Sonia Jones ND The Haven Spa and Alternative Treatment Clinic

We all know about furring up of the arteries and how that can have a detrimental affect on the heart and blood pressure. Did you that furring up of the arteries can cause back degeneration and pain?

Smoking and/or poor diet has been linked with the condition known as atherosclerosis and aortic calcification. Atherosclerosis is basically the “furring up” of arteries due to fatty deposits, (it’s like having your arteries stuffed full of congealed fat!) while aortic calcification is when the main artery in the abdomen, the aorta, has calcium deposits.
These conditions greatly restrict the flow of fluids, nutrients and oxygen to certain areas. Abdominal aortic atherosclerosis is believed to cause back pain and disc degeneration through narrowing of the arteries that originate from the aorta that supply the vertebrae in the lower back with oxygen and nutrients. The intra vertebral disc (IVD) is thought to be the initial structure to suffer from decreased blood- and therefore, nutrient -supply making deterioration inevitable. A sudden blockage in the arteries can cause acute scoliosis (curvature of the spine) and severe back pain. This condition, atherosclerosis is due to nutritional deficiencies.

Angina is another example, where ‘furring up’ of the arteries cause a reduction in blood flow, this time to the heart, which mean less oxygen, and less nutrients causing much pain in the chest area, making it very difficult to lead an energetic life. It is debilitating and directly affects quality of life, to say nothing about how frightening it is to suffer such pain knowing your heart is struggling and your chest is tightening up. Just about any exertion can bring on pain, walking up one flight of stairs can be a daunting prospect.

This problem can be caused by pressure on the nerve as a result of a prolapsed vertebral disc, the degeneration of a disc from conditions like atherosclerosis, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis – lifestyle and diet have a huge impact on these types of conditions. There will be a lot of inflammation in the area of pain and in the body in general, most problems show up in our weak areas.