Disc problems come in several varieties and are caused by traumas, poor postural habits, aging, ignoring a chronic back or neck problem and genetically predisposed weaknesses. Discs act like little gel cushions between the vertebrae. They are filled with a jelly-like substance called the nucleus pulposus and have a fibrous, tough outer layer called the annulus fibrosus. Degenerative discs are actually dehydrated, the jelly gets thicker while the disc shrinks and loses effectiveness. A bulging disc occurs when some of the fibrous outer layer has small tears that allow the jelly to blister outward. A herniated (or prolapsed) disc occurs when the bulge gets too extreme, so that it puts pressure on an adjacent nerve. Herniated discs do not always cause symptoms because they can occur in an area that does not affect a nerve.
Pinched nerves can result from spine-related problems like arthritic changes, thickening of bone or scar tissue or anything that affects the area where the nerve exits the spine. Inflammation or tumors often times put excess pressure on nerves.
When discs put pressure on a nerve root in the lower back, symptoms like leg pain, numbness or tingling in the leg or foot can occur. These are signs of a pinched sciatic nerve or sciatica. Not all sciatic nerve problems are caused by disc pressure. Anything that takes up space where the nerve exits the spine can cause sciatica. Examples would include muscle spasms, subluxations, inflammation, bone thickening, scar tissue, tumors, spondylolisthesis and spinal stenosis.
How the Tru-Align Body System can help!
Spinal decompression or traction is an accepted treatment for both herniated and degenerated discs. The Tru-align is so effective in relieving disc problems because it pulls apart while inducing the proper biomechanical shape (unlike straight line traction). It also makes it possible for the patient to have much greater frequency of treatments, which results in faster and better disc healing and stabilization.
The Tru-Align tractions and realigns the spinal vertebrae, thus improving disc problems, opens up the space where the nerves exit, and stretches and relaxes spinal muscles.