You have been told you have a herniated disc, in your lower back or your neck, and what worries you most is the pain and what it stops you doing. This page explains what we look at in our clinic in central Málaga, in English, what we do not, and when you should see a doctor instead.
What a herniated disc is
The disc between two vertebrae works as a shock absorber. When its outer layer weakens, some of the material inside can bulge outwards and sometimes press on a nerve root. In the lower back, that can cause pain running down the leg; in the neck, pain running down the arm.
Two things are worth knowing before a scan report frightens you.
First: finding a disc herniation on an MRI does not automatically mean it is the cause of your pain. Plenty of people with no symptoms at all have very similar findings. What matters is the scan together with what you feel and what the examination shows.
Second: many disc herniations stop causing symptoms over time without surgery. How long that takes in any individual case cannot be known in advance.
What people often notice
It depends on where the herniation is and whether it touches a nerve root. What we hear most often:
- Lower back: pain when bending, after sitting for a long time or getting up from a chair, and sometimes pain running through the buttock and down the leg. When leg pain is the main problem, see sciatica in Málaga.
- Neck: stiffness when turning your head, a tight trapezius and sometimes pain or tingling towards the arm.
- Good days and bad days: the pain tends to change with posture, tiredness and how active you have been.
What we do not do here
We do not «put discs back in place». No hands-on therapy moves a disc back where it was, and anyone who says so is not being honest with you.
We do not make decisions about surgery or injections. That belongs to your orthopaedic surgeon or neurosurgeon, and we do not replace them.
We do not change or reduce your medication.
What we do look at
- Low back or neck pain and the muscle tension that comes with it.
- Pain radiating into the leg or arm, as far as its mechanical side is concerned.
- Restricted movement when bending, sitting, turning your head or standing up.
- Posture and loading habits at work or at home that make things worse.
- Getting movement back as the worst of the episode settles.
Day to day
Moving usually works better than keeping still. Several days of complete bed rest is not recommended: walking at your own pace, even in short stretches, tends to help more than lying down.
When sitting, change position often. Get up every so often, even for a minute, and avoid hours in the same chair or behind the wheel. On a long flight home, walk the aisle when you can.
When lifting, keep the load close to your body and bend your knees rather than leaning forward from the waist.
None of this replaces what your own doctor has told you.
When to go to A&E, not to us
It is urgent if you notice weakness in a foot, leg or arm; numbness in the saddle area (between the legs); or any problem controlling your bladder or bowel. The same applies if the pain comes with fever or after a hard fall or blow. In Spain, the hospital emergency department is called Urgencias.
How the first visit works
You will see José De San Juan Guerrero, D.C., Doctor of Chiropractic and a registered physiotherapist in Spain, with more than 25 years in practice in central Málaga. The whole visit can be in English.
We start by listening: when it began, what makes it worse, what you have been told and what has been done so far. Then comes the physical examination and the postural analysis, and an explanation of what we found before anyone touches you. Bring your MRI and the report, even if they are in Spanish or from another country: they are read alongside your history, not on their own.
Why come, even when a specialist is handling your disc
With a herniated disc it is common for a surgeon or neurosurgeon to handle the follow-up: the scans, the decision about surgery, the injections. All of that is theirs. But between appointments there is everyday life, and that is where many people feel on their own: unsure how to sit, whether they can walk, or whether bending will hurt them.
That part is ours. What we work on is movement: getting the area that has stiffened to protect itself moving again, and letting the muscles that have been tense for weeks stop doing so. That does not move the disc or change what the MRI shows, and we will not sell it to you as if it did. But moving with less pain changes your day: sitting down to eat without hunting for a position, tying your shoes, sleeping without waking when you turn over.
If at the first visit we see that you need something else, more tests or a return to your specialist, we will tell you that same day. We would rather tell you than let you waste time and money. And that is exactly why you can trust what we do tell you.
Frequently asked questions
Can I come if I have a herniated disc?
Yes. Your case is assessed individually and what we do is adapted to your examination and your scan. If anything suggests something should not be done, you will be told.
Do I need an MRI before coming?
Not necessarily. If you already have one, bring it. If the examination shows something that makes one necessary, we will tell you and explain who to ask for it.
What if surgery has been suggested?
The decision about surgery is yours and your surgeon’s. You can come while you are considering it or afterwards; what we will not do is tell you not to have it.
Do I need a referral?
No.
Book your first visit · Chiropractor in central Málaga, in English · C/ Córdoba 6 · +34 629 245 594 · WhatsApp
Esta página también está disponible en español: Hernia discal en Málaga.
This clinic works on musculoskeletal complaints of the spine and joints. We do not diagnose or treat systemic, respiratory, autoimmune, metabolic or neurological disease, and we do not replace prescribed medical treatment. If you have a diagnosis of that kind, your specialist is the one who manages it.
