- Anatomy of The Spine
- Back Pain in Children
- Caring for your Spine
- Emerging Spinecare Trends
- Evaluation of Spinal Disorders
- Exercise and The Spine
- Intervention - Spinal Disorders
- Intervertebral Disc
- Non Surgical Options
- Nutrition and Spinecare
- Options for Spine Treatments
- Pregnancy and Back Pain
- Prevalence of Spine Disorders
- Sleep and the Spine
- Spinecare Introduction
- Spinehealth and Disease
- Surgical Interventions
- Treatment with Medications
- Understanding Back Pain
Spinecare Topics
Spine - Health and Disease
The Healing Spine
Disc Repair
The intervertebral disc has a limited capacity to repair. Often the degenerative and repair processes within the intervertebral disc occur simultaneously but at different rates. There are specialized cells within the disc referred to as chondrocytes that become activated after acute compromise of the disc. Cells, which are not themselves compromised, can become activated thus contributing to the repair process. The reparative response includes the cellular production of a chemical referred to as proteoglycans that contributes to the sealing of annular (disc fibers) tears within the disc. After compromise of disc tissues, the degenerative process also begins. Chemicals referred to as proteolytic or protein-dissolving enzymes are released from damaged cells that contribute to further breakdown of tissues. There is a greater capacity for disc repair along the periphery or outer portion of the disc than in the center.
The deeper layers of the intervertebral disc do not repair well. They have a limited capacity to form scar and therefore undergo more progressive degenerative changes. The size of an intervertebral disc can change with time. Over time the degenerative intervertebral disc often becomes smaller in volume due to a loss of water content. The degenerative process and related dehydration (desiccation) within the central portion of the disc contributes to a decrease in the size of a disc protrusion/herniation.
An intervertebral disc can also become smaller due to a process called resorption that is associated with the gradual breakdown/deterioration of the chemical and supportive infrastructure of the disc. The resorption process involves a number of complex cellular and biochemical mechanisms including dehydration (loss of water content), fragmentation (loss of physical integrity of supporting tissues) and phagocytic (white blood cell) clean up associated with the inflammatory process. Time can be an important healing factor relative to back pain.
Cartilage Repair
Articular cartilage is a remarkable tissue that helps to protect bony surfaces of joints. The layer of articular cartilage also reduces friction between joint surfaces. Cartilage plays an important role in spine health. There is a layer of cartilage along the top and bottom surfaces of the vertebral bodies adjacent to the intervertebral disc and along the surface of the facet joints at each level of the spine. It is generally accepted that cartilage does not have its own blood supply and it does not have nerve (pain) endings.
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The Healing Spine
Complications of Scar Tissue
Perfect restoration of spinal tissue function after injury or surgery is unlikely. Some degree of scar formation almost always occurs, even with surgical sutures.
Perfect restoration of spinal tissue function after injury or surgery is unlikely. Some degree of scar formation almost always occurs, even with surgical sutures.
- Risk of interference with normal function.
- Limited spinal segment movement
- Scar tissue is not functional.
- Scar tissue is not elastic
- Scar tissue can cause strictures
- Adhesions to adjacent structures may occur that Interfere with normal function
Disc Repair
The intervertebral disc has a limited capacity to repair. Often the degenerative and repair processes within the intervertebral disc occur simultaneously but at different rates. There are specialized cells within the disc referred to as chondrocytes that become activated after acute compromise of the disc. Cells, which are not themselves compromised, can become activated thus contributing to the repair process. The reparative response includes the cellular production of a chemical referred to as proteoglycans that contributes to the sealing of annular (disc fibers) tears within the disc. After compromise of disc tissues, the degenerative process also begins. Chemicals referred to as proteolytic or protein-dissolving enzymes are released from damaged cells that contribute to further breakdown of tissues. There is a greater capacity for disc repair along the periphery or outer portion of the disc than in the center.
The deeper layers of the intervertebral disc do not repair well. They have a limited capacity to form scar and therefore undergo more progressive degenerative changes. The size of an intervertebral disc can change with time. Over time the degenerative intervertebral disc often becomes smaller in volume due to a loss of water content. The degenerative process and related dehydration (desiccation) within the central portion of the disc contributes to a decrease in the size of a disc protrusion/herniation.
An intervertebral disc can also become smaller due to a process called resorption that is associated with the gradual breakdown/deterioration of the chemical and supportive infrastructure of the disc. The resorption process involves a number of complex cellular and biochemical mechanisms including dehydration (loss of water content), fragmentation (loss of physical integrity of supporting tissues) and phagocytic (white blood cell) clean up associated with the inflammatory process. Time can be an important healing factor relative to back pain.
Cartilage Repair
Articular cartilage is a remarkable tissue that helps to protect bony surfaces of joints. The layer of articular cartilage also reduces friction between joint surfaces. Cartilage plays an important role in spine health. There is a layer of cartilage along the top and bottom surfaces of the vertebral bodies adjacent to the intervertebral disc and along the surface of the facet joints at each level of the spine. It is generally accepted that cartilage does not have its own blood supply and it does not have nerve (pain) endings.
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