Herniated Disc

Miami, Miami Beach, South Florida Herniated Disc Expert at Moyal Chiropractic

Miami, Miami Beach, South Florida – Every day we are seeing more and more patients suffering from “Herniated Disc(s)” coming into our office for nonsurgical treatment. Recent studies have shown that out of a 100 ten years old, already 29% have a bulging disc (or pre herniated disc). Although, many of those bulging discs may never advance to a herniated disc, it is logical that many will in time suffer from herniated discs because of one or more of the following factors: such as degeneration, aging, injuries, car accidents, sports injuries and other minor or major traumas. 

 What is a Disc and Why Does it Become a Herniated Disc?

This picture illustrates the different stages of Herniated Disc damage

A disc or intervertebral disc is what exists between the vertebrae of your spine and act as shock absorbers. They are made up of two layers: the inner layer is soft called the nucleus pulposis and the outer layer call the annular fibers, which look like layers of rings.

Think of your discs as being like a jelly donuts: having a soft jelly inside and the harder doughy outside. When the pressure to both part is equal the donut is whole.

But when mounting pressure continues to build, and compress on the outside portion, that also puts tremendous pressure on the inside soft jelly like portion of the disc, causing it to be be squeezed out and escape and find a path through the cracks of the torn annular rings as it makes its way out putting painful pressure on your spinal nerve roots and/or spinal cord.

Symptoms of a Herniated Disc

Herniated disc(s) can cause excruciating back pain or neck pain, tingling, numbness, loss of muscle tone in the extremities, whether arms or legs and reduced control, loss of muscle (atrophy) and even affect bowel and bladder functions, it can even manifest as just chronic back pain or sciatica, depending on the severity of the herniated  disc. Depending on how long a herniated disc has existed in your spine, when it is a chronic situation, it can lead to what is referred to as degenerative disc disease or “DDD”.

Herniated Disc or Slipped Disc?

 Depending of the profession that discovers your problem, a herniated disc is sometimes called – a herniated disc, a slipped disc, a ruptured disc, a torn disc, a disc herniation or a prolapsed disc.  These a different words often used that really mean the same thing for your too often painful problems 

In What Areas Can You Develop A Herniated Disc?

Herniated disc(s) can occur in the neck, middle, and lower back with a classification system to describe the degree and type of herniated disc present according to where the disc material has escaped. In our office will also classify the amount of disc damage present on a level from 1 to 5, with a level 6 being instantly referred out for surgery because it is a situation that is beyond what we can handle in our facility when treating a herniated disc.

A level 1 disc is a mild situation usually involving a bulging disc, as the levels progress, so does the amount of damaged that has occurred to your disc(s), being from one herniated disc to often several herniated discs involved, to severe degenerative disc herniation(s) being present.

Herniated discs are becoming very common with the majority being asymptomatic for a certain period of time, or the symptoms go away after a few days or weeks in 85% of the cases. Herniated disc surgery is rarely needed unless severe and intractable pain is present and/or massive nerve damage is occurring (which happens in less than 1% of the time).

The majority of the time in a symptomatic herniated disc or disc herniation, pain is what is being treated instead of the actual herniated disc, because the noninvasive, nonsurgical technology to correcting herniated disc without surgery was not readily available in the past. So when traditional methods did not provide sufficient results, the only alternative was surgery with not always favorable outcomes/results.

The traditional scenario of the past for patients suffering with back pain or neck pain would often be a visit their primary doctor and be given pain medications, possibly injections. As the pain progressed they would be referred out or venture on their own to find an orthopedist or neurologist to receive epidurals, or blocks, or be referred out for physical therapy or acupuncture or try massage and even chiropractic adjustments, which are extremely beneficial, but when dealing with a herniated disc may aggravate the problem.

When a disc problem has evolved into a herniated disc then the traditional methods of treatment must change, so that additional damage to the already damage herniated disc, lessens the amount of annular fibers tearing so as not to progress the herniated disc into a more advanced stage of damage.

Catching any condition in its early stage is important, in order to avoid it progressing into a more painful, debilitating state. This is where experience and expertise is crucial to your discovery of the problem and your quick recovery from your problem(s). Having the right approach, followed by the right tools to handle the problem correctly and efficiently is what our center is all about.

After more than 25 years of practice, I can tell you that I have seen tons of cases and have always been searching for the best, most efficient ways, whether naturally or with even the help of technology, to bring noninvasive, nonsurgical ways to helping my patients recover as quickly, inexpensively, and with the minimum amount of time away form activity, as possible.

This is a model of care that I have practiced as a result of dealing with not only patients from around the World that had limited time to be in the U.S., but also because of my 25+ years of working with some of the best Elite athletes in the World from different sports.

They don’t have time to be on the sidelines, so our style of practice was adapted to that demand and continues to be carried out into our non-athletic portion of our practice, as well.

Afterall, you deserve to receive the same level of quality care that they do and it shouldn’t be turned off and turned on whether you’re a pro athlete or not…

There ARE NOT many centers around the Country that have this type of experience or expertise, this is why we are often sought out by local patients, as well as, those traveling from across the globe to receive our specific care and approach to resolving problems the right way.

Symptoms of A Herniated Disc

Most herniated disc symptom or complaint involves “pinched nerve pain” in the upper or lower extremities which can be quite severe and disabling. Severe back pain may be also present. Numbness, sciatica, weakness, balance or walking problems and even partial or complete paralysis can occur – especially if the spinal cord in the neck or middle back is involved. A serious condition known as “Cauda Equina Syndrome” can develop in the low back affecting bowel and bladder function as well as partial paralysis of the lower limbs.

Herniated Disc Treatments of the Past

Herniated Disc Surgery - Traditional Methods of the Past

As stated above, the treatment of the past for most disc herniations includes medication, physical therapy, and occasionally intervention pain blocks. Surgery may be required if these measures fail. 

 When the problem continues to exist, it may and often does develop at any or multiple other spinal levels. The key to successful recovery is to treat YOU, the patient, not the x-ray. or MRI.

Remember that a herniated disc or disc herniation is a result of dysfunction in your spine, whether from injury, poor posture, muscle weakness, repetitive motion, improper workouts, car accidents, falls, or any other trauma, the herniated disc is a symptom of another problem – the now present spine degeneration process.

If spinal dysfunction had not existed in the first place, the likelihood of developing a herniated disc would be dramatically reduced if not nonexistent and is a strong rational for receiving chiropractic care throughout your lifetime as it specifically deals with restoring spinal function!

NonSurgical Alternative Treatment of Herniated Discs

Be sure that your spine doctor discusses with you the entire nature of your problem when outlining a comprehensive and optimal treatment program. For this reason alone you may want to speak directly with Dr. Moyal to help determine just where you are with your current condition and see if you are a candidate for spinal decompression.

Our office is also the only office in the South Florida area to have 4 Spinal Decompression tables and each one is different so that we can specifically customize your treatment based on your specific condition.

Is the DRS Protocol™ the Answer to Your Problem?

We must first determine if you are a candidate for spinal decompression. Many people have found this noninvasive, nonsurgical a tremendously successful alternative in treating their condition, especially since more and more patient do not want to have surgery or its often permanent side effects.

How do I get started?

Contact our office at 305-531-2933 to schedule an initial consultation with the Doctor to determine your individual situation.

After carefully studying your case history and exam findings, Dr. Moyal will sit down and explain his recommended plan of action for you. After answering any questions you may have about the recommended plan, you may begin your care.

Call 305-531-2933 now for your personal Consultation with Dr. William Moyal, one of the rising experts in Nonsurgical Herniated Disc Alternative Treatment!

Contact us today so we can set up an appointment for Dr. Moyal to review your case and any MRIs that you may already have with a time and date that are convenient for you.

We’ll find out the “why” behind your problem and determine if you are a candidate for nonsurgical treatment of your herniated disc!

For more information, research papers, just call our office to receive your FREE REPORT on Nonsurgical Spinal Decompression Treatment of your herniated disc.