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Chiropractic History
Chiropractic
Glossary of Terms
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Spine & Disc Degeneration
Your spinal bones begin to deform; your discs swell, then shrink; your
ligaments, tendons and muscles begin to harden and weaken; and your entire
spinal column loses its balance, flexibility, stability and strength. What is
happening? Your spine is degenerating.
Spinal degeneration is often caused by long-standing stress. Along with the
bones, tendons, ligaments and muscles, your nerves, body chemistry and
internal organs can also be affected. Spinal degeneration leads to less
overall ability to adapt to the pressures of life; you lose the spring to
your step, and the youth in your being. You also lose your height.
What Causes Spinal Degeneration?
Spinal degeneration is usually caused by years of longstanding vertebral
subluxations in your spine. What are vertebral subluxations?
Vertebral Subluxations
Day-to-day stress can cause your spine’s many complex parts (intervertebral
discs, ligaments, tendons and the very bone itself) to deteriorate. Stress
often causes the spinal vertebrae to shift from their proper places, or
become misaligned and irritate the surrounding nerves, bones, discs,
ligaments and other soft tissues. This serious spinal condition is called a
vertebral subluxation complex. Subluxations, often painless, are common; they
are a hidden epidemic. Spinal Decay Spinal degeneration is like tooth decay
(often a painless process) that by the time a person notices its effects or
feels any pain has been going on for many years! The Phases Of Degeneration
Your spine degenerates in stages or phases:
- Degeneration Phase 1:
First your spine loses its normal balance. There may be a loss of nom2al
spinal curves. Your nerves may be affected and the vital life energy
that flows over them is interfered with. Also your joints, discs, nerves
and posture are stressed and age more quickly. Surprisingly, there may
be no pain other than occasional minor discomfort. Also present may be a
slight lessening of energy and slight height loss. Response to spinal
care is generally good.
- Degeneration Phase 2:
Here there is a much greater degree of decay, disc narrowing and bone
spurs (deformations); postural changes are much worse. This condition is
very common (by age 40, 80% of males and 76% of females exhibit moderate
disc degeneration) .4 Spinal canal narrowing or stenosis may occur. This
phase is characterized by more common aches and pains, fatigue and a
diminished ability to cope with stress. Height continues to decrease.
With chiropractic care significant improvement is possible.
- Degeneration Phase 3:
Here there are more postural imbalances, increased nerve damage,
permanent scar tissue and advanced bone deformation. Physical and/or
mental weakness or disability begin. Also found in this phase are
permanent loss of height and loss of energy. With care some reversal is
possible.
- Degeneration Phase 4:
This is the most advanced stage of subluxation degeneration. The
postural imbalance is severe and motion is limited. There is severe
nerve damage, permanent scar tissue is formed and the bones may begin to
fuse. In this phase we find pain, various degrees of physical or mental
disability, and continued loss of energy and height. By now the
condition is considered irreversible, although chiropractic may give
some symptomatic relief.
The Chiropractic Approach
 You need not sit and passively watch your spine
degenerate. Chiropractic can reduce, halt and may even reverse spinal
degeneration by improving spinal balance and posture and keeping your joints,
nerves and discs healthy and strong throughout your Lifetime.
The restoration of motion to a previously [fixated] joint leads to a
restoration of normal joint function and physiology.
Further, there is increasing evidence that some spinal degeneration may he
reversible.
Correction of a vertebral subluxation can not only attenuate and arrest this
degenerative process. but can actually allow the condition to reverse itself.
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