Tortipelvis The ‘Slipped Disc’ Syndrome

Disc-block subluxation Tortipelvis   Often called the slipped disc syndrome, this condition is most simply defined as: a tortuous position of the lumbar spine and pelvis. This painful and common low back condition is caused by a misalignment of a vertebra in the low back. This problem is referred to by chiropractors as a disc block subluxation. The disc bulges to one side and the vertebra tips to the other, thus the patient is forced to stand in a bent position. Disc-block subluxation

This diagnosis is simply incomplete. The common medical diagnosis for this condition is disc bulge, disc herniation, or disc prolapse. The milder forms may be medically diagnosed as muscle strain or spasm. Patients are told to rest, apply heat, take pain killers and muscle relaxers. The more severe instances are diagnosed as disc rupture, and surgery is routinely recommended. This diagnosis is simply incomplete. Actually, the center of the disc (nucleus) shifts or “slips” to one side and the vertebra above tips to the other just like a teeter-totter. And like a teeter-totter, when the fulcrum is not in the center, it remains that way. A chiropractic adjustment restores the position of the vertebra and its fulcrum (the nucleus of the disc) to normal position and thus returns the spine to normal.   Anterior Tortipelvis When a patient is unable to completely straighten up the nucleus has shifted backwards and the spine is then “locked” in a forward bent position.  

Why does this happen to the Human Spine?   The most common cause of this problem is a spinal distortion called a lumbar kyphosis. This is an abnormal flattening of the normal arch of the lower back. When this takes place unusual weight is then carried on the discs. This added burden upon the discs causes pressure to be exerted upon the center of the disc (nucleus) and when a nucleus shifts to one side (or backwards) you have tortipelvis. Normal Curve   Abnormal Curve (Kyphosis or flattening)  

Slipped disc, ruptured disc, prolapsed disc?   Well, basically, all the terms above describe a herniated disc. The inner disc nucleus cannot shift and cause the outer annulus to bulge and put pressure on the nerve without a tear or rip in the annular ring fibers. This tearing is usually extreme, not a small insignificant injury. The reason is this… Imagine you are about to rip a piece of paper. Your fingers are in place, and you are placing more and more tension on the paper… no rip yet. That is exactly the tension on your disc when you have lost the normal lumbar curve. As you put more and more tension on the paper, it finally rips. But not a small, insignificant rip. Typically the paper rips right in half!

Herniated Discs  

Lateral Tortipelvis When a patient walks bent laterally to one side he is in lateral tortipelvis. The nucleus of the disc shifts to one side and the patient is unable to stand straight. This causes much tension and pain, but remember the muscles are not causing the problem, they are only responding to the tortuous bend of the spine.   Prevention Avoid things that tend to flatten the arch in your lower back. Exercises like flattening the back against the wall or floor, sit-ups, bending over to touch the toes, all cause the arch in the lower back to flatten. Such exercises should not be used by the majority of people who have back problems. Don’t let anyone tell you that you have too much arch in your lower back without chiropractic x-ray analysis.  

Correction   Pre: Lateral tortipelvis   Post: Corrected   The x-ray on the left depicts a case of lateral tortipelvis. The arrow points to the disc wedge. The nuclear center has “slipped” to the wide side of the disc wedge (left). The vertebra above this disc then tips to the right and the person’s spine is forced to stay in this “bent to one side” position. This is the so-called “slipped disc syndrome”, more correctly called tortipelvis. The x-ray on the right shows the same case after receiving chiropractic spinal adjustments. Time between x-rays was thirteen days.  

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