Aging gets blamed for a lot of ills…including limited neck
movements. You’re not alone if you discover
that you don’t rotate your head quite as easily
or as far as you used to or that you don’t flex or extend it in
the same way as you once could. Degenerative discs and
vertebrae and companion osteophytes play a role
in limiting movement. Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic 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 common in 80-90% of young healthy persons. But what
about the motions in older persons with aging spines?
Reduced movement has been linked
to aging. A newer study by some curious researchers
designed a study to determine 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 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 Montreal chiropractic friends and family age along
with us, we’re not alone in noticing motion
changes. Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic offers gentle Cox® Technic treatment in
order to bring as much movement to spinal segments
as possible. If you see 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 elderly
folks’ vertebrae of the lumbar and cervical spines. Anterior osteophytes continue
growing and eventually bring about neck pain
or back pain. Since osteophytes are so usual and result in such pain, researchers determined a way to predict the mean
time to onset of pain and the path of degeneration that occurs
in these vertebrae based on data from following patients’ osteophytes
for 9 years. (2) We know our Montreal 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 involving osteophytes and relieving chiropractic
care: Osteophytes may contribute to patients’
developing dysphagia (aka difficulty with swallowing). A case report detailed the presentation
of 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 contribute to her dysphagia. Six
months of chiropractic care resolved her issues. (3) Chiropractic care works!
CONTACT Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic
Listen to the PODCAST
with Dr. Shay Corbin on the Back Doctors Podcast with Dr.
Michael Johnson as he describes the effective, gentle treatment with the Cox® Technic System
of Spinal Pain Management for his musician patient dealing with
neck and back pain.
Make your next Montreal
chiropractic appointment with Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic. Bring your aging spine, your
less-than-mobile cervical spine, your immobile neck
to our clinic. We can work toward improved 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."