Does spinal correction always resolve pain?

Alignment and symptoms do not always move on the same timeline. This 70-year-old patient's C1 alignment and his L3 to L5 angulation both improved significantly over three months while his pain frequency stayed largely unchanged. On a spine carrying multilevel degeneration, symptomatic improvement often takes longer than structural change.

Is 70 too late to start chiropractic care?

This patient's films showed measurable correction at 70, on a spine with disc bulges, herniations and lumbar spondylosis. Age is not the barrier. The condition of the spine when care begins is what sets how long the work takes, which is why starting earlier is easier.

What is lumbar spondylosis?

Spondylosis describes degenerative change in the bones and joints of the spine, visible on X-ray as bone spurs, reduced disc height and altered joint surfaces. It develops over years and is one of the things a structural X-ray analysis documents before a care plan is built.

Why recommend three months when a case needs six to nine?

A shorter initial plan is a way to find out what a particular spine will do. For this patient it answered the question: his structure responded, and the rest will take the six to nine months his condition indicated from the start. Care continues from what the current films show.

Can disc bulges and herniations be seen on X-ray?

X-ray shows the bones, disc spacing and the alignment of the spine, and multilevel degenerative change including reduced disc height is visible on film. It is one part of a structural analysis, used to document what condition the spine is in before and after a period of corrective care.

Atlas Subluxation With Multilevel Disc Degeneration at Age 70

How He Arrived

In this month's Spinal Correction Spotlight I am featuring the comparison X-rays of a 70-year-old man. He was referred to us by one of our long-term maintenance clients, and I appreciate the confidence that referral carries.

He originally reported suffering from significant low back pain. He has been a tradesman for decades and, despite retiring, he continues to work in his trade regularly. Because of the condition of his spine, I recommended an initial care plan of three months to evaluate what type of effect we could have on his spine and his overall Quality of Life, knowing that these cases need anywhere from six to nine months to change positively.

What His Films Showed

The initial images, taken March 10, 2023, showed a severe subluxation of Atlas (C1). He also has multilevel disc degeneration, with disc bulges and herniations, as well as spondylosis of the lumbar bones. L3 shows abnormal alignment and positioning in relation to L2 and L4.

Degeneration from normal use over decades is normal. Excessive degeneration driven by injury, trauma or biomechanical misalignment is a different thing, and the misalignment driving it is what care addresses.

Clinical Findings — Initial Examination

Patient: 70-year-old male, tradesman for decades, still working in his trade

Referral: Referred by a long-term maintenance client

Presenting complaint: Significant low back pain

X-ray type: AP cervical and lateral lumbar

Initial X-ray: March 10, 2023 — severe Atlas (C1) subluxation; multilevel disc degeneration with bulges and herniations; lumbar spondylosis; L3 abnormally aligned relative to L2 and L4

Re-evaluation X-ray: June 2, 2023 — significant correction of C1 alignment; significant improvement in angulation and alignment L3 to L5

Care span: 3-month initial plan; 6 to 9 months anticipated for a spine in this condition

Outcome: Participated in a summer vacation with physical outdoor activity; pain frequency largely unchanged so far

Cervical AP — Before & After

March 10, 2023 initial AP cervical X-ray showing a severe Atlas C1 subluxation in a 70-year-old male tradesman, Rochet Family Chiropractic Royal Palm Beach

Before — Mar 10, 2023 Initial X-Ray

June 2, 2023 re-evaluation AP cervical X-ray showing significant correction of C1 alignment, Rochet Family Chiropractic Royal Palm Beach

After — Jun 2, 2023 Re-Evaluation

Lumbar Lateral — Before & After

March 10, 2023 initial lateral lumbar X-ray showing multilevel disc degeneration, spondylosis and abnormal L3 positioning, Rochet Family Chiropractic Royal Palm Beach

Before — Mar 10, 2023 Initial X-Ray

June 2, 2023 re-evaluation lateral lumbar X-ray showing improved angulation and alignment between L3 and L5, Rochet Family Chiropractic Royal Palm Beach

After — Jun 2, 2023 Re-Evaluation

Three Months Later

The follow up X-rays, taken June 2, 2023, show a significant correction to C1 alignment. There was also a significant improvement in angulation and alignment between L3 and L5.

Although his alignment changed, he is still in significant pain. He was able to participate in a summer vacation that included physical outdoor activities, however his pain frequency has not really changed much.

Because of the condition of his spine, and at what age he decided to seek corrective chiropractic care, correcting the spinal alignment and seeing physical and symptomatic improvement can, and often does, take longer due to the degenerative condition of the spine. The sooner you start under subluxation-based chiropractic care, the easier it will be to maintain your spine as well as your Quality of Life.

What This Case Shows

Three months was a window to find out what his spine would do, and it told us something real: the structure moves, and on a spine carrying this much degeneration the rest of it takes longer. His care continues from what these films now show.

I am not the healer. I move the bone; God does the healing. You are a self-healing organism, and when you are subluxation free, not only does your spine heal, but your body expresses life the way you were created to.

The Sooner You Start, the Easier Your Spine Is to Keep

A spine carrying decades of degeneration takes longer to change. A structural evaluation tells you where yours stands now. Come in for an X-ray analysis and find out what your own films show.

Have Your Spine Checked for Subluxation

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