A cushion. A spacer. A spring. A spinal disc. Vancouver Disc Centers
understands well the spinal intervertebral disc!
Vancouver chiropractic back pain and neck pain patients value
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
narrowed, 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 starts.
The shrinking of the nerve opening is called Vancouver
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 acts to prevent
nerve compression and to allow spinal motion. When the disc
degenerates, or thins, it permits the adjacent vertebra to approximate 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 called glycosaminoglycan (GAG) which permits
the disc to take up water from the fluid coming into the disc. In fact, the inside
of a healthy disc is 80% water. The GAG content of the disc’s interior 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 look at two benefits for
the spine when Cox® distraction manipulation is done.
First, Vancouver Disc Centers uses a specialized type
of Vancouver spinal manipulation which enlarges the
disc space height, enlarges the nerve opening size, decreases
pressure inside the disc to assist 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; increased
range of motion of spine; and gratified patients in the short
and long term. (2) Vancouver Disc Centers
benefits Vancouver back pain sufferers’ discs!
Second, Vancouver Disc Centers may suggest nutritional
delivery of glycosaminoglycan by capsule which is boosted
when combined with Cox® Technic. This combination
allows higher levels in the disc. The glycosaminoglycan 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) plays a part in peripheral nerve injury repair
by encouraging Schwann cell proliferation, migration,
and secretion of nerve growth factor. (3)
CONTACT Vancouver Disc Centers
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 Vancouver chiropractic appointment
today. Your Vancouver spine will appreciate the
attention you give its cushy, separating, springy spinal disc!