Aging gets blamed for a lot of ills…including limited neck
movements. You are not alone if you realize
that you do not rotate your head quite as easily
or as far as you once did or that you don’t flex or extend it like you once could. Degenerative discs and
vertebrae and companion osteophytes play a role
in limiting movement. Manahawkin Chiropractic Center is ready to help your neck movements
with gentle chiropractic treatment!
CERVICAL SPINE MOTION
Physiological motion of the spine has a nice ring to it, does it not? It does! In the cervical
spine, researchers have described how a consistent sequence of
cervical segmental contributions work 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 movement has been linked
to aging. A recent study by some inquisitive researchers
designed a study to see if such consistent neck
motions in asymptomatic young people were the same in elderly
asymptomatic persons. They didn’t. They concluded that aging - as
demonstrated by the motion patterns seen in elderly asymptomatic persons - was associated with loss of consistent motion patterns that were 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 Manahawkin chiropractic friends and family age along
with us, we’re not alone in noting motion
changes. Manahawkin Chiropractic Center delivers gentle Cox® Technic treatment in
order to bring as much motion to spinal segments
as they’ll allow. If you notice limitations in your neck
motions, let us know! We can examine you to find the usual culprits
that may be the cause.
WHAT COMES WITH AGING THAT LIMITS NECK MOTION: Osteophytes
Osteophytes are frequently seen in vertebral bones of the
cervical and lumbar spines of elderly folks. Anterior osteophytes keep
growing and eventually bring about neck pain
or back pain. Since osteophytes are so usual and result in such pain, researchers found a way to predict the mean
time to onset of pain and the path of degeneration that happens
in these vertebrae based on information from following patients’ osteophytes
for 9 years. (2) We know our Manahawkin chiropractic patients with
osteophytes are not as curious as to how long ago their osteophytes
started, but rather how our chiropractic care can help! Here’s an
interesting case concerning 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 showed 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 resolved her issues. (3) Chiropractic care works!
CONTACT Manahawkin Chiropractic Center
Listen to the PODCAST
with Dr. Shay Corbin on the Back Doctors Podcast with Dr.
Michael Johnson as he shares the effective, gentle treatment with the Cox® Technic System
of Spinal Pain Management for his musician patient experiencing
neck and back pain.
Make your next Manahawkin
chiropractic appointment with Manahawkin Chiropractic Center. Bring your aging spine, your
less-than-flexible cervical spine, your immobile neck
to our clinic. We can work toward improved motion!
"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."