Effects of Elongation Longitudinaux Avec Decoaption Osteo-Articulaire (ELDOA) in Cervical Disc Protrusion

Cervical disc protrusion is a significant cause of neck and arm pain and disability in majority of individuals. It causes a great burden on physical, social and emotional quality of life of patients. The cervical disc protrusion is characterized by prolapsed nuclear material through the annulus into the spinal canal. The local mechanical or chemical irritation of neural structures typically leads to symptoms of radiculopathy, head and neck pain or myelopathy. The disc protrusion may be postero-central to compress the dura matter, causing multi segmental pain and affect the scapular area. It can also be postero-lateral causing the root signs, which have dermatomal behavior and affect the upper limb in specific pattern. Postero-central protrusion can also shift to postero-lateral with symptoms shifting from centralization to radiculopathy.

Symptomatic disc protrusions can occur at any age but have different clinical features depending on the age group. In young adults nucleus pulposus can involve which is rare in old age. Diagnoses can be established on clinical findings along with patient's history, the functional examination and MRI. Disc protrusion can occur in postero-central, lateral and Postero- lateral directions.

Movement of the disc posteriorly causes stress on the posterior longitudinal ligament and also on the anterior part of the Dura mater. As a result of this the pain travels in more than one segment with dural reference. This typical postero central protrusion causes the pain symptoms centrally and bilaterally. Postero lateral disc protrusion may irritate the nerve root, which causes a Segmental or root pain and paraesthesia. The goal of treatment in disc protrusion problems is to stop the conflict between the displaced disc material and affecting sensitive structure. Protruded disc fragment may affect the Dura matter, nerve roots and intervertebral joints.

ELDOA is a series of stretching exercises and body movements that uses the Centre of gravity and localizes a target area of the spine that need to be mobilized or re aligned by placing and maintaining tension on the fascia. In ELDOA improvement in the tone of the intrinsic muscles of the spine combined with reinforcing the extrinsic muscles related to the spine in the neck. The stretching of the interlinking Para spinal muscles and finally inter independent movement of "Junghans functional unit" is facilitated and it is emphasized that micro movement affects macro function. The basic working principle during an ELDOA stretching consists of creating a position that will target a specific segment i.e. the functional unit. The inferior segment is fixed while the superior segment is mobilized. The position is created in such to place all the inferior and superior myofascial chains under tension. The effects of ELDOA include decompression of the superior and inferior facet joints, allowing for more space, joint play, and the range of motion.

Except ELDOA the other different treatment methods for intervertebral disc protrusion includes the application of physical modalities, mechanical traction, specific physical therapeutic exercise, oral anti-inflammatory medication, and patient education. Disc decompression therapy, surgery, minimally invasive Oxygen- Ozone therapy that exploits the biochemical properties of a gas mixture of Oxygen and Ozone and administration of periganglionic injection of corticosteroid and an anesthetic agent.