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Herniated Disc’s As a Cause of Sciatica

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by Randall Pruitt, DC, DACNB, DAAPM, MUAC

A herniated disc is a very painful condition, sometimes the pain can be associated with only the back and other times you may get sciatica. This creates an even more debilitating condition.

First a herniated disc occurs when the central portion of the disc called the nucleus pulposis migrates outwards and breaks through the outer portion of the disc called the annulus fibrosis.

The disc has actually been shown to only be painful in it’s outer 1/3. So the migration of the central portion can go on for some time before pain is experienced.

Repetitive activities, incorrect sitting postures and trauma are usually to blame when it comes to herniated disc pain. These activities weaken the outer annulus allowing migration of the inner portion of the disc.

As the migration occurs and the outer fibers become contacted the pain sensitive nerves begin to become activated resulting in local back pain at first.

Usually a short period of relief may follow the initial beginnings of back pain related to a disc injury. As the activities responsible are modified the pain may lessen.

Once a bout of disc related pain begins however, the research shows it is almost always likely to come back without proper treatment. This is often dangerous for unsuspecting people who think they are out of the woods.

With the return of the pain there is also a corresponding increase the the area involved. This usually starts with a movement of the pain into the arm and leg depending on where the disc problem is.

If this migration of pain begins to move into your leg it is often referred to as sciatica. This is a term used to describe irritation of the sciatic nerve.

In many cases the sciatic nerve is compressed directly from the injured disc and other times it is simply chemically irritated by inflammation associated with the disc injury.

No matter what the underlying reason for the sciatica pain, the disc has to be treated properly. This means a functional treatment like spinal decompression.

Spinal decompression actually creates negative pressures in the disc to draw back the herniated material so the disc can actually heal.

This really is the best solution for sciatica caused by a herniated disc.

About the Author:
Randall Pruitt, DC, DACNB, DAAPM, MUAC is a chiropractic neurologist in Phoenix Arizona. His practice focuses on chronic back and neck pain. If you have a herniated disc you can learn more by going to www.arizonabackinstitute.com. They also have a lot of experience dealing with chronic sciatica. So if you are suffering from back or neck pain call the Arizona Back Institute today.

Decompression the Answer to Chronic Low Back Pain?

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by Dr. Randall Pruitt

Chronic low back pain is a condition that many people suffer from. If you have suffered for any length of time you most likely have tried many treatment options to find relief.

The disc by far is the main cause of low back pain. Research has indicated that the majority of cases are attributed to disc pain. The second most common reason for back pain is facet joint pain followed by SI joint pain.

An important thing to understand about the disc is that it is only pain sensitive in the outer 1/3. This is important to understand because often damage can occur over time and you may never know, until the outer 1/3 of the disc is contacted by the inner material. This is why back pain can come on so suddenly out of the blue.

The disc is very susceptible to dehydration and degeneration primarily because if it’s lack of a direct blood supply. It receives it’s vital nutrients and hydration from the bones above and below where a rich blood supply is present. Once the disc becomes damaged the disc loses it’s ability to maintain hydration and it becomes dry and much more likely to deteriorate.

One little known fact about disc pain is that once a disc begins to dry out it becomes more pain sensitive. That’s because certain cells that hold hydration in the disc also inhibit the growth of pain sensitive nerves in the disc. So once a disc drys out painful nerves become more abundant.

There is only one treatment that actually creates a healthy and nourishing influx on hydration into the disc and that is spinal decompression. This treatment creates an active fluid exchange so that the disc receives the nutrition that it needs to heal.

Muscle contraction response is a common problem when applying any type of traction force to the spine, however the technology known as spinal decompression has a patented computer technology that allows it to overcome contraction of these muscles in real time. This allows a true spinal decompression effect to take place.

Once decompression is achieved a negative pressure in the disc creates 2 very important scenarios. First it actively retracts any herniated or bulging material centrally to relieve nerve compression or irritation and secondly it actively draws in nutrition so the disc can heal.

Treating the primary source of back pain is what makes spinal decompression unique, other treatments try to mask the pain and never create a structural benefit.

If you have tried other treatments with little to no success you really owe it to yourself to look into spinal decompression. The benefits are lasting unlike most of the other treatments available.

About the Author:
Randall Pruitt, DC, DACNB, DAAPM, MUAC is a practicing chiropractor. He has been offering spinal decompression therapyin Arizona for the past 10 years. If you are plagued with back painand would like more information on this treatment you can call his office at 480-503-3344 and resources can be provided.

What Are The Best Treatment Options for Sciatica?

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by Randall Pruitt, DC, DACNB, DAAPM, MUAC, CES-NASM

The condition known as sciatica is often used to describe any pain going down the leg. If you have lower back pain, it is likely you may suffer from leg pain at some point. The term sciatica while often used to describe these symptoms may not be the correct diagnosis.

The sciatic nerve is made of several spinal nerves combining together as they exit the spine. This nerve travels down the posterior thigh and splits into 2 nerves at the knee. Pain caused by sciatic irritation most often starts in the lower back and radiates down the back of the leg and into the calf or foot. Sensations may include burning, stabbing, shooting and numbness. If the pain is high enough difficulty with movement or straightening the leg is often seen.

Having a herniated or bulging disc is the most common cause of sciatic nerve irritation. This can be caused by direct contact from the disc material or just inflammation from the disc causing chemical irritation.

The accurate diagnosis of sciatica is quite easy to make. A series of orthopedic and neurological tests are performed to determine the involvement of the sciatic nerve. If the diagnosis is made then I usually order an MRI to determine the cause.

Most treatments for sciatica are geared more towards symptom relief instead of actually fixing the problem. That’s why I use spinal decompression in most cases for the treatment of sciatica. As you recall sciatica is usually caused by direct pressure or irritation of the sciatic nerve from the discs in the spine. Spinal decompression is the best way to deal with this as it actually heals the disc and reduces the pressure on the nerves.

If you have been diagnosed with sciatica then going through the necessary steps to confirm a diagnosis and move forward with a proactive treatment plan is your best chance of long term recovery. Many patients deal with it on their own and end up suffering repeat episodes, because the cause has not been addressed.

About the Author:
Dr. Randall Pruitt is the owner of The Arizona Back Institute a non-surgical spine clinic in Phoenix Arizona. Click on the following link to receive a free copy of Dr. Pruitt’s Guide to Herniated Disc Treatments In Arizona You can also learn more about Spinal Decompression in Phoenix at our web site www.ArizonaBackInstitute.com