Vancouver Chiropractic Care of an Aging Spine: Nutrition & Manipulation
Wrinkles, frown lines, smile lines, disc degeneration…natural events with growing older (and, might we add, wiser!). (Many Vancouver chiropractic patients coming to Vancouver Disc Centers are very wise!) Discs degenerate. As a matter of fact, discs are reported to start degenerating in the 2nd decade of life. By your 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, it would be less unusual to not see disc degeneration. Today’s research is showing some promise in the care of disc degeneration with even the potential being proposed in the literature of possible disc regeneration. This is amazing to your Vancouver chiropractor and to chiropractic patients everywhere!
THE ROLE OF THE DISC
The disc is the spine’s shock absorber. The disc opposes the compressive loads put on the spine during movement. How is it able to do this? It has a high proteoglycan aggrecan content. Proteolysis is aggrecan loss that occurs with degeneration. Researchers suggest that restoration of aggrecan loss in the nucleus of the disc is possible via cells that can synthesize aggrecan and be borne by the disc’s matrix. (1) This offers hope to exploration of possible disc regeneration and its potential to ease back pain.
AGING AND DISC DEGENERATION
Disc degeneration is a well-acknowledged cause of low back pain. What makes up a disc? Aggrecan is the main component. Aggrecan is the main proteoglycan structure in the extracellular matrix that makes up the disc. Aggrecan is quite large, composed of varied glycosaminoglycan chains. It can form more aggregates when combined with hyaluronan. The glycosaminoglycan chains are negatively charged and bind to water molecules which are vital to maintain the disc’s hydration enough to allow the disc to tolerate compressive loading it is designed to do. (2) Disc degeneration comes down to the molecules that form the disc. Vancouver Disc Centers gets down there, also! These authors suggest that aggrecan-based therapies for disc regeneration may well be possible.
THERAPY FOR POTENTIAL DISC REGENERATION
Chondroitin sulfate is proving to be such a therapy. Chondroitin sulfate’s potential benefit was first discussed as far back as 1966 by Cole, Ghosh and Taylor. Chondroitin sulfate is explained as being the source of glycosaminoglycan synthesis in the disc. (3,4,5) Combining nutrition with distraction spinal manipulation showed promise for potential disc regeneration. (6) Vancouver Disc Centers includes spinal disc nutrition with spinal distraction manipulation for the optimal clinical outcome.
CONTACT Vancouver Disc Centers
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Tyler Lomnicki on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he illustrates The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management integration of gentle distraction manipulation and nutrition for this patient’s relief and management of disc herniation pain.
