Manahawkin Chiropractic Care for Thoracic Disc Herniation
The thoracic spine, the middle section of your spine, gets ignored. “Mid back pain” doesn’t simply come out of your mouth in quite the same way as “neck pain” and “back pain” or “arm pain” and “leg pain”. But the thoracic spine can have pain of its own. A thoracic disc herniation may be related to seemingly unrelated conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, painful or frequent urination. Manahawkin Chiropractic Center does talk about the thoracic spine and its mid-back pain. Manahawkin Chiropractic Center gently cares for the thoracic spine’s mid-back pain to effectively ease it.
THORACIC DISC HERNIATION
The incidence of thoracic disc herniation in people who have no pain is 11-37%. It’s not as rare as we think. Two studies described abdominal wall bulges: A patient later diagnosed with a thoracic disc herniation at T11-12 on MRI imaging presented with a lateral abdominal wall bulge that diminished 8 months later as the disc herniation got better. (1) Another two similar cases with herniations at T12-L1 and T10-11 and T11-12 had paresis of the abdominis muscle. After conservative treatment, muscle strength returned to normal in 3 to 6 months. (2) Symptoms of thoracic disc herniation can vary from abdominal pain, constipation, urinary incontinence, anesthesia or lack of anal reflex, bowel dysfunction, nausea, to irritable bowel among other issues. (3) A couple other reports describe the incidence of gastrointestinal and gastrourinary problems with thoracic disc herniations. In a study of 100 patients with thoracic disc herniation, 95% had one or more digestive-urologic symptoms, but only 3% were diagnosed with thoracic disc protrusion. 70.76% of thoracic disc herniations were below the T7 level. Most were central herniations (65.25%). 85% of thoracic disc herniation patients with abdominal pain tested positive in the DN4 test for neuropathic pain compared with only 8% in the control group. 77% of the patients experienced abdominal pain (and 16.88% of them had had a surgery to get rid of the pain to find that they still have the same pain after surgery). 90% of thoracic disc pain patients report back pain, 43% have pubic pain, 35% report genital area pain, 66% have lower limb pain. (4) Thoracic disc herniation sufferers often experience these issues – chronic abdominal pain, digestive issues, and urological symptoms. Another researcher gave details about two patients with T10-11 herniations who displayed moderate lower extremity weakness, increased patellar tendon reflex, and sensory disturbance of the whole lower extremities. (5) Manahawkin Chiropractic Center does a thorough examination to determine how a thoracic disc herniation is affecting our Manahawkin chiropractic mid-back pain patients.
EXAMINATION
Gastrointestinal surgeons are quite likely to see patients with thoracic disc herniation because their symptoms are gastrointestinal and/or gastrourinary in nature but without any organic reason for them. A dependable test to see if the abdominal pain is related to issues with the abdomen or a visceral issue is Carnett’s Sign. It’s highly documented for its sensitivity of 78 to 85% and specificity of 88 to 97%. (6) It directs the examining physician to the source of pain! For Manahawkin patients with unexplained abdominal pain or odd abdominal wall bulges, consult Manahawkin Chiropractic Center who understands the connection of these issues to the thoracic disc herniation. Gentle, chiropractic spinal manipulation with Cox® Technic to the thoracic spine may help ease pain and symptomatology of the thoracic disc herniation.
CONTACT Manahawkin Chiropractic Center
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Kurt Olding on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson who really knows and understands the unusual but significant thoracic disc herniation. Dr. Olding defines the thoracic disc herniation and its symptomatology as well as its relieving treatment with Cox® Technic.
Schedule a Manahawkin chiropractic appointment at Manahawkin Chiropractic Center for your thoracic spine and its mid-back concerns. Manahawkin Chiropractic Center does not ignore the thoracic spine, and you shouldn’t either!
