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Low Back Pain
is the most prevalent cause of disability in people under age 45, and of the $27 billion spent on all musculoskeletal trauma $16 billion is spent in the management of low back pain, more than half of that $16 billion being spent on surgical treatment. If you have any of the following back pain symptoms, contact us immediately:
Some Warning Signs that can not be ignored:
1.) Pain is worse when you cough or sneeze
2.) Pain or numbness travels down one or both legs
3.) Pain awakens you from sleep
4.) You are finding it difficult to pass urine or have a bowel movement
5.) Pain and numbness that travel into the buttocks and down the legs into the toes
6.) Pain is accompanied by loss of control of urination or bowel movements
These important back pain symptoms could signal nerve damage or other serious medical problems. There are many other conditions that could be causing these problems, but an early and accurate diagnosis is vital for successful treatment.
Disc Problems and Back Surgery
Do you have a “slipped” disc?A disc cannot “slip” since it is knitted into the vertebrae from above and below. What sometimes do slip are the vertebrae. Many “slipped” discs would be more accurately called slipped vertebrae or subluxations.
Is back surgery effective? According to Robert Mendelsohn, MD, “I have seen more than one case in which spinal surgery was avoided by individuals who decided, as a last resort before going under the knife, to see a chiropractor….” His remark has been underlined by many others who have been able to avoid back surgery.1 Back surgery for herniation should only be attempted as a last resort. That is because back surgery is a dangerous procedure with a high failure rate. In many people the disc is not causing pain; many people have disc degeneration with no symptoms.2 Surgery is sometimes necessary, but is an extreme form of healthcare and it has many dangers. Many times spinal surgery fails and must be repeated. It should only be considered after more natural, less invasive methods have been given a fair chance.
The Chiropractic Record For many years, chiropractic has been able to save people from spinal surgery. There are reports of an MRI revealing a disc herniation or protrusion in the neck or low back which was reduced or completely reabsorbed under chiropractic care. Had they not sought out chiropractic, many of these individuals undoubtedly would have had surgery.3-5 In one study, 27 patients documented with disc herniation were given chiropractic care. Post-care MRIs revealed that 63% of the patients had a reduced or completely reabsorbed disc herniation and 78% returned to work. In another study, 21 patients were diagnosed by CT scan with lumbar disc herniation. After chiropractic, their pain disappeared. A follow-up CT scan at least 6 months later showed the herniation reduced or disappeared in most patients.In another study of 517 patients with protruded lumbar discs, 76.8% had satisfactory results under chiropractic.
1. Mendelsohn R. Malepractice: How Doctors Manipulate Women. Chicago: Contemporary Books, Inc. 1981.
2. Award-winning study that finds that current diagnostic techniques cannot identify pain of discogenic origin. The Back Letter. 2000;15(6):61,68-69.
3. Eriksen K., Management of cervical disc herniation with upper cervical chiropractic care.JMPT. 1998; 21(1).
4. Ressel OJ, Disc regeneration: reversibility is possible in spinal osteoarthritis. ICA Review. March/April 1989:39-61.
5. Robinson GK, Reabsorption of a herniated cervical disc following chiropractic treatment utilizing the atlas orthogonal technique: a case report.Abstracts from the 14th Annual Upper Cervical Spine Conference, Nov. 22-23, 1997.Life University, Marietta, GA.Chiropractic Research Journal. 1998;5(1).
Disc & Spine Degeneration
Disc degeneration may lead to irritation of spinal nerves and contribute to endometriosis, infections (bladder, vaginal, kidney), urinary retention, prostate problems, miscarriage, sterility, impotence, cystitis, menstrual cramps and constipation.It is not uncommon for an individual with a back condition to also suffer from one or more of the above problems. |
