The
epidemic of back pain is enormous: It's a $100 billion industry,
it's the leading workers' comp injury, it's the leading reason
for disability for people under the age of 45, it will strike
90% of all American adults, it's the second-leading surgical procedure,
and it's only getting worse.
As
a huge burden upon society, many studies have been done to investigate
this epidemic, and the results have been shocking because they
don't endorse the standard medical procedure of MRIs, drugs, and
back surgery. In fact, many researchers now admit that these ineffective
medical methods have only added to this epidemic and escalated
the cost of back pain. Let me share with you the new revelations
on back attacks because it may save you a lot of pain and money.
For
many patients the first test ordered by their primary care physician
is an MRI scan. Not only expensive, but most are unnecessary according
to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The researchers recommended that MRI scans not be the first imaging
test for patients with back pain, and they also lead to more specialist
consultations and a higher rate of back surgery operations. Nor
do the MRI scans reveal the real cause of back pain in most cases!
US
Public Health Service's Guideline on Acute Low Back Pain in Adults
This study confirms an earlier guideline on acute low back pain
by the US Public Health Service that suggested only 1 in 200 patients
with severe low back and leg pain required an MRI scan, and surgery
is helpful in only 1 in 100 cases of severe low back pain. It
also recommended spinal manipulative therapy as a first avenue
of treatment for acute low back pain.
Not
only are too many MRI scans ordered but many are also misleading.
MRI studies on asymptomatic patients with no back pain found that
over 80% had herniated, degenerated, ruptured discs, and many
showed bones spurs and spinal stenosis as well. These findings
are now considered part of the natural aging process and deemed
as “false positives,” which means yes, the disc abnormality
is there, but no, it may have nothing to do with your pain, which
explains why many fusions are ineffective.
As
this report mentioned, many surgeries are based on these false
positive MRI exams, which explains why the failure rate of spine
surgery is so high. In another study on workers’ comp cases,
71% of patients having one back surgery never returned to work,
and 95% of those patients with multiple surgeries never worked
again. And the cost is enormous: a lumbar fusion may cost up to
$169,000, and back surgeries rank at the top of the list of hospital
procedures nowadays.
Another
article in The New England Journal of Medicine revealed that 97%
of back pain is “mechanical” in nature, meaning misaligned
spinal joints, strained muscles and/or ligaments are the problem,
and only 4% of these are true disc problems. Of these 97% mechanical
problems, the experts say 70% of these problems can be helped
with spinal manipulation. Recall that there are 24 movable vertebrae
in your spine sitting atop 3 pelvic bones, all connected by 137
joints, which explains why spinal manipulation and decompression
has proven to be so effective to reduce pressure on the joints
and discs. In other words, you slip joints before you slip discs
in the majority of back pain problems! A disc doesn't herniate
until the spinal mechanics force it too swell as a natural response
to the overload or buckling effect.
The
most effective form of care for failed back surgery, severe low
back pain, or for patients with true disc problems is Spinal Decompression system. I've found many patients are afraid
of surgery and some are afraid of spinal manipulation and, in
many cases, neither treatment has proven effective. Spinal Decompression is
the "missing link" in low back pain treatment since
it is does not use surgery, drugs or manipulation. In our clinic,
those DRX patients who follow our instructions with spinal rehab
exercises are those who get the best results since you must strengthen
your core spinal muscles if you hope to maintain the decompression
and correction.
How
It Works
While there are many explanations for low back pain such as facet
joint pain, osteoarthritis, disc abnormalities, muscle spasms
or the chiropractic model of vertebral subluxations/spinal fixations,
in my estimation these are static observations of “false
positives” and none of these alone explain the dynamics of
the spine as a highly flexible, weight-bearing pillar comprised
of 24 vertebrae, 3 pelvic bones interconnected by discs, muscles,
ligaments, and 137 joints. Fortunately, a new concept of LBP has
surfaced that better explains this epidemic as a dynamic process
of spinal compression.
According
to John Triano, DC, PhD, from the renowned Texas Back Institute,
a multidisciplinary practice consisting of MDs, DCs, and PTs,
their extensive research on LBP has shown what he terms is a “segmental
buckling effect,” an overload on the vertebral motor unit
caused primarily by prolonged sitting or standing on spines that
have been misaligned, sometimes years before in childhood. This
may explain why some patients with no recent traumatic event complain
of an insidious onset of their low back pain evident by disc degeneration,
muscle spasms, and joint fixations. Literally, it’s the straw
that finally broke their back, and it can be exacerbated simply
sitting at a computer.
Spinal Decompression creates a pulsating decompression effect up to 200-lbs/square
inch to “unload” the joints and discs, to infuse the
discs with nutrients as well as to create a negative intradiscal
pressure at specific lumbar disc levels to reduce herniation.
In effect, Spinal Decompression unbuckles these compressed spines, and our
Rehab Center equipment strengthens the core back muscles to avoid
future segmental buckling events.
One
interesting note: not every patient with LBP has a disc abnormality
that needs Spinal Decompression decompression. In fact, I’ve found that
many LPB patients suffer from sacroiliac pain, and research at
the TBI has shown that SI pain occurs after back surgery in nearly
60% of cases as compensation for the lumbar fusion. Inasmuch as
the SI joints have no discs, this source of pain is often overlooked,
although a simple side-posture manipulation is very effective
to correct this source of aggravation.
DRX
vs. VAX-D
Let me again explain the difference between Spinal Decompression
and other typical spinal traction units. Spinal Decompression is three generations
past the initial VAX-D table developed years ago. Actually, the
former North American distributor of VAX-D is the present manufacturer
of DRX who had requested upgrades to the VAX-D unit but was refused,
which explains why the VAX-D hasn’t changed in twenty years.
So he and other decompression spinal practitioners brainstormed
the problems with VAX-D, and with the help of many engineers,
Spinal Decompression unit was developed just two years ago.
The
problems with the VAX-D were numerous:
·
non-specific for disc levels with its straight-line traction
·
required patients had to hold on with their hands causing severe
shoulder/arm problems
·
inherent muscular resistance failed to achieve direct or specific
decompression of the spinal column
·
and the prone position was very uncomfortable for most patients,
especially to women.
Spinal Decompression engineers solved these problems and improved the outcomes
greatly:
·
patients are placed supine wearing two harnesses to avoid holding
on with their hands and, thus, avoid the muscular resistance found
in the VAX-D
·
the amount of decompression can targeted to the specific disc
level by varying the angle of traction
·
computers automatically gauge the amount of decompression for
each patient
·
clinical studies have shown Spinal Decompression significantly reduces back
pain in most cases of patients who complete the program
Total
Spinal Rehab
Besides disc decompression treatment or traditional spinal joint
manipulation (some patients receive both types of care), low back
pain therapy must include spinal exercises in order to stabilize
the weakened spine. In our spinal Rehab Center we will show patients
how to increase the strength and mobility of their spine, otherwise,
60% of patients may relapse in just 6 months. In fact, my office
is the only nationally certified spinal rehab facility in mid-Georgia
that gives the best of comprehensive spinal care.
The
general initial program of intensive care consists of 20 visits
in a 6-week period. During the first two weeks, patients will
be seen daily or until their pain is at least 50% improved. After
the decompression treatments that range from 15 to 30 minutes,
patients will also be given therapy to decrease any inflammation
and soreness. After this initial treatment period, we will do
a re-exam to rate their progress and to discuss a prognosis as
to future maintenance care or referral if necessary. In fact,
if they don’t feel at least 50% better in 4 weeks, we’ll
refer them elsewhere for a surgical consultation or pain management.
As
well, our Health Class and Back School will teach them how to
manage their back problem for the rest of their lives; like heart
disease, back problems don’t go away forever if they aren’t
managed properly with preventative measures. No other clinic offers
this valuable information on how to avoid a relapse.
Without
hesitation I can say Spinal Decompression ranks among the best treatments
for many types of low back pain, and when combined with our spinal
rehab program, patient improvement is assured. I do consult with
local orthopedists on the most difficult cases to give patients
the best of both worlds to solve their back problems. In fact,
Spinal Decompression has attracted some patients who didn’t qualify for
this care who I then referred to local orthopedists for further
review.
Co-Factors
for Back Attacks
The research is clear: back surgeries are often based on a false
premise (the slipped disc concept), patients are not informed
of the recommended guidelines of manipulative/decompression therapy
first, and when the back surgery invariably fails, inexplicably
they want to do another. Realistically, back surgery, pain pills,
or epidural shots do not cure you of a back attack, which is mostly
a lifestyle issue that has many co-factors too, so let me explain
them to you if your goal is to effectively manage this problem.
My formula for a back attack comes from a few conclusions I've
reached after 25 years in practice helping 10,000 patients. While
everyone is unique, here's my general equation for back pain:
How
misaligned are those 137 joints in your spine? From childhood
accidents, sport injuries, bicycle/horse/skating falls, and car
accidents, most people have numerous areas of spinal misalignments
that have never been corrected.
How compressed is your spine? From years of prolonged sitting,
most folks have lumbar disc degeneration from too much compression
sitting at work or at home in front of computers or TVs.
How strong or weak are your spinal muscles? Unless you're still
athletic or an exercise junkie, most sedentary folks have deconditioned
spinal muscles that are only getting weaker as they gracefully
age.
What is your posture like while you sleep or sit? While sleeping
on your back is best to allow your spine to remodel itself, most
folks don't sleep on their back. Slouching only inflames your
spinal misalignment and adds to disc compression.
What are your daily activities? Do you know how to lift properly?
Do you bend or twist at your job?
Do your sport or recreational activities exacerbate your pre-existing
spinal weaknesses?
What is your diet? Are you overweight from eating junk phoods,
which only compounds your spinal compression? Do you consume foods
like grain-based carbs or acidic drinks like coffee and Coke that
chemically add to the inflammation and degeneration causing arthritis
and fibromyalgia?
As
you can see from my back attack formula, there's no quick-fix
to this enormous problem whether it's a "wonder" adjustment,
a "wonder" back surgery, a "wonder" drug or
epidural shot. Just as heart surgery does not cure you of heart
disease, the typical back treatments do not correct the underlying
co-factors inherent to most back pain patients.
So,
are you ready to address all of these issues or do you want to
have more of the same back pain and inevitable degeneration? If
you have the discipline to learn how to manage your back problem,
we have the program to help you!
