Can Chiropractic Care Help Disc Degeneration?
For those suffering from degenerative disc disease, chiropractic care is a treatment option that you may want to consider. This is because as a disc degenerates it begins to be more heavily supplied with super-sensitive nerves. The more nerves, the more pain you may experience. A chiropractor understands how to work with the nerves to soothe them and reduce the pain that you are in.
When you receive an adjustment from a chiropractor, they will help to stimulate the circulation in the compromised disc, relieve any irritation to the nerves and ensure that proper nutrients are taken to help and reduce the degeneration and to stimulate the regeneration.
The ultimate goal of chiropractic care for disc degeneration is to help and improve the joint mechanics by reducing cases of inflammation and improving overall spinal motion. Your chiropractor is also going to work on functioning the intervertebral discs, but this is only possible in instances where advanced disc degeneration is not present.
As mentioned before, spinal manipulation is a popular option for disc degeneration. There are a number of different types of spinal manipulation and some of the most common ones include:
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Specific Adjustments: This is when the chiropractor identifies the joints that are restricted or the ones that are showing some type of abnormal motion. They will work to restore the joint movement with a thrusting method.
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Flexion Distraction Technique: In this case, the chiropractor will use a non-thrusting technique, which is generally used for the treatment of herniated discs and spinal stenosis.
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Instrument Assisted Adjustments: Utilizes a hand held instrument and the chiropractor works to apply force without directly thrusting into the patient’s spine.
If you plan to seek chiropractic care for disc degeneration, then you need to talk with your chiropractor about the technique that will be most beneficial for you. In many cases, they may have to use a combination of techniques in order to achieve the desired relief and results for the pain and irritation that you are suffering from.
While there is no actual cure for this problem, with proper treatment and nutrition, regeneration of the affected discs can begin. This will help patients live without large amounts of pain and be able to participate actively in their day to day lives. The bottom line is that when you visit an experienced chiropractor, they can, in fact, assist with degenerative disc disorders.
Used under Creative Commons Licensing courtesy of Thomas Quine