A Healthy Concord, NC Spinal Disc
A cushion. A spacer. A spring. A spinal disc. Pure Chiropractic understands well the spinal intervertebral disc! Concord, NC chiropractic back pain and neck pain patients value that knowledge! The intervertebral disc in the human spine acts as a separator holding the spinal bone apart, the vertebrae, apart and permits motion of the spine. The disc also supports 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 begins. The narrowing of the nerve opening is termed Concord, NC spinal stenosis. See this schematic and MRI depiction of normal and stenotic nerve openings.
A SPRING
The intervertebral disc acts like a spring to keep the vertebra apart. The normal disc therefore performs to prevent nerve compression and to allow spinal motion. When the disc degenerates, or thins, it allows the adjacent vertebra to approximate one another, resulting in motion loss, nerve compression, and pain in the back or down the arms or legs. What keeps the intervertebral disc height? Normal discs have a content of a chemical termed glycosaminoglycan (GAG) which permits the disc to absorb water from the fluid entering the disc. Actually, the interior of a healthy disc is 80% water. The GAG content in the inner disc decreases significantly with degeneration, thus reducing the water content of the disc. Disc water loss due to 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 called instability. (1)
BENEFICIAL TREATMENT: COX® TECHNIC
Let us consider two benefits for the spine when Cox® distraction manipulation is delivered.
First, Pure Chiropractic offers a specialized type of Concord, NC spinal manipulation which increases the disc space height, enlarges the nerve opening size, decreases pressure inside the disc to help in circulation, returns 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 result in spinal stenosis and loss of motion. A study 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 gratified patients in the short and long term. (2) Pure Chiropractic benefits Concord, NC back pain sufferers’ discs!
Second, Pure Chiropractic may suggest nutritional delivery of glycosaminoglycan by capsule which is improved when combined with Cox® Technic. Combining these two allows increased levels in the disc. The glycosaminoglycan absorbs water to nine times its own volume, producing higher fluid content in the disc to improve both nerve opening size and assist prevention of disc degeneration and inflammation. Folic acid (Vitamin B9) contributes to peripheral nerve injury repair by helping Schwann cell proliferation, migration, and secretion of nerve growth factor. (3)
CONTACT Pure Chiropractic
Listen to this PODCAST by Dr. Jonathan Cerrutti as he shares 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 Concord, NC chiropractic appointment today. Your Concord, NC spine will be grateful for the attention you give its cushy, separating, springy spinal disc!
