Aging gets blamed for a lot of ills…including neck motion changes. You are not alone if you discover
that you do not rotate your head quite as effortlessly
or as far as you once did or that you don’t flex or extend it in
the same way as you once could. Degenerative discs and
vertebrae and companion osteophytes play a role
in limiting movement. Chiropractic Solutions is ready to help your neck movements
with gentle chiropractic treatment!
CERVICAL SPINE MOTION
Physiological motion of the spine has a nice ring to it, does it not? It does! In the cervical
spine, researchers have noted how a consistent sequence of
cervical segmental contributions function when the neck moves. This
sequence is typical in 80-90% of young healthy persons. But what
about the motions in older persons with aging spines?
Reduced motion has been connected
to aging. A newer study by some inquisitive researchers
set out to determine if such consistent neck
motions in elderly asymptomatic persons resembled the motions in asymptomatic
young persons. They didn’t. They concluded that aging - as
demonstrated by the motion patterns seen in elderly asymptomatic persons - was linked
to a loss of consistent motion patterns as seen
in young asymptomatic persons. For example, the consistent pattern in young
asymptomatic persons was found in only 10% of the older persons at T1 and 0% at
T2. (1) As our San Jose chiropractic friends and family age along
with us, we’re not alone in seeing motion
changes. Chiropractic Solutions offers gentle Cox® Technic treatment in order to allow as much movement to spinal segments
as possible. If you see limitations in your neck
motions, let us know! We can examine you to find the usual sources
that may be the cause.
WHAT COMES WITH AGING THAT LIMITS NECK MOTION: Osteophytes
Osteophytes are commonly seen in vertebral bones of the
cervical and lumbar spines of elderly folks. Anterior osteophytes keep
growing and eventually provoke neck pain
or back pain. Since osteophytes are so usual and lead
to such pain, researchers found a way to predict the mean
time to onset of pain and the course of degeneration that occurs
in these vertebrae based on data from following patients’ osteophytes
for 9 years. (2) We know our San Jose chiropractic patients with
osteophytes are not as curious as to how long ago their osteophytes
started, but rather how our chiropractic care can help! Here is an
interesting case involving osteophytes and relieving chiropractic
care: Osteophytes may contribute to patients’
developing dysphagia (aka difficulty with swallowing). A case report presented a 53-year-old woman with a sore throat, difficulty swallowing solid foods,
and acid reflux. Her imaging revealed anterior osteophytes as well
as kyphosis (abnormal curvature) of her cervical spine and thoracolumbar
scoliosis, any of which could contribute to her dysphagia. Six
months of chiropractic care calmed her issues. (3) Chiropractic care works!
CONTACT Chiropractic Solutions
Listen to the PODCAST
with Dr. Shay Corbin on the Back Doctors Podcast with Dr.
Michael Johnson as he explains the effective, gentle treatment with the Cox® Technic System
of Spinal Pain Management for his musician patient experiencing
neck and back pain.
Make your next San Jose
chiropractic appointment with Chiropractic Solutions. Bring your aging spine, your
less-than-mobile cervical spine, your stiff neck
to our clinic. We can work toward improved motion!
"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."