A cushion. A spacer. A spring. A spinal disc. Wilson Family Chiropractic
knows a lot about the spinal intervertebral disc!
Millville chiropractic back pain and neck pain patients appreciate
that knowledge! The intervertebral disc in the human spine plays
a role as a separator to hold the spinal bones apart, the vertebrae, apart and allows motion of the
spine. The disc also maintains a large opening for the
nerves exiting 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 slows
circulation to the nerve and inflammation of the nerve starts.
The shrinking of the nerve opening is termed Millville
spinal stenosis. Shown here is a schematic and MRI picture
of normal and stenotic nerve openings.
A SPRING
The intervertebral disc works
like a spring to hold the vertebra apart. The normal disc
therefore functions to preclude
nerve compression and to permit spinal motion. When the disc
degenerates, or thins, it allows the adjacent vertebra to approximate one another, resulting in loss of motion, compressed nerve, and pain in the back or down the arms or legs. What maintains the
intervertebral disc height? Normal discs have a content of a
chemical termed glycosaminoglycan (GAG) which allows
the disc to take in water from the fluid moving
into the disc. Actually, the interior
of a healthy disc is 80% water. The GAG content of the disc’s interior reduces significantly with degeneration, thus dropping
the water content of the disc. The loss of water in the disc
due to GAG loss is called degeneration. Disc degeneration reduces
the ability of the disc to resist motion by over 65%. The inability
to control motion of the vertebrae is called instability. (1)
BENEFICIAL TREATMENT: COX® TECHNIC
Let’s look at two benefits for
the spine when Cox® distraction manipulation is done.
First, Wilson Family Chiropractic uses a specialized type
of Millville spinal manipulation which increases the
disc space height, increases the nerve opening size, reduces
pressure inside the disc to aid in circulation, restores
lost range of motion to the spine and creates nerve
conduction to the brain for pain relief. (4) This latter benefit is called
afferentation. The manipulation reverses the effects of
gravitational and work effort changes in the spine that result in
spinal stenosis and loss of motion. Researchers revealed
that spinal mobilization with leg movement in patients with lower extremity
sciatica pain reduced low back and leg pain intensity, disability, pain; increased
range of motion of spine; and gratified patients in the short
and long term. (2) Wilson Family Chiropractic
benefits Millville back pain sufferers’ discs!
Second, Wilson Family Chiropractic may suggest nutritional
delivery of glycosaminoglycan by capsule which is improved
when combined with Cox® Technic. This combination
allows higher levels in the disc. It is
this glycosaminoglycan that absorbs water to nine times its own volume, producing
greater fluid content in the disc to improve both nerve opening
size and assist prevention of disc degeneration and inflammation. Folic
acid (Vitamin B9) plays a part in peripheral nerve injury healing
by promoting Schwann cell proliferation, migration,
and secretion of nerve growth factor. (3)
CONTACT Wilson Family Chiropractic
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 Millville chiropractic appointment
today. Your Millville spine will be grateful for the
attention you give its cushy, separating, springy spinal disc!