We have been treating herniated disc patients in Marin County for almost ten years now with a variety of specialized chiropractic techniques. Three years ago we invested in the best non-surgical spinal decompression technology out there, the DRX 9000, and our results are now better than ever. We have been able to substantially increase our abilities to help those with severe back and neck troubles.
Many patients come to our office after failed corticosteroid injections or surgery. Some are desperately trying to avoid both of these invasive procedures. I don't blame them. Although advances in spinal surgery over the years have made the process less involved, they are still very invasive procedures. What is amazing is that the majority of patients think that once they have been diagnosed with a herniated disc that they are doomed for life and that surgery is eminent.
The truth is that most patients with bulging and/or herniated discs can heal and rehabilitate without drugs or surgery. Sometimes traditional chiropractic, acupuncture, physical therapy and deep tissue work are enough to get the results necessary for relief and correction. Sometimes these therapies are not sufficient enough. That is why we invested in the DRX 9000c. It is a sophisticated and extremely expensive machine that helps to increase the re absorption of nutrients back into the disc. With the proper candidate it can increase the height of the disc creating more space where the nerves and spinal cord extend out, alleviating pain, numbness and tingling associated with neurovascular compression syndromes. These syndromes such as bulging discs, herniated discs, spinal stenosis (soft tissue), facet syndrome, and spinal disc degeneration can definitely be treated without surgery.
Sure there are patients that need surgery and I have definitely referred to a neurosurgeon before. However, for the most part patients that need surgery represent a very small subset of the population with these conditions. Unfortunately, most patients are uneducated about the types of non-invasive alternative treatment available.
That is were I come in. I believe that doctor means teacher, not big shot. I make it my priority to let patients know they have choices. We offer a complimentary consultation to determine if patients can benefit from our treatment methods. We perform a thorough examination and let you now exactly how we can help. If we can't help we will definitely let you know that too and help refer you to someone who can. So if you live in the Bay Area and you or someone you know is suffering with severe neck or back pain and is frustrated with the treatment of toxic medication and or invasive medical procedures, give our office a call to schedule that complimentary consultation. It might just save you from an unnecessary surgery.
In addition, I have created our free patient guide that goes into more depth about what may be causing your spinal condition and how I might be able to help. If you would like that guide, make sure toclick here and we'll get that emailed to you right away. After you have had a chance to review the guide and have any questions, please call for a complimentary consultation at (415) 389-1145. We would love to help in any way.
Differenciating Between what is Fixable and What is Patchable
Written by Dr. Seth Labott, D.C.
Many patients come to our office looking for the miracle cure. "Doc, can you fix my back?" If only it were that simple. In the United States we have been trained to look for the miracle potion, lotion, or pill to eliminate our pain and make us comfortable. It seems as though the large majority of us want to be comfortably numb. It is my job to explain to patients that although pain makes you uncomfortable, it is the body's natural warning mechanism that something is wrong. Masking the pain with medication is usually not in your best interest. Yet every day, millions of Americans ignore the pain, push through their daily routines, and wind up making their conditions worse.
Yes, we want to help eliminate your pain. In fact, it is our first intention when patients come into our office. However, there are other important concepts to understand and address. First we have to determine what is the cause of your pain. We are looking to address the cause and not just the symptoms. How long has the cause of this condition actually been there? Pain is usually the last thing in a process to arrive; fortunately it is also usually the first thing to disappear. This does, however, mean that your condition has most likely been developing over a long period of time.
With degenerative disc disease sometimes the damage has been there so long that it will never return to it's original state. This then has become an area that is patchable and not truly fixable. It is possible though to reduce the amount of pain associated with this condition and also increase the function of the area as well. There are many doctors that claim to be able to fix patient's degenerative conditions. This is actually not true.
What we do for our patients is to investigate the actual cause of your health concern. We do an extremely thorough health history and examination. We review any diagnostics already performed and order others if necessary. Once we've reviewed all of your information, we are able to tell you if we can help. If we can help, we tell you what we can actually help you with. We talk about what is fixable versus what might only be patchable. We talk about time parameters. Most patients want to know when will treatment end. When is it over, and when will they be available for maintenance care to ensure they can maintain the progress they have obtained. If we can not help you we will tell you that too, and help you find someone best who can.
In conclusion, if you are suffering with degenerative disc disease, be weary of doctors that claim to fix your problem. Most likely, it has taken a long time for your condition to develop. There might be damage to the extend that it will never be truly fixed. We help our patients to fully understand their condition, reduce their pain, increase their function, and learn how to strengthen their body to avoid flare ups.
Many doctors in Marin trust referring their patients to us because of our reputation for thorough diagnostics and extensive pain management and wellness services. We offer a non-surgical solution to bulging and herniated discs, spinal stenosis, sciatica, neck and arm pain. If you would like more information on how we can help please visit us at www.marinspine.com or call the office for a complementary consultation 415.389.1145.
As a health care practitioner who focuses on the structure of the human frame and how that relates to the communication and function of the nerve system, I have noticed that balance and one's health is usually directionally proportional. There are all types balance to consider. When I think of balance in relation to health, the term homeostasis comes to mind. This would be our body's way of regulating our internal environment in order to maintain a constant stable condition. I also think of proprioception - the sense that indicates whether the body is moving with required effort, as well as where the various parts of the body are located relative to one another.
There is another less defined type of balance that I unfortunately see array in the majority of my patients. This balance I speak of is the delicate balance of life. I notice this in myself quite often. When I start to get fatigued, run down or begin to feel pain in any way, ultimately I can look at my life balance meter and notice I am leaning more heavily toward one side. Am I working too hard and not getting the down time I need? Am I staying up too late and not getting the proper rest I need? Am I eating too much protein and not enough fats and carbohydrates? Am I filling my head with too much noise and chatter and not getting the proper amount of silence and retrospection? Do I spend too much time engaging in contractile activities and do nothing to stretch and elongate? Am I in a chair all day and not making time for nature? Do I interact with the same people all the time or do I meet new and interesting people to relate with and grow from?
When I am not in balance my body, mind, and soul break down. I see people all day who have lost balance. Over time this loss of balance can manifest in a myriad of health concerns, including but not limited to postural distortion, misalignment of the spine, high blood pressure, shortness of breath and depression. The consequences of a life out of balance can be devastating.
If you or someone you know has lost balance in his or her life, there is hope. Balance can be restored. Generally, the longer you have been out of balance the longer it will take to get your balance back. Sometimes it requires help. Surround yourself with those living balanced lives and follow their lead.
If being out of balance has got you in pain and searching for vitality and wellness, visit us at www.marinspine.com. We are passionate about restoring balance to our patients. We feel they will in turn help restore balance to our community locally and globally.
Persistent Neck and Arm Pain: Options to Avoid Surgery
Written by Dr. Seth Labott, D.C.
Dr. Seth Labott D.C. Spinal Disc Specialist
I think most of my wellness colleagues would agree, as much as we would like it to be otherwise, most of our patients seek us out for some type of pain or health concern. The majority of people do not seek out chiropractic to enhance optimum health and wellness. Yes, some people will find their way to chiropractic for peak performance and wellness, however most are motivated by pain.
What I try to educate my patients about is that pain is actually a healthy process. It is the body waking us up to the fact that some sort of action needs to be taken. Sometimes that means a change in lifestyle or to just simply slow down. Sometimes it means there is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. When pain is ignored or masked by drugs for too long this ultimately hampers the healing process.
I see it every day, pain can be absolutely debilitating. Just recently I saw a woman that presented with neck and arm pain of massive severity. This intermittant pain started as a nagging ache for the last several years. Then it porgressed to shoulder pain. Then it progressed to numbness. Eventaully after 15 years of some level of discomfort she lost strenghth in her arm. She was in tears and described how her life had been robbed from her due to the constant debilitating pain she was experiencing. She had been to two different surgeons. One who offered a corticosteroid injection and the other who offered another injection and or surgery. When visiting a medical doctor usually the first line or treatment for cervical radiculopathy due to a cervical herniated disc is generally a couple days of rest and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). If the pain is severe and/or continues for more than a couple of weeks, oral steroids can be useful to decrease inflammation. Oral narcotic agents are sometimes added for severe pain.
It is my belief that masking of the pain with drugs will just prolong the inevitable. At some point one will have to address the root cause of the problem and look to correct, strengthen and rehabilitate the spine.
Her mother had experienced this same problem, had multiple surgeries and now is still suffering still worse pain. She was determined to find an alternative treatment method; terrified that her fate would be similar to her struggling mother.
This patient arrived to my office with MRI in hand that described multiple levels of degenerative disc disease along with cervical disc herniations. This was causing cervical radiculopathy which caused numbness and weakness in her arm. She was dropping things frequently and was losing hope she would ever regain strength in her arm. Traditional Chiropractic can often help patients with this presentation however, she did not respond with a valiant attempt by another chiropractor. We decided to treat her with our DRX 9000c Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Machine. For many people with cervical radiculopathy Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression is a very affective treatment modality when other methods have failed.
After a couple weeks of care the numbness in her arm subsided and she began to regain her grip strength. She then initiated a chiropractic care plan to keep her spine moving properly and to release spinal stress. Motion is life. When the body gets stuck and ceases to move properly then it starts to compress and degeneration occurs. We then educated our patient on how to make the necessary ergonomic changes in her everyday life to avoid further taxing her frame. We also taught her how to effectively stretch, elongate and strengthen her spine. The body has an incredible ability to heal given the right environment.
If you or someone you know is suffering neck and arm pain due to a cervical herniated disc, Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression with the DRX 9000c might be the answer. We offer complimentary consultations. Check us out at marinspine.com or call 415.398.1145 for more information.
Today I was adjusting one of the many families I am blessed to care for in our office when it occurred to me that this mother has a great deal of faith. Not only does she have faith in me to help correct her child's spinal misalignments but also faith in her son's ability to heal naturally without the use of drugs. It is incredible to see the miracles of healthy families. I am very much grateful to see it all the time. Mom comes in for some kind of pain or discomfort, usually neck or back pain associated with of the stress of carrying around the children or getting them in and out of the car. We explain to her about subluxation and how it interferes with the body's ability to communicate effectively through the nerve system. She then asks the most common question I get , "How do I get subluxation?" I go on to explain through physical, mental/emotional and chemical stresses. Then the light bulb goes on, "Is it possible that my children have subluxation?" Immediately we get all the children and the spouse in for chiropractic examinations. With in a couple of weeks, sometimes days the mom starts to explain how her family's health picture has changed. Symptoms they never thought could be related to spinal misalignment have been effected like bed wetting, asthma and ear infections just to name a few. The husband is noticing that sitting at the desk all day doesn't bother him as much and he is able to play more with the children. Not only is the back pain mom came in for gone but she notices her cycle is lighter, less irritating and her migraines that have not responded to medication are happening much less and for shorter durations. Now I have heard the expression that chiropractic will add years to life and life to years. What I am struck by is the life to years piece. Every day in chiropractic offices across the globe families like this one are increasing the quality of their lives. Healthier parents leads to healthy children and healthier families. I am convinced these healthier families make for healthier communities and a healthier more kind planet. Everyone with a spine can benefit from chiropractic! You do not need to be in pain to achieve the miraculous results of natural health through chiropractic care. Spinal hygeine just makes sense. Call to schedule a complimentary consultation for you and family at 415 389 1145 or visit our web site www.marinspine.com for more information.
Marin Chiropractor and Spinal Disc Specialist Comments:
As a chiropractor in practice seeing patients for the last 9 years I see many people that present with Sciatica. Many of these patients have tried various types of treatment methods to no avail. Before we explore treatment options it is important to define Sciatica as there is much confusion as to what it exactly means. Sciatica is a set of symptoms, not actually a diagnosis itself. This means Sciatica does not explain the cause of the pain. Sciatica is a general term that refers to pain caused by compression or irritation of one or more nerves exiting the lower spine that make up the sciatic nerve. Radiculopathy is the medical term used for sciatica which means that a spinal disc or other structure has extended beyond its normal position and is irritating the nerve in the lower back, which connects with the sciatic nerve. There are a number of different conditions that can cause sciatica pain. Sciatica is most likely the result of pinched nerves in the lumbar spine. If it is determined that the pinched nerve is due to a structural misalignment than conservative treatment methods like chiropractic, physical therapy or acupuncture can help. Strengthening sciatica exercises and movement are essential to avoid the lower back muscles and spinal structures from becoming weak and less able to stabilize the spine. This weakening can lead to back injury and strain perpetuating even more back pain. Sciatica exercises are also important for the health of the spinal discs. Movement helps exchange nutrients and fluids within the discs to keep them healthy.
The primary cause of a pinched nerve in the low back is a herniated disc. When the aforementioned conservative options are not eradicating the problem then Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression with the DRX 9000 might be the answer. From my clinical experience when nothing else has worked, spinal decompression produces amazing results. I have treated patients that have been through every other physical modality and multiple epidural steriod injections with no substantial relief until spinal decompression. It does not help everyone, but it has worked for many sciatic sufferers. Axiom World Wide manufactures the DRX 9000. Doctors from the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine and John Hopkins University School of Medicine make up their International Medical Advisory Board which continually researches the effectiveness of this technology.
So, depending on the cause of and severity of pinched nerves in the lower spine there are a variety of treatment options. It is best to have an evaluation with a qualified health professional so they can recommend the best option for you.
If you live in Marin County and would like to find out if you are a candidate for care at the Spinal Decompression Center of Marin @ Cafe of Life then fill out a Complimentary DRX Request Form or call 415.389.1145 to find out more information.
Marin Chiropractor and Herniated Disc Specialist Comments:
I just recently celebrated 10 years in practice. Looking back I noticed how chiropractic has defined the last decade of my life. For the last 10 years I have been practicing traditional chiropractic and I can truly say that It has enriched my life beyond measure. Helping people to remove subuxation by delivering safe, effective and conservative adjustments has proven to be a gratifying career choice and my ultimate calling in life.
What has been equally exciting is the introduction of Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression technology into the office. I am the proud owner of the DRX 9000 technology. Now I am able to help those patients that have not responded to traditional chiropractic care. Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression has proven to be effective for helping individuals that suffer from neurovascular compression syndromes such as disc herniations, disc bulges, spinal stenosis, and disc degeneration.
We offer both Lumbar and Cervical treatments with our DRX 9000 programs. This technology is extremely expensive but after researching the incredible results possible, I had to offer it for my patients. So with the best technology in hand I obtained the only Certification on Spinal Decompression Technique offered by a third party. Most Doctors that offer spinal decompression have no formal training other than from the table manufacturer. I actually studied the science behind this incredible technology. This extra training contributes to the extraordinary results we are achieving. Just read what some of our patients are saying.
Now that we offer this technology, we are attracting many more people of our community that suffer from Spinal Stenosis. This is narrowing of the spinal canal due to the encroachment of disc material or bony growths that squeeze and irritate the spinal cord and/or extending nerve roots. This can lead to pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness in the legs, feet or buttocks.
The benefits that many stenosis patients derive from Spinal Decompression is believed to be due to its positive repositioning and rejuvenating effect on the herniated and degenerative discs that accompany stenosis. Our main objective is to create a negative pressure in the disc that generates a vacuum inside the disc. This vacuum increases the height of the disc creating more space in the spinal canal for the spinal cord and the small exit holes (foramen) that the nerves travel through when they branch off to the rest of the body.
Yes, it works!!!!! if you are suffering with chronic back pain, sciatica, neck pain, arm pain, weakness, numbness, tingling we can help. Visit www.marinspine.com to schedule a complimentary consultation, examination and trial session online or call (415 389-1145) and speak to one of our friendly staff.
I love it when my daughter asks me for an adjustment because she knows that she has Subluxation. She is almost eight years old now and has been getting adjusted since she was born. She is one of the healthiest children I know. When her classmates are dropping like flies due to the latest cold or flu she doesn't skip a beat. Our office is filled with children so many of our newer patients inevitably ask if they should get their children checked out for spinal misalignment. This is a great opportunity for me to make sure they understand the benefits of chiropractic are far greater than just pain relief and increased range of motion. Chiropractic in children has been extensively researched and has shown to help with ear infections, ADHD and immunity.
I always make sure to educate my patients that the Nerve System is the master communication system of the body which controls and regulates all other systems including the immune system. I go on to explain that the Nerve System is encapsulated in the spine and that it branches off at every level to accomplish various functions. Since there are 24 movable vertebra of the spine, these segments can misalign due to physical, chemical and mental/emotional stress. When this occurs messages are blocked between the brain and the body which leads to altered communication and eventually a lack of function.
If I have done my job sufficiently, than most parents would agree their children should get checked by a chiropractor for spinal misalignment or what we call Subluxation. I know my children stumbled numerous times while learning to stand, crawl and eventually walk. We can't escape the fact that our children face stress in life. Chiropractic can help to dissipate this stress and ensure that our children thrive.
If you are interested in having your children checked for Subluxation visit www.marinspine.com to schedule a secure appointment online or call 415.389.1145 to have any of your questions answered. For more information on children and chiropractic visit the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association.
I just recently saw a 40 year old woman who had been suffering chronic low back pain for several years. This pain radiated into both her legs intermittently and most recently she had been totally incapacitated by this pain. With her symptoms progressing she received a MRI of her Lumbar Spine. The report showed multiple levels of degenerative disc disease and facet arthropathy causing central canal and bilateral foraminal stenosis throughout the entire lumbar region. Her physician dismissed these findings as normal due to aging. I have been in practice for 9 years and on my side of the view box this is not normal. It is certainly not acceptable to be 40 years of age, to live with daily pain and to restrict the activities of your daily life due to the fear of being totally incapacitated.
Granted our spines do have a tendency to degenerate with age. Yes, if we were to take a MRI of a cross section of our population we would see that many of our middle aged would have mild bulging discs that are asymptomatic. The point is that I find many physicians are quick to dismiss spinal pain as normal due to aging. Certainly it is not normal for a 40 year old woman of good general health to have extensive degeneration of her spine and bilateral pain down her legs. I do not buy into “Normal Pain” that prevents you from living an active life because someone labled you as getting old.
Fortunately we employee the most advanced technologies of non-pharmaceutical pain management to treat spinal stenosis at our facility. We have been using the DRX 9000 Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Device with great success. Spinal Stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal due to the encroachment of disc material or bony growths that squeeze or irritate the spinal cord and/or extending nerve roots. This can lead to pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness in the legs, feet or buttocks. The benefits that many stenosis patients derive from Spinal Decompression are due to its positive repositioning and rejuvenating effect on the herniated and degenerative discs that often accompany stenosis. Spinal Stenosis, which may be found in conjunction with any of the above conditions, is commonly a contributing cause for sciatic symptoms.
This patient received two trial sessions at our office and has already drastically reduced her pain. If you or someone you know is suffering in pain from spinal stenosis or sciatica visit us at www.marinspine.com or call 415.389.1145 to schedule a consultation.
Just recently I have had a plethora of patients who are desperately trying to avoid surgery. This is not surprising because this is my specialty. More and more patients are looking for an alternative way to help decompress their spine and to alleviate their pain naturally. It is amazing to me how the body adapts to years of physical, mental/emotional and chemical stress.
I see patients that clearly have been struggling with their spines for decades. I also see patients who simply bulged or herniated a disc due to a traumatic incident. My favorite part in both cases is connecting with them, helping them to understand their spinal condition, their treatment options (both inside and outside my office) and offering my clinical findings as to what I feel is the most appropriate course of action to take.
The majority of my patients have been to several health care practitioners prior to visiting my office. They still do not have very clear understandings as to how their condition occurred and how their symptoms relate to their clinical findings. This is why I make sure to take as much time as necessary to educate my patients thoroughly and to fill in the gaps in their understanding. In doing so we connect, form a partnership and go about drafting out a working plan on how to get the results they desire. For some that might be total pain relief. For others that might be just to manage their chronic pain. For others this means to avoid compression problems in the future by being proactive about their spinal hygiene. In all cases patients are looking to avoid having spinal surgery now or in the future.
Connection is the key to our successful results. Our patients have a clear understanding of their condition and the available treatment options. If our patients are a candidate for Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression most decide it is the most logical and conservative method to achieve the results they need and deserve.
Marin Spinal Disc Specialist Comments
