A cushion. A spacer. A spring. A spinal disc. Apple Country Chiropractic
knows a lot about the spinal intervertebral disc!
Williamson chiropractic back pain and neck pain patients appreciate
that knowledge! The intervertebral disc in the human spine performs as a separator holding the spinal
bone apart, the vertebrae, apart and allows motion of the
spine. The disc also maintains a large opening for the
nerves leaving 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 impedes
circulation to the nerve and inflammation of the nerve sets in.
The shrinking of the nerve opening is termed Williamson
spinal stenosis. Shown here is a 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 works to preclude
nerve compression and to allow spinal motion. When the disc
degenerates, or thins, it permits the adjacent vertebra to come
closer to one another, resulting in loss of motion, compressed nerve, and back
pain or arm or leg pain. What keeps the
intervertebral disc height? Normal discs contain a
chemical termed 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 lowering
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 incapacity
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, Apple Country Chiropractic offers a specialized type
of Williamson spinal manipulation which enlarges the
disc space height, boosts the nerve opening size, reduces
pressure within the disc to aid in circulation, returns
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 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; improved
range of motion of spine; and satisfied patients in the short
and long term. (2) Apple Country Chiropractic
benefits Williamson back pain sufferers’ discs!
Second, Apple Country Chiropractic may recommend nutritional
delivery of glycosaminoglycan by capsule which is enhanced
when combined with Cox® Technic. This combination
allows higher levels in the disc. The glycosaminoglycan absorbs water to nine times its own volume, creating
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 healing
by helping Schwann cell proliferation, migration,
and secretion of nerve growth factor. (3)
CONTACT Apple Country 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 Williamson chiropractic appointment
today. Your Williamson spine will be grateful for the
attention you give its cushy, separating, springy spinal disc!