A cushion. A spacer. A spring. A spinal disc. Paramus Medical & Sports Rehabilitation Center
understands well the spinal intervertebral disc!
Paramus 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 permits motion of the
spine. The disc also provides a large opening for the
nerves exiting the spine through which to pass. If this opening is
narrowed, 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 narrowing of the nerve opening is called Paramus
spinal stenosis. See this schematic and MRI poster
of normal and stenotic nerve openings.
A SPRING
The intervertebral disc works
like a spring to hold the vertebra apart. The normal disc
therefore performs to preclude
nerve compression and to allow spinal motion. When the disc
degenerates, or thins, it allows the adjacent vertebra to come
closer to one another, resulting 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 called glycosaminoglycan (GAG) which allows
the disc to take in water from the fluid entering the disc. In fact, the inside
of a healthy disc is 80% water. The GAG content in the
inner disc decreases significantly with degeneration, thus lowering
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 inability
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, Paramus Medical & Sports Rehabilitation Center offers a specialized type
of Paramus spinal manipulation which increases the
disc space height, enlarges the nerve opening size, decreases
pressure inside the disc to assist in circulation, returns
lost range of motion to the spine and establishes 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. Researchers 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) Paramus Medical & Sports Rehabilitation Center
benefits Paramus back pain sufferers’ discs!
Second, Paramus Medical & Sports Rehabilitation Center may suggest nutritional
delivery of glycosaminoglycan by capsule which is improved
when combined with Cox® Technic. This combination
allows higher levels in the disc. The glycosaminoglycan absorbs water to nine times its own volume, creating
greater 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 repair
by promoting Schwann cell proliferation, migration,
and secretion of nerve growth factor. (3)
CONTACT Paramus Medical & Sports Rehabilitation 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 Paramus chiropractic appointment
today. Your Paramus spine will be grateful for the
attention you give its cushy, separating, springy spinal disc!