Slipped or Herniated Disc

What has happened to our poor accountant who now is experiencing acute back and leg pain? Apparently the cracks and fissures in his disc, the dehydration, the poor mechanics, the lifting - and perhaps even the sneeze - has caused the disc to slip just enough to press against the nerve that exits next to the disc. This has caused inflammation of the nerve, which can then cause pain along the path of the nerve into the leg.

Careful history taking, vital signs, and orthopedic and neurological testing are standards of practice at Kare Chiropractic Clinics. Are the reflexes intact? Is there loss of muscle strength or signs of muscle wasting? Is there loss of sensation along an area supplied by a particular nerve? These are vital questions that the orthopaedic and neurological exam can help answer.

Our Doctors of Chiropractic utilize other diagnostic procedures that are unique to chiropractic and establish the foundation for a program of care. We look carefully at posture and perform a postural analysis of the patient. Our Chiropractors may use techniques such as motion and static palpation to determine exact areas of restrictions in spinal joint motion. They palpate muscles and perform muscle testing, as well as perform tests for pelvic balance and determine whether there is a "short leg".

X-rays of the low back are taken, or the your Kare Clinic Chiropractor might send the patient to an x-ray facility for these films. Depending on the findings, the chiropractor may call for an MRI or other imaging study of the back.