Wrinkles, frown lines, smile lines, disc
degeneration…natural events with growing older (and, might we add, wiser!).
(Minster Chiropractic Center knows many wise Minster
chiropractic patients!) Discs degenerate. As a
matter of fact, discs are reported to begin
degenerating in the 2nd decade of life. By your 40s, 50s, 60s,
70s, 80s, 90s, it would be less common to not have disc
degeneration. Today’s research is showing
some promise in the care of disc degeneration with even the potential
being proposed in the literature of potential
disc regeneration. This is exciting to your Minster
chiropractor and to chiropractic patients everywhere!
THE ROLE OF THE DISC
The disc acts as the spine’s shock absorber. The
disc resists the compressive loads put on the spine during
movement. How is it able to do this? Its 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 possible
via cells that can synthesize aggrecan and be borne by the
disc’s matrix. (1) This gives
hope to exploration of possible disc regeneration
and its potential to ease back pain.
AGING AND DISC DEGENERATION
Disc degeneration is a well-documented cause
of low back pain. What is the disc made of? Aggrecan is
the key component. Aggrecan is the key proteoglycan
structure in the extracellular matrix that makes up the disc.
Aggrecan is quite large, 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 vital to keep the disc hydrated enough to permit the disc to tolerate
compressive loading it is designed to do. (2) Disc degeneration gets down
to the molecules that form the disc. Minster Chiropractic Center gets down
there, also! These authors posit 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 initially
discussed as far back as 1966 by Cole, Ghosh and Taylor. Chondroitin
sulfate is explained 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) Minster Chiropractic Center includes
spinal disc nutrition with spinal distraction manipulation for the best possible
clinical outcome.
CONTACT Minster Chiropractic Center
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 integration
of gentle distraction manipulation and nutrition for this patient’s relief and
management of disc herniation pain.