Manahawkin 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 Manahawkin chiropractic patients visiting Manahawkin Chiropractic Center are quite wise!) Discs degenerate. In fact, discs are reported to start degenerating in the second decade of life. By your 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, it would be less unusual to not have disc degeneration. Today’s research is presenting some promise in the care of disc degeneration with even the potential being floated in the literature of potential disc regeneration. This is exciting to your Manahawkin chiropractor and to chiropractic patients everywhere!
THE ROLE OF THE DISC
The disc acts as the spine’s shock absorber. The disc resists the compressive loads put on the spine during movement. How is it able to do this? Its a high proteoglycan aggrecan content. Proteolysis is the loss of aggrecan that occurs with degeneration. Researchers suggest that restoration of aggrecan loss in the nucleus of the disc is probable via cells that can synthesize aggrecan and be borne by the disc’s matrix. (1) This gives hope to exploration of probable 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 key component. Aggrecan is the main proteoglycan structure in the extracellular matrix that forms the disc. Aggrecan is quite large, composed of varied glycosaminoglycan chains. It can create more aggregates when combined with hyaluronan. The glycosaminoglycan chains are negatively charged and bind to water molecules which are necessary to maintain the disc’s hydration enough to permit the disc to withstand compressive loading it is made to do. (2) Disc degeneration gets down to the molecules that form the disc. Manahawkin Chiropractic Center gets down there, too! These authors posit that aggrecan-based therapies for disc regeneration are possible.
THERAPY FOR POTENTIAL DISC REGENERATION
Chondroitin sulfate is showing itself to be such a therapy. Chondroitin sulfate’s potential benefit was initially discussed clear back in 1966 by Cole, Ghosh and Taylor. Chondroitin sulfate is described as being the source of glycosaminoglycan synthesis in the disc. (3,4,5) Merging nutrition with distraction spinal manipulation showed ability for potential disc regeneration. (6) Manahawkin Chiropractic Center incorporates spinal disc nutrition with spinal distraction manipulation for the optimal clinical outcome.
CONTACT Manahawkin Chiropractic Center
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Tyler Lomnicki on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management incorporation of gentle distraction manipulation and nutrition for this patient’s relief and management of disc herniation pain.
