A Healthy Williamson Spinal Disc

A cushion. A spacer. A spring. A spinal disc. Apple Country Chiropractic knows a lot about the spinal intervertebral disc! Williamson chiropractic back pain and neck pain patients appreciate that knowledge! The intervertebral disc in the human spine performs as a separator holding the spinal bone apart, the vertebrae, apart and allows 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 thinned, which happens when discs degenerate and lose height, the nerves passing through are compressed. This compression impedes circulation to the nerve and inflammation of the nerve sets in. The shrinking of the nerve opening is termed Williamson spinal stenosis. Shown here is a schematic and MRI depiction of normal and stenotic nerve openings.

Williamson stenotic and normal spinal discs

A SPRING

The intervertebral disc functions like a spring to keep the vertebra apart. The normal disc therefore works to preclude nerve compression and to allow spinal motion. When the disc degenerates, or thins, it permits the adjacent vertebra to come closer to one another, resulting in loss of motion, compressed nerve, and back pain or arm or leg pain. What keeps the intervertebral disc height? Normal discs contain a chemical termed glycosaminoglycan (GAG) which allows the disc to take in water from the fluid coming into the disc. Actually, the inside of a healthy disc is 80% water. The GAG content of the disc’s interior decreases significantly with degeneration, thus lowering 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 consider two benefits for the spine when Cox® distraction manipulation is delivered.

First, Apple Country Chiropractic offers a specialized type of Williamson spinal manipulation which enlarges the disc space height, boosts the nerve opening size, reduces pressure within the disc to aid 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 called afferentation. The manipulation undoes the effects of gravitational and work effort changes in the spine that result in 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 satisfied patients in the short and long term. (2) Apple Country Chiropractic benefits Williamson back pain sufferers’ discs!

Second, Apple Country Chiropractic may recommend nutritional delivery of glycosaminoglycan by capsule which is enhanced when combined with Cox® Technic. This combination 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 assist 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 Apple Country Chiropractic

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 Williamson chiropractic appointment today. Your Williamson spine will be grateful for the attention you give its cushy, separating, springy spinal disc!

 
Your Williamson chiropractor loves seeing a healthy intervertebral disc and helps the not so healthy one recover. 
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"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by Dr. James M. Cox I."