What is Degenerative Disc Disease?

Degenerative Disc Disease or Degenerative Disc Disorder of the Spine is not technically a disease but rather a condition that describes changes to the spinal discs located between the 33 vertebrae of your spine. Spinal discs change naturally as we age or they may change as a result of an injury. Either way, degenerative disc disease can lead to chronic pain and seriously impact your ability to function daily.
At Atlantic Chiropractic and Wellness Center, we have been helping patients with degenerative disc disease, as well as other degenerative disorders. Using our safe and effective chiropractic care, we have earned a trusted reputation for providing patients pain relief from degenerative disc disease and helping them restore their quality of life.
Please contact us at (386) 492-4881 to schedule an appointment. We can help you with degenerative disc disease!

What Are Spinal Discs?

Spinal discs are soft, spongy discs that separate the thirty three vertebrae that make up your spine. Spinal discs act as shock absorbers for your spine and allow your spine to move with comfort and ease.
The outer portion of a spinal disc is a tough elastic cartilage called the capsule. It surrounds and protects an interior jelly-like material called the nucleus.

Causes of Degenerative Disc Disease

As you age, your spinal discs will naturally degenerate and change. Aside from the aging process, an injury from something like an auto accident or an injury from playing sports may also impact one or more spinal discs and start the degeneration process.  The changes and the type of degeneration typically include one or both of the following:
Reduction in Spinal Disc Thickness:  A spinal disc gradually becomes thinner as a result of fluid loss in the jelly-like interior of the disc.  When spinal discs do become thinner, it narrows the distance between vertebrae and reduces shock absorption and flexibility of the spine.
Tears or Cracks in Spinal Discs:  Small tears or cracks may develop in the outer portion of spinal discs. When this happens, the jelly-like interior may leak into these tiny tears or cracks causing them to bulge or rupture.
The development of degenerative disc disease can put pressure on the spinal cord and nerves causing pain and abnormal function.

Symptoms and Types of Degenerative Disc Disease

The symptoms of degenerative disc disease vary depending on the location of the spinal disc degeneration. If a spinal disc or multiple spinal discs in the neck region of the spine become degenerated, it may cause neck pain or arm pain. This is commonly referred to as Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease.
If a spinal disc or several spinal discs in the low back area of the spine become degenerated, it may cause low back pain or pain in the hips, buttocks and legs. This is commonly referred to as Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease.
The degree of pain may also vary from numbness or tingling to intense pain that increases with movement.

Why We Will Help with Degenerative Disc Disease

The practice of chiropractic care focuses on the comprehensive health of the body’s spine and central nervous system. Our doctors of chiropractic are trained to identify and treat problems with the spine and nerves of the human body. When your spine and central nervous system are healthy and free from interference (called subluxations), you will be free from pain.
The best feature about chiropractic care is that it does not use prescription drugs or surgery to treat health care problems like degenerative disc disease. It’s safe and effective.

Find a Resolution for the Pain from Degenerative Disc Disease

Life does not have to be lived enduring the pain and discomfort of degenerative disc disease. Please give us a call at (386) 492-4881 or Schedule an Appointment today!

Resolution of Infertility Followed by a Healthy Pregnancy and Delivery with Chiropractic

From the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health comes a case study published on March 12, 2012 documenting the  resolution of infertility in a woman previously diagnosed with a case of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a condition in which there is an imbalance of a woman's female sex hormones. This imbalance can lead to infertility and affects approximately 6.6% of reproductive-aged women.
The authors of the study start by reporting that infertility is a wide-spread problem that affects one in five couples. Of these it is estimated that 60% are due to a female health problem. As a result 9.3 million women seek infertility treatment at some point during their lives. Most of the care sought is medical care.
In this case a 29 year old woman previously diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and infertility sought chiropractic care. The study reports that she had been unable to become pregnant for six months. She had been to a medical practitioner one week earlier but had heard that chiropractic care could be helpful and therefore sought chiropractic care.
A chiropractic examination was performed including a spinal and nerve system analysis. It was determined that subluxations were present in multiple areas of the woman's spine resulting in nerve system malfunction. A series of specific spinal adjustments were initiated to correct the subluxations.
The study reports that after two months of care the patient was told by her medical doctor that she was pregnant. It was estimated that the woman became pregnant between the second and fifth chiropractic visit. The study reports that the pregnancy was normal and that the woman delivered a healthy 6 pound 7 ounce baby girl after an all natural labor.
In their discussion and conclusion the authors discussed how spinal misalignments could cause infertility by stating, "A subluxation is characterized by a dysfunction of the nervous system that results in widespread physiological changes and altered health status." The authors continued to discuss the additional benefits in this case by noting, "Following initiation of chiropractic care, the patient not only became pregnant, but also reported improvement in many facets of her life, including improved sleep, better dietary choices, increased water consumption, and an improvement in her ability to exercise."

Bones or Nerves?

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 We live our lives through our nervous systems. Whether it's enjoying a sunset,
 digesting dinner or warding off an infection, our nervous systems control
 everything. Better nervous system = better life.
 Our culture is focused on blood, such as pulse, blood pressure and cholesterol. 
 Yet these largely result from nervous system directions. So even the smallest
 nervous system disturbance can dramatically affect the way your whole body  works.
Since the moving bones of the spinal column are in such close proximity to the spinal cord, and the 31 pairs of nerve roots that branch out from it, many people think chiropractic is all about bones.
But I see myself as a nerve doctor, not a bone doctor. The spinal column is merely where we find the vertebral subluxations that are often the source of nerve disturbances between the brain and body. Reducing nervous system tension allows your body to work normally so health can return. Simple, really.