can occur to a person of any age, and the Mayo Clinic has noted a significant rise in the number of people under the age of thirty experiencing disc rupture problems. Generally, when a disc is ruptured, the result causes the ruptured spinal disc to move away from the original buffer position between two vertebrae and closer to the spinal nerve and spinal cord. The compression caused from the disc rupture being out of place will result in the patient suffering extreme and debilitating pain. This back pain has been known to make even the most mundane and simplest of tasks an agonizing, if not, impossible ordeal for those suffering from this condition.

The solutions to a disc rupture in one’s back or neck fall into two categories: surgical or non-surgical. As a patient, the surgical options are expensive, painful, and often times prove an unnecessary alternative.  Many times a comprehensive physical therapy plan with a chiropractor can alleviate, if not, solve your back and neck pain issues.

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) describes the back as an intricate structure of bones, muscles, and other tissues that form the posterior part of the body’s trunk, from the neck to the pelvis. The centerpiece of the back is the spinal column. The spinal column supports the weight of the upper body and serves to encase and protect the spinal cord. The spinal cord is a delicate structure that acts as the nervous system’s super-highway as it carries signals from the body to the brain. These signals control the body’s movements and communicate sensations.

The spine is made up of more than 30 bones called vertebrae. Each vertebra contains a hole that creates a tunnel as they link together that surrounds the spinal cord and extends from the base of the brain to just below the rib cage. Bands of ligaments and tendons hold the vertebrae in place and attach the muscles to the spinal column. Circular pads that are malleable and elastic discs of cartilage known as intervertebral discs cushion the vertebrae. These discs allow for flexibility in the lower back and act as shock absorbers along the spinal column to prevent the vertebrae from grinding against each other as the body moves. These discs can rupture and push their content against the nerves of the spinal column causing excruciating pain.

The vertebrae are divided up into four segments of the spine they are:

• The top seven neck or cervical vertebrae (C1–C7)
• The twelve upper back or thoracic vertebrae (T1–T12)
• The five lower back or lumbar vertebrae (L1–L5)
• The five fused bones at the base of the spine or sacrum (S1-S5) and the four fused bones that make up the tailbone or coccyx (C1-C4)

Are you tired of living life in discomfort and pain from a disc rupture in your back or neck? Contact a U.S. Chiropractor in your area immediately!

Read more on other back pain topics such as: Spinal Adjustments, Sciatic Nerve Treatment and Herniated Disc