You have, no doubt, heard the old saying, When you consider the alternative, getting old isn’t so bad.” But, if the aging process is creating pain in your body, you are painfully aware that aging is no joke! As a Santa Barbara chiropractor, when it comes to musculoskeletal problems, I see too many age-related breakdowns that probably would not have taken place if the original cause had been eliminated earlier. Poor posture, improper gait, and repetitive overuse frequently produce needless stress in the back, neck, hip, knees, and even the feet that can result in painful challenges over time. But, as another saying goes, “Hindsight is 20-20.” If we only knew back then how our aging body would feel today!
Back pain is number one on the list as the most prevalent musculoskeletal problem to take place as we age. Age-related back pain is most commonly produced by a degenerative disorder known as Spondylosis (spine osteoarthritis).
Spinal osteoarthritis is caused by advanced erosion and weight-bearing pressure on the spine that, over time, does harm to the discs, joints, and surrounding ligaments. The area of the body and measure of the degenerative process of spondylosis varies from person to person. It might affect the cervical (neck), thoracic (mid-back), or lumbar (low back) areas of the spine. Spondylosisi symptoms very from person to person and depend on the severity of the degeneration, and can extend from minor pain and numbness to severe sensory loss and muscular atrophy.
Calcium is deposited in the tissues around the vertebrae due to repetitive stresses that abnormally affect the cartilage around the joints Adjacent nerves, blood vessels, and soft tissue can be constricted by these calcific deposits, also called bone spurs. This kind of compression is at the root of Spondylosis.
Regular chiropractic adjustments and overall chiropractic management has been shown to significantly slow the aging process of the spine whether or not you are suffering from spondylosis. It may be true that “you can’t un-ring a bell” or “turn back the hands of time,” but it’s never too late to give your spine the good treatment it deserves. Chiropractors are experts when it comes to treatment of the spine. See your Santa Barbara Chiropractor today, for the health of your spine.
