DESCRIPTION:

The disc is the shock absorber between vertebrae. It is composed by an outer layer called the annulus fibrosis which is a crisscrossed layer of strands of very strong collagenous fibers. The job of this layer is to support and contain the inner cushioning nucleus pulposus. Think of it as the jelly inside a jelly filled donut.

The outer and inner layers become dehydrated and less resilient to stress as we age, or with compromised circulation to the area. Repetitive motion can cause fibers in the outer layer to stretch or fail. Since the inner layer is under a lot of pressure, it will follow the path of least resistance. In the case of a bulge it will pooch out to the side. This creates even more pressure and stress on the supporting fibers. If the fibers fail, the disc can escape into the surrounding tissues, creating a disc herniation. Think about stepping on the jelly donut. The inner disc is chemically irritating to the surrounding tissue, much like stomach acid that is fine in the stomach, but not good in the upper part of the digestive tract. When the disc escapes containment, a huge inflammatory response occurs. The body eventually encapsulates the herniation putting a protective wall around it. This can take a few weeks, and the chemically activated inflammatory response can diminish.

If you are lucky and the bulge is not located close to anything important, complaints can disappear. If, however, the bulge is near a moving joint it can be a source of aggravation, like a rock in your shoe. In the worst case scenario, the bulge puts direct pressure on the spinal cord or spinal nerve. Pain, pins and needles, and numbness can be present in distant parts of the extremities with just minimal pressure, but with excessive pressure the nerve loses its ability to communicate with distant muscles. This is called a radiculopathy. Eventually with sustained excessive pressure the nerve can die, resulting in permanent damage (See your doctor if you have severe pain and loose the function in specific muscles – sometimes early surgical intervention is appropriate and can restore full function.)

While this seems a little scary, in reality a full third of the population is walking around with a disc herniation, yet has had no complaints of pain or limited function. By the age of 80, 80% of the population has a disc herniation visible on MRI. Given this knowledge, do not assume that because you have a bulge or herniation you won’t be able to live a life without pain or limitation. Fascial Counterstrain is an effective intervention. (Cherry, 2020)

FCS TREATMENT:

The cranial scan tells us what structures are most involved and perhaps most influential to this pathology.

Failure of the disc due to dehydration points to a compromised circulatory system supply to the spine, spinal cord, nerves and disc and joint cartilage. We are able to identify compromised areas and restore circulation directly, or indirectly by influencing the autonomic sympathetic nerves controlling vasoconstriction and dilation. This results in improving the health of the tissues by improving the ability of the body to control inflammation and flush out noxious chemicals.

Ligaments of the spine can protectively contract. This can be a major source of imbalance in the system. Just as an unbalanced tire wears out faster, so can a ligamentous imbalance speed up degenerative changes in the spine leading to disc failure. The ligamentum flava, anterior longitudinal and posterior longitudinal ligaments all have distinct areas in the scan and are easily addressed, restoring a much more balanced and mechanically efficient spine.

The Visceral system is anchored to the posterior abdominal wall and inner walls of the thoracic cavity. Dysfunction can create postural deviations, mechanical stress and failure of the disc. These imbalances are easily identified and addressed.

Peripheral nerves, arteries, veins can all be sources of asymmetrical mechanical stress. The periosteum covering the bone influences everything attached to it, and is also evaluated and balanced.

Cherry, W. (n.d.). Disc Bulges & Herniations. Retrieved April 2020, from Counterstrain website: https://counterstrain.com/conditions/disc-bulges-herniations/