What is a Spinal Disc?

A spinal disc is a dense connective spacer which separates the vertebrae. The disc provides clearance between the vertebrae and the delicate spinal nerves and also allows movement of the spinal column. The early signs of a disc going bad are pain, stiffness and restricted movement.

Just as a tire is inflated with air, a spinal disc is filled with fluid. If the disc is overworked or injured it will lose fluid and will go down similar to a tire losing air and going flat. As a tire goes flat the sidewall of the tire bulges outward. As the disc goes down, the sidewall of the disc bulges outward. This is called a bulging disc.

The vertebrae also come closer together compressing and irritating the delicate spinal nerves, and this is the cause of pain.

Three things can occur when a disc height is reduced, compressing the spinal nerves. They can occur individually or together:

1. Pain where the nerve is compressed.
2. Pain where the nerve is irritated and inflamed.
3. Pain will begin radiating along the path of the compressed and irritated nerve such as across the shoulders and into the arms, or down the buttocks and hip into the legs, even down to the foot.
4. Whatever the nerve is controlling be it a gland a organ of soft tissue will begin to malfunction. Neurological symptoms of numbness and tingling in the hands or feet or loss of strength in the arms or legs is an example. Left untreated, this can lead to paralysis.

Spinal Degeneration is what occurs when the spine has been injured or has not been moving properly for an extended period of time the tissues change as they break down. Learn more here

Traction to the Rescue

Thanks to Intermittent and static traction therapy there is a new, safe and effective treatment for disc injuries. An analogy would be: by putting air back into the tire, the tire resumes its normal shape and size and the sidewall no longer bulges outward. This is basically how traction works. The fluids are brought back into the center of the disc and the disc regains its normal shape and size.

Disc Dehydration

A dehydrated disc allows the two vertebrae to come together and compress the delicate spinal nerves. Compression of the spinal nerves cause pain.

Why Does a Disc Lose Fluid?

A disc will normally lose a small amount of fluid during the day when we are awake, active and working.

At night when we are resting, the disc absorbs fluids through the rich vascular beds of the vertebral body and the amount lost during the day is replenished. This is called the intmdixol fluid exchange.

If the disc is injured by tearing of the small fibers of the disc or is overworked by lifting awkwardly, the disc will lose more fluid than it can naturally reabsorb. This is called a negative intmdixol fluid exchange.

When a disc loses too much fluid, it becomes dehydrated.

With traction therapy the intmdixol fluid exchange is increased from the negative to the positive. This brings more fluid back into the disc through a mechanical pumping mechanism.

Traction therapy is a natural, 2000 year old treatment, that can be gentle, painless treatment and does not require needles, drugs or surgery. Patients look forward to each soothing treatment for relief.

Isn't it time you shared this vital information with a friend or co-worker?

You will be forever remembered as the person responsible for bringing the joy back to someone's life.

How are Discs Injured?

Overwork

Lifting heavy objects or lifting heavy objects awkwardly or lifting light objects multiple times over a period of time, but using poor mechanics.

Good examples are:

Assembly line work, supermarket food checkers and retail clerks.

Computer work - sitting in front of a computer hour after hour, day in and day out with minimal physical activity.

Standing for long periods of time such as teaching school. Any occupation that requires repetitious activities.
Lifting, bending or twisting, and the worst, twisting while lifting a load.

Injury

Automobile accidents - both minor and major. Small accidents that do not activate the automobile "crumple zones" are just as dangerous as major accidents according to D.O.T. statistics.

Injury to a disc can cause immediate pain or show up weeks or months after an accident. Disc injury from auto accidents, if left untreated, lays the groundwork for a lifetime of misery and suffering. Why do you think the car insurance adjusters people want you to settle so quickly with them. They want to be off the monetary hook.

If in any Accident

Be it large or small, be smart - let us check it out.

If you need help we will tell you. If you do not, we will tell you that also.