Minster Exercise and Manipulation May Help Get Water into Disc

Water is central to the body. The body is composed of around 50% water. The spinal disc is composed of about 80% water. Disc degeneration entails the loss of water and disc hydration. Chiropractic manages disc problems like disc degeneration with various approaches. Exercise assists water diffusion into the disc. Spinal manipulation boosts diffusion of water into the disc. Drinking water can’t hurt either!  Minster Chiropractic Center uses spinal manipulation to help our spine pain patients suffering with Minster back pain and neck pain and related leg and arm pain and suggests exercise to enhance the effects of spinal manipulation to take care of the spinal disc.

DIFFUSION OF WATER INTO THE DISC VIA EXERCISE

Can exercise help the intervertebral disc in non-specific low back pain sufferers? Researchers reported that muscles, tendons and bone do respond positively, so they looked at the disc to see if it would.  One new study used imaging to see. On T2-weighted MRI imaging after 6 months of exercise in the patient with non specific low back pain, the researchers didn’t uncover a benefit; however, at 3 months the imaging exhibited increased L5S1 diffusion coefficients. They stated that other types of low back pain sufferers may respond differently. (1) That’s noteworthy. The increased 'apparent diffusion coefficients' is promising though when we look at other articles about diffusion of water into the disc. Wong described that non-specific low back pain patients who responded with greater than 30% relief to spinal manipulation therapy compared with non-responders demonstrated a higher apparent diffusion coefficient for diffusion of water into the disc. (2) If exercise can enhance that even a bit, it has a place in neck and back pain management. At the very least, a Minster back pain sufferer may well increase the odds of responding to conservative care by raising the water content of disc with exercise and spinal manipulation!

Minster SPINAL MANIPULATION AND WATER DIFFUSION INTO THE DISC

Studies of manual therapy and traction effects on the intervertebral disc in back pain patients demonstrated that there is an impact on the physiology (the structure and function) of the disc mainly via water diffusion and molecular transport. Both of these are vital for a healthy disc. (3) Beattie reported that changes in the water diffusion within the discs at L1-2, L2-3, and L5S1 were seen after just one treatment of spinal manipulation. (4) Minster Chiropractic Center uses the gentle distraction treatment called Cox Technic spinal manipulation to make a push-pull-pumping effect on the disc and its endplates to encourage imbibition of fluid into the disc help our Minster spine pain patients.

CONTACT Minster Chiropractic Center

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he further discusses the process of disc degeneration and how Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction helps in its care via manipulation.

Set up your Minster chiropractic appointment today. Your body survives on water. Disc degeneration is a loss of water. Minster Chiropractic Center guides Minster chiropractic patients toward healthier discs with spinal manipulation and exercise to enhance water content.