A Healthy Vancouver Spinal Disc
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 permits motion of the spine. The disc also provides a large opening for the nerves leaving the spine through which to pass. If this opening is thinned, which occurs 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 called Vancouver spinal stenosis. See this schematic and MRI poster of normal and stenotic nerve openings.
A SPRING
The intervertebral disc performs like a spring to keep the vertebra apart. The normal disc therefore performs to prevent nerve compression and to allow spinal motion. When the disc degenerates, or thins, it allows the adjacent vertebra to approximate one another, causing in loss of motion, compressed nerve, and back pain or arm or leg pain. What keeps the intervertebral disc height? Normal discs have a content of a chemical called 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 reduces significantly with degeneration, thus reducing the water content of the disc. Disc water loss due to GAG loss is called degeneration. Disc degeneration reduces the ability of the disc to resist motion by over 65%. The inability 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 delivered.
First, Vancouver Disc Centers offers 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, 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 reverses the effects of gravitational and work effort changes in the spine that result in 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 satisfied 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 improved when combined with Cox® Technic. This combination allows increased levels in the disc. It is this glycosaminoglycan that 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 promoting 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 be grateful for the attention you give its cushy, separating, springy spinal disc!
