Atlantic Ave Magazine - January 2020

health & beauty | pain relief
By dr. john conde
Non-Surgical Approach
To A Herniated Disc
The medical phrase “herniated disc” is widely used to describe injury to
the spine. It refers to the incidence of derangement within the spinal
column in which there is injury to the spongy cushions (discs) between
the individual bones (vertebrae). Herniated discs are most common
when a person is in their thirties of forties however it can affect any age
group especially when the aging population is active.
It is most notably associated with the lumbar region (lower
back) but can also affect the cervical region (neck) and
thoracic (mid back) region with less prevalence.
Quite often herniated discs in the lumbar region will
produce sciatica (leg pain) and in the cervical region
will produce arm pain. Dysesthesias (numbness
and tingling) in the arms and legs are also
associated with lesions involving the spinal discs.
The disc itself lies between two adjacent vertebrae
and is composed of a hard outer shell called
the annulus and a gelatinous substance on
the inside called the nucleus. The nucleus
provides key structural support elements
for the spine as it acts as a “shock
absorber” for the spine so that the vertebrae
do not touch each other. The
cushion also creates a space between
the vertebrae so that the spinal nerves
can exit unharmed. However, the nucleus
also contains certain chemical irritants such
as tumor necrosis factor-alpha which can be
toxic for nerves. Therefore it is of paramount
importance that it remains within its shell. The
annulus acts as the outer shell or barrier and is a
resilient tissue made up of fibrocartilage.
A herniated disc occurs when fissures (tears)
form in the annulus or outer shell which allows
for the nucleus to escape and get into dangerously
close contact with the spinal nerves. The most offensive
posture for the lumbar disc is sitting. This
provides the greatest load on the disc and increases
probability of herniation. Therefore sedentary
lifestyles and jobs requiring prolonged
sitting are deleterious for the discs. Other activities
such as bending and twisting are also very
60 | January 2020 | www.AtlanticAveMagazine.com
damaging to the discs especially if repetitive. Lastly, acute events
such as lifting something very heavy without proper support can
injure the spinal discs.
The “gold standard” for conservative, non-invasive treatment
of disc herniations is non-surgical spinal decompression
therapy. This treatment acts to create a negative pressure
or vacuum within the spinal canal essentially retracting
some of the disc material back into the annulus and away
from the sensitive spinal nerves. In fact the pressure within
the disc can get to minus 150 mm/HG. The most recent
clinical study of 219 patients has showed
that spinal decompression therapy
provided an immediate resolution
of symptoms for 86% of
the participants while 84%
remained pain free 90
days post-treatment. In
combination with a revolutionary
modality termed
class IV highpower laser
therapy which accelerates tissue
healing by tenfold through
“kick-starting” the cellular machinery
in the injured tissue, the outcomes
are even more staggering. Core strengthening
specifically designed for a disc herniation
(which differs from other lumbar spine injuries)
should not be ignored and should be a
part of any protocol for injured discs.
COPYRIGHTED
Conde Center For
Chiropractic Neurology
401 West Atlantic Avenue, Suite #014
Delray Beach, FL 33444
561-330-6096
www.thecondecenter.com