A cushion. A spacer. A spring. A spinal disc. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC
knows a lot about the spinal intervertebral disc!
La Grande chiropractic back pain and neck pain patients value
that knowledge! The intervertebral disc in the human spine performs as a separator to hold the spinal bones apart, the vertebrae, apart and permits motion of the
spine. The disc also maintains a large opening for the
nerves exiting 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 impedes
circulation to the nerve and inflammation of the nerve starts.
The narrowing of the nerve opening is termed La Grande
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 functions to prevent
nerve compression and to permit spinal motion. When the disc
degenerates, or thins, it allows the adjacent vertebra to approximate one another, resulting in loss of motion, nerve compression, and back
pain or arm or leg pain. What maintains the
intervertebral disc height? Normal discs have a content of a
chemical termed glycosaminoglycan (GAG) which permits
the disc to take in water from the fluid coming into the disc. In fact, the interior
of a healthy disc is 80% water. The GAG content of the disc’s interior reduces 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, Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC uses a specialized form
of La Grande spinal manipulation which enlarges the
disc space height, enlarges the nerve opening size, decreases
pressure inside the disc to aid 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 called
afferentation. The manipulation reverses the effects of
gravitational and work effort changes in the spine that cause
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 gratified patients in the short
and long term. (2) Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC
benefits La Grande back pain sufferers’ discs!
Second, Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC 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. The glycosaminoglycan absorbs water to nine times its own volume, generating
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 Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC
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 La Grande chiropractic appointment
today. Your La Grande spine will appreciate the
attention you give its cushy, separating, springy spinal disc!