Whilst this has usually been attempted by the time a patient reaches a Pain Clinic, appropriate physiotherapy in the form of an exercise programme is almost always of benefit. A great deal of work needs to be done to validate conventional physiotherapy techniques; usage in acute pain appears to bring little benefit over the natural history of the condition, whilst in chronic pain it can often be of only short-term efficacy. However, functional rehabilitation programmes aimed at restoration of suppleness and muscle function do appear to be of very real benefit in the long term. Chiropractic manipulation has been shown to be effective in some studies, whilst ineffective in others. Again, patient selection and the technique of the manipulator are markedly variable and will alter efficacy a great deal.
Both acupuncture and TENS are exciting great controversy at the present time in the Western world; their long standing use for chronic pain is being questioned because (again) of the lack of evidence. This remains a controversial field, but both techniques appear to be relatively simple, fairly safe in appropriate hands and reasonably cheap. Acupuncture again is said to work on descending inhibitory pain pathways and also to stimulate endorphins (as well as the body’s natural cortisone). Both positive and negative results have been shown in a bewildering variety of trials. There is certainly a powerful placebo effect, but there also seems to be a significant analgesic component, albeit this might last for only a very short period, and the benefits seen with many patients may be due to a reduction in distress and disability engendered by their interaction with the therapist.
Again it is difficult to find a wealth of hard evidence as to the efficacy of TENS, but a limited, albeit significant number of patients appear to get good benefit, and this appears in some studies to be better than placebo.
Dorsal column stimulation continues to excite interest. Clearly, this can be a useful therapy for moderate pain, especially if it encourages entry into a pain management programme-type approach.
Children with Chronic Back Pain find Relief without Medication or Surgery
A chiropractor from New York has had great success relieving back problems in children
(PRWEB) August 12, 2005 — Millions of children suffer with chronic pain from scoliosis and other spine related problems. In 2002, the American Chiropractic Association reported that, “Approximately 20 million Americans use chiropractic services every year.” Of that 20 million, at least 12 percent of chiropractic patients are under the age of 16.
Many children will never receive chiropractic help for chronic back pain and other curable conditions. Some will grow up with pain in their necks and/or backs thinking it is normal, and will have a hard time communicating the pain they feel to their parents. How can a parent know if their child is experiencing these pains and what can they do if their child is one of those complaining of this type of pain?
One option is to take them to a doctor of chiropractic for an evaluation. Contemporary parents are becoming more and more interested in maintaining their children’s health through chiropractic care, which provides gentle, pain-free chiropractic adjustments that are not only very good for their child’s health, but are something they look forward to doing on a regular basis.
In the State of New York, chiropractor Steven Shoshany has had particular success improving the lives of adults and children of all ages with chiropractic care. In his chiropractic clinic, Downing Chiropractic and Wellness Center, Dr. Shoshany has treated children from cities all over the New York metropolitan area, including Soho, Tribeca, Greenwich Village, and more.
Parents are often amazed by the changes they see in their children after chiropractic care. Anita Winkler, whose eight-year old daughter, Maya, has benefited from chiropractic adjustments, raved about the progress her daughter has made:
“Prior to taking Maya to Dr. Shoshany, she complained almost daily about how her back hurt. I originally thought it was just growing pains, but became concerned when it didn’t go away after a few months and started interfering with her gymnastics. A friend told me that a chiropractor might be able to help, so I took her to Dr. Shoshany. Maya immediately felt some improvement, and after a few treatments she was back to her old self. Now she actually looks forward to getting her adjustments, and is back to doing gymnastics.”
Many people think of chiropractors as “back crackers,” and do not realize that they can help with many ailments besides neck and back pain, including ear infections.
Robin Schindler described her experience with her son, Raymond, who was suffering from frequent ear infections:
“Raymond was recommended to Dr. Shoshany by his E.N.T [ear, nose and throat specialist] as a last ditch effort due to his chronic ear infections, and was about to have tubes put in his ears. After a couple of visits to Dr. Shoshany, no more infections, and no surgery … he gets a wellness visit about once a month now. It just made sense to me РI get his teeth checked, his eyes checked, so why not his spine?”
Chiropractic care can be so beneficial that, as in Raymond’s case, even medical doctors are referring patients to chiropractors.
‚ÄúChildren benefit tremendously from maintaining their alignment as they grow,‚Äù stated Dr. Steven Shoshany. “An infant spine is so malleable that even a gentle contact can bring about a favorable change in position. In fact, many times before a child is adjusted I will let them watch a parent get an adjustment first, and then they naturally want to get one too.”
Many parents whose children receive regular chiropractic care say that their kids seem a lot healthier than other children, and that they do not get sick nearly as often as they did before seeking chiropractic care. In fact, many children have been able to stop taking antibiotics for chronic ear infections soon after receiving a series of chiropractic adjustments.
There are doctors of chiropractic who specialize in treating children, but be aware that there are many chiropractors that do not treat children at all. It is very important to make sure that the chiropractor chosen for your child is qualified to care for children.
Dr. Shoshany is an established member of http://www.therightchiropractor.com, an exclusive Internet chiropractor directory, and has been practicing in New York for more than ten years. You can find more information about his practice and about chiropractic care in general, on his web page at http://www.drshoshany.com.