Lumbar nerve root compression may trigger pain and/or weakness for patients with spinal stenosis and disc herniation. Younger patients tend to respond more rapidly to both surgical and non-surgical care. (1) That makes sense as the nerve has not been irritated as long. Disc herniations are more likely to occur in our 30’s and 50’s. Fortunately, only 3% to 6% of those are symptomatic. Spinal stenosis tends to be a nuisance for us in our 50’s and 60’s. Muscle weakness appears in as many as 30% to 50% of disc herniation patients. 80% of disc herniation patients with weakness show improvement with 6 weeks of non-surgical care, 90% at 12 weeks, 93% at 24 weeks. Surgical patients discover that the most clinically significant weakness improvement happened within 6 weeks of spine surgery for a disc herniation. 66% of these patients showed no improvement after that. (Ghahreman in 1) Improvement in motor power can take up to two years after surgery. Some sensory loss is normal but barely noticeable. (1) BONUS: The cost of chiropractic care for a lumbar disc herniation only totaled 2% of all the money spent, so the researchers recommended a trial of conservative, non-operative care before patients undergo back surgery for a herniated disc. (2) Bring your Southern New Hampshire back pain and related muscle weakness to New Hampshire Spine and Sport for Southern New Hampshire non-surgical care at the outset.

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Dean Greenwood on The Back Doctor’s Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson about a patient with muscle weakness accompanying a synovial cyst that improved with chiropractic care using the Cox® Technic System.

Maintaining strong bones is important, and vitamin C can help! Osteoclasts are bone cells that break down bone tissue. Vitamin C blocks them from doing that. Osteoblasts are cells that bind bone while bone forms. Vitamin C fosters bone regeneration by promoting osteoblast formation. (3) Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of vitamin C. They are rich in antioxidants known to influence bone quality. In a new study, vitamin C improved the L5 vertebra’s density! (4) That’s a benefit your Southern New Hampshire spine specialist loves to hear! Consume your vitamin C every day! Eat, or supplement! Let us talk at your next Southern New Hampshire chiropractic appointment.

CONTACT New Hampshire Spine and Sport

Make your Southern New Hampshire chiropractic appointment. New Hampshire Spine and Sport is here to help you reclaim your muscle loss and develop your bones! Thank you for entrusting your spine’s health to New Hampshire Spine and Sport!