Plainville 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!). (Layden Chiropractic takes care of many wise Plainville chiropractic patients!) Discs degenerate. In fact, discs are reported to start 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. Research today is showing some promise in the care of disc degeneration with even the possibility being proposed in the literature of possible disc regeneration. This is amazing to your Plainville 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? Its a high proteoglycan aggrecan content. Proteolysis is the loss of aggrecan that happens with degeneration. Researchers propose 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 possible disc regeneration and its potential to relieve 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 main proteoglycan structure in the extracellular matrix that makes up the disc. Aggrecan is quite large, composed of varied glycosaminoglycan chains. It can create more aggregates when joined with hyaluronan. The glycosaminoglycan chains are negatively charged and bind to water molecules which are vital to keep the disc hydrated enough to allow the disc to tolerate compressive loading it is made to do. (2) Disc degeneration gets down to the molecules that form the disc. Layden Chiropractic 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) Merging nutrition with distraction spinal manipulation showed promise for potential disc regeneration. (6) Layden Chiropractic incorporates spinal disc nutrition with spinal distraction manipulation for the optimal clinical outcome.
CONTACT Layden Chiropractic
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.
