Herniated Disc
Could a herniated disc be causing neck or back pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness that makes it difficult to work, sleep, or move comfortably? When a damaged disc irritates a nearby nerve, the pain may also travel into your arm or leg.
Understanding whether a disc is irritating a nerve helps us focus on the source of your symptoms, not just where you feel pain. Our team evaluates these concerns for patients throughout Clemmons and Winston-Salem.
Here at Optimal Health Chiropractic, Dr. Adam Williams and our chiropractic team provide personalized, non-surgical care designed to reduce irritation, restore movement, and help you return to the activities you enjoy.
Disc Pain Limiting Your Day?
Move Comfortably and Get Back to Being Active
Choose a convenient time to meet with our team. We’ll listen to your concerns, identify what may be contributing to your disc pain, and create a personalized plan to help you move more comfortably.
What Is A Herniated Disc?
The discs between the bones of your spine provide cushioning and allow your neck and back to move. A herniated disc occurs when the softer material inside a disc pushes through a weakened or torn area in its outer layer.
Symptoms can develop when the damaged disc causes inflammation or irritates a nearby nerve. A herniated disc in your neck may send pain, numbness, or tingling into your shoulder, arm, or hand. A lower back disc injury may affect your buttock, leg, or foot.
Common symptoms include:
- Sharp or burning neck or lower back pain
- Pain that travels into an arm or leg
- Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
- Weakness in an arm or leg
- Pain that becomes worse while sitting
- Difficulty bending, lifting, or twisting
- Muscle tightness or spasms
Common causes include:
- Lifting or carrying a heavy object incorrectly
- Twisting while lifting
- Auto accident and whiplash injuries
- Repetitive bending or physical labor
- Sports and work-related injuries
- Prolonged sitting and poor posture
- Age-related disc degeneration
You do not always need to experience one major injury. Years of repetitive stress and normal wear can gradually weaken a disc until an everyday movement triggers pain.
For instance, if discomfort travels from your lower back through your buttock and down your leg, the disc may be irritating the sciatic nerve.
Non-Surgical Treatment for a Herniated Disc
Effective care begins with determining where the disc injury is located, whether a nerve is involved, and which movements make your symptoms worse. At our Clemmons office, we use those findings to recommend safe, non-invasive treatment for your specific condition.
Your care may include:
- Chiropractic Adjustments – Restricted joints can change how your neck or lower back moves and increase stress around the injured disc. Carefully applied adjustments help restore joint motion, improve spinal function, and reduce irritation around the affected area.
- MLS Laser Therapy – Disc injuries can cause inflammation, soreness, and muscle spasms in the surrounding tissues. MLS Laser Therapy uses targeted light energy to reduce inflammation, improve circulation, and support soft-tissue healing.
- SoftWave Therapy – Persistent disc pain can leave the supporting muscles and tissues tight, inflamed, and sensitive. SoftWave Therapy stimulates blood flow and the body’s natural repair response to relieve discomfort and support recovery.
Our chiropractors adapt your care to the location and severity of your injury, helping you move more comfortably without automatically turning to injections or surgery.
Bulging, Herniated And Ruptured Discs: What’s The Difference?
Although people often use these terms interchangeably, they do not all describe the same type of disc damage.
Bulging Disc – The outer portion of the disc weakens and extends beyond its normal position, usually across a broader area. The outer layer has not completely torn.
Herniated Disc – The outer layer develops a tear, allowing some of the softer material inside to push through it. As a result, this may inflame or place pressure on a nearby nerve.
Ruptured Disc – “Ruptured disc” is another name commonly used for a herniated disc. It refers to the tear in the disc’s outer layer that allows the inner material to escape.
Still, any of these disc changes may exist without causing pain. Instead, your symptoms depend more on whether the damaged area irritates a nerve than on the terminology used to describe it.
Move Forward With Less Disc Pain
A damaged disc can affect everything from getting out of bed and driving to working, exercising, and sleeping. You don’t have to keep avoiding movement or planning your day around the pain.
Let our team find the source of your symptoms and create a natural, effective treatment plan to help you feel better and live more comfortably.
Call us today to schedule your appointment.