A Healthy Largo Spinal Disc
A cushion. A spacer. A spring. A spinal disc. Hollstrom & Associates Inc knows a lot about the spinal intervertebral disc! Largo chiropractic back pain and neck pain patients appreciate 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 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 begins. The narrowing of the nerve opening is called Largo spinal stenosis. Shown here is a schematic and MRI depiction 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 avoid 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 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 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 in the inner disc decreases 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 called instability. (1)
BENEFICIAL TREATMENT: COX® TECHNIC
Let us consider two benefits for the spine when Cox® distraction manipulation is done.
First, Hollstrom & Associates Inc uses a specialized form of Largo spinal manipulation which increases the disc space height, boosts the nerve opening size, decreases pressure inside the disc to help 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 termed afferentation. The manipulation undoes the effects of gravitational and work effort changes in the spine that cause spinal stenosis and loss of motion. Researchers 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) Hollstrom & Associates Inc benefits Largo back pain sufferers’ discs!
Second, Hollstrom & Associates Inc may recommend nutritional delivery of glycosaminoglycan by capsule which is boosted 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, producing higher 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 healing by promoting Schwann cell proliferation, migration, and secretion of nerve growth factor. (3)
CONTACT Hollstrom & Associates Inc
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 Largo chiropractic appointment today. Your Largo spine will be grateful for the attention you give its cushy, separating, springy spinal disc!
