Treatments for Herniated Disc and Pinched Nerve

Our spine is one of the most important bone structures in our bodies.  As the long flexible line of bone segments at our back, it allows to stand upright, bend and move around freely.  It also houses the crucial spinal cord, which consists of millions of nerve fibers that links the brain to the rest of the body.  There are three main sections that make up the spinal column:  the cervical (upper), thoracic (middle), and the lumbar (lower). 

The upper spine region, just below the skull, consists of the first seven vertebrae and is described as the most nomadic section of the spine.  The nerves in the cervical spine also extend to the arms and the upper chest.  Below that is the thoracic middle section, where it contains twelve vertebrae segments that binds the ribs and supports the back wall of the ribcage between the diaphragm and the neck.  It is actually the least mobile part of the spine and is connected to the abdomen and chest.  And lastly, the lumbar spine makes up the largest portion of the entire spinal column.  It is responsible for the support for the entire upper body and usually contains five vertebrae.  At the very base of this section is the sacrum, which is the fusion of several bones that attaches that spine to the pelvis bone.  It is at this joint location that most people feel the most back pain, since this area carries the most weight of the body and experiences the most movement. 

Because this bone is so complex and experiences so much movement, it is very prone to injury.  The two most common back issues that people deal with are herniated disc and a pinched nerve.  A herniated disc occurs when there is a rupture of the fibrocartilage of the spongy disc between the spinal bone columns.  This usually happens due to old age when the discs dry out and are not as supple.  Of course injury can cause tiny cracks and tears in the solid outer layer of the disc and cause it to break open.  A herniated repair can mend this injury with surgery; by removing herniated disc, there will free space around the compressed nerve with decreased pressure. 

A pinched nerve is very similar in that a specific nerve is damaged from a direct pressure and loses its ability to accurately conduct its signal.  A pinched nerve treatment in Los Angeles remedies this by physical therapy to stretch and strengthen specific muscles to relieve pressure, or surgery to release tissues over the nerves. 

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