Disc Herniation Treatment

Disc Herniation Treatment Seminar:

Drs. Steve and Chelsey Smiley attended "Clinical Assessment and Treatment of the Disc," on Thursday February 10, 2011.

The seminar was conducted by the Motion Palpation Institute and taught by Drs. Mark King and Tom Lotus.

We learned the predisposing factors to disc injuries are:

- Forward flexion posture (Various occupations: heavy lifting, sitted posture at work station)

- Poor posture (slumping all day)

Both of these put a lot of pressure on the discs and ligaments of the lower back.

Symptoms and Types of Pain of a Disc Injury:

- Deep and aching quality

- Referral pattern down leg, or down arm

- Pain in leg or arm in a dermatomal pattern

- Weakness, tingling

There a 4 levels of Disc Herniation:

1. Displacement of tissue within the disc

2. Protrusion: The displaced material causes a bulge in the intact wall of the annulus.

3. Extrusion: The disc material is displaced through the ruptured annular wall.

4. Sequestration: A discrete fragment of disc material is forced through the ruptured annular wall into the spinal canal.

Treatment of disc injuries through manipulation, rehabilitation, nutrition.

A study done by a group of physical therapists entitled: "Clinical Prediction Rule to Identify Patients with Low Back Pain Most Likely To Benefit From Spinal Manipulation: A Validation Study"

131 patients were treated with manipulation and exercise vs. Just exercise alone.

Disability and pain at 1 and 4 weeks and at 6 months were assessed.

Results Week 1:

31/70 = 44.3% pts in manipulation subgroup = success

7/61 = 11.5% pts in exercise only subgroup = success

Week 4:

44/70 = 62.9% Success in Manipulation subgroup

22/61 = 36.1% Success in Exercise alone subgroup.

This tells us Manipulation with Rehabilitation is #1 for treating low back pain.

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