Saturday, June 1, 2013

Top 10 Tips and Advice for Easing Pregnancy for Scoliosis Sufferers


Back pain during pregnancy is not a new concept, but for people who suffer from scoliosis require a second thought to be given before, they plan to go through the process of pregnancy. Scoliosis is the disease of the spine in which the posture of the spine is deviated to form S or C shaped curvature, which can turn to be quite painful during pregnancy. However, this is not a reason that why you should postpone your pregnancy, as you can still go through pregnancy by using proper pain management techniques.

Back pain during pregnancy is a normal phenomenon that requires no fear. All the discomforts that you will be facing during pregnancy are because of the pressure that your little one inside your tummy is going to cause. Moreover, if you are a scoliosis patient then the chances of increased back pain is higher than what you would normally expect leaving you with a question of whether the back pain is owing to scoliosis or pregnancy. On the other hand, you will find pregnancy stabilizes scoliosis because of the transition that your body will be going through as a result of the hormonal fluctuations. If only you can follow these top ten tips to manage your back pain during pregnancy, and care should be taken with your scoliosis prescription, which may occasionally cause birth defects.

However, the discussion on back pain management tips will help to alleviate the problem of scoliosis. But before that there are three types of back pain - acute if the back pain does not last longer than three months, recurrent if the back pain occurs repeatedly and chronic back pain, which lasts longer than three months.

The kind of back pain that you will be facing during pregnancy and scoliosis is low back pain, which is found to occur in three different locations. Lumbar pain that may or may not spread down to your legs, sacroiliac pain occurs in the distal and lateral regions of the spine and nocturnal pain are the ones that occurs in the lumbar regions only during night. As mentioned elsewhere, the culprit for the pain could not be abruptly blamed on scoliosis or pregnancy for the possibility could be due to both of them.

1. Practice good posture:

You will find that the center of gravity shifts with the development of your baby and may force you to fall forwards. This could cause a strain on your spine with scoliosis increasing the curvature and the pain. There are some simple things that you can do to help you to alleviate the symptoms of back pain like:

• Stand up straight and tall
• Hold your chest high
• Keep your shoulders relaxed and at the back, do not lean forward.
• Stop locking your knees.
• Sit on a chair that will support your back or use a pillow.

2. Wear the correct clothes and accessories:

What you wear also matters while you are pregnant and is a victim of scoliosis. Some of the clothes that can help you in alleviating the back pain during pregnancy when you are a scoliosis sufferer are the use of maternity pants and supportive waistbands. This is also advisable to wear low-heeled flat shoes to remove the strain that high-heeled shoes can cause on both your spine, back and neck.

3. Lift properly:

Whether you have scoliosis or not you are always asked to lift objects as per the size and weight of the objects in a proper manner to prevent not only back pain, but also to be gentle on your delicate spine. And if you have scoliosis, and on top of that if you are pregnant, see that you lift objects appropriately, for example, lift heavy objects by sitting to the level of the object and then stand up slowly and steadily. If you did ask what to do, I will ask for a second or a third hand too!

4. Sleep properly:

The good thing while you sleep is to have a deep sleep but conscious by developing the habit of sleeping on one side. The doctor will advise you which side to sleep depending on the posture of the baby. This is also advisable to keep your knees bent while you sleep, and place pillows between them (there is no point in giving heed to cultural taboos, just ignore them even if you are hurt), and use another pillow under the abdomen to bear the whole weight and/or use a full length pillow.

5. Try heat or cold or massage therapy:

I will strongly recommend this to anyone suffering from pain for this helped me when I was suffering from severe neck pain. A good hot mat under the area of pain relieves not only the pain but also the fear of catching cold when you use a cold mat. In contrast, the cold massage therapies are also equivalently good and choose the one that works the best for you. Alternatively, you could also ask someone to massage a balm or pain relieving ointments, but only after consult a doctor, for the doctor may suggest a professional massage therapy if required. Listen to your gynecologist and chiropractic, and see that you link both of them.

6. Follow a gentle exercise regime:

These days people become pregnant in their thirties and forties, that they get pregnant pass through their age and are therefore vital that you regularly check with your gynecologist. Besides, if you are suffering from scoliosis, the chances of the back pain becoming severe are higher, despite the established fact that there is no relationship between scoliosis and pregnancy. This is good that you take advice of your gynec to schedule some gentle exercise, which not only helps in making delivery much easier, but might also have a positive effect on your scoliosis condition, alleviating the curvature. Some of the gentle exercises recommended are walking and/or swimming, lower back stretching exercise and other stretching exercises as recommended by the physician.

7. Alternative therapies:

The option of choosing an alternative therapy has to be done only after consulting your chiropractic and gynec. One of the main alternative therapies that have been believed to be of some use in relieving pain is acupuncture therapy. This therapy involves the use of needles to prick at energy points, which in turn somehow happens to activate the natural pain relief system. You will be expecting to be pricked with needles, which will have the pain of a pinprick, and may or may not require several visits to get complete relief from the pain, at least until you deliver the baby to the outside world. Sounds awful, but many who have undergone this therapy recommend and prefer this better than medicines that might have side effects.

8. Yoga:

Prenatal yoga has been described and prescribed by many as one of the best way to tone parts of the body that will be affected by performing yoga. They have found out that the position that is attained during the yoga practice promotes the relaxation of back muscles and relieves the strain of carrying the little one in its bag.

9. Chiropractic care:

The chiropractor could be of immense help, especially if you are already aware of your condition, scoliosis, then this will do good for you to discuss frankly with your physician about your idea of having a baby. This is also best to go to the gynecologist directed by him/her, who will understand the treatment being given and will be helping in giving you a holistic approach to handle the back pain efficiently. While the chiropractor will help in relieving the stress on the nerves, which adds to the already existing woes of scoliosis, and since he knows you before the pregnancy, during the pregnancy and after the pregnancy, stick on to the same chiropractor.

10. A Balanced Nutrition and a Holistic approach:

Whatever you do there is nothing like being healed naturally by boosting your body's immune system and recuperative power. This is the procedure that has been described in detail by a chiropractor, Dr. Kevin Lau, who overcame scoliosis following a strict and disciplined diet based on his body metabolic requirements. However, when this comes to pregnancy, he has been using the same holistic approach of combining the western medicine and the traditional treatment methods of scoliosis with simple pregnancy exercises and appropriate food, which you will be able to formulate only by frankly discussing with your doctor.

Now is that you have ten important and best tips that anyone else can give you to relieve your back pain. As you would have noticed all these tips only tell you what you can do and where you can find some relief from your back pain. Try some of the simple tips like heat or cold pad to relieve the back pain initially, and if these does not help you, never ever venture into something new without consulting your doctor.

Herniated Disc Surgery - What Can You Expect?


Most people with a disc herniation do not get herniated disc surgery. However, if your doctor or medical back specialist recommends herniated disc surgery, then it's something you may decide to do.

Keep in mind that disc surgery is not a sure thing. There is no guarantee it will work.

The type of surgery you have will depend on the exact nature of your disc herniation. Typically your surgeon will be able to tell you the type of procedure after reviewing your MRI.

3 herniated disc surgery procedures are as follows.

1. Open Discectomy (OD)

As you know by now, the reason a disc herniation can hurt so much is the leaking fluid from your disc presses or irritates a nerve. That hurts. A discectomy removes the leaked fluid that contacts or irritates the nerve. Patients are put under with general anesthesia for this procedure.

2. Endoscopic Discectomy

An endoscopic discectomy, removes leaked fluid from the disc herniation that contacts the nerve. However, this procedure is different from the open discectomy in being much less invasive. An open discectomy requires at least a 3 cm incision and peeling muscle from the spine.

An endoscopic discectomy, on the other hand, makes a tiny incision and uses an endoscopic probe with a video recorder attached, through which tiny surgical instruments are inserted to remove the excess disc fluid that herniated. An endoscopic discectomy is much less invasive than an open discectomy. You can go home the same day.

3. Percutaneous Discectomy

This procedure is performed when a disc hasn't ruptured or herniated, but instead bulges resulting in pain. The procedure is done with a needle-like instrument called a cannula that removes tissue from inside the bulging disc to relieve pressure. This procedure is used less often than an open discectomy, but is much less invasive than an open discectomy. Patients remain awake during this procedure.

Recovery Expectation from Herniated Disc Surgery

Some patients enjoy immediate herniated pain relief upon waking. Others' pain goes away over several weeks following the surgery.

If you have an OD, you'll be directed to take it very easy for several weeks. Absolutely no lifting or twisting.

Complications?

Most ODs are successful to some degree. However, as with any surgery, there are potential complications of bleeding and infection. In the case of a discectomy specifically, there is a slight chance of fluid leaking into the spinal canal.

Alleviate Low Back Pain


The number one cause of work compensation injuries in the U. S. is low back pain. If this leads to surgery the total cost can exceed $175,000 very easily to the employer not to mention the anguish, loss of income and pain and suffering to the employee. A "successful" spinal surgery is no pain for 1 year and this only happens in 25% of surgeries. The remaining 75% either stay the same or get worse, if they have a second failed back surgery, 80% of the patients commit suicide. Obviously surgery is not an option that should be taken lightly and without exploring all other possible avenues of treatment.

There are numerous ways that spinal surgery can be done but they almost all include cutting through 9 layers of muscles to get to the spine which is going to entail 9 layers of scar tissue for starters. One method is to cut out or scrape out the disc which is the spacer between the bones of the spine and can break down in various degrees, from getting a weak spot and a resulting bulge of the inner material (slipped disc) which is kind of like a pimple that then puts pressure on the nerve and causes the pain or other resulting abnormal effects to the body. The next thing that can happen is the "pimple" can break open and spills its contents onto the spinal nerves which causes the patients symptoms. This type of surgery is attempting to take the irritating material off of the nerve.

Another type of surgery is where they have to cut off the back half of the vertebra and throw it away which is called a laminectomy. They then try to create more stability by chiseling bone fragments off of the patients hips to fill in the gap created by the removal of the back of the vertebra and the bone above, it is then used as an anchor to try to get to the two bones to grow together which is called spinal fusion. Yet another method is to inject an enzyme into the disc that causes it to be digested so there is no remaining disc, theoretically, to cause symptoms. There are also other approaches from a surgical viewpoint but they all have the same 25% success rate as there has not been any improvement in surgical results in the 40 plus years I have been a chiropractor, the only thing new is the ways that have been tried.

The chiropractic approach is to find the cause of the pain, usually this is because of an involvement of the nervous system (a "pinched nerve") and remove by one of several ways thus enabling the patients body to once again heal itself as it is designed to do. This is done without the use of drugs, which by definition all have side effects, and without surgery. This leads to a very safe type of care with the highest success rate of any methodology and this has been proven by numerous medical studies. The ways the cause can be removed are many. It has been researched that there are at least 250 different named techniques that chiropractors use to attempt to bring the body back to the point that it is able to heal itself and therefore allow the patient to return to healthy state. Alas, if returning to health was that easy everyone could get in a much better state easily, but there are other areas that influence the bodies health and ability to heal itself.

One of which is nutrition which has went downhill significantly over just my lifetime. This is because of numerous chemicals that have been added into the food chain. Food that has had the nutritional value destroyed in many ways. Trying to eat what was normal in the past doesn't give you the same nutrition now because it is being grown in nutrition depleted soils and the nutrients are simply not there. This necessitates needing to take vitamins and minerals to get what the body needs to function. This at least can be handled in an affordable way now with the much better nutrition information and products that are available, ie. many if not most of my patients basic needs can be handled with only 4 products.

One also has to exercise as what we do not use, we lose. A regular exercise program done 3-4 times per week can cause an enormous change in health when the other health factors are kept in also.

There are also a multitude of poisons that we can be exposed to, from automobile exhaust to brushing our teeth (read the warning on your tube of toothpaste sometime). The problem with many types of chemicals are that they are stored in the bodies fat cells for an undetermined time, possibly for many years or until that fat cell breaks down and the poison is then released into the body again. A famous example of this is the "free trip" one can get years after they had taken LSD. This could happen to them at any time and anywhere with sometimes life threatening results when it is released into the blood stream again.

So to get and keep your health:
1) Eat good, healthy foods and take the needed supplements.
2) Stay away from poisons.
3) Exercise regularly.
4) Get your spine checked for nerve blocks regularly and remove them if found by your Junction City KS chiropractor so that the body can do what it was designed to do which is heal itself.

Low Cost Lumbar Microdiscectomy Abroad


What is lumbar microdiscectomy?

Several patients complain of lower back pain radiating down the legs along with a sensation of tingling and numbness (referred to as sciatic pain). This is attributed to the herniation of the inter-vertebral disc material on to the spinal cord, resulting in compression of the nerve root. It is a minimal invasive surgery in which, a part of the lumbar vertebra is dissected to relive the pressure on the underlying nerve tissue. Surgery is recommended in cases when conventional treatment procedures fail to produce results after a period of about six to eight weeks of treatment. It is not a treatment for back pain but specially to treat lumbar inter-vertebral tissue herniation. The procedure mandates the need of a highly qualified and trained medical team.

Lumbar Microdisectomy procedure


  • Complete physical evaluation of the patient with conservative treatment using Non Steroidal Anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is given for eight weeks. Imaging studies are conducted to assess the level of compression.

  • The surgery is conducted on a day care basis and hospitalization is not required in most cases. The surgery is conducted through small incisions in the back with an operating microscope which helps the surgeon visualize the surgical site. The resection is done and the wound is closed. Since no major muscles or ligaments are cut to gain assess to the site, the structure of the spine remains unaltered and healing is promp

  • Stressful movements like bending, lifting, etc are restricted after the surgery. Physical therapy is recommended to improve the strength of the spinal muscles and prevent relapse.


Success after Lumbar Microdiscectomy:

The success rates are fairly high between 90% to 95%, and recurrences being about five percent. It takes on an average about three weeks to return to normal low stress activities after the surgery.

Microdiscectomy Abroad

There are several internationally accredited hospitals outside the United States which provide superior quality of medical care at substantially lower costs. The leading hospitals are located in India, South Korea, Turkey, Jordan and Mexico.

For Chiropractors - Whiplash and Personal Injury Analysis - Penning's Method


This analysis method is by far one of the most useful for determination of loss of range of motion that I have found. This is a great way to show pre/post x-ray changes in a quantifiable way, and to show how the care you provided helped your patients by improving ligament stability in the cervical spine.

To establish hypomobility or hypermobility of vertebral segments in the sagittal plane, Penning's Method is a one of your greatest methods. This is done with functional examination of the cervical spine in flexion and extension, using radiographic analysis.

If there is a loss of range of motion present, several factors may be found in your patient. You as the attending Cape Girardeau Chiropractor will need to understand these variable factors in order to ensure that the "validity of assessment" criteria have been met according to standards. Doing so will also best help your patient should a personal injury case enter the court room and you find yourself on the witness stand.

The intention of this article is to briefly explain and help Cape Girardeau Chiropractors use this method of functional radiographic diagnosis of the cervical spine during flexion/extension. This will hopefully allow you to better serve your patients and to have solid pre/post analysis. There has been much research done on this topic by Dr Liberti, D.C., as well as many other Doctors and Physicians, such as Dr. Pennings himself.

Completion of Penning's Method

Penning's Method is known by many to be the most widely accepted and utilized method for determining flexion/extension motion. To start the extension film is superimposed on the flexion film, with the C7 vertebrae matching perfectly. Next a line is drawn along one of the edges of the extension film, onto the flexion film. You then do the same with C6. A second line is then drawn. You can now measure an angle between these two lines and this establishes the degree of motion between the C6 and C7 vertebra. You follow this sequence for the rest of the cervical spine to determine the degree of motion between all of the vertebrae. The average values of segmental motion are written about by Dr. Penning: Functional Pathology of the Cervical Spine, 1968 pg 1-25. These values can be compared to determine the amount of dysfunction present in your patient's cervical spine. It should be fairly easy for you to find some examples of these drawings elsewhere on the internet.

To reiterate this is a very valuable method for determining abnormal or pathological conditions such as hyper or hypomobility of the cervical spine.

Penning Method of Radiographic Determination of Loss of Range of Motion:

As an example if the normal for C2-C3 was 12.5 degrees and your patient was 20 degress, your percentage of normal would be 160%. If normal at C3-C4 was 18 degrees and your patient was 15 degrees your percentage of normal would be 83%. This is straight forward, if you would like all the normal values, these can easily be found on the internet.

The percentage of normal is figured out by dividing the patient's values by Penning's established normal values. For example C3-C4 15/18 = 83%. This essentially represents 83% of normal motion at the C3-C4 joint had been maintained. On the other hand you see that 17% of normal motion was lost when compared to the normal value as determined by Penning.

If you look at the C2-C3 level you see that you have 160% of normal motion, or 60% more than normal expected motion at this level. This is clear as to how to read this!

*Values above 100 are HYPERMOBILE

*Values below 100 are HYPOMOBILE

NORMAL at 100% (Values within 10% of 100 are considered to lie within the standard deviation of what is accepted as normal.) So anywhere between 90-110% for all intensive purposed is considered normal.

Further Analysis of example patient:

The interpretation of the above example is as follows; multiple areas of abnormal joint motion and dysfunction are present. Cervical Joint Hypomobility or a loss of normal joint range of motion was found at C3/C4, and C5/C6 motor units. Cervical Joint Hypermobility was present at the C2/C3 motor units.

You can also see a compensatory minimal Hypermobility present at C6/C7, but this falls within the normal standard of deviation.

Restated there are two areas of diminished joint range of motion and one with excessive motion involving the cervical spine segments during flexion/extension in the sagittal plane.

As is obvious, these abnormalities exist within the joints of the cervical spinal column and this analysis has been established radiographically.

As goes without saying, in addition to substantiating loss of joint range of motion, a Cape Girardeau Chiropractor should be looking to further evaluate possible existence of any neurological deficit (either sensory or motor). By simply looking at the mechanical and structural aspects of a particular case however, much can be objectively gained, and you will be able to stand with confidence in saying that structural integrity has improved on this patient if post care analysis shows improvement on Penning's Method. Any degree of improvement substantiates improvement to the patient's ligamentous integrity and of course increased normal range of motion. These two things alone could prove invaluable, should you find yourself testifying in court. I will soon be writing a Part II of this article titled "Objective Scales of Prognosis for Chiropractors doing Whiplash and Personal Injury Cases." If you have found this helpful I am sure this will go a long way to giving you the objective findings you need in validating patient care. If you need any further help finding more information on this, any Cape Girardeau Chiropractic Clinic can feel free to look at the resource box in order to contact me with further questions.

Lumbar Spine MRI


Back when you were a child, whenever you're trying to lift a heavy object, your mom or dad used to tell you to use your legs, and not your body, to lift the object from the floor. As you grow up, your body has changed, as it becomes stronger. However, your gym trainer would pick up where your parents left off, and that's by using your legs and not your body when lifting the weights off the floor.

Sometimes, we tend to lift too heavy, that we force our back to "cheat" our motion and not the limbs. The result becomes catastrophic, since the brunt of the weight was absorbed by our lower back. We see other people or ourselves suddenly trying to take a breather, and grab the lower part of their back while agonizing in pain. For those who have experienced this first hand, you know what I'm talking about. For those into exercising, think deadlift.

Now, while we usually feel chronic back pains on our upper back, the lower back incurs the more damaging consequences due to the motion that it can provide to us, especially in lifting heavier objects. Once you're unable to perform a lift properly, or anything that directly affects your lower back, quickly consult with your family physician to avoid further damage and risk possible paralysis.

The lower back, or the lumbar spine, consists of the 5 lowest vertebrae of your spine, attached closely to the pelvic bone. Since your lumbar spine is located at the hip region, doctors usually recommend their patients with lower back problems to undergo an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) Scan to check on the midsection alone, or a CT (Computed Tomography) Scan for a full body scan to point out other probable dangers within your body.

Full body scans like CT Scans or CAT (Computed Axial Tomography) Scans are ideal for general check-ups and other preventive body screening measures to seek out potential malignant elements in our bodies. The risk of full body scans is that it emits radiation, which can add to the risk of the patient, especially with the reproduction of cancer cells. MRI's are more practical, in terms of health and finance. MRI's are not radiated, and can be used to detect potential disease catalysts in a specific body part, similar to how an X-ray works.

The best part about MRI's is that it has a clear and high definition imaging that produces a 3-Dimensional visualization of all internal structures inside your body, including tumors and cancer cells. Common problems discovered usually in our lumbar spine are ruptured nerves, inflammations, swelling and bleeding, and tumors in the discs.

To get the clearest MRI results, patients are suggested to remain still while inside the machine, for the computer to obtain a precise data during panoramic image capturing. It is also important for patients to inform the MRI operator of any allergies, pregnancy, and body pierces or tattoos. A lumbar spine MRI usually takes half an hour to complete, so it can get quite uncomfortable if you're not used to staying in one position.

The best thing about MRI? It is painless, and gets the job done for you, in terms of preventive body screening and taking clearer details on the smallest of cells, giving you the chance to cut the problem by its roots before it starts to grow.

How Sciatica Pills Help You


Back pain is one of the most torturous and painful disorder that makes a person almost hates the world. As it sounds, it is not very difficult to diagnose of avoid back pains if one has the clear picture what the disorder actually does and how it can be tackled.

Sciatica is a disorder that usually occurs in the joints and spine which is due to the invariable and abnormal action of a nerve that gets compressed from a so called herniated disk which is located in the spine. Not only because of sudden twists and shocks, the disks in your spine may experience pain and dislocation due to the age, wear, heavy work, labor etc which results in Sciatica. Also, most of the time, Sciatica occurs very much naturally and rarely it is an accidental problem.

One of the most popular pills is the Aspirin or the Ibuprofen. This is mostly used and prescribed by many doctors for patients who suffer from normal back pain and are likely to develop sciatica. But, it is always advised that the patients shall avoid the intake of Aspirin and other related pills as it may lead to some side effects like nausea, diarrhea, sudden pain in body, rashes in the skin etc.

Yet another pill that can help in reducing sciatica is Acetaminophen but this can however lead to liver problems if not taken in proper dose. There are several sciatica pills one can rely upon to have quick relief from Sciatica.

Friday, May 31, 2013

Sciatica Causes and Treatment


The human anatomy is made up of a number of amazing systems that are all intended to ensure the proper functioning and well being of the body. In particular, one of those incredible systems is the cardiovascular structure which comprises the veins, arteries and heart. This system facilitates the circulation of blood to each part of the body. It supplies oxygen to the arteries and transports non-oxygenated blood through the veins.

Another extraordinary anatomical process is the nervous system, which acts in collaboration with the spinal cord and the brain to make sure you are suitably sensitive to feelings of cold, heat, and pain. As well, it's an intricate communication system through which the brain transmits impulses by way of the nervous system in order to direct the body to perform certain functions.

Most people don't spend a lot of time thinking about these processes unless something goes wrong. This principle also holds true when the nervous system is functioning normally. But if something goes wrong, you will surely become aware of it very quickly.

This is certainly the case as it concerns a certain kind of pain experienced in the nervous system. This pain is a result of a condition called sciatica. If you're suffering from this problem, it's essential that you learn as much as you can about sciatica causes and treatments.

The first thing you should know is that it's a highly uncomfortable disorder related to the sciatic nerves. These are the largest nerves in the human body. They start at the base of the spine and continue down the length of both legs.

The most prevalent symptom is pain, ranging in degree from moderate to extreme. The pain usually starts at the hip and extends down the entire length of the leg. As well, you may feel numbness in the affected areas.

Some of the causes of sciatica, particularly for those who are older, involve the deterioration of the spine which results from the normal wear and tear of life. As the spine deteriorates the vertebrae press on each other and eventually pinch the sciatic nerves. In this case, sciatic nerve problems may be relieved by performing stretching exercises or by using cold compresses.

Another common cause of this condition is a herniated disc, which is a medical condition in which the buffer material located between the vertebrae starts to bulge. This puts undue pressure on the sciatic nerve, resulting in the pain and distress of sciatica. Surgery is one of the treatment methods that you might want to try in order to relieve the sciatica pain resulting from a herniated disc. But before resorting to surgery, you should first try exercise or ice packs.

5 Common Types of Sciatica - Which Do You Have?


A lot of people don't know this, but sciatica isn't a disease. It is actually a symptom of some other kind of problem. It is sort of a clue that something else is wrong, so to speak. You probably have sciatica, if you have a stabbing or shooting pain in your legs, buttocks, hips, or lower back.

There's a nerve in your body called the sciatic nerve, and sciatica is the result of this nerve being irritated on compressed. There are quite a few things that could cause trouble with the sciatic nerve, but here are 5 common causes of sciatica.

Piriformis Syndrome - It can be difficult to treat or diagnose piriformis syndrome since it is a muscular problem and hard to detect on an X-ray. Your piriformis muscle connects to your hipbone and it assists your hip rotation. The muscle is located in the lower pelvis.

When the muscles spasm or become too tense, you develop what is called piriformis syndrome. The piriformis muscle can compress the sciatic nerve and cause significant pain. What happens is that the sciatic nerve runs behind your piriformis muscle and it can easily be irritated when the muscle tenses up or constricts around it.

Piriformis syndrome is what I used to suffer from, but thankfully it is actually one of the easier forms of sciatica to clear up with a few proper stretching exercises.

Bulging or the Herniated Disc - A herniated or bulging disc is a very common cause to sciatica. What's the difference between the two? When the soft nucleus of a disc breaks through your tough outer layer then a herniated disc occurs. When the nucleus does not break through the outer layer of the disc, but only bulges outward, that is a bulging disc. Since your herniated disc is not as reversible as a bulging disc, the consequences that you get from your herniated disc are much worse than a bulging disc.

It doesn't matter whether your disc bulges or herniates, this disc can press against an adjacent nerves in the spine and can compress them, causing sciatica. Often times there can be inflammation that follows which can lead to tingling or numbness.

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis - Spinal stenosis is a slow and gradual narrowing of the spinal canal. This is where your spinal cord runs, and after the spinal canal becomes too narrow, you may experience pain and pressure on the nerves in your back.

Spinal stenosis is often related to age. This kind of stenosis condition can cause different spinal elements to sag or bulge from arthritis. The discs, joints and ligaments are affected as well. The changes that can happen with age, can have an effect in narrowing the spinal canal and can trigger spinal stenosis pain.

Spondylolisthesis - This is a condition where one of your vertebra in your spine is out of alignment and actually overhangs the rest of the vertebra. This problem can cause pain due to pressure or pinching of the nerves in the spine.

More often than not, this condition is something you're born with, but it can also be caused when you suffer a physical injury.

Inflammation - When the tissues in your body are irritated by injury or by toxins, inflammation can result. This is a natural defense mechanism for your body. Inflammation happens to protect you against further injury or damage.

However this swelling can cause pressure on the nerves and muscles in the back (or in any other part of the body, to be honest). Inflammation can be caused by many different things ranging from traumatic injury to even specific foods that are common in modern diets.

These are, of course, only five potential causes of sciatica. There are many other possibilities. Most cases of sciatica can be alleviated by correcting muscle imbalances, which are the root cause of most back pain problems.

If you have sciatica, and you don't know the specific cause, it is important to go see your doctor to learn the true cause to your condition and receive appropriate recommendations on how to fix it.

5 Simple Stretches For Lower Back Pain


Many people suffer from lower back pain and the constant nagging pain can really lessen your enjoyment of life. There are things you can do to help alleviate the problem. Here are five simple stretches for lower back pain that you can do to end your suffering.

The first exercise requires you to lay down flat. Put your leg out to the side of your body. You will do this by bending at your knee. Bring the upper part of your leg to your side. Cross the bent leg over to the other side of your body. You will do this exercise with the opposite leg using the same steps. Do this for 20 to 30 seconds.

The second of the stretches for lower back pain will work your entire spine. Lower your chin down to your chest for about 20 to 30 seconds. You can do this exercise anywhere you want as long as you are sitting. If you don't feel any relief the first time you do this exercise, repeat a few times. You should feel this throughout your entire spine.

The third stretch will require you to use your arms. Put your arms out and to your sides. Keep your arms shoulder width apart. Do 15 to 20 arm circles forward and then do that many backwards. Once you are finished, lift your arms above your head and grab your hands. Bring your hands down and in front of you. Your hands should be together and stretched out in front of your chest. Hold this position for about 15 seconds. When you are finished, slowly put your arms down. This exercise also helps your arms and chest.

Fourth in the series of stretches for lower back pain is done sitting on the floor. Sit with your feet touching each other. Your knees should be pointing out to the sides. Bring your body forward so your head would be touching your feet or as close as you can get them. Don't force yourself to touch your feet because it will make this exercise ineffective. Slowly lower yourself down so you can feel the full benefits of this exercise. Perform this exercise for about one minute. While you're doing this exercise, remember to do your breathing. Repeat this exercise about five times throughout the day. This will help you stretch your entire body.

This last exercise will require you to stand. You can lean against a wall while facing forward. Bend forward to touch your toes. If you can't touch your toes, try to touch the front of your calves. This exercise can still be effective even if you can't touch your toes.

These stretches for lower back pain will help relieve you of your suffering. They will work your lower body muscles as well as your entire body. Keep working at them and you will find relief. Remember to do these slowly so they can be affective.

How to Treat Scoliosis


The human spine is made to be able to move and help our bodies rotate. There are natural curves in the spine that are necessary. However, there is a condition, scoliosis, where the curvatures of the spine are abnormal and can cause deformities.

In many cases, children are affected more as scoliosis tends to occur while their bodies are forming and growing. If the condition is treated early, the damage can be limited, but left untreated can cause more damaging health problems to the lungs, heart and pelvic area.

We will now discuss some signs that can help people, especially parents of young children, to spot any signs of scoliosis of the spine:

•In babies, scoliosis can be indicated by a bulging of the chest

•Babies with scoliosis tend to always lie on one side

•People with scoliosis will lean towards a specific side

•Protrusion of the hip

•Shoulder heights are different

•Ribs are not equal heights

•The head is not straight up from the pelvis, trace the spine and it should normally be a straight line from the head to the pelvis.

•A protrusion of 1 shoulder blade in relation to the other.

•Measuring the leg lengths can give you an idea too, different leg lengths can be a sign of scoliosis

How to treat scoliosis

The range of treatments for scoliosis is limited and there is no cure from the disease. In fact, medicinal studies have yet to prove where the condition comes from. Here are the most common treatments for scoliosis.

1. Braces:

Braces for the spine tend to be the first form of treatment for scoliosis that is noticed in children. Although most children do not like the braces, they can be very helpful.

By helping to realign the spine, the braces can be used until the child stops growing. This will help to reduce the condition in the long term.

There are two different types of spine braces that can be used to combat scoliosis. The under arm brace is the most common type of spine brace used. It is molded to fit the body and is not very uncomfortable.

The 2nd type of spine brace is the Milwaukee brace. A full-torso brace that contains flat bars across the chest and back to support the spine shape.

2. Surgical treatment for Scoliosis:

In the most severe cases of scoliosis, surgery may be required. This usually is in the form of spinal fusion surgery, where artificial bone is inserted between the vertebrae to help stability. The bones then fuse together, limiting movement but also preventing further damage to the spine.

Scoliosis in Children With Cerebral Palsy


Scoliosis is an affliction characterized by an unnatural curvature to the spine. Left untreated, scoliosis can lead to extreme deformities of the spine and other related health issues. Children who suffer from cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy are especially susceptible to developing scoliosis. If detected early, scoliosis is a treatable condition.

Minor curves to the spine are natural; however, curvature that exceeds 10 degrees can be diagnosed as scoliosis. Scoliosis is hereditary and occurs most often during the growth spurt just before the onset of puberty. In children with cerebral palsy, however, the onset can occur much earlier. The likelihood that a child with CP will develop scoliosis is approximately 20 percent, especially if the child has movement limitations. Females develop scoliosis twice as often as males.

Signs that your child may be developing scoliosis include: uneven shoulders or a prominent shoulder blade, an uneven waist or elevated hips, or leaning to one side or the other. If you detect any of these signs, bring them to the attention of your child's pediatrician. In its early stages, both the disorder and the treatments are relatively painless.

Diagnosis of scoliosis requires a few simple tests. The doctor will most likely start with the "forward bending" test, where he will ask your child to bend forward and attempt to touch their toes. From this position, he can easily examine the spine to look for unusual curvature or uneven ribs. If he suspects anything, he will most likely schedule some x-rays to take a closer look.

Mild scoliosis is between 10 and 20 percent. Moderate cases are 20 to 30 percent. Severe curvature is anything over 30%. The main goal in treating scoliosis is the prevention of further curvature. The secondary goal is the reversal of previous curvature. Treatment will be based on the speed at which the spine is curving and the severity of the curve. Some mild and most moderate cases may be treated by fitting the child with a brace. The brace is intended prevent the spine from further curvature as the bones grow and strengthen. Severe cases might require an operation such as spinal fusion surgery. It is best not to perform spinal fusion surgery until the bones are done growing, however, in some extreme cases, this is not possible. Sometimes adjustable metal rods can be placed in the spinal structure. This allows for periodic adjustments as the child grows.

Whatever treatment option is employed, as your child continues to grow, he will need many follow-up appointments to continue monitoring the growth and shape of the spine.

To reiterate, especially if your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, the sooner the presumption of a spinal disorder is medically diagnosed, the sooner treatment can begin and the higher the likelihood of a favorable outcome.

Cervical Disc: Degeneration and Replacement


Patients with degenerative cervical disc disease who have long been trying to relieve arm and neck pain with conservative treatments such as exercise, chiropractic, physiotherapy, etc., all to no avail, can benefit from cervical disc replacement.

Degenerative disc disease is a spinal condition where one or more discs in the neck become damaged, causing arm pain, arm weakness or numbness with some degree of neck pain. Discs act as shock absorbers between the spinal bones or vertebrae. When a disc deteriorates and loses its ability to act as a cushion, it starts compressing adjacent nerves or the spinal cord, which causes neck pain that worsens by sitting, bending or twisting.

Cervical Disc
Before digging deep into cervical disc degeneration and replacement surgery, one must understand what cervical discs are.

There are 23 discs in the human spine, six of which rest in the neck (cervical region), 12 in the middle back (thoracic region), and 5 in the lower back (lumbar region). Each cervical disc rests between seven small bones (cervical vertebrae), numbered C1 to C7. These discs are made of varying percentage compositions of collagen and ligaments, and act as the cushions or shock absorbers in the cervical spine and allow the neck to be flexible and absorb the load (axial load) of the head.

Disc Degeneration
Degenerative disc disease may lead these small shock-absorbing discs to lose their flexibility and ability to cushion the spine. In the cervical region, this condition typically occurs at the C4-5, C5-6, or C6-7 segment.

Cervical disc degeneration can be hereditary, develop with old age or through an injury. Patients with the condition may experience numbness, tingling, or even weakness in the neck, arms, or shoulders due to irritated or pinched nerve roots in cervical vertebrae, making it hard for them to perform daily activities.

The worn out disc typically shrinks in its height, which can also contribute to the pinching on the nerves in the neck.

Disc Replacement
Cervical disc replacement is a revolutionary surgical procedure using artificial cervical disc implants, an alternative to cervical spine fusion which involves locking two or more of the vertebrae together to stabilize the pain.

Unlike the fusion operation, the replacement surgery involves permanently removing the degenerated or damaged cervical disc and replacing them with an artificial disc device (prosthetic disc).

The artificial cervical disc is inserted between two cervical vertebrae after the removal of the diseased disc. The artificial disc helps fill the gap between two bones as well as maintain or reestablish the normal height of the disc space.

Approved by the Food and Drug Administration in July of 2007, the artificial disc device is intended to decompress (relieve pressure) on the nerves and spinal cord as well as preserve motion and flexibility in the neck.

The surgery is more advantageous as it eliminates the need for a bone graft, as well as helps patients regain the postoperative neck motion faster and return to normal activity early.

Who and Who Does Not Need It?
If one or two discs in your neck are badly damaged and causing chronic pain in neck and arms, then you may be a candidate for disc replacement surgery.

But the surgery may be considered only if the pain is not relieved adequately with six months of conservative (non-surgical) care, which includes anti-inflammatory medications, exercise, physical therapy, or cold/heat therapy.

The surgery is mostly considered for patients with cervical disc herniations that are significantly taking toll on patients' quality of life and ability to function.

However, the implantation of artificial disc is not an option for all patients. Those with arthritic back bones or suffering from degenerative disc disease at multiple segments in the spine are not appropriate candidates for this surgery.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Can Chiropractors Help Babies With Colic?


Symptoms of Colic

Symptoms for colic seem to be standard for babies that are otherwise healthy, these include:

*Crying episodes that occur normally in the afternoon and evening and the crying begins suddenly - the episodes normally last minutes or can go on for longer Clenching of the fists, arched back, and tightened abdominal muscles are typically seen as well

*Passing of wind during the episodes

*Restlessness during the colic episode

Can Chiropractors Help Colicky Babies?Chiropractors believe that when your baby is being born the vertebras in the spine can be stretched and become misaligned. This is especially true when the mother experiences a hard labor where a vacuum or forceps have to be used in order to assist with birth. If the misalignments are severe, it can cause various aspects of the body to be affected, including digestion.

Many parents are reluctant to take their infant to a chiropractor simply because of the stereotype of popping and cracking noises of the spine. However, for babies, chiropractors gently apply pressure to the neck and the back, which realigns the baby's spine. Remember, infants bones are very soft, so there is no cracking sounds heard and it is an all-natural way in which to treat colic.

As the spine of the infant is gently positioned correctly, digestion can improve dramatically and as it does, colicky episodes lessen or become a thing of the past.

Finding a Chiropractor that has worked with infants is important as many have extensive experience and of course, this is going to give your baby the best chance of recovering from the colic quicker. This is a natural way to help you baby and of course, most parents jump at the chance of a natural way in which to help relieve their child's pain naturally.

Final Thoughts

If you have an infant suffering from colic, realize you have options with chiropractic help. As the infant's spine is realigned, parents begin to notice their baby sleeping more soundly through the night with fewer colicky episodes. Of course, it may take several treatments in order to bring your baby's spine into the correct alignment, but it is a pain-free and drug-free way to find relief for your baby.

Two Ways To Relax Tight, Knotted Muscles


Muscles that are chronically tense and knotted need more than passive stretching to regain flexibility. Since tense muscles are a main cause of chronic back pain and other pain conditions, it is important to be aware of how to relieve muscle tension.

Muscles become chronically tense due to injury, poor posture, repetitive use or improper training. Knots called trigger points often develop in tight bands of muscle fibers and the connective tissue surrounding muscles called myofascia. Trigger points are isolated spasms of tissue that can cause localized and referred pain, as well as making it even harder to relax the tense muscle.

Passive stretching, involving the use of a body part or other surface to hold our stretched muscle in position, is ineffective at relieving chronically tense muscles and trigger points. Examples of passive stretches are splits, where the floor is supporting the legs, or the popular quad stretch in which you hold your heel up to your buttocks with your hand. If anything, the spasmodic knots may tighten up even more in reaction to the attempt at lengthening the muscle fibers; this can be a form of self-protection to prevent tearing.

It is possible to restore length, strength and flexibility to tight muscles with the following techniques.

Myofascial Release

Myofascial release can be sought from a practitioner or self-administered. A specialist trained in myofascial bodywork can locate trigger points and use hands-on techniques to release the spasmodic bundles of tissue. Bodywork techniques are also employed to lengthen the whole muscle.

Self-myofascial release (SMR) involves the use of a foam roller or other dense, round object. To practice SMR, you roll over the tense muscle with the roller between your body and the floor. Pause on the tenderest spots (the knots) and hold for 30-45 seconds. Done twice a day and before and after workouts, SMR can provide sufficient relief to some.

Active Stretching

Active stretching employs the principle of reciprocal inhibition. This principle plays out between what are called agonist and antagonist muscles. These muscle groups are situated on opposite sides of a joint and facilitate opposing motions. An example of such opposing muscles is the hamstring and quadriceps; the quadriceps extend the knee whereas the hamstring flexes it. The principle of reciprocal inhibition states that activation of an agonist muscle causes inhibition of the antagonist through nueronal communication. When the quadriceps activate, a motor neuron signal is sent from the quadriceps through the spinal cord to the hamstring inhibiting its activation. This encourages the hamstring to relax and stretch.

Active stretching has an added advantage of strengthening agonist muscles (the ones being activated in the stretch). Muscle imbalances involve strength and length differences between muscles; the tighter muscle is shorter and stronger than the opposing muscle, which is weak and overstretched. In reality, both muscles are weak, since a strained, tense muscle cannot work hard. Active stretching restores length to overly tight muscles, which will lead to strength, and strengthens weaker opposing muscles by activating them.

People with lower back pain and muscle tension would likely benefit from doing active stretches that engage the abdominal muscles to unleash the advantages of reciprocal inhibition. The first half of the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckMBp3bRgT0 shows active stretches for the back.

Myofascial release combined with active stretching can help you get rid of chronic muscle tension and knots. More often than not, there is a safe and natural solution to back pain.

Conservative Treatments For Retrolisthesis


Retrolisthesis is one type of vertebral misplacement, or subluxation, that can occur in the spine. It is the backward slipping of a vertebra in relation to one above or below it. Retrolisthesis is less common than forward slipping, called spondylolisthesis. It occurs most often in the cervical or lumbar segments of the spine, as these are the most mobile.

A number of mechanical or external forces can cause vertebral misalignment. Conditions like arthritis and degenerative disc disease can cause a vertebra to shift. An injury, such as a hard fall, can sometimes jolt the spine enough to cause misalignment. Years of improper body mechanics can create enough stress on the spine to throw it out of alignment, as can being overweight. Blunt trauma can also cause the shift.

A number of changes occur in the back surrounding retrolisthesis. The joints that connect vertebrae are stressed when they become misaligned. The discs surrounding the shifted bone will be pushed toward the innermost part of the body and caused to bulge, providing inadequate shock absorption to the spine and potentially allowing friction between the bones. The slipping vertebra may begin to compress nerve roots exiting the spine. Soft tissue surrounding the shifting area of the spine - namely, ligaments and muscles - become stretched and injured.

Symptoms of retrolisthesis vary greatly depending on the degree to which the vertebra has shifted and whether or not it is impinging spinal nerves. Decreased range of motion and localized back pain may be felt. Tenderness due to muscle and ligament injury is possible. If nerves are being compressed, then sharp pain, tingling, numbness and weakness may be felt along the nerve pathway.

Treating Restrolisthesis

Many surgeons jump prescribe spinal fusion surgery as a treatment for subluxation. There are a number of safe, conservative treatments that should be tried before surgery is even considered, however. The goal of treating retrolisthesis is to realign the spine, and to do so, a number of things must be accomplished: 1) The joint must be mobilized to move the bone back into alignment; 2) the disc, if degenerating, must be re-hydrated; 3) surrounding soft tissues need to recover their tone in order to provide structural support to the realignment.

Chiropractic care is the best conservative option for restoring alignment to the spine. Chiropractors specialize in joint range of motion and alignment of vertebrae. If disc degeneration has caused your misalignment, or if the misalignment has caused disc degeneration, look for a chiropractor equipped with a decompression machine. Decompression treatments gently pull your vertebrae apart to increase intervertebral space and allow discs to reabsorb lost fluids. These machines have biofeedback technology that assesses how surrounding tissues respond to the pulling force exerted to separate vertebrae. If the pull is too great, your muscles will react by contracting against it, thereby limiting the effectiveness of the treatment for your discs and causing injury to the muscles. Biofeedback technology makes decompression treatments preferable to the simpler inversion table treatment for people with injuries like retrolisthesis.

Repairing your soft tissues will likely take more time than restoring alignment. Once alignment is attained, the stress on tissues will be decreased, but restoring tone to the tissues will be a process. Physical therapy may be needed to target overstretched ligaments and muscles. Simple core exercises, such as the bird dog, may be prescribed to ensure balanced core strength to support the spine.

Your best chance of recovering fully from retrolisthesis comes with education. Make sure you are not being sent out of the doctor's office with nothing but pain medications to mask the symptoms or rushed into the operating room when conservative options are available. Ask for a referral to a well-reputed chiropractor and begin the path to safe, thorough recovery.

Back Pain and Sciatica - Evaluating Your Options


You've been hurting for months. You can't stay on your feet for more than a few minutes. It hurts to sit for too long. Recently you can't get a good night's sleep because you just can't get comfortable. The painkillers aren't working, and you're starting to think seriously about back surgery. But after all the expense, rehabilitation and risk, will you bet better off? There are alternatives to surgery, and they just might work for you.

Back pain that leads to surgery is often associated with a damaged intervertebral disc or spinal stenosis. The discs are the tough, flat cushions between the vertebrae. Imagine a disc as the warm toasted marshmallow sandwiched between two graham crackers in a s'more. If the crackers are pressed together evenly, the marshmallow will spread out evenly as well. If you squeeze just one side of the sandwich together, the marshmallow (or disc) will ooze out to the opposite side. That's what happens with a "slipped" disc. The protruding part can irritate a nearby nerve. If it ruptures, there can be chemical irritation of the nerve as well. The discs also tend to degenerate, flatten and become less resilient over the years, so there is less space for the nerves where they come out of the spinal column.

Siatica (Sciatica) is an irritation of the siatic/sciatic nerve. It can cause radiating pain, burning sensations or cramping in the buttocks and down the leg. This may be caused by a nerve root problem in the lower part of the spine, but it can also be caused by impingement further down in the area of the buttocks. The piriformis muscle runs across the back of each hip joint, deep in the buttock, where it crosses paths with the sciatic nerve. Pressure from an overly tight piriformis muscle is believed to irritate the sciatic nerve causing buttock and/or radiating leg pain. This is known as piriformis syndrome. It can be addressed by releasing excess tension and any "trigger points" (knotted areas) in the piriformis and associated muscle groups.

Stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal that leads to compression of the enclosed spinal cord and nerves. Fractures of the spine can also result in unstable vertebral joints and irritation to the spinal nerves.

Treatment Options

Common surgical procedures for these conditions include discectomy, laminectomy, and fusion. In a discectomy, the part of the disc that is stressing the spinal cord or a nerve is removed. Removing or trimming part of the bony structure around the spinal cord (the lamina) is called a laminectomy. This may be done to widen the spinal canal when it has been restricted by stenosis, or to provide access for a discectomy. Spinal fusion fixes vertebrae together using bone grafts and screws or other hardware to prevent any movement between them.

Determining when surgery is appropriate is not always easy. Most incidents of back pain resolve themselves over several weeks. Even cases of severe chronic back pain or sciatica may respond very well to more conservative treatments. Individuals with substantial disc degeneration and/or stenosis can return to an active pain-free life without surgery. Surgeons may have a skewed perspective because their patients who are diagnosed as needing surgery, but who go on to rehabilitate themselves through non-surgical means, are unlikely to report back to the surgeon.

Even when there is clear disc impingement upon a nerve, non-surgical remedies are possible. Experiments have shown that a healthy nerve root (where the nerve exits the spinal cord) can withstand substantial pressure without pain or paresthesia (tingling or burning). When a nerve root is injured, pressure on it can cause loss of feeling, reduced reflexes and eventually reduced strength and motor reflex. However, when a nerve root has a poor blood supply (ischemia), it becomes very sensitive to pressure. So, a healthy nerve root with a good blood supply can tolerate a fair amount of mechanical abuse. But once it has become irritated, swollen, inflamed or otherwise suffered decreased blood flow, it will be much more easily irritated. Therapy should therefore be aimed at reducing mechanical irritation, reducing inflammation, and improving blood perfusion.

"Conservative treatment" is a term that can be applied to anything from pain pills and bed rest to much more aggressive therapy that involves substantial patient participation. The latter requires more commitment but is likely to give better results. The patient can also learn some useful self-care techniques during treatment. Analgesics, muscle-relaxers and anti-inflammatory drugs (or herbal formulas) may also have their place in the therapy.

Seeing the Bigger Picture

The muscular, skeletal, neural, vascular and lymph systems of the body all affect one another. A good treatment plan works toward optimizing all of them. When there is pain, as from nerve impingement, a common protective reaction of the body is to tighten up and stabilize the area. Unfortunately, this tightening can exacerbate the problem by putting more pressure on the damaged structures. Also, chronic spasm of the muscles leads to decreased blood infusion (ischemia) and poor lymph movement. The muscles become poorly nourished, and the tissues are not properly cleansed of cellular waste products. A large component of patient's pain can be from this muscular dysfunction, rather than from the direct nerve impingement itself.

Tight muscles, especially when their forces are not well balanced, are intimately involved with skeletal joint dysfunction. The skeletal system, after all, is aligned and controlled by the soft tissues around it (with limits set by the bony structures themselves and by the ligaments that surround the joints). When muscular action on one side of the spine is stronger and tighter than the other, it can significantly change the alignment between the vertebrae, and inhibit the natural smooth gliding at the joint surfaces. Besides nerve irritation (remember that squeezed marshmallow), this can accelerate arthritic changes in the joints.

Nerves are responsible not only for sending pain signals back to the brain, but also for sending motor control signals out to the muscles. Therapy should address the neural components of the problem. Neuromuscular reeducation refers to therapy that aims at normalizing the interaction between muscles and their nerve signals.

Many types of non-surgical therapies are available, and each has its strengths. Chiropractic adjustments can restore normal joint function, and thus release tension and inflammation in surrounding soft tissues. Unfortunately, some people do not respond well to this high-velocity approach, and normal muscular function often does not follow. Skilled massage, physical therapy, yoga, stretching, strengthening and other manual therapies can address the muscular components. Functional and postural habits that exacerbate the condition may need to be relearned. Acupuncture works via several pathways: it can release and balance muscle tensions, moderate nerve signals, decrease inflammation and increase local blood flow to the tissues.

The Benefits of Avoiding Surgery

Results from conservative therapy can be dramatic, but it typically takes weeks or months to effect lasting changes, and a combination of techniques may be needed. The reward for this effort is a reduction or elimination of pain, a better functioning body and more information about how to keep it that way, not to mention the avoidance of surgery, anesthesia, and post-surgical rehabilitation. This can save tens of thousands of dollars, and greatly decreases one's exposure to pharmaceuticals. Even with a course of anti-inflammatory drugs, a patient will be subjected to a much lower pharmaceutical load that when undergoing surgery.

Besides, surgery often fails. The U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality states that "Patients considering lumbar spine surgery should be informed that the likelihood of having another spine operation later is substantial." A study of 24,882 adults who had low back surgery for degenerative spinal problems in the early 1990's found that about one out of five had another back surgery within 11 years. That's about double the rate for hip or knee replacement. And one should not assume that the rest were living pain free.

Is Good Medicine Driving High Back Surgery Rates?

A study by the University of Washington's Center for Cost and Outcomes Research looked at spinal surgeries in the U.S. and confirmed some disturbing trends. In 2001, approximately 122,000 lumbar fusions were performed, representing a 220% increase from 1990. Were those surgeries more successful than in the past? It seems not. Reoperation rates actually increased during the 1990's, with a cumulative rate of about 12% just three years after the initial surgery.

The Department of Health Services at the University of Washington has noted that there are large variations in back surgery rates across different parts of the country. The Department also found that "The rate of back surgery in the United States was at least 40% higher than in any other country and was more than five times those in England and Scotland. Back surgery rates increased almost linearly with the per capita supply of orthopaedic and neurosurgeons in the country." That sounds more like supply-side economics than evidence-based medicine.

Meanwhile, the New England Journal of Medicine has published a new study of 283 patients with severe sciatica. The participants were randomly selected to have surgery early on, or to have extended conservative treatment and undergo surgery at a later time, if needed. Only 39% of this second group actually ended up having surgery. After one year, the outcomes were similar for those with early surgery and the conservatively treated group, although those receiving early surgery had somewhat faster pain relief and self-perceived recovery rates.

The decision to have surgery for back pain or sciatica due to degenerative conditions will usually be left to the patient. Trauma resulting in fractures, cancer, and other conditions causing back pain may permit fewer options. But for patients who are willing to participate in their own recovery, conservative treatment holds a lot of promise with very low risk. Surgery, after all, will remain an option. They may need to be more proactive in seeking out treatment. Learning stretches and other exercises from a skilled therapist will give them some control over their recovery. A willingness to try appropriate therapies and actively engage in the treatment process can lead to much greater success than simpler treatments involving only rest and drugs. Those who choose such a treatment plan may well be rewarded with a strong, pain-free body, and new knowledge that can help keep it that way.

Back Pain and Surgery: Is It Effective?


At least 80% of Americans will suffer from back pain at least once in their lives. The majority of back pain complaints can be treated and managed with non invasive, conservative chiropractic care. Chiropractic has been shown to effectively treat low back pain that last for more than a month. It can also be used to treat other conditions such as, neck pain, carpal tunnel and hip pain just to name a few.

The many medical innovations have allowed for orthopedic surgeons to perform back surgeries and get better results than they did before but some patients end up experiencing more pain after surgery.

600,000 Americans go in for back fusion surgery each year
Spinal fusion surgeries fuse two or more vertebrate.

In some cases, this can cause more pain for the patient. When two vertebral segments are fused (genetically) or surgically it restricts the natural movement of the vertebrate above and below the fused segment. This in turn leads to decreased motion in the joint above and below the fusion. Since the motion of the spine is altered this can lead to more pain and degeneration of the joints.

Medical Researchers at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine reviewed records from 1,450 patients in the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation database who were diagnosed with degenerative disc disease, disc herniation or radiculopathy, a nerve condition that causes tingling and weakness of the limbs.

50 % of patients had back surgery to fuse 2 or more vertebrate in hopes of curing their low back pain
50% did not have surgery
2 years later
26% of those who had fusion surgery returned to work
67% of those who did not have surgery returned to work

The results of the study show that there was lost productivity among the group of patients that had back surgery and a 41% increase in the use of painkillers, mainly opiates.

In this case the fusion surgery that was supposed to help alleviate and cure their back pain, in some cases made it worse. There are cases where back surgery is needed and the patients who have the surgery are able to live with less pain.

Improper PowerPoint Presentation Results in a $300,000 Verdict Being Thrown Out


The Appellate Division recently vacated a $300,000 jury award in a personal injury lawsuit due to plaintiff's counsel's improper use of a PowerPoint presentation during his closing argument. In this matter, Anthony Romano filed a lawsuit against Michael Stubbs in connection with an altercation which occurred in the Bergen County Courthouse on February 23, 2006.

On that date, Stubbs was in court for a hearing in connection with a domestic violence complaint filed by his wife and a determination as to whether a temporary restraining order should be made permanent. While in court, an officer approached Stubbs and told him that a warrant had been issued for his arrest due to his alleged violation earlier in the day of the temporary restraining order. Romano, who was an officer in the courtroom, assisted in arresting Romano after he resisted arrest. During the altercation, Stubbs fell on top of Romano forcing Stubb's elbow into the ground. Stubbs ultimately pled guilty to a petty disorderly persons offense for this altercation.

Romano alleged that as a result of this incident he sustained an injury to the ulnar nerve in his elbow which required surgery. Additionally, Romano claimed that he injured his neck warranting a spinal fusion. Romano in turn filed a negligence lawsuit against Stubbs.

At issue in this case was plaintiff's counsel's use of a PowerPoint presentation during his closing argument. During the recess between defense counsel's closing argument and the start of plaintiff's counsel's closing argument, it was disclosed for the first time that plaintiff intended to use a PowerPoint presentation during closing. Defense counsel objected to plaintiff's counsel utilizing the PowerPoint presentation at that point. The trial judge permitted the use of the PowerPoint presentation finding that plaintiff's counsel would not be projecting anything he would not say in his argument.

During his closing argument, plaintiff's counsel utilized the PowerPoint presentation to support his argument that Stubbs decision to proceed to trial reflected a bad character and his refusal to accept responsibility for the happening of the incident. Additionally, plaintiff's counsel argued that Stubbs and his attorney were acting in concert to blame Romano. Also, during the presentation, plaintiff's counsel projected words indicating that Stubbs was a criminal, had a propensity for violence and that the jury needed to "send a message." Ultimately, the jury returned a verdict of $300,000 to compensate Romano for his injuries.

In reviewing this matter, the Appellate Division noted that generally closing arguments based on the evidence are permissible, but arguments that "shift the jury's focus from a fair evaluation of the evidence to pursue instead a course designed to inflame a jury, by appealing repeatedly to inappropriate and irrelevant considerations are not." The Court recognized that while "counsel has broad latitude to passionately advocate their clients' cases in summation, there are some clear boundaries."

Taken as a whole, the Court found that plaintiff's counsel had made improper arguments through the use of his PowerPoint presentation. The Court found that arguing and projecting words that: (1) the jury needed to send a message; (2) Stubbs was a violent person; (3) Stubbs was a criminal; (4) Stubbs decision to go to trial was evidence of a bad character; and (5) Stubbs and his counsel were "working" to blame Romano, constituted improper arguments. As such, the Court found that "the cumulative impact of multiple transgressions in plaintiff's closing argument leaves us with no confidence in the fairness of the damages awarded."

Accordingly, the damage award was vacated and the matter was sent back to the trial court for a retrial on damages.

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

The Best Sleeping Positions For Back Pain


If you're one of the thousands of people who suffer from back pain you probably agree that one of the worst moments of the day for pain and stiffness is upon waking in the morning. This is often a result of poor sleeping positions. Believe it or not, say Ontario chiropractors, the way you sleep can often make a big difference in alleviating back pain or aggravating it. In order to wake up feeling less back pain, wellness practitioners will often recommend these sleeping positions:

Sleep on your side in a slightly curled position and try putting a small pillow between your knees and make certain you neck is well supported by your pillow.

If you prefer to sleep on your back, try sleeping with a small pillow tucked under your lower back and another under your lower legs. This will help to keep your spine aligned while sleeping. Again, be certain your neck is well supported.

Sleeping on your stomach is not generally recommended as it is the most unnatural position for the spine.

The type of mattress you choose can also have a huge impact on back pain. The mattress you sleep on should be firm yet comfortable and configure itself to your body. A mattress that is too soft will allow your spine to curve too much and a mattress that is too firm can cause increased stiffness. It can take some time to adjust to a new sleeping position if you have been sleeping a certain way for a long time. It may feel at first as though the new sleeping position is actually causing increased pain, but this is generally just your back adjusting to being aligned properly. Give it some time and you will see marked improvement.

As well as sleeping properly, how you get out of bed in the morning can also alter the way your back will feel throughout the day. When you go to get out of bed, swing your feet over the side of the bed and rest them on the floor while keeping your back straight. Stretch your back gently and then push yourself to your feet with both hands while keeping your spine straight. No doubt you get out of bed every morning without even thinking about how you do it, but the way you stand up can actually affect your entire day!

As always, if you continue to have back pain in spite of all your efforts to improve your posture, sleeping and lifting activities, you should consult an Ontario wellness practitioner in case there are more serious underlying problems that require attention.

Exploring The Benefits Of Laser Surgery Over Spinal Fusion


Chronic back pain is a common problem in the world today and many Americans have become dependent on pain pills and frequent visits to the doctor. In some serious cases doctors may recommend a spinal fusion. The spinal fusion is a surgical procedure done by combining two or more vertebrae in the spine to help limit their mobility. This process leads to reduction of pain caused from the motion of the vertebrae. Spinal fusion is basically done in the lumbar section and can be effective in the treatment of thoracic and cervical complications.

Spinal fusion is commonly considered a "last resort" and is brought on by the patients' neurological trauma or intense pain and unresponsiveness to alternative forms of treatment. Some of the reasons that can lead to this conclusion include spinal tumors, spondylolisthesis, spinal disc herniation, scoliosis, spine instability and digestive disc diseases. However, despite the benefits this medical technique can bring about, it does have some major disadvantages which make it a risky procedure.

One of disadvantages of spinal fusion is that some patients after the completion of the procedure start suffering from severe or minor headaches. Some other common conditions include temporary or permanent numbness on one side of the body; pains in the lower muscles in the back and nerve damage. All these are after effects of spinal fusion which can easily be avoided by having its alternative, laser surgery.

Traditionally, surgical treatments for the spine had been invasive thereby leading to collateral damages of healthy tissues. Many times this has led to future complications resulting in further treatments and multiple surgeries. This led to the development of the laser surgery.

For people suffering from chronic back pain and those dependent on pain pills and other therapies such as injections, the use of the laser surgery should be considered. This revolutionary new medical procedure is essentially non invasive and creates an incision less than the width of a dime. Instead of using a scalpel to cut the herniated tissues, a precise laser beam is used to cut the tissues by evaporating those with high moisture content. This pinpoint process leads to far less bleeding and surrounding tissue damage. The procedure is non invasive, almost superficial leading to a quick recovery time of around 72 hours instead of months for a typical surgery like spinal fusion.

The typical spinal fusion procedure involves drilling your spine to make holes to be used in immobilizing the vertebrae and may involve implanting an artificial disc or support screws. The resulting trauma to the surrounding area can often create intense pain and may subsequently lead to a weakened spine, in some cases confining one to a wheel chair. On the other hand, with the laser surgery, there are no holes drilled on the spine and healthy tissues are not damaged as the disc is repaired, not removed. This superior process leads to a rapid recovery and the pain is significantly less. An additional benefit is that the patient normally gets discharged in less than five days unlike the spinal fusion surgery which can take weeks.

In addition to the whole procedure being less scary and painful, laser surgery is more economical. It has been known to cost 1/3 to 1/2 of the overall cost of spinal fusion. Moreover, due to the quick recovery of the patient, less money is spent in hospitals, time off work, and expensive medication to help relieve the pain caused by the surgery. This means that usually within a week, a laser spinal patient can go on to their daily duties as though nothing ever happened.

Alternative Scoliosis Treatment Success


The purpose of bracing is not to correct scoliosis, but to stop it from getting worse. Unfortunately, even with proper compliance (wearing the brace for 23 hours every day), it frequently fails in doing so. Dolan & Weinstein documented that 23% of patients who wore a brace still ended up undergoing spinal fusion surgery. In comparison, 22% of patients who did nothing underwent surgery for their scoliosis later in life. The evidence in support of bracing is extremely poor, earning an overall rating of "D" in a review of the scientific literature. Bracing can be very emotionally-scarring, at a time in life when "fitting in" means everything, wearing a brace can be a traumatic experience in a young person's life, with some people going so far as to say it left them with a "psychological scar. In addition to the emotional effects, the physical side effects of wearing a brace can include pain, skin & bone problems, and impairment of normal lung function.

Surgery does not cure the disease of scoliosis, but rather replaces one deformity with another. Many people choose surgery because they just want their worries about scoliosis to be over. However, surgery is not the final solution; merely an irreversible one. Scoliosis can continue to get worse even after spinal fusion, and over 20% of patients require more than one operation. Furthermore, 40% of patients are legally disabled 16 years after the procedure. Long-term evidence suggests that living with a fused spine may be worse than living with a curved one. 38% of patients stated that, if they had the chance to go back in time, they would not have undergone the surgery. 76% of patients suffer from back pain after 10 years. After 15 years, patients report increased difficulty sitting, standing, carrying, bending at the waist, participating in sports, lying on their backs or sides, lifting, performing household chores, and driving a car. In every patient who undergoes spinal fusion surgery, there is a permanent loss of spinal flexibility & function. The documented risks of surgery are bone fragments or instrumentation penetrating into the spinal canal; breakage of the implants; and, compression of the spinal nerves. This can lead to neurological deficits such as partial or total paraplegia, quadriplegia, or peripheral nerve damage - which may occur immediately after the operation, or as much as 10 years later. Surgery does not reduce rib deformity; instead, thoracoplasty (shaving down the ribs) or rib removal is often recommended for this purpose. This can result in a serious & permanent impairment of normal lung function, and can in fact cause the scoliotic curvature to progress. Even if the rib hump does improve after spinal fusion, in the majority of patients, the improvement is temporary, and eventually the situation is worse than it was before.

The truth is, spinal surgery is an invasive and dangerous procedure, and one that should only be undertaken after all other options have been exhausted. Unfortunately, it is increasingly being recommended as the first resort for children with progressive scoliosis and adults with painful scoliosis. Once done, it cannot be undone; to operate or not is an important decision, and all factors should be considered carefully before committing to spinal fusion surgery.

Researchers around the world recognize the need for a better way. Provided the use of a complete comprehensive approach, there is very little doubt that it is possible to reduce the need for surgery in the treatment of scoliosis. It cannot be argued against that there is a need for the advancement of research into manners by which a mild case of spinal curvature can be prevented from developing into a serious visible deformity.28 If bracing and surgery were successful, reliable, and effective ways of treating scoliosis, there would not be a need for advancement into new treatment methods. Also, there is increased need for physicians of all specialties to collaborate in the realm of scoliosis treatment.CLEAR Institute is fulfilling these needs by attending conferences of international spinal experts, working with recognized scoliosis specialists in all fields of healthcare, participating in debates about the future of scoliosis treatment, and providing more options to people living with scoliosis.

Our treatment addresses scoliosis 3-dimensionally, in accordance with established laws of biomechanics, to correct the spine in every dimension. It is well-recognized that two of the main factors involved in the progression & etiology of idiopathic scoliosis (IS) are biomechanical and neuromuscular. It is also proposed that the biomechanical and neuromuscular factors involved in the progression of scoliosis contribute to a cyclical pattern that leads to further progression ('vicious cycle').

Millner & Dickson described a biomechanical conceptual understanding of scoliosis in 1996 when they pointed out that, "For centuries, engineers have recognised that the mechanical behaviour of a column under load is influenced by geometry, as well as by material properties; it is clear that the spinal column also obeys these well-described laws." They then went on to extrapolate on this concept when they described scoliosis as a viscoelastic, three-dimensional "buckling" of the spine in both the coronal (side-to-side) and sagittal (front-to-back) plane, and noted that successful reproduction of scoliosis in an animal model occurs only when the normal sagittal alignment of the spinal column has been disrupted.This sagittal disruption has been noted and confirmed by several other authors. Researchers have even been able to predict the thoracic kyphosis by evaluating the coronal thoracic curvature, the lumbar lordosis, and the slope of the first lumbar vertebra. New research has discovered that a kyphotic cervical curvature occurs more frequently in patients with severe scoliosis than in a normal population. Axial rotation of vertebrae has been implicated as a risk factor for progression of scoliotic curvature. A positive correlation between the degree of the sagittal & axial disruption and the magnitude of the resultant lateral curvature has been documented. It has also been documented that spinal imbalances have the capability of producing forces which can influence curve progression. It could be taken as an axiom that if certain forces are capable of influencing progression, other biomechanical forces should be capable of influencing the regression of spinal curvature, and it has been suggested that a chiropractic physician who understands the biomechanics of scoliosis may have a rationale for the treatment of scoliotic curvatures. The etiology behind so-called idiopathic scoliosis is extensively biomechanical and driven in a large part by neuromuscular imbalances. Addressing & reversing the neuromuscular & biomechanical imbalances is the goal of CLEAR alternative scoliosis treatment, and this treatment approach is effective in patients of all ages.

This is supported by research which suggests that structural deviation of the nucleus pulposa can greatly affect the progression of scoliosis Physical rehabilitation has been demonstrated to be successful in the management of herniated nucleus pulposa. Physical exercises, postural remodeling, and proprioceptive neuromuscular re-education, combined with manual therapy that is performed with the purpose of achieving specific structural corrections (rather than simple mobilization of a spinal joint), are effective ways of altering the biomechanical forces affecting the spine and thus vertebral column loading. As stated by several preeminent scoliosis researchers, the primary factors influencing progression of the scoliotic spine are biomechanical (shear forces and asymmetrical loading of the vertebrae leading to vertebral wedging as per the Heuter-Volkmann Law, often referred to as the 'vicious cycle' in discussions regarding the pathogenesis of scoliosis), so a spinal biomechanical approach to treatment with the goal of reducing and reversing these forces is logical and has been proposed by other authors. This vicious cycle has been shown to develop in 3 dimensions, not merely in 2, and so biomechanical treatment aimed at reducing axial & sagittal deviation of the spine appears every bit as necessary as reduction of the lateral deviation.The CLEAR approach is the only system that re-trains the brain and spine to work together.

It has been well-documented that patients with scoliosis demonstrate a significant increase in neuroanatomical abnormalities of the corticospinal tract, as well as neurophysiological abnormalities, especially in the areas of vestibular function, proprioception, vibratory sensation, postural reflex mechanisms, abnormal reflex processing, and disordered postural equilibrium. Lateralization of neurophysiology also occurs more frequently in patients with idiopathic scoliosis (IS), and this can be correlated to the convexity of curvature.However, it has been suggested that this laterality is a result, rather than a cause, of scoliosis. While many authors have suggested that brain asymmetry may play a role in the etiology of scoliosis, one recent study did "not support the concept of a generalized brain asymmetry in idiopathic scoliosis," but noted instead that the trend towards asymmetrical neurophysiology was "probably representing subclinical involvement of the corticospinal tracts secondary to mechanical compression.The goal of the chiropractic manipulative therapy provided by CLEAR doctors is to reduce this mechanical compression and thus restore normality.

Neurophysiological compensations may develop as a mal-adaptation to disordered spinal structure; similarly, disordered spinal structure may create muscle imbalances & exacerbate existing neuromuscular imbalances.

Back Pain and Surgery - The Risk of Back Surgery


Like all surgical procedures - back surgery has risks and you need to know what these risks are and discuss them with your doctor. From personal experience, some research and experiences of people I know who have had back surgery I have put together a short list. Unlike a lot of surgery any operation that involves or is close to the spinal cord carries some very significant risks. It is important to investigate more conservative approaches before consenting to surgery.

1. General anesthetic means that you are asleep during your operation. Some surgery can be done with local anesthesia but there are risks. You may be allergic and have a reaction to the anesthesia you could experience anaphylactic shock. Pneumonia and infections to the lungs can also result in the use of general anesthetics.

2. Infection: Any procedure involves the risk of infection. A friend of mine recently had an outpatient back surgery. Three days later he was in the emergency ward with a serious infection resulting in five days in the hospital and possible permanent nerve damage.

3. During a back operation it's possible that the membrane surrounding the spinal cord is punctured. If the surgeon does fix these punctures you run the risk of headaches, infection or even spinal meningitis.

4. You could suffer nerve damage. Anytime you are operating near the spinal cord you run the risk of nerve damage resulting in increase pain, numbness or even paralysis.

Additional risk: Loss of blood, blot clots, spinal fusion failure, the pins and other hardware can sift or more causing pain and the need for another operation. Finally the operation itself can fail. And even after a successful operation there is a long recovery period and possible physical therapy. All in all you need to be aware of the consequences of back surgery and make sure your doctor explains them to you. Fortunately my surgery seems to have been successful. Of course it's only been a week.

I still have to put up with four weeks or more of lying on my back and according to my surgeon I may never be one hundred percent. That's why I wish I had known about "The Lose The back Pain System". From my research this system seems to make sense. They have a long record of success. To my way of thinking non-evasive methods are far superior and virtually risk free as compared to surgery. You owe it to yourself to investigate this and other non surgery methods. For more information visit my resource box below.

9 Ways to Avoid Back Surgery in the 21st Century


Back pain is a rampant problem in the United States. For example, did you know that over 1 million people are in bed today due to back pain? Back pain costs society over $100 billion every year in direct and indirect costs. There are over 400,000 spinal fusions performed each year in the United States. This represents a 15 fold increase over the past decade.

The vast majority of back surgeries in United States are elective. There are only really a few absolute indications for operating on one's back. The most prominent of these is called Cauda Equina syndrome, which is a condition that is an absolute surgical emergency. It involves pressure on the bottom part of the spinal cord and can affect permanent bowel and bladder function if not addressed right away. Unstable fractures of the back should be addressed in an emergency fashion as necessary. If the patient is having progressive neurologic deficit then that becomes a relative indication for surgery. Essentially what is being relayed here is that there are few relative and absolute indications for surgery, but the vast majority are actually elective.

Patient diagnoses such as to generate this disease or spinal stenosis with degenerative spondylolisthesis are the most typical types of issues that back pain patients have to deal with. These are never fatal, and are truly quality-of-life conditions. Nonsurgical measures should be exhausted prior to undergoing a spinal fusion procedure.

Is there a magic treatment to avoid surgery? The answer is truly not. There are no gimmicks, there are no holy grails, and there is no effective snake oil that can help patients avoid surgery. There are 9 treatments that have research behind them which can truly help patients avoid elective back surgery.

1. Activity modification-this refers to the old adage of if it hurts don't do it. Or simply do something else. For instance, if you are participating in a high stress activities such as jogging, that is probably not the best activity to pursue with significant degenerative disc disease. You'll probably be better off switching over to cycling or swimming. But benign neglect goes along with this and represents ignoring the pain if it's not too bad. These elective types of conditions by and large don't need prophylactic intervention.

2. Physical therapy and aerobic exercise-PT can strengthen the muscles around the spine, called the paraspinal muscles, and take pressure off the painful areas. A number of studies have shown that aerobic exercise maintains excellent results and is probably the single best activity for degenerative disc disease patients. Patients may need interventional treatments prior to undergoing PT to ensure their ability to perform the exercises properly. Especially if they are experiencing acute exacerbation of the pain.

3. Chiropractic treatment-this is now mainstream and is covered by many insurance companies. Over 10% the American public at any one point in time is under the care of a chiropractor. Research has shown that chiropractic manipulations are effective for pain relief for low back pain for a number of conditions.

4. Medications-chronic narcotics are a terrible idea for back pain and may lead to side effects such as depression, tolerance, and addiction. A better idea is to only use them on a short-term basis and stick with the tried and true Tylenol and NSAIDS. These are lower risk and very effective especially if taken within the manufacturers dosing recommendations. Muscle relaxers can help on a short-term basis, and as of recently dropped in and Lyrica are being used more fluidly for low back pain with good success. Non-narcotic medications such as old tram are also being used successfully for back pain. It is a good idea to utilize medications in conjunction with a complex of pain management program. That way not just throwing pills at the problem and you can obtain better results with less medications and side effects.

5. Interventional pain management procedures-the procedures for interventional pain management continue to improve every year and they can really help patients avoid surgery for back pain. These include facet injections, medial branch blocks, epidural injections, radiofrequency ablation, and spinal cord stimulation. Injections into the disk and diskograms are much less common now because some researchers showed a connection with disc degeneration and these procedures. There are some exotic procedures like the MILD procedure, which stands for minimally invasive lumbar decompression. These are not very commonly used.

6. Spinal decompression therapy became FDA cleared in 1996. It has minimal risk, is affordable, and is very effective for back pain, sciatica, facet arthritis, spinal stenosis, bulging or herniated discs, and failed back surgery. The actual cost of spinal decompression is less than 5% of spinal surgery.

7. Tens units-tens units are small battery-powered devices about the size of an iPod. They're safe and noninvasive and transmit small electrical impulses to electrodes on the skin. They can help steadily with suppressing pain and reduce the amount of pain medication necessary for comfort. Of note is that they do not cure anything, they are simply symptom relieving machines.

8. Lumbar bracing can be very effective for short-term pain relief. They can protect the lumbar spinal muscles similar to a splint like for wrist pain. They should not be used for chronic usage secondary to the fact that they can cause deconditioning of the spinal lumbar muscles.

9. Manipulation Under Anesthesia-this procedure is becoming more popular in the chiropractic community. It also can help patients avoid surgery and is typically done over 3 sessions on 3 consecutive days it can be an excellent resort unresponsive back pain to other treatments with intravenous sedation.

These 9 treatment methods can help patients avoid surgery over 95% of the time. Patients should try several or all of these prior to undergoing the knife for spinal fusion.