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Healthy News January 2024 Disc Size Doesnt Necessarily Matter & 4 Ways To Ease Chronic Pain

picture of lumbar La Grande disc herniation 

DISC SIZE DOESN’T (necessarily) MATTER!

Now that’s’ a twist on new year’s resolutions of dieting to downsize! With back pain and neck pain, a little disc isn’t necessarily pain-free. Surprised? If you have a small disc and pain, you’re not! What does matter is (1) the amount of pressure the disc protrusion is placing on the nerve root and/or (2) the amount of chemical irritation is present if an extruded disc’s inner gel-like material has escaped the anular fibers that surround it and now encircles the spinal nerve(s) which has (have) never touched each other before. Nerves don’t like this new chemical “bath” and hurt! A tiny disc extrusion can cause a great amount of pain if chemical irritation is part of the problem. A huge protruded may not produce pain at all if it doesn’t contact a spinal nerve. (1-7) A 2023 published study just concluded that the size of a disc protrusion did not demonstrate a significant relationship to pain and function. (8) If you or a loved one or friend is starting 2024 with La Grande back pain with or without sciatic leg pain or neck pain with or without arm pain radiculopathy, come visit Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC for some La Grande pain relief with gentle, safe chiropractic Cox® Technic care!

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Timothy Gagan on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson about use of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for a patient suffering with back and leg pain due to a disc herniation.              

picture  of La Grande chiropractic tips to ease chronic pain: understanding, acknowledging emotions, undergoing manipulation, exercising 

La Grande CHIROPRACTIC TIP OF THE MONTH: 4 Ways to Ease Chronic Pain In 2024

As researchers and healthcare professionals try to establish practice guidelines (ex: WHO) to manage chronic pain (back, neck, etc.), they are studying influencing factors that chronic pain sufferers and their caregivers ought to address for best clinical outcomes:

  1. Understand the condition. A clear understanding of the chronic primary low back pain condition via education/advice was associated with beneficial developments in pain, function, quality of life, and psychological outcomes. (9)
  2. Consider emotional influences. Adverse childhood events were found to be significantly associated with chronic pain and pain-related disability as an adult. (10)
  3. Undergo spinal manipulation. A study of nonpharmacological pain management approaches undergone by Medicare patients found that manipulative therapies, mainly chiropractic, have been the most widely studied approaches. (11) Cox® Technic flexion-distraction - as we use in our targetlocation practice – benefitted a 67-year-old veteran who suffered with chronic low back pain and intermittent lower extremity pain for several decades find overall improvement in his condition, decrease use of pain medication, and gain mobility after 4 sessions over a 4-week period. (12)
  4. Exercise. Structured exercise programs were shown to reduce pain and functional limitation in chronic low back pain patients. (13)
Only do any of these after we have a talk first! 

Make 2024 your year for pain relief! Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC is excited to be your La Grande chiropractic partner in this endeavor. See you soon!

Schedule your La Grande chiropractic appointment now!

"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by Dr. James M. Cox I."