A cushion. A spacer. A spring. A spinal disc. Chiropractic Care
understands well the spinal intervertebral disc!
West Palm Beach chiropractic back pain and neck pain patients value
that knowledge! The intervertebral disc in the human spine performs as a separator holding the spinal
bone apart, the vertebrae, apart and permits motion of the
spine. The disc also provides a large opening for the
nerves leaving the spine through which to pass. If this opening is
reduced, which occurs when discs degenerate
and lose height, the nerves passing through are compressed. This compression impedes
circulation to the nerve and inflammation of the nerve starts.
The shrinking of the nerve opening is termed West Palm Beach
spinal stenosis. See this schematic and MRI depiction
of normal and stenotic nerve openings.
A SPRING
The intervertebral disc performs
like a spring to keep the vertebra apart. The normal disc
therefore acts to avoid
nerve compression and to permit spinal motion. When the disc
degenerates, or thins, it permits the adjacent vertebra to approximate one another, causing in loss of motion, nerve compression, and back
pain or arm or leg pain. What keeps the
intervertebral disc height? Normal discs have a content of a
chemical termed glycosaminoglycan (GAG) which allows
the disc to absorb water from the fluid coming into the disc. Actually, the interior
of a healthy disc is 80% water. The GAG content in the
inner disc reduces significantly with degeneration, thus dropping
the water content of the disc. The loss of water in the disc
because of GAG loss is called degeneration. Disc degeneration decreases
the ability of the disc to resist motion by over 65%. The inability
to control motion of the vertebrae is termed instability. (1)
BENEFICIAL TREATMENT: COX® TECHNIC
Let’s consider two benefits for
the spine when Cox® distraction manipulation is delivered.
First, Chiropractic Care offers a specialized form
of West Palm Beach spinal manipulation which increases the
disc space height, increases the nerve opening size, drops
pressure inside the disc to assist in circulation, restores
lost range of motion to the spine and establishes nerve
conduction to the brain for pain relief. (4) This latter benefit is termed
afferentation. The manipulation undoes the effects of
gravitational and work effort changes in the spine that cause
spinal stenosis and loss of motion. A study revealed
that spinal mobilization with leg movement in patients with lower extremity
sciatica pain reduced low back and leg pain intensity, disability, pain; improved
range of motion of spine; and gratified patients in the short
and long term. (2) Chiropractic Care
benefits West Palm Beach back pain sufferers’ discs!
Second, Chiropractic Care may suggest nutritional
delivery of glycosaminoglycan by capsule which is boosted
when combined with Cox® Technic. Combining these two
allows higher levels in the disc. The glycosaminoglycan absorbs water to nine times its own volume, generating
greater fluid content in the disc to improve both nerve opening
size and aid prevention of disc degeneration and inflammation. Folic
acid (Vitamin B9) contributes to peripheral nerve injury healing
by helping Schwann cell proliferation, migration,
and secretion of nerve growth factor. (3)
CONTACT Chiropractic Care
Listen to this PODCAST by Dr. Jonathan Cerrutti as he discusses his
chiropractic care of a painful, stenotic disc and spinal canal due to disc herniation on
The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson.
Schedule your West Palm Beach chiropractic appointment
today. Your West Palm Beach spine will be grateful for the
attention you give its cushy, separating, springy spinal disc!