I seem to be meeting more and more patients whose Primary doctor or Orthopedic Surgeon have scared them into surgery because they have been told that if they don't have surgery then they will become paralyzed.
James Weinstein - Is the head of Orthopedic Surgery at Dartmouth Medical School, Editor for Spine medical journal and author of the most recent and thorough study on effective treatments of disc herniations. His study looked at 1200 patients with disc herniations who were treated conservatively or with surgery. In all 1200 cases he did not see one person who became paralyzed and considers it to be an absolute rarity. He also found, looking at outcome measurements, that surgery was not superior to conservative treatment.
In my clinic, the Southern California Spine Center, I have met with well over 3000 disc injury patients and in all this time I have seen only one case that could be described as paralysis or Cauda Equina sydrome. Contrast that to the number of patients I meet that were scared into surgery that are now worse off. I meet at least 2-3 people a week who are looking for relief from ineffective, commonly botched low back surgeries. Many of these patients are wheel chair bound or walking with canes as a result of surgery. I have also met patients who are paralyzed following surgery, one even was paralyzed in one leg following an epidural injection that destroyed the nerve.
The Mayo Clinic study showed that Spinal decompression is effective approximately 9 times out of 10. Therefor I believe this therapy should be considered the most appropriate conservative treament for disc herniations or bulges. Surgery should always be the last option and every day our patients tell us how thankful they are that they were not scared into surgery, but instead took charge of their health and chose our Spinal Decompression and low back strength and health program!
I heard something like that. I vaguely remember one of my physicians telling that to me.
Posted by: medical marijuana doctor | May 11, 2011 at 10:39 PM