Possible Regeneration for Georgetown Disc Degeneration
The future: disc re-generation! It is an exciting possibility being today. Converting disc degeneration into disc regeneration offers hope for back pain sufferers everywhere. What is the latest suggested process? Distraction. Just what your Georgetown chiropractor at Dr. Butwell is well-trained to do! Georgetown chiropractic spinal manipulation is beneficial. For Georgetown back pain related to disc degeneration, these new disc regeneration studies extend hope for back pain relief.
DISC DEGENERATION AND REGENERATION CONTRIBUTORS
Researchers are sounding more and more optimistic about disc regeneration. A new set of researchers described the biochemical, mechanical, and structural modifications that must all come together to result in disc degeneration initially. Giving credit to previous studies on degenerated discs, they admitted that traction/distraction has been shown to increase disc height and decrease intervertebral pressure. (Research about biomechanical effects of Cox® Technic flexion distraction used at Dr. Butwell has demonstgrated a 17% increase in disc height, a 28% increase in area, and an intradiscal pressure drop in lumbar spine discs to as low as -192mmHg pressure. (1) ) They clarified that not all levels of disc degeneration can be regenerated as all the necessary circumstances must converge for regenerating the disc that did so for its degeneration. They report that their research showed that traction interrupted the cycle of disc degeneration in the lab study, particularly that 2 to 6 weeks of traction is optimal to regenerate a degenerated disc. (2) Dr. Butwell tracks this research most enthusiastically.
IT DOESN’T TAKE MUCH: LOW TENSION DISTRACTION
Another published paper explained that there is greater reconstruction and better effectiveness of disc regeneration or repair when low-tension traction instead of high tension traction is used. The researchers explained that the lab findings are based on the proteoglycan content of the nucleus pulposus of the spinal intervertebral disc, the very center of the disc, which is made up of proteoglycans. The proteoglycan content of the nucleus rose significantly. Both 2 and 4 weeks of traction resulted in change, but 4 weeks’ changes were significantly superior to 2 weeks. Other disc changes researchers reported on were the pores in the bony endplate, their number and diameter that all improved. (3) A third study on this topic of potential disc regeneration related that 28 days of compression followed by 28 days of distraction resulted in disc rehydration, accelerated extracellular matrix gene expression, and augmented numbers of protein-expressing cells. (4) With these exciting papers in mind, Dr. Butwell provides safe, gentle, low-tension to patient tolerance distraction according to The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management protocols. Georgetown back pain sufferers are happy we do!
CONTACT Dr. Butwell
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes how The Cox® Technic System is designed for back pain relief of disc degeneration-related pain.
Schedule your next Georgetown chiropractic visit today. If you have back pain related to disc degeneration, disc re-generation as a futuristic concept may not be so far away. Dr. Butwell is keeping track of the developments that may lead to and support disc regeneration. Our Georgetown back pain patients have hope!
