Dr Davis' Back & Wrist Pain Blog

Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression vs. Back Surgery. Can I really compare these two options ? My Doctor wants to do Surgery right Now ?

II hear all sorts of things when I consult with patients at my San Francisco Disk Herniation Center. Patients are really scared that if they don't have surgery right away they could become crippled for life. One of the things I hear the most is " My doctor tells me I could become paralyzed if I were to slip and fall or get in an accident." Or, "You are a walking Time Bomb ready to blow."  I guess some people are susceptible to further injury with the badly degenerated unstable condition that their spine's are in. But, even for these folks I think it is possible to take the spine to a better place where it is stronger and better able to handle the stresses of modern day living. Up until recently surgery was the only choice for a lot of people. But now, incredible changes can be made even with the worst cases. Yes, there are limitations of matter, but just like a smoker that has been smoking for 50 years can become healthy again to a certain point if he/she stops, so can those with bad spines (with the right treatment). Look at it this way, you can always have surgery if you are not happy with the outcome. Chances are the decompression therapy will not hurt you. As far as I know it has never caused permanent damage to anyone. Yes, it can make you sore. Sometimes very sore in the beginning. But, we seem to be able to work through it and get favorable results with about 90% of our patients. If you are considering lumbar or cervical spine surgery, you should try spinal decompression first. I think you will be glad you did.   

San Francisco Carpal Tunnel Treatment Center comments: Herniated Discs of the Cervical Spine cause the same Symptoms as CTS

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Herniated Cervical Discs present with the same signs and symptoms. Hand pain. Numbness and Tingling. Burning, Aching, Throbbing hands. Weakness of grip. Night pain, although this is more common with CTS. Pain radiating from the hands up the arms. Elbow pain. Finger pain. Loss of fine motor control and difficulty performing tasks with the hands. The nerve that is involved with CTS is the Median Nerve. It runs down the middle of the forearm and through an opening created by the alignment of the bones in the wrist (carpal is Latin for wrist) to innervate or control part of the hand. When this opening is occluded, either by the bones losing their normal position or the contents of the tunnel expanding (tendons are also in the tunnel which can become inflamed from overuse), it can irritate the median nerve, resulting in carpal tunnel syndrome. This is actually what CTS is, compression of the median nerve inside the carpal tunnel. So how does the neck fit into this equation ? Here's the thing; the median nerve actually originates in the neck. It is created by branches of the nerves that exit from the lower part of the cervical (neck) spine. When you have disc herniations you can irritate these nerves causing the same exact symptoms as if you had carpal tunnel syndrome. This is why it is so important to check the neck when patients present with hand pain. In addition, you must know what to do about it. Any treatment that does not address this is below modern day standards in my opinion. In fact, I will go as far as to say that the neck is actually the "missing link" with most of these conditions. My examination and treatment protocol includes neck to fingers on both sides. We have taught our methods around the world to other doctors. Just make sure you see someone that has a lot of experience working with these conditions. Spinal decompression can also be incorporated into the mix in certain cases. If you are local and would like to see me, great. If you are out of town and want a referral, drop me an email: drdavis@best.com.    

How do I know if I have Herniated Discs in my Neck or Low Back ?

Having treated thousands of patients at my San Francisco Back and Wrist Pain Center over the past 15 years, I have come to learn one very important thing. There is just no way to really know what's going on inside of someone without the proper diagnostic tests. At the very least we would want to take an x-ray so that we could visualize the disc spaces, measure the curve (or lack of) in the neck or low back, check bone density, quantify the level of spinal degeneration, determine if a scoliosis or spondylolithesis exist, or even a congenital short leg. We can even detect tumors or compression fractures on x-ray, along with many other findings. If herniated discs are suspected we may want to order an MRI study so that we can actually see the discs and their relationship with the nerves and spinal cord. Are they intact and creating separation of the vertebrae so the nerves have room to exit, or are they bulging or protruding (herniated) onto the spinal cord and nerves, interfering with the transmission of vital nerve energy to the target cells causing malfunction and impairment. It IS possible to have herniated discs and badly degenerated spinal conditions with NO symptoms. When I was in school I learned about this process (Subluxation Degeneration) and it was referred to as "The Silent Killer". Sure, most patients have symptoms when they present to a doctor for treatment, but often times they have had no diagnostic imaging performed, but wish to undergo therapy. I take the position that there is too much guess work involved and there is too much risk to just treat somebody without knowing what's going on inside. Just the other day I x-rayed a 53 year old woman with mild-moderate persistent neck pain who is currently under the care of another doctor. This doctor was treating aggressively without diagnostics. My x-rays revealed a very advanced case of spinal degeneration (she had the spine of a 70 year old) indicating a very gentle treatment regimen featuring decompression therapy would be most appropriate. She is doing better already after just a few sessions. Without diagnostics it is just not possible to know what is going on for sure. Why guess when you can know whats going on. The radiation is minimal these days, and the information gained goes a long way towards making sure the proper treatment methods are implemented.   

When will I start losing weight on the Plant Based Diet ?

Most of the patients that start Spinal Decompression therapy (featuring the DRX 9000) at our San Francisco Disk Pain Center, agree that it makes sense to try a Plant Based Diet for 6 weeks along  with the rest of the home care protocol. The double whammy of losing weight and reducing inflammation (the typical American diet promotes inflammation) can be a very powerful combination when it comes to restoring spinal health. The thing is, sometimes it takes a while to kick in. Some of you will notice changes almost overnight. Some of you might even gain a few pounds initially as your body chemistry adapts to this new internal environment. Then, boom, you drop 5-10 lbs out of nowhere. Whatever you do, stick with it, the changes will come. In addition, make sure to supplement your diet with fish oil. We are after the inflammation reducing properties. Specifically, the Omega 3 Fatty Acid Chains. You do NOT want to get  your fish oil by eating the fish. Then you get all the bad stuff that goes along with it (contaminants, animal protein, no fiber, etc). Drink 80-100oz of water per day. This is for cleansing and disc hydration. What will really get things going for you is aerobic exercise. As soon as we feel it is safe, after the first 2 weeks or so, we will OK you to begin some exercise on a stationary bike (no running yet). This way we can get your heart rate up a little and increase your metabolism. At this point it is "All Systems Go". The weight will start shedding until you reach your natural target weight (as long as you stick with the program). Please review  Mary McDougall's Mini McDougall Program for a fast and easy way to get started. In addition, see my personal "Quick Start List" for items in a can, box, or jar, that can be purchased and implemented immediately. Stick with the plan, the rest will follow.

If Spinal Decompression on the DRX 9000 can help me...Why Doesn't my HMO have them at their Hospitals ? Why won't they Pay For It ?

We have successfully treated hundreds of patients at our  San Francisco Disc Herniation Center  with the DRX 9000. The types of conditions we treat are disc bulges, disc herniations, spinal stenosis, facet syndrome, and other degenerative conditions. Spinal decompression therapy has been around now for between 5-7 years. Most of you know the technology was discovered by NASA scientist and developed with doctors and businessmen into a machine that could reproduce the anti-gravity effects of space travel here on earth. I have written previously about how all this transpired and actually created some links to NASA's website so I could share some of the information that led to the discovery of spinal decompression therapy. Here is a link to my previous post. Anyway, as far as why HMO's do not have this technology at their facilities, it's just a matter of time. As it stands, spinal decompression has not been around long enough yet to have worked it's way into the insurance and hospital systems. This process is very slow. Who knows when this will happen. I do know that I am receiving many referrals from medical doctors, and I have treated many doctors and surgeons as patients on the DRX 9000. In addition, many medical doctors (primarily on the east coast) have incorporated the DRX 9000 into their practices. I guess the bottom line is that that we just don't know when this will happen, but it seems we are getting closer. But, the patients we are treating do NOT want to wait. Time is of the essence. There has already been too much time lost and the degenerative condition they have is marching forward with a full head of steam. If you think you are going to be able to get your HMO or insurance to pay for this you are probably going to be disappointed. Some plans may give some reimbursement for the rehabilitation we do at the end on the SpineForce machine, or even on the adjunctive care such as ice and muscle stimulation. But, as far as the decompression therapy itself, there are just no billing codes for this. To make the treatment affordible we offer 18-24 month "0" interest financing to those that qualify. This makes it very simple and easy to get started without any cash outlay. The payments are very low and work with most budgets. It also helps the elderly on a fixed income as they do not have to tap into the principle of thier interest bearing accounts. The bottom line is, we will figure out a way for you to get started if you qualify medically and we accept your case. The first step is to come to our clinic for a complimentary consultation to see if you are a candidate. We will go from there. Contact us at 415-392-2225.

Yoga and Back Health: Comparisons of a 30 Day Treatment Plan in India and a 6 Week Treatment Plan in San Francisco

Very interesting recent research conducted in India reveals that there is a positive correlation between back pain and a high body mass index, high blood pressure and work-related stress, sitting posture, over-stretched muscles,and scoliosis. The study also concluded that a regular yoga practice can relieve this back pain by addressing the previously mentioned stresses. You should read this article. It is very interesting to see how the research was conducted in India and to learn about some of the health care programs available there.

After concluding that yoga was successful in relieving the back ache, the author of the study notes that patients who went home after their 30 day treatment and discontinued yoga experienced a relapse in the pain. I don't think that the DRX 9000 has made it to India yet (anyone?). Yoga really makes your back better,..... as long as you do it. The program discussed in the article illustrates the ideal situation of 30 days of inpatient yoga, massage, meditation, diet control, and relaxation strategies. This program is designed to heal back pain and teach the patient some lifestyle tools that, when employed, will maintain their newly discovered pain free state. Dr Davis' program involving the DRX 9000, diet, yoga, and massage is similar. It too is designed to alleviate pain due to herniated or degenerated discs, and it too entails a variety of wellness factors. However, the DRX has proved to be effective in actually providing permanent relief.

I am excited to find (or even contribute to?) further research on the topic of back pain, yoga, and spinal decompression, because it is becoming increasingly clear that there are effective solutions to back pain. It is not just a normal consequence of aging!

San Francisco Spinal Decompression Center Offers New Hope To Elderly Patients with Herniated Discs and Badly Degenerated Spinal Conditions

We introduced spinal decompression featuring the DRX 9000 into our practice almost 2 years ago. This gave us the ability to treat disc herniations, disc bulges, spinal stenosis, and badly degenerated discs, conditions that were for the most part untreatable using conventional chiropractic and physical therapy. Since then we have been able to help many elderly patients reach higher levels of spinal health and function. Sometimes when I look at an x-ray or MRI of an elderly patient with severe, chronic back pain, I wonder how the condition could ever regress to this state. I must be honest, when I first acquired the decompression equipment I would not take on these badly degenerated spinal conditions. I did not feel confident that I could deliver results. But as time went on I started to believe that I could. It just did not make sense to exclude elderly patients because they really needed it the most. Then, after meeting with some doctors in other states and attending some conferences where I was able to interact with doctors that had been using decompression successfully with elderly patients, I decided to try it for myself. This was a very wise decision. As long as the expectations are managed properly and the goals are to try and just make things better than they are, we have been able to  consistently achieve favorable outcomes. Read Beverly's story, this is a typical treatment outcome: (Download Beverly_McKay_w-sig_Rev.pdf ). Sometimes this means being able to go up and down stairs and walk around the house without a cane. Or, get in and out of a cab without assistance. Others have been able to resume the long walks around the lake they missed so much. Some can now handle sitting  in a car for a few hours to go visit their grandchildren. Some are even weight lifting again. These goals are totally obtainable, and long lasting. But, if you think you are going to be able to do things you could do when you were 30 years old, than forget it. There are limitations of matter. This technology has given us the ability to take badly degenerated spines and make things much better than they are with minimal risk (it is very safe), but, it is not magic. In fact, quite a bit of effort goes into the process (6-12 weeks) depending on the treatment plan you choose. So, if you are interested in putting some more spring in your step, reducing your pain levels, and making life a little bit more fun, consider spinal decompression therapy and rehabilitation (featuring the spineforce machine) at our clinic. 

Cervical Disc Herniations are very responsive to Spinal Decompression Therapy featuring the DRX 9000C

We have successfully been treating repetitive strain injuries at our San Francisco Back and Wrist Pain center for many years now. We have actually developed various protocols that have been taught around the world to other doctors and therapist. But, up until recently we were unable to treat patients with multiple level disc herniations and spinal stenosis in the neck. It would just be too painful and would often irritate the problem. That was until we incorporated the DRX 9000C into our treatment protocol. We initiate the treatment with spinal decompression therapy, which reduces the disc bulges and herniations, while at the same time re-hydrates the discs and strengthens the outer ligaments. This makes the spine much stronger, reduces the inflammation and muscle spasms, and makes it so we can incorporate some very gentle physical therapy and rehabilitation procedures. Then, we build on this slowly based on the patients tolerance taking the spine to a much higher set point as far as function and resistance are concerned.  This becomes a permanent change. Then, we incorporate a home care regimen and routine maintenance visits to make sure it lasts.  Surgery of the cervical spine is no fun. I am proud to say we have helped many patients avoid surgery and return to pain free lives. Sometimes it takes a while, and every once in a while what we do does not work. But, since we are not cutting into the body or putting chemicals into the body, the risks are low. The treatment is very safe and the success rates are high.  It's worth a shot if you are considering surgery and feel you have no where to turn. Chances are, you will be glad you did.

San Francisco Disk Herniation Therapy Center seeing amazing results with the DRX 9000 and Spine Force Machines

Every day when I come to work at my disc pain center in San Francisco I wonder... What would all of these chronic, severe, back/neck pain patients be doing if they were not coming here ?   Really, there are not a whole lot of choices. Once the condition regresses to the point where the inflammation is so severe that physical therapy or conventional chiropractic can no longer be implemented without causing more harm than good, it seems like there is no where to turn. Sure, you can have cortisone injections. This will temporarily mask the symptoms (sometimes) until you need another shot. Meanwhile the degenerative condition marches forward and your body has to now deal with the potential catastrophic side effects of long term use of cortisone. Cortisone causes loss off bone mass, is very hard on your liver and kidneys, and alters your body chemistry in many different (harmful) ways.  And then there is surgery. I am not going to waste time here discussing the down side of surgery. You can always have surgery. The thing is, most of the patients that are attracted to my methods do not want to go this route. This is why they are here. In fact, many have already had surgery (that failed). Up until about two years ago I would have to refer most of these types of cases out. Sure I would try to help, but it would be obvious after few weeks that we may do more harm than good if we continue. This was very frustrating, to say the least. Then, at the recommendation of some fellow doctors (medical doctors and chiropractors), I purchase my first DRX 9000 spinal decompression system. Well, the rest is history. We were now able to treat these types of conditions successfully. I went a step further and purchased the SpineForce machine. This is the only machine in the world that targets and strengthens th 180 CORE spinal muscles. It actually assesses and treats. This technology in conjunction with a plant based diet, yoga therapy, and meditation (and more), has given us what I consider to be one of the most comprehensive non-surgical treatment approaches to chronic, severe, back pain in the world. Our results support this. So if you are just getting started, welcome aboard. If you are a back pain sufferer looking for answers, give us a call.

Don't Use Your Back Pain As An Excuse Not To Lose Weight

How can I lose weight when I can't exercise because of my back pain ? I am in so much pain and life is so miserable, that the only thing I have to look forward to is eating and having a few beers. These are the sorts of things I hear from someone that is just NOT ready to pay the price to get better. The price tag is too high. They are willing to spend some money and some time, but they are not willing to do what it will really take to get better. I rarely see someone that IS willing to pay the price, not respond. Yes, it does happen, but it is rare. On the other hand, I have seen miracles and lives changed when one is willing to do whatever it takes to regain their health. No, it is not easy. But nothing in life that is worthwhile is easy. The thing is, you can be willing to pay the price and still not know what to do. That's where I come in. I know what you need to do to get the weight off. This is not an issue. The weight will come off whether you are able to exercise or not. As soon as you lose some weight and get some of the stress off your joints, everything will start working better. Even your spinal decompression therapy will yield better results. The diet you will be switching from is probably loaded with inflammation producing animal and dairy products. Just getting the inflammation under control will make you feel so much better. Of course I am referring to a Plant Based Diet. The Plant based diet in conjunction with anti-inflammatory Fish Oil supplementation will help get you to the point where you can begin an exercise program under my supervision. This is when everything will really start to kick in. Listen, just about every health condition that I can think of is connected to the typical American diet. Cancer, High Blood Pressure, Heart Disease, Thyroid Conditions, Prostate Conditions, Osteoporosis, Diabetes, and on and on. If you are ready to do what it takes to make the transformation, we are here to guide you all the way to the finish line. If you are not ready that's OK too, but don't blame it on your weight. Drastic change requires drastic action.