Spinal Phases of Degeneration

Misconception #1: The spine should only be adjusted if you are having back or neck pain.

This unfortunate theory that is extremely prevalent within our society is absolutely incorrect and in fact is actually dangerous for your health. In reality, every person's spine should be checked and maintained throughout life. In chiropractic we call this spinal hygiene. When the spine is not maintained throughout life degeneration and decay occurs. There are 3 phases of degeneration that occur as the spine breaks down. In a normal (healthy) spine, we should see curves in the neck, mid back and low back when looking at the spine from the side. In phase one of degeneration we see a generalized straightening of the spine. This is problematic because the curves are our primary defense against shock absorption. When our spine is straight we lose this ability to take on shock. Instead the forces from our daily activities are then transmitted to the spinal bones and to the discs. In phase two of degeneration we see that the discs begin to become smaller and smaller and bone spurring occurs around the spinal bones. If this process continues, phase three of degeneration occurs and the joints within the spine are completely destroyed. Bone on bone with lots of bone spurring is the final outcome. What is interesting is that age is not directly correlated with spinal degeneration. Instead, how well a person takes care of their spine has much more to do with how healthy their spine will remain. This means that maintaining great posture, regular exercise and consistent chiropractic checkups and adjustments are the key to spinal health over your life. If you would like a chiropractic spinal check up or are interested in chiropractic care please go to http://www.powaywellness.com/ or http://hubpages.com/hub/spinal-health and make sure to print off the online coupon for a your initial visit!