Southern California Spine Center

Spinal Decompression or laser spine surgery, which is a natural Remedy?

I just read a blog entitled "Natural Remedies" that discussed laser spine surgery as a "magical Natural treatment".  Talk about a misleading, contradiction in terms.  What a load of rubbish.  I watched an entire laser spine surgery and I can tell you that there was nothing natural about it.  I even think it is a heck of a stretch when the term "less invasive" is used in it's description.  A natural remedy, by definition, is not associated with medication or surgical intervention.  Natural remedies facilitate and assist the bodies ability to heal itself.  To suggest that; splaying open the back, pushing over the spinal muscles or in some cases cutting through them, drilling a hole into the bone of the vertebra, cutting ligaments, pushing the spinal nerves to the side and then cutting out the herniated material of the disc is a natural remedy, is a monstrous distortion of the truth.

On the other hand - Spinal Decompression, which creates an environment that allows the body to heal itself by creating a negative pressure within the disc, is indeed an effective natural remedy.  By creating a vacuum effect within the disc,  nutrients, oxygen, water and disc material is moved back into a concentric (central) position away from the irritated spinal nerves.  This ends the suffering of the patient.  When a low back strengthening and rehabilitation program is added to that, you have a treatment that addresses the two fundamental parts of low back conditions.  The pathology ie. disc herniation, disc bulge, disc degeneration, sciatica........and the loss in function ie. low back strength, muscle balance, flexibility etc.  I want the public to be aware of treatment options and most of all not to be mislead by discussions that associate surgery with Natural Remedies.

A prominent Medical Doctor and former head of  Pulmonology here in San Diego had this to say following his completion of our program. "I wanted to thank you for helping me with my back pain and in strengthening my back.  I was particularly pleased that Dr. Mountain does the exercises with his patients.  Back pain is a very debilitating condition, and too many doctors, and knife happy surgeons prey on people who suffer with this malady.  You have a program that works.  I hope you get the word out that there is an alternative to back surgery."             Jim V.  M.D.,  F.A.C.P.,  F.C. C.P.

Just so you know, prior to being treated at the Southern California Spine Center, this doctor had tried physical therapy, another type of spinal decompression system and laser spine surgery...all of which had failed!

The perfect back pain solution

For people who suffer with disc bulges or disc herniations there are always two parts to their low back problem.  The pathology (disc injury and the way it effects the spinal nerves) and the breakdown in the way the low back functions ( changes in; muscle balance and patterning, muscle strength, proprioception, flexibility, etc.).  A perfect solution to back pain should address both parts of the problem.  It maybe difficult to figure out if the change in function happened first that ultimately led to the injury to the disc or whether the disc injury occurred and that led to change in the function. Sometimes its the chicken or the egg dilemma, sometimes the history makes the answer obvious.  Regardless, the solution, if it is to be long term must be comprehensive in its approach because no one treatment can fix both parts of the problem.  Low back surgery removes the pathology but in a lot of cases actually makes the functional part of the problem worse, adding instability and scar tissue into the equation.  Medication goes with out saying, it manages the pain-nothing else.  Spinal Decompression addresses the disc injury in a very non-invasive way, as long as it is followed by a comprehensive low back strengthening and rehabilitation program........it is the perfect low back pain solution! 

How long will the effects of Spinal Decompression last?

This is the 3rd question that is most commonly asked at our treatment center.

How Long Will the effects of Spinal Decompression Last?

"I have been treating low back disc bulges and herniations using the DRX 9000 spinal decompression Machines in our clinic since 2004.  I still here from patients who treated with us 4 years ago who continue to be pain free.  It is my experience,  at least to  date, that this treatment has great longevity. 

But, I also differ from doctors who are using the spinal decompression medical technology only.  I  believe that spinal decompression when used in conjunction with a comprehensive, cutting edge low back strengthening and rehabilitation program, gives the patient the greatest opportunity to sustain the benefits of this treatment.  Correct posture, spinal muscle strength, stability and flexibility along with increasing the strength and co-ordination of core muscle stabilizers is vital to offset disc pressures that can lead to re-injury.  I would go as far as to step on a few toes and say that if rehabilitation following spinal decompression is not apart of the treatment program then the Doctor has failed in his responsibility to the patient."

I heard from the wife of a patient who I treated in early 2006, just this Monday.  She called to set up an appointment for her father.  Her husband, my former patient, presented in 2006 with a severe L5 disc herniation.  He had severe low back pain as well as lancinating pain and numbness down his leg from his buttocks to his foot.  He hobbled into our office with a cane, bent over to one side and tears in his eyes.  He was in his late twenties and a tall, strong guy.  He was scheduled for two things in the 6 weeks following our first meeting.  Marriage and surgery.  He was hell bent against the latter because he thought it would affect his wedding and he wasn't convinced by the surgeon that it was the only way to go.  Long story short,  he was pain free for his wedding and called the surgeon to cancel his appointment.  His wife told me this week that he continues to be pain free and that he also does the home exercises I gave him to keep his spine healthy and safe!

Cost? Is your Spinal Decompression therapy and low back Rehabilitation program covered by insurance?

This is another of the top 3 questions I here in my clinic.

Cost?  Is your Spinal Decompression therapy and low back Rehabilitation program covered by insurance

"the spinal decompression program which includes; 20 visits on one of our DRX 9000 True Spinal Decompression systems, followed by 6 or 12 low back spinal strengthening sessions - one on one with a doctor working out on our state of the art rehabilitation equipment, our program also includes a 6 month follow-up and maintenance package (5 office visits over 5 months reviewing and developing your home exercise program, on the 6th month-5 days{1 week} of decompression therapy).  All of this, 7-8 weeks of intensive treatment,  with a 6 month follow-up goes for between $4800-$5800.  The price variance depends on choosing 6 or 12 rehabilitation sessions and how you pay for the program."

This treatment is not covered by insurance, any insurance including Medicare or the California State Workers Compensation system.  Our program is considered an elective treatment only.  Our program finds itself in a similar situation as Lasiks corrective eye surgery or to a lesser degree cosmetic surgery procedures.  The Lasiks procedure is effective but people continue to pay out of pocket to have it done.   People choose to pay for this procedure because it is important to them not to wear glasses or contacts.  Similarly, people will pay large sums of money to enhance their looks.  I think I can make a pretty sound argument that if you suffer with intense low back and/or leg pain that its equally, if not more important to you than looking good, to end your pain.  The risks and costs associated with low back surgery make our program very desirable.  The  loss in income alone for many during the recovery phase following surgery will exceed the cost of this program.  For others their co-pay will be equal to or more than this treatment program.    But it is not for every one.  Some will find it cost prohibitive or will inaccurately believe that surgery is an easy option.  My usual patient is informed, cares about their health and does not mind spending a little on themselves to end their suffering, and looks at surgery as ultimately a procedure to avoid if they can.

Note: if you qualify for care, understand we have no-interest financing available as well as finance programs with monthly payments as low as $110/month.

Will spinal decompression help me?

I see about 60-70 consultations/month for our low back spinal decompression and rehabilitation program.  There are 3 questions that are the most common amongst the consultations.  I am going to share those questions and my answers just in case those reading these blogs also share these questions.  I think they are the most obvious and logical questions, so I hope you have these as questions for yourself.  I will discuss the three questions over three blog posts....

1) Will Spinal Decompression help me?  "I don't know, but I will have a very good idea after discussing your individual condition with you, performing a orthopedic and neurological examination, and reviewing recent MRI's to evaluate your condition.  Once I have that information I will consider your condition based upon experience,  having treated close to 1000 patients successfully with our program. If after consideration, I think that your condition will respond favorably and you will get the outcome that you will be happy with, then I will suggest the treatment.  If I have any reservations, then I won't suggest this treatment.  It's all about doing what is going to best serve you and ending your suffering"  ...as a side note; out of those 60-70 patients we consult with, only about 50% are told that this is a viable option to relieve their suffering.  But the good part of being honest is...we receive a lot of referrals from consults who were not candidates for decompression....they refer in their friends and family.  These new, referred in consults, commonly tell me that they trust that I won't put them on this program if it isn't right!