San Jose Chiropractic Care of an Aging Spine: Nutrition & Manipulation
Wrinkles, frown lines, smile lines, disc degeneration…natural events with growing older (and, might we add, wiser!). (Chiropractic Solutions knows many wise San Jose chiropractic patients!) Discs degenerate. In fact, discs are stated to begin degenerating in the 2nd decade of life. By your 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, it would be less unusual to not have disc degeneration. Today’s research is presenting some promise in the care of disc degeneration with even the possibility being put forward in the literature of potential disc regeneration. This is amazing to your San Jose chiropractor and to chiropractic patients everywhere!
THE ROLE OF THE DISC
The disc acts as the spine’s shock absorber. The disc opposes the compressive loads put on the spine during movement. How is it able to do this? It has an elevated proteoglycan aggrecan content. Proteolysis is the loss of aggrecan that occurs with degeneration. Researchers suggest that restoration of aggrecan loss in the nucleus of the disc is probable via cells that can synthesize aggrecan and be borne by the disc’s matrix. (1) This offers hope to exploration of probable disc regeneration and its potential to ease back pain.
AGING AND DISC DEGENERATION
Disc degeneration is a well-acknowledged source of low back pain. What makes up a disc? Aggrecan is the key component. Aggrecan is the key proteoglycan structure in the extracellular matrix that makes up the disc. Aggrecan is substantial, composed of varied glycosaminoglycan chains. It can form more aggregates when combined with hyaluronan. The glycosaminoglycan chains are negatively charged and bind to water molecules which are necessary to maintain the disc’s hydration enough to allow the disc to tolerate compressive loading it is designed to do. (2) Disc degeneration gets down to the molecules that make up the disc. Chiropractic Solutions gets down there, too! These authors suggest that aggrecan-based therapies for disc regeneration may well be possible.
THERAPY FOR POTENTIAL DISC REGENERATION
Chondroitin sulfate is showing itself to be such a therapy. Chondroitin sulfate’s potential benefit was first discussed as far back as 1966 by Cole, Ghosh and Taylor. Chondroitin sulfate is described as being the source of glycosaminoglycan synthesis in the disc. (3,4,5) Combining nutrition with distraction spinal manipulation showed promise for potential disc regeneration. (6) Chiropractic Solutions incorporates spinal disc nutrition with spinal distraction manipulation for the optimal clinical outcome.
CONTACT Chiropractic Solutions
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Tyler Lomnicki on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management incorporation of gentle distraction manipulation and nutrition for this patient’s relief and management of disc herniation pain.
