Spinal Decay

If a persons teeth decay without proper maintenance, why should your spine be any different? If a person does not brush their teeth or go to the dentist for 20 years, bacteria will destroy the teeth requiring long visits to the dental chair. If a person abuses their spine for 20 years, and subluxations are allowed to linger, spinal decay sets in.

Subluxations can eventually lead to a progressively decaying osteoarthritis of the spine. Like other weight bearing joints, such as the hip, knee or ankle, decay occurs when joints become misaligned, impairing and displacing these joints. Over time the improper mechanics of displaced joints leads to bulging, herniation, and thinning out of the intervertebral discs. Arthritis then sets in, forming bone spurs called osteophytes on the edges of the vertebra. These grow towards each other in an attempt to form bridges between the two bones, ultimately fusing them together. This fusion is how the body deals with what it perceives as an unstable joint.

This process is referred to as osteoarthritis, degenerative joint disease, DJD, degenerative disc disease, DDD, and a variety of other similar terms. Ultimately it is a process of untimely aging of the spine. Here at Southern Spinal Rehab, LLC we have seen eighty year old patients that have taken care of themselves by exercising and visiting chiropractors, whos x-rays look like that of a twenty year old. The opposite is also true. We have treated twenty year old patients that have spines you would expect to see on an eighty year old. It's a matter of how willing you are to maintain your spine.

At Southern Spinal Rehab, LLC we believe that an educated patient is a happy patient. If you know of others that may benefit from this information please share it with them. If this appears to be what you or someone close to you suffers with please call and make an appointment at 850-475-HAAS (4227). The greatest compliment you can give to a physician is the referral of friends and family.