A cushion. A spacer. A spring. A spinal disc. Moses Chiropractic
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 to hold the spinal bones apart, the vertebrae, apart and allows motion of the
spine. The disc also supports a large opening for the
nerves exiting the spine through which to pass. If this opening is
thinned, which happens 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 narrowing 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 functions
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 allows the adjacent vertebra to approximate one another, resulting in motion
loss, compressed nerve, and back
pain or arm or leg pain. What keeps the
intervertebral disc height? Normal discs contain a
chemical called glycosaminoglycan (GAG) which allows
the disc to take in water from the fluid coming into the disc. Actually, the inside
of a healthy disc is 80% water. The GAG content of the disc’s interior decreases significantly with degeneration, thus reducing
the water content of the disc. Disc water loss
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 termed instability. (1)
BENEFICIAL TREATMENT: COX® TECHNIC
Let’s look at two benefits for
the spine when Cox® distraction manipulation is done.
First, Moses Chiropractic uses a specialized type
of West Palm Beach spinal manipulation which enlarges the
disc space height, boosts the nerve opening size, reduces
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 called
afferentation. The manipulation reverses the effects of
gravitational and work effort changes in the spine that cause
spinal stenosis and loss of motion. A report showed
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 satisfied patients in the short
and long term. (2) Moses Chiropractic
benefits West Palm Beach back pain sufferers’ discs!
Second, Moses Chiropractic may recommend nutritional
delivery of glycosaminoglycan by capsule which is enhanced
when combined with Cox® Technic. Combining these two
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 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 Moses 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 West Palm Beach chiropractic appointment
today. Your West Palm Beach spine will appreciate the
attention you give its cushy, separating, springy spinal disc!