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Degenerated Discs & Neck Muscles Do Well with Exercise & Manipulation

Disc degeneration and muscle degeneration often coincide. Muscles deteriorate just like discs do. And Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka offers a one-two relieving punch for them both: spinal manipulation and exercise.  Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka observes the trend: Sitka neck pain and back pain patients gain more when their Sitka chiropractic care includes diverse approaches to pain relief like spinal manipulation, exercise, nutrition, etc. New and old research supports this observation.

While it’s not a new finding that muscle degeneration is as common as disc degeneration or that they often exist together, it’s clearly important for all of us – doctors and patients alike – to understand. As far back as 1992, Parkkola reported this phenomenon as it relates to low back pain. As a matter of fact, he pointed out that muscle degeneration can be seen on MRI. Now, your Sitka chiropractor can also see it clinically without an MRI: fatty deposits around the spine and muscle atrophy give it away. (1) For this reason, Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka often encourages Sitka back pain and neck pain patients to exercise and strengthen their spinal muscles with some basic exercises that aren’t hard but are effective. Via exercise combined with the spinal manipulation Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka offers, pain relief may be within reach.

So first, exercise. Exercise for neck pain patients is important. This is particularly true for post-whiplash patients. New research shows that neck exercises significantly improved patients’ neck disability index scores as well as their self-efficacy scale and their health related quality of life scores.  (2) So, our Sitka chiropractic patients, it’s important to do exercises that are a suggested part of your Sitka chiropractic care program.

Now, the other part of the Sitka chiropractic care program is spinal manipulation. Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka offers spinal manipulation as a core part of the treatment plan. A recent study of senior patients with chronic neck pain ties spinal manipulative therapy with home exercise to greater pain reduction. Now, the home exercise is self-directed which makes it simple. A comparison group had supervised home exercise, but that didn’t show any better outcomes than the self-directed home exercise with spinal manipulation!  (3) Sitka chiropractic patients find our Cox Technic spinal manipulation to be relieving, gentle, safe and segment specific.

So contact Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka today for your spinal pain which likely include muscle degeneration as well as disc degeneration. The Sitka chiropractic spinal manipulation plus exercise just may be the relieving combination you’re looking for!

 
 
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"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."