Posts Tagged ‘lower back pain’

Pros And Cons Of Spinal Decompression Treatment

  

Free Back Pain eBook and Video

Spinal decompression is a high-tech form of traction used to treat disc bulging and degeneration and their associated pain and disability.

Spinal decompression differs from regular traction in that it uses computer-controlled motors to trick the spinal muscles into remaining relaxed and uncontracted during the treatment session. This results in much greater reduction in disc pressure than regular traction, which usually must work against the resistance of contracted muscles. Most people get excellent results from spinal decompression treatment, but some do not get any improvement, and a few may actually get worse. The following is an explanation of the reasons for the failures in spinal decompression treatment and ways you can know whether or not spinal decompression is likely to help in your particular circumstances.

I have been using spinal decompression in San Antonio for a few years now, and while it is a highly effective treatment for many people, it is not for everyone. Unfortunately, the costs of providing spinal decompression services sometimes influences doctors to recommend it in cases where it may not be entirely appropriate. Even with proper patient selection, spinal decompression is not 100% effective – no treatment is. But when doctors are not as discriminating as they need to be in what patients they accept, the results can be far from ideal and some patients may even get worse with this form of treatment when doctors prescribe it inappropriately for financial reasons.

From my experiences in my San Antonio practice, the patients who get the best results with spinal decompression are those with one or more bulging/herniated discs and patients with mild to moderate disc degeneration. Patients who have previously undergone disc surgery are somewhat more complicated, but most still get good results when they meet the selection criteria (no metal implantation in the spine, no spinal instability, and no impaired healing at the site of surgery). The vast majority of people who meet these criteria get very good results and are usually able to return to their normal activities without any significant pain.

 

While there are case reports that indicate complete disc ruptures can be treated with spinal decompression, in my experience, people with actual ruptures tend to not do very well with this form of treatment. It should be noted that even doctors sometimes incorrectly call a disc bulge or herniation a rupture. True disc ruptures (also called extrusions and sequestered discs), in which the inner gel of the disc is actually leaking out, are relatively rare, so it is good to find out for sure what your actual condition is.

Besides the obvious importance of only using spinal decompression in cases where it is really appropriate, it is very important for the machine operator to be well-trained to ensure proper set-up of the machine for the patient. There are several different decompression machines on the market, each with their own specific set-up procedures. Whatever machine is being used, it is critical to have ongoing refresher training for the operating technicians to be sure that all patients are being set up on the machine exactly right. While the better machines are unlikely to produce any major injury if they are not set up exactly right, results can suffer tremendously if the patient is not positioned and secured on the machine correctly on every visit. I highly suggest asking any spinal decompression provider how frequently the technicians undergo training and only work with those providers who do re-training at a minimum of every 3 months.

One other consideration is the fact that some patients are not good candidates for spinal decompression treatment because of their inability or unwillingness to follow the recommended treatment protocol. In my experience, the primary reasons why a patient can’t or won’t follow the treatment recommendations are usually related to money and/or time.

A complete spinal decompression program of care that inclues decompression as well as additional treatments may seem expensive to some people. Since spinal decompression is an alternative to disc surgery though, a cost comparison with surgery will show spinal decompression to be much less expensive with statistically much better resuts, making it a good value in most cases. Even so, some people try to lower the cost by attempting to reduce the amount of treatment they get. In my experiences from my San Antonio office, this approach is often a very big mistake. The people who discontinue care prematurely will often feel better and return to activities before their disc condition is stable. This can lead to re-injury and even worse problems. In my opinion, it is far better to invest in the recommended treatment in order to get maximum benefits.

Of course, some people fail to follow treatment recommendations primarily because they have busy lives and are unwilling to spend the time on getting better. This type of patient tends to miss a lot of appointments and may go long periods of time between treatment sessions. Unfortunately, the success of spinal decompression usually depends on getting the recommended amount of treatment at the recommended frequency of treatments. The effectiveness and results are not as good when people don’t make time for their appointments. What some busy people fail to realize is that if they don’t set aside time to properly deal with their health problem, sooner or later that health problem will deteriorate to the point where it forces them to make time to get treatment, and this often occurs when they are at their busiest and treatment is least convenient. It is my recommendation to invest the necessary time in getting better, rather than do the treatment intermittently and not get the best results.

To summarize, spinal decompression can be an extremely effective treatment for people suffering with pain from bulging and degenerated discs, but it is important that doctors select patients for this treatment carefully and make sure that the technicians operating the equipment get refresher training regularly to be sure patients are being set up on the machine properly. Patients need to take the responsibility to follow the treatment recommendations to allow for maximum correction and healing.

Dr. George Best specializes in the treatment of disc-related pain. For more information about spinal decompression in San Antonio, visit his website at www.spinesanantonio.com.

Published by Stenosis Advisor

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Back Pain Relief With Chiropractic

Free Back Pain Relief Guide and Videos

Lower Back Pain

Low back pain is a common health complication that at some point affects more than 80% of the population, making it second in commonality only to the common cold. Although most people are aware that the common cold is due to a viral infection, back pain is often a mystery to its sufferers. Your Fort Worth Chiropractor is an expert at solving the puzzle.

Anatomy

To understand back pain, it is helpful to understand the anatomy of the spine. The spinal bones or vertebrae of the lower back are comprised of posterior joints called facets that link vertebrae to one another and serve to dictate the motion of the spine. Inter-vertebral discs, comprised of dense cartilage, connect the bodies of the vertebrae. This dense cartilage covers the nucleus, a soft material in the center of the inter-vertebral discs. The discs act as shock absorbers and spacers between the vertebrae. Ligaments and muscles also link the vertebrae. The sacrum is a wedge-shaped bone at the bottom of the spine. It is joined to the two pelvic bones at the sacroiliac joint. The spinal cord is located between the facets of the vertebrae. The spinal nerves go out from the spine between the vertebrae.

Causes of Back Pain

In most cases, back pain comes about without a trauma, an accident, or a major injury prior to the onset. The cause of most back pain is the cumulative effects of awkward sitting posture, bad work habits, incorrect lifting, lack of proper exercise and other unhealthy lifestyle-related factors.

These cumulative factors cause stresses and imbalances on the spine and, therefore, people may injure their back simply by bending over to pick up a piece of paper. The spine was already compromised and just the simple act of bending was enough to set off the challenge. When this comes about, the surrounding back muscles go into spasm to protect the stressed or injured tissues of the back. Chiropractors are back pain specialists. Your Fort Worth Chiropractor can help you to get out of pain quickly.

Disc Problems & Sciatica

Increased pressure on the intervertebral discs and imbalances in the muscles around the spine can occur during and after prolonged sitting, specifically in a awkward position. Eventually the lower spine loses its ability to function normally during everyday stresses. In the end, the intervertebral disc develops small fissures, or cracks, letting the soft nucleus to protrude the disc outward. If the disc pushes on sensitive tissues, it creates the pain that is often referred to as a slipped disc. If the disc presses on the spinal nerve, a person can develop sciatica, which is defined as pain, tingling, numbness, and on occasion weakness in the lower extremities. Sometimes if the disc protrusion or herniation is large and the condition is not managed correctly, surgery is necessary to dispose of the herniated disc material. But, with the correct chiropractic adjustments and management, as well as postural exercises, most of these cases can healthfully mend. If you are experiencing any of the conditions defined above, it is essential for you to seek chiropractic attention.

Spondylosis

Increased erosion and weight-bearing stress on the spine occurs when there is repetitive injury to the discs, facet joints, and surrounding ligaments. Bone spurs are produced when the cartilage around the joints is unfavorably affected by stress that induces calcium to deposit in the tissues around the vertebrae. These spurs can compress adjacent nerves, blood vessels and soft tissue resulting in symptoms ranging from minor pain and numbness to gross sensory loss and muscular atrophy. This condition known as Spondylosis – is a form of arthritis that is likely to affect almost everyone at some point in life, as it is a common part of the aging process of the spine as well. However, determinants such as previous trauma, unhealthy lifestyle, and repetitive stress injury influence the time of onset in life. Regular chiropractic care and overall chiropractic management is extremely beneficial in slowing the aging process of the spine, as well as aiding Spondylosis sufferers in managing their condition. Your Fort Worth Chiropractor has assisted many Spondylosis sufferers.

Sacroiliac Problems

The sacroiliac joints are a general area of dysfunction or injury in the low back. These weight-bearing joints link the upper part of the body to the lower pelvic portion and are normally very strong and stable. Disturbances from falls, sports injuries, or the lifting of heavy objects can cause the joints to become unstable and change to an abnormal position. This condition is called a sacroiliac subluxation. Pregnancy can also cause this condition. Sacroiliac subluxation causes imbalances in the lower extremities giving a person a functional long and short leg. Those with this problem will feel pain particularly with prolonged standing and walking, or during or after physical activity. Many complain of lack of energy and exhaustion. Many times this imbalance can affect structures further up the spine and individuals can develop neck and shoulder pain, as well as headaches. Chiropractic adjustments establish the proper alignment of the joints and are extremely affective in eliminating sacroiliac problems. Ask your Fort Worth chiropractor how you can receive effective pain relief.

Spinal Subluxation

Subluxated or misaligned facets joints are a common disorder of the lower back, as well as the entire spine. Subluxations can exist on their own or in conjunction with disc problems and Spondylosis. Subluxations are not only painful, but they can restrict the nerves as they exit the foramen (or spaces) between the vertebrae, creating paraesthesia. Paraesthesia is a variation of sensation described as a tingling, burning or "funny feeling." Paraesthesia in the upper extremities more often than notoriginates from nerve problems in the neck, while paraesthesia in the lower extremities is most often associated with nerve dysfunctionin the lumbar region (lower back). Visceral problems such as asthma and gastric conditions can also belinked to, or complicated by, spinal subluxations and nerve compression. Subluxations are best eliminated by chiropractic adjustments.

Trauma

Damage such as a fall, car accident, or sports injury can produce over-stretching or tearing of the tissues of the spine and lower back and create extensive pain and immobility. In order to escape long term disability or the development of any of the conditions listed above, chiropractic adjustments and treatment at the onset of symptoms is vital. If you experience a trauma, call your chiropractor as soon as possible.

Scoliosis

Scoliosis is often associated with low back pain. Chiropractic care offers exceptional pain relief.

When it comes to the spine, chiropractors have more education and training than medical doctors. I can provides state of the art diagnosis and expert treatment for any of the above-mentioned dysfunctions of the spine and lower back.

Published by Stenosis Advisor

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    Causes of Lower Back Pain

     

     Free Back Pain Relief eBook and Videos

    Lower back pain can sometimes be traced back to a degenerative disc problem in the spinal column.  In order to understand why the pain happens it’s first important to understand how the spinal column is formed.  The spinal column is a vertical row of small round bones that are interconnected or articulated so that the bone can bend.  Through the center of the these round bones runs the spinal cord which is a bundle of nerves that travels from the base of the brain out to the rest of the body.  The spinal column protects the cord and gives the body flexibility and mobility.

    Between each of the round bones, called vertebrae, are soft discs.  These discs are there to cushion the motion between the bones so there isn’t bone rubbing on bone during motion.

    Sedentary Lifestyles Lead To Back Pain

    The causes of this degeneration can be many, and we will talk about them and how you can treat your pain in future posts.

    But one of the primary causes is poor posture, particularly sitting on a chair or couch in a slouching manner. Let’s face it. Our culture has become sedentary. Many of us work in offices or sit in chairs all day, go home and sit on the couch while watching TV or reading the paper or book, then get on our computers for more hours. A hundred years ago we were basically an agrarian society, fast becoming a manufacturing one. People didn’t sit down all day. They didn’t sit in front of the TV or Computer either. Radio was just starting out as the home entertainment medium.

    It’s interesting to note that cultures that are not as advanced as ours, the Far East for example, do not experience much back pain at all. People are accustomed to sitting on mats in a yoga-like position. This position is much easier on the back. Yoga, by the way, is often rec ommended to persons suffering from back pain. But we’ll have another post on that as well.

    Degenerative Spinal Changes

    Degenerative changes to the spinal column are common and the intervertebral discs are one structure that is prone to those changes.  They are associated with wear and tear, aging and misuse such as smoking.  Long before any changes might be evident on imaging studies there are biochemical and structural changes that may seem to be similar to osteoarthritis or  lumbar spinal stenosis. 

    30% od Adults 60+ Have Chronic Back Pain

    The term degenerative disc disease refers to the changes to the discs which causes low back pain.  But, despite the rather dramatic label, this condition is very common among individuals.  It is estimated that approximately 30% of 30 to 50 year old people will have some degree of degeneration of the disc space.  And, after a person reaches age 60 this finding is expected.

    Although the description of degenerative disc disease appears to be straightforward there is some degree of disagreement in the medical community about the description and the implications, especially when x-ray findings indicate changes in a young adult.   But, while there is some debate about the disease itself it is known how the changes in the spine cause pain.


    Generally the pain that is associated with degenerative disc disease and low back pain are thought to stem from two different factors.  These factors are the inflammation from the changes to the disc and abnormal micromotion instability. 

    When inflammation occurs in the body there is release of chemicals that irritates the muscles which results in spasms around the area.  If one of the out rings of the disc is damaged or worn it isn’t as effective in resisting motion in the spine.  This micromotion instability isn’t associated with gross instability such as a slipped disc but still causes pain or discomfort in the area.

    Both the micromotion instability and the inflammation cause muscle spasms in the lower back.  As the body attempts to stabilize the lower back the muscles spasm further creating more pain.  This cycle is a reflex of the body and although it isn’t necessary to protect the nerve roots, it can also be painful and result in an individual who appears crooked from one area of the back to the next as the muscle spasms pull the back out of alignment.

    Treatment for this problem may include exercises which strengthen the muscles in the lower back such as those demonstrated in the video above. Regardless, you should consult a specialist for an assessment of your specific problem and the appropriate treatment options.

    Published by Stenosis Advisor 

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