Possible Regeneration for Vancouver Disc Degeneration
The future: disc re-generation! It is an exciting possibility being today. Turning disc degeneration into disc regeneration holds hope for back pain sufferers everywhere. What’s the latest proposed process? Distraction. Just what your Vancouver chiropractor at Vancouver Disc Centers is well-trained to do! Vancouver chiropractic spinal manipulation is beneficial. For Vancouver back pain associated with disc degeneration, these new disc regeneration studies spread hope for back pain relief.
DISC DEGENERATION AND REGENERATION FACTORS
Researchers seem more and more optimistic about disc regeneration. A new group of researchers defined the biochemical, mechanical, and structural changes that must all come together to lead to disc degeneration initially. Giving credit to prior studies on degenerated discs, they conceded that traction/distraction has been shown to increase disc height and decrease intervertebral pressure. (Research regarding biomechanical effects of Cox® Technic flexion distraction used at Vancouver Disc Centers has measured a 17% increase in disc height, a 28% increase in area, and an intradiscal pressure decrease in lumbar spine discs to as low as -192mmHg pressure. (1) ) They clarified that not all levels of disc degeneration can be regenerated as all the necessary circumstances must come together for regenerating the disc that did so for its degeneration. They report that their research demonstrated that traction interrupted the cycle of disc degeneration in the experimental study, particularly that 2 to 6 weeks of traction is best to regenerate a degenerated disc. (2) Vancouver Disc Centers follows this research most enthusiastically.
IT DOESN’T TAKE MUCH: LOW TENSION DISTRACTION
Another published paper stated that there is greater reconstruction and better effectiveness of disc regeneration or repair when low-tension traction instead of high tension traction is used. The researchers described that the lab findings are based on the proteoglycan content of the spinal intervertebral disc’s nucleus pulposus, the very center of the disc, which is made up of proteoglycans. The proteoglycan content of the nucleus increased significantly. Both 2 and 4 weeks of traction brought about change, but 4 weeks’ changes were significantly superior to 2 weeks. Other disc changes researchers reported on were the pores in the bony endplate, their number and diameter that all improved. (3) A third study on this topic of potential disc regeneration related that 28 days of compression followed by 28 days of distraction resulted in disc rehydration, stimulated extracellular matrix gene expression, and augmented numbers of protein-expressing cells. (4) With these exciting papers in mind, Vancouver Disc Centers provides safe, gentle, low-tension to patient tolerance distraction according to The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management protocols. Vancouver back pain sufferers are thankful we do!
CONTACT Vancouver Disc Centers
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes how The Cox® Technic System is designed for back pain relief of disc degeneration-related pain.
Schedule your next Vancouver chiropractic visit now. If you have disc degeneration- related back pain, disc re-generation as a futuristic concept may not be so futuristic. Vancouver Disc Centers is keeping track of the developments that may lead to and support disc regeneration. Our Vancouver back pain patients have hope!
