Having a disc herniation can cause pain the low back, down the legs, numbness and tingling in the legs, and can lead to chronic problems that don’t resolve by themselves. Typical treatments for a disc herniation are steroid and/or epidural shots to numb the symptoms. This will lead to possible pain relief for 3 – 6 months maximally. The reason for this is that those shots mask the symptoms instead of getting at the root cause of the problem.

What makes treatment hard for disc herniation is the fact that the problem happened way before the symptoms occurred. When symptoms occur, it almost feels like it is too late to get good treatment. These are people that pick up a pencil and when they come back up, the muscles in their back tighten up so much that it can literally knock people on the floor. Below I outline the main causes to disc herniations that I see in my practice on a regular basis.

• Decreased lower back curve (lumbar spine)

The lumbar spine should have a curve that outlines an ellipse. This ellipse has more curve in the lower lumbar spine (L4/5, L5/S1 – which is the most common disc herniation location). Decreasing the curve causes more stress and strain away from the joints and onto the cushion that holds the vertebrae together. This is called the lumbar disc. More pressure on the disc causes the annular fibers – the tough strong material holding the cushion together - to break down. When this breaks down, then the soft part inside – called the nucleus pulposus – that is more jelly like will start to come out. When this comes out, this can press on the nerves right behind it. This is what causes pain/numbness tingling in the thighs, leg, and feet and usually does not get better by itself.

• Posture that shifts backward (sway back)

When people’s middle part of their spine shifts backward, this will also decrease the lower back curve. This will cause the same problems listed above

• Compressive forces – sports injuries

People that constantly compress the spine – such as in football when people tackle each other – cause small injuries to the disc. This can lead to the same problems outlined above.

• Improper squatting form

People lose the ability to squat due to sitting constantly. This will lead to improper movement of the low back. When the low back moves in a way away from normal, this will lead to overuse injuries to the muscles, joints, discs, ligaments, and other structures. This can also lead to the problems outlined above.

These are 4 main causes of disc herniation that I see in the office constantly. This will not be said by other health providers. Why? Because usually what is blamed are the effects – tight muscles, old age, disc degeneration, spinal arthritis, “normal aging”, runs in my family, tight piriformis muscle, weak core, etc.

The best treatment: chiropractic care that focuses on correcting the misalignment of the spine – most often decreased lumbar curve. The best way to do that is through Chiropractic Biophysics, which is the technique mastered by Dr. Mike Weiner at Optimal Spine and Body.

The question is why do people have these problems? The other question is if you could take control of your disc herniation, would you want that? Dr. Mike Weiner had a disc herniation when was 10 years old. He always had chronic low back issues. When X-rays were taken, he had both a mid-back shifting backward and decreased lumbar curve. With specific care addressed on correcting the low back curve (lumbar spine) by applying Chiropractic Biophysics, he has successfully been able to fix the root cause. He currently never struggles with lower back pain ever since. What was he told by other people – it is just tight muscles, stretch more, use heat/cold, just be careful when bending, it’s the way it will always be, etc. He doesn’t believe that must be an option. If you agree with that, what are you waiting for? Call 770 274 4840 to schedule a consultation to see what Dr. Mike Weiner can do with his different chiropractic care called Chiropractic Biophysics.

Dr. Mike Weiner practices in Alpharetta, Georgia at Optimal Spine and Body as a chiropractor specialized in Chiropractic Biophysics – the most advanced and research-based chiropractic technique in the profession.