Degenerative Discs Are Reversible

By Marion Chaney Chaney

Degenerative Disc Disease is the deterioration of the fragile and thin cartilage between the vertebrae of the spine. Degeneration of the disc, medically referred to as spondylosis, can be noted on x ray tests by the narrowing of the normal disc space between adjacent vertebrae, thereby causing pain (from mild to severe depending on the amount of degeneration) by the rubbing or touching of the vertebrae bones. This loss of cartilage can be caused by loss of water in the cartilage and usually, but not always, occurs with aging.

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However, degenerative discs are reversible. You will probably not hear that from your health care professional. When degenerative discs are detected, the doctors immediately prescribe pain medication and cortisone to reduce the inflammation. However, continued use of cortisone has many serious side effects such as increased appetite and weight gain, water and salt retention, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, cataracts, and/or stomach ulcers, just to name a few.

The next step following the cortisone is spinal fusion. The goal of spinal fusion is to eliminate the motion of the vertebrae at a spinal segment, thus reducing pain caused by the motion. This is done by one of two ways, either by using metallic screws and rods/plates or inter-body cages to immobilize the spine, which can loosen, break or pull out of the bone. Plus, more pain could result if the operation is unsuccessful; thereby leading to additional procedures and subsequent pressure placed on the neighboring discs, and the progression is repeated.

I suffered from degenerative discs and through exercise was able to reverse it. The bones that were degenerative were at my waist and developed because I did not have curvature in my lower spine, thereby making the cartilage between the bones in the lumbar region degenerate. By exercising to open up the degenerative discs, I was able to build up the discs and even lost one-half inch in height because the curvature was put back into my spine. By working with my chiropractor on a regular basis to keep my spinal cord aligned and in correct adjustment, exercising my back by specific exercises targeting the area of disc degeneration, and wearing either a back belt and/or using special seat cushions and pillows, the degenerating discs were reversed.

The exercise the worked for me because of the specific area of my spine (the lumbar area) that degenerated was the yoga cobra pose. This exercise is great for people with lower back pain and decreases stiffness in the lower back, enlarges the chest and strengthens the arms and shoulders.

To perform the cobra pose:
Step 1: Lie on your belly while your head rests on your lower arms.
Step 2: Raise your forehead, look upwards and stretch your hands backwards. Let your weight rest on your chest.
Step 3: The head falls a little backwards towards your back and the backward movement proceeds from the neck and the chin. Move your belly further backward as if someone is pulling your arms. The weight is more and more shifted towards the belly and the lower back does the real work.

This exercise opens up the space between the vertebrae, thereby building up the cartilage between the discs. Also, drink a lot of water to hydrate the body, but more specifically the cartilage.

This exercise only works for the degenerative disks that degenerated at the front of the spine (facing forward). For exercising different types of degenerative discs, the recommendation would be to exercise in order to open up the side that lost the cartilage.

The reversal of the degenerative discs does not happen overnight, but takes time and consistency. However, the result is pain free with no adverse side effects.

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A Breakthrough for Chiropractic Patients: ‘Snapshots’ of Their Nervous System Lead Them to Wellness

by: ARA Content

‘Insight Subluxation Station’ provides color scans of problems and progress

(ARA) – People under chiropractic care often wonder: “Why do I have to keep coming back if I’m pain free?” or “How do I know I’m getting the proper amount of adjustments?” Thanks to a breakthrough in technology, however, these questions no longer arise for patients in chiropractic offices that are equipped with a new tool known as the Insight Subluxation Station. These patients can now see for themselves, as their care progresses, that they’re getting the proper number of adjustments, and will also be able to better understand why pain-free does not always equate to “problem solved.”

This advance, which offers major advantages for patients and chiropractors alike, provides patients with tangible, objective visual evidence of the problems they sought help for and how their treatment is progressing. The Subluxation Station scans for, detects and provides clear, color-coded scans of the patient’s spinal misalignments (subluxations) and clearly demonstrates their effects on the patient. These are indicators that, because they are located in muscles, nerves and soft tissue, cannot be seen on x-ray.

Developed by the Chiropractic Leadership Alliance or CLA, a privately held company devoted to advancing chiropractic among the public and within the profession, the Insight is rapidly becoming as indispensable as x-ray machines themselves. This equipment helps the chiropractor implement definitive care for the individual patient, monitor progress, and reassure patients of that progress. The color scans, viewed over time, are like snapshots of the effects of accumulated stress. With them, the doctor gains a visual story of what has been happening in a given patient’s life that is affecting their body.

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Dr. Patrick Gentempo, co-founder and chief executive officer of the CLA, was instrumental in the development of this new technology and equipment. He reports: “Now patients no longer need to rely solely on the doctor, but can see for themselves where there are abnormal nerve patterns leading to a loss of their health potential. With periodic re-testing they can also see how care has affected the picture, and if they still need attention.”

Many patients ask, “Isn’t absence of pain, or increased mobility, a sign of complete recovery?” says Dr. Gentempo. To the contrary, he relates: “We’ve all heard of someone who felt perfectly fine the day before they suffered a fatal heart attack. The reality is that whether or not obvious symptoms are present, there can still be subtle communication gaps in the central nervous system. Until the Insight scans show that the pattern of nerve function is in a healthy state, the patient will need continued chiropractic adjustments.”

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According to Dr. Gentempo, since only a small portion of the nervous system, which is the master control center of the entire body, is used to experience pain, it is critical that we assess as much of it as we can. “We developed the Insight so that patients can see, and understand for themselves, why continued treatment is necessary. The purpose of this technology is to improve communication between doctor and patient, and, ultimately, help motivate people to incorporate chiropractic into a wellness lifestyle for the whole family, like eating healthy foods and exercising,” he says.

Insight Subluxation Station uses three safe, pain free and effective tests. It performs the SEMG (surface electromyography) scan to measure the amount of electrical activity in the muscles, thermal scanning to measure skin temperature along the spine, and the digital inclinometer to measure the range of motion of the spine. These three proven technologies are quick and easy to perform, and are uniquely able to show the results in clear, color-coded visual images that are easily understandable by the patient.

Another common question is if we have no pain, how can we know it’s time to see a chiropractor? Says Dr. Gentempo: “In today’s fast-paced environment it is normal that people have physical, chemical and emotional stresses beyond the individual’s ability to remove or even adapt to. As a result, subluxations and nerve disturbance are extremely common. There is abundance medical and scientific evidence that even a small amount of nerve disturbance or pressure can cause altered nerve function. Thus, I can’t overemphasis the importance of regular trips to the chiropractor, even before symptoms appear, to check for spinal subluxations. This is preventive, so that an individual may optimize their potential for good health and at the same time prevent future health challenges before they become severe.”

Spinal subluxations (misalignments) can be present for months, or even years, before a patient experiences any symptoms. Explaining how this is possible Dr. Gentempo uses this analogy: “If the front end of your car is out of alignment, you can still drive. However, in time the misalignment will cause wear and tear on the tires, and eventually a blowout will occur. In the human body, heavy lifting, improper movements, sitting too long or in the wrong kind of chair, or even emotional stresses can result in abnormal positioning of the vertebrae and nerve disturbance.”

To use another analogy, he says: “It’s like too much stress going into an electrical circuit in your house, and as a result the circuit breaker is tripped. Let’s say that the circuit goes to your refrigerator. The food in the refrigerator will now spoil. Most people, and many other health professionals, would see the ’spoiled food’ in their refrigerator and think that the refrigerator was the problem! They may even try and replace the spoiled food with good food — only to find that this good food will again spoil. The chiropractor, on the other hand, seeks to turn on the power that goes through the refrigerator (the human body) and thus deal with the cause of the problem rather than its end results.”

When symptoms of subluxation of the spine finally occur they can appear as back or neck pain, but also as other seemingly unrelated problems, Dr. Gentempo notes. “There may be decreased immune function and less vitality in general,” he says. Unless the spinal misalignment, or subluxation is corrected, Dr. Gentempo advises, “The body will be unable to properly heal itself and deterioration will progress, until it may be very serious.”

Dr. Christopher Kent, who co-founded the CLA with Dr. Gentempo, is one of the country’s most respected chiropractors, well-known as a researcher and author. He believes that the Insight technology and equipment will help not only patients but also the doctors who utilize it. “Too many people still view chiropractic as solely a treatment for back and neck pain and other musculoskeletal problems,” he says. “They mistakenly believe the chiropractor should simply ‘crack the back’ and solve their immediate problem. This misconception is shortchanging themselves as well as the profession. Chiropractic is actually a network of highly educated professional healthcare providers who got into this profession to help people get and stay well. They want to see all members of the family, newborns through seniors, achieve the optimal health and wellbeing that is their birthright. Chiropractic is about understanding the marvelous human body’s ability to heal itself and removing all obstacles to that healing. This includes making necessary lifestyle changes, and having regular chiropractic care in order to correct spinal misalignments when they occur.”

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Chiropractors today have in fact earned a newfound respect, as millions of people spread the word about how they have been helped. As a result of this encouraging grassroots movement, chiropractors have increasingly become the first line for family health care services. Says Dr. Gentempo: “At the Chiropractic Leadership Alliance we are dedicated to helping chiropractors and their patients create a new paradigm for health and wellness. Because it provides evidence and accountability, the Insight Subluxation Station is a giant step forward towards this goal, for the benefit of patients and for the profession.”

For a free descriptive brochure on the Insight Subluxation Station and information on how to locate a chiropractor in your area who works with this new technology, write: Debra Cassera, Chiropractic Leadership Alliance, 255 W. Spring Valley Ave., Maywood, NJ 07607. The material is also available online at www.subluxation.com.

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Courtesy ARA Content, www.ARAcontent.com; e-mail: info@ARAcontent.com

This is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Seek the guidance of a licensed physician if you need medical advice.

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Getting Ready for Surgery: Back Surgery Procedure Preparation

If you are having a back surgery procedure in the near future, you’ll have several things to do to prepare for the operation. This check list is intended to help you anticipate what you’ll need to do to get ready for most back surgery procedures. Your surgeon will also give you specific pre-operative instructions before you have surgery.

· Choose a surgeon. Either an orthopedic surgeon or a neurosurgeon can perform most back surgery procedures. It’s okay to ask for a second opinion and your surgeon should not have any objections to it. It’s okay to make sure your surgeon is qualified and experienced, too. You can ask questions like:

o Where did you go to medical school?

o What kind of training do you have in performing back surgery procedures?

o Are you board certified in your specialty?

o How many of these procedures have you done?

· Talk to other people who have had a similar back surgery procedure. Talking to others helps you anticipate problems, see what life is like after surgery and get support from them.

· Stop smoking. Smoking increases the risk of serious complications with any surgery.

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· Eat a nutritious diet, get regular exercise and get enough sleep. You want to be as healthy as possible before surgery.

· Prepare for blood loss. Unless you are having a minimally invasive back surgery procedure, you may have some bleeding during or after surgery. Your doctor may suggest that you prepare for that by storing blood for autologous transfusion. It’s much safer to use your own blood for transfusion than to use donor blood. You should also stop taking aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications 10-14 days before surgery because they can thin your blood and make bleeding more likely. If you take anticoagulants (blood thinners), discuss it with your surgeon.

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· Tests. You could have several tests before surgery. You could have x-rays, a CT scan, MRI, or other tests to evaluate your back problem. You’ll need at least a blood count and urinalysis a few days before surgery. Depending on your age and health status, you could need other blood work, chest x-rays, an electrocardiogram, lung function tests or other procedures.

· Health insurance. Your health insurance policy may require you to get pre-authorization or a second opinion in order to pay for the surgery. The surgeon’s office or hospital may take care of this for you, but you want to make sure that all the insurance requirements are met before surgery.

· Plan for after surgery. You may need to take time off work, arrange for help after surgery, get special equipment, or make other preparations for after surgery.


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About the Author: David Betz is a consultant doing work for Laser Spine Surgery http://www.laserspineinstitute.com and
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This is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Seek the guidance of a licensed physician if you need medical advice.

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Choosing The Best Herniated Disc Treatment

If you want to know the facts about herniated disc treatment, then you need to learn all of the different options that are available to you. No one wants to suffer with a herniated disc but when you have this problem, you may feel that you don’t have any options. The first thing you need to do is get an official diagnosis. Then your doctor will talk to you about what your different treatment options are. From this point, you will probably be told to stop any activities which aggravate the condition. For many people, this is enough o stop the problem and allow it to heal itself. For other people, more treatment will be required. Your doctor will consider all things about you and your condition when finding the best treatment option for you. For example, he will look into your past medical history, your activity level, what type of job you have and other considerations to decide the treatment that works best for you.

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After you are first diagnosed, your doctor will watch your symptoms throughout the treatment process. If you’re responding well to the early treatment attempts, your doctor may then suggest something next on the list. If resting the tired muscles does not work for you, then next you might try ice and heat applications. The combination of ice and heat treatment can help ease muscle pain and spasms. Many people find that ice and heat therapies ease discomfort from their herniated disc.

When you have tried these things with no success and your condition is still getting worse, then your doctor will progress to the next stage of treatment which is usually physical therapy. Therapists are trained to work your muscles in a way that will not cause more damage to the area but can actually help remove pressure and swelling in the joints. In addition to this physical therapy and sometimes after the therapy if it is not working, your doctor may also prescribe certain mediations to help ease your pain and discomfort. These usually include pain killers, anti-inflammatories and more. Oral steroids or epidural steroid injections are used in many extreme cases where other medications and treatments are not working.

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Oral steroids such as Prednisone and Mderol can act as anti-inflammatory as well and reduce inflammation. Typically doctors will try to avoid surgery and will try all other methods first. During surgery, the herniated disc will be removed. You will then need to recover from this surgery before resuming normal activities.


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About the Author: Get rid of your back pain by selecting the right herniated disc treatment. Find more information at http://www.alleviatebackpain.net

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