A Healthy Ashburn and Herndon Spinal Disc

A cushion. A spacer. A spring. A spinal disc. Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn knows a lot about the spinal intervertebral disc! Ashburn and Herndon 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 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 starts. The narrowing of the nerve opening is termed Ashburn and Herndon spinal stenosis. Shown here is a schematic and MRI picture 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 permit spinal motion. When the disc degenerates, or thins, it permits the adjacent vertebra to move nearer one another, causing in motion loss, nerve compression, 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 allows the disc to absorb water from the fluid moving into 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 due to 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 termed instability. (1)

BENEFICIAL TREATMENT: COX® TECHNIC

Let us look at two benefits for the spine when Cox® distraction manipulation is done.

First, Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn uses a specialized form of Ashburn and Herndon 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 establishes 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) Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn benefits Ashburn and Herndon back pain sufferers’ discs!

Second, Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn may recommend nutritional delivery of glycosaminoglycan by capsule which is enhanced when combined with Cox® Technic. Combining these two allows higher 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 assist prevention of disc degeneration and inflammation. Folic acid (Vitamin B9) plays a part in peripheral nerve injury repair by encouraging Schwann cell proliferation, migration, and secretion of nerve growth factor. (3)

CONTACT Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn

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