Recommended Therapies for Disc Degeneration & Arthritic Pain

Chiropractic Adjustments

• Restore mobility and alignment in stiff, arthritic segments
• Reduce joint compression and improve weight distribution
• Help prevent further degeneration by correcting abnormal loading patterns

Spinal Decompression

• Gently increases space between vertebrae
• Helps rehydrate discs (essential for slowing degeneration)
• Reduces compression on arthritic joints and nerve roots
• Excellent for patients with chronic disc height loss or stenosis

Laser Therapy (Erchonia Class II & Class IV Summus)

• Reduces inflammation and swelling in degenerated joint capsules
• Boosts healing of irritated ligaments and surrounding tissues
• Helps calm chronic arthritic pain

Shockwave Therapy

• Reduces scar tissue and adhesions around stiff lumbar joints
• Stimulates blood flow in areas where arthritis has limited circulation
• Helps improve mobility and reduce long-standing inflammation

PEMF Pelvic-Floor Stabilization Therapy

• Strengthens the pelvic floor—the foundation of the lumbar spine
• Reduces compensatory stress on arthritic or degenerating segments
• Enhances overall spinal stability
  

NERDS ONLY — The Deep Explanation Behind Disc Degeneration & Arthritic Pain

The intervertebral discs are one of the most unique tissues in the human body for one important reason: they are avascular, meaning they have no direct blood supply. Unlike muscles, ligaments, or organs, the disc cannot pull nutrients from circulating blood. Instead, the disc stays healthy through movement.

Movement “pumps” the disc.
Every time the spine bends, flexes, or extends, the disc is gently compressed and released.
During compression, old fluid is pushed out.
When the pressure is released, the disc pulls new fluid in.

This process is identical to a dry dish sponge dropped in water:

If you submerge a dry sponge, squeeze it fully, and then release it, the sponge rapidly fills back up with water. When saturated, it springs back to its full height.

But if you press on that same sponge while it is dry, it stays flattened, crumpled, and compressed.

That is exactly what happens to a disc that isn’t moved enough.



Sedentary lifestyles, prolonged sitting, lack of exercise, or years of poor posture cause discs to slowly dry out. As discs lose moisture, they shrink in height, their collagen fibers weaken, and the space between the vertebrae narrows.

This narrowing creates several problems:

1. Less room for nerves to pass through

As disc height decreases, the intervertebral foramen becomes smaller, leaving less space for the nerve root. This can lead to nerve irritation, burning pain, or shooting symptoms.

2. More pressure on the facet joints

When discs lose height, the facet joints (the bony ramps on the backside of the vertebrae) are forced to bear more weight.
These joints begin grinding together, leading to inflammation, cartilage breakdown, and ultimately arthritis.

3. The “V-shape” pattern on X-rays

When one side of the disc or facet joint degenerates faster than the other, the spine shifts into a slight tilt or curvature.
On X-ray, the spine no longer creates a straight line — it creates a V-shape on the side of greatest collapse.

4. Gravity accelerates the wear-and-tear

Gravity is a constant.
From the moment we wake up until the moment we lie down, gravity compresses our spine.

Even in people who stretch, exercise, and take excellent care of their bodies, the hands of time eventually create disc thinning, facet stress, and arthritic buildup.

But while aging is inevitable, premature degeneration is highly preventable.

The more centered your spine is — the more balanced, aligned, and properly curved — the less wear occurs on your discs and joints.
Every organ, muscle, and ligament in the body is positioned relative to the spine.
When the spine is out of alignment, everything attached to it becomes strained.

This is why chiropractic care, decompression, PEMF stabilization, stretching, and regular motion can significantly slow down disc degeneration and arthritic progression.
They keep the discs hydrated.
They keep the joints mobile.
They keep the spine aligned.
They keep the nerves free.

And when time eventually catches up — as it does to everyone — Doyle Chiropractic is here with safe, gentle, effective options to help restore motion, reduce pain, and support long-term spinal health.