A cushion. A spacer. A spring. A spinal disc. OrthoIllinois Chiropractic
understands well the spinal intervertebral disc!
McHenry chiropractic back pain and neck pain patients appreciate
that knowledge! The intervertebral disc in the human spine acts as a separator holding the spinal
bone apart, the vertebrae, apart and permits motion of the
spine. The disc also maintains a large opening for the
nerves leaving the spine through which to pass. If this opening is
reduced, 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 termed McHenry
spinal stenosis. See this schematic and MRI depiction
of normal and stenotic nerve openings.
A SPRING
The intervertebral disc acts
like a spring to hold the vertebra apart. The normal disc
therefore functions to prevent
nerve compression and to permit spinal motion. When the disc
degenerates, or thins, it permits the adjacent vertebra to approximate one another, causing in loss of motion, compressed nerve, and back
pain or arm or leg pain. What maintains the
intervertebral disc height? Normal discs contain a
chemical called glycosaminoglycan (GAG) which permits
the disc to take in water from the fluid entering 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 dropping
the water content of the disc. The loss of water in the disc
because of GAG loss is called degeneration. Disc degeneration reduces
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, OrthoIllinois Chiropractic offers a specialized type
of McHenry spinal manipulation which enlarges 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 establishes 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 revealed
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) OrthoIllinois Chiropractic
benefits McHenry back pain sufferers’ discs!
Second, OrthoIllinois Chiropractic may recommend nutritional
delivery of glycosaminoglycan by capsule which is boosted
when combined with Cox® Technic. Combining these two
allows higher levels in the disc. The glycosaminoglycan absorbs water to nine times its own volume, creating
higher fluid content in the disc to improve both nerve opening
size and aid prevention of disc degeneration and inflammation. Folic
acid (Vitamin B9) contributes to peripheral nerve injury healing
by helping Schwann cell proliferation, migration,
and secretion of nerve growth factor. (3)
CONTACT OrthoIllinois Chiropractic
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 McHenry chiropractic appointment
today. Your McHenry spine will appreciate the
attention you give its cushy, separating, springy spinal disc!