Nonsurgical Treatment of Disc Related Problems

“Slipped Disc” is perhaps one of the most used misnomers in all of healthcare. The disc cannot slip. In fact, the disc’s connection to the vertebrae above and below is as strong as the bone itself. So, what really happens? First, you must understand the anatomy of the disc. The disc is the cushion between the vertebrae, and its anatomy is similar to that of a jelly donut. The jelly represents the nucleus of the disc, which has a similar consistency to jelly. The nucleus is held in place in the center of the disc by several layers of fibers laid down in concentric rings like the rings of an onion. The problem occurs when tears develop in those rings, allowing the nucleus to squirt out of position. This happens in three stages.

Stage 1 is a bulging disc, in which case a couple of outer rings of the annulus are still intact and the bulge is still connected to the rest of the nucleus.

Stage 2 is a herniation, where the nucleus actually ruptures through the outer layers of the disc but is still connected to the rest of the nucleus.

Stage 3 is a sequestered fragment, where the ruptured material is no longer attached to the disc and can float free. Any of these three stages can cause pressure or irritation to the nerves that exit the spine and go into the legs causing pain, numbness, or weakness in the legs.

What Can Be Done?
At Northland Medical & Wellness Center, LLC we specialize in a state-of-the-art Complete Spinal Remodeling Program (CSRP). Our CSRP not only decompresses degenerative discs but also rejuvenates the surrounding ligaments, muscles, and soft tissue. This process is achieved by performing repetitive loading/unloading cycles to the disc, which in turn eliminates metabolic waste products and provides nourishment to the surrounding discs, ligaments, and tendons of the spine. Optimal posture is essential to evenly disperse the compressive loads of gravity evenly throughout the entire spinal column. Degenerative disc disease, arthritis, immobility, chronic inflammation and pain are all inevitable results of chronic abnormal spinal loading. At Northland Medical & Wellness Center, LLC we help our patients achieve their optimal posture by utilizing our patented and customized Body Weighting System (BWS). The BWS is specifically designed to each of the patient’s head, shoulder, and hips. The amount of weight and their placement depend on the amount and severity of spinal displacement that needs to be corrected in order for optimal posture to be attained.