Neck Pain Support Blog

Disc Degeneration - Chemical And Mechanical changes occur...

What exactly happens when the discs break down?  First of all these are the cushions between each bone; that act as a shock absorber so we can move, twist, jump, etc.  They also create a space at the back of the vertebrae or spine wher the nerve roots exit.  The spinalcord travels down the spine and at each vetebral level has a nerve root that travels out, branching into smaller and smaller nerves that go everywhere in the body.

So when we start to get degeneration it can effect everything from our motion to nerve function. Degeneration is another word for arthritis and some get it more than others.  Like me, you probably want less of it, so let's review some key factors.

There are two major contributirs to spinal breakdown.  These are mechanical factors as well as chemical ones.  One can't typically blame all of his degeneration on his high school football career (mechanical) or soley his drinking of root beer (chemical).

Let's look at some mechanical factors.  Mr X may have some breakdown from years of football.  Maybe he has had some injuries, maybe some have misaligned the spine or pelvis and they have remained misaligned.  Not all nerves detect pain, so you can have some pretty good spinal shifts and not necessarily know their there.  Let's say one pelvis is lower that the other, which is creating a gait issue...you get the picture.  Lots of mechanical issues can be happening.

I think my grandfather told me cows had legs on one side that were shorter than the others and that's why they could stand on the hill sideways.  I must have been about 5 at the time and, I'm sure believed him!!  Although he did tell me the cows lat down when a storm is coming; and that seems pretty true?...  Anyway you can imaging how one leg shorter than the other (or one high or low pelvis) can throw you off.  That's mechanical and will result in breakdown.

The discs breakdown, the vertebrae breakdown, etc.  Discs will flaten and bulge, the end plates of the vertebrare become jagged and spur...

You may have also had any injury that directed injured the disc.  Maybe you had a tear in the disc annulus, maybe a herniated disc, maybe just wear and tear.  Now this is all mechanical but chemical factors play a role too.

Let's just say you do have a very poor diet and drink soda all the time.  We know that high sugar foods contribute to added inflammation, not to mention soda is very acid for the body and actually causes some leaching of minerals out of the bone.  Every vitamin needs a mineral to act effeciently.

Dr. Seaman in the Oct '13 issue of Dynamic Chiropractic explained how proteinases get turned on when an inflammatory proccess is present.  Then can lead to the enzymatic breakdown of the discs.  We are of course now referring to the chemical breakdown.

Indivividuals with health conditions such as Diabetes, heart disease, or obesity tend to have the right environment for the chemical breakdown to happen.

Picture Source:

• Genetic Polymorphis associated with intervertebral disc degeneration
• Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease

Additional Reading:

• Treatment for a herniated disc in the cervical spine
• At what level in the spine is the the Most Common Disc Herniation?
• How the traction pillow can help with a disc bulge
• Limit Neck Degeneration in the Bones
• Which traction unit is best for my needs?

 

The Multiple Names Your Neck Pillow May Go By...

Your Neck Pillow, may be the same thing someone else has, they just don't call it by that name. Neck pillows are specifically designed to keep the neck in alignment. To review that alignment I'm referring to, let's look at the spine.

Remember our posture is like a window into the spine; if your head juts out forward (forward head posture), that's what the spine looks like inside you. Or, if your head tilts to the left, your spine inside you tilts left too. An x-ray of the neck will confirm it. Of course make sure the individual getting x-rayed in standing up; this means gravity is pushing down on him. Taking a picture lying down is not the same as standing against gravity and may not show true alignment.

That's how a neck pillow works; it helps you restore or maintain alignment while you sleep. We often refer to neck pillows as cervical pillows, chiropractic pillows, orthopedic pillows, or yoga pillows... Chiropractors, orthopedists, osteopaths, naturopaths, as well as other therapists deal with the spine on a regular basis. These doctors, as well as other practitioners and therapists like your massage therapist or yoga instructor to name a couple often recommend them too.

This is what complimentary medicine is all about. Your primary care doctor may prescribe this pillow, but maybe it's out of his specialty and he recommend you see a Chiropractor. Your doctor of chiropractic may have you see a masseuse, etc... He or she may even have one that practices out of their office or another kind of doctor as well. Complimentary doctors and therapists may even practice in a multidisciplinary or group setting. When this occurs you may not even have to go to another office to receive or attain advice from another professional.

All that being said, any of these practitioners as well as a friend or neighbor may recommend one of these pillows or another product to speed the healing. so keep in mind that if your orthopedic surgeon recommends an "orthopedic pillow" it may be the same as the "chiropractic pillow" your chiropractor has in his office, or the "neck pillow" you ordered online.

Additional Reading Resources

• Which pillow do you recommend for me if I have a Short neck?
• "I didnt' sleep with my usual pillow and wound with a stiff neck the next day
• Simple things you can do for a stiff neck
• A deeper look at neck stretch systems for work to provide neck pain relief
• What to do when you have a herniation in the neck

Related articles

Avoid Getting the Hunchback Posture

"How can I fluff my Pillow a bit?"

Protect Yourself with Your Pillow: The Privacy Pillow Debuts

The Different Forms of Neck Traction

There are multiple kinds or forms of neck traction. One form is simply a stretch of the neck. The other, which we will call "true neck traction", is a stretch but also puts curve into the neck.

Of theses two forms there are multiple kinds of traction devices and ways to do them. There is in office traction and there is home traction. A lot of the home devices are used in an office or by your therapist as well.

The first kind of traction is manual traction. This is where your doctor or therapist literally stretches you. He or she gently pulls on the head. Another way to do this is hanging upside down. Many of you have heard of inversion tables for the back. Well the neck gets stretches too. There is also over-the-door traction and something called the Trac-Collar. These are both devices that do the stretching.

Next we have that true neck traction. Something like the Posture Pump or Pronex is the way to go. You essentially lie on a soft bulb under your neck that you pump up to work the "C" curve in the neck and stretch out the neck.

Why does a person typically get recommended neck traction? Usually it because they were diagnosed with a pinched nerve. This may be causing neck pain or possibly arm and hand symptoms.

Solely stretching the neck will open up the foramen in the neck. These are the holes in the side of the spine where the nerves travel of of the spinal cord to the rest of the body. When we work the neck curve in as well we will automatically get this as well as keeping it that way.

Additional Reading

The Best Cervical Traction Devices on the Martket

What is a herniated disc and how do we treat it without medication and without surgery?

How to Use the Neck Traction Collar for Neck Pain Relief

Having better Posture Can Help you with Pain

The Neck Pain Relief Package

Understanding Muscle Spasms in the Neck