Daily Health and Medicine News

10 things you might not know about low back pain

1. One-half of all working Americans admit to having back pain symptoms each year; 80 percent of the population will experience a back problem at some point in their lives.

2. Back pain is one of the most common reasons for missed work. In fact, back pain is the second most common reason for visits to the doctor’s office, outnumbered only by upper-respiratory infections.

3. Most cases of back pain are mechanical or non-organic — meaning they are not caused by serious conditions, such as inflammatory arthritis, infection, fracture, or cancer.

4. Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on back pain — and that’s just for the more easily identified costs.

5. Fifty to 70 percent of individuals without back pain will have positive MRI’s for disc bulges or herniations. In most cases, the disc is not the cause of pain.

6. Spinal manipulation and other hands-on treatments (active release, myofascial release, trigger point therapy, Graston technique) are better treatments then anti-inflammatory drugs or muscle relaxers for acute low back pain.

Visit www.mishockpt.com/videos to see Dr. John utilizing myofascial release as well as the Graston technique.

7. Spinal stabilizer muscle strength, endurance and motor control essential in limiting the debilitating effects of low back pain and preventing chronicity. There are specific physical therapy exercises that can be done to enhance these muscle groups.

8. The sacroiliac joint and the muscles around the spine and pelvis are the most common cause of low back pain.

Visit www.mishockpt.com/videos to see Dr. John perform hand-on therapy to the sacroiliac joint.

9. Chiropractic and physical therapy care are more cost-effective in the treatment of low back pain versus medical care (drugs, injections, surgery, MRI, X-rays).

10. There is hope for your low back pain. You can improve your condition today. Mishock Physical Therapy & Associates can help.

If pain is limiting you from doing the activities you enjoy, give Mishock Physical Therapy a call for a free phone consultation at 610-327-2600 or e-mail your questions to mishockpt@comcast.net . Also, visit us online to learn more about our treatment philosophy, our physical therapy staff, and our four convenient locations in Gilbertsville, Skippack, Phoenixville, and Barto at mishockpt.com Our mission is to exceed the expectations of our patients by providing excellence in care and service. We are here to serve you. Dr. Mishock is one of only a few clinicians with doctorate level degrees in both physical therapy and chiropractic in the state of Pennsylvania.

Doctor Discovers Solution to Back Pain

Dr. Michael Ho announced a new solution to back pain and is giving 50% off to all readers of the Calgary Herald. “I guarantee it’ll help your back pain,” says Dr. Ho. Each household is limited to only 2 belts.

We have all suffered with some sort of pain and know how debilitating it can be.

Walter Rose never had pain until the day he awoke to crippling pain two years ago. “I woke up one morning and I couldn’t even get out of bed. My back seized up and I took a pain pill hoping the pain would disappear. It never did,” recalls the 50 year old fireman.

This story is very similar recounts 51 year old Peggy. “I had worked in the bank for over 20 years and my neck, back and shoulders are in pain everyday. Sitting all day has caused me to hunch over and I get terrible back pain.”

Both Walter and Peggy were sent from one specialist to another and yet the pain never went away. Finally both wound up at Dr. Michael Ho’s clinic in Toronto. To their surprise, Dr. Ho’s treatments were different and he also provided them with a treatment belt to use at home. After a few treatments, both patients couldn’t believe the results.

” My biggest regret is that I didn’t know of Dr. Ho sooner. I honestly don’t suffer with the pain anymore and I tell everyone about Dr. Ho and his belt. I must of bought 3 or 4 as gifts. This is the best purchase I have ever made,” exclaimed Peggy.

“Treatments can provide temporary relief, but the condition usually reoccurs. The reason is because the patient is lacking the home therapy treatments between visits and therefore the level of improvement may not be sufficient. Back pain treatments can cost thousands of dollars with no guarantees. This is why most people think they have to live with the pain. There needed to be another solution that people could afford and still be just as effective” says Dr. Michael Ho.

Dr. Michael Ho is a Canadian doctor that is internationally recognized for his expertise in treating pain.. His specialized technique and devices target the cause of the pain in order to effectively treat and provide long-term relief for his patients.

“In order to get immediate and long-term relief, you must understand the cause of the pain. Pain can be caused by muscle tension, stress and misalignments which can cause tense and tight muscles, putting excess strain on the joints and nerves causing a pinching effect that prevents proper circulation and oxygen to the muscles. When the muscles are deprived of oxygen, cramping, numbness, stiffness, swelling and pain can occur.”

“Canadian clinics have all the equipment and resources to help the patients, but the problem is that to effectively treat chronic pain, the treatments must be ‘ more frequent and for a longer period of time. ” This was very frustrating because I knew the patient couldn’t afford the time or money to come to the clinic everyday.

This is why Dr. Ho developed a home use back pain belt that allowed patients to treat themselves at home whenever they experienced any pain.

“After years of development, we were able to develop a Decompression Belt for back pain that is extremely effective in relieving pain, easy to use, they are affordable and you can use them at home.”

Dr. Ho has developed a clinical grade decompression belt that can be used in the comfort of your own home, allowing you to help relieve your back pain immediately at home – saving you the time, money and pain. Dr. Ho’s new Decompression Belt is endorsed by medical professionals and customers that have suffered with long-term, chronic back pain.

“Every patient with back pain should be wearing this belt because it gives you core strength and support in your spine, and a traction effect for great pain relief. The great thing is that patients with chronic back pain can wear this belt and get their life back. They can feel more confident, be more active, and do things that they love doing,” explains back specialist, Dr. Rice.

DR-HO’S Decompression Belt expands to allow traction, providing spinal support and pain relief for the lower back. Wrapped firmly around your waist, the Decompression Belt will provide pain relief in as little as 20 minutes, even if you have suffered with back pain for many years. By decompressing your disc, you relieve the pressure on the nerve, allowing better circulation & less pain in your back & legs.

“I have used many modalities to treat my patients, but nothing has been as effective as this decompression belt. I developed this belt for people suffering from herniated discs, pinched nerves, sciatica and back pain caused by aging and poor posture Whether you are working, walking or sitting, this belt can help protect, support and treat your back. Most importantly, you can be pain-free,” explains Dr. Ho.

Since making the Decompression Belt available to the public, we have sold out of inventory multiple times. “As a proud Canadian company, we saved a limited number of belts for readers of the Calgary Herald”. As an exclusive special, Dr. Ho has agreed to give the first 100 customers 50% off as well as include DR-HO’S Magic Instant Heat Therapy Pad absolutely free!

“The Decompression Belt will help eliminate your back pain fast, safe and without the use of drugs. You don’t have to live with your back pain any longer.”

Oh, my aching back! Does that back pain require rest or Rx?

Back pain is a common ailment, affecting more than 80 percent of adults at any given time. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, most people experience back pain at some point in their lives — and 90 percent get better within a few weeks or respond well to non-surgical treatment, such as home care or physical therapy.

But how does a person know if their aching back requires medication and rest, or surgery?

Back pain doesn’t discriminate by age or fitness level, but most frequently strikes men and women between ages 30 and 50 due to the natural aging process, as well as sedentary lifestyles and lack of exercise — or too much exercise. Unfortunately, the risk of low back pain from disc disease or spinal degeneration increases with age.

Causes

Injury-related back pain is most often “acute” — meaning the pain usually goes away on its own, with rest. Back pain that lasts more than three months may be due to disease or aging, and is termed “chronic.”

Most low back pain follows some trauma to the back, but according to the National Institute on Neurological Disorders and Stroke, other causes include: degenerative conditions such as arthritis or disc disease, osteoporosis or other bone diseases, viral infections, joint or disc irritation, or congenital spine abnormalities.

Obesity, smoking, stress, poor physical condition and certain sleeping positions are also causes of back pain.

The most common culprit, however, is muscle strain caused by lifting something too heavy or twisting the back in an unusual way.

A more severe consequence of lifting something heavy is the herniated disc. The disc is a cushion between two adjacent bones in the back. If the disc’s thick outer coating is damaged, its soft, spongy inner core can leak or bulge, causing nerve inflammation.

When damaged discs press on the nerve roots, then pain can radiate down the sciatic nerve (the large nerve that carries nerve fibers to the leg), and sciatica or leg pain can result.

Degenerative disc disease can cause pain due to normal age-related wear, but some people experience this pain more intensely than others. Other back issues develop from chronic conditions such as spinal stenosis, the narrowing of the spinal canal due to arthritis and bulging discs.

Treatment options

Most back pain can be resolved with non-surgical treatment. If these methods are unsuccessful, see your doctor for a medical evaluation. He or she may prescribe oral medications or physical therapy as a first step. If conservative methods do not relieve your pain, surgery may be a treatment option — especially if other symptoms suggest problems with a spinal nerve.

These symptoms include back pain that lasts longer than a few weeks, awakens you at night, or accompanies other symptoms such as muscle tightness and stiffness, severe leg pain (in the buttocks or radiating down the back of the leg), a tingling sensation in the leg, a change in bowel or bladder habits, or fever, chills and sweats.

A medical exam and imaging tests (X-ray, MRI, CT scan or ultrasound) can diagnose the source of back pain. If your back pain requires surgery, the good news is, most spine surgery techniques are now minimally invasive, involving a small incision, less scarring and shorter recovery time. Both orthopedic physicians and neurosurgeons perform spinal surgery.

Types of surgery

One surgical method, microdiscectomy, removes a small portion of bone or disc material through a tiny incision of the lower back without disturbing joints, ligaments and muscles in the lower spine.

Laser procedures are not covered by insurance and have very limited indications, so I probably would not promote this. Even more extensive decompression and fusion procedures can be done with minimally invasive procedures.

After minimally invasive back surgery, a patient may be able to get out of bed and walk on the same day or the day after surgery, and return quickly to walking, daily activities, and work as early as one to two weeks after the procedures, followed by physical therapy to regain strength.

Dr. Linda D’Andrea is a member of the medical staff at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center, Department of Surgery. She is a graduate of Temple University School of Medicine and completed a general surgery internship at the Medical College of Pennsylvania. She also completed a residency in orthopedics at Boston University Medical Center. Spinal fellowships were completed at Shriners Hospital for Children in Philadelphia and Temple University Hospital. D’Andrea is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and is in practice with Brandywine Institute of Orthopaedics, 600 Creekside Drive, Pottstown.