Herniated disc treatment options in NYC

Herniated disc treatment options in NYC

If you are reading this blog post you are one of the thousands of people that suffer with Back pain or arm/leg pain due to a herniated disc.

Most people often find out about their disc herniation from a MRI scan.
If you have been diagnosed with a bulging or herniated disc what are your treatment options?
Chiropractic care, Physical therapy, epidural injections, Spinal decompression.

What makes the most sense to me is bringing all these treatment protocols together under one roof to provide a superior non-surgical approach to not only eliminate pain but to reduce the disc herniation and allow the patient to return to their daily activities.

Is Chiropractic safe for those with herniated disc?

Yes! Chiropractic adjustments are not only safe but by reducing spinal misalignment and reducing nerve pressure patients often get back to work quicker then most other methods. Some patients with acute disc problems may need a gentler approach then the traditional Chiropractic adjustment,The Cox technique is a highly effective and very comfortable adjustment that reduces disc pressure.

I was prescribed Oxycontin or Vicodin for my back pain will this help me?

Accidental overdoses are now the number one cause of accidental deaths in the US, surpassing car accidents. Every 19 minutes someone dies from these medications.
In my opinion these medications are abused and over-prescribed.
Instead of masking the symptoms we find the root cause of the problem and correct it

What about Spinal injections?
For those patients that are suffering with Sciatica or shooting leg pain they may benefit from a Facet or Epidural injection to reduce pain. Dr Stephanie Webb is a Doctor of Osteopathy that specializes in this non-surgical procedure that can often provide the patient with instant pain reduction.
If you are suffering with back pain and are considering back surgery you should consider a doctor that specializes in these non-surgical procedures. We offer same day appointments.

Is Spinal decompression effective for the herniated disc patient?
In our clinic we have provided spinal decompression to thousands of patients over the past 8 years.
It is extremely safe with little to no side effects and the results speak for themselves.
We have seen patients that have given up and patients that have had epidurals with little success respond with spinal decompression.
Spinal decompression is highly effective for those that have undergone spinal surgery and are still in pain.

What makes our Clinic unique is that we have all the disciplines under one roof working together.

We offer Chiropractic care combined with Spinal decompression and Physical therapy to help strengthen core muscles. For those patients that need more we offer Pain management services and same day non-surgical procedures.

If you are not sure what is causing your pain we invite you into our office for a complimentary consultation.
Call us at (212)645-8151 to schedule an appointment.
We offer same day appointments and are open Monday-Saturday.
We offer onsite Diagnostics
Digital Radiography and Diagnostic as well as procedural ultrasound and Fluoroscopic guided procedures.

How can I treat my Herniated Disc?

Treating a herniated or bulging disc, in some cases, can be relatively simple if you are willing to pursue treatment and work with your chiropractor diligently. Of course factors like the age of the patient, the presence of other diseases, the experience of the chiropractor and how active or inactive the patient is on a day to day basis will effect the recovery time.

Treating a herniated disc in Manhattan also presents its own unique challenges. The breakneck pace of life in NYC is not very conducive of rest and recovery, and short of surgery, your body will have to do the repair and healing itself. No pain medication can heal an injury for you, it simply alleviates pain and can also help reduce inflammation, but the repair process happens from within and must be monitored and addressed to ensure optimal recovery and reduce the chance of re-injury.

A good chiropractor can provide you with proven and safe options for treating your leg and/or back pain resulting from a herniated disc. A bulging or herniated disc can cause back pain, leg pain, and the pain can even shoot as far down as the foot. The herniated material from the nucleus of the disc can impinge and irritate a nerve, which is a common cause of the condition known as sciatica.

A chiropractor can treat a herniated disc using manual spinal manipulation techniques, and specialty equipment like the COX table, and spinal decompression. Rest and stretching/ strengthening exercises may also be prescribed along with recommendations for lifestyle modifications. Some chiropractors work along side physical therapists and pain management specialists so they can provide a broader spectrum of treatments and techniques and help the most people possible, and this multifaceted approach is often superior to visiting a single specialist.

So a herniated disc can be treated a number of ways but there is a reason most people turn to chiropractors for the best possible care for their back pain.

Can Spinal Decompression Help my Back Pain?

Living in New York City can be a pain, specifically back pain, and NYC residents are more likely to suffer form back pain and sciatica. Luckily Spinal Decompression is a safe, effective and a proven alternative to invasive back surgery. Spinal Decompression is also easily available in NYC.

Living in such a fast paced environment such as New York means more access to gyms and doctors and wellness specialists, dietitians, etc but for most people that chances of experiencing back pain is still fairly high since chronic back pain can be caused by more than just overdoing it in the gym or sitting in bad office chair. Even bad habits like neglecting sleep, and accumulating stress can leave you more prone to developing various forms of chronic pain.

Spinal Decompression
Spinal decompression allows the body to heal naturally, it creates negative pressure in the intervertebral disc which allows the disc to pull in nutrients, increase drainage and also allows herniated disc material to recede back inside the disc. The spine can be decompressed to a range of levels, for instance some people may find some relief from hanging upside down (inversion tables). Chiropractors that specialize in treating the cause of back pain over the long term may use powerful, cutting edge equipment like the specially developed DRX9000 decompression machine.

Spinal Decompression in New York
A reputable chiropractor may use chiropractic spinal adjustments along with a decompression machine that can provide long term relief by treating the underlying cause of the pain. Decompression is not only for back pain, since issues like sciatica can cause pain to radiate down the leg and a problem with a spinal disc can manifest as pain in the hamstring, knee, or even go as far as the ankle.

Waiting for the problem to go away, or taking pain medication may mask the symptoms for some time but working with a good chiropractor to find and treat the cause of the pain will result in less time, money, and energy wasted.

Preventing and Treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common, preventable, and treatable condition that is commonly present in those who frequently use computers as well as all types of manual workers, athletes, drivers, and more.  The carpal tunnel is a narrow structure in the wrist area, and carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when a nerve in the tunnel is compressed, causing inflammation, which manifests as discomfort or pain.

Because the carpal tunnel contains and protects the nerve that is mainly responsible for sensation in the hand, as well as the muscles and tendons that control finger movement, trauma to the tunnel usually results in hand and finger numbness, tingling, weakness, stiffness, and pain.  These symptoms may also extend to the arm and are the signature indicators of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Carpal tunnel syndrome can be easily prevented by avoiding conditions that may damage the wrist and may cause injury, such as unnatural positions, lifting heavy loads, and repetitive motions that may cause trauma.   Investing in ergonomically-sound equipment and devices and practicing safe exercises are also recommended.  If carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms are already present, they require immediate treatment, as this condition will continue to progress and worsen if left untreated.

Fortunately, carpal tunnel syndrome can be corrected and reversed without the need for surgery in most cases.  In our NYC physical rehab and chiropractic facility, we have successfully treated many individuals suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome through a combination of customized physical therapy exercises and non-surgical adjustments to restore proper alignment to the carpal tunnel structure and relieve the nerve and soft tissues of pain-causing pressure.  Patients are educated in how to prevent future injury in order to stay pain-free and avoid future episodes of carpal tunnel syndrome.  We also offer medical massage therapy and acupuncture treatments that aid in obtaining long-term pain relief.  For more information on our carpal tunnel syndrome treatments, please visit www.drshoshany.com. 

Spinal Decompression and Chiropractic Care for a Herniated Disc

Herniated disc left lateral stenosis resolved with spinal decompression and Chiropractic care

 

I have been utilizing spinal decompression in my NYC practice for over seven years. I have seen countless patients avoid back surgery.

When  a patients come into our office with a MRI that shows a herniated disc and lateral stenosis that abuts the Left L4 nerve root they usually have a great deal of leg pain “Sciatica”. The term abuts is often in medical terms describes a disc that is “touching or leaning about” the nerve.

 

This was the case with the patient case that I am writing about.

A female patient initially came in over  6 months ago with a great deal of pain in her left leg which was accompanied by weakness. The symptoms kept her from doing the things that she enjoyed doing like exercise and walking, and sitting created a great deal of pain.

She did not want to take pain killers because they just made her unsteady and tired. This is a major reason some people avoid taking medication to ease pain. In the long run medication simply masks the symptoms of an underlying issue, it doesn't fix the root cause of the pain. 

 

When she presented with a MRI that clearly demonstrated a Herniated disc at the Lumbar 4-5  level that put pressure on L4 nerve root. We talked and discussed what we could do to help her and we concluded that, for her, spinal decompression on the DRX 9000 combined with Cox flexion distraction was very likely going to reduce her symptoms and would actually address the underlying problem.

She had already begun noticing a reduction in symptoms by the 6^th session.

 

We completed the 20 visit protocol in 5 weeks and had her continue with her core strengthening program which she had started with us so we could strengthen the muscles that lead to the structural weakness, which in turn allowed for an environment where injury was more likely.

The reason I wanted to write this case study was that I sent her for a Post MRI and compared the previous MRI results. I was happy to see that the Spinal disc was no longer resting on the nerve and the disc height was increased.

The patient has since returned to her life she now exercises without pain and is Pain free without the use of drugs or surgery. She is currently coming in for preventive Chiropractic care one to two times a month and works on her Core muscles strengthening daily.

If you are suffering with Sciatica or if you feel your leg is weaker or hurts it could be due to a “pinched nerve”.  If you want to learn more about  non-surgical treatments for herniated discs visit www.drshoshany.com