Kidney and Spine Diagram (AZKidney.org)
There are many reasons one could experience disk problems. In Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, the kidney/adrenal system governs the function of the bones and, therefore, the vertebrae (bones of the spine). The liver system governs the function of the disks between the vertebrae. The disk provides a cushion that is supposed to move and flex depending on the body’s activity. Nerves come out between those vertebrae and disks. If the disk shape becomes abnormal, the vertebrae can then pinch the nerves which cause problems, including pain that may refer to many places on the body. It can then affect blood flow and energy flow causing muscle spasms, referred pain, and so on.
The disks may be affected in several ways, including a mild nerve impingement, a disk “slip” (the disk sliding to one side), a disk herniation (the disk bulging out of normal shape), or a disk rupture (the disk is torn). The term “degenerative” is used to describe the process of the disc degenerating over time, which can lead to many symptoms, including pain, numbness, and other sensations.
Acupuncture drives blood and energy into the disk so it may begin to function normally. Acupuncture also gets the muscles in the area functioning normally and they again naturally separate the two vertebra, allowing the disk to resume its normal shape.
Here, Curry explains Degenerative Disc Disease and what acupuncture can do to help treat and/or prevent it.
