A Healthy Manahawkin Spinal Disc
A cushion. A spacer. A spring. A spinal disc. Manahawkin Chiropractic Center knows a lot about the spinal intervertebral disc! Manahawkin chiropractic back pain and neck pain patients appreciate that knowledge! The intervertebral disc in the human spine acts as a separator to hold the spinal bones apart, the vertebrae, apart and permits motion of the spine. The disc also supports a large opening for the nerves exiting the spine through which to pass. If this opening is thinned, which happens 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 shrinking of the nerve opening is termed Manahawkin spinal stenosis. Shown here is a schematic and MRI poster of normal and stenotic nerve openings.
A SPRING
The intervertebral disc performs like a spring to keep the vertebra apart. The normal disc therefore performs to preclude 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, compressed nerve, 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. Actually, the interior of a healthy disc is 80% water. The GAG content in the inner disc reduces significantly with degeneration, thus reducing the water content of the disc. The loss of water in the disc because of GAG loss is called degeneration. Disc degeneration decreases the ability of the disc to resist motion by over 65%. The inability to control motion of the vertebrae is called instability. (1)
BENEFICIAL TREATMENT: COX® TECHNIC
Let us consider two benefits for the spine when Cox® distraction manipulation is done.
First, Manahawkin Chiropractic Center uses a specialized form of Manahawkin spinal manipulation which increases the disc space height, increases the nerve opening size, decreases pressure within the disc to help in circulation, returns lost range of motion to the spine and creates nerve conduction to the brain for pain relief. (4) This latter benefit is termed afferentation. The manipulation reverses the effects of gravitational and work effort changes in the spine that cause spinal stenosis and loss of motion. A report revealed 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) Manahawkin Chiropractic Center benefits Manahawkin back pain sufferers’ discs!
Second, Manahawkin Chiropractic Center may recommend nutritional delivery of glycosaminoglycan by capsule which is improved when combined with Cox® Technic. Combining these two allows increased levels in the disc. It is this glycosaminoglycan that absorbs water to nine times its own volume, creating greater fluid content in the disc to improve both nerve opening size and assist prevention of disc degeneration and inflammation. Folic acid (Vitamin B9) plays a part in peripheral nerve injury healing by encouraging Schwann cell proliferation, migration, and secretion of nerve growth factor. (3)
CONTACT Manahawkin Chiropractic Center
Listen to this PODCAST by Dr. Jonathan Cerrutti as he shares 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 Manahawkin chiropractic appointment today. Your Manahawkin spine will appreciate the attention you give its cushy, separating, springy spinal disc!
