Bulging, herniated, or extruded — disc injuries vary, but most can be treated without surgery if you act early.
The intervertebral discs sit between each pair of vertebrae. Each one is a tough outer ring around a soft gel-like center, and they exist to keep your bones from grinding against each other while letting your spine move. Lose a disc, and you lose your ability to bend, twist, or move your upper body in any useful way.
Disc injuries fall on a spectrum. A protruding disc means the gel inside has shifted off-center and is pressing the outer ring outward — often into a nearby nerve root. A herniated disc means the outer ring has torn and the gel has pushed through, irritating the nerves and causing serious pain or numbness. A disc extrusion is worse: the gel breaks loose or balloons well past the disc itself, often producing intense back pain and big drops in range of motion.
Every disc injury is different. The first thing we do is figure out which type you actually have and how severe it is — through a careful exam and, when needed, imaging. From there, the treatment plan is built around taking pressure off the affected disc, calming the inflamed tissue around it, and giving the disc room to recover its proper shape.
For most patients that means specific chiropractic adjustments and, often, non-surgical spinal decompression therapy. Cold laser and rehab exercises round it out. The whole point is to address the cause — not just manage the pain — and avoid surgery wherever possible.
Pick up the phone. Tell us what's going on. We'll be straight with you about whether we can help — and if yes, the next step is a $37 starting consultation.