Degenerative Disc Disease Spinal Decompression Treatment

Spinal decompression therapy can help with your degenerative disc disease. This is a non-surgical treatment which can help care for your condition naturally. Call for a consultation.

 

 

 

 

 


Transcription

Hey, it’s Dr. Troy here.  I am so happy you tuned in.  Today’s topic is degenerative disc disease.

I can’t say how many times patients come in and say “Oh, my Doctor said I have degenerative disc disease.  There is nothing I can do except take these medications or maybe back surgery.”  And so, what degenerative disc disease is there are joints in the spine, there are the bones, there’s the disc.  So, when it gets labeled as degenerative joint or disc disease, that means these discs are degenerating.  I like to say they are dehydrated.  They are a water-filled, spongy type substance that is actually affected by gravity and trauma.

And so, over time, when my good friend says “It’s a load equation” of gravity that pushes down the joint, extrudes the water out of the joint.  So now the nerve roots that come off the spine, in between the vertebrae become narrow.  So now you can get compression, you can get tension on those nerve roots, even the spinal cord, which can adversely affect the way your body functions and feels.  You can get arm numbness, you can get leg numbness, you can get weakness in your arm or your leg, sciatic pain, back pain.  You can, even in extreme cases, you can have bowel and bladder trouble.  Those are kind of cautionary, but in some cases, we’ve seen people who have been helped with those.  Even people who have loss of reflex in their legs or their arms, they have paresthesia, meaning one side of their body feels different than the other.  Numbness, tingling, they can’t walk on their toes or their heels.

So, these are all potential signs of degenerative disc disease.  And so how does decompression of the spine help that?  Well, number one, if gravity is pushing down on your spine and the discs are full of water they are going to dehydrate, just like if you push down on a sponge you are going to squeeze the water out.

So, how can you reverse that?  Well, that is what spinal decompression is designed to do.  We can focus specifically on the vertebral level and the segment by the way we position the pull or the angle of the traction that we use to pull the discs apart.  So we can isolate certain discs to pull them apart gently so we decrease the pressure in there so now the water will actually suck back into the joint.  And over time, accompanied with some rehab protocols that we’ve developed and utilized over the last 20 years, we’ve seen many patients get better who have spinal degenerative disc disease who’ve been told nothing can help you.

Well, if you haven’t tried spinal decompression then you haven’t been able to know if nothing can help you.  So, if you’ve tried other therapies, whether it’s traditional medical care, even alternative care, acupuncture, regular chiropractic adjustments, physical therapy, massage, and you are not getting the relief you’re looking for, spinal decompression might be right up your alley to get you the relief.

So, if you’re interested, call our office.  If you have images, MRI’s would be great to look at.  We can review those with you and see if you qualify spinal decompression or spinal decompression with traction.

So, this is Dr. Troy at Zenaptic Chiropractic.

More Information on Degenerative Disc Disease

Many people are aware of degenerative disc disease because it is a prevalent condition among certain breeds of dogs. Unfortunately, it is also one of the leading causes of lower back pain in humans as well.

Degenerative disc disease is caused by the gradual wearing away of the spinal disc, which results in moderate to severe back or neck pain. Characteristic of degenerative disc disease is a low amount of chronic pain with intermittent periods of more acute pain.

The areas most commonly affected are the cervical spine (in the neck) and the lumbar spine (the lower back). This is because these are the parts of the spine that endure the most stress and motion, making them more vulnerable to degeneration. The condition is age-related, in that spinal disc suffer wear and tear over time, leading to pain, instability, and other symptoms. Fortunately, in most cases, the pain can be managed via non-invasive treatments.

What are the Symptoms of Degenerative Disc Disease?

There are a number of warning signs you should be alert for that could indicate you have degenerative disc disease. Besides the obvious pain in the back and neck, patients might also experience discomfort in other areas. This is because the pain is known to radiate out to the shoulders, arms, and legs, often due to nerves being pressed by the displaced discs in your spine.

Other signs include pain when sitting long periods of time, or while bending, lifting, or twisting. You are actually likely to feel less pain when walking or running, or if you change positions frequently. Lying down on a flat comfortable service is also likely to alleviate pain from degenerating discs.

What Causes Degenerative Disc Disease?

There is no one cause of degenerative disc disease. It could be the result of repetitive stress, such as from a job or sport. It could be induced by a traumatic injury. Or it could be the simple product of aging. For many people, there is a genetic component. For others, the cause may never be known.

But what is clear is that the pain that results from degenerative disc disease has two underlying causes. The degenerating disc will lead to inflammation, and this inflammation will irritate the surrounding nerves. Secondly, the wearing away of the annulus fibrosus, which is the outer ring of the disc, increases the instability of the spine, resulting in increased pain.

Degenerative Disc Disease and Chiropractic Treatment

We see a high volume of patients with degenerative disc disease. Spinal decompression is a treatment that will identify the areas of the spine most affected and apply traction to help decrease the pressure on the vertebrae, stimulating the flow of healing fluids and nutrients into the affected area.

Summary

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with degenerative disc disease, you have treatment options. At Zenapatic Chiropractic, we make it our priority to help our patients lead a pain-free life. We offer new visitors a FREE consultation so that we can assess the severity of your condition and develop an approach that will get you back on your feet. Call or stop in today to start down the road to recovery.