Bonnie's Beauty Buys

Freedom From Pain

By Dr. Richard Busch

No one wants to live with back or neck pain but many people do. Some believe there are only two options, pain or surgery; therefore many back and neck pain sufferers will choose to continue dealing with escalating pain medications and injections for relief. Unfortunately, over time these become less effective and must escalate. There will eventually be a point when the doctor discontinues prescribing high doses of pain medication due to the fact that he now feels the risks outweigh the benefits and that includes the risk of drug abuse. The bottom-line may be that patient will have to live with some pain and hear the comment "not everyone gets well". Where does this leave the patient?

In order to overcome these issues, we must first understand what pain is and how it works. Pain is conveyed to the brain by a type of sensory nerve which only carries pain and these extend to every part of the body. No matter what kind of pain is present in the body both sensory and motor nerves are involved. Pain is more than just an absolute sign of physical injury, it also a subjective interpretation. This combination allows the individual to pinpoint the location of the problem, how severe the problem might be (intensity) and the nature of the problem (for example, a burn versus a sharp pain). Pain can come from any number of things. Injury is a leading reason, but pain may also be produced through illness, repetitive motion, anxiety, or depression.

Pain that is a protective mechanism and is immediately disruptive to normal routine is referred to as acute pain. Acute pain often results from actual tissue damage such as when you are cut, bruised or have a broken bone. Other examples might include a burn from touching a hot object, catching your finger in a car door, or fallen and scraping your knee on pavement. Acute pain is a sudden and intense pain followed by a more aching pain. It is typically short and then resolved once the damage to the tissue is complete. However, if the pain persists over time then it can evolve into chronic pain.

Acute pain can also be associated with poor circulation or dehydration that might produce headaches or muscle cramps. Acute pain will normally diminish as the area is treated and the cause of the pain is removed or healed.

Chronic pain is generally defined as pain that lasts beyond the normal time to heal from an injury. This is commonly thought of as beyond 4-6 weeks. Once the body has physically healed, the pain persists. There are two large groupings of those who suffer chronic pain. Individuals who have a chronic disease such as osteoarthritis or degenerative disc disease will have ongoing pain because their disease continually progresses.

The second group includes those who, although they have healed from the initial incident aren't fully relieved of pain and it continues for no apparent reason. This can occur for numerous reasons including the fact that the body may have compensated for the injury and that compensation now causes more pain. This includes the body's own creation of scar tissue or adhesions which are a natural mechanism for healing, but the scar tissue itself may be pressing on nerves or have trapped pain nerve fibers within the tissue that now causes more pain.

Long term pain can also be from unknown causes but this does not invalidate the patient's perception of pain. Pain occurs for a reason and if it persists, there is a problem.

Chronic pain stimulates the nerves continually and if not resolved can make the nerves more sensitive to pain. This is another downward spiral that can affect those with back pain. Over time, there is so much stimulation of the nerve in the form of pain that it actually changes the nerve and causes ongoing pain even after the problem has been resolved. It seems that the pain signals to the nervous system even without tissue damage.

One of the unfortunate outcomes of chronic pain can be depression. It is now widely known that pain is the physical sensation that also has a psychological element which is why it can be so difficult to treat and live with long term. Pain affects a person's perception of life and this can lead to symptoms of depression due to the frustration and isolation associated with the inability to find relief.

Depression, fatigue, anxiety, anger, fear of additional injury or stress/fear of losing a job are all chronic pain's emotional effects and they interact in complex ways. Emotional negative feelings even affect the body's production of natural pain killers and increase the production of chemicals that enhance pain. As the pain increases and becomes the focus of the individual, the emotions are also affected negatively and can causing symptom of depression and anxiety.

The connection between the body and mind are closely linked and when pain is involved it can be much like a vicious cycle. When we perceive pain, the body responds to the level of pain we perceive. I have patients that have a very high tolerance for pain while others are in agony at what appears to be lesser problem that should create a much lower level of pain. This highlights why pain is so hard to treat - there are no absolutes because pain is perceived differently for each individual. In fact, there are no two people that will go through the exact same treatment and there are no two people that in spite of appearing to have exactly the same findings on an MRI or X ray, or any other diagnostic test, they will not experience the same pain levels. Does this mean the pain is not real or 'all in their heads'? No - it is a symptom of an underlying and sometimes serious condition that needs to be addressed. Unfortunately many doctors may perceive certain patients' pain as stress related and treat the symptom as depression alone.

I am amazed to see how much pain some patients can tolerate and this not only affects the patient but the patient's friends and families. There are cases where the patient has been in so much pain for so long their families don't even remember who they really were before the pain changed their personality. There are some cases where I will tell a patient's spouse that we may even make them nicer and this is due to the fact that as the pain subsides, they are able to focus on a better life.

Many patients are surprised by how quickly their lives return to normal once the pain in their back or neck has been addressed. Even if someone has lived with pain for years or even decades they can see a large percentage improvement in mobility and gain freedom from most, if not all, of their discomfort. Mark is a good example of this.

Mark came to see me when he was 47. He was a dispatcher for a trucking company. His chief complaints were low back pain and weakness in and along the outside of his left thigh. Mark's pain had started intermittently about ten years ago, but for the last five years he had been in constant pain which had sharply escalated in the last four months.

Mark's medical history was long and pockmarked with surgeries. He'd had a thoracic spine tumor removed 21 years ago when he was in his mid-twenties. This tumor was located on the vertebrae between the shoulder blades (T4-T7). Since the initial surgery he'd experienced weakness in his lower extremities and walked with a cane; he had lost partial use of one leg. This altered his biomechanics and caused him have both hips replaced when in his late 30's. Mark had been through years of pain and suffering of varying degrees.

Mark had already had the usual conservative treatments with injections and physical therapy for his low back pain and weakness, and he had been told by his orthopedist that he would need a lumbar spinal fusion. Mark was adamant about not having another surgery, but he needed help because he couldn't live with the level of pain he was experiencing.

After a thorough evaluation and examination of Mark, I concluded that the DRS Protocol would help him, with the understanding that period of treatment may be slightly extended due to his medical history. Mark's treatment proceeded cautiously as to not aggravate any other medical problems. Mark had outstanding results, 100% resolution of pain. He's ecstatic and I still treat him periodically and monitor his progress to ensure he continues to have a pain free life. - All without surgery.

When a patient has suffered from pain for such an extended period of time there is potential for the nerves to be permanently damaged. Pain itself is not cumulative but the condition that caused the pain may cause permanent damage and this damage to the nerve and/or the nervous system is cumulative. It is important to seek treatment at the onset of pain rather than suffering for years and causing more damage to the nerves than necessary. Once the patient overcomes their fear that they might never be free of pain, and takes that first step toward a non-surgical treatment they are on their way to a new life.

Dr. Richard E. Busch III is a nationally recognized Doctor of Chiropractic, author, speaker, and President Emeritus of The American Chiropractor magazine. He founded the Busch Chiropractic Pain Center in 1996 and has successfully treated thousands of patients with chronic and severe disc problems. Dr. Busch is a pioneer in bringing the DRS Protocol™ utilizing spinal decompression technology, to the forefront of care for appropriate low back and neck conditions. For more information on Dr. Busch and his new book, Surgery Not Included, please visit: http://www.surgerynotincluded.com.

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