All the tools to help you recover from disc bulges – Part 3
May 11, 2023
Everyone is different in their bodies, their routines, what they’ve been through etc.. but the key thing to take home from these patterns is that the ability of the body to bounce back relies on multiple factors – not just one thing. In the clinic, in addition to Chiropractic care, we have a range of supportive measures which accelerate your healing and give you a comprehensive approach for the best possible outcome. This is especially useful for repairing disc bulges. Find out more about how we can help with disc bulges in our previous blog.
Recovery from chronic pain… what does it look like?
The person who recovers quickly and easily… what do you notice about them?
What does their posture look like? Is it strong, energetic and upright?
Do they predominantly eat a nourishing diet?
How active are they?
Do they proactively take care of themselves and meditate, spend quality time with friends, take supplements, have routine massage etc?
There’s often a bit of a trend, right?
Deep tissue massage can help..
As always, the speed of recovery depends on the case.
Deep tissue massage often helps to reduce muscle tension that is influencing poor spinal mechanics. Muscle spasm can be associated with an acute disc bulge, and therefore your Chiropractor may recommend seeing the massage therapist after a few weeks of recovery, once this has become more settled.
Massage can assist in the healing process by breaking down adhesions in the tissues and helping the lymphatic system. Cupping is a great tool that is sometimes used to help remove waste products from the injured area, also help stretch tight muscles and separate the fascia that is around the muscle to allow for greater range of motion and all to therefore speed up healing.
The feedback we tend to hear after having a deep tissue massage is how much freer movement is. It’s as if slack has been taken off a rope that has been pulling you tightly, previously restricting you.
And what about posture rehab?
Improved posture, core activity and movement patterns play a big role in helping to remove strain on the affected disc(s).
A gradual process of amending and adding specific strength and mobility home exercise allows you to help yourself through your recovery, and may help prevent future relapses by then maintaining strong, healthy movement.
We often hear concerns of beginning exercise, particularly if it’s hard to even get out of a chair, let alone get up and down from the floor. This is exactly why the PT’s are there for you – to scale the exercise to what works best for you, then gradually build on this over time. This may mean starting from standing or sitting exercises, before progressing further. Often times, clients surprise themselves with how much they are able to do. Confidence in movement can improve as gains in strength and mobility help to take stress off of the spine.
We always want to ensure that your progress is going at the speed that is acceptable to you
Find out in the next blog about the importance of Nutrition and mind training for recovery of disc bulges in our next blog! Part 4 – How nutrition & your mind can help with disc bulges
In conclusion:
If you suspect you, or someone you know might be suffering with a disc bulge, refer them to us, we may be able to help with our range of supportive therapies, so make sure you ask us about it!
The person who recovers quickly and easily… what do you notice about them?
As always, the speed of recovery depends on the case. 
Improved posture, core activity and movement patterns play a big role in helping to remove strain on the affected disc(s).
