Lower Back Pain and Disc Injuries

Most people will have lower back pain at some stage during their lifetime. Some people are diagnosed with a lumbar spine vertebral disc injury. What is a vertebral disc? It is a flexible, gel-like disc connected between your spinal vertebrae and provides movement of the spine, spinal curves and cushioning to the spine. A lumbar disc injury can present as lower back, pelvic or leg pain, and also numbness or tingling in the legs or feet. These symptoms can result from a tear in the outer fibres of the vertebral disc, or a bulging of the disc whereby it protrudes onto other nearby structures such as nerves. A disc tear generally results in local pain, whereas a disc bulge irritating the sciatic nerve can cause leg pain and numbness or tingling. However, a bulging disc is not always the cause of lower back pain. Studies have shown that a percentage of the population appear to have a bulging disc on xray or CT scan but have no pain at all! In my experience, many cases of lower back pain are due to ligament strain. Ligaments have a strong nerve supply and are therefore very pain sensitive and can give a sense of sharp pain.

How do disc problems develop? A disc injury can occur from a major accident or trauma, but most develop slowly over a long period of time. A long-standing twisting or distortion of the pelvis will cause a corresponding twist throughout the lumbar spine, putting pressure on the ligaments and discs. Eventually the disc will either tear or protrude out between the vertebrae. Sometimes it can be a simple act like bending down to pick something up that will push the nervous system over it’s threshold of tolerance and the symptoms occur immediately and with painful effects!

In my experience the most successful way to treat lower back pain or a lumbar disc injury is to correct the distortion pattern throughout the pelvis first. This involves balancing the hip angles and then de-rotating the pelvis back to its neutral position. This takes the twisting pressure off the lumbar spine, ligaments and disc immediately and will provide some relief. It also removes the mechanical cause of the injury and allows the disc and tissues to begin to heal. Depending on the extent of the injury you may need to rest for a period of time to allow the body to heal and this could be from as little as a few days to several weeks for serious cases. Taking the weight off the spine by lying on your back is the best type of rest. Sometimes raising your legs with a few pillows also provides further relief. If the injury is severe you may require surgery, however surgery is an extreme form of healthcare and should be attempted as a last resort. Chiropractic treatment has been shown to have excellent results for treating vertebral disc problems.

Case Study

Gary was a 50 year old male who presented with acute lower back pain for the past 3 weeks. He also had pain down the back of both legs and numbness plus pins and needles in both feet. These are classic signs and symptoms of a disc problem and irritation of the sciatic nerves supplying the legs.

Following three treatments to balance the hip joints and decompress the lumbosacral joints and the lower back, plus utilising the nightly strapping technique, Gary reported no pain or other symptoms.