Spine

"I feel like I need my spine pulled apart."
- Spinal Stenosis, Degenerative Scoliosis

There are many options for disc herniations, sciatica, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis or even non-specific low back pain. As a first choice, chiropractic is a front-line effective treatment for back pain.1,2 Wait times in Ontario for many other options are long. We fill in the gaps in health-care and provide timely, evidence-based treatment. We educate our patients about their diagnosis and options.

Evidence shows that flexion-distraction stimulates specialized cells to produce a healthier bed of nutrients for our joints, discs and cartilage and is an effective intervention for pain and disability among patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.3,4,5 Five to ten sessions of spinal manipulative therapy administered over 2 to 4 weeks achieve equivalent or superior improvement in pain and function when compared with other commonly used interventions, such as physical modalities, medication, education, or exercise, for short, intermediate, and long-term follow-up.6 Dr. James M. Cox first coined the term Flexion-Distraction over 50 years ago. Cox® Flexion-Distraction Decompression (Cox® Technic) uses evidence-based treatment to de-stenose the spinal cord and spinal nerves.7 On average, patients reach maximum improvement in just 12 visits within 29 days.8

Laser therapy is an effective pain reliever that also reduces inflammation and speeds up healing.9-12 We have been using Theralase® lasers at Walkerville Chiropractic since 2005.

Combining both Cox® Technic and Theralase® allows us to help you get better.

References

  1. Arnold JJ, Ehleringer SR. Is Spinal Manipulation an Effective Treatment for Low Back Pain? Yes: Evidence Shows Benefit in Most Patients. Am Fam Physician. 2012 Apr 15;85(8):756-758.
  2. Paige NM, Miake-Lye IM, et al. Association of spinal manipulative therapy with clinical benefit and harm for acute low back pain systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA 2017;317(14):1451-1460.
  3. Kroeber M, Unglaub F, Guehring T, Nerlich A, Hadi T, Lotz J, Carstens C. Effects of controlled dynamic disc distraction on degenerated intervertebral discs: an in vivo study on the rabbit lumbar spine model. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2005 Jan 15;30(2):181-7.
  4. Zhi-Bo Sun, Hao Peng. Experimental Study on the Prevention of Posttraumatic Osteoarthritis in the Rabbit Knee Using a Hinged External Fixator in Combination with Exercises. January 2019 Journal of Investigative Surgery DOI: 10.1080/08941939.2018.1543483
  5. Choi, J., Hwangbo, G., Park, J., & Lee, S. (2014). The Effects of Manual Therapy Using Joint Mobilization and Flexion-distraction Techniques on Chronic Low Back Pain and Disc Heights. J Phys Ther Sci. 2015 Jun; 27(6): 1937–1939.
  6. Dagenais S, Gay R, Tricco A, Freeman M, Mayer, JM. NASS Contemporary Concepts in Spine Care : Spinal manipulation therapy for acute low back pain. Spine Journal 2010; 10(10) 918-940(October 2010).
  7. Gudavalli MR, Cox JM, Baker JA, Cramer GD, Patwardhan AG. Intervertebral disc pressure changes during the flexion-distraction procedure for low back pain.Abstract from the proceedings of the International Society for the Sstudy of the Lumbar Sine, Singapore 1998.
  8. Cox JM et al. Distraction chiropractic adjusting: clinical application and outcomes of 1000 cases. Topics in Clinical Chiropractic 1996.
  9. Frigo L, Fávero GM, Lima HJ, Maria DA, Bjordal JM, et al. Low-level laser irradiation (InGaAlP-660 nm) increases fibroblast cell proliferation and reduces cell death in a dose-dependent manner. Photomed Laser Surg. 2010;28(Suppl 1):S151–S156.
  10. Saygun I, Nizam N, Ural AU, Serdar MA, Avcu F, et al. Low-level laser irradiation affects the release of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), and receptor of IGF-I (IGFBP3) from osteoblasts. Photomed Laser Surg. 2012;30(3):149–154.
  11. Chen CH, Tsai JL, Wang YH, Lee CL, Chen JK, et al. Low-level laser irradiation promotes cell proliferation and mRNA expression of type I collagen and decorin in porcine Achilles tendon fibroblasts in vitro. J Orthop Res. 2009;27(5):646–650.
  12. Alayat MS, Atya AM, Ali MM, Shosha TM. Long-term effect of high-intensity laser therapy on the treatment of patients with chronic back pain: a randomized blinded placebo-controlled trial. Lasers Med Sci. 2014;29(3):1065–1073.