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Chiropractors often help with bulging discs. Find out more on this page, or book your chiropractic consultation.
Meet Dr. Wayne Gard (Chiropractor), your local chiro on the Northern Beaches
Health fund rebates are available on site with HiCAPS
Reception Hours
Monday – Saturday
9am – 5pm
Practitioner Appointments
8am – 6pm
Therapy Works
Suite 3b/367 Barrenjoey Rd
Newport NSW 2106
Welcome to TherapyWorks. You can find our chiropractors at Suite 3b/367 Barrenjoey Rd Newport NSW 2106.
Countless people walk around with a bulging or herniated disc, and many don’t know it. Those who do often experience pain and dysfunction.
So, seeking advice from a Chiropractor for disc bulge is a sensible option. The spine — including the discs — is our bread and butter. So, let’s look at damaged discs — what they are, how long does a herniated disc take to heal, and how we may help you find relief.
In the spine, the word disc refers to the intervertebral discs that sit between (most) vertebrae. We can think of them as being like jam doughnuts. They are made from a softer core called the nucleus pulposus (the “jam”) and a tougher outer portion called the annulus fibrosus (the “dough”).
We use the words ‘herniated disc’, ‘bulging disc’ and ‘slipped disc’ interchangeably.
The spinal canal runs behind the vertebrae and the discs. This tunnel houses the spinal cord and spinal nerve roots. This is where damaged discs often cause trouble. Sometimes the “dough” can sag, bulge, and push out into the spinal canal. This is called a disc bulge. Sometimes the “jam” can push through the dough and herniate into the spinal canal. This is called disc herniation.
Pain and dysfunction can strike when a disc pushes onto nerve tissues like the spinal cord or spinal nerves. A disc bulge or herniation can occur in the cervical (neck), thoracic (middle back), or (lumbar) lower back. Its location determines the symptoms.
A disc can also degenerate; wear down. It can become dehydrated, cracked, and lose its height. This can place extra pressure on the spine’s joints, causing pain, stiffness, and dysfunction. While disc degeneration is more common in men, a bulging disc is equally common across the sexes.
The most common site for a disc bulge is where the lumbar (“L”) and sacrum (tailbone, or “S”) meet; the L5 S1 disc bulge. When considered with the disc above it (L4 L5), these two areas account for approximately 95% of disc bulges and herniations in people between 25-55 years of age. The lower back is the most common site for these disc problems.
Other common disc bulges include:
You can also get bulging discs in the neck, but the lower back region is much more common in my experience.
Chiropractors have at least five years of intensive University education, so we intimately know the spine, its assessment, and its treatment. We take a detailed history, perform special tests, and evaluate the spine to identify the likely problem. Then we discuss our findings and advice with you. We can provide appropriate treatment and counsel to support healing and recovery.
We’re often asked how long does a herniated disc take to heal? We’ll discuss this once we’ve thoroughly assessed your history and spine. We can then provide a more accurate estimation.
In general though, discs can take anywhere from 3 months to 2 years to heal. The good news is that most disc injuries will repair over time!
How common are disc injuries/disc herniation?
Do you have a bulging or herniated disc? Research shows that disc problems are common. A study published in the American Journal of Neuroradiology found that 30% of 20-year-olds and up to 84% of 80-year-olds have a bulging disc. Disc protrusion — otherwise known as a herniated disc — increases from 29% of 20-year-olds to 43% of 80-year-olds.
Disc injuries include annular tearing, internal nucleus leaking, disc degeneration, disc dehydration, disc dessication, disc bulging, disc herniation, disc spurring.
What are the most common causes of disc herniation that we see?
Most disc problems are due to a slow breakdown of the annular rings. This is largely due to spinal alignment problems.
Sometimes a disc can be injured by a lifting action – often with the spine bent forward and twisted.
Prolonged sitting, poor posture, ageing, and smoking are all involved in causing disc problems.
Tips to avoid disc injury
Here are our top tips to avoiding or preventing disc injury:
What are the different techniques you use to both diagnose, and then treat, a herniated disc or disc pain?
Disc injuries are mostly diagnosed from the patients symptoms and physical examination.
A proper examination requires great skill and experience!
Imaging like X-rays, CT, and MRI are only useful to confirm the diagnosis….not to make the diagnosis!
This is very important to remember.
To get more from your healthcare team, please contact TherapyWorks today and find out how we may help you. Please phone us on the number below or leave a message in the contact form.