Understanding The Herniated Disc

Health &Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

“I Will Not Allow Back Pain To Deter Me FromMy Fitness Goals! ” Understanding The Herniated Disc

Do you suffer from back or neck pain? At times this pain can radiate indicating a potential problem with the discs. The bones in your spine are called the vertebrae. The vertebrae are held together and in place by ligaments and small discs that act as shock absorbers. These control your spine’s range of movement, flexibility and keep the spinal cord safe from damage. However, when a disc is damaged, the inside can squeeze out of place and either bulge or herniate, leaving the spinal nerves susceptible to damage. When this occurs, the result is called a “herniated disc”, “slipped” or “ruptured disc.” A herniated disc can be incredibly painful and can cause a great deal of limitations on the body’s movement, thus hindering a person’s movement and overall ability to perform day-to-day tasks. A herniated disc can cause a variety of symptoms including radiating pain down the arm or leg, depending if the herniated disc is in your neck or lowback. Bulging discs are the beginning phase of herniated discs. Very often people have a bulging disc and don’t even know it. Only when the outside of a bulging disc becomes irritated and affects the surrounding tissue does it begin to cause back ache, generally in the same area and not down the leg.

Inside:

• Understanding The Herniated Disc • Service Spotlight • Patient Spotlight • Exercise Essentials

Health & Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

“ Lifting Weights Has Been Compromised Due To My Back Pain.” Understanding The Herniated Disc

A herniated disc in the neck can be just as painful as a herniated disc in the back. Arm pain from a neck herniated disc is one of the more common neck conditions treated by our spine specialists. Although a neck herniated disc may start from injury to the spine, the symptoms, including armpain, commonly start frompoor posture or muscle strains. The arm pain from a neck herniated disc occurs because the herniated disc material “pinches” or presses on a nerve, causing pain to radiate along the nerve down the arm. A herniated disc can cause tightness, numbness, weakness, or tingling in the neck, back, arms, or legs. If the bulging or leaking disc pushes on a nearby nerve, pain or muscle weakness may result. If the bulging or leaking disc does not push on a nerve, pain or disability may not occur. Although back or neck pain can be caused by a herniated disc, other factors may be involved. Your physical therapist can test for and rule out other possible conditions. If a herniated disc is severely pressing on a nerve, or is pressing on the spinal cord, surgery may be needed to immediately relieve that pressure. Your physical therapist can help determine whether either of these conditions is occurring, and will refer you to the best physician for your condition. Our specialized physical therapists are trained to examine your spine and movement to find the root cause of your problem. Then we work with you and your doctor to put together a plan that helps you achieve optimum results. Did You Know?... “Exercise - most any type of exercise can reduce your risk of recurring low-back pain by between 25-40 percent .” - JAMA Internal Medicine, Jan. 2016

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“I Experience Pain In My Thighs When Working Out. ”

Physical Therapy Helps Sciatica Pain One of the most common mistakes is to assume that all leg pain is sciatica, and must be due to a disc in the back pressing on a nerve. In fact, most leg pain is not pain from the nerve in your spine, and has nothing to do with a herniated disc. There is much confusion about the term sciatica. The term sciatica is defined as pain running down the leg in the path of the sciatic nerve. It is best to understand the difference between referred leg pain, which “refers” from another area and nerve root pain which begins in the spine. Irritation of any of the tissues of the back can cause pain down one or both legs. Seventy percent of patients with back pain have some radiating pain to their legs. This referred pain can come from the tissues, muscles, ligaments, joints, discs or other back structures. It is usually a dull ache that spreads into the buttocks and thighs. In addition, it may affect both legs, however, it usually does not go much below the knee. Referred pain is not due to anything pressing on a nerve. It is not sciatica. Irritation of the nerve root in the spine gives a quite different pain, which is sharp and specific to an area of your leg. Nerve root pain usually radiates to the foot or toes. Patients often describe the pain with sensations such as pins and needles or numbness. It usually affects one leg only and is greater than the pain one has in the back. Nerve root pain is much less common than referred leg pain. Furthermore, if you have back pain

alone and no leg pain or nerve symptoms, a nerve root problem is very unlikely. If you do have leg pain, then your legs should be examined by a physical therapist for signs of nerve irritation or nerve compression. Diagnosing nerve irritation depends on tests that stretch or press on an irritated nerve root to cause pain. Our physical therapists at Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine perform different tests for nerve irritation. A common test is raising the leg straight in the air and looking for radiating pain with limitation. Discover how our Spine Program transforms your back pain from a pressing problem, to a distant memory, allowing you to live a happy, active and pain-free life.

Discover Our Back Pain Program

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Relieve your spinal pain! Do you suffer with a y of the following symptoms? • Pain while bending or reaching • Chronic back pain • Difficulty with stiffness and soreness • Pain from an old injury or accident • Difficulty completing simple tasks • Radiating pain to muscles and joints

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CALL US TODAY 703-299-3111 Offer valid for the first 25 people to schedule. Expires 03-28-17.

Patient Success S P O T L I G H T

It was so successful I never had the surgery!

“Horseback riding is usually rated as the one of the ten most dangerous sports in the world. While I have had my share of horse-related injuries, I have also managed to rack up a number of others, including a badly yanked hamstring (swimming) and an ankle sprain with tears in two tendons and a bone chip (walking on a perfectly flat sidewalk). Over at least a decade, Christina’s expertise has made me pain-free and stronger than ever. In fact, when the surgeon wanted to operate on my ankle, Christina suggested trying dry needling first; it was so successful I never had the surgery. Christina has effectively treated my lower back, right knee (knee cap displaced), right ankle, right shoulder (frozen after a poorly healed broken collar bone), yanked hamstring, and back alignment. All accompanied by encouraging words and a sense of humor. And dedication. As a non-rider, she was not familiar with the core strength, balance and muscle use required for riding effectively. So she gamely came out to the barn, watched me ride Polo (my very athletic (at that time) cross-bred Welsh pony), then rode enough to feel the motion and muscle use at a walk, engaged walk, and trot. Based on this, Christina gave me very useful strengthening, stretching and balancing exercises specific to scoliosis-plagued back. Which I am sure Polo also greatly appreciated. Christina and Vickie are now doing wonders for my hamstring injury. I hope they never retire. I also hope that Christina brings her sons out to the barn to ride the gentle and now elderly Polo, who has always treated little kids as precious cargo.” - Melissa M.

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You Have The Right To Choose Your Physical Therapy

Whether you want to come in because you’ve suffered a recent injury or you want to improve your physical health, tell your doctor about Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine. Get started feeling better today! See our physical therapists for: • Recent injury • Nagging aches and pains • Shoulder, wrist or elbow pain • Joint pain and movement problems • Walking or balance difficulties Call Us To Schedule An Appointment Today!

Service Spotlight

Running Results Program Running Results Features: Physical Therapy Evaluation by a physical therapist with expertise in running injuries and rehabilitation. This will include assessments of strength, flexibility, movement patterns and biomechanical alignment. Running gait video analysis. Frame by frame assessment of your running gait and form. You and your therapist will be able to observe and analyze each step for altered running mechanics or compensation patterns.

Shoe wear analysis and recommendation. Your footwear can tell a story about how you run. Different shoe types are more appropriate for different runners. We can help you determine what type of shoe is right for you. Hands-on Treatment. When necessary, your therapist will perform hands on manual therapy to help improve flexibility and joint range of motion. Individual exercise program. Tailored to address your needs based on the results of the evaluation. Designed to improve strength, flexibility, and technique to get you running pain free!

Staff News

Staff Spotlight: Welcoming Our Newest PT AMANDA SMITH, PT We are excited to welcome Amanda Smith as our newest PT at Solutions. Amanda Smith graduated from the Unisversity of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Science; she went on to receive her Doctor of Physical Therapy from Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions in Boston. A native of the suburbs outside of Philadelphia, Amanda began to pursue her interest in physical therapy at just fifteen years old, when she had a lumbar spinal fusion after years of participation in dance classes and a multitude of sports, particularly basketball. Besides working with patients with orthopedic and sports conditions, she also specializes in vestibular and concussion treatment. She utilizes a combination of manual therapy, catered therapeutic exercise, and functional movement training to help all patients achieve their goals. When not at work, Amanda enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, watching sports, hiking, and biking.

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Healthy Recipe

Cranberry & Walnut Scones Eating Right Never Tasted So Good! 10 Ingredients • 1 + 2/3 cups organic all-purpose flour • 1/4 cup wheat germ or rolled oats • 2 teaspoons baking powder Directions Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silpat for easier cleanup.

Sift together the flour, wheat germ or rolled oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add the butter and cut into the flour using your hands or 2 forks till the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center. In a separate bowl, whisk together the agave, cream and orange zest. Pour 2/3 of the liquid into the well, add cranberries and walnuts. Using a plastic dough divider or the edge of a metal spatula, turn and cut the dough, gradually adding the remaining liquid until the mixture comes together into a soft, sticky dough. Flour your hands and gently knead the dough to form a ball. Add a tablespoon or two more flour if necessary but the dough should be slightly sticky. Pat the dough out on the prepared baking sheet to make an 8 inch circle about 3/4 inch thick. Brush with additional cream for a shinier appearance. Cut the dough into eight equal pie shape wedges and gently lift them about 1 inch apart. Bake until the edges of the scones are lightly browned, about 15 to 18 minutes.

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt • 6 Tablespoons organic unsalted butter, cold and cut into bits • 1/2 cup Organic Blue Agave syrup • 1/3 cup organic cream zest of one organic orange • 1/2 cup cranberries • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped organic cream, for glazing

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Exercise Essentials Try these exercises to help with aches and pains...

Helps Strengthen Legs

Helps Strengthen Core

BRIDGE + SINGLE KNEE TO CHEST Lie flat on your back. Bend your knees up with your feet flat. Grasp behind one thigh and pull your knee to your chest. Lift hips up to make a bridge. Hold for 30 seconds. Lower down in a con- trolled manner. Repeat 5 times.

PIRIFORMIS STRETCH Lie on back. Grab knee with hands. Bring knee towards your opposite shoulder. Hold for 25 seconds. Alternate knees and repeat 8 times.

Not all exercises are appropriate for every person. Please consult with a healthcare provider before starting.

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Think Solutions PT FIRST

Why You Need To Come In For Another Check-Up:

� Move without pain � Bend and move freely � Balance confidently and securely

� Sit for long periods comfortably

� Walk for long distances � Live an active and healthy lifestyle

Take Care Of Your Aches & Pains Before It’s Too Late!

For more information go to solutionsphysicaltherapy.com