A word about herniation from Dr. John Pellegrini, D.C.
“There are many terms that describe problems with the intervertebral disc such as herniation, degenerative disc disease, protrusion and pinched nerve. Although we may associate these terms with medical interventions such as surgery, in many cases you may avoid surgery if you understand the root cause of the injury.
Many patients come into my office with acute lower back or neck pain stating that they have had this pain in the past and are now limiting their normal activities due to the fear of their next flare-up. I address these types of injuries with a customized rehabilitation program. This program provides the patient with an understanding of the mechanism of their injury and why it is important not only to get out of pain, but to understand how to get back to their normal activities in a safe manner.
My first priority is to get the patient out of pain, but ultimately the goal is to keep them out of pain. A typical patient will be educated on the mechanism of disc injuries and provided with a treatment plan to decrease their pain symptoms that may include modalities such as electric stimulation, spinal decompression and myofascial release. Once the patient’s pain is decreased, a customized disc stabilization program is designed to promote healing and increase stability to the injured region.
The key to achieving long term success is allowing the patient to grasp the concept of our disc stability program in a controlled environment utiliing the most advanced equipment. ‘Bridging the gap’ is achieved when the patient is able to continue the program at home and play. Getting the patient out of pain is only one part of the process…getting them back to their activity or sport is the utilmate goal.”