Degeneration and osteoarthritis are the same condition under two different names. Regardless of what you call it the process involves the joint wearing out and the results are the same: pain, stiffness, and an inability to function normally. Spinal degeneration is not fun.
The bad news is that many of the people who suffer from spinal degeneration could have prevented its occurrence. The good news is they can still reduce the pain and suffering associated with it.
How can degeneration of joints be prevented?
To fully understand how joint degeneration can be prevented you must understand how it begins. Degeneration begins from acute trauma which causes damage to the joint or from micro-trauma (many small traumas) over a long period of time. Micro-trauma does not hurt so you may not know it is occurring with the most common cause of micro-trauma coming from what Doctors of Chiropractic call “subluxations.”
Examples of acute trauma are a knee injury (commonly from sports) or falls that injure the joints with the low back often involved in these types of injuries. An auto collision can cause such damage to joints in your neck or back. A traumatic injury is made worse by the repeated micro-trauma occurring as that injured joint is used in everyday activities over the years.
That’s why it is dangerous to ignore even minor pain in the mistaken notion that “it will go away.” Pain is only an overt symptom of the degenerative process and often goes away… but the degenerative process continues and will result in permanent pain and disability if the cause is not corrected.
Pain from injuries may disappear in a short period of time but the damage to the joint has been done and degeneration will occur later unless corrective care is taken by a qualified doctor (usually a Doctor of Chiropractic who specializes in preventive care).
Prevention takes place when you have your spine regularly checked by a Doctor of Chiropractic. Remember, you may not be in pain but you should have your spine checked anyway so the doctor can determine if subluxation (a lack of proper joint motion) is taking place and causing micro-trauma that can lead to degeneration.
What is micro-trauma?
Micro-trauma is the small, repeated injuries that occur many times a day that eventually cause a joint to wear out. Micro-trauma can be from something as simple as your knees, hips, or spine being out of alignment. By aligning your spine, hips, and knees your Doctor of Chiropractic is able to stop or at least slow down the rate of degeneration in these areas by establishing smoother movement in your joints.
Much can be done to alleviate the pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis (or spinal degeneration, if you prefer to use that term) but it is up to you to seek the help from qualified professionals who understand this problem and can provide the care you want and deserve.
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