A cushion. A spacer. A spring. A spinal disc. Rethwill Chiropractic Clinic
understands well the spinal intervertebral disc!
Eugene 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 provides a large opening for the
nerves exiting 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 impedes
circulation to the nerve and inflammation of the nerve begins.
The narrowing of the nerve opening is termed Eugene
spinal stenosis. See this schematic and MRI poster
of normal and stenotic nerve openings.
A SPRING
The intervertebral disc acts
like a spring to hold the vertebra apart. The normal disc
therefore acts to stop
nerve compression and to permit spinal motion. When the disc
degenerates, or thins, it permits the adjacent vertebra to come
closer to one another, causing in loss of motion, nerve compression, and back
pain or arm or leg pain. What maintains the
intervertebral disc height? Normal discs have a content of a
chemical called glycosaminoglycan (GAG) which permits
the disc to take up 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 done.
First, Rethwill Chiropractic Clinic uses a specialized form
of Eugene spinal manipulation which increases the
disc space height, increases the nerve opening size, drops
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. 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 gratified patients in the short
and long term. (2) Rethwill Chiropractic Clinic
benefits Eugene back pain sufferers’ discs!
Second, Rethwill Chiropractic Clinic may recommend nutritional
delivery of glycosaminoglycan by capsule which is boosted
when combined with Cox® Technic. This combination
allows higher levels in the disc. It is
this glycosaminoglycan that 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 helping Schwann cell proliferation, migration,
and secretion of nerve growth factor. (3)
CONTACT Rethwill 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 Eugene chiropractic appointment
today. Your Eugene spine will appreciate the
attention you give its cushy, separating, springy spinal disc!