Sharp, shooting pain down your leg. A constant ache in your back that radiates into your feet. If you’re experiencing this, you might be worried you have a “slipped” or “ruptured” disc.
Hearing terms like “bulging disc” or “herniated disc” can be frightening. But here’s the most important thing to know. Most disc injuries improve with conservative, non-surgical care.
As an evidence-based chiropractor in the Twin Cities, my goal is to cut through the confusion. I provide a clear, practical, hands-on treatment plan focused on one thing. And that’s getting you better without jumping to expensive imaging or surgery unless absolutely necessary.
Let’s start this by understanding what these conditions actually are.
Bulging vs. Herniated: A Simple Explanation
Think of one of your spinal discs as a jelly donut, but just know that this example doesn’t show the true resiliency and strength of the spinal discs. It is an easy to understand comparison
- A Bulging Disc: The entire donut becomes compressed and squishes outward beyond its normal boundary. The tough outer layer is still intact, but the disc is wider and can press on surrounding nerves and tissues. It’s a structural issue of overall protrusion.
- A Herniated Disc: This is when the tough outer layer of the donut develops a tear or rupture, allowing the soft, inner “jelly” to leak out. This leaked material can cause more direct and intense irritation or compression of the nearby spinal nerves and tissues.
The key difference: A bulging disc is a general protrusion; a herniated disc involves a tear and leakage. Both can cause significant pain, numbness, or weakness.
Do I Need an MRI Right Away?
This is a critical question. Many people think an MRI is the first step. However, research and clinical guidelines show that for most cases of back or neck pain without “red flags” (like loss of bowel/bladder control, severe weakness, or total loss of lower limbs), imaging like an MRI is not immediately necessary. In fact, MRI findings can sometimes be misleadingmany adults have bulging discs with no pain at all. My approach at Redbird Wellness is practical:
- We start with a thorough consultation, physical, and neurological21 exam. This gives me 95% of the information I need to identify your triggers and deficiencies, find the painful and sensitive tissues, and start treatment (99% of the time we provide treatment at the first visit).
- I will only recommend an MRI if you are not responding to conservative care after a couple of weeks, or if I suspect a more serious condition. I ask myself this question when it comes to advanced imaging. Would the results of the image change what course of treatment we do? If the answer is no, then why bother with the imaging? This saves you time and money, and allows us to focus on what matters most: your recovery.
Our Hands-On Approach to Disc Injuries in Hopkins
My philosophy is simple: use the most effective, evidence-informed tools to reduce your pain, improve your mobility, and promote healing. My treatment plans are built around active, hands-on care.
Your journey starts with a consultation and exam. At this point, I can give you a detailed report of tindings where I explain exactly what I believe is causing your pain, or we jump straight into your customized treatment plan and options. That plan will likely include a combination of the following:
- Dry Needling: This technique uses thin filiform needles to target hypertonic (tight) muscle bands, often called “trigger points,” that contribute to your pain. For disc injuries, muscles spasm to protect the area. Dry needling helps release this tension, increase mobility, and significantly reduce pain.
- Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM / Scraping): You will hear me call this “scraping.” I use specialized tools to apply tension that promotes tissue remodeling, lower soft tissue tension, and less tissue sensitivity that develops from injury and inflammation. This improves mobility, reduces pain, and works well alongside other treatments.
- Chiropractic Spinal Manipulations: Gentle yet dynamic manipulations to improve spinal joint motion, reduce sensitivity, and decrease muscle tension around the injured disc. This is not about “cracking” your back; it’s about restoring mechanics that you lost.
- Cupping Therapy: Cupping creates a suction effect on the skin, which helps to lift tissues, increase circulation, and promote healing in the affected area. It’s excellent for relieving the deep muscle tightness associated with disc problems.
- Rehabilitative Exercises: Treatment doesn’t end when you leave the office. I will prescribe specific exercises to improve your spine’s ability to flex, bend, twist, and compress. This is essential for long-term relief and reducing the risk of re-injury. Rehab is much more complex than people realize, which is why there is an entire blog post dedicated to that topic here.
When to Consider Surgery
Surgery is reserved for severe cases where there is significant nerve damage, progressive weakness, or when conservative treatments have been fully exhausted without success. Our goal is to make surgery a last resort, not a first option.
Take the Next Step Toward a Pain-Free Life
If you’re in Hopkins, Minnetonka, St. Louis Park, Edina, or the western Twin Cities metro and are tired of living with disc pain, I invite you to contact my practice. I am dedicated to providing honest, effective care that gets to the heart of the problem. Let’s work together to create a plan that gets you back to your life, without pain.
Schedule your initial consultation with me today. We’ll perform a comprehensive exam, discuss your goals, and I’ll give you my honest assessment of how we can help.