Spinal degeneration is a common term used to describe the
aging process of the spine. Although the process occurs naturally over time,
constant stress or pressure on the spinal bones and a variety of untreated
spine complications can degenerate the tissues faster, ultimately changing the
overall structure of the spine.
The Effects of Spinal Degeneration
When the spine degenerates with age, the spinal bones
gradually begin to deform. These changes can then affect the soft-tissues
surrounding the spine: muscles, tendons, ligaments, discs, joints and even
spinal nerves.
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Through overuse, bad posture and/or as a result of an injury
or other underlying condition, the spinal discs are the most commonly affected
structures when the spine begins to degenerate. The spinal discs, or vertebral
discs, primarily function as a shock absorber between each vertebra. These also
act as ligaments to hold the bones of the spine together and provide mobility
to the spine. As people age, the body begins to wear and tear from use. The
spinal discs will degenerate from loss of fluid, causing these to become
thinner and less flexible, no longer providing a comfortable cushion between
each vertebra. The supporting ligaments, tendons and muscles can also begin to
weaken, leading to various complications, including pinched nerves, herniated
discs, spinal stenosis, osteoarthritis, and misalignments of the spine.
Because spinal degeneration occurs over an extended period of
time, its symptoms can appear subtle and are often overlooked in its early
stages. However, once this natural wear and tear begins to develop into much
more severe complications, a majority of individuals will experience neck, back
and lower back pain, depending on the location of the spinal issue. The amount of
pain can vary for each person, ranging from almost no pain or a nagging level
of irritation to a severe and disabling pain. Engaging in physical activities
that involve bending, lifting and/or twisting can often worsen the individual’s
symptoms.
More advanced stages of spinal degeneration can make a
person’s lifestyle challenging and difficult as this can generally be painful
and uncomfortable. While there are several treatment options available to
relieve the symptoms associated with spinal degeneration, preventive measures
are the best way to ensure spinal health as you age.
For those individuals experiencing spinal degeneration,
chiropractic care is an alternative treatment option that can help both prevent
spinal complications and treat the painful symptoms which may have already developed
with. Foremost, a chiropractor will properly diagnose the individual to determine
the location and cause of their symptoms, carefully evaluating the flexibility
and range of motion of their spine.
Preventing Spinal Degeneration
Chiropractic treatment helps maintain the proper wee-being
of the body’s musculoskeletal structure, especially the spine, enabling the
body to heal naturally and without the use of medication or surgery. The goal
of a chiropractor is to improve the function of the spine by reducing
inflammation and swelling as well as restoring the natural alignment of the
spine. The function of the spinal discs can also improve with chiropractic care
if the disc degeneration is not severe. Chiropractors commonly utilize spinal
adjustments and manual manipulations to treat spinal complications. Spinal
manipulations are primarily used to restore mobility to joints which may have
been restricted by scar tissue after an injury, repetitive stress or improper
posture, relieving the painful symptoms caused by spinal degeneration.
While natural degeneration of the body with age is
unavoidable, the process can be prevented from progressing rapidly. Chiropractic
care can relieve eliminate degeneration symptoms to allow the body to age
smoothly without feeling pain and discomfort.
Obtaining Optimal Health & Fitness with Chiropractic: A Client’s Story
Dr. Alex Jimenez’s health and fitness care and
recommendations have helped avoid injuries and conditions from developing in
many individuals while also providing individuals with the tools they need to
improve their overall wellness. Bernadette Banda's fitness journey begins with
her ambition to become healthier and lose weight. She was introduced to
CrossFit at Push-as-Rx ®™ and it was her first encounter with the trainers that
kept her motivated. Inspired to continue training at Push as Rx, Banda shares
her uplifting story for others to find the encouragement to pursue a healthier
lifestyle like she did. Bernadette Banda displays her greatest gratitude for
the opportunity she was given to improve her life at Push as Rx.
Dr. Alex Jimenez’s clinic and PUSH-as-Rx ®™ system is
leading the field with laser focus supporting our youth sport programs. The PUSH-as-Rx ®™ System is a sport specific
athletic program designed by a strength-agility coach and physiology doctor
with a combined 40 years of experience working with extreme athletes. At its
core, the program is the multidisciplinary study of reactive agility, body
mechanics and extreme motion dynamics. Through continuous and detailed
assessments of the athletes in motion and while under direct supervised stress
loads, a clear quantitative picture of body dynamics emerges. Exposure to the
biomechanical vulnerabilities are presented to our team. Immediately, we adjust our methods for our
athletes in order to optimize performance.
This highly adaptive system with continual dynamic adjustments has
helped many of our athletes come back faster, stronger, and ready post injury
while safely minimizing recovery times. Results demonstrate clear improved
agility, speed, decreased reaction time with greatly improved postural-torque
mechanics. PUSH-as-Rx ®™ offers
specialized extreme performance enhancements to our athletes no matter the age.
By Dr. Alex Jimenez