Disc Herniation

How are you dealing with pain?

If you’re dealing with pain from minor injuries, accidents, or an ongoing affliction, we have the pain relief treatments you need. Our doctor will provide you with immediate pain relief for your symptoms but also ensure the results last. We’ve been helping those in the Tampa bay area heal and recover from injuries, and we’re ready to help you get back to a healthy and active lifestyle too.

Disc Herniations

Herniated discs are common in the low back or lumbar spine. Most use the term “slipped disc”to describe a low back injury. Discs do not actually “slip”. Rather, they may cause herniation or bulge out from between the bones. A herniation is a displaced fragment of the center part or nucleus of the disc that is pushed through a tear in the outer layer or annulus of the disc. Pain occurs when irritating substances are released from this tear and also if the fragment touches or compresses a nearby nerve. Disc herniation has some similarities to degenerative disc disease and discs that herniate are often in an early stage of degeneration.

What Causes Herniated Discs?

Lifestyle choices such as smoking, lack of regular exercise, and inadequate nutrition contribute to poor disc health. Many factors decrease the strength and resiliency of the disc and increase the risk of disc herniation. Poor posture, daily wear and tear, injury or trauma, and incorrect lifting or twisting further stress the disc. If the disc is already weakened, it may herniate with a single movement or strain such as coughing or bending over to pick up a pencil.

How Do I Know If I Have a Disc Herniation?

The most common symptom will be pain in the area of the herniation that may radiate across the hips or into the buttocks. Herniated discs are most likely to affect people between the ages of 30 and 40. Disc herniation may be present without causing pain. You may also experience numbness or pain radiating down your leg to the ankle or foot. If the herniation is large enough, you may notice weakness with extension of your big toe and you may be unable to walk on your toes or heels. In severe cases of lumbar disc herniation, you may experience changes in your bowel or bladder function and may have difficulty with sexual function.

Disc Herniation Treatments

A herniation may be severe enough to warrant surgical intervention on occasion. These cases are usually reserved as a last resort when other forms of therapy have failed to provide pain relief, or if there is significant compression of the spinal cord or nerves. Mild to moderate disc herniations can usually be treated conservatively with stretching, exercise therapy and chiropractic care. More advanced cases will often require some form of spinal decompression, such as traction or mechanical decompression, in conjunction with chiropractic care.

Call us to make an appointment

Please contact us directly with any questions, comments, or scheduling inquiries you may have.

Have Questions?

Feel free to send over any questions to ease your mind of choosing our services. We are always interested in what our patients want to hear. At Spine & Joint Center our customers service is a top priority.

Spine & Joint Center

29 N Pinellas Ave
Tarpon Springs, FL 34689

Tel: (727) 934-7246
Fax: (727) 934-7245

Office Hours

We would be honored to have you stop by and come see for yourself why others have been raving about our service and accomplishments.

Monday: 9:00am – 6:00pm
Tuesday: 2:00pm – 6:00pm
Wednesday: 9:00am – 6:00pm
Thursday: 2:00pm – 6:00pm
Friday: 9:00am – 12:00pm
Saturday – Sunday: Closed

Lets Connect

We love to hear our customers success stories and to keep in touch with anyone that we have helped over the years. Give our socials a follow to see what we working on and keep an eye out for any specials and events going on in the local area.