Increasing low back pain over a year led to a "9 TO 10 on the Zero to 10 PAIN SCALE". Something had to be done. I'll tell you that story in a moment, but first . . .
What's the point of living a long life if we can not luxuriate in the pleasures, no matter how great or small, all along our journey.
No one ever said from their death bed: "I wish I'd spent more time at work." So let's do something fun, something pleasurable, something to treasure, every day. Try a new recipe, do something novel for your hungry brain. If we don't, then who will?
"It's not time for the 'S' word. SURGERY IS THE LAST OPTION" --Willian Dillin, M.D.
I started with William Dillin, M.D. who completed the Neurosurgery and Orthopaedic Spinal Surgery Fellowship at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia in July 1985. His practice is devoted exclusively to spine surgery.
His first recommendation was physical therapy, saying surgery would only be the last option, but the condition remained progressive over a year of PT. When my pain reach 9-10, surgery became the last option. I asked my family doctor for referrals and consulted with his top three recommendations asking them about their surgical success rates. Dr. Dillin had the highest surgical success rate.
Dr. Dillin, explained that this X-ray shows 7mm of anterior (forward) displacement and misaligned lumbar vertebrae that should be positioned one directly above the other. That vertebral displacement was now putting pressure on my L-5 spinal nerve and causing inflammation, pain, and possible neurologic loss. It was now time for surgery.
The day I was to call to schedule that surgery, a friend recommended Dr. McCowin, D.C. and Corrective Care for back problems. I scheduled a consult at her clinic (now the OC Medical and Disc Institute in Irvine) where she practices Non-surgical treatment designed to identify and correct the underlying problems which cause pain and suffering.
There, I learned Dr. McCowin employs the Pettibon System, Corrective Care, which concentrates on muscle memory to retrain the body to hold the spine where it should be to promote lasting correction and pain relief.
PROGNOSIS: Dr. McCowin, examined my X-rays and determined that "Corrective Care" could have me back skiing by the end of December! Treatment would proceed in two phases.
I learned that I'd been holding my head 31 mm. too far forward, a position that had flattened the natural cervical neck curve. Over the years that has caused a cascading effect that has contributed to my severe lower back pain and spondylolisthesis.
TREATMENT: Phase one, physical therapy to train my brain to hold my head in the proper position and use muscle memory to keep it there. Decompression treatments would help restore intervertebral disks. Adjustments by Dr. Dunkley would physically manipulate the vertebrae and move them back toward an optimal position. Additional elements of the treatment will be added shortly.
The xray below shows my flattened cervical curve before treatment.
This corrective treatment is based upon the key principles of the Pettibon system:
~Gravity is an absolute environment to which the upright spine and posture of humans must develop and relate.
~There is an absolute optimal position for the upright spine and posture.
~Consider the skull as a vertebra. The only vertebra that knows its neurologically optimal position and has the ability to establish and maintain that posture.
~Posture is controlled neurologically. Righting reflexes and the cerebellum regulate the skull's upright position—keeping the skull upright even at the expense of displacing the lower spine.
http://120andbeyond.blogspot.com/
After 20 Pettibon System visits and treatments, visible improvement can be seen in the xray below, showing a 31 mm to 18 mm. correction of the cervical curve with the ideal being 0 mm or my head positioned exactly above the vertebral column.
Comparing the two xrays illustrates more of a cervical curve in the lower photo, half way home!
My skeptical brain questions the numbers but the absence of pain tells me that the Pettibon approach is working.
July 28, 2011, I've been exercising the muscles that position the spine and using muscle memory to correct the misalignment and relieve 90% of the pain. As of January, 2012 it appears that surgical intervention is unnecessary. Great news considering:
68% SURGICAL FAILURE RATE: In a comprehensive set of studies carried out by the University of Washington School of Medicine, it was determined that the outcome of lumbar fusion performed on injured workers was worse than reported in most published case series. They found 68% of lumbar fusion patients still unable to return to work two years after surgery.
Source: Outcome of Lumbar Fusion in Washington State Workers' Compensation
Franklin, Gary M. MD, MPH; Haug, Joanna MSc; Heyer, Nicholas J. PhD; McKeefrey, S. P. MN; Picciano, Joseph F. BA
http://journals.lww.com/spinejournal/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=1994&issue=09000&article=00005&type=abstract
In December, I elevated my computer screen six inches (photos soon) to position the center of the screen at the same level as my eyes and places my head in an optimal position.
For those of us spending hours on a computer, sitting up straight is an critically important habit for Optimal Living to 120 and Beyond.
AVOIDING SURGERY: Optimal quality of life is part maintaining optimal physiological levels and part informed decision making. Avoiding surgery for example had benefits that were two fold:
1. a significant percentage of surgical patients do not experience reduced back pain and need follow up surgery within 5 years.
2. There are risks of permanent neurologic loss associated with anesthesia that would diminish cognitive function and negatively impact my goal of enjoying life to the maximum. Carpe diem!
http://medind.nic.in/iad/t04/i6/iadt04i6p439.pdf
What's the point of living a long life if we can not luxuriate in the pleasures, no matter how great or small, all along our journey.
No one ever said from their death bed: "I wish I'd spent more time at work." So let's do something fun, something pleasurable, something to treasure, every day. Try a new recipe, do something novel for your hungry brain. If we don't, then who will?
"It's not time for the 'S' word. SURGERY IS THE LAST OPTION" --Willian Dillin, M.D.
I started with William Dillin, M.D. who completed the Neurosurgery and Orthopaedic Spinal Surgery Fellowship at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia in July 1985. His practice is devoted exclusively to spine surgery.
His first recommendation was physical therapy, saying surgery would only be the last option, but the condition remained progressive over a year of PT. When my pain reach 9-10, surgery became the last option. I asked my family doctor for referrals and consulted with his top three recommendations asking them about their surgical success rates. Dr. Dillin had the highest surgical success rate.
The day I was to call to schedule that surgery, a friend recommended Dr. McCowin, D.C. and Corrective Care for back problems. I scheduled a consult at her clinic (now the OC Medical and Disc Institute in Irvine) where she practices Non-surgical treatment designed to identify and correct the underlying problems which cause pain and suffering.
There, I learned Dr. McCowin employs the Pettibon System, Corrective Care, which concentrates on muscle memory to retrain the body to hold the spine where it should be to promote lasting correction and pain relief.
PROGNOSIS: Dr. McCowin, examined my X-rays and determined that "Corrective Care" could have me back skiing by the end of December! Treatment would proceed in two phases.
I learned that I'd been holding my head 31 mm. too far forward, a position that had flattened the natural cervical neck curve. Over the years that has caused a cascading effect that has contributed to my severe lower back pain and spondylolisthesis.
TREATMENT: Phase one, physical therapy to train my brain to hold my head in the proper position and use muscle memory to keep it there. Decompression treatments would help restore intervertebral disks. Adjustments by Dr. Dunkley would physically manipulate the vertebrae and move them back toward an optimal position. Additional elements of the treatment will be added shortly.
The xray below shows my flattened cervical curve before treatment.
~Gravity is an absolute environment to which the upright spine and posture of humans must develop and relate.
~There is an absolute optimal position for the upright spine and posture.
~Consider the skull as a vertebra. The only vertebra that knows its neurologically optimal position and has the ability to establish and maintain that posture.
~Posture is controlled neurologically. Righting reflexes and the cerebellum regulate the skull's upright position—keeping the skull upright even at the expense of displacing the lower spine.
http://120andbeyond.blogspot.com/
After 20 Pettibon System visits and treatments, visible improvement can be seen in the xray below, showing a 31 mm to 18 mm. correction of the cervical curve with the ideal being 0 mm or my head positioned exactly above the vertebral column.
Comparing the two xrays illustrates more of a cervical curve in the lower photo, half way home!
July 28, 2011, I've been exercising the muscles that position the spine and using muscle memory to correct the misalignment and relieve 90% of the pain. As of January, 2012 it appears that surgical intervention is unnecessary. Great news considering:
68% SURGICAL FAILURE RATE: In a comprehensive set of studies carried out by the University of Washington School of Medicine, it was determined that the outcome of lumbar fusion performed on injured workers was worse than reported in most published case series. They found 68% of lumbar fusion patients still unable to return to work two years after surgery.
Source: Outcome of Lumbar Fusion in Washington State Workers' Compensation
Franklin, Gary M. MD, MPH; Haug, Joanna MSc; Heyer, Nicholas J. PhD; McKeefrey, S. P. MN; Picciano, Joseph F. BA
http://journals.lww.com/spinejournal/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=1994&issue=09000&article=00005&type=abstract
In December, I elevated my computer screen six inches (photos soon) to position the center of the screen at the same level as my eyes and places my head in an optimal position.
For those of us spending hours on a computer, sitting up straight is an critically important habit for Optimal Living to 120 and Beyond.
AVOIDING SURGERY: Optimal quality of life is part maintaining optimal physiological levels and part informed decision making. Avoiding surgery for example had benefits that were two fold:
1. a significant percentage of surgical patients do not experience reduced back pain and need follow up surgery within 5 years.
2. There are risks of permanent neurologic loss associated with anesthesia that would diminish cognitive function and negatively impact my goal of enjoying life to the maximum. Carpe diem!
http://medind.nic.in/iad/t04/i6/iadt04i6p439.pdf
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