CHRONIC PAIN, DISC PROLAPSE, FAILED BACK SURGERY, ARTHRITIS

'Chronic Pain Syndromes, Single and Multi-Disc Prolapse, Disc Sequestration, Vascular Haemorrhage, Single and Multi level Canal Stenosis, Failed Back Surgical Syndrome, Arachnoiditis, Associated Neuropathy, Secondary Infection, Injury recurrence, Delayed Fracture Repair the list is endless ...'

 

What is the alternative to continuing manipulation, injections, pain killers, surgical procedures, implants?

MRI (full spine) is required at the start of treatments at HyperMED.

Hyperbaric Oxygenation is non-invasive and combined with other modalities including direct acupuncture needling, cupping, TENS electrical stimulation, Vibration Training, nutritional recommendations and lifestyle modifications.

Hyperbaric Oxygenation targets ‘zones of ischemia’ (areas of tissue and bone with retarded blood supply and nutritional status), fostering new capillary networks (neovascularization) increasing blood supply, reducing chronic swelling and inflammation (bone, disc and ligaments) promoting transport metabolism. HBO significantly elevates and mobilizes the 'patients own' target specific stem cells (CD34+) increasing circulating vascular growth factors enhancing immune responses and repair. This catalyst effect creates a fertile platform for recovery enabling the body capacity to re-train, re-organize and re-learn function.

Hyperbaric Oxygenation impacts tissue hypoxia - 'the earlier intervention - the better clinical outcome'.

The use and application of Hyperbaric Oxygenation in the treatment and management of back and spinal anomalies was pioneered by Malcolm R. Hooper (Spinal Rehabilitation Group 1996).

 

HyperMED Patient Handbook - Hyperbaric Oxygenation

Stem Cell Mobilization and Hyperbaric Oxygenation

Hyperbaric Oxygen Stimulates Vasculogenic Stem Cell Growth

Effectiveness of Manual Therapies: The UK Evidence Report   (Bronfort et al. Chiropractic & Osteopathy 2010)  'Manipulation and or mobilization effectiveness is restricted (limited) to 'non-specific low back pain' meaning 'soreness, tension and or stiffness for which it is not possible to identify a specific cause of pain'. Diagnosis of 'non-specific' pain suitable for manipulation and or mobilization is derived from the patient's history with 'unremarkable neurological and no potential indicators of serious pathology'.

 

HyperMED Comment - You do not suffer 'non-specific back pain' if you suffer any of the following signs and symptoms. Manipulation maybe inappropriate to your condition if you suffer 'deep seated pain, shooting pain, loss of sensation, numbness in arms or legs, loss of balance, muscle weakness or wasting, bladder and or bowel disturbances, circulatory changes, etc. And or if medical investigations including CT Scan or MRI identify degenerative changes including vertebral endplate irregularity (modic degenerative changes), disc disturbances (annular tears, bulge, protrusion, sequestration), advancing foramina and or central canal stenosis, facet arthropathy, vertebral instability (retrolisthesis or spondylolisthesis), development structural anomalies, post-operative changes, infection etc.

 

failed L4/5 Microdiscectomy 'Requiring spinal fusion'

HyperMED Protocols - No manipulation and No Surgery

 

We all know someone who has had a back operation and certainly someone who has a bad back.

Some operations are successful however at HyperMED we focus on the cases that go wrong! Invariably most back suffers continue to suffer residual problems after a back operation and are often worse after the initial procedure.

Patients often describe a ‘honeymoon’ period after their back operation. Several months or even several years can pass with everything ‘rosy’ until something ‘triggers’ the pain again. Additional MRIs invariably reveal continuing degenerative instability with many individuals undertaking more complex surgery in an attempt to stabilise and fuse what has become a mess!

Back surgery may be inevitable but should be as the absolute LAST RESORT when all avenues of conservative approaches have been exhausted. Surgery is typically an attempt to alleviate the level of radiating pain (arm and or leg pain) and is NOT remotely aimed at the underlying reason the problem emerged in the first place! Surgery does not address the continuing cycle of degeneration which is often accelerated after surgery. [J Orthop Sci. 2005;10(1):112-8.]

Low-back pain is the most common health problem for men and women between 20 and 50 years of age, resulting in 13 million doctor visits in the US annually, with significant costs to society in terms of lost time from work and direct and indirect medical expenses. Degeneration of lumbar intervertebral discs is a major cause of low back complaints, an irreversible occurrence with no currently available treatment. Furthermore, various 'surgical procedures can accelerate disc degeneration’. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Surgical Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Bohseidai, Isehara, 259-1193, Japan. [J Orthop Sci. 2005;10(1):112-8].

 

What is the underlying cause of back pain?

Managing Low Back Pain (3rd Edition); William H. Kirkaldy-Willis, MA, MD, LLD (Hon), FRCS (E and C), FACS, FICC (Hon), Emeritus Professor and Head, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine; Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada;

Kirkaldy-Willis details the ischemic model of back pain describing the 'degenerative cascade' associated with degenerative disc disease. ‘Structures within the spine have a very poor and often inadequate blood supply. There is minimal blood supply to the disc, and blood is what brings healing nutrients and Oxygen to damaged structures in the body. This means that the spinal disc lacks any significant reparative powers. Unlike muscles, which have good blood supply, once a spinal disc is injured it cannot repair itself.’

 

What is Hypoxia? Hypoxic Induced Apoptosis - an Excellent HyperMED overview for all patients with Spinal problems

What Is Intervertebral Disc Degeneration And What Causes It? Spine ©2006

'In adult discs, blood vessels are normally restricted to the outmost layers of the anulus. Metabolite transport is by diffusion, which is important for small molecules, and by bulk fluid flow, which is important for large molecules. Transport routes are shown in Figure 4. Low oxygen tension in the center of a disc leads to anaerobic metabolism, resulting in a high concentration of lactic acid and low pH. In vitro experiments show that a chronic lack of oxygen causes nucleus cells to become quiescent, whereas a chronic lack of glucose can kill them. Deficiencies in metabolite transport appear to limit both the density and metabolic activity of disc cells. As a result, discs have only a limited ability to recover from any metabolic or mechanical injury. Endplate permeability and, therefore, disc metabolite transport normally decrease during growth and aging, and yet increase in the presence of disc degeneration and following endplate damage. This is one essential difference between aging and degeneration.'

HyperMED/C.Pneu chronic_diseases.pdf - Chlamydia pneumonia and other chronic anaerobic based infections are associated with arthritis and chronic pain syndromes. Opportunistic Infections act as a 'Triggering agent' driving chronic pain cycles and progressive degeneration

Advantages Spinal Hyperbaric Oxygenation

HyperMED Tarlov cysts

Long-term Steroid complications - this is a must read if you have been prescribed long term steroid medications!

HyperMED Spinal Case Studies - Further HyperMED Case Studies (Patient Testimonials Removed)

Is the Chiropractic Subluxation Theory a Threat to Public Health?

Back surgery may be inevitable but should be as the absolute LAST RESORT when all avenues of conservative approaches have been exhausted.

Informed YOU REQUIRE Spinal Fusion? - then review the following article which advocates fusion.

 

Posterior Dynamic Stabilization Devices Due To Post Operative Instability

This series of X-Rays are of the same patient commencing with a single level L5/S1 intervention ultimately requiring multi-level stabilisation. Use the scroll down bar in this box to review this article.

The author of this paper has a 'declared interest'.

Disclosure: Dr. Scott-Young is a shareholder in Implant Inc., which owns the TOPS device.

 

Below Left: Lateral view of L5/S1 obtained immediately postoperatively, displaying optimum positioning and placement of the prosthesis. Right: Routine postoperative evaluation at 12 months  - patient is asymptomatic (no pain or disability) however demonstrating instability of L5/S1 with anterior (forward) slippage subluxation and considerable disc narrowing (collapse)

 

Continuing L5/S1 instability - patient then receives multi level disc prosthesis below Left - note postoperative secondary segmental scoliosis. Right: Lateral view of segmental scoliosis secondary to multilevel prosthesis.

 

 

Patient further receives Dynamic Stabilization A: Coronal plane correction using the Dynesys system. B: Sagittal view of lumbar spine in extension with Dynesys system ands C: Sagittal view of lumbar spine in flexion with Dynesys system.