DR. RUSSELL SCHIERLING
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK
  • HOME
  • BLOG
  • WE HELP...
    • CHRONIC NECK & BACK PAIN
    • HEADACHES
    • TENDINITIS / TENDINOSIS
    • SHOULDER PROBLEMS / ROTATOR CUFF
    • OSGOOD SCHLATTER'S SYNDROME
    • PIRIFORMIS SYNDROME / CHRONIC BUTT PAIN
    • BURSITIS
    • PULLED MUSCLES / TORN MUSCLES / MUSCLE STRAINS
    • DEGENERATIVE OSTEOARTHRITIS / PROPRIOCEPTIVE LOSS
    • PLANTAR FASCIITIS
    • SHIN SPLINTS
    • MYSTERY PAIN
    • T.M.J. / T.M.D.
    • THORACIC OUTLET SYNDROME -- TOS
    • POST-SURGICAL PAIN
    • CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME
    • DeQUERVAIN'S SYNDROME
    • FIBROMYALGIA
    • ILLIOTIBIAL BAND (ITB) SYNDROME
    • PATELLAR TRACKING SYNDROME / PATTELO-FEMORAL PAIN SYNDROME
    • CHRONIC ANKLE SPRAINS
    • DUPUYTREN'S CONTRACTURE
    • SKULL PAIN
    • SPORTS INJURIES
    • RIB TISSUE PAIN
    • INJURED LIGAMENTS
    • WHIPLASH TYPE INJURIES
    • CHRONIC TRIGGER POINTS
    • MIGRAINE HEADACHES
  • TESTIMONIALS
  • SERVICES
    • WHAT IS CHIROPRACTIC?
    • WHOLE FOOD NUTRITION >
      • PHARMACEUTICAL GRADE FISH OIL
      • HSO PROBIOTICS
      • LIGAPLEX
    • SCAR TISSUE REMODELING >
      • BEST NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS FOR SCAR TISSUE REMODELING
      • PICTURE PAGE
      • THE COLLAGEN "SUPER PAGE"
      • BEST STRETCHES PAGE
    • SPINAL DECOMPRESSION THERAPY
    • COLD LASER THERAPY
  • CHRONIC PAIN
  • FASCIA
  • TENDINOSIS
    • ROTATOR CUFF TENDINOSIS
    • SUPRASPINATUS TENDINOSIS
    • TRICEP TENDINOSIS
    • BICEP TENDINOSIS
    • LATERAL EPICONDYLITIS / TENNIS ELBOW
    • MEDIAL EPICONDYLITIS / GOLFER'S ELBOW
    • WRIST / FOREARM FLEXOR TENDINOSIS
    • WRIST / FOREARM EXTENSOR TENDINOSIS
    • THUMB TENDINOSIS / DEQUERVAIN'S SYNDROME
    • GROIN / HIP ADDUCTOR TENDINOSIS
    • HIP FLEXOR TENDINOSIS
    • PIRIFORMIS TENDINOSIS / PIRIFORMIS SYNDROME
    • SPINAL TENDINOSIS
    • KNEE TENDINOSIS
    • QUADRICEPS / PATELLAR TENDINOSIS
    • HAMSTRING TENDINOSIS
    • ACHILLES TENDINOSIS
    • ANKLE TENDINOSIS
    • ANTERIOR TIBIAL TENDINOSIS
    • POSTERIOR TIBIAL TENDINOSIS
    • APONEUROSIS / APONEUROTICA TENDINOSIS
  • FAQ
    • FAQ: SCAR TISSUE REMODELING
  • ABOUT / CONTACT
  • NEW

The "Big Four"

1/31/2012

0 Comments

 

SPINAL DECOMPRESSION THERAPY
THE BIG FOUR

Spinal Decompression Missouri
Typographyimages (Darwin Laganzon) - Pateros/Philippines - Pixabay
among other things, chiropractors deal with SUBLUXATIONS.  Subluxations pertain to vertebrae that are either misaligned or not moving properly in relationship to each other.  Uncorrected subluxations, along with injuries, INFLAMMATION, OBESITY, sedentary lifestyles, SCAR TISSUE, etc, can lead to serious and progressively degenerative problems of the spine.  Although there are dozens of potential problems that would fit into this broad category, there are four that stand out above the rest.  If you have ever had an MRI of your spine, it is quite likely that you have seen one or more of these terms used in the Radiologist's Report.

  • HERNIATED DISCS:  Spinal Discs are made up of layered rings of ligaments called the Annulus Fibrosus.  These outer rings are what hold the disc's jelly center (Nucleus Pulposus) in place. If you were to cross-section a Spinal Disc, it would look a lot like the rings of a tree stump.  If the innermost layers of the annulus begin to tear, the nucleus begins to "push" its way toward the outside, creating a disc "bulge".  When a disc bulge is large enough to press on the spinal cord and / or the spinal nerves, it is called a Disc Herniation or Rupture.  If the nucleus leaks outside of the annulus, the problem is much more serious and is usually referred to as a Prolapsed Disc.  Be aware that these terms are sometimes used interchangeably.

  • DEGENERATIVE DISCS:  Spinal Discs have no blood supply.  This makes cellular "exchange" difficult to say the least.  The only way for a disc to get nutrients, water, and oxygen into the disc, and get metabolic waste products out, is to act as its own pump.  When the disc moves, it creates a pumping action that moves fluid in and out.  Poor movement causes poor exchange.  This is why abnormal disc motion causes degeneration (thinning of the disc, bone spurs, calcium deposits), and disc degeneration leads to even worse motion.  This process is a vicious cycle.  Sometimes this process of degeneration will be referred to as Spondylosis or Degenerative Disc Disease.  Although there are outside factors that contribute to this process (smoking for instance), make no mistake ---- Spinal Degeneration is a mechanical process, not a disease.  Referring to it as a "disease" is largely a marketing ploy.

  • SPINAL STENOSIS:  The word "stenosis" refers to the constriction of a tube.  Spinal Stenosis is the shrinkage of the tube within the spinal column called the Central Canal.  The Spinal Cord travels inside the Central Canal.  In order to add stability to the spinal column and protect the spinal cord from irritation, the Central Canal is lined with ligaments.  Due to old injuries or the normal aging process, these ligaments can hypertrophy (thicken) and "buckle" or "bow" into the Central Canal.  As this happens, the Central Canal looses more and more space until it reaches the point where there is constant irritation of the Spinal Cord and / or Spinal Nerves.

  • FACET SYNDROME:  The facets are the four small joints on the back of each vertebrae (two superior facets and two inferior facets).  The facets have a rich nerve supply that can cause a great deal of pain when irritated.   Just like Spinal Discs, facet joints that fail to move properly over time, wear out.  This is usually called Facet Disease or Facet Syndrome.

SCIATICA:  Because all of these problems lead to impingement of nerves, the nearly-universal symptom of all these problems is pain.  Because these same nerves travel into the arms and legs; irritating them can lead to various problems in the extremities (pain, weakness, pins & needles, numbness, tingling, etc).  In the legs, this problem is commonly referred to as sciatica.  In the arms, it is usually called "radiculopathy".

WHAT TO DO FOR THESE PROBLEMS
The best thing you can do is to prevent them from happening in the first place.  You can help prevent disc problems by following the below advice, before you are diagnosed with "The Big Four".

However, once you find out you have one or more of the "Big Four", everything turns to AVOIDING SURGERY (you already know how poorly they work much of the time), A LIFETIME OF DRUGS, and dangerous / degenerative CORTICOSTEROID INJECTIONS.  Covering symptoms is never the solution.  You have to actually work toward a solution.  The first thing to remember is that you are not going to "cure" any of these problems.  In other words, once damage is done, nothing you do is going to make you sixteen years old again.  But if you are willing to work at it, there are a number of things that you can do to help yourself with these problems.

  • CHANGE YOUR DIET:  Although this is not difficult to understand, it is not always easy to follow.  I suggest that you eat a diet based on WHOLE FOODS.  Water keeps the disc hydrated, so drink plenty of water, and learn what it means to CONTROL YOUR BLOOD SUGAR.   You also need to understand that all INFLAMMATORY PROCESSES in the body are driven by diet and lifestyle.  Healthy Fats are anti-inflammatory; TOO MANY GRAINS and BAD FATS drive inflammation, and the plethora of health problems related to it.  Eating this way will also help you LOSE ANY EXCESS WEIGHT you might be carrying --- a real detriment to a healthy spine.
  • DON'T SMOKE:  Everyone knows that SMOKING is bad for your lungs.  There is actually quite a bit of medical research proving that it is bad for your spine as well.  If you smoke, you starve every cell in your body for OXYGEN.  As you might imagine, this is a very bad thing as it prevents healing and promotes decay.
  • MOVE:  I just told you that the only way the Spinal Discs are nourished and hydrated is via joint motion.  Regular exercise is critical to put joint motion back into the spine.  I also recommend that you strengthen your spine with PLANKS instead of back-destroying situps and crunches.  I am not so concerned about what you do exercise-wise (swim, bike, walk, lift weights, Pilates, Zumba), just that you do something on a regular basis.  Exercise balls provide an excellent (and simple) way to build stability into your spine as well.
  • CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENTS:  Although chiropractic is certainly no "cure-all", it helps keep both alignment and motion in the spine.  Knowing what you know thus far about the both the NERVE SYSTEM and the primary causes of SPINAL DEGENERATION, periodic adjustments make a lot of sense.
  • INVERSION:  Although I have never sold them myself, I have been a huge fan of INVERSION TABLES since they came out in their current form about 20 years ago.  The price has come down to where anyone can afford one, and for smaller people, you should be able to get one for about a hundred bucks.  However, for most people I recommend the Ironman 4000.  It is what I own, costs $179.00, is built like a tank, and is available at Amazon or Mal Wart.  The key to inversion is doing it for a few minutes each day, and not inverting at too steep an angle.  Unless you are a 15 year old high school athlete, you have no reason to invert deeper than 45 degrees.  Many people do best "hovering" just below parallel (less than 15 degrees).
  • SPINAL DECOMPRESSION THERAPY:  For people with chronic severe back pain caused by one or more of the "Big Four" there is hope for you.  Most of you have figured out that SPINAL SURGERY is not something you want to rush into.  The outcomes are frequently terrible, and many people end up having to have additional back surgeries to fix the damage caused by the surgery before it.  Spinal Decompression Therapy is certainly not the be all, end all, for every case of chronic back problems, but for many people it provides AMAZING RESULTS.  Interestingly enough, these results are BACKED BY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RESEARCH.  Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Therapy is a safe, gentle, form of disc therapy that restores function to injured or degenerative Spinal Discs via a computerized logarithmic pull / relax pattern of spinal distraction.
0 Comments
    Russell Schierling

    Dr. Schierling completed four years of Kansas State University's five-year Nutrition / Exercise Physiology Program before deciding on a career in Chiropractic.  He graduated from Logan Chiropractic College in 1991, and has run a busy clinic in Mountain View, Missouri ever since.  He and his wife Amy have four children (three daughters and a son).

      NEWSLETTER

    Subscribe to Newsletter

    RSS Feed

    BLOG ARCHIVES

    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011

    Picture
    Chronic Pain
    Picture

    BLOG CATEGORIES

    All
    Addictive Carbs
    Adhd
    Adrenal Fatigue
    Aging Gracefully
    Allergies
    Anemia
    Antibiotics
    Apex Energetics
    Arthritis
    Aspartame
    Aspirin
    Asthma
    Atstill
    Autismvaccines
    Autoimmunity
    Beta Blockers
    B.J. Palmer
    Blood Sugar
    Brain Based Therapy
    Breakfast
    Breast Cancer
    Bursitis
    Cancer
    Candida
    Can You Help
    Cardio Or Strength
    Carpal-tunnel-syndrome
    Case Histories
    Cheat Days
    Chiropractic Miracles
    Cholesterol
    Christianity
    Chronic Pain
    Cold Laser Therapy
    Colic
    Core
    Corticosteroid Injection
    Coughs
    Current River
    Dangerous Foods
    Death By Medicine
    Degenerative Disc
    Degenerative Joint Disease
    Depression
    Dequervains Syndrome
    Diet Soda
    Drug Culture
    D's Of Chronic Pain
    Dysbiosis
    Ear Infections
    Elimination Diet
    Endocrine System
    Erectile Dysfunction
    Estrogen Dominance
    Ethiopian Adoption
    Evidence Based Medicine
    Evolution
    Ewot
    Face Pain
    Facet Syndrome
    Fascia Disease
    Fascial Adhesions
    Fever
    Fibromyalgia
    Fish Oil
    Flu Shots
    Football Concussions
    Functional-neurology
    Functional-problems-vs-pathology
    Geriatrics
    Gl1800
    Gluten
    Gluten Cross Reactivity
    Gout
    Gut Health
    Gym Equipment
    Headaches
    Health Pharisees
    Healthy Children
    Herniated Disc
    Hfcs
    H Pylori
    Hypertension
    Ice Or Heat
    Infertility
    Inflammation
    Inversion Tables
    Jacks Fork River
    Junk Food
    Ketogenic Diet
    Kettlebell
    Knee Pain
    Leaky Gut Syndrome
    Ligaments
    Low Carb
    Medical Merrygoround
    Migraine Headaches
    Mold
    Mri Overuse
    Msg
    Muscle-strains
    Narcotics
    Neck Pain
    Neuropathy
    Number One Health Problem
    Nutrition
    Obesity
    Osgood Schlatter
    Osteoporosis
    Oxygen
    Paleo Diet
    Parasites
    Pcos
    Piriformis Syndrome
    Platelet Rich Therapy
    Post Surgical Scarring
    Posture
    Prostate Cancer
    Re Invent Yourself
    Rib And Chest Pain
    Rotator Cuff
    Royal Lee
    Salt
    Scar Tissue Removal
    School Lunch
    Sciatica
    Setting Goals
    Sexual Dysfunction
    Shingles
    Shoulder Dislocation
    Shoulder-impingement
    Shoulder-pain
    Shoulder-separation
    Sleeping Pills Kill
    Smoking
    Soccer Headers
    Soda Pop
    Spanking
    Spinal Decompression
    Spinal Stenosis
    Spinal Surgery
    Standard Process
    Statin Drugs
    Stay Or Go
    Stool Transplant
    Stretching Post Treatment
    Sugar
    Sympathetic Dominance
    Sympathetic-dominance
    Systemic Illness
    Systemic-inflammation
    Tendinosis
    Tendinosis Treatment
    Tensegrity And Fascia
    The Big Four
    Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
    Thyroid Epidemic
    Tissue Remodeling
    Trans Fats
    Treatment Diary
    Trigger Points
    Unhealthy-doctors
    Universal Cure
    Vaccinations
    Vertigo
    Video Testimonials
    Weight Loss
    Whiplash
    Whole Body Vibration
    Winsor Autopsies

Picture
Copyright © 2018 Destroy Chronic Pain / Doctor Russell Schierling / Schierling Chiropractic, LLC. All rights reserved.
HOME   /   BLOG   /   WE HELP....   /   TESTIMONIALS   /   SERVICES   /   FASCIAL ADHESIONS   /   TENDINOSIS   /   FAQ   /   ABOUT US   /   CONTACT