Health Update: Low Back Pain

Would Traction Help My Back Pain?

Traction is a common form of treatment for patients with low back pain.  By definition, traction is the “act of pulling a body part.”  That basically means traction can be applied to an arm, leg, finger, toe…..virtually any body part that one can get a hold of.  Here, the focus of traction is being applied to the lower part of the spine and the primary objective is for pain relief and restoring function.  Traction “works” by applying a force that separates and increases the space between joints.  It also stretches the surrounding soft tissues, including ligaments, joint capsules, muscles and tendons.  Spinal traction can be applied manually (with the hands) or by a device with either the use of complicated computerized equipment or, by a gravity assisted means such as using the body’s weight and gravity as the traction force.

Common conditions of the spine for which traction is often utilized include low back sprains and strains, disk herniations (“slipped disks”), and spinal stenosis.  Spinal stenosis occurs when there is a narrowing of the hole or canal through which a nerve root exits the spine or where the spinal cord travels, often caused by arthritic spurs.  Hence, it is most common after the age of 60 years old.  Traction has been shown to improve circulation, reduce inflammation, and by movement of the joints, it may also reduce the nerve’s excitability, resulting in pain reduction.

The “dose” of traction from a clinical experience standpoint, is determined by patient comfort.  It must “feel good” to be safe.  Remember, too much of anything changes it from being beneficial to being potentially harmful.  Therefore, when determining the dose of traction for the first time, we advise the patient to pay careful attention to the way they feel during the time traction is being applied. Often, it feels good at first but may become uncomfortable as time passes. If there is sharp pain, radiating pain (such as down a leg), or, if it is just not comfortable, traction should be discontinued and the recovery time should be reported.

A “typical” dose is 10-15 minutes of time, and the traction force can be continuous or intermittent, kind of like turning on a water faucet and leaving it running vs. turning it on and off.  With intermittent traction, we can vary the time that the force is applied such as 30 seconds on and 10 seconds off.  Generally, the total treatment time can be longer with intermittent traction (such as 15 minutes) compared to continuous traction, where 10 minutes may be utilized.  The traction weight or force can be gradually increased, depending on tolerance and individual patient response to the prior weight.

The Cochrane Report found traction is most effective for cases of sciatica or nerve root pressure creating leg pain. Also, it’s best when used in conjunction with other treatment approaches.  In a chiropractic setting, manual traction (where the doctor uses their hands to apply the force) is often utilized along with side to side or figure-8 movements to achieve better results.  Spinal manipulation, muscles massage, myofascial release techniques, exercise training for both stretch and strengthening purposes and patient education such as teaching proper bend/lift/pull/push techniques are often utilized to achieve the most satisfying results when managing patients with low back pain.

We realize that you have a choice in where you choose for your health care services.  If you, a friend or family member requires care for low back pain, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services and look forward in serving you and your family presently and, in the future.      
                                                                              
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Should my children see a Chiropractor?

It is all too often that I am adjusting a child and another nearby patient says to me “I had no idea that you can adjust children, why do they need chiropractic care?”. Well, in my opinion, all children should be adjusted! Many spinal problems that affect adults began as early as birth. Even “natural” child birth places significant stress on the spinal column and developing nervous system. Theses stresses on the nervous system have often been traced to be directly related to common infantile disorders such as colic, nursing difficulties, chronic ear infections, sleep disturbances and allergic reactions. As the infant grows, learning to hold their head upright, sitting, crawling and walking, all pose an opportunity in spinal development where minor trauma may adversely affect spinal alignment and the nervous system.

As your children grow up, they learn new skills such as riding a bike, playing sports and interactive video games, all of which carry the possibility of causing mild spinal misalignments (subluxations). If neglected, the injuries during this period of rapid growth may lead to more serious problems later in life. Subtle trauma throughout childhood will affect the future development of the spine leading to impaired nervous system function. Because the nervous system controls and coordinates the function of all systems: circulatory, respiratory, digestive, hormonal and immune system; any aspect of health may be impaired by nerve interference.

Through a thorough case history and examination, chiropractors are able to determine if subluxations are present. Chiropractic adjusting techniques are modified to fit your child’s size and weight. They are both gentle and specific to the child’s developing spinal structures. In fact, most parents tell me that their children look forward to their next visit and really enjoy the treatment! They also report that their children experience a greater level of health while under regular chiropractic care.

So, like I said at the beginning of this article, it is imperative to have all children checked for spinal misalignment. Many of you reading this article have experienced the power of chiropractic care, not just for pain relief, but for when you have been sick or run down, suffering from allergies or asthma. Give your children every advantage that you can to allow them to grow up as health and happy as possible.