A CHIROPRACTIC APPROACH TO LOW-BACK PAIN AND RESOLUTION TO HEALTH Virtually every chiropractor has, with frequency, seen the

continuing drama of low-back pain sufferers. Many arrive at the office contorted with muscle spasm and pain, begging for relief, but afraid to let anyone touch them. Stories of a simple benign movement, setting off this tortuous distress are not uncommon. This chapter uses concepts to improve any health concern with a low-back emphasis. Many sufferers report years and years of such debilitating low-back pain, having tried many types of relief, including chiropractic, acupuncture, massage, physical therapy, strengthening programs, and surgeries. They have decided to give one more chiropractic office a try. Is care then to be called a miracle or another failed attempt? What can be done to up the odds that the fix will last a lifetime? Do low backs really ever heal once they have gone out, or is it just waiting to happen again? Why is this very common ailment, affecting a large portion of the populace, a leading cause of work loss, not better understood? The following few ways in which I teach health and healing to my patients will help you understand my approach. First, chiropractors and chiropractic were never about symptoms and pain. Disease, both in diagnosis and treatment, is the medical paradigm. Chiropractics paradigm was founded on restoration and maintenance of functional health. The human body is by innate design self-healing, self-regulating and selfmaintaining unless there is interference to the plan of the Creator within, our innate intelligence. The two half-cells uniting to form 100-trillion cell production, we call a human being, were given a plan for a lifetime of survival. The body needs no help unless interference happens to disrupt or distract the plan. Disruptions can be physical (mechanical) as in trauma, or chemical (physiological) as what enters our body from the outside world, or mental (thoughts) as in how we interpret and respond to lifes challenges, and emotional (spiritual) as in how we judge ourselves and other. These parts of our beingphysical, chemical, mental and emotional must all be addressed if we truly want health restoration and true healing. There are common causes of low-back instability and pain. Most people will injure their spine at some point of life. Initially, the trauma may have been a fall, sports injury, automobile accident, lifting or moving something awkwardly, or too heavy? There are many more possibilities. But, what starts the process does not explain why it does not completely heal or resolve. The bones of the spine are amazing by design for our ability to be upright and mobile. The spine also encases a very delicate communication center, our nervous system. It allows this very special set of living wires to distribute through an intricate web to every part of our physical body. Messages flow to tissues and back with copious amounts of information and interpretation going on. The nervous system can not be left

in a state of danger by interference. If a vertebra misaligns, impinging a nerve root, chiropractically called a vertebral subluxation, all hell breaks loose. The alarms go off--pain, muscle spasms contract the pressure away from the entrapped nerve. Chiropractic is a science of locating and correcting such events. Most commonly the subluxation does not produce direct nerve compression, but does interfere with nerve transmission of information. Frequently this overloads the system with excessive stimulation to the nerve affecting the receptive tissues. The subluxation can also create mechanical changes creating postural problems and with time adapt to chronic developmental changes, compensation and ultimately to bony disfiguration, remodeling and spinal deformity. Immobilization (hypo-mobility) of one area of the back can lead to excessive motion (hyper-mobility) and abnormal wear in another area of the spine. A real domino affect of spinal adaptation becoming malformation commonly seen as osteoarthritis. More recently, many chiropractors have accepted the subluxation as part of body adaptation to the stresses of lifestyle choices. Diet, improper exercise, postural fatigue, emotional stress and biomechanical factors of being far too inactive are major contributors to the subluxation. Nocioception (improper movement) replacing proprioception (normal movement) in the spine, causing all kinds of physiological processes breaking down not just bone, but body tissues in general. This leads to degenerative diseases and even death. Do we begin to see it as more than a low-back pain? Do we want to focus on pain relief, or functional health to create a healing environment? Drugs can provide some prayed for relief or pain, but they can not address the cause. Drugs can, however, allow us to overdo and produce further damage. Surgery may relieve the pressure on the nerve system, or help healing by allowing us time to rest the injured area. But, if we do not create an environment for proper spinal healing, strengthening and health, we will produce more of the same problem elsewhere in the spine, leading to more drugs and surgery. Every chiropractor sees 80 to 90% of low-back sufferers proclaim the wonders of chiropractic care as they find relief. But, again it becomes the responsibility of the patient and his/her doctor to make the changes necessary to allow healing and restoration of functional health to the spine. The approach can be inclusive for all patients, but needs to be tailored to the individual Lets start with the generals of prevention. 1. Be mobilesitting is a pandemic problem. Walking, swimming, stretching and just generally moving a lot are easy to do and very effective. 2. Exercise of a movement-focused nature should be constructed to the individual need, physique and capacity with core strengthening first. Start with a good coach/physical trainer. 3. Feed the body with qualityvegetables are the healers, fruits are the cleansers; both are designed to be 70% of your diet, followed by seeds, nuts and free range grown, or wild caught proteins. Pay for organic grown: it is far healthier.

4. Supplementsfish oil from small fish (not the top of the food change). The container should be well sealed to stop oxidation. If the oil stinks, throw it away. Organic green supplements, quality anti-oxidants, colloidal minerals and a good probiotic are the most essentials to building healthy tissues. 5. Support for your body includes custom orthotics for your feet, good chair design for upright supportavoid recliners, and a good bed that encourages deep sleep. At work design your area for your needs and take frequent short walking breaks. 6. Drink ample amounts of quality waterreverse osmosis is the best. Dont drink with meals or one-hour after. 7. Oxygen is essential to every body function. Keep exercise aerobic. Anaerobic exercise can damage tissue and interfere with healing. Learn good deep-breathing techniques. Do all you can to insure good quality air to breathe. 8. Vary routinesgive your body new movements. Avoid repetitive motion in work and exercise. Change daily activities frequently; it is good for the brain as well as muscles, e.g. opposite leg in pants first, get out of chairs emphasizing the other leg, begin exercises with alternating sides, etc. 9. Find social ways to be activeintegrate life with people not television and computers. Join workout, walking, and dance groups. Exercise without headsets or watching TV, these overload the brain circuits. 10. Our thoughts control many of our bodys physiological states. Good thoughts=good physiology. Bad thoughts=dis-ease. Our intent makes things happen in our life good and bad. Make good intent your focus to health. As you can see our journey to good low-back health will create better health in all areas of life. As a chiropractor, I will describe general procedures in getting the low back under pain control so lifestyle changes can be applied. 1. The patient should select the chiropractor and vice versa. Ask around for referrals from friends and other professionals to someone fitting your goals. 2. Be prepared to discuss with the doctor your health and back history and your goals to go beyond pain to low-back health. 3. Verbalize your degree of commitment to the recommendations of your chiropractor. Make sure your are willing to work with the doctor as scheduled. 4. Do not dwell on symptoms. Focus on functional improvement as abilities return. Symptoms are only effect not cause; they will become non-necessary as you back strengthens and heals. 5. Ask questions on dos and certain donts with your doctor. Be certain as to what your home care should be: cold, moist heat, massage, exercise, etc. 6. Avoid sitting for periods over 20 minutes before you walk around. Do not lie on the couch or on a recliner. If you need to be horizontal use your bed, if it uncomfortable, try another bed in the house. 7. Do appropriate exercise to keep mobility when your body is ready. Timing can be everything. Some do better exercising in the morning, others later in the day. 8. Cleanse out your system with pure water and plenty of organic vegetables with some fruit. Sip water throughout the daydont guzzle it down.

9. Use the down time creatively. If you cannot be in your regular life activities, keep your mind, and, as much as possible, your body, active. Create possibility thinking, write, etc. 10. Look for the healing; expect to be back in life. Plan with good intent. No dis-ease is incurable, but there are lots of incurable people trapped in their incurable thoughts. 11. Be patient. God heals us quietly. Allow time and focus on thankfulness. See the lessons of life you are learning and become a good student. 12. Doctors do not cure patients--bodies heal. Have faith in the power that created you. Pick your doctor and health team that will work with you for that healing. Many chiropractic techniques are available to help patients. Chiropractors select techniques they feel most reliable in helping them help their patients. The doctor needs to evaluate each case to determine how best to apply their corrective treatment procedures. The adjusting skills of the chiropractor should be acceptable to the needs of the patient. If you are not comfortable with the technique, ask your doctor if another procedure could be tried. Do not quit care prematurely; give time to your body to utilize the corrective changes. If I, as a chiropractor, do not see the response functionally I expect for the patient, I will have a doctor/patient discussion about other options to aid correction and healing. Options might include changing technique, having the patient make lifestyle changes, referral to another chiropractor for a consultation or to other therapies and health care provider. The goal is certainly to make symptoms nonnecessary, but also going beyond to truly maximizing the potential for returning to health. Not all providers treat the same way. There are always other options and opinions. Dont quit on yourself. My own experience of health has taught me a lot about finding care I trust, then trusting my body to heal. Medical doctors, who applied all they knew of their science at the time, told me that I would live on drugs the rest of my life and ultimately within a few years be an invalid. After failed attempts for relief of pain, I entered the office of the new chiropractor in town. He explained to me the concepts that the innate Wisdom that made my body could restore my health. He talked beyond symptoms to regaining my life and living abundantly. His enthusiasm carried me during treatment to where I learned to trust in the Power that made my body to heal my body. Ultimately I, the student, went to teach others. In summary, find a chiropractor and other providers focused on health. Give yourself time to heal. Do not see the symptoms as bad; they are effects. Spend your time on correcting cause, trust in your Creator within; be thankful, do not judge others, use forgiveness to clear old experiences and dont take yourself too seriouslylaugh and enjoy lifes journey. Dont wait until you feel the only hope for you are strong drugs and surgeries, both are very dangerous. You can begin to make changes now. Start to make small change improvements in several of your lifes activities listed above. Inch by inch its a cinch, mile by mile takes awhile. This old wisdom still applies. Dont discourage yourself; change takes time. Your body may struggle with positive changes at first. Pace yourself slow, steady and easy. Establish your appointment schedule with your chiropractor, and stick with it. After you have been fully evaluated, discuss your care

options and responsibilities. If a referral is needed, your doctor will help select the appropriate therapist, or specialist.

SUMMARY OF THE SIX ESSENTIALS You too can go beyond your low-back pain or virtually any health challenge if you work to remove interferenceworking to improve the six essentials of life (eating, drinking, breathing, exercising, sleeping and thoughts). Begin the process of improvement now. Your choices will be your future health. 1. Select your foods with care, how you prepare them, and with whom you share your meal. Slowly increase fresh organic vegetables and fruits to 70% of your diet--eat raw or slightly steamed and 30% you choose, but choose wisely. 2. Make sure you use quality water, preferably reverse osmosis. Add fresh lemon juice to elevate the energy frequency of the water. Drink two-thirds ounce of water per pound of body weight daily. 3. Breathing is essential to survival, but also what your breathe, the quality of the air, how deeply you are breathing and learning breathing enhancing techniques all aid your recovery and future health. Find a relax position and begin the following foursquare breathing technique. Slowly breathing in through your nose, expand the abdominal muscles while counting to four, in second intervals, filling your chest by the time you come to four. Hold the full breath counting to four. Slowly exhale through your nose for a four count. Then hold to the count of four. Repeat this process for two to five minutes, letting your body relax and release stress. 4. Exercising to help circulation, improved muscle and joint health, and create social/mental vitality is essential to future health. Being mobile at home, recreation and work enlivens mind and body. A good easy routine to do to is: Stand relaxed comfortably erect. Step forward with your left foot, keeping your right foot flat. Stretch your right arm up to 45-degrees. Stretch your left arm down and back 45-degreees. Turn your head toward your raised arm and STRETCH. Hold breath for 10 seconds Exhale and reverse the process with your right foot forward and left arm up. Do this process four times, twice a day. This will work out various muscle groups, which enhance fluid movement, improving muscular and neurological balance. 5. Sleep is the time of deep tissue cleanse, reorganization and healing. You need to go into six hours of continuous sleep to complete the four circadian rhythms to properly heal. Create a sleep environment: good bed, restful surroundings, read inspirational thoughts, poetry, try scripture before sleeping, turn down the lights two hours before bed, no TV two-hours before bed, and try the fours-square breathing.

6. Our thoughts become our life. What you think about comes about. Who controls your thoughts? Is your ego in control? Does it have to be your way? Who controls the intent of your thoughts? Do you spend all your thoughts on past unhappiness or future fears? Become present to your life. Do not judge yourself or others, if you falter use forgiveness. I know from my own experience, it is simple, but not easy. However, the more you practice the six essentials in this summary and align yourself with a compatible chiropractor/coach the more you become the choice maker of your future health, saying farewell to that nagging low back and lifes limitations. Enjoy your wellness for a lifetime. The six essentials can be found in Dynamic Health, Dr. M. Ted Morter,
B.E.S.T. Research, Inc. 1985