By Dr Danica Newbold, B.HSci (Chiro), M.ClinChiro, Ad.Dip Myo. Certified Cox® Technic Chiropractor and Myotherapist.
Routinely, patients are surprised by the pain and the discomfort they are suffering as a result of spinal disc bulges. What surprises them more is that their symptoms don’t often match the degree in which the spinal disc is protruding. Smaller or mild disc bulges may produce similar or even more discomfort to the patient than more significant or severe disc bulges.
A 2019 study published in the Global Spine Journal concluded that “the percentage of the spinal canal occupied by a herniated disc does not predict which patients will fail non-operative treatment” (1). This paper further highlighted that “patients who did not receive surgery had an average disc herniation size that occupied 31.2% of the spinal canals, whereas patients who received surgery had disc herniations that occupied 31.5% of the spinal canals on average” (1). This study, shows there is little to no difference in the size of disc herniation comparing those who underwent treatment for spinal disc bulges, whether it be conservatively or surgically.
While it is understood that disc bulges and herniations can be painful and debilitating, conservative management should always be considered as first-line treatment. Non-operative or conservative management of spinal disc bulges (or herniations) is continually being proven effective by the research. The practitioners at Malvern Chiropractic and Melbourne Spine Clinic are Certified Cox® Flexion-Distraction and Spinal Decompression Practitioners. Cox® Flexion-Distraction and Spinal Decompression therapy is a first-line therapy for spinal pain in modern medical practice with more than 50 years of research in successfully treating back pain and disc bulges/herniations.
Spinal disc decompression using Cox® Flexion-Distraction and Spinal Decompression Therapy is a safe, low-force, doctor-controlled spinal mobilization technique performed on a highly specialized Cox®8 Table, which allows the effective administration of flexion-distraction and spinal decompression adjustments. The goal of Cox® Flexion-Distraction and Spinal Decompression is to help the patients go from “pain” to “no pain” as quickly as possible (2).
For further information about the Cox® Technic and our Certified Practitioners at Malvern Chiropractic and Melbourne Spine Clinic, please visit our website http://www.melbournespineclinic.com.au/.
REFERENCES:
- Gupta, Anmol et al. Does Size Matter? An Analysis of the Effects of Lumbar Disc Herniation Size on the Success of Non-operative Treatment. Global Spine Journal, Oct. 2019, doi:10.1177/2192568219880822
- https://www.coxtechnic.com/patients/how-it-helps-1