Dr Davis' Back & Wrist Pain Blog

Chronic Back Pain. Is it a crutch ? Are some people using Back Pain as an excuse not to get on with Life ?

San Francisco-I get to see and hear it all at my Bay Area Chronic Back Pain Center. I meet and treat patients with some of the most advanced cases of spinal degeneration and degenerative disc disease (DDD) that you can ever imagine. Theses conditions lead to disc herniations and spinal stenosis which can occlude the passage ways where the spinal cord and nerves reside (central nervous system). These are your life lines. The information that is carried from the brain down the spinal cord, then out from in between the bones over the nerves, goes to every muscle, gland, and organ in your body telling it what to do. The nervous system is the only organ in the body to be completely encased by bone. That's how vital to life it is. So yes, we lose life when these conditions manifest. The question is how and why does this happen ? And, why can two people have the same condition as seen on x-ray or MRI and their symptoms present so much differently ? Well, I think a lot of it is mental. Some patients get attached to their pain and end up using it as an excuse not to have to do other things. Here is an example: "My back pain is so bad I have not been able to exercise in 5 years. I have gained 30 lbs. All I do is lay around all day". Well, it is true that most chronic back pain sufferers are not able to exercise because of the ongoing inflammatory process that is part of the underlying problem. But, they can still control what they put in their mouths. This is just one example. I have actually noticed that there are some people that get really scared when they start to respond favorably to treatment. They try and finds reasons that they can't continue. Here they are suffering with this condition, unable to take drives to visit family or play with their kids. Unable to get a good nights sleep. Unable to sit for more than 10 minutes without pain. Then, after a week of the right kind of treatment (decompression therapy) and the right diet (plant based diet) they start to feel great. They get off the pain meds. They get a goods night sleep. Everything is fantastic. Then all of the sudden they miss an appointment. Then they miss another. Then the back gets sore again because it starts to slip back where it was.   Then it's back to the pain meds. Now some excuse comes up that they can't leave their job because someone just quit and they have to work 12 hour days for the next year. Yes, I have actually heard this. Now, the stress is back. The pain pills are back. The diet is probably out the window as well. And, their person is back in their comfort zone. I try to screen out who we accept as a patient the best that I can. We only want those that are serious about making a change and getting the job done. You will always be able to find reasons why you should not or could not do something that you know you should (finances, job, pain, vacation, timing, spouse, etc). The people that get results JUST DO IT and make it happen. Just like the negative events cascade, so do the positive ones. There is a whole new life out there for you if you just give it a chance, and adjust your "lifestyle knobs" in the right direction. Health is a spontaneous occurrence, but only when the conditions are right.      

The Back Surgeon in San Francisco took one look at my MRI and said "You Need Surgery". How can he be so sure, so quick ?

Recently, I met with a lady to discuss Nonsurgical Spinal Decompression with the DRX 9000 at our San Francisco Disc Repair Center. What she described was somewhat disturbing. She went to see a neurosurgeon to discuss her back and leg pain. The neurosurgeon ordered an MRI so he could see what was going on. When she returned a week later to review the findings, the doctor (who had not looked at the films yet) put the MRI films up and said; "Well, it looks like you need back surgery, you have 2 herniated discs." My patient was a little surprised to say the least. There was no physical exam. There was not much of a discussion at all as far as a consultation or case history. The doctor just looked at the MRI and said you need back surgery, what's your schedule like next week ? I calmed her down and told her that up until recently (2 years ago), I might have looked at her MRI and thought the same thing right off the bat. Before Spinal Decompression was made available there just were not many choices for cases like yours. Actually, this is why they make these machines, to treat serious spinal (degenerative) conditions such as disc herniations, stenosis, and facet syndromes.  Hey, you still may need surgery. Nonsurgical Spinal Decompression does not fix everyone. But the success rate is very high for a favorable outcome as long as we manage expectations properly.  It's worth a shot because it is very safe. As far as I know there have been no incidents of serious bodily harm (paralysis or nerve damage) from treatment with the DRX 9000. Most patients do get a little sore in the beginning because we are pulling on an injured area. But, we start off very gently, then increase the pressure based a formula that is based on your age, weight, level of fitness, spinal conditioning, and our common sense. You barely feel anything in the very beginning. In fact, most patients fall asleep. Then, we apply muscle stimulation to reeducate the muscles and teach them to work with the spine in this new position. Then, we apply ice to restrict blood flow to the injured area, reduce inflammation, and pain. You ice frequently at home also as well as wear a back support to hold things in place. The process is very efficient. However, it is not magic. It takes time to heal. You need to be diligent about keeping your appointments and following your home care instructions. In the end, an overwhelming majority of our patients are happy campers. This makes my job something to look forward to every day.

San Francisco Herniated Disc Doctor Manages Expectations to achieve Favorable Outcomes

Nonsurgical Spinal Decompression can alleviate, but not necessarily

eliminate pain caused by lumbar disk herniations in almost 90% of cases, and from cervical disk herniations in about 75-80% of cases. Younger patients generally have better outcomes than older patients. In older patients often times there are bone spurs secondary to advanced stage degenerative disc disease making treatment more challenging. But, we are still able to get really good results as long as we are clear on what the goals are. As a general rule, we have to be careful about quoting success rates. The patient's perception of success may vary considerably from that of what is realistic. An elderly patient may expect spinal decompression will restore them to a pain-free, youthful existence, but that's unreasonable in many instances. But, if the objective is to take what's there and make the most out of it, then the odds of a favorable outcome become very high (see testimonials). It truly is amazing how much better a badly degenerated spine can get with the right kind of treatment.

But, it’s still critically important for doctors to have a thorough discussion of realistic outcomes before a case is accepted. A well-informed patient with appropriate expectations will generally respond well to nonsurgical spinal decompression. In the end, if they end up being able leap tall buildings with a single bound, all the better.

Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD), Osteoarthritis, and Inflammation. Is Inflammation the missing link ?

San Francisco Chiropractor convinced: Inflammation is the fuel that flames the fire when it comes to Disk Degeneration.

There are mounds of evidence indicating chronic inflammation of the spinal joints and disks is a major contributor to the progression of Degenerative Disk Disease and Osteoarthritis of the spine and joints. Chronic inflammation can result from abnormal spinal (and pelvic) alignment left undetected and untreated. These abnormal postures come form specific traumatic events such as auto accidents or sports injuries, or happen over time form bad sleeping positions, poor ergonomics, bad shoes, and mental stress, which causes muscle tension, pulling the joints out of alignment. Then, the spine is no longer able to resist the forces of gravity and motion at optimal levels and abnormal forces are created on the joints leading to chronic inflammation. Ok, that was a simplified explanation, but easy to understand, and accurate. Here is where things get really bad. The typical American eats a diet that is high in animal protein. Animal protein causes inflammation of the joints. It's kind of like dumping gasoline on a burning fire for those that already have chronic inflammation from previous micro and macro traumas. This accelerates the degenerative process, makes the symptoms worse, and makes the condition very difficult to treat with conventional physical therapy or chiropractic, as physical treatment often irritates the problem even more until the inflammation is under control. This is why our treatment regimen includes a Plant Based Diet. We recommend The McDougall Plan. We also recommend that you take Fish Oil suppliments which have been scientificall proven to reduce chronic inflammation. Then, we can get the inflammation under control using Spinal Decompression or gentle Chiropractic and Neuromuscular methods. In addition, for the most part it is the inflammation that is causing your pain. So, you start to feel better. We want you to drink lots of pure water also (80-100oz/day) to help flush the toxins from your body. Remember, the more you do, the more you gain. I know all this seems so different from what you have heard, but it IS the truth. And, the results speak for themselves.

I went to the doctor with hand pain. Now they tell me I may need neck surgery. I'm only 30 years old. How did this happen ?

San Francisco Back Pain Center: I have looked at thousands of x-rays of the neck and back over the past 15 years. It is truly amazing the level of spinal degeneration and decay some patients present with at such an early age. It is not uncommon for these patients to express to me that they have had no physical trauma's such as sports injuries or auto accidents, which would be obvious precursors to such conditions. I have a theory that I have expressed here over and over. I believe we are the end product of what we eat, what we think, how much we exercise, the amount of physical, mental, and chemical stresses we absorb, etc. This we call our "Context" or lifestyle. Unfortunately, some of us have been raised with poor dietary and exercise habits predisposing us to degenerative conditions. There is overwhelming evidence that the typical American diet is one of the main contributors to inflammation and degeneration (see the China Study). Then there is the go-go mentality of working long hours (usually with poor posture) to get ahead, poor sleeping habits, such as sleeping on your stomach, and emotional stresses, such as divorce, finances, job stress, etc. Really, our bodies were designed to be running around the jungle picking berries off of trees and singing folk songs. Not sitting under artificial light for 12 hours a day drinking coffee and eating McDonald's. So, it's not hard for me to understand how these conditions manifest. It's also not hard for me to recommend a treatment program to reverse the process either. It's simply a matter of adjusting the (lifestyle)knobs in the opposite direction. In the direction of health, not illness. We call this "Contextual Healing". Change your diet to a plant based diet. Get more rest and use a cervical pillow. Take Fish Oil supplements. Meditate on a regular basis. Get plenty of exercise. Have your spine fixed by a good doctor. A good doctor would be one recommending you do all these things. You will never be able to express your human potential unless you create the proper context for your body to thrive. So, there you go. There is a cause for every effect, and an effect for every cause. Things don't just happen. Go ahead, adjust those knobs. A little here, a little there, you will know when it is just right. Just like a snow flake, health appears spontaneously when the conditions are right.

San Francisco DRX 9000 Spinal Decompression Center to open satellite clinic in (Marin County) San Rafael

Marin County Disc Herniation patients will sure have it easy come November 1, 2006. This is our anticipated first day of treatment pending all the red tape that goes into opening up a new location. But, once we work through this necessary process, Marin County chronic back back sufferers will be able to drive right up to our front door and walk about 50 feet to the DRX 9000 Spinal Decompression system that will reside there. We will have the ability to treat cervical and lumbar disc herniations, disc bulges, spinal stenosis, and facet syndromes. In addition, there is an Open MRI facility right around the corner. The new Marin County San Rafael satellite clinic (Download marin_and_sonoma_county_resident_letter.doc) is directly off the freeway in the landmark 1050 Northgate Drive Building. We have available time slots for our anticipated start date  of 11/1/2006. We will be open MON-THUR from 7:30-6:00pm. DRX 9000 treatment programs will be 4 times per week for 5 weeks (20 sessions). So, you would be done sometime around the first or second week in December. We will be closed from 12/18-1/1/2007. Then, we will start a new 5 week session. Our appointment book is filling up fast, so give us a call at 415-392-2225 if you are interested in finding out more info.

What kind of patient gets the best results with the DRX 9000 Disc Herniation treatment ? Part II

San Francisco Disc Pain Center comments: In our previous discussion we identified commonalities amongst patients that seem to respond the best to spinal decompression therapy with the DRX 9000. In summary, the patients that put the most into the treatment, get the most out of the treatment. Patients that are strict about the home care regimen and keeping their appointments seem to do the best. This is no surprise. Just like students that study, do their homework and attend classes, get the best grades. But, aside from this there is a very interesting common trait that I feel is worth mentioning. I have noticed that there are some people that are so ready to get better that they will drive long distances, fly in from across the country, cancel vacations, borrow money, and do just about whatever it takes to get better. This group also is very compliant with home care. They are always here a little early for their appointments, and they are always eager to learn more about what they can do as far as adjusting the "lifestyle knobs" in the right direction. I have other patients that work a block away and they are always missing apts, calling in sick, coming in late, etc. Chances are they are not adhering to the home care instructions either. So, you can imagine the results this group of patients gets. Hey, this treatment is so powerful that most of the time even this group gets better. But, I can tell you this, these actions do not increase the odds of success, they lower them. Our best patients only do things that increase the odds of success. In addition to all of the above, the patients that are willing to work through the ups and downs, also respond the best. This is part of the healing process. Heck, your body is used to being where it is. And here we come along and start to move it around and pull it apart. Yes, you may get sore. Sometimes very sore. We start off very gently, then build up the intensity based on your tolerance, but your body fights back. You must be willing to work through this. The patients that do the best are. Most patients get releif in the beginning. But, sometimes you don't start feeling better until the end of the treatment. That's just the way it is. You have to look for ways to make this work. Not look for reasons it won't work. There is never not a good time to start. There will always be vacations, family concerns, job issues, tight finances, etc. You can either stay where you are or try and break the cycle responsible for where you are by taking massive action. The choice is yours. From my end, I understand that this is the way it is. But, I will still do my best to educate everyone so that the have the best chance of success. 86% is a pretty high success rate, but I would like it to be even higher.

So, What kind of patient gets the best results with the DRX 9000 Disc Herniation treatment ?

We have helped hundreds of herniated discs patients at our San Francisco DRX 9000 Treatment Center. I have noticed some common ground with the patients that seem to respond the best to the treatment. For the most part these are not things you would come up with right off the top of your head. Sure, younger patients for the most part have less spinal degeneration and the body is able to heal faster. And there are certain conditions that can complicate the recovery process. But, what I have noticed is that the patients that really buy into the "home care" and adjust all the lifestyle knobs in the direction of health respond the best. Specifically, I am referring to diet (we recommend a plant based diet), managing stress (with Yoga and meditation), drinking 80-100oz of water a day (to cleanse and rehydrate the discs), wearing your back support so things do not slip out of place, and performing the exercises that we give you. This also means staying within the guidelines of what you should be lifting, how long you should be sitting, etc. For the first 2-3 weeks we recommend you hardly do anything but come here and ice frequently (every 1-2 hours for 10-25 minutes). In addition, those that understand that health is their own responsibility and for the most part health is lost and regained only by action or inaction on your own behalf, also respond the best. Often times this revelation is made during the treatment process. We are here to help you "adjust your lifestyle knobs" in the right direction using the most advanced technology available today and a big dose of TLC. The patients that are on time for their appointments and never miss also seem to do the best. Then, when it comes to the rehabilitation of the spinal muscles, the patients that do our in house spinal core training on the SpineForce machine seem to take it to another level. The patients that are unable to do the SpineForce due to time or financial constraints need to be religious about doing the home care exercises we prescribe. The patients that are. Guess what ? Yes, they do better than those that don't. I guess this is not earth shattering information. Like anything, you get back out of something what you put in. So, congratulations on taking charge of your health. You do your part and we will do ours. The odds of a favorable outcome are high if you do.         

San Francisco DRX 9000 Spinal Decompression Center performs Back Surgery without the Surgery!

When someone has back surgery, it is usually to remove part or all of a lumbar disk or cervical disk which is causing nerve pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots. What if there was a way to do the same thing without the surgery ? Most people know that surgery has a questionable success rate, and that there are dangers and risks associated with it. What most surgical candidates don't consider is that the actual cause of the problem will still be there, and will continue to march forward. Sure, there was an attempt made to remove the suspected nerve pressure. But, often times surgery leads to more inflammation and scarring resulting in even more nerve pressure. In addition, once part of the disk is removed, the weight of the body is redistributed on the other disks making them more prone to herniations and bulges. Actually, most people that have surgery have more than one herniation already and surgery is performed on the one that is suspected of being the problem. There must be a better way. Well, in my opinion there is. This is what the DRX 9000 was designed to do. I found a recent newspaper article that explains how this technology works using some pretty good analogies, some you have already heard from me. The DRX 9000 is something to consider if you have serious back pain. You can always have surgery.            

Yoga for Sciatica

San Francisco: Sciatica presents as pain that radiates from the lower back down the leg and to the foot. This radiating pain is due to compression on the sciatic nerve. Yoga can help sciatica. However, yoga done in the wrong way with incorrect allignment, or the practice of inappropriate asanas (poses), can often exacerbate the sciatic symptoms. It is important to practice yoga regularly and to practice the correct postures to relieve the compression of the spinal nerve and decrease the pain. The DRX 9000 actually decompresses the spine and relief of sciatic symptoms is often immediate. A yoga practice will certainly enhance the results and help to ensure lasting relief from the pain.

I like this website and the yoga poses they suggest for sciatica. However, as you read through them and you get to the bottom of the article you will see the chair variations of shoulder stand. Don't do this without the guidance of a teacher! If you don't own any of the props they use, you can use a tie for a yoga strap, and a firm pillow or thick solid book will work in place of the block (for most poses).

Sciatic pain can also be due to compression of the sciatic nerve due to a tight piriformis muscle. Poses, such as pigeon pose,  Eka pada kapotasana, will open the hips and, when practiced regularly, will result in opening up the piriformis and relief of sciatic symptoms. Below is a picture of the pigeon pose, courtesy of stumptuous.com. Practice carefully and always listen to your body.

In addition to practicing this pigeon pose, modify other poses accordingly. Practice all foward bends carefully. In fact if you have severe sciatica, refrain from practicing forward bends for now. They are not what you need at this time. If you do practice them, bending the knees, or putting a pillow under the knees, will take pressure off of the sciatic nerve.

You can get more information about yoga modifications from a yoga instructor trained in yoga therapy, or from Dr Davis' office along with your DRX 9000 treatment.