Treatment for a Bulging Disc

As far as problems with the back and neck go, pain related to the intervertebral discs is among the worst. It might feel like a fire running through your body, or like electricity shooting up and down your extremities. It more than likely is debilitating and causing you to live your life differently and without much enjoyment. Chronic and severe pain has a way of sapping the joy out of even the greatest moments.

Among the causes of major pain related to discs is the bulging disc; while in most instances, a bulging disc is not something to worry about, even occurring without a person knowing it, there are times when it can be a source of agony. Obviously, that’s when it’s time to seek treatment.

Treatment for a bulging disc can take several forms, and they vary from the completely non-invasive to surgical intervention in the most severe cases. As it related to my practice, Living Well Medical in NYC, there are a number of options available that can resolve pain to restore quality of life. Here I’ll be discussing a few of our approaches that we use in our office for treatment of conditions like bulging spinal discs.

Being a chiropractor, chiropractic techniques are one of the most common treatments performed at my office. In particular, when it comes to bulging discs, we use what is called the Cox Flexion Distraction Technique. Using this technique, a specialized table helps a chiropractor perform several precision adjustments while the patient keeps a comfortable position. Cox Flexion Distraction can also be used to treat herniated discs, sciatica and other back and neck issues.

Physical therapy is also an important part of treatment for a bulging disc because it helps patients to avoid relapse after treatment is complete and pain is relieved. Educating the muscles that support the back and neck can prevent re-injury by supporting the spine properly. We have a physical therapist on staff who sees to our PT patients.

Spinal disc decompression is a non-surgical technology that we incorporate that aims specifically at helping patients who suffer with disc problems. In a spinal decompression session, a patient is placed on a therapeutic table with a harness around their lower body (if used for lower back pain). A precise stretch is applied which creates more space between the targeted vertebrae in the spine. Over time, this can allow the bulging or herniated disc material to return to its original position which in turn reduces or eliminates pain. Although not for everyone and in no way a magic solution, spinal decompression can be extremely helpful to patients suffering with discogenic pains.

As you can see, we have a number of therapies available that are effective treatments for pain related to a bulging disc. If you need help, don’t hesitate to call Living Well Medical in NYC at 212-645-8151 and make your appointment today.

- Dr. Shoshany, NYC Chiropractor

Sciatic Nerve: A Real Pinch

Sciatica: it’s a word that sounds like the name of a heavy metal band, but there’s nothing positive to say about sciatica (whether there is anything positive about heavy metal is up for debate as well, I guess). Chances are if you’ve ever had a run-in with it, sciatica has made sure that you never wanted to feel that pain again. It can get you in the back, butt, legs and even extend into your feet. It’s not just pain either - it’s numbness, pins & needles, and, in the worst case, muscle weakness/wasting. There’s a world of agony and suffering that comes with problems related to the sciatic nerve.

Even though people in general throw around the word sciatica as if it were a disease/condition itself, it’s actually just a grouping of symptoms. It doesn’t actually refer to one specific cause or diagnosis. However, it does describe the nature of the problem in that it is neuropathic (or related to nerve irregularities, compression or inflammation).

The sciatic nerve (also called the ischiatic nerve) exits the spinal canal in lower back and passes down through the buttocks into the legs. Nerve compression can happen at any point along that path but is very common in the lower back and rear end. Compression leads to inflammation which causes pain and worse depending on the severity.

You’ve probably heard someone complain of a pinched nerve. Sciatica is an example of a type of pinched nerve.

So now what? You’ve got the quick and dirty version of what it means to have sciatica - what should you do, right? That’s where opinions start to differ.

Many medical doctors will often subscribe pain medications or injections for nerve compressions, but in addition to the risk of dependency (among others) carried by some of the more powerful narcotics, who wants to put chemicals in their down if there’s another way?

Living Well Medical in SoHo/NoHo NYC is a practice that integrates non-invasive methods like spinal decompression therapy and Active Release Technique with other approaches. We firmly believe that the non-invasive should be the first line of defense for pain; meds and injections shouldn’t be the starting point in a treatment that might be successful without it. Physical therapy and manual therapies can be just as effective for some patients. Chiropractic and the Cox Flexion technique also have their place in treating problems like herniated or bulging discs.

If you have back pain from sciatica in NYC or for any reason, give our office a call today at (212) 645-8151. We help people like you every day.

- NYC Chiropractor, Dr. Shoshany

Pinched nerve in the neck causing shooting stabbing arm pain NYC

Pinched nerve in the neck causing shooting stabbing arm pain-NYC

Pinched nerve treatment nyc
I wanted to post a brief discussion about a “pinched nerves” and “slipped discs”.
The last several weeks I have seen an influx of patients that can hardly move their neck comfortably in any range of motion and describe their arm pain as stabbing and or shooting.
If the symptoms are in the left arm the patient is concerned that it could be a sign of a heart condition and usually get it checked out by their medical doctor, once it is confirmed that it is not the heart almost always it points to a cervical disc (neck)involvement.
What that means is the disc in the neck is misplaced and can causes pressure or irritation to the very delicate nerves that innervate the hand and arms.
Hence the term” slipped discs”. So the disc themselves don’t necessarily slip they can and do move out of their normal position and the proper medical terminology for a “slipped disc” is either a bulging or herniated disc. To better understand the disc I wanted to go a bit into the disc biomechanics.
Cervical Herniated disc treatment discussion
In people between the ages of 30 and 40 years, their nucleus has a water content of 80% which decreases with age. The average person is 1% shorter in height at the end of the day than on first arising in the morning. This difference is attributed to decreasing water content in the disc, which occurs with advancing age.

The nucleus pulposus, which occupies about half the disc surface area, bears the vertical load, whereas the annulus or outer bands bear the tangential load.
Two terms are used to describe disc degenerative change allowing nuclear herniation. “contained disc” and “noncontained disc” They refer to the state of the annulus fibrosus, that is whether it is intact and restraining the nucleus pulposus ( a contained disc) or whether it has completely radially torn to allow the nuclear material to sequester or free-fragment into the vertebral canal.



Once you start to understand the anatomy of the region it starts to really make sense that the most effective way to not only reduce the pain but correct the problem is to Unload or decompress the area.

In our NYC Physical therapy clinic we utilize a multi pronged approach.
Our first treatment involves the Cox cervical flexion distraction technique.
This is a very gentle movement that allows the doctor to guide the patient’s neck into freeing restricted movement and reducing pressure on discs and spinal nerves.
We also use cervical spinal decompression to reduce intradiscal pressure and help to return disc material back. Cervical spinal decompression is fantastic for patients suffering with cervical herniated disc and arm pain.
The Graston technique is tremendously effective in dealing with “soft tissue” fascia and tight muscles that usually accompany a cervical disc herniation.
Putting together the most effective non-surgical methods to deal with pinched nerves and herniated discs allows us to get our NYC patients back to doing the things enjoy without pain.
Give us a call today if you are suffering with a pinched nerve or have a slipped disc in NYC @ (212)645-8151

Low Back & Radiating Leg Pain treatment NYC

Low Back & Radiating Leg Pain treatment NYC

Suffering with Low back pain and radiating leg pain (Sciatica) NYC?
Call the experts at 212-627-8149 or visit us online at herniated disc treatment NYC


Why do I have Low back pain and radiating leg pain?
It is necessary to differentiate between pain in the lower back and pain, which radiates down the leg. It is common for the layperson to combine them into one category, but to a physician or surgeon, they represent different problems.




Lower back pain is not due to the pressure on a nerve root, as lower extremity pain is. Most low back pain is muscular or mechanical in nature, caused by overexertion, overuse, strain or sprain of the ligaments and tendons of the low back. It may also be attributed to degeneration of the disk space and facet joints, which hold the spine together. It may be caused additionally by arthritis or stenosis or referred symptoms from organ involvement ( bladder, gall bladder, kidney, prostate) One must also rule out organic causes as any form of cancer, especially prostate cancer.




Lower extremity (leg) pain is often seen to radiate, termed “radicular pain.” This refers to pain which shoots down the leg (sciatica), from the low back or buttock. It usually results from pressure on a nerve, which produces a “pinching” of the nerve, which appears to radiate down the leg in the distribution of the nerve pattern. When the “pinching” of the nerve is mild, one may experience numbness or tingling. As it progresses and becomes more severe, pain may develop. Further progression may present actual damage to the nerve and weakness may also result.




Each nerve in the lumbar spine has a specific pathway. The nerves also carry three distinct characteristic properties. They carry all three of these properties to specific parts of the leg and foot.




One characteristic is known as the sensory distribution property. What this means is that a nerve will supply the sensory (sensations) property to a certain part of the leg. For example, the S1 root, which is the first sacral root, supplies sensation to the lateral aspect of the foot (little toe).
One characteristic is known as the motor function property. What this means is that each nerve also supplies a characteristic muscle. The S1 root supplies the calf muscles (gastrocnemius), which allows each of us to stand on our toes.
One characteristic is known as the reflex pattern property. Several of the nerves in the lumbar spine have a reflex associated with them. The S1 root has the achilles reflex, which is elicited by tapping on the tendon of the heel.



Leg Pain Brought On By Walking: Neurogenic claudication refers to pain in the lower extremities brought upon by walking. This is often caused by pressure upon the spinal nerves within the spinal canal, usually the result of the disc bulging into the nerves when standing.




Vascular or intermittent claudication is a type of pain, which must be distinguished from the leg, and lower extremity pain from above. Vascular claudication is due to insufficient blood supply to the legs (arterial insufficiency), and is also brought upon by walking. The difference between the two is that merely standing (without walking can cause neurogenic claudication but vascular claudication can only be brought on by walking.




It is extremely important to match the symptoms a patient experiences, with all the pertinent history of patient and family, and match it to the symptoms one would expect based on the:




General Physical Examination
Orthopedic Examination
Postural Evaluation
Palpation Evaluation
Range of Motion Evaluation
Muscle Strength Testing
X-rays, Labs, Diagnostics
All of which are available at Low back and radiating leg pain treatment NYC


With decompression therapy,close to 80% of patients with herniated discs had relief of pain with recovery. Decompression is truly the most effective procedure for severe and chronic cases of bulging, herniated discs, degeneration, arthritis, stenosis and pressure on nerves.




Decompression is non-surgical, drug free and the safest method of the treatment of severe low back available. It also offers the highest percentage of recovery, with most patients well or better.

NYC Disc decompression specialists visit www.nycdisc.com