Table of Contents
Low Back
Pain
About 85 percent of the population will
experience disabling low back pain at least once during their lives!
That's almost all of us. The problem is so bad that at any one time
according to one researcher, 6.8% of the U.S. adult population is suffering from
an episode of back pain lasting more that two weeks.(1) That's a lot of
bad backs. The estimated cost of this problem is over $50 billion a
year.(2)
The medical approach is at times necessary - even back surgery has a place. But according to some studies, most spinal surgery for acute lower back problems should be rarely performed.(3) Many people who have had back surgery report a recurrence of their symptoms within a year or two of the operation and may return to the operating table. In some cases the surgery makes no difference whatsoever, and in some cases it does give long-term relief.
Chiropractors have helped millions of people with low back problems, often saving them from pain, disability, drugs and surgery. The chiropractor's purpose is to make your spine and its nerves, discs and muscles healthier, stronger and more stable by correcting your vertebral subluxations. Anyone suffering from a back problem should see a chiropractor to make sure there are no subluxations and to have them removed or corrected if found. This may make the difference between a life of ease, health and comfort or a life of pain, disease and disablity.
"Scientific studies that have been done by medical physicians comparing chiropractic care with medical care and physical therapy non-surgical care of the back and neck show that doctors of chiropractic relieve chronic and severe pain, both immediate and long term, in one half the time it takes medical physicians not trained in chiropractic procedures...controlled empirical studies can and have been conducted. There are now in excess of 60 scientific studies which demonstrate the value of manipulation...manipulation (adjustment) is a most effective and cost effective form of treatment for dysfunctional problems in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spines." (4).
Quotes of The Month "You
can always hope for things, but if you really want them you must see it
happening and it will become a reality." "As
you move toward one of your goals, your next goal should already be planned and
in motion." "Sometimes
we listen to too may voices, when really we should be quiet and listen to the
voice on the inside." Back
Surgery The New Yorker magazine features an in-depth article on surgery of
the low back, the politics associated with the procedure, and the fact that the
results have been overwhelmingly unsuccessful. To put the concept of low back surgery into perspective, the
article begins by reminding us of several surgically touted procedures from the
mid to late 1900's that ultimately proved to be disappointing. Once
popular surgeries such as radical mastectomies and the tying off of arteries to
increase blood flow to the heart were compared to the approximate 150,000 lower
lumbar spinal fusions performed in the United States last year. The article goes into great detail about the failed procedure.
It includes the story of a woman in her mid-30's who developed sciatica
and her path down the surgical route. In this case, the individual was
given Percocet (a very potent and sometimes addictive pain reliever) and was
told to stop working. That was followed by epidural steroid injections, a
discectomy, a discograpy, several MRI's and finally fusion of the lower
spine. The bones of the lower back were mechanically braced with metal
rods, screw, and bone grafts. According to the article, the individual was under the impression
that the procedures the surgeon recommended were necessary and were validated by
research. However, the article clearly states that had this individual
explored the medical literature, she would have discovered that every aspect of
her case: the interpretation of her MRI scan, the diagnosis made and the
rationale for fusing her spine, was controversial among spinal specialists. This individual was contacted nine months later. She stated she
was actually in worse pain than before the operation, the sciatica had returned,
she could not go back to work, and the pain prevents her from sitting, driving,
or walking for extended periods of time. The article ends with a quote from a medical doctor talking about
others in his field. He states, "There will be a lot of people doing the
wrong thing for back pain for a long time, until we finally figure it out.
I just hope that we don't hurt too many people in the process." If you would like to read the entire article you may read it
online at
http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2002/04/08/020408fa_FACT?printable=true Dr. Maloof Case
Studies Jim, a 55
year old male, came to my office with excruciating pain in his lower back with
pain down his right leg and numbness in his right leg. He had difficulty walking, sitting, and
was living on muscle relaxers and pain killers. Even with all these
medications the pain was unbearable.
After I examined him and took x-rays, I began treating him with specific
spinal adjustments, flexion distraction, and techniques to clear the mind-body
stress. He then had an MRI which showed a right disc protrusion L4-L5,
15-18mm bulge, with an extruded fragment. His neurosurgeon recommend back
surgery but Jim had faith that his body could heal naturally and wanted to give
chiropractic a try. After three
months of my treatments, he was taken off all prescription medications and
taking natural supplements that I recommended to help heal the disc
herniation. He is now playing golf,
and enjoying life again. He is
still under corrective care receiving adjustments to correct his problem,
stretching, and taking his supplements.
Jim is a true believer that the body can heal
itself!! Sean
is a 30 year old male, ex-professional baseball player, who came in with
sciatica (pain down his right leg).
Before he came to see me he had tried chiropractic, physical therapy, and
had back surgery for his disc herniation. He had a L5-S1 laminectomy. He
felt better initially after the surgery and then 6 months later the pain was
back with a vengeance. He had the
same pain that he had before the surgery.
A friend of his recommended he come to see me but he was reluctant
because he had tried chiropractic.
He finally thought he would give it a try since he could no longer work
out due to the pain and was tired of taking pain killers. I examined Sean and found misaligned
vertebra and gave him specific spinal adjustments to clear out physical,
chemical and emotional stress as well as flexion distraction therapy. He takes nutritional supplements and
does stretching exercises that I recommended. He now enjoys playing golf and baseball
which he never thought would be possible again. He continues to come in
for regular chiropractic care and now he is an advocate for chiropractic and
recommends Dr. Maloof to his friends. I
hope you have enjoyed this week's newsletter. Please note that I am not
against the medical approach to back pain. Even back surgery has its
place. But I have had so many success stories that I feel it's always best
to start off with conservative care first. Be sure to spread the word
about back pain and chiropractic. If you know someone who is having a
problem or concern be sure to have them set up a time to have a consultation
with me. Over Pronation (Flat
Feet) Dr. Maloof
just attended a Post-Graduate seminar on Extremity Adjusting and learned some
interesting things. Patients with spinal conditions have foot involvement
but the most interesting thing is most of the time they don't have pain
involved. So today I am going to focus on the most common foot problem
which is foot pronation. Defintion Over-pronation,
or flat feet is a common biomechanical problem that occurs in the walking
process when a person's arch collapses upon weight bearing. This motion
can cause extreme stress or inflammation on the plantar fascia, possibly causing
sever discomfort and leading to other foot problems. Cause Over-pronation
is very prominent in people who have flexible, flat feet. The framework of
the foot begins to collapse, causing the foot to flatten and adding additional
stress to other parts of the foot. Therefore over-pronation can lead to a
case of Plantar Fasciitis, Heel Spurs, Metatarsalgia, and Bunions. People
with flat feet often do not experience discomfort immediately, and some never
suffer from any discomfort at all. However when symptoms develop and
become painful, walking becomes awkward and causes increased strain on the feet,
ankles, knees, hips, spine and neck. Treatment
and Prevention Over-pronation
can be treated with custom made orthotics. These orthotics are designed
with appropriate arch support and medial rearfoot posting to prevent the
over-pronation. Dr. Maloof also has specific adjustments for the foot to
help with this condition. She has been making custom orthotics for the
last 18 years because she has foot pronation herself and has been wearing
orthotics since she was 15 years old. It makes a huge difference on
keeping your body in balance. She now has a Platinum Digital scanner where
you can visually see how your foot is at midstance. Please call to come in
for a free foot scan to see if you have an imbalance in your feet.
Written
by Dr. Catherine Maloof and Maureen Maloof
This is a summary of an article in The
New Yorker magazine. "Is surgery the best approach to chronic back pain?"
Dr. Catherine
Maloof
(949) 581-6543
You may view Dr. Maloof's website by clicking www.drmaloof.com
Dr. Maloof Online, ã 2008
Disclaimer: All
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educational purposes only. Consult your own physician regarding the
applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your symptoms
or medical condition.
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References