A Healthy Fort Wayne Spinal Disc
A cushion. A spacer. A spring. A spinal disc. Aaron Chiropractic Clinic understands well the spinal intervertebral disc! Fort Wayne 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 supports a large opening for the nerves leaving the spine through which to pass. If this opening is narrowed, 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 shrinking of the nerve opening is called Fort Wayne spinal stenosis. See this schematic and MRI picture 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 avoid nerve compression and to allow spinal motion. When the disc degenerates, or thins, it permits the adjacent vertebra to approximate one another, causing in motion loss, nerve compression, and pain in the back or down the arms or legs. What maintains the intervertebral disc height? Normal discs contain a chemical called glycosaminoglycan (GAG) which permits the disc to absorb 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. Disc water loss because of GAG loss is called degeneration. Disc degeneration reduces the ability of the disc to resist motion by over 65%. The incapacity 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, Aaron Chiropractic Clinic uses a specialized type of Fort Wayne spinal manipulation which enlarges the disc space height, boosts the nerve opening size, decreases pressure inside the disc to help 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 satisfied patients in the short and long term. (2) Aaron Chiropractic Clinic benefits Fort Wayne back pain sufferers’ discs!
Second, Aaron Chiropractic Clinic may suggest nutritional delivery of glycosaminoglycan by capsule which is boosted when combined with Cox® Technic. Combining these two allows increased 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 repair by encouraging Schwann cell proliferation, migration, and secretion of nerve growth factor. (3)
CONTACT Aaron Chiropractic Clinic
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 Fort Wayne chiropractic appointment today. Your Fort Wayne spine will appreciate the attention you give its cushy, separating, springy spinal disc!
