I was at a social gathering over the weekend, and over a friendly game of Euchre I was asked what my profession was. “Chiropractor”, I replied. We chatted on and off for a few more minutes, then she timidly asked, “Do you work with degenerative discs in the neck”?
As I explained to her, a degenerative disc makes the joint in the neck stiffer, as well as making it more vulnerable to pinching the nerve. Arthritis in the joint is common when you have degeneration and can also threaten the nerve.
Pinched nerve from arthritis
Disc degeneration with advanced arthritis causing a pinched nerve
She replied that she indeed suffered from a pinched nerve in the neck more than once in the past.
I described the joints in the neck as represented by a string of rubber bands tied together. In the middle is a thicker rubber band, like the ones that hold broccoli at the grocery store. If you stretch this rubber band train, the “broccoli” rubber band isn?t going to stretch, because it’s stiffer than the others. The rule in the body is, as you know, “If you don’t use it, you lose it!” Left alone, that stiff, degenerative joint will continue to decay and eventually lead to a pinched nerve, and even neck surgery.
A chiropractor works to loosen the stiff joint before it’s too late. This STOPS arthritis, and “oils the hinge” so it moves easier. We use state-of-the-art instruments to precisely adjust that joint for maximum improvement, painlessly and without cracking or popping.
Share this with a friend the next time they are faced with chronic pain or scary surgery. There is a painless choice!
Dr. Bryan