Spinal Decompression

Once more, the cold cold months of winter are here. Most of us decide to hibernate during this time, since our absolute favorite outdoor activities tend to be more challenging to participate in. Some of us can be driven to stay energetic by means of jogging, biking, snowboarding, winter hiking, etc., and putting on more layers to do the activities we enjoy. I have recognized, during my ten years in practice, that there is a rise in the number of people entering the office this time of year, complaining of serious pain connected with pinched nerves.

The spine is made of individual spinal vertebrae and houses the spinal cord. The spinal cord stretches to every organ and system of the body by using a network of nerves leaving the vertebrae or bones of the spine. These vertebrae can easily turn and alter their placement resulting in pinching of the nerves of the body. This may result in soreness, feeling numb, tingling, a decrease of strength, along with a decrease of function. Other methods that nerves might pinch is simply by pressure from a spinal disc, also known as a herniated disc, as well as pressure coming from soft tissues which include muscle, ligament, or tendon. The most typical parts of the spine to get a pinched nerve is in the lower cervical spine, in the neck, especially at the fifth, sixth, or seventh cervical vertebrae.

A lot of men and women with cervical pinched nerves can have pain in the neck, shoulder, shoulder blade, any area of the arm, the wrist, and normally may have numbness or tingling in the fingers. A person may have any just one of these types of symptoms. I have several patients with a pinching of the nerves in their neck that only have discomfort inside their shoulder, pain in the wrist, occasionally confused with carpal tunnel syndrome, or even just numbness and tingling in their fingers, and they are unsure where the cause of the problem is originating from. They may have no neck pain or neck immobility but the reason for the difficulty is actually coming from the spine, as this is the location where the nerve begins. Easy orthopedic tests, and dermatome, each vertebrae is associated with a certain skin area where pain or numbness and tingling exists, tests can establish which vertebrae should be remedied to eliminate the pressure off the nerve.

Another popular area for a pinched nerve in the spine is in the lumbar spine, in the lower back, mainly the third, fourth, and fifth lumbar vertebrae. The most typical pinched nerve in this region of the spine is sometimes referred to as sciatica if it necessitates the sciatic nerve. The fourth lumbar is the origin of the sciatic nerve. With regards to this impingement, a patient might have pain just in the back of the leg, it can be shooting, sharp, as well as burning. They can have pain simply in the buttocks, or pain just in the foot or ankle. Just like in the neck they might not have any discomfort in the low back. Many of these people are convinced there is a leg or foot issue, when the reason for the problem is actually coming from much higher up in the spine.

The frigid winter months cause our muscles, tendons, and ligaments to be tighter than in the hotter temperatures. Envision our muscles, tendons, and ligaments similar to rubber. Rubber stretches more when in warmer temperatures, but loses elasticity in the colder weather. This is the same way the soft tissues of our body work. So, in the wintry temperature months our muscles, tendons, and ligaments will not be stretching out as a lot and are basically pulling somewhat harder on the vertebrae of the spine. This might lead to a vertebrae going out of alignment and triggering a pinching of a nerve.

Preventing Pinched Nerves

The most beneficial injury and pinched nerve prevention, when you are engaging in a task in winter months, would be to do a very delicate warm up. For about 10 minutes before you participate in the activity mimic the movements that you do in your activity. For example mild running, twisting, throwing, lifting, and this really should be at about 10 to 15 percent of your maximum output. This will increase blood flow to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments, allowing them to be more flexible and shock absorber ready.

Proper stretching after the warm-up, and then again after the exercise is key for attaining optimum injury prevention and hopefully protecting against pinched nerves. The issue is that stretching out is frequently carried out improperly. The majority of people extend too much and too rapidly. Stretches must be mild, and produce a relaxing sensation of gentle stretch or tension. There should be no pain, discomfort, or bouncing movements. The stretch should be kept for around thirty seconds, but no less than twenty. Stretching too strongly, or for less than twenty seconds might trigger a stretch response which could actually cause the muscle to tighten-up even more.

A procedure to correct and ease the strain onto your spinal cord or nerve is named Lumbar laminectomy surgery. The lamina which is removed is a procedure called laminectomy. Doctors also call it as lumbar decompression. Suck kind of surgical procedure is best for conditions over the lower back area like stenosis or bulging discs. A back condition that can occur when the canal of your spine begins to narrow down that may lead to spinal nerve compression is called stenosis.

A condition caused by aging process that comes to everyone normally is known as osteoporosis. Bulging or herniated discs occur whenever the paddling within your vertebrae bulges outward or toward the spinal nerves. This disc serves as a shock absorber. There are also few several cases when the paddling moves toward the spinal nerves and pushes it.

Today, the lumbar laminectomy procedure can be done by using minimum invasive surgery in your spine. Such kind of surgery entails dilation of the muscles and small incisions that will allow the surgeons to gently split muscles surrounding your spine and stay away from cutting them. The goal of laminectomy is help the patient ease the strain felt in the spinal cord or nerve through the widening of the spinal canal.

This procedure may be performed through removing or trimming your vertebrae's lamina or roof so that your nerves will have more space. This can be done without the need of fusing the vertebrae and taking other parts of your bulging disc.

Many surgery devices are typically used as screws or rods that help obtain solid fusion. Such devices may also provide support to unstable parts of the spine. Healing rate greatly depends on patient's preoperative condition and age. After the patient's operation, he has to rest inside a medical facility for one to three days. For faster recovery, they are advised to start and practice walking.

A nurse should always look after the patient during his healing process to observe and monitor progress. The patient shouldn't be taken for granted as his condition might worsen. For a rapid recovery, the doctor's advice must always be applied.

What are occipital nerve blocks?

An occipital block is an outpatient injection performed on either side of the head around the areas of the occipital nerves for pain relief. These are peripheral nerves supplying sensation to the base of the head moving up to the top of the head bilaterally.

What do they work well for?

Occipital nerve blocks have been studied in many research studies, and actually need a lot more research in some conditions to establish efficacy or not. One reason is a lot of these studies did not utilize a control, but just did a bunch and looked back at the results retrospectively.

It has been shown to work well for cluster headaches, cervicogenic headaches, and occipital neuralgia. Additionally, it has shown good results for patients who overuse narcotic medication and have headaches and possibly those in the withdrawal phases to make the headache pain less.

There are also multiple studies that have looked at it for migraines with encouraging results. These studies overall showed approximately a 50% good to excellent result from ONB's for anywhere from 1 to 6 months.

How are they performed?

The physician sterilizes the injection site and injects in and around the area of greatest tenderness to palpation. Typically the injection contains both numbing medicine along with a steroid, such as Kenalog or Depo-Medrol.

What is injected?

Most physicians who perform occipital nerve blocks will inject a steroid medication along with a numbing medication. The studies performed have not delineated whether or not the addition of the steroid is absolutely necessary to make the results last longer. It has been postulated that simply the numbing medicine can break the "cycle of pain" in multiple forms of headaches. Since the answer is unclear and the risk of adding the steroid is low, it is typically included.

Should multiple occipital nerve blocks be performed?

As with most pain management injections, occipital nerve blocks typically do not produce effective results forever. Therefore, they will most likely need repeating once they wear off.

An additional consideration is that if the initial nerve block works slightly, it may be repeated sooner rather than later (2 week point versus 3 months or so) to potentiate the results and give more effective pain relief.

Do patients need to have tenderness around the region of the occipital nerves to obtain relief from these nerve blocks?

Occipital neuralgia by definition involves tenderness around the occipital nerves. Cluster, tension, and migraine headaches may not have tenderness in these areas. One study showed that almost half of patients with migraines did in fact have tenderness in the area of the nerves.

The answer to that question is it is unclear if tenderness needs to be present for the injection to work. However, multiple research studies have in fact shown that in patients with tenderness around the occipital nerves that an occipital block has a higher chance of success than otherwise.

This is not to say that if tenderness does not exist around the occipital nerve that the injection would be unsuccessful.

Suffering from low back pain can be a real detriment to accomplishing daily tasks. Low back pain, also called lumbago, is a fairly common disorder that 80% of us will likely experience at some point in our lives. In fact, it is the primary cause of work-related disability in the US. Low back pain is caused by a number of potential factors, all of which involve some form of strain or sprain, infection, pressure, and swelling of the muscle, bone tissue, or the bone itself.

What do I do with this pain?

Most people suffering from lumbago do not consider surgery as their first choice in addressing their back pains. Doctors may recommend therapy, medication, changes in posture, adjustments in diet, and may even recommend surgery for more serious cases. However, if you're among those looking to hasten their recovery period from back pain, you may choose to undergo additional therapy, in addition to what your doctor recommends you to do.

What is the fastest way to support the recovery of my back pain?

A very highly successful alternative support to alleviate back pain symptoms is known as non-surgical spinal decompression therapy. It is a very technologically advanced form of traction which provides alternative relief of symptoms brought about by lower back pain.

What is spinal decompression therapy?

Decompression therapy is a non-surgical procedure that serves as a form of therapy for relieving pain due to lower back pressure, strain, disc displacement, and other faulty functions on one's lower back that cause pain. This form of therapy serves to effectively enhance the process of healing and hastens pain relief, enabling you to go back to your active lifestyle faster than the normal recovery period. Several clinical studies and research have already shown a high correlation between faster healing and spinal decompression therapy.

How does a spinal decompression therapy work?

A patient about to undergo spinal decompression lies on the treatment table. Then, a support system is fitted in order to stabilize the body. A highly advanced mechanism that is computer-controlled then adjusts the back to a certain angle in order to facilitate the next steps. The computer system will then generate an anti-gravity simulation effect on the patient's spine in order to reduce pain and pressure--essentially decompressing the affected area to relieve it of any tension. This process is painless, gentle, and patients feel only a pulling sensation every now and then. After the session, a cold pack paired with electric simulation of the muscles are then applied to the area to speed up the process of healing.

How long do I have to undergo decompression therapy?

Normally, a patient undergoes 15 to 20 sessions in order to maximize the effects of the therapy. Each session lasts for about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on each patient's special case. However, some patients report immediate relief even after only a few sessions. Others also report a huge reduction in the amount of pain after only one session. A patient doesn't have to fulfill a commitment of a particular number of sessions--it can be discontinued at the patient's discretion.

Spinal decompression therapy may produce favorable results on its own, but a typical program usually encourages the patient to engage in a couple of exercises. These exercises, to be specified by the decompression clinic, serve to strengthen the lower back muscles in order to avoid future recurrence of lower back pain.

Scoliosis is a condition that affects hundreds of thousands of people around the country. It usually begins in the early teen years and, statistically speaking, affects boys more than girls. There are grades of scoliosis, from slight to severe, and these come with their own set of symptoms and difficulties for the patient.

The normal spine, as seen from the side, has three curves. The cervical (neck) curve, thoracic (back) curve and the lumbar (low back) curve all serve a very important purpose and are highly important to optimal health. These curves enable the incredible movements that humans can achieve, and the better the curves the healthier the patient.

Seen from the front, however, the spine should be completely vertical. Scoliosis is when the spine, from the front, is curved. This abnormal curving, or misalignment, of the spine can cause a myriad of health problems, from simple mid-back pain to heart, lung, and other internal organ problems if it is severe enough.

The reason is that, when the spine is misaligned, the discs between the vertebrae begin to break down and the delicate nerves that pass through the spine become compressed. A chiropractor can diagnose the severity of the problem with diagnostic x-rays.

A slight scoliosis will cause occasional pain and discomfort, but moderate and severe scoliosis can cause life threatening problems for the patient over time. Scoliosis is also a progressive problem, meaning that without treatment it will get worse slowly but surely over time. A slight scoliosis will, with time, become severe and so must be treated as soon as possible.

The good news is that, if the patient is young enough and the scoliosis is detected in time, it can usually be cured. A cure, to be sure, is something that takes time, patience and diligence on the part of both chiropractor and patient. The younger the patient the better, but scoliosis can also be treated in adults of all ages and, while not completely curable, can be kept under control and the progression stopped or at least slowed.

A chiropractor uses a number of treatment protocols to treat scoliosis, and these can include chiropractic adjustments, spinal decompression therapy and cold laser therapy. Spinal decompression can actually help to straighten the spine and help the discs to heal, while cold laser therapy is excellent for the surrounding tissues like muscles and tendons.

A combination of all three of these treatments, plus possibly massage and others, can reduce the tension and stress of the spine due to the abnormal curve and help to greatly alleviate pain and other symptoms.

Scoliosis is not a disease and, interestingly, scientists still have not determined its cause. Whatever the cause may be, proper and ongoing treatment to reduce the curve and maintain the spine is necessary, sometimes for life.

Across the country, chiropractic care is available that can help the patient suffering from scoliosis and ensure that they have a healthier, longer life. If you believe that you might have scoliosis, why not schedule an appointment with a chiropractor today? Beginning treatment early in life is the best way to battle this painful but treatable condition.

Remember your mother or your teacher snapping at you to sit up straight and to stop slouching? It might have been annoying, but, as it turns out, they were right to correct you. Maintaining proper posture is the most important factor in preventing or reducing lumbar issues. It's also the simplest thing you can do to help reduce your own neck or back pain.

Maintaining healthy posture is important for keeping your spine strong and stable. When you slouch or slump, it puts additional pressure and strain on the muscles and ligaments that maintain balance. This in turn can lead to fatigue, back pain, muscle strains, headaches, weakened abdominal muscles and other issues. Bad posture can also cause movement or displacement of inter-vertebral discs, a common source of chronic back pain in chiropractic patients. It can also result in weakening of various muscle groups that help maintain correct posture, which can make it even harder to sit or stand properly.

Good posture, meanwhile, has many health benefits. It improves your airflow and helps maintain muscle strength in your torso. Good posture prevents strains, and is healthier for the muscular and skeletal systems. It also looks better - standing or sitting upright makes a person appear confident, put together, and assertive to others. You also look taller, thinner, and younger when standing up straight. Your good posture just may get you noticed!

What is Good Posture?

Contrary to popular belief, sitting or standing upright with your shoulders and head thrown back and your spine kept straight with your legs locked is not good posture. In fact, holding this position regularly is as harmful as slouching. Instead, a proper posture will maintain the natural curves of the spine.

The human spine has three natural curves:

- the cervical curve, a forward curve at the neck

- the thoracic curve, a backwards curve at the upper back

- the lumbar curve, a forward curve at the lower back

Proper posture will lead your back to naturally fall into this position, rather than exaggerating the curves and pulling on the back by slouching, or trying to straighten the curves and leading to stain.

Maintaining Good Posture

To have proper posture while standing, you should hold your chest high while you have your shoulders back and relaxed. Pull in your abdomen and buttocks while keeping your feet parallel and with your weight balanced evenly between them. Another way to help position yourself properly is to keep your ears, shoulders, and hips aligned together. Doing exercises, stretches, or yoga is a good way to strengthen the muscles used to maintain proper posture. If you've been slouching, these muscles may have become weakened, making it difficult to maintain your upright position.

Meanwhile, good seated posture involves keeping your neck, back, and heels aligned and feet flat on the floor. You should sit all the way back in the chair and use the chair back for support. Avoid bending or leaning forward, or natural slouching. Use of a lumbar pillow can help you maintain this position even if you forget about your posture or grow fatigued. Sitting this way reduces stresses on your back, which can help prevent or alleviate back pain.

Good posture is not just something that adults used as an excuse to yell at you during your childhood. It makes you look and feel better, and helps maintain muscle and skeletal health. Having good posture can keep you from suffering from back pain. So remember, sit up straight, stand up straight, and stop slouching. You don't even have to tell mom she was right.

If you have questions about your posture or back pain, visit a NJ chiropractor for a thorough analysis of your spine.

There is real hope today and for people with chronic back pain and for people with symptom such as sciatica, muscle spasms, stiffness, loss of mobility and numbness and tingling especially in the arms. These symptoms can be relieved and even, in many cases, completely cured. There is no surgery involved. No invasive procedure to alter the physiology. No pins, rods, fusions.

What is it? It is called Spinal Decompression.

Basically, it is a form of traction that is monitored by a computer. Unlike traction, there is no continuous pull on the back. During Spinal Decompression, you lie face down and the computer checks every 17th of a second whether your muscles are tense or relaxed. During tension the traction stops.

When you relax the Spinal Decompression device gently pulls, spreading the vertebrae and allowing relief from inflammation due to friction from bulging discs. As the vertebrae spreads the disc suctions the fluid that may have leaked out. Over time fibers in the tissues surrounding the disc re-hydrate, can heal and actually regenerate to their previous state. So instead of uncertain surgical procedures that alter the body, and often cause a different pain and loss of movement, spinal decompression actually heals and brings your body back toward its previous pain free state. Unlike with surgery, Spinal Decompression does not alter the anatomy of the back.

Who is Spinal Decompression for?

Anyone with a moderate to severe bulging discs in the lower back or neck.

An X-ray and MRI are required to get a baseline and see if you would benefit. Those with strained muscles or muscle injury would not benefit. Elderly people with loss of disc height, stiffness and pain would benefit. Whiplash and neck problems can also be helped. Case studies are phenomenal with a 90% recovery rate with great improvement in flexibility and reduction to complete elimination of pain. The amount of success depends on a person's severity of previous damage.

In a study reported in the Orthopedic Technology Review, Nov/Dec 2003 by Thomas Gionas MD and Eric Groteke DC, 229 people with major symptoms associated with herniated and degenerated disc disease underwent 20 decompression treatments over a six-week period. In 86 percent of the patients the pain levels were reduced to either a rating of zero (no pain), or one (occasional pain). These patients reported complete resolution of pain, lumbar range of motion was normalized, and there was recovery of sensory and motor loss.

After 90 days only 2 percent had relapsed and of the patients with abnormal findings at the end of therapy, only 3 percent still exhibited those findings at the end of 90 days, showing they continued to improve following the decompression therapy.

How long are treatments?

Each session lasts about a half an hour. And for the first 2 weeks you would go 4-5 times a week; after that 2-3 times a week. Six weeks is an average course of treatment, but the length can vary depending on severity of problem. Sessions are relaxing and comfortable.

During the first two weeks you are required to stay off your feet as much as possible - seemingly impossible with the busy lifestyles of today, but a small price to pay for freedom from pain.

Are there side effects?

In some cases of severe disc compression the process of decompressing can actually aggravate tissues that have been pressed together over time. During the first week or two, back pain can feel worse as areas become inflamed with movement. After 2 weeks, though, pain lessons and goes away.

In conclusion, Spinal Decompression is a virtually unknown treatment that gives hope for those multitudes of people with chronic back and neck pain. You will get the best results with proper nutrition and stress relief which will assist your body in healing. You really can return to the pain free and energetic lifestyle you used to have.

For general back health, it is good to keep moving. Don't sit for long periods of time. Magnesium is great supplement, because it helps to relax the muscles, and it is also used in the citric acid cycle for producing energy so it can help to energize the muscles. Supplements such as Vitamin C and glucosamine sulfate are beneficial for back pain because they help to build connective tissue. Shark cartilage helps to reduce inflammation.

There are a number of spinal decompression machine makers, and many that call themselves decompression that are really traction. A quality machine is the DRX 9000 C, because it also decompresses the cervical spine, has superior craftsmanship, and a patient friendly design.

Lower back stiffness is a common infliction that affects over eighty percent of the adult population at one point or another in their lifetime.

There also are many causes, and it can be hard to at once identify the source of the issue without medical intervention, ie. A trip to the doctor or chiropractor.

Some of the more common causes are probably going to be undertaking activity in which the body isn't used to, eg strenuous gardening or lifting of very heavy objects. This over-exertion may result in a slipped disk (or a herniated disk). This is a consequence of twisting, sometimes whilst lifting.

A slipped disk sounds worse than it potentially is. It is simply the frequency of your herniated disc becoming prominent, sometimes, but not always touching on some nerves. Back pain often resolves in a few weeks, with conservative treatment, but when it becomes chronic it can be a major issue, where many patients search for answers, like back surgery.

But back surgery is not always the answer for chronic back pain. There are other options, like non-surgical spinal decompression. Many individuals are still confused on how spinal decompression works, and they confuse it with lumbar traction.

There's a giant difference between them, how they're employed, the mechanics and the usefulness of every one. One of the explanations for that is because lumbar traction it's a lot more cost-effective and often times it is covered by health insurances, which usually don't cover for spinal decompression.

On a positive note, spinal decompression is frequently offered at chiropractors offices, and often times they've got some sort of payment plans that you can select from. Spinal decompression works by creating a vacuum effect in the lumbar discs and when doing so it draws nutrients and liquids in the discs, promoting cure of the wounded disks and the tissues around them.

Some of the indications of degenerative discs illness are high intradiscal pressures which cause the discs to bulge out and when they do so, they can press painfully on the nerve roots around them. Because of this, they are making a compressed environment which lacks oxygen and that has an effect on the healing process.

So, therefore, when you get treated with non surgical spinal decompression, negative pressures are produced inside the disc, this creates a vacuum effect and brings nutrients to the discs promoting their healing.

Another effect of this vacuum is that it assists in the retraction of the cushioning gel that has escaped from the herniated discs. The plan of lumbar traction is also to alleviate pressure, but it is done in an alternative way.

Due to the linear factor of traction, the muscles around the lumbar backbone can react adversely by going into spasms and causing bigger injury.

For lower back pain caused by overexertion, strain or sprain injuries, chiropractic, medications and injections may bring relief.

But for those suffering from chronic and more severe neck and back pain, there has been little rescue - until now. This new medical breakthrough, Spinal Decompression specializes.

in treating neck and lower back pain from Disc Bulges and Hernias, Sciatica, Stenosis, Degenerative Discs, Arthritis or facet syndrome. This non-surgical procedure is ideal for those with clinically Unstable low backs, have tried Medication unsuccessfully or have been scheduled for lengthy or alternative therapies. In fact, clinical studies have even shown spinal decompression is effective on patients scheduled for surgery or for those who unfortunately have already had surgery - and it failed them.

What is Spinal Decompression Therapy?

Spinal Decompression Therapy is proven to be a safe and effective means to treat severe and chronic neck and low back conditions. The program, consists of FDA-cleared non-surgical Spinal Decompression machine focusing on discal and arthritic conditions affecting the spine. Along with the decompression therapy, ancillary care is provided in the form of Physiotherapy modalities and procedures.

Who Invented Spinal Decompression Therapy?

It was developed by Dr. Allen Dyer, a world renowned medical researcher who invented the cardiac defibrillator that went around the globe to revive heart attack victims. Dr. Dyer holds an M.D., a Ph.D. and a pharmaceutical degree. He is the former deputy minister with Ministry of Health in Ontario, Canada. Dr. Nahali utilizes Dr. Dyer's treatment protocol to ensure that all of our patients receive individualized care according to their specific condition.

Medical Breakthrough. We spend 25% of our annual health care budget on low back pain, yet it remains at epidemic proportions today. With 30 million people in pain, many struggle to find a reliable treatment and few hold hopes of a permanent cure. For those who have been to numerous doctors or tried a variety of treatments or have been told to live with it, or are scheduled for lengthy therapy protocols or surgery, this is the breakthrough they have been Waiting for - and it is affordable for all.

How It Works

Non-surgical Spinal Decompression creates a negative pressure inside the disc, which draws in any bulging or herniated disc material, like suction. This stimulates the body to undergo a process known as "fibroblast
activity," producing fresh new tissues and cells. These new cells attach themselves to the torn fibers of the disc that cause its contents to bulge. In essence, it's like a bone healing. When complete, it is stronger than before. It is more of a cure than a temporary remedy.

How successful is this procedure? The success rate for Spinal Decompression Therapy is extremely high for patients who are candidates. This treatment makes changes in the spine. After recommended treatment program, patients will be on their way to optimal health again. Unlike surgical procedures, which only have a 40 percent success rate and have very high risks and complications, spinal decompression therapy has no side effects and is virtually pain free. Patients can also continue with their normal daily activities during this procedure.

So, what's all the hype about spinal decompression? It seems like the hot topic in the area of back pain these days. Well, research on this technique goes back a long way but governmental research on it is relatively recent which is why it's become more mainstream. Basically, anyone who has back, neck, arm or leg pain that is the result of a bulging or herniated disc can benefit from some form of spinal decompression therapy. Specific conditions that you may recognize from the names (such as sciatica, herniated or bulging or sequestrated discs, spinal stenosis, facet syndrome, spondylosis and even failed back surgeries) may be helped by spinal decompression.

So, how does this decompression work? Well, the disc is a contained unit. This means that if it gets wider (bulges) it has to get shorter and conversely, if it gets taller then it must get thinner. The center of the disc is called the nucleus pulposa and is roughly the consistency of the jelly in a jelly donut. I've got your attention now don't I?! Anyway, if the tough outer rings of the disc (called the annulus fibrosa) develop tears (either from wear and tear or from a large amount of pressure forcing the nucleus through the rings) then the nucleus starts "bulging" out through. Basically what decompression does is put traction on that particular disc making it "taller" which in turn creates a negative pressure inside the disk drawing the nucleus back toward the center of the disc making it "thinner." This reduces or eliminates the bulge thus taking the pressure off of the nerves.

Research suggests that the best results are achieved with 20 sessions over a six week period however in our experience we typically see slightly quicker results than this. Also, it's important to remember that this is referring to the "best" results and that the actual pain is normally greatly reduced or eliminated in a shorter time frame.

The typical costs of spinal decompression therapy range from around $2000 to $6000 which sounds fairly expensive but in reality is very inexpensive when all factors are considered. One of those factors is that in researching this, it seems as though the insurance co pays involved with the surgery option may be more than $2000 so that amount is still being paid by the patients. Now, this is taking into consideration all of the surgery, hospital and therapy cost but NOT the lost time off of work or any of those associated costs. Another factor to consider is the risk of the surgery itself. Finally, one of the most important factors to consider, especially in light of the above facts is that the Journal of the American Medical Association recently contained a study showing that surgery is no more effective than non-invasive treatments (read "chiropractic, spinal decompression, etc.") for patients with lumbar disc herniations causing sciatica!!

Finding Relief from Sciatica

Finding relief from sciatica can be a challenge. Sciatica pain, at its extreme can be burning sensation which radiates down the back of the leg, making it difficult to move. Many health practitioners believe finding pain relief for sciatica should be the first priority in a patient's treatment. Movement helps to speed the healing process and many sufferers are reluctant to resume everyday activities while suffering from the pain sciatica can bring about.

Over the Counter Drugs

The first thing to try in the search for relief from sciatica is over the counter pain relievers. Aspirin, an anti-inflammatory agent, can help tremendously in relieving pain, but for some can cause gastrointestinal upset. Ibuprofen and naproxen are much easier on the stomach. For ibuprofen to have an anti-inflammatory effect, many physicians have suggested taking 600mg per dose. Acetaminophen, another common pain reliever works differently than ibuprofen and naproxen and can be used in conjunction with them for stronger pain relief from sciatica.

Finding comfortable positions

People seeking relief from sciatica should try not to sit for extended periods of time. Sitting can compress the spine, putting more pressure on the sciatic nerve and causing more pain. If sitting cannot be avoided, frequent breaks should be taken to decompress the spine. Standing is also hard on the spine and should be limited as much as possible in order to find relief from sciatica. Lying with the hips raised on a pillow is usually the best position that does not aggravate pressure on the sciatic nerve. Some individuals find lying on the side with a pillow between their legs and another supporting their arms to be ideal for finding pain relief for sciatica.

Ice and heat

Ice packs and heating pads are two very effective ways to seek relief from sciatica. Ice both decreases inflammation and numbs pain. To prevent frostbite, ice packs should be limited for about fifteen minutes at a time. Heating pads are great for pain relief for sciatica and can be used for longer periods. Care should be taken to avoid using too high of a heat setting in order to prevent burns.

Prescription drugs

When the over the counter drugs and home treatments fail to bring relief from sciatica, stronger medications may be needed. A physician can prescribe higher doses of naproxen, ibuprofen or other NSAIDs such as nambumetone. If these fail to bring pain relief for sciatica, steroids can be then be prescribed. Taken in pyramiding dosages, steroids such as prednisone can bring about dramatic relief from sciatica. Sometimes a doctor will recommend steroids injected directly into the site of inflammation which for some individuals can mean almost instantaneous relief. As a last resort, narcotic analgesics may be prescribed. These, however, can be habit forming and should be used with caution.

Chiropractic help

Another way of finding pain relief for sciatica is to visit a chiropractor. If a herniated disc is the underlying cause, manual adjustments can help realign the spinal disc, taking the pressure off the sciatic nerve. If muscle spasms are causing the problem, then the chiropractor may suggest massage or other types of manipulation to help find relief from sciatica.

Physical Therapy

Many doctors will recommend physical therapy when treating a patient for sciatica. Physical therapists have a number of tools to help bring about relief from sciatica. They can create a program of stretches and exercises to alleviate acute pain, use various devices such as a TENS unit (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) to provide relief from sciatica or even do a mechanical decompression of the spine. Physical therapists can also instruct patients on more advanced exercise programs aimed at preventing another episode of sciatica.

Ultrasounds are one of the most important tests performed during pregnancy because they allow the doctor to see how the baby is growing and how the organs are developing. Ultrasounds are also a wonderful bonding moment as the baby's family has the chance to actually see the baby for the first time. Ultrasounds can also detect issues such as placenta previa and premature dilation of the cervix.

The 3D Ultrasound Process
At the beginning of an ultrasound a special gel is rubbed over the woman's abdomen and a wand that emits sound waves is rubbed across the gel. The sound waves travel into the abdomen and bounce off the baby to create an image for the doctor to analyze and the family to treasure. A 3D ultrasound is more detailed than a traditional ultrasound, allowing everyone in the room to see the baby's facial expressions and get an idea of what the baby's features will look like at birth.

When Should You Get a 3D Ultrasound
Women often have at least two or three ultrasounds during the course of their pregnancy. It is best to get a 3D ultrasound between 24 weeks and 28 weeks gestation because the baby will be fully developed and have fat under their skin without being squished in the womb. After 30 weeks gestation the baby is difficult to take pictures of because they are too crowded in the womb. A baby at less than 20 weeks gestation doesn't have fat under their skin so it is difficult to see what their facial features will actually look like.

Sonogram
A sonogram is the picture that the person performing the ultrasound prints out for the baby's mother to show their family and friends. The best sonograms come from 3D ultrasounds because they are very detailed and you can usually see facial expressions as well as individual fingers and toes. Many women frame these photos for the baby's nursery walls or have them made into a memory book they can keep forever and show the baby exactly how they looked before they were born.

Risks of 3D Ultrasound
An ultrasound is one of the best tests that can be performed during pregnancy because it is not invasive and there is very little risk involved. It can be uncomfortable to lie on your back for a long period of time in late pregnancy and some sonographers press too hard with the wand, but most sonographers will do whatever they can to keep the pregnant woman comfortable during their ultrasound. There is some debate as to whether or not 3D ultrasounds carry more risk than regular ultrasounds. Most doctors recommend that women don't have ultrasounds performed on their abdomen more than once per month unless it is absolutely necessary for the health of the baby.

When a patient has neck surgery, the results are typically much better than for surgery of the low back. The reason is that the indications for surgery in the cervical spine are much better defined than they are for the lumbar region.

Allow me to explain why. A few decades ago, studies were done looking at neck surgery for patients who had neck pain that was not radiating into the arms. This is called axial neck pain and was due to arthritis in the joints of the neck. The results showed that outcomes for neck surgery for this reason were fairly poor. Patients did not get substantially better, and there was a high incidence of patients needing further surgery within a few years. So surgeons stopped doing it.

Due to this, the indications for neck surgery have been fairly well defined. Here is a list of 4 indications for neck surgery.

1. Fracture with instability. Patients who are involved in a car accident or a trauma may end up with broken bones in their neck and an unstable spinal column. These individuals need surgery in their cervical spine to prevent a spinal cord injury from occurring. One interesting reason for neck surgery is if the patient has no evidence of fracture on the imaging studies, but significant instability on the dynamic x-rays.

2. Herniated disc with radiculopathy- just because a patient has a herniated disc in their cervical spine with radiculopathy does not mean surgery is absolutely necessary. The term radiculopathy refers to when the herniated disc is pushing on a nerve root and causing pain down the arm in the sensory distribution of that nerve. If a person has muscle weakness from the nerves being pinched, that is more of an indication for surgery than simply having pain.

If a person tries conservative treatments for over 6 weeks and the pain is not getting better, surgery can be considered. The results of surgery for a pinched nerve in the neck are very good at over 90 to 95% success rates. If a person does have motor weakness as mentioned, it should not be watched for a very long time as if it doesn't get better even if they technically perfect surgery is performed the motor weakness may not improve if there was too long of a wait before doing the surgery.

3. Spinal stenosis- this is a problem that comes on from arthritis causing bony overgrowth along with soft tissue overgrowth. These can result in multiple cervical nerve roots being pinched. Because of this, a person may have significant pain going down one or both arms. Surgery for spinal stenosis is a quality of life decision, and is not mandatory. If the pain is treated nonoperatively and it simply is not getting better, as an elective decision then a decompression to free up the pinched nerves may help substantially.

4. Spinal cord compression- a person's cervical spinal cord may be compressed for a number of reasons. There may be a tumor in the area that's pushing on spinal cord. Also, the person may have a disorder called cervical myelopathy which may be a result of a large disc herniation that is calcified and is pushing on the spinal cord itself. The spinal cord can react against this and start to shrink. It is a good idea when the shrinking begins to happen to go ahead and have a decompression surgery as waiting too long may not reverse the resulting problem.

Neck surgery for these conditions often has a great outcome. The fact that neck surgery for pain that stays in the neck due to arthritis has been out of favor for a long time once again is the reason that the surgeries tend to do much better.

Fred Cassi knows a lot of things. He's like a walking encyclopedia. Ever since we were kids he'd have the most interesting facts and stories. He'd tell us about astronauts, sunken treasure, ancient history, aviation, you name it. Some of the other kids used to call him "the whiz" because he always had interesting facts at his fingertips.

I ran into Fred a couple of days ago after not seeing him for several years and he still knows a lot of things. Neither of us were very busy so we sat down together for coffee. Fred was telling me about how he'd hurt his back a couple of years ago. He said it was the strangest thing. All he was doing was pushing his young daughter on a swing he'd hung from a tree for her in the back yard. Starting out, everything was fine. Then, with one little push, he felt like he couldn't even stand. He slowly made his way to the house in tremendous pain and had his wife drive him to the emergency room. He'd never even had a twinge of spinal pain before that day.

He went on to explain the ordeal of suffering he experienced over the months following the lower back injury. He talked about the lost time from work, the constant pain, treatments that did little to relieve the pain, and the ineffective therapy sessions. He said that there came a point where he wasn't sure he could go on, or that he wanted to. And finally, he told me how he ended up getting complete relief of the constant pain. But before I explain that, I'd like to tell you some of the things Fred told me about back injuries. I was amazed with the information but not a bit surprised that Fred had it.

• In 1998 medical costs to treat lower back injuries in the United States were $26,000,000,000 (26 Billion Dollars).


• In the same year lost productivity due to back injuries of workers from age 40 to age 65 amounted to $7,400,000,000 (7.4 Billion Dollars).


• More than 85% of patients who first visit primary care physicians have nonspecific lower back pain (LBP), or pain that is not easily associated to a specific disease.


• In the United States lower back pain is the most common reason for admission to a hospital.


• By age 50, 10% of the population shows mild disc degeneration. By age 70, 60% of vertebral discs are severely degenerated.


• Lower back pain is the second most common complaint and reason for an individual to visit a doctor.


• Lower back injuries are the most expensive work related injuries in the U.S.


• Lower back injuries are the third most common reasons for surgery in America.


• Leg pain or mechanical LBP accounts for 97% of all cases of LBP.


• Recent evidence suggests that up to 60 percent of people suffering from lower back injuries experience one or more relapses.

He went on to say that the treatment of spinal problems is a huge drag on productivity in the workplace and it has a direct effect on the economy of the United States. I wasn't surprised at how much he knew. Since he didn't seem to be experiencing any discomfort while we were talking I asked him how he got well. As usual, he was a fountain of information on this as well.

Fred described a relatively new treatment for sufferers of all types of spinal pain, from the neck to the lower back. It's called spinal decompression. He explained that one thing common to most suffering is that the spine becomes compressed, meaning the vertebrae move closer together causing undue tension on surrounding muscles and the spinal nerve. He also mentioned that the vertebrae sometimes become misaligned. What spinal decompression does is separates the vertebrae releasing the tension. Here's how they do it.

A patient is secured firmly to a platform called a decompression table using padded blocks and straps. It's very important that he or she remains immobilized for the treatment to work. Once in place the table moves slowly and gently, separating the vertebrae and releasing the tension. He even said that the patient or an attendant has a safety switch incase the table were to cause any pain. Fred told me that once he found out about spinal decompression and got going with treatments, he was on the way to getting his life back. You could see he was enthusiastic about the technology.

Finally, he told me that spinal decompression was almost like a miracle for people suffering from a wide range of spinal problems. It's used to treat sciatica, herniated discs, arm and leg pain and tingling associated with spinal problems, degenerative disc disease and sometimes spinal stenosis. Man, did he know a lot. But then, the whiz always has

Peripheral neuropathy affects millions of Americans every year. There are three different types of peripheral neuropathy, and they differ significantly both in the numbers of people afflicted and the severity of each different type.

The first type of peripheral neuropathy and the most common type is termed a polyneuropathy. This is most commonly caused by diabetes. The effect is on multiple nerves in the peripheral extremities, potentially including the feet, along with the hands. The nerves in the extremities with diabetes become affected to a varying extent, and a patient may end up having numbness, tingling, pins and needles, or severe pain. The extent of the pain may be different from one extremity to another, and may simply affect the lower extremities and not the hands.

It's not always diabetes that causes a polyneuropathy; it may be of use of drugs like alcohol, heavy metal toxicity such as with lead, utilization of drugs for cancer or infectious diseases, and a multitude of other disorders that can lead to polyneuropathy. At times, the cause is unknown, and this is called idiopathic.

The second type of peripheral neuropathy is called a mononeuropathy. A good example of a mononeuropathy would be carpal tunnel syndrome. The carpal tunnel syndrome involves compression of one peripheral nerve, that being the median nerve. It is extremely common condition and affects people in varying severity. It may be that it's a minor nuisance, and others may be bothered so badly by it that they need a carpal tunnel release surgery in order to stop the numbness, pain, and tingling. There are a multitude of other conditions where peripheral nerves by themselves are compressed, such as cubital tunnel syndrome or tarsal tunnel syndrome in the foot. The severity of the mononeuropathy may wax and wane, and steroid injections can help decrease the symptoms nicely in order to avoid surgery.

The third type of peripheral neuropathy is called mononeuritis multiplex. This disorder is a fairly complicated, painful condition involving at least 2 separate nerve areas. It is actually a group of disorders that is associated with disorders such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis, amyloidosis, Lyme disease, and potentially numerous other conditions. The incidence of mononeuritis multiplex in the US is actually unknown.

When it comes to treatment for the condition, the main factor is whether or not the underlying disorder can be figured out. If so, and be corrected, the neuropathy symptoms may somewhat abate. Or they might not, in which case there are various medications that can stem the tide of pain.

Non-surgical spinal decompression is one of the safest and highly effective lower back decompression therapy options that help to relieve pain emanating from the spine. When most people start getting chronic back pain, they opt for the surgical treatments which are quite expensive and also high risk, with no guarantee that they will effectively get rid of the problem. When one is presented with a surgery-free, less expensive, and more effective option, it should be obvious that they would naturally take advantage of it. This is exactly what non-surgical spinal decompression is all about; an option to avoid surgery but guarantee yourself relief.

Lower Back Decompression - How It Is Done

Non-surgical spinal decompression is a form of therapy that uses a mechanical traction device and a decompression table. This device works together with an on-board computer that is able to control the spinal disc distraction, angle, and force. This effectively reduces the body's own ability to produce muscle spasm or resist external force. This control is what allows traction force to be applied to the discs by the decompression tables on to which a patient lies during the non-surgical spinal decompression procedure. The result is reduced pressure through the gentle separation of the vertebrae from each other which creates a kind of vacuum effect.

Decompression works through a series of 15 1-minute alternating relaxation and decompression cycles that last a total of 30 minutes per session. This is repeated for a number of weeks until the desired results are obtained. The pressure created, though gradual, helps to induce the retraction of the bulging or the herniated discs away from the nerve roots and back in to the disc. This is what results in the pain relief. The continuous cycles of decompression and relaxation promote oxygen, nutrients and water diffusion into the discs from the area outside the discs. This results in the healing and repair of the damaged, degenerated, and torn disc fibers.

Lower back decompression - The Procedure

To apply this therapy technique for lower back pain, a chiropractor will have the patient lie down on their back or stomach on a decompression table. They will apply some nicely padded straps that are snug around the patient's waist as well as around the chest. This makes this therapy option comfortable, enjoyable and very easy to tolerate.

Why Go For This Therapy Option?

This therapy procedure can be used to effectively correct bulging discs, pinched nerves, herniated discs, sciatica, and degenerative disc disease, among others. This is why it becomes a viable option in bringing relief for chronic lower back pain. Before going for this procedure, it is important to go for a screening session in order to find out if you are a candidate that can be accepted for the therapy or whether you need to go for a different procedure. Talk to your doctor about this to get guidance.

Here is the bottom line; if you are considering lower back decompression, you should avoid going for the surgical options and instead stick with the non-surgical spinal decompression option which is safer, more enjoyable, and highly effective, on top of being relatively cheaper.

A significant number of people have the experience of going to bed every night with a normal back and waking up in the morning with a sore one. Why is that? Why is morning low back soreness so common, and what causes it? As will be discussed in this article, the phenomenon is not that rare, and is caused by changes in the spine and the discs overnight.

When people go to bed, their spines actually increase in length. This is a result of the pressure in the discs in between the vertebrae changing. In fact, one study done in 1984 showed that people's sitting height can dramatically decrease throughout the day -- up to 19 millimeters in some cases. This is due to the discs losing some of the fluid that built up during sleep.

A spine that has spent the night horizontal and building up fluid is a spine that has lost some of its flexibility, as well. This is why people may wake up and feel that their lower back is sore and they just feel "stiff" upon rising from bed. Especially the ability to bend forward and flex the spine can be compromised after a night of sleep. The discs have expanded during the course of the night, built up fluid, and the spine has become more resistant to such bending.

The good news is that this soreness does not usually last all day, and there are actions that people can take to reduce their low back soreness in the morning. In fact, due to the changes in the disc pressure during the night, it is quite important for some people who are especially at risk of injuring or re-injuring their backs to take precautions in the morning to ensure their spinal health throughout the day.

The most important action to take is to avoid much forward bending for the first hour upon waking. The discs of the spine will lose about 90% of the pressure and extra height they have gained during the night in the first hour after getting out of bed. Because of the increased pressure during this first hour, though, doing any kind of spinal flexing or exercises that involve the back may be best avoided until later in the day.

People who are currently suffering from a back injury or who are in physical therapy for rehabilitation of an injury are frequently prescribed various spine exercises. While these can help with the healing process, if they involve a lot of flexing or extension of the spine, it may be best not to do these right after getting up. Exercises to increase stability and muscle endurance can help, but not if they exacerbate symptoms in the mornings.

Finally, the best advice may just be to stay aware that the spine increases in length during the night and the discs increase in pressure. But after the first hour or two after rising, most people's sore backs may begin to feel normal again. It is most important not to round the back or flex too much in morning, as just this simple avoidance of full flexion can help reduce the pain of a sore lower back.

Our spine is such a vital part of our body and health. The central nervous system is housed there, which we need for vital functionality of our body. From time to time discs can bulge and become herniated, causing someone intense pain. When a disc protrudes and disrupts spinal alignment, it becomes a serious issue and one that should be addressed by a chiropractor.

Luckily, if you do struggle with a disc problem, degeneration, or arthritis, there is a therapy that can correct this issue. Therapies are a better alternative to surgery in most cases. While some extreme cases demand surgery. Most prefer therapy because it is not invasive and requires little to no recovery time. Overall, it's a much smoother transition from pain to wellness.

The therapy is called spinal decompression therapy. It targets your spine and discs, enabling them to align and receive the necessary nutrition they need. Through a series of stretches of the body with a coordinated machine, the spine is able to align. A gentle force is applied every minute to stretch the body and then the force is reduced. These stretches allow the body to heal and pump in a way that precious nutrition is released to the spine and discs.

One visit to the chiropractor to get spinal decompression therapy will not provide the necessary relief you need. The difference between surgery and therapy is that you need repeated treatment over a period of time to receive relief and return to a healthy lifestyle. It's a commitment to get better to make your body well. Many people are making the commitment because it works and it brings relief.

Not only is therapy a better alternative to surgery, but the costs are much lower and are covered by some insurance providers. Check with your insurance to see if you qualify for coverage of this therapy. Even if you don't qualify for a full refund, you may get some of the costs reduced.

What are you waiting for? If you're struggling with herniated or degenerative discs and arthritis, then it's time to talk to a chiropractor about spinal decompression therapy. You need to get relief and get back to living your life. It takes time and effort to get better, but this the best offer you have for therapy. Start living a healthier life after you start spinal decompression therapy. Health is just on the other side.

Neck pain is a common and costly medical expense in the United States. The probability of having a cervical pain condition may increase as we age due to the fact that the neck supports the head weight while it turns, tilts and nods. Neck aches or discomfort may be alleviated if the underlying problem is corrected.

Neck problems may be caused by ongoing stress to the bones, joints or soft tissues of the cervical spine and neighboring structures. Pain radiating down the arms may be caused by cervical spinal stenosis or a herniated disc. Neck problems which are referred to as a muscle strain could also include injury of other soft tissues of the cervical spine. Injured soft tissues could include the intervertebral disc, ligaments surrounding the spinal segment, and muscles. Other possible causes of cervical conditions may include whiplash or poor posture. A characteristic of neck discomfort may include neck or shoulder stiffness, dizziness, headache and facial soreness. Symptoms related to spinal cord compression may involve gait instability and very fine motor irregularities of the hands.

Conservative care is the primary treatment for neck pain patients. Generally, mild neck pain may simply be treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, ice, and rest. Additional treatment options for cervical pain related conditions may include, heat and electrical stimulation, anesthetic creams or gels, ultrasound, massage therapy, acupuncture, spinal manipulation, physical therapy, pain medication, injections and surgery. Most cervical pain treatment options are intended to alleviate pain and assist the cervical spine in the strengthening process, which leads to further ease in mobility, proper posture, and function.

Patients are discovering an alternative treatment method called non-surgical spinal decompression therapy. A well-known device called the DRX9000C [http://www.axiomworldwide.com/drx9000c.aspx], provides patients a program of treatments for relief from neck pain. Application of cyclic forces decompresses intervertebral discs, achieving pain relief associated with herniated discs, protruding discs, degenerative disc disease, posterior facet syndrome, and bulging discs. While non-surgical spinal decompression therapy is a relatively new treatment method, candidates for this treatment are finding pain relief from their cervical spine related conditions.

Although, neck pain continues to be an ongoing civic health dilemma and is a common cause of disability, non-surgical spinal decompression therapy offers an alternative in the quest to provide patients with pain relief.

This article is not intended nor should be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. Consult your physician before considering any medical treatment method available.

Nearly everyone, over the course of their lives, will experience some sort of joint pain. Chronic pain in the form of osteoarthritis is the mot common disorder affecting the joints and is nearly universal in people over the age of 80. For this reason, it is important that people know the symptoms of this degenerative disease, as well as some of the methods that doctors use to reduce pain and keep the joints healthy.

While osteoarthritis is common in people over age 80, it begins to manifest itself in people who are in their 40s and 50s. Below the age of 40, it is mostly men who have the degenerative joint disease and it is usually related to some sort of traumatic experience. From ages 40 to 70, though, it is mostly women who have osteoarthritis. By the time people hit their 80s, however, the distribution is even between men and women.

Osteoarthritis is referred to as a degenerative joint disease due to the loss of cartilage protecting the bones in the joints and the changes this loss of cartilage leads to. Pain in the joints, stiffness when using the affected joints, and occasional swelling are some of the symptoms indicating a potential loss of cartilage. It can begin with trauma, inflammation, or defects in the way the body makes and breaks down cartilage.

The end result of any of the causes of osteoarthritis, though, is that the protective cartilage breaks down and the bones become exposed and are able to rub up against each other when a joint is moved through a range of motion. Osteophytes, also known as bone spurs, can develop on the affected bones in an effort to maintain the stability of the joint. Ligaments and tendons can also become irritated and inflamed, and the muscles can get weaker, leading to further instability.

For older people, osteoarthritis of the spinal column can be a major problem. While the risk of herniating a disc lessens as people age, the risk of arthritis causing serious back pain increases. Osteoarthritis of the vertebrae can increase the chances of damaging the ligaments. Ligament damage in the back can be debilitating and can take months or years to heal fully.

A back doctor should evaluate anyone who has potential osteoarthritis of the spine, and x-rays can confirm the degeneration of the cartilage in any of the joints most affected. If the disease is suspected or confirmed by x-rays, it then becomes important to maintain joint function, range of motion, and the health of the cartilage protecting against bone rubbing on bone. Stretching and flexibility exercises can be used to mitigate the loss of mobility.

Various treatments can be used for reducing pain from osteoarthritis, including massage, acupuncture, and topical ointments to reduce pain and swelling. In extreme cases, surgery and total joint replacement may be used if all else has failed. Supplements such as MSM and glucosamine and chondroitin, if given enough time to work, may help reduce the rate of cartilage breakdown in some individuals.