 | Dr. Jennifer Peterson graduated Summa Cum Laude from Cleveland Chiropractic College in Kansas City. She was awarded the prestigious Clinic Service Award in recognition of dedicated commitment and service to patients at the Cleveland Chiropractic Health Clinic. Dr. Peterson has done post-graduate work and been certified in Meridian Therapy (Acupuncture) and Cox Flexion-Distraction technique. Dr. Peterson is originally from Winfield, KS. She graduated from Winfield High School and then attended the University of Kansas. After graduating with a degree in Spanish from KU, she moved to Kansas City to attend Cleveland Chiropractic College. Dr. Peterson worked as an associate doctor for a year in Jackson, Mississippi before returning to Kansas to be closer to family and open her own clinic. Dr. Peterson enjoys walking, rollerblading and spending time with her infant niece, Alivia. You may e-mail her petersonchiropractic@birch.net, or call her at Peterson Chiropractic at (316) 448-0398. |
Chiropractic Care
2004-07-01 10:52:00
What do you do for bone spurs?
Question: Can a chiropractor help with painful bone spurs?
ANSWER: You may want to look for another cause of your pain. Many patients are told that they have "bone spurs" in their back or neck, with the implication that the bone spurs are the cause of their back pain. However, while bone spurs are an indication that there is degeneration of the spine, these bony growths are not usually the actual cause of the pain. The term "bone spurs" is really a bit of a misnomer, as the term "spurs" implies that they are "poking" some part of the spinal anatomy and causing pain. However, this is not at all true. Bone spurs happen when the discs become worn out and flatten out. When this happens the spinal bones rub together and, in order to protect itself, the body lays down more bone in the area. The decrease in disc height also decreases the space for the spinal nerves to exit the spine, causing radiating, lighting-like pain and/or numbness and tingling into the legs or arms. The more severe the degeneration, the more likely a person is to experience these symptoms. Such conditions like sciatica, carpal tunnel, pain into the arms and hands, etc. can all be caused by degeneration, which produces those bone spurs. Chiropractic can help slow down or stop the process of degeneration and thereby decrease the pain in many cases. Chiropractic manipulation helps to maintain the motion and mobility of the joints and decreases the body's ability to lay down bone spurs. Regular exercise, good nutrition and care in performing everyday functions also play a big part in keeping your spine healthy.
