Aging gets blamed for a lot of ills…including limited neck
movements. You’re not alone if you realize
that you don’t rotate your head quite as effortlessly
or as far as you once did or that you don’t flex or extend it in
the same way as you once did. Degenerative discs and
vertebrae and companion osteophytes play a role
in limiting movement. Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn is ready to help your neck movements
with gentle chiropractic treatment!
CERVICAL SPINE MOTION
Physiological motion of the spine sounds
like something good, doesn’t it? It does! In the cervical
spine, researchers have described how a consistent sequence of
cervical segmental contributions function when the neck moves. This
sequence is typical in 80-90% of young healthy persons. But what
about the motions in aging spines of older folks?
Decreased motion has been linked
to aging. A newer study by some inquisitive researchers
set out to see if such consistent neck
motions in elderly asymptomatic persons resembled the motions in asymptomatic
young persons. They didn’t. They found that aging - as
demonstrated by the motion patterns seen in elderly asymptomatic persons - was linked
to a loss of consistent motion patterns as seen
in young asymptomatic persons. For example, the consistent pattern in young
asymptomatic persons was found in only 10% of the older persons at T1 and 0% at
T2. (1) As our Ashburn chiropractic friends and family age along
with us, we’re not alone in noticing motion
changes. Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn offers gentle Cox® Technic treatment in
order to bring as much motion to spinal segments
as they’ll allow. If you see limitations in your neck
motions, let us know! We can look for the usual culprits
that may be the cause.
WHAT COMES WITH AGING THAT LIMITS NECK MOTION: Osteophytes
Osteophytes are commonly seen in vertebral bones of the
cervical and lumbar spines of elderly folks. Anterior osteophytes keep
developing and eventually produce neck pain
or back pain. Since osteophytes are so usual and lead
to such pain, researchers found a way to predict the mean
time to onset of pain and the course of degeneration that happens
in these vertebrae based on data from following patients’ osteophytes
for 9 years. (2) We know our Ashburn chiropractic patients with
osteophytes aren’t as curious as to how long ago their osteophytes
started, but rather how our chiropractic care can help! Here’s an
interesting case involving osteophytes and relieving chiropractic
care: Osteophytes may contribute to patients’
developing dysphagia (aka difficulty with swallowing). A case report presented a 53-year-old woman with a sore throat, difficulty swallowing solid foods,
and acid reflux. Her imaging revealed anterior osteophytes as well
as kyphosis (abnormal curvature) of her cervical spine and thoracolumbar
scoliosis, any of which could impact her dysphagia. Six
months of chiropractic care relieved her issues. (3) Chiropractic care works!
CONTACT Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn
Listen to the PODCAST
with Dr. Shay Corbin on the Back Doctors Podcast with Dr.
Michael Johnson as he explains the effectiveness
and gentleness of the Cox® Technic System
of Spinal Pain Management for his musician patient experiencing
neck and back pain.
Schedule your next Ashburn
chiropractic appointment with Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn. Bring your aging spine, your
less-than-flexible cervical spine, your immobile neck
to our clinic. We can work toward better mobility!
"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the
DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by
Dr. James M. Cox I."