| The treatment of lower back pain is one of the most | | | | ultrasound studies on the deep muscles of the lower |
| frustrating challenges a doctor can undertake. It is a | | | | back and saw a 30% decrease in size of the deep |
| specialty filled with misinformation, alternative views | | | | spinal muscles on the side of pain. |
| and unfortunately old outdated theories. The other | | | | After 10 weeks everyone recovered fully which |
| problem with the specialty of treating back pain is | | | | would seem to indicate that both treatments were |
| that it is open to a wide variety of health care | | | | equally successful. The ultrasounds were repeated |
| providers both main stream and alternative. | | | | and only the exercise group recovered the size of |
| Therefore a person suffering doesn't know where to | | | | the deep spinal muscles. Both groups were no longer |
| turn. | | | | experiencing pain however. The biggest difference |
| In operating a multidisciplinary back and neck pain | | | | came when these researchers followed up at one |
| clinic I have had the privilege to work with a myriad | | | | and three year intervals. What they found was quite |
| of specialties including medical doctors, chiropractors, | | | | remarkable, at one year a full 84% of the medically |
| physical therapists and naturopaths and one thing is | | | | managed group had another episode equal to or |
| certain initially everyone has their own ideas based on | | | | worse then the previous episode and at three years |
| what they where taught and also on their own | | | | 73% of the 84% had another one, compared to |
| experiences. It really is a shame because the medical | | | | 33% of the rehabilitation group. |
| literature does have many valid and promising studies | | | | What this study so clearly indicates is that even |
| published on effective treatments for low back pain. | | | | though the pain may be gone the functional changes |
| The natural history of low back pain appears to be | | | | secondary to back pain are still present and |
| one of the main reasons this life altering condition | | | | contribute to further episodes and disability. This is a |
| hasn't been dealt with properly. For example if pain is | | | | powerful example of the need for specific early |
| the primary indicator used it appears that most | | | | management using function and not pain as an |
| episodes of back pain go away within 6-10 weeks. | | | | indicator of response to care. At the Arizona Back |
| This has been the bench mark for many first time | | | | Institute every patient goes through a rehabilitation |
| sufferers and those routinely treated in medical clinics | | | | process focusing on restoration of normal spinal |
| around the world. The problem with this form of | | | | strength for the appropriate age and weight matched |
| measurement is that pain in and of itself is not a valid | | | | categories. This ensures the highest probability of a |
| indicator of underlying function of the spine. | | | | long term recovery. If you have suffered from a |
| A study I think best describes this is one that was | | | | recent episode my advice is find a clinic that focuses |
| published in the prestigious journal SPINE in this study | | | | on function and not just on pain. In a later article I will |
| first time back pain sufferers where allocated to two | | | | explain why treatments like epidurals and surgery |
| groups one that received traditional medical | | | | rarely give the patient the best opportunity at |
| management including medication and rest and the | | | | recovery. I will also give you some very effective |
| other a specific spinal rehabilitation program focusing | | | | non-surgical options that are safer and focus on a |
| on the deep spinal muscles. Prior to separating the | | | | long term solution. |
| groups however, they performed diagnostic | | | | |