Dr. Ali Akhavan Health Blog

Many doctors still prescribe drugs instead of effective therapies for chronic back, neck pain

There are many alternative ways to treat back and neck pain apart from drugs that studies have shown to be effective. But many doctors continue to prescribe drug treatments to their patients anyway, according to new research out of Duke University and the University of North Carolina (UNC).

According to Dr. Adam Goode, PT, DPT, and his colleagues from the UNC Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, most people with chronic neck or back pain find little relief from conventional treatment options, which most often involve various strengths of pain medications. And the long-term effectiveness of these treatments is dismal, they concluded, based on systematic reviews published in The Cochrane Library and The Bone and Joint Decade (BJD) 2000 - 2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders: Noninvasive Interventions for Neck Pain.

Certain methods that actually provide demonstrated benefits are often not recommended by doctors, while others that studies have shown to be effective are ignored.
Instead, many patients rely on over-the-counter medications like non-steroidal anti-inflammatorydrugs (NSAIDS), various other narcotics like oxycodone and codeine.

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$What Is Your Back Pain Telling You? You may have heard that pain is our body’s way of sending us a message. But when back pain first arrives, what it tells you may not be the truth — or, at least, not the whole story. Symptom: A brand-new pain What you think: “I need tests to find out what’s going on”The reality: You can feel better without seeing the doctorYour next step: Try first 48 hrs self-help tips below. Symptom: A sudden pain with a fairly ordinary movement What you think: “Uh-oh. I shouldn’t have done that!”The reality: You overdid it a few days ago. Stressed muscles only cried out with your latest quick movementYour next step: Try first 48 hrs self-help tips below. Symptom: It hurts to move What you think: “I’d better stay still, or I’ll make it worse”The reality: There’s no connection — in most cases, activity will hasten your recoveryYour next step: Start moving and stretching gently as soon as possible. Don’t stay in bed more than two days Symptom: It’s worst in early morning What you think: “I must be sleeping in a weird position”The reality: Back muscles tend to hurt more at day’s end and following activity, not after restingYour next step: A check for inflammatory problems, such as arthritis, that cause morning pain and stiffness Symptom: A terrible pain What you think: “This must be really serious!”The reality: Even temporary problems like muscle sprains can hurt like crazyYour next step: Book an appointment with your chiropractor about your pain, and also be sure to report symptoms like leg weakness The First 48 Hours: Self-Help Tips You’ve thrown your back out — #$%?! While the pain may be terrible, if you’re lucky, it will be short-lived. Here, simple relief measures to get you back on your feet: Chill (Then Thaw) Apply an ice pack (a bag of frozen peas works, too), over a thin shirt or towel, for up to 15 minutes. Or give yourself (or recruit the nearest set of helping hands for) a five-minute ice massage using water frozen in a paper cup with the sides peeled down. Repeat as often as you want, but no more than once an hour. (Ice is a natural pain reliever, and it reduces swelling by causing blood vessels in the area to constrict.) After 48 hours, you want blood flow to increase to help healing, so switch to heat. Rest. A Little. Lie down when you need to, but make sure it’s in a back-neutral position: Try lying on your back with your head supported but not lifted and your knees bent and supported with a cushion. Another option: Lie on your side with one pillow behind your neck and another between your knees. Bed rest is OK only for the first 48 hours; after that (or even in those first two days), walking around will relieve pain-causing tension in your muscles. Reach for your chiropractor Talk to your doctor of chiropractic if your pain continues to worsen after initial period or you need professional care to speed up the healing process, or seek help right away if: · You’ve fallen, been in a car accident, or had another traumatic injury · You can’t move one or both legs, or you have severe numbness or weakness · You lose bowel control or have urinary difficulties, or you lose feeling in the groin (there may be severe nerve involvement) · You experience severe pain with movement, especially if you have arthritis or osteoporosis — you may have a fracture$

What Is Your Back Pain Telling You?

You may have heard that pain is our body’s way of sending us a message. But when back pain first arrives, what it tells you may not be the truth — or, at least, not the whole story.

Symptom: A brand-new pain

What you think: “I need tests to find out what’s going on”
The reality: You can feel better without seeing the doctor
Your next step: Try first 48 hrs self-help tips below.

Symptom: A sudden pain with a fairly ordinary movement

What you think: “Uh-oh. I shouldn’t have done that!”
The reality: You overdid it a few days ago. Stressed muscles only cried out with your latest quick movement
Your next step: Try first 48 hrs self-help tips below.

Symptom: It hurts to move

What you think: “I’d better stay still, or I’ll make it worse”
The reality: There’s no connection — in most cases, activity will hasten your recovery
Your next step: Start moving and stretching gently as soon as possible. Don’t stay in bed more than two days

Symptom: It’s worst in early morning

What you think: “I must be sleeping in a weird position”
The reality: Back muscles tend to hurt more at day’s end and following activity, not after resting
Your next step: A check for inflammatory problems, such as arthritis, that cause morning pain and stiffness

Symptom: A terrible pain

What you think: “This must be really serious!”
The reality: Even temporary problems like muscle sprains can hurt like crazy
Your next step: Book an appointment with your chiropractor about your pain, and also be sure to report symptoms like leg weakness

The First 48 Hours: Self-Help Tips

You’ve thrown your back out — #$%?! While the pain may be terrible, if you’re lucky, it will be short-lived. Here, simple relief measures to get you back on your feet:

Chill (Then Thaw)
Apply an ice pack (a bag of frozen peas works, too), over a thin shirt or towel, for up to 15 minutes. Or give yourself (or recruit the nearest set of helping hands for) a five-minute ice massage using water frozen in a paper cup with the sides peeled down. Repeat as often as you want, but no more than once an hour. (Ice is a natural pain reliever, and it reduces swelling by causing blood vessels in the area to constrict.) After 48 hours, you want blood flow to increase to help healing, so switch to heat.

Rest. A Little.
Lie down when you need to, but make sure it’s in a back-neutral position: Try lying on your back with your head supported but not lifted and your knees bent and supported with a cushion. Another option: Lie on your side with one pillow behind your neck and another between your knees. Bed rest is OK only for the first 48 hours; after that (or even in those first two days), walking around will relieve pain-causing tension in your muscles.

Reach for your chiropractor

Talk to your doctor of chiropractic if your pain continues to worsen after initial period or you need professional care to speed up the healing process, or seek help right away if:

· You’ve fallen, been in a car accident, or had another traumatic injury

· You can’t move one or both legs, or you have severe numbness or weakness

· You lose bowel control or have urinary difficulties, or you lose feeling in the groin (there may be severe nerve involvement)

· You experience severe pain with movement, especially if you have arthritis or osteoporosis — you may have a fracture

Avoid 5 Common Mistakes People Make when their back goes out.

I would guess that at one point or another you have had some type of pain or spasm in your back. This is a pretty safe assumption. I would bet that you have also had some kind of problem that was brought on by something very small. Let me give you an example. You wake up in the morning and walk into the bathroom and as you go to squeeze the toothpaste out of the tube you drop the lid on the floor. So you bend down to pick it up and zap, lightning sharp ache shoots up your spinal column and back down again. You try to stand up straight but for some reason it feels like someone is pressing against your back causing you to hunch over and making it impossible to straighten up.

$Frequently Asked Questions About Spinal Decompression Therapy: Q: What is spinal decompression therapy? A: Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression, also known as spinal decompression, is a proven method to treat back pain, neck pain, and sciatica that are caused by bulging, herniated, and degenerated discs or facet syndrome. Those suffering from certain types of stenosis (a narrowing of the spinal canal and foramen) and even post-surgical patients have reported considerable pain relief from NSSD treatments. Q: How does it work? Is it only for lower-back pain? A: Spinal decompression gently lengthens and decompresses the spine, making negative pressures within the discs. This exchange of pressure creates an intradiscal vacuum that helps to reposition the bulging discs and pull extruded disc material back into place, taking pressure off of the pinched nerves. Spinal experts believe that nutrients, oxygen and fluids are drawn into the disc to create a rejuvenated environment favorable to healing. Because spinal decompression is a non-invasive and non-surgical procedure, there are no side effects following treatment and not a trace of pain caused by the treatment. The short-term and long-term benefits of non-surgical spinal decompression prevail over the typical approaches to treating severe back pain. Q: How long does the process take? A: The length of care is dependent upon each individual patient. The average is 12 to 24 treatments. Q: What type of person would benefit the most from this treatment? A: NSSD can benefit patients who suffer from protruding and herniated disc in their neck and low back. It also will help with certain kinds of stenosis or narrowing of the intervertebral foramen (nerve holes). Q: Who should avoid it? A: Patients who should not have spinal decompression are those with severe osteoporosis or unstable spondylolisthesis (type of common spinal fracture that results in instability-our facility offers alternative treatments for this condition). This is not an exhaustive list and it is imperative that you are thoroughly screened for your safety. Q: How long does it take to see results? A: Many patient see results within a few visits; some take a little longer. Q: Why would someone choose spinal decompression over other treatments for back pain? A: The main reasons for utilizing spinal decompression are low risk, high effectiveness, low costs, and non-invasive. Frankly, no one should consider invasive procedure before being evaluated by a multidisciplinary team who are interested in keeping you off the surgery table. Most therapies for disc problems are aimed at the alarm system (pain) and not the underlying cause. Non-surgical spinal decompression is a wonderful therapy for the right condition; it is not the best treatment for every back problem. It is important to be evaluated by a team that offers multiple treatment options. Be a wise consumer and do your research. Q: What advice do you have for someone considering spinal decompression? A: All decompression systems are not the same, so do your research and pick a qualified facility with medical supervision. Make sure you are under the care of a licensed doctor who designs a specific program with measured outcomes. It is best to go to a center that offers other treatment options, like care with a chiropractor. Not every patient who suffers from neck and back pain can benefit from spinal decompression, so go where you have choices of care. If you have any unique questions, do not hesitate to post your questions here, or e-mail me at info@vanspinaldecompression.com For further information, visit us at www.vanspinaldecompression.com or simply call 604-984-4601.$

Frequently Asked Questions About Spinal Decompression Therapy:

Q: What is spinal decompression therapy?

A: Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression, also known as spinal decompression, is a proven method to treat back pain, neck pain, and sciatica that are caused by bulging, herniated, and degenerated discs or facet syndrome. Those suffering from certain types of stenosis (a narrowing of the spinal canal and foramen) and even post-surgical patients have reported considerable pain relief from NSSD treatments.

Q: How does it work? Is it only for lower-back pain?

A: Spinal decompression gently lengthens and decompresses the spine, making negative pressures within the discs. This exchange of pressure creates an intradiscal vacuum that helps to reposition the bulging discs and pull extruded disc material back into place, taking pressure off of the pinched nerves.

Spinal experts believe that nutrients, oxygen and fluids are drawn into the disc to create a rejuvenated environment favorable to healing.

Because spinal decompression is a non-invasive and non-surgical procedure, there are no side effects following treatment and not a trace of pain caused by the treatment.

The short-term and long-term benefits of non-surgical spinal decompression prevail over the typical approaches to treating severe back pain.

Q: How long does the process take?

A: The length of care is dependent upon each individual patient. The average is 12 to 24 treatments.

Q: What type of person would benefit the most from this treatment?

A: NSSD can benefit patients who suffer from protruding and herniated disc in their neck and low back. It also will help with certain kinds of stenosis or narrowing of the intervertebral foramen (nerve holes).

Q: Who should avoid it?

A: Patients who should not have spinal decompression are those with severe osteoporosis or unstable spondylolisthesis (type of common spinal fracture that results in instability-our facility offers alternative treatments for this condition). This is not an exhaustive list and it is imperative that you are thoroughly screened for your safety.

Q: How long does it take to see results?

A: Many patient see results within a few visits; some take a little longer.

Q: Why would someone choose spinal decompression over other treatments for back pain?

A: The main reasons for utilizing spinal decompression are low risk, high effectiveness, low costs, and non-invasive. Frankly, no one should consider invasive procedure before being evaluated by a multidisciplinary team who are interested in keeping you off the surgery table. Most therapies for disc problems are aimed at the alarm system (pain) and not the underlying cause. Non-surgical spinal decompression is a wonderful therapy for the right condition; it is not the best treatment for every back problem. It is important to be evaluated by a team that offers multiple treatment options. Be a wise consumer and do your research.

Q: What advice do you have for someone considering spinal decompression?

A: All decompression systems are not the same, so do your research and pick a qualified facility with medical supervision. Make sure you are under the care of a licensed doctor who designs a specific program with measured outcomes. It is best to go to a center that offers other treatment options, like care with a chiropractor. Not every patient who suffers from neck and back pain can benefit from spinal decompression, so go where you have choices of care.

If you have any unique questions, do not hesitate to post your questions here, or e-mail me at info@vanspinaldecompression.com

For further information, visit us at www.vanspinaldecompression.com or simply call 604-984-4601.