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Back Pain & Herniated Disc

What is Slipped/Herniated Disc?

You spine has 26 bones that are cushioned by disks that absorb shock from daily activities and enables greater mobility. Each disk has a tough outer ring and a soft inner portion. If an injury or weakness occurs to a disk, the inner portion can protrude through the outer ring, which is known as a “slipped” or herniated disk. Sometimes this condition can cause severe pain, discomfort and numbness along the affected spinal nerve. It’s important to know that you can have a slipped disk in any part of your spine, but it is the most common to have them in your lower back.

Chiropractic treatment

Chiropractic care for slipped/herniated discs is a nonsurgical treatment option to address your symptoms. Your treatment will depend on your condition, but it’s important to understand if the the reflexes are intact, if there is any loss of muscle strength or sensation along the path of a nerve.

Your entire spine will be evaluated since once area of your spine can influence another part of your body. After your exam and X-Rays, our doctor will determine if you have an intervertebral disc injury related to a herniated disc, and develop a treatment plan that may include spinal manipulation, manual therapy and therapeutic exercises.

Overall, Chiropractic treatment is safe and effective, but some Chiropractic care treatments are not recommended for every patient, for example, if you’re experiencing unusual neurological symptoms, or advanced loss of strength and reflexes. In these cases, we’d recommend one of our medical partners in Singapore that can help your specific condition. In severe cases, a herniated disks may require surgery to remove or repair the slipped disk.

Causes and risk factors

  • Age (over 35)
  • Male
  • Lifting heavy objects
  • Being overweight
  • A sedentary lifestyle

As you get older, your disks begin to lose some of their protective water content which allows them to slip more easily out of place. This is why it’s common for slipped discs to occur in older patients. It is also more common in see the condition in men than women.

A slipped disk can happen with certain motions, such as twisting to lift an object. It is common to see herniated discs in patients with physically demanding jobs that requires a lot of lifting. Lifting large, heavy objects tends to put a greater strain on the lower back, resulting in a slipped disk.

Being overweight also might increase the risk for a slipped disk because the disks are likely to already be under the strain of supporting the additional weight. Weak muscles may also contribute to slipped disks, so it’s important to stay active and do exercises that strengthen your core and back muscles.

Long-term effects

While the symptoms of a slipped disc can get better, they can also get worse, limiting your normal function. Your spine is a network of nerves and blood vessels. A slipped disk can put pressure on the muscles and nerves around it. These irritated nerves increase muscle spasms. If a severe slipped disk is untreated, it can lead to permanent nerve damage or even loss of bladder control by cutting off the nerve impulses in your lower back and legs. Slipped disks can also compress nerves, which may cause a loss of sensation in your legs.

When to seek medical care

Pain can always vary in each patient, so it’s important to see a doctor if you’re experiencing numbness or tingling, or if you feel an inability to control your muscles. If you loose bladder and bowel control, you should immediately go to the hospital.

  • Pain and numbness on one side of the body
  • Pain that goes from your back into your arms and/or legs
  • An increase in pain after standing or sitting
  • Pain that seems to get worse at night
  • An increase in pain after standing or sitting
  • Pain when walking
  • Muscle weakness
  • Tingling or burning sensations in back


Contact Us for Your Consultation

If you think Chiropractic treatment can help, contact us to schedule a consultation at our Singapore Clinic. The consultation includes:

  • X-ray review and measurement
  • Lifestyle and activity assessment
  • Doctor examination
  • Clinic session 
  • Spinal adjustment
  • At-home care recommendations

If new X-Rays need to be taken, they can be done the same day (at an additional cost) as your appointment. Our doctor will also show you some results from previous patients so you can feel confident in the Chiropractic treatment we provide.​

 no hardsell guarentee

We promise to never hard-sell you, because we believe that our patients must be as committed to their treatment as our team is to their care.