Murfreesboro 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!). (Most Chiropractic Clinic knows many wise Murfreesboro chiropractic patients!) Discs degenerate. In fact, discs are stated to start degenerating in the second decade of life. By your 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, it would be less unusual to not see disc degeneration. Today’s research is showing some promise in the care of disc degeneration with even the potential being floated in the literature of possible disc regeneration. This is exciting to your Murfreesboro chiropractor and to chiropractic patients everywhere!
THE ROLE OF THE DISC
The disc is 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 a high proteoglycan aggrecan content. Proteolysis is the loss of aggrecan that happens with degeneration. Researchers suggest that restoration of aggrecan loss in the nucleus of the disc is possible via cells that can synthesize aggrecan and be supported by the disc’s matrix. (1) This offers hope to exploration of possible 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 is the disc made of? Aggrecan is the main component. Aggrecan is the key proteoglycan structure in the extracellular matrix that forms the disc. Aggrecan is substantial, made up of many glycosaminoglycan chains. It can form more aggregates when joined 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 withstand compressive loading it is made to do. (2) Disc degeneration comes down to the molecules that form the disc. Most Chiropractic Clinic gets down there, too! These authors posit that aggrecan-based therapies for disc regeneration are 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) Merging nutrition with distraction spinal manipulation indicated promise for potential disc regeneration. (6) Most Chiropractic Clinic incorporates spinal disc nutrition with spinal distraction manipulation for the best possible clinical outcome.
CONTACT Most Chiropractic Clinic
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Tyler Lomnicki on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he illustrates 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.
