Lower back pain is often caused by a herniated or bulging disc. This is a condition where the inner gel portion of the disc has broken through the outer fibers. The soft gel like center of the disc is typically held in place by the fibrous outer bands of tissue. After the central portion of the disc has migrated through the outer fibers it can cause pain through inflammation or mechanical pressure on other structures resulting in lower back pain or leg pain. If left untreated it may become life altering.

Traumatic accidents, repetitive stress, or motions can cause herniated or bulging discs. Natural aging can also cause gradual breakdown of the disc fibers, making them more prone to herniating or bulging. Depending on the location of the damage the pain from these injuries can vary greatly.

When diagnosing a herniated or bulging disc the symptoms may not provide accurate clues. However, if the pain is significant and symptoms radiate into the leg and down into the foot then a herniated or bulging disc is most likely the culprit. If coughing, sneezing or laughing increases the symptoms down the leg then a herniated disc diagnosis becomes more clear. Weakness of the leg muscles, tingling or numbness can also point to the likelihood of a herniated or bulging disc. Getting the proper treatment is even more important in these situations because any delay could result in permanent damage.

Disc problems are notorious for causing lower back pain, but neck pain can also be secondary to disc problems as well. Neck pain can be classified as simple mechanical neck pain and only be localized or it can involve the shoulder and arms and even the hands and fingers. Changes in movements or head positions can intensify the pain.

A new alternative to more invasive procedures, is non-surgical spinal decompression. Spinal decompression provides a real answer to the pain caused by herniated and bulging discs. It is also indicated in the treatment of degenerative disc disease and facet syndrome. The mechanism behind decompression is the use of a patented computer system that creates a negative pressure within the disc space. This negative pressure draws the bulging or herniated material back into place so the disc can heal.

The DRX9000 is the most sophisticated spinal decompression device on the market. The technology uses a logarithmic pull during decompression to bypass the muscle contraction that is commonly associated with normal traction. This is achieved through a series of highly precise computers that calculate the individual pull for each patients particular anatomy. The computers calculate the forces in real time and adjust the pull during each cycle of the treatment. Clinical research now being done looks promising for patients suffering from herniated and bulging discs.

Herniated and bulging discs are a very common cause of lower back pain and until recently very difficult to treat. However, with new technology like the DRX9000 Non-surgical spinal decompression system, they now have a real chance of getting better.