When X-rays are taken as part of your chiropractic examination, we are looking at the alignment of the bones as well as the health of the bones. Many times, we find localized areas of bone decay which represents the result of long term neglect of spinal health. Almost always, these areas of spinal and disc degeneration are localized meaning the immediately adjacent areas look fine. Why would that be?
When that question is posed to a medical doctor, the answer is often that the spinal degeneration is a result of “normal” aging. Well, there is nothing normal about it. If one spinal bone shows degenerative changes and one disc is deteriorated and it’s just “aging”, why are the surrounding bones and discs so healthy? How much older are the degenerated spinal areas? Localized areas are known to decay from a study by a Dr. Videman in 1987.
Dr. Videman found that when the normal motion between spinal bones is reduced (stuck or fixated) for as little as two weeks, permanent albeit relatively minor damage takes place to the joint. And, in as little as three weeks, observable albeit microscopic, osteo-arthritic damage takes place in the joint. So, the damage we see is a result of spinal neglect of areas of spinal injury that never properly healed because the person “hoped that the problem would go away by itself.”
We bring this to your attention because most new patients are surprised when they see the deterioration present in their spine because it signals the fact that the spinal problem is long-standing in nature and likely began when they were children.
No one wants to neglect the health of their family. Because spinal examinations were not routine parts of the standard medical checkup, most adults have neglected their own and their children’s spinal health.
Because health problems are either acute, chronic or permanent, please don’t wait for a chronic problem to develop before you have the integrity of your and your family’s spine and nervous system checked.
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