Spine Health & Spinal Hygiene

How can spinal decompression reduce pain while restoring spinal flexibility in many individuals with lumbar degenerative disorders?

Introduction

As we naturally age, so do our spines and spinal discs, as the natural fluids and nutrients stop hydrating the discs and cause them to degenerate. When disc degeneration starts to affect the spine, it can cause pain-like symptoms in the lumbar regions, which then develop into lower back pain or other musculoskeletal disorders that affect the lower extremities. When disc degeneration starts to affect the lumbar region, many individuals will notice that they are not as flexible as when they were younger. The physical signs of straining their muscles from improper lifting, falling, or carrying heavy objects can cause muscle strain and pain. When this happens, many individuals will treat the pain with home remedies, which can provide temporary relief but can aggravate it more when people make repetitive motions to their lumbar spine, which can result in injuries. Fortunately, non-surgical treatments that can help slow down the process of disc degeneration while rehydrating the spinal disc. Today’s article looks at why disc degeneration affects lumbar flexibility and how treatments like spinal decompression reduce disc degeneration while restoring lumbar flexibility. Coincidentally, we communicate with certified medical providers who incorporate our patients’ information to provide various treatment plans to reduce the disc degeneration process and provide pain relief. We also inform them that there are non-surgical options to reduce the pain-like symptoms associated with disc degeneration and help restore lumbar flexibility. We encourage our patients to ask amazing educational questions to our associated medical providers about their symptoms correlating with body pain in a safe and positive environment. Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., incorporates this information as an academic service. Disclaimer

How Does DDD Affect Lumbar Flexibility?

Have you been experiencing stiffness in your back when you wake up in the morning? Do you feel muscle aches and pains when bending down and picking up heavy objects? Or do you feel radiating pain in your legs and back? When many individuals are in excruciating pain, many don’t often realize that their lower back pain could also be associated with their spinal disc degenerating. Since the spinal disc and the body can degenerate naturally, it can lead to the development of musculoskeletal disorders. DDD, or degenerative disc disease, is a common disabling condition that can greatly impact the musculoskeletal system and is the main cause of individuals missing out on their daily activities. (Cao et al., 2022) When normal or traumatic factors begin to cause repetitive motions to the spine, it can cause the spinal disc to be compressed and, over time, degenerate. This, in turn, causes the spine to be less flexible and becomes a socio-economic challenge.

When disc degeneration starts to cause spinal inflexibility, it can lead to the development of low back pain. Since low back pain is a common health concern, it can affect many individuals worldwide, as disc degeneration is a common factor. (Samanta et al., 2023) Since disc degeneration is a multi-factorial disorder, the musculoskeletal and organ systems are also affected as it can cause referred pain to different body locations. Luckily, many individuals can find the treatment they are looking for, as many seek relief from the many pain issues that disc degeneration has caused.

General Disclaimer *

The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, licensed physician, and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request. We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*

Introduction

The body can move, twist, turn and bend due to the spine making sure that the body is upright and functioning without pain. When a person is injured or pulls a muscle that causes pain to the back, it can hinder them from doing their daily activities. The pain can range from a dull, mild ache to a sudden sharp pain affecting a person. Luckily there are ways to treat back pain that can help improve the quality of life of a person while also reducing the pain symptoms. In this article, we will be looking at intradiscal pressure and how disc degeneration can affect it and seeing the effects of vertebral decompression relieving disc degeneration on the spine. By referring patients to qualified and skilled providers specializing in spinal decompression therapy. To that end, and when appropriate, we advise our patients to refer to our associated medical providers based on their examination. We find that education is the key to asking valuable questions to our providers. Dr. Alex Jimenez DC provides this information as an educational service only. Disclaimer

Can my insurance cover it? Yes, it may. If you are uncertain, here is the link to all the insurance providers we cover. If you have any questions, please call Dr. Jimenez at 915-850-0900.

What Is Intradiscal Pressure?

In the body, the spine is protected by ligaments, the spinal cord, soft tissues, and spinal discs from injuries. When a person stretches and hears the spinal joints pop, the spinal fluid starts to allow the beneficial nutrients to nourish the spine and keep it healthy. This is known as intradiscal pressure, and research studies show that intradiscal pressure is influenced by the fluid flow of the spine, causing intradiscal pressure to be necessary for disc height and axial compliance for the spine for it to be healthy. Other research studies have shown the effects of respiration on intradiscal pressure in a healthy prone individual. However, if the spine has been influenced by disc degeneration, the intradiscal pressure is reduced and can cause spinal issues to develop over time. The spinal load must be healthy for intradiscal pressure because it requires respiratory movement when the body is in motion and in a sitting or standing position.

How Does Disc Degeneration Affect Intradiscal Pressure?

Back pain remains the second most common symptom for many individuals to visit their primary physicians. The spine is protected by soft tissues and spinal discs that allow the body to stay upright and do stuff in its range of motion. When the back gets injured, it can cause a person to be in pain and hinder them, depending on how severe the injury is. Some of the pain sources can include DDD or degenerative disc disease.

Research studies have shown that DDD (degenerative disc disease) can occur when the spine has been injured due to heavy lifting, vibrations, immobilization, and trauma. When these factors start to cause stress to the spinal discs, it can cause the intradiscal pressure to increase and cause low back pain to affect the body, as research shows.

General Disclaimer *

The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, licensed physician, and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*

Why Chiropractic Combined With Glucosamine & Chondroitin Sulfates Are A Win-Win For Degenerative Disc Disease Sufferers.

The most effective treatments are often found in the natural ones. The human body has this incredible ability to provide its own healing. Often we can aid that process through nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle changes. While there are some people who do reach for medications and invasive means of pain control, the truth is the best cure is the natural one. This is also true of degenerative disc disease. There are several natural treatments that help relieve the pain and even stop the progression of the disease. Common treatments include chiropractic, glucosamine, and chondroitin sulfates.

What Is Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD)?

In a healthy spine the discs that lie between the vertebrae and cushion them are filled with fluid. They allow the spine to move, flex, bend, and twist. Over time they may lose some of their cushion as part of the aging process.

Degenerative disc disease occurs when the discs of the spine collapse and degrade. In extreme cases, the discs can completely collapse causing the vertebrae’s facet joints to rub against each other. This leads to osteoarthritis. The condition is accompanied by pain, inflammation, and loss of mobility.

How Do Glucosamine & Chondroitin Sulfates Help Degenerative Disc Disease?

Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfates are substances that occur naturally in the body. It is an essential element in cartilage maintenance and regeneration. They help to form new cartilage from within existing cartilage. They can actually help to rebuild the discs that have begun to degrade. Often they are taken as nutritional supplements.

Studies show that long term use of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate do indeed not just help arrest the development of spinal disc degeneration, they can also help to reverse the symptoms, especially if begun in the early stages of the disease. Treatment that incorporates these supplements result in decreased pain and improved range of motion. Patients may also notice strengthening of the back and increased flexibility. This is true even in patients who are older, in their 50’s and 60’s.

Patients may start noticing a decrease in pain as early as six months after beginning to take the supplement. After taking it consistently, the other benefits present over time. What is also important to note is that neither glucosamine nor chondroitin sulfate cause any adverse side effects. These supplements are safe and effective. 

Chiropractic For Degenerative Disc Disease

Chiropractic is a complementary treatment to combine with glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate for degenerative disc disease. Chiropractic alone is very effective for many spine and neck disorders, including degenerative disc disease. It is a natural, non-invasive treatment that does not use medications but instead incorporates lifestyle changes, diet, and exercise recommendations to provide whole body wellness. While chiropractic works very well to treat pain, improve mobility, and increase flexibility, it has actually been proven to stop the progression of degenerative disc disease and even reverse its effects.

Using chiropractic for degenerative disc disease and combining it with supplements that include glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate is a very effective system for relieving the pain and other symptoms. In several studies, many patients saw improvement and decrease in symptoms faster than patients who used the supplements alone. Combining these treatments is usually the best course of action to help patients suffering from this devastating disease.

When treating any condition, it is always best to go the most natural route possible. The fewer synthetic substances and manufactured toxins that are introduced into the body, the better chance the patient has of a more thorough and faster healing or at the very least a dramatic decrease in symptoms.

Injury Medical Clinic: Herniated Disc Treatment

Introduction

Inside the body, the spine allows it to move around and do all sorts of things without pain. The spine is protected by ligaments, soft tissue from the musculoskeletal system, spinal discs, and the spinal cord in an S-shaped curve that holds the body together. When the back gets injured or pulls a muscle, it can cause unwanted back issues that can cause a person to be in pain. When this happens, the individual suffering from back pain will be hindered from their daily activities and be miserable if it is not treated right away. Luckily, treatments like spinal decompression therapy can help alleviate back pains and other issues that affect the body’s back and spine. In this article, we will be looking at what DDD is, its symptoms, and how spinal decompression can help relieve DDD. By referring patients to qualified and skilled providers specializing in spinal decompression therapy. To that end, and when appropriate, we advise our patients to refer to our associated medical providers based on their examination. We find that education is the key to asking valuable questions to our providers. Dr. Alex Jimenez DC provides this information as an educational service only. Disclaimer

Can my insurance cover it? Yes, it may. If you are uncertain, here is the link to all the insurance providers we cover. If you have any questions, please call Dr. Jimenez at 915-850-0900.

What Is DDD?

Since low back pain is common for many individuals worldwide, some of the causes of low back pain are DDD or degenerative disc disease. Research studies show that DDD (degenerative disc disease) usually happens when the spinal discs start to wear down naturally due to age. The spinal disc is a rubbery cushion between the spine’s vertebrae, and they help people move comfortably. When the spinal disc starts to wear and tear naturally through age, it can cause the vertebrae to rub against each other and cause pain.

Other research studies have found that DDD is often misunderstood since the symptoms affect either the neck or the back, causing sudden shooting pain in the arms or legs. DDD can also progress over time if it is not treated right away, causing the individual to be in pain and can make them unstable. Research studies have found that the two main factors of DDD are inflammation and abnormal micro-motion instability. How inflammation plays in DDD is that the inflammatory proteins from the spinal disc interiors are leaked when degeneration affects the spinal disc and causes swelling around the spinal structure. Abnormal micro-motion instability starts to affect the spinal discs’ outer layer by causing small, unnatural motions in-between the vertebrae, thus causing irritation and tension to the surrounding muscles, joints, and nerve roots, making the person become unstable and be in more pain.

General Disclaimer *

The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, licensed physician, and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*

Degenerative disc disease is a condition where your spinal discs wear down that can lead to pain and discomfort. Everyone’s discs wear down with time, but not every person experiences pain from this process.

What are the 4 Stages

Two of the main components of the spine are the vertebrae and the discs. The discs sit between vertebrae to provide cushion, support, and flexibility. Each disc is made up of a soft inner layer and a tough outer layer. Over time, or due to injury, the discs can lose their integrity, begin to thin and even tear in certain cases. Compromised discs increase the likelihood of pressure on nerves and friction between the vertebrae.

Like many diseases, degenerative disc disease has several possible stages. As the stages progress, the negative symptoms become more pronounced.

Stage 1

The first stage of degenerative disc disease may go unnoticed by the individual but can be identified by a chiropractor or other medical professional. The loss of the natural curvature of the spine can indicate the beginning of degenerative disc disease. Pain may not be apparent, but extra pressure is being placed on the spine which can lead to more rapid aging of the spine, nerves, joints, etc.

Stage 2

The degradation of discs becomes more apparent in the second stage. They may look thinner, and it is common to see deformations in the bone, such as bone spurs. The curvature of the spine will become more unnatural and the spinal canal may become more narrow. Stage 2 is often where you will begin to notice some pain and discomfort.

Stage 3

Stage 3 is marked by a more extreme change in the posture and curvature of the spine, along with more pain and loss of mobility. Nerve damage is common and scar tissue typically begins to form. Discs are even thinner than before, which can sometimes cause even more deformation of the bones.

Stage 4

The final stage of degenerative disc disease is the most severe and is typically considered irreversible. Discs are at their thinnest or gone altogether. The flexibility of the spine is extremely limited and pain is often considerable. Nerve damage can be severe and the bones of the spine may even begin to fuse together.

What Chiropractic Do for Degenerative Disc Disease?

Chiropractic care is a preferred treatment option for degenerative disc disease for a variety of reasons. Because it is gentle and non-invasive, chiropractic is much less likely to create undesirable side effects—which are common with prescription medications and surgery. 

Obviously, the earlier the stage of degenerative disc disease, the more successful treatment can be. But chiropractic can be helpful even in the most extreme cases of degenerative disc disease.

Chiropractic treatments may include:

Chiropractic Adjustments

One of the most effective ways to treat degenerative disc disease is to ensure the spine is in proper alignment. Loss of alignment, which can happen due to injury or just day to day life, puts extra stress on the spine which can accelerate the degradation of discs. Adjustments bring back alignment.

Spine Decompression

Spinal decompression uses gentle but firm pressure to bring space back between the vertebrae. Space allows blood flow to return and healing to happen. Decompression is an important treatment to complement adjustments.

Now is the Time for Treatment of Degenerative Disc Disease

The best time to seek treatment for your back and neck pain is right now. Our chiropractic team can help you feel better and live a healthier life. Please contact us now to learn more!

El Paso Chiropractic Clinic