A Healthy Juneau Spinal Disc
A cushion. A spacer. A spring. A spinal disc. Aurora Chiropractic Center knows a lot about the spinal intervertebral disc! Juneau chiropractic back pain and neck pain patients appreciate that knowledge! The intervertebral disc in the human spine plays a role as a separator holding the spinal bone 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 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 sets in. The narrowing of the nerve opening is termed Juneau spinal stenosis. Shown here is a schematic and MRI poster of normal and stenotic nerve openings.
A SPRING
The intervertebral disc works like a spring to keep the vertebra apart. The normal disc therefore acts to prevent nerve compression and to permit spinal motion. When the disc degenerates, or thins, it permits the adjacent vertebra to come closer to one another, causing in motion loss, compressed nerve, and pain in the back or down the arms or legs. 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 moving into the disc. Actually, the interior of a healthy disc is 80% water. The GAG content in the inner disc reduces significantly with degeneration, thus reducing the water content of the disc. Disc water loss because of 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 look at two benefits for the spine when Cox® distraction manipulation is done.
First, Aurora Chiropractic Center uses a specialized form of Juneau spinal manipulation which enlarges the disc space height, increases the nerve opening size, drops pressure inside the disc to help 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 undoes the effects of gravitational and work effort changes in the spine that cause spinal stenosis and loss of motion. Researchers 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) Aurora Chiropractic Center benefits Juneau back pain sufferers’ discs!
Second, Aurora Chiropractic Center 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, generating greater fluid content in the disc to improve both nerve opening size and aid prevention of disc degeneration and inflammation. Folic acid (Vitamin B9) plays a part in peripheral nerve injury repair by promoting Schwann cell proliferation, migration, and secretion of nerve growth factor. (3)
CONTACT Aurora Chiropractic Center
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 Juneau chiropractic appointment today. Your Juneau spine will appreciate the attention you give its cushy, separating, springy spinal disc!
