Plain Talk about a Lumbar Herniated Disc

Plain Talk about a Lumbar Herniated Disc

The term “herniated disc” is a fairly common one. Most people have heard it used in conversations about friends or family members suffering from back pain, but do they really know what it is we’re referring to when mentioning this term.?Probably not.

The fact remains, however, that a fair percentage of individuals will suffer from a lumbar herniated disc sometime in their lifetime, and that problem may just bring them to you, the spine specialist.

So what will you tell them? Perhaps something like this:

  • A disc herniation might occur for a number of reasons or seemingly for no reason at all. It may be the result of heavy lifting or perhaps twists and turns of the lower back – anything that puts extra stress on your discs.
  • Herniated discs are a very common problem and most often occur in those between the ages of 35 and 50, generally because of the kind of activities practiced by that age group.
  • A lumbar herniated disc occurs when stress is placed on the spine and the tough outer ring of the disc cracks, tears, or bulges. In the lumbar area, the protrusion of the disc can push against the spinal nerve root that’s located nearby or the root may become irritated. As a result, the patient will likely experience shooting pains that travel into the buttock and down the leg.

There we are! Sounds pretty simple, right? Well, perhaps #1 and 2 are easy to understand but it’s likely that when you start talking about the spine, discs, nerves, and perhaps the nucleus pulposus, you will have lost your patient’s attention. Around that time, he or she may develop a befuddled look that will let you know they really don’t understand what it is you’re trying to explain. There’s got to be a better way!

There is! Many individuals learn better with some sort of visual aid, and the best kind of visual aid you can provide for explaining a lumbar herniated disc is a fully-dynamic 3D model that can be twisted and turned and can help you illustrate disc problems in a way that the patient can truly VISUALIZE.

When Dr. Jerome Fryer crafted his first spine models and created Dynamic Disc Designs (DDD), this is exactly what he had in mind. Fryer recognized that his patients really didn’t understand his verbal explanations of spine problems nor did a flat, uninteresting drawing help teach these concepts. So he came up with a model of the spine that is so accurate that it’s the only one many of today’s spine professionals will use.

With the help of DDD’s lumbar models, chiropractors, surgeons, physiotherapists, pain management specialists, and other professionals can get their point across and prompt that “aha moment” that will have patients nodding their head in understanding, and patients with a solid understanding of their lumbar herniated disc issue will likely take advantage of the treatment you recommend and do what’s necessary to feel better.

Read what ChiroHub has to say about DDD’s models:

We have never seen, and we have definitely looked, a more detailed and accurate model of the lumbar vertebrae and disc complex. These units are extremely well thought out, and represent the latest in our understanding of the anatomy of lumbar discs, facet joints, nerves, and vertebrae. The user can easily identify the cauda equina, dorsal root ganglia, nerve roots, nucleus pulposus, annular fissures, and more. During our two months of clinical testing with real patients, we never had an instance where we desired to showcase an anatomical structure and were unable to do so.

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