A Healthy Fernandina Beach Spinal Disc
A cushion. A spacer. A spring. A spinal disc. Amelia Chiropractic Clinic understands well the spinal intervertebral disc! Fernandina Beach chiropractic back pain and neck pain patients value that knowledge! The intervertebral disc in the human spine plays a role as a separator to hold the spinal bones apart, the vertebrae, apart and allows motion of the spine. The disc also maintains a large opening for the nerves exiting the spine through which to pass. If this opening is narrowed, 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 starts. The narrowing of the nerve opening is termed Fernandina Beach spinal stenosis. See this schematic and MRI picture of normal and stenotic nerve openings.
A SPRING
The intervertebral disc performs like a spring to keep the vertebra apart. The normal disc therefore functions to avoid nerve compression and to permit spinal motion. When the disc degenerates, or thins, it permits the adjacent vertebra to approximate 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 termed glycosaminoglycan (GAG) which allows the disc to take in water from the fluid entering the disc. In fact, the interior of a healthy disc is 80% water. The GAG content in the inner disc reduces significantly with degeneration, thus dropping 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 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 delivered.
First, Amelia Chiropractic Clinic offers a specialized type of Fernandina Beach spinal manipulation which increases the disc space height, enlarges the nerve opening size, drops pressure within the disc to assist in circulation, restores 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 cause spinal stenosis and loss of motion. A study 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) Amelia Chiropractic Clinic benefits Fernandina Beach back pain sufferers’ discs!
Second, Amelia Chiropractic Clinic 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 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 repair by helping Schwann cell proliferation, migration, and secretion of nerve growth factor. (3)
CONTACT Amelia Chiropractic Clinic
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 Fernandina Beach chiropractic appointment today. Your Fernandina Beach spine will be grateful for the attention you give its cushy, separating, springy spinal disc!
