Modern living has created an almost perfect storm for chronic back problems to occur.
Herniated disk injuries affect up to 2% of the world’s population each year. Herniated disks are the most common cause of neck, arm, back, and leg discomfort (sciatica). Herniated disks can occur anywhere along the spine, however they most commonly occur in the lower back or neck. A herniated disk in the middle of the back is unusual.
Surgery is an uncommon therapy option for the many people who suffer from herniated discs. That doesn’t change the fact that the illness is often accompanied by severe pain.
While an epidural steroid injection is a common non-surgical treatment, it is not without risk.
Fortunately, hyperbaric oxygen therapy has shown great promise to become the future for painless, non-surgical herniated disc care and is readily available to residents of Illinois.
HBOT Chicago offers state of the art facilities that treat a milieu of diseases and disorders, including herniated discs.
What is Disc Herniation?
Spinal discs cushion the bones that make up the spine (vertebrae). The nucleus is surrounded by a strong outer layer (annulus) that is spherical, like a little pillow.
Discs are shock absorbers for the spinal bones, located between each of the vertebrae in the spinal column.
A herniated disc (also known as a bulged, slipped, or ruptured disc) is a disc nucleus fragment that has been pushed out of the annulus and into the spinal canal due to a tear or rupture in the annulus.
Herniated discs are frequently in the early stages of degeneration.
The space in the spinal canal is insufficient to accommodate the spinal nerve and the displaced herniated disc fragment.
The disc presses on spinal nerves as a result of this displacement, causing discomfort that can be severe.
Herniated discs can appear anywhere along the spine. Herniated discs most commonly affect the lower back (lumbar spine), however they can also affect the neck (cervical spine).
The location of pain is determined by which section of the spine is afflicted. If the pain is only mild to moderate, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicine is commonly used to treat a herniated disc.
An epidural steroid injection can be administered using a spinal needle guided by X-ray to precisely target the level of the disc herniation.
What Causes Disc Herniation?
A herniated disc can be caused by a single severe strain or injury. However, as one gets older, disc material degrades and the ligaments that keep it in place weaken. A little strain or twisting action can cause a disc to rupture as the degeneration advances.
Certain individuals may be more vulnerable to disc problems and, as a result, may suffer herniated discs in several places along the spine.
Research has shown that a predisposition for herniated discs may exist in families with several members affected.
Herniated disks are most common in people between the ages of 30 and 50. Men are affected twice as frequently as women.
Sitting in the same posture for long periods of time, being overweight, moving heavy objects, repetitive bending or twisting motions for work, sports, or hobbies, and smoking are all risk factors.
Symptoms of Disc Herniation
The severity of the symptoms varies widely depending on the location and size of the herniated disc.
The patient may only have a minor backache or no pain at all if the herniated disc is not pushing on a nerve.
If it is pushing on a nerve, the area of the body where the nerve travels may experience discomfort, numbness, or weakening. A bout of lower back pain or a long history of intermittent occurrences of low back pain usually precedes a herniated disc.
A herniated disc in the lower back frequently causes lumbar spine (lower back) or Sciatica/Radiculopathy. Pain, burning, tingling, and numbness that extends from the buttock into the leg and sometimes into the foot can be caused by pressure on one or more nerves that contribute to the sciatic nerve.
One side (left or right) is usually afflicted. Sharp, electric shock-like discomfort is frequently experienced.
Standing, walking, or sitting may make it worse. Straightening the leg on the affected side often exacerbates the pain. Low back pain may accompany leg discomfort; however, the pain in the leg is often worse than the pain in the low back in acute sciatica.
Cervical radiculopathy, also known as cervical spine (neck) syndrome, is characterized by dull or intense pain in the neck or between the shoulder blades, pain radiating down the arm to the hand or fingers, and numbness or tingling in the shoulder or arm.
Certain neck positions or movements may exacerbate the pain. Because our discs are under constant pressure, tiny bulging occurs on a regular basis.
Fortunately, the swelling is minor enough that our bodies can cure themselves. The integrity of the disc might be ruptured if there is persistent trauma without enough rest.
Symptoms of Disc Herniation
The severity of the symptoms varies widely depending on the location and size of the herniated disc.
The patient may only have a minor backache or no pain at all if the herniated disc is not pushing on a nerve.
If it is pushing on a nerve, the area of the body where the nerve travels may experience discomfort, numbness, or weakening. A bout of lower back pain or a long history of intermittent occurrences of low back pain usually precedes a herniated disc.
A herniated disc in the lower back frequently causes lumbar spine (lower back) or Sciatica/Radiculopathy. Pain, burning, tingling, and numbness that extends from the buttock into the leg and sometimes into the foot can be caused by pressure on one or more nerves that contribute to the sciatic nerve.
One side (left or right) is usually afflicted. Sharp, electric shock-like discomfort is frequently experienced.
Standing, walking, or sitting may make it worse. Straightening the leg on the affected side often exacerbates the pain. Low back pain may accompany leg discomfort; however, the pain in the leg is often worse than the pain in the low back in acute sciatica.
Cervical radiculopathy, also known as cervical spine (neck) syndrome, is characterized by dull or intense pain in the neck or between the shoulder blades, pain radiating down the arm to the hand or fingers, and numbness or tingling in the shoulder or arm.
Certain neck positions or movements may exacerbate the pain. Because our discs are under constant pressure, tiny bulging occurs on a regular basis.
Fortunately, the swelling is minor enough that our bodies can cure themselves. The integrity of the disc might be ruptured if there is persistent trauma without enough rest.
What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
Under high pressure, hyperbaric oxygen therapy gives pure oxygen to your system.
When used to treat the bends, the nitrogen bubbles are forced to revert to liquid, making them easier to flush from the body. This approach can now be used to treat more than just decompression sickness.
You inhale 100% oxygen while relaxing in a pressurized tube or room when you receive hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The air pressure in these relaxing chambers is up to three times higher than normal.
This method allows your lungs to absorb more oxygen than they could under normal circumstances, resulting in higher oxygen levels in your blood.
Our red blood cells absorb their maximal capacity of oxygen when we breathe in this oxygen-rich air under high pressure. Even extra oxygen is taken into the plasma. Increasing the amount of oxygen in your blood has various health advantages.
To begin with, your body’s tissue requires a lot of oxygen to survive, and injured tissue demands even more. By temporarily raising the oxygen in your blood using hyperbaric oxygen therapy, you can restore these healthy levels while also improving your tissue’s ability to fight bacteria and infection.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy also kickstarts your body’s healing process by stimulating the creation of important growth factors and stem cells.
Non-healing wounds are those that do not heal in a reasonable amount of time despite proper care. These wounds are usually deficient in oxygen (hypoxic), making hyperbaric oxygen therapy particularly effective.
The reason for using hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat chronic non-healing wounds is that elevated oxygen levels give our cells a boost of energy, which leads to enhanced angiogenesis (nerve regeneration).
How Does Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Prevent Disc Herniation?
Researchers studying the healing potential of oxygen-ozone therapy are finding that it produces similar or better results than well-established treatments such as epidural steroid injections and surgical discectomy.
Since its introduction in the 1980s, oxygen-ozone therapy for herniated discs has gained popularity in Europe and Asia.
According to current studies, oxygen-ozone therapy reduces the symptoms of herniated discs in 65 percent to 80 percent of patients. Oxygen-ozone therapy has little side effects for patients.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is frequently used to speed up the healing of stubborn wounds or infections caused by a lack of oxygen in the tissues.
You give your body a greater chance to avoid disc herniation by integrating hyperbaric oxygen therapy with your therapeutic or strengthening program for spine health.
Because the pressure caused by disc bulging is reduced, this may also assist to relieve sciatic nerve discomfort. The matrix that ruptures out of the disc will be reabsorbed by your body, and any structural damage will be repaired.
It’s critical to speak with a health expert to ensure that all of the underlying causes of your pain have been identified and that you receive the best possible treatment.
HBOT may not be adequate to totally resolve your symptoms on its own, but it is an excellent supplement to your ongoing treatment.
To cure and prevent degenerative disc disease, physical therapy, chiropractic treatment, and fitness training will all use comparable workout approaches. Mobility and strength, as well as adequate rest, can help a lot.
Because appropriate posture distributes weight evenly throughout your body, core strength is essential.
Although there is no cure for degenerative disc disease, there are several ways to manage the condition so that you can continue to live a pleasant life.
Summary
- A herniated disc is a painful back condition where a fragment of the spine becomes dislocated or degenerated caused by injuries or bad posture.
- Herniated discs can cause severely impaired movement as well as severe pain across the neck and back.
- Herniated discs are known to heal on their own when the condition is mild, but the spine heals much slower with age or if the hernia was caused by a traumatic injury.
- Epidural steroid treatment might be recommended for severe cases.
- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a proven method of accelerating tissue healing and is showing great promise as a supplementary treatment for herniated disc injuries.
- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy increases the oxygen in our blood supply, giving our cells a boost in energy and regeneration.
- Herniated discs benefit greatly from this increase in regeneration, causing minor injuries to heal completely while allowing severe injuries to recover faster.
