Looking for herniated disc treatment in Wichita, KS? A herniated disc can cause significant lower back or neck pain and may irritate nearby nerves, leading to pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness that travels into an arm or leg.
At Optimal Wellness in Wichita, we provide conservative treatment options for patients experiencing disc-related pain. Instead of focusing only on temporarily reducing symptoms, we evaluate how your spine is functioning and look for mechanical factors that may be contributing to the problem.
Depending on your examination findings, your treatment plan may include chiropractic care, non-surgical spinal decompression, therapeutic exercises, electrical muscle stimulation, and other supportive therapies.
Our goal is to help reduce pain, improve function, and get you back to the activities you enjoy.
Your spine is made up of individual bones called vertebrae. Between most of these vertebrae are spinal discs that provide cushioning and help absorb forces during everyday movement.
Each spinal disc has a softer inner portion surrounded by a tougher outer layer.
A herniated disc occurs when material from inside the disc pushes through or into a weakened area of the outer portion. If the herniated material irritates a nearby spinal nerve, symptoms may extend beyond the back or neck.
Herniated discs commonly occur in the lumbar spine, or lower back, but they can also develop in the cervical spine of the neck.
Interestingly, some people have disc herniations without experiencing significant symptoms. That’s one reason a proper examination is important rather than assuming every abnormality seen on an MRI is responsible for your pain.
Symptoms can vary considerably depending on the location of the herniated disc and whether a nearby nerve is irritated.
Common symptoms include:
A lumbar herniated disc may irritate a nerve contributing to the sciatic nerve, producing pain that travels from the lower back or buttock into the thigh, calf, or foot.
A cervical herniated disc can produce similar symptoms in the upper body, including neck pain that travels into the shoulder, arm, hand, or fingers.
For appropriate patients, chiropractic care may be one component of conservative herniated disc treatment in Wichita, KS.
Most people with symptomatic herniated discs do not automatically require surgery. Conservative treatment is commonly considered first when there are no signs indicating that urgent medical or surgical evaluation is necessary.
At Optimal Wellness, we don’t treat every patient with a herniated disc the same way.
Your treatment recommendations depend on factors such as:
This individualized approach is particularly important with disc injuries because a treatment that’s comfortable and appropriate for one patient may not be appropriate for another.
The first step is determining what’s contributing to your symptoms.
We evaluate your health history, spinal movement, posture, areas of pain, and neurological symptoms. When appropriate, orthopedic and neurological testing may also be performed.
If you’ve already had an MRI, X-rays, or other diagnostic imaging, bring the images or reports with you so they can be considered as part of your evaluation.
Our goal is to determine whether conservative treatment is appropriate or whether additional medical evaluation is necessary.
Restricted movement in portions of the spine can occur alongside back and neck pain.
When clinically appropriate, chiropractic adjustments may be used to improve joint mobility and spinal function.
Treatment is customized to each individual. Having a herniated disc doesn’t mean aggressive manipulation is automatically appropriate. Chiropractic techniques and the amount of force used can be modified according to your condition, comfort, age, and examination findings.
One of the primary therapies we may incorporate for certain disc-related conditions is non-surgical spinal decompression.
Spinal decompression uses controlled traction to gently stretch and unload targeted areas of the spine.
At Optimal Wellness, we use Triton DTS spinal decompression technology and customize treatment according to each patient’s condition.
Spinal decompression may be considered for certain patients experiencing:
Not every patient with a herniated disc is a candidate for spinal decompression. That’s why we perform an evaluation before recommending treatment.
Reducing pain is important, but improving how your body moves can also play an important role in recovery.
As your symptoms allow, we may introduce therapeutic exercises based on your individual needs.
Exercises may focus on improving:
The goal is to help your spine tolerate normal activities while reducing unnecessary stress on the injured area.
Disc-related pain can sometimes be accompanied by protective muscle tension and spasms.
Electrical muscle stimulation may be incorporated into your treatment plan to help manage muscular discomfort and tension surrounding the affected area.
This is generally used as a supportive therapy rather than the primary treatment for a herniated disc.
How you sit, bend, lift, sleep, and move throughout the day can influence the amount of stress placed on your spine.
This can be especially important for people who spend long periods sitting at a desk, driving, or performing repetitive physical work.
We may provide recommendations regarding:
Small changes to everyday habits may help prevent repeatedly aggravating an irritated disc.
There isn’t one treatment protocol that’s appropriate for every herniated disc.
Our approach to herniated disc treatment in Wichita, KS may combine several conservative therapies rather than relying on a single treatment.
Depending on your examination, your plan may include chiropractic care, spinal decompression, therapeutic exercises, electrical muscle stimulation, and home recommendations.
Your treatment can then be modified according to your progress.
Patients often use the terms bulging disc and herniated disc interchangeably, but they don’t necessarily describe the same condition.
A bulging disc generally refers to a disc extending outward beyond its normal boundary.
A herniated disc involves material from the softer inner portion of the disc pushing through a weakened or torn area of the tougher outer portion.
Either condition can potentially irritate nearby nerves.
However, an abnormal disc seen on an MRI doesn’t necessarily mean that disc is responsible for all of a patient’s symptoms. Your history, examination, neurological findings, and imaging should be considered together.
No.
Many people with herniated discs improve without surgery. Conservative care is commonly considered before surgery when significant or progressive neurological problems aren’t present.
Conservative treatment may include activity modification, therapeutic exercise, chiropractic care for appropriate patients, physical therapy, medication prescribed by an appropriate healthcare provider, and other approaches.
Surgery may become appropriate when conservative treatment doesn’t provide adequate improvement or significant neurological problems develop.
Our goal isn’t to keep someone undergoing chiropractic treatment when another type of care is necessary. If your examination indicates that your condition requires additional medical evaluation, we will recommend an appropriate referral.
According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, symptoms of sciatica/radiculopathy improve over time in approximately 9 out of 10 people, and conservative treatment is generally recommended initially.
Certain symptoms require immediate medical evaluation rather than a routine chiropractic appointment.
Seek prompt medical attention if back or neck pain is accompanied by:
These symptoms can indicate significant neurological involvement and require prompt medical assessment.
Recovery time varies considerably from person to person.
Factors that can affect recovery include:
Many people with symptomatic herniated discs improve with time and conservative care.
Our focus isn’t simply on temporarily reducing symptoms. We also want to improve mobility, strength, movement patterns, and overall function so you can safely return to normal activities.
At Optimal Wellness, we provide multiple conservative treatment options under one roof.
Rather than using the exact same treatment for every patient, we develop recommendations based on your examination findings and individual needs.
Your care may incorporate:
Most importantly, we take the time to evaluate what’s contributing to your symptoms before recommending a treatment plan.
A herniated disc isn’t simply a disc that has “slipped out of place,” so treatment isn’t about pushing the disc back into position.
Conservative treatment instead focuses on improving function, reducing aggravating mechanical stresses, managing symptoms, and helping the patient recover.
Non-surgical spinal decompression may be considered for certain patients experiencing disc-related back or neck problems.
Whether you’re a good candidate depends on your diagnosis, symptoms, examination findings, medical history, and other factors.
Yes.
A lumbar disc herniation can irritate a spinal nerve root and cause pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness that travels through the buttock and into the leg.
Not necessarily.
Imaging isn’t automatically required for every episode of back or neck pain. Your history and examination help determine whether additional imaging is appropriate.
If you’ve already had an MRI, bring your images or report with you to your appointment.
Often, yes, although the appropriate exercises depend on your individual condition and symptoms.
Certain movements may be helpful while others can aggravate an irritated disc or nerve. That’s why we recommend individualized exercises rather than giving every patient with a disc problem the same routine.
Back pain, sciatica, numbness, or radiating pain can make working, exercising, sleeping, and even sitting difficult.
If you’ve been diagnosed with a herniated disc—or think a disc problem could be contributing to your symptoms—Optimal Wellness can evaluate your condition and determine whether conservative treatment may be appropriate.
Our approach to herniated disc treatment in Wichita, KS may combine chiropractic care, non-surgical spinal decompression, therapeutic rehabilitation, and other supportive therapies based on your individual needs.
Contact Optimal Wellness today to schedule an evaluation and find out whether our conservative approach to herniated disc treatment is right for you.
Optimal Wellness
Wichita, Kansas
316-425-1911
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