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When you think of health, what comes to mind? Is it genetics, nutrition, exercise, a mental or emotional state of well being? Do you look at the big picture or just symptoms, disease and Western or modern Medicine. Eastern medicine is otherwise known as Ayurveda and has roots over 3000 years ago, possibly 4000 years. The Egyptians were skilled in the use of herbs for healing, well being and embalming. They have pictorials of manual manipulation of the back in the hieroglyphics. I have seen a petroglyph of a back massage or manipulation in petroglyphs of Utah and Nevada as well. The ancient civilizations understood the importance of a balance of rest and exercise, nutrition using nothing more than salt for preservatives and did have knowledge of other types of preservation from decay but chose not to do this to their food supply. They took time for meditation and relaxation in mineral baths or steam rooms. Our blood chemistry changes for the better when we take the time and effort to perform these rituals. Therapeutic massage is not an extravagant expense of time and money, it increases blood circulation to tight knotted muscles and relaxes them as does mechanical instrument adjusting to the muscles attaching to joints. Spinal manipulation can stop the nerve signals which instruct the muscles to tighten or remain tense. Endorphins are released and cortisol levels decrease from both manipulation and from massage. The endorphins give us a sense of well being and negate pain signals, cortisol increases blood pressure and causes us to store more fat. Having a sex hormone out of balance can also cause blood pressure elevation, increased stress, increased body fat storage, blood sugar elevation, weakness or fatigue, depression or irritability and insomnia. Help with all of these health facets may be found within the chiropractic profession. Chiropractors have been using herbs to help with blood sugar, hormone balancing and inflammation & pain relief. We offer salivary hormone testing which is superior to blood tests for these levels. Read the book “Slim, Sane and Sexy”.
Western medicine has kept the secret that Health is the full expression of your body’s maximum potential, not merely absence of symptoms of disease. This definition is an excerpt from the World Health Organization. It’s no secret that the North American population is living longer than ever. Chiropractic can enhance the health of our aging baby boomers by promoting healthy spines, nerve systems and lifestyles through nutrition, exercise, massage and neuromuscular balancing. Here at Better Health Chiropractic we often employ spa like techniques to relax the patient prior to adjustment. This allows the body to accept the correction with ease. By complementing the adjustment with lifestyle coaching, the chiropractor and patient can work together as a team; the patient takes responsibility for their wellness. This translates to following a program including gentle adjustments to correct misalignment of the spine, exercise often in office followed by massage and lifestyle modification of better nutrition choices, and regular exercise. The different types of massage offered are Swedish deep tissue, hot stone, Himalayan Salt Crystal and different forms of deep heat therapy such as paraffin wax and mineral wraps called MediWraps are available. Upon being accepted for care at Better Health Chiropractic, you would receive a through health history and examination. You may be given adjustments after x-ray films of the area of complaint are taken. The spinal corrections may be performed with instruments such as activator or a power tool adjuster or by hand with drop table or Palmer technique. Other techniques that we offer are A.K., Sacro-occipital / S.O.T. and cranio-sacral techniques. Computerized Spinal Decompression may be done to pull or the spurs of degeneration discs off of nerves, the pressure of combinations of degenerating discs and bony spurs may be alleviated with this decompression therapy as well. We can coach you in Physical therapy including core muscle strength training which improves posture. The improved nerve flow to the organs from spinal corrections and greater room for the organs due to better posture will allow better function including digestion and lung capacity. Improvement in organ function gives more energy and vitality! There may be a blockage of nerve and energy flow despite a lack of symptoms such as pain. Laser puncture / Needleless Acupuncture may help this. The cold laser is used similar to acupuncture or acupressure to trigger a reaction from the body by concentrating the energy on meridian points. These points are part of the body’s energy pathways. This non-surgical treatment of neck and shoulder complaints is widely being used in the NFL and in the USPS tour de France by team chiropractors. Low level lasers penetrate energy deep into the tissue to speed healing and unblock energy flow. If you do have pain or recent stiffness, there is a good chance that insurance will pay for your chiropractic care. But even if do not have pain or insurance coverage I urge you to consider chiropractic care as your health is your most precious possession. Together we will set goals and a plan to achieve them. Joint degeneration and scoliosis is often halted, occasionally reversed as evidenced by radiology reports that I have from the two local hospitals. To feel younger and to live up to your full potential call us at 352-795-8911!
I spoke to Gulfcoast Spine Institute’s Osteoporosis Support group last month and found there was a great interest in home exercises. They can be done to strengthen back, leg, abdominal and chest muscles. During a special class in my office, I demonstrated how to combine stability ball training and basic yoga. We used water bottles for free weights, an oblong ball for abdominal crunches and a round gym ball. The exercises can be done on a linoleum floor with mats or on carpeting. I taught my colleagues Dr. Bono and Dr. Ronzo’s patients the minimum standard strength for abdominal crunches, which is 45 repetitions without pulling the head forward--keeping the neck in line with the spine. The standard for a side laying bridge is 45 seconds on each side. The side laying bridge is done by laying on your side, propped up by your elbow placed under your waist. While keeping your knees and ankles together, use the top hand for balance as you lift your torso up from the floor. Time how long you can hold this position. The table top position also has a minimum standard of 45 seconds for women and 60 seconds for men. This home exercise is done with a gym ball on the floor behind your shoulder blades. First, you sit on the ball, then roll forward by walking your feet out in front of you until just your mid-back is resting on the ball. Tilt your pelvis up towards the ceiling, making your chest and abdominal horizontal and then time how long you can maintain this position without letting your bottom drop down. These exercises strengthen the core muscles, which protect your spine and organs. To strengthen the lower back and legs, you should stand with a ball between your waist and the wall. The ball will roll up and down as you squat. With your feet 12 to 18 inches out in front of you, lower yourself to a 90 degree angle at knees and hips. You should be able to do at least 30 reps and set a goal of 45. Lunges are also great for the legs. They can be done with the ball at your side on the floor. You should put the hand nearest the ball on top of it, then step forward at least two to three feet with the leg on that side. You can also use the ball between your legs, straddling it and using it to push yourself back up. The cartilage in your knees, hips and spinal discs only get nutrients into their centers thru being bathed in joint fluid. This only happens thru movement. These exercises, in combination with joint formula made from shellfish, will allow regeneration of the cartilage. Glucosamine Sulfate helps you to grow cartilage. Chondroitin sulfate also facilitates the growth of cartilage, but its absorbability is in question. In laboratories, chondroitin sulfate is used by human cartilage cells. MSM makes joint fluid slipperier and a better lubricant. Bromelain and garlic decrease inflammation. Better Health Chiropractic offers joint fluid with these ingredients included. We also offer Boswellia, Tumeric and Ginger in a powerful anti-inflammatory separately. These herbs are Cox 2 inhibiting strength and are capable of inhibiting 5 LOX prostaglandin production. 5 LOX acts as an anti-oxidant, which speeds healing as well as decreasing inflammation. Chiropractic care restores joint motion and exercises, stretches and neuro-muscular massage help to maintain vitality of your whole body. At Better Health Chiropractic, we offer licensed massage therapy, cranio-sacral therapy, acupuncture and gentle chiropractic with state of the art hormone testing and nutrition counseling with supplementation. For a personal consultation, call 352-795-8911.
Encouraging news for neuropathy sufferers The loss of ability of the nerves to function properly is termed Neuropathy. Extremity pain, numbness and tingling of the hands and or feet with possible tightness, cramping, swelling or pressure are signs of peripheral neuropathy. This can cause weakness in the arms or legs, feelings of walking on pins and needles, electric shock-like feelings or a loss of feeling in hands or feet. In peripheral neuropathy, the tiny nerves which supply sensation to the skin fail in their ability to transmit normal sensations to the brain and spinal cord. Neuropathy can be caused by diabetes, chemotherapy, medications such as statins or mechanical nerve entrapments. Mechanical neuropathy is caused by nerve compression and is treated with a combination of chiropractic adjustments and traction, such as spinal decompression. Now pulsed laser treatments may also help with this and other types of neuropathy. People suffer for years with these symptoms and are told by their medical doctors that there is nothing that can be done, or they are often prescribed pregabalin or Lyrica. Pfizer abruptly ended its double-blinded placebo controlled study for post traumatic nerve pain, stating that “the study did not meet its primary efficacy endpoint”. It is approved to treat post-herpetic neuralgia caused by shingles and spinal cord injuries. The study found that it worked no better than the placebo for controlling chronic nerve pain caused by traumatic accidents or surgery. As for statin use and neuropathy, long term use of Cholesterol lowering drugs have been linked to diabetes and peripheral neuropathy. The most common side effects range from muscle pain and fatigue to liver damage, memory loss and increased risk of diabetes. Polyneuropathy is another complication which affects many of the peripheral nerves. Chiropractic has had success with chronic peripheral neuropathy after lumbar trauma and surgery resulting in spinal stenosis. There’s also been success for post-surgery cases that were undertaken for the reduction of spinal stenosis in which the patient was left with peripheral neuropathy. Chiropractic combined with physical therapy has had success with reducing restless leg syndrome and loss of sleep due to leg and foot pain. Pulsed laser and pulsed electromagnetic frequency treatments can begin healing the peripheral nerves by increasing oxygenation and circulation to the nerves and tissues of the extremities. These treatments may decrease the need for amputations in diabetics, decrease falls and fractures of neuropathy patients, and decrease infections caused by cuts and sores not felt by the sufferer. The risk of developing diabetic neuropathy and amputation increases with age. Excess weight and hypertension (having high blood pressure), as well as smoking, increases these risks. I hope that this insight encourages you to make lifestyle changes to improve diabetes and hypertension. Just remember that you can lessen the chances and severity of peripheral neuropathy by lowering your blood sugar, your cholesterol, and your blood pressure naturally.
Great Posture and Good Health October is National Chiropractic Health Month. There is indeed a significant relationship between posture and health. Keeping your shoulders down and pushed back opens up the chest, giving the lungs more room to breathe. Holding the head up high and the ears over the shoulders keeps the neck in proper alignment in the front-to-back orientation (the side/lateral view). This posture also helps to keep the mid-back from excessively rounding in what was termed the "widow’s hump" or "hunchback." Our internal organs have more room to function, allowing more room for lung expansion and digestion to take place. Keeping a neutral pelvis — by not tilting it into a swayback or a flat back at the waist — helps to keep excess pressure off of the lumbar nerves while sitting or standing. Scoliosis will worsen faster with poor posture and result in more spinal degeneration. These posture corrections help to maintain the normal curves of the spine, which act as shock absorbers. October is also a month that involves increased yardwork. Good posture while performing yardwork will help to prevent injuries, so keep your head up, looking ahead as you mow, and lower your eyes (instead of the whole head) as you rake. Bend at the knees, not the waist — and when raking, use a “scissor stance” with one foot forward of the other and switch sides every few minutes. Stand with feet apart, pulling the rake towards you to make small piles of leaves. If using a blower or another piece of equipment that has a strap, be sure to use it on the opposite shoulder from the side of the body you hold the device, switching sides often. This helps you maintain a more normal center of gravity. When pulling the start cord on the mower, remember to bend at the knees, don’t twist at the waist, and pull in a smooth, long, steady motion instead of with short, hard pulls. While mowing, use your whole body to push the mower — not just your arms and back. Have warm-up and cool-down activities, stretches, and corner push-offs to help prevent injury and to keep good posture. The push-offs are done standing with your back to a corner, elbows at shoulder height, leaning back into the corner and then using elbows to push away from the walls. The farther out your feet are, the more resistance gravity is supplying. This exercise strengthens the muscles that hold the shoulders back, encouraging better posture. If you’ve felt a “strained” back muscle that is slow to heal, consider seeing a chiropractor because that “strain” may have allowed a spinal misalignment resulting in nerve interference. Nerve interference results in a loss of health — a state of dis-ease. The World Health Organization defined health as a state of optimal function, not merely the absence of symptoms or disease. Thomas Edison stated that the doctor of the future will give no medicine but will teach care of the human frame and prevention of disease. Better posture and spinal health result in more optimal function of your body. As we focus on shifting definitions of health, the following story also bears repeating: A man fell asleep, and in a dream he heard the voice of God. “Come outside,” God said. “I have something to show you.” So the man woke and went outside to find a huge boulder on his front lawn. “Now,” God said, “push against the rock.” So with all his strength and determination the man pushed, and pushed. For days, weeks, and months — in the heat of the day and throughout the night — he concentrated on pushing the boulder, but the big rock didn’t budge. He heard a soft chuckle from above. “Why are you discouraged?” answered God. “I told you to push the boulder — I never told you to move it. Only I can move boulders of that size. But look at what has happened while you have been pushing. You have developed large, well-defined muscles in your arms, chest, back, and legs. You have strengthened your patience and tested your faith. So keep pushing — until I’m ready to move the boulder.” As we age, the spine has a tendency to lose the normal forward curve of the neck, and previous injuries hasten this decline. Once the curves of the spine in the lateral plane are lost, weight-bearing is carried by the discs instead of the facet joints, causing the discs to wear faster because they start to absorb the shock of every step we take and each bump we experience. The spinal nerves supply all of the organs and tissues of the body with direction and control by the central nervous system, which is comprised of the brain and spinal cord. That information is compromised by pressure on the nerves. The organs that these nerves supply will have dis-ease — a lack of ease. Have patience and don’t give up on improving your posture and your spinal alignment. Remember: Good posture, muscle tone, and spinal alignment restore more normal nerve flow and better health. Let National Chiropractic Health Month inspire you to have your spinal alignment analyzed. Call 352-795-8911 or (352) 750-6325 for more optimal health and performance.
The Non-Invasive, Drugless Solution to Sciatica and Back Pain The diagnosis “Sciatica” refers to pain, numbness or tightening of the leg. The symptoms may even go into the sole of the foot or into the toes. The cause is from pressure or irritation of the nerve roots L4, L5 and/or the sacral nerve roots where they exit the spine. In lay terms, these nerves are located from the waist to the tailbone. Pressure on the nerves of the low back and sacro-illiac joints can cause low back pain which may or may not send symptoms into the leg or legs. The source of this pressure is often a degenerating or herniated disc. This is often complicated by a tilting or a rotational misalignment of the spinal bone above or below the disc in question. If the sacral nerves are involved, then the cause is a rotation or tilting of the pelvis because the sacrum does not have discs which could bulge. For these misalignments to be diagnosed, the doctor of chiropractic uses x-ray and examination. When found as a source of nerve irritation or interference, these misalignments are referred to as subluxation. If the spine is twisted or tilted or one of its bones or vertebrae is slipping backward or forward, then this puts more pressure on the spinal nerve above or below that bone. To reduce the further pressure caused by spinal misalignment / subluxation, the doctor of chiropractic adjusts the spine to bring more normal alignment to the spinal bone. I prefer to use modern gentle methods of drop table and instrument adjusting to take the pressure or irritation off of the nerves. This is performed after a complete orthopedic and neuromuscular exam, a thorough analysis of your examination and x-ray findings. Then a plan of care is devised to maximize the benefits of the chiropractic and physical therapy that would be provided here in my office to you. At Better Health Chiropractic, we use a computerized low back traction called Decompression to reduce the pressure on the nerve caused by a bulging disc. If you are interested in nutritional support for your discs, ligaments and muscles, we also tailor an exercise program to fit your spinal needs. Spinal degeneration progresses if left untreated. Waiting and hoping for the symptoms to go away is unwise when there may be effective help for this cause for back and leg pain. We may be able to help you avoid corrective surgery. The Oct. 2010 issue of Journal of Manipulative and Physiologic Therapies published a study “Manipulation versus micro-discectomy for sciatica.” This study found spinal adjustments to be equally effective as this modern spinal corrective surgery. Another study recently found that spinal traction does reduce herniated discs. The State of Oregon released findings revealing that spinal manipulation is very effective for acute low back pain and that it should be used for 4-8 weeks before a surgical consult is obtained. The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research acute low back pain guidelines state that spinal manipulation both relieves pain and restores function. When considering medication, one must consider the potential of side effects. There have been two studies recently released revealing the dangers of pain medication and over-the-counter pain remedies. NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory) and analgesic medications relieve pain but do not restore function. Acetaminophen (for example, Tylenol) is the leading cause of liver failure in the U.S. NSAIDs (for example, Aleve, Ibuprofen, Celebrex, Vioxx) are the second leading cause of stomach ulcers resulting in over 100,000 hospitalizations and 17,000 deaths annually. The Center for Disease Control recently reported that 90% of poisoning cases are related to prescription drug use and that 40% are related to pain medication. At Better Health Chiropractic, we have herbal anti-inflammatory supplements that contain Turmeric/Curcumin, Boswellia, Bromelain, Yucca, Quercetin, and Devil’s Claw. These herbs decrease inflammation by blocking the enzymes that cause inflammation: Cox 2 and Cox 5. Corticosteroid injections can shrink the disc but have harmful side effects. This gives temporary pain relief to make you more comfortable but does not relieve the cause of the irritation, which is often disc pressure on the nerve. Surgery can remove the disc material pressing on the nerve, but often scar tissue grows after surgery and this may also press on the nerve, even if the surgery is done arthroscopically and with a laser. Scar tissue forms after burning tissue away with a laser and after use of a scalpel. Therefore, I feel that chiropractic should be given in a series of adjustments with computerized spinal decompression traction before pain management or a surgical solution is sought. I do work with pain management physicians and I am willing to make necessary referrals for medication and/or surgery if needed. Try Chiropractic first, drugs second, and surgery last! For a complementary telephone consultation, call me Dr. McFarland-Bryant at 795-8911 or 352–750–6325.
In this fast-paced, hectic world, most of us face a lot of tension and may be suffering from emotional and physical stress. You’ll be relieved to know that there are many natural solutions for relieving the tension in your body and lessening the stress on your mind and nervous system. These suggestions are designed to offer relief without the side effects of tranquilizers, the medical alternative. Pharmaceutical tranquilizers leave you less alert and unfocused, often causing problems when driving or working. Start by trying regular exercise to reduce mental stress. Exercise helps you to maintain a healthy weight, improving self-image, often reducing the internal pressure to be accepted and “fit in.” Exercise increases the function of insulin receptors, lowering blood sugar levels in diabetics. In addition, being physically active lowers blood pressure, and a lower blood pressure puts less stress on the whole cardio-vascular system. A consistent exercise program also lowers heart rate. A slower resting heart rate means less wear and tear on the heart valves. Conversely, high blood sugar levels indirectly cause higher blood pressure, which causes headaches and kidney damage. Focusing on the exercise takes your mind off of your problems, while the endorphins released can make you feel better for 24 hours. Another powerful stress reliever is the regular practice of prayer and meditation. Focusing on a prayer or on listening to the sound of silence, nature or your subconscious can help you let go of fear and anxiety. Trusting in that supreme power and having faith in a plan with divine purpose really reduces mental pressure and fear. This communion with spirit can be a productive journey in intimacy that leads to health. Focusing the mind on how far one can stretch the body relieves tension and anxiety. The mental focus on stretching reduces anxiety and the physical act of stretching melts away muscle tension. Chiropractic manipulation or adjustments also stretches the muscles and reduces tension in them. Adjustments are meant to relieve nerve interference. The chiropractic adjustment reduces stress on the nervous system. This result is achieved mechanically and neuron-chemically and has the effect of making the patient feel “less nervous”. Neurotransmitter levels are temporarily changed after spinal adjustment to an injured or chronically misaligned area. After more normal joint motion and alignment is achieved, these chemical changes remain until the next injury. There have been many documented cases of lowered blood pressure in hypertensive patients with chiropractic adjustment alone. Dr. Oz had a chiropractor lower hypertension on national television and so did “Good Morning America”. Massage is very effective in helping a person to relax and may also increase the body’s ability to accept the adjustment, allowing the body to hold the correction longer. Massage also temporarily lowers blood pressure and heart rate, further proof of massage therapy’s ability to reduce tension, both physically and mentally. Our massage therapist is also trained in performing passive stretches to reduce muscle tension in her clients. At Better Health Chiropractic, the whole team works together to provide the patient with safe natural muscle relaxers, calming supplements, targeted exercises/stretches and massage therapy to naturally relieve tension and stress, hopefully leading to less anxiety as well. Most major medical insurance covers this care and we have very affordable self pay plans for the under-insured. Call 352-795-8911 and inquire to see if we can help you!
As children, most of us learned that “the leg bone is connected to the knee bone” (some of you, in fact, will now be humming that all day). Unfortunately, as we have grown older, too many have forgotten the crucial line of connection from “foot bone” to hip and backbone. The fact is, muscle and ligament wear and tear in and around the foot can affect the joints of the ankle, knee, hip, sacroiliac and spine. A misalignment in the foot (due to injury, arthritis, damage caused by poor-fitting shoes, etc.) affects the alignment of the ankle, and this affects alignment of the knee, which affects alignment in the hip, which affects alignment of the sacroiliac joint, which affects alignment of the spine. “Them bones, them bones,” indeed! All is connected The nervous system controls the amount of tension in the muscles and ligaments that control the joint. This tension on the attached muscles and ligaments tracks the bones through the joint movement. Because joints are designed to move in specific directions, an abnormal amount of force exerted by tissues on one side of the bone or bones will pull joints in directions and through motions that they are not designed to accommodate. And, as might be expected in a linked chain, abnormal movement in a joint below affects the joints above, including the spine. Over time, the uneven tension wears out the smooth cartilage surface of the joint, eventually resulting in pain, locking up of the joint, and such obviously abnormal alignments as knock knees, feet turning out (a sign of ankle pronation), or sacroiliac rotation. The legs should be straight, vertically, and when the ankles turn in or the knees bow in or out instead, this puts extra stress on the hip and sacroiliac joint, leading to further problems. The chiropractic approach to helping these bones line up again is to start with their base cause (at the lowest affected extremity) — stimulating the muscles and following up with appropriate exercises to correct the abnormal movement of the joints of the arms and legs. Neuromechanical impulse adjusting of the muscles and ligaments, for example, uses a low force instrument adjustment tool to stimulate the nerve endings, called mechanoreceptors, that give feedback to the brain and spinal cord. A toe-to-head solution By applying gentle instrument stimulus to rhythmically tap the overly excited muscle mechanical nerve receptor, then adjusting the joint that that muscle is tracking incorrectly, and following these actions with guidance in performing proper exercises, chiropractic can stop the early degeneration of osteoarthritis, whether it be of the spine, the hip, the knee, or the ankle. The early signs of bunions and “hammer toes” can be corrected this way as well. This approach has helped many people postpone surgeries such as knee and hip replacements, and may even alleviate the need for surgery altogether (because surgery is always risky, it should be a last resort). For those who have already tried surgery, this approach can be used to keep the alignments true. The alignment process outlined above may have some of you thinking: “Ah! Physical therapy.“ However, chiropractic is generally a superior approach for ankle, knee, hip and low back rehabilitation. For one thing, in the State of Florida physical therapists are not allowed to manipulate or adjust per state law and thus may not be able to do all that can be done to help you stop degeneration. For another, physical therapy relies heavily upon stretching, and peer-reviewed, double-blind studies have shown that stretches, improperly done, can actually cause harm. A chiropractor can guide you in active stretches, done in-clinic, in which the patient moves the joint and then the massage therapist or doctor just adds a second or two of extra pressure (one such method is called “active isolated stretching” and was developed by Aaron Mattes, who has an institute in Sarasota, devoted to teaching this form of therapy). Active stretches are performed after exercises to strengthen the muscles surrounding the abnormal joint. No gym membership required Exercises? Now you are envisioning a sweaty round of weight lifting, aren’t you? Relax. Your chiropractor will tailor a few exercises to strengthen the specific muscles that, in your unique case, are too weak to oppose the over-stimulated muscles. The combination of a weak muscle and muscles stuck in the “on position” (hypertonic) causes the bones to move in poor tracking patterns. As explained previously, this tension wears out the joint cartilage. The Doctor of Chiropractic manipulates the muscles using gentle instrument thrusts with power tools with names such as “Impulse” or “Pro-Adjuster” or “Arthrostim.” The chiropractor will feel for the hypertonic, or overly tight, tender muscle “belly,” which is the location of over-stimulated mechanoreceptor. Mechanoreceptors are the muscle’s connection to the nervous system, giving feedback to it regarding the state of pressure on the receptor. Tendon and ligament mechanoreceptors are reset with instruments as well. Using these gentle approaches to rehabilitate joints, modern chiropractic methods can correct alignment and stop or reverse the degeneration processes referred to as osteoarthritis, degenerative arthritis, and “old age wear and tear.” Before you consider surgery for any kind of joint problem, consider making an appointment with a Doctor of Chiropractic first. It could keep those bones jumping. Dr. Cheryl McFarland-Bryant maintains an active Florida Medical Technologist license.
Spinal Decompression is a state of art technology used primarily to treat disc injuries in the neck and in the low back. Spinal Decompression is often a non-surgical and drug-free answer for disc related problems of the lumbar or cervical spine. Many people across the continent and around the world have found relief from the pain associated with herniated discs, bulging discs, facet syndrome, degenerative joint disease, pinched nerves, and other spinal afflictions from decompression therapy. Spinal Disc Decompression uses computer-aided technology to apply gentle decompression to the spine which increases circulation into the spinal discs and joints, thus helping to relieve the symptoms that cause pain and dysfunction. Bulging discs, degenerative disc disease, facet syndrome and spinal arthritis may be a candidate for non-surgical spinal decompression. Spinal Decompression is an effective treatment for pinched nerves, sciatica, bulging and for some herniated discs, radiating arm or neck pain, headaches, degenerative disc disease and facet syndrome. Lower back pain patients can be positioned on their back or stomach, for degenerative discs the second position called “prone” may be more comfortable. This design is a feature of the Triton DTS table that is missing from many other tables. Once positioned on the table, padded straps are used to securely fasten the patient for treatment. For neck patients, the patient is put on their back in a semi-seated position where a soft rubber neck harness is used for the treatment. Once in place for the treatment the computerized equipment starts to pull in small increments, as set by a trained doctor. By the use of small increments of increasing force, the body is allowed to relax which enables the treatment to be more effective and more comfortable than the first non computer assisted types of traction. Once the desired amount of tension is reached it is held 45-60 seconds (dependent on the condition) followed by a 30 second interval of a decreased amount of tension (approximately half of the upper limit). This continues for 15-25 minutes and then is followed by a slow incremental lowering of tension until no tension is left on the patient. The usual plan is for 20-25 treatments. Treatments are frequent to maximize the imbibing of the disc and allow the body to heal. Spinal Decompression is different from standard traction because traction is a simple static force that is put on the patient's body with the intent of unloading the body's joints, muscles and other structures. For example, hanging upside-down is a common method to put the spine into traction. Rather than one's body weight putting stress on the spine, which is what happens when standing, the body weight is working to unload the spine. Spinal Decompression works via a pumping action type of traction, the pumping action of the table does two things: First the table pulls on your spine it slowly stretches your spine and increases the space between the two spinal bones (the disc space). This creates a negative pressure or vacuum in the disc which helps to suck the disc back inwards and away from the nerve that is being pinched. Although the amount is very small each treatment, with consecutive treatments it creates more space for the nerve and decreases the size of the disc herniation. Secondly, the gentle stretching and relaxation of the spine promotes nutrition intake by the discs known as imbibition. Discs normally receive their nutrition by this imbibition during spinal movement but this process is hampered in disc damage or degeneration. A disc with fewer nutrients and less hydration is more prone to injury. Increased level of nutrients in the disc allows the disc to have the nutrition it needs to speed up the healing process. Spinal decompression increases the nutrients to the disc by bathing of the cartilage with joint fluid which allows discs to heal more rapidly. Studies have shown that the disc size can increase 1-3mm over the treatment cycle that is provided. Although that seems a small amount it can have a large influence on the space needed to get pressure off of the sensitive nerves in the area. The opening for the nerves to exit the spine depends on the size of the disc. When the disc rehydrates and heals then the pressure is relieved from the spinal nerves and pain is lessened. Spinal Decompression does not work for all spinal conditions, for instance a free floating disc fragment will not rejoin the disc it was sequestered from. Several published peer reviewed studies demonstrated patients having had good to excellent clinical improvements 82%-93% of the time. Typically, dramatic improvements are seen with sciatica (pain or pins and needles radiating down one or both legs), radiating neck pain (pain or pins and needles radiating down to shoulders, arms or into hands) and severe acute low back pain. Very good improvements are seen in chronic neck pain and chronic low back pain. For more difficult conditions, such as spinal stenosis or patients with significant bone spurring, the success rates are somewhat lower but still higher than a lot of the other options out there. Research on the effectiveness of Spinal Decompression: one recent clinical study of 219 patients has shown that spinal decompression therapy provided a resolution of symptoms for 86% of the participants who completed their therapy, while 84% remained pain-free 90 days post-treatment. Clinical Trials: In a recent journal article in Orthopedic Technology Review titled Surgical Alternatives: Spinal Decompression, results showed that 86% of the 219 patients who completed the therapy reported resolution of symptoms while 84% of patients remained pain free 90 days post treatment. Physical examination findings showed improvement in 92% of the 219 patients, and remained intact in 89% of these patients 90 days after treatment. Another article in Journal of Neurological Research reported that vertebral axial [spinal] decompression was successful in 71% of the 778 cases. The success rate varied from 73% for patients with a single herniated disc. It was 72% for people with multiple herniated discs. The American Journal of Pain Management reported "good to excellent" relief in 86% of patients with herniated discs, with back pain and sciatica symptoms being relieved. Good to excellent results were also obtained in 75% of those with facet syndrome. A small non-randomized study in Anesthesiology News reported of the 23 patients who responded to therapy, 52% had a pain level of zero, 91% were able to resume their normal daily activities, and 87% were either working or were retired without having back pain as the cause of retirement. The study at the Rio Grande Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery compared the effects of 20 treatment sessions vs. 10 treatment sessions on chronic low back pain sufferers. The group receiving 20 treatments of decompression therapy reported a 76.5% with complete remission and 19.6% with partial remission of pain and disability. The second group, receiving 10 treatments of decompression therapy, reported a 42.9% rate of remission and 24.1% with partial remission. Failure rate was only 3.9% for those receiving 20 treatment sessions while it was 32.9% for those receiving only 10 sessions. Remission was defined as 90% or greater relief of pain, back to work without limitations, and abilities to carry out Activities of Daily Living (ADL's). Partial remission was defined as persistence of some pain but ability to carry out most ADL's and return to work with some restriction of duties, depending on the occupation. Failure rate was defined as no change in the level of pain and or/ADL. As you can see from the above referenced clinical trials, Spinal Decompression Therapy is an effective therapy for people experiencing discogenic or arthritic pain (pain arising from the disc or caused by various types of Spinal Arthritis). In addition, promising research suggests that the effects of Spinal Decompression Therapy can be a long-lasting solution to certain chronic back pain disorders. Although failure rates are relatively low, studies suggest that completion of prescribed treatments can reduce failure rates from 32.9% to 3.9%. Some conditions may require a spinal surgery such as minimally invasive surgical procedures or even full-blown spinal fusion surgeries. Pain relief with other forms of traction has been inconsistent and short-lived with past techniques. In fact, several clinical studies have shown traction to be an ineffective form of back and neck pain relief. The reason is that our bodies react to the stretching of the spine by contracting, or squeezing, the muscles surrounding the spine thereby increasing the pressure on the spine thus increasing the disc pressure. Spinal Decompression, on the other hand, is a modified, updated form of traction. Computer technology assists controlling variations in the unloading of the spine, effectively avoiding the body's response of muscle contraction; the traction tension is varied over time according to a program. The doctor can control how many progressive tension steps are experienced by the patient before reaching the maximum tension. The doctor also has complete control over how long the tensions are held steady and how often they are repeated. Because Spinal Decompression avoids the muscle contraction response, the pressure within the disc is actually lowered to the point of being a vacuum, creating a negative pressure. This vacuum is what allows protruding disc material to be drawn back into place and permits rehydration of the disc. Once the protruding material is not in contact with the nerves and the disc is in good health, pain is relieved. For disc herniation, surgery can prove to be a successful option; however there are inherent and significant risks associated with any surgical procedure. Spinal Decompression is keeping a significant number of surgical candidates from ever having surgery. It is responsible to weigh the safety and success rates of different treatments. Studies have shown the success rate of spinal surgery to be around 50% (depending on the severity of the condition and the skill of the surgeon). As well, one must take into consideration the lengthy recovery time involved post-surgery often resulting in missed work and decreased quality of life. Compare that to the studies above (70-90% effective) and you will see that the conservative, non-surgical approach used with spinal decompression is an efficient form of treatment for those patients who are good candidates and should likely be tried before surgery as it is much less invasive.
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