The cost for back related conditions is very high. It has been estimated that the diagnostic procedures associated with back pain cost $50 billion per year. Back pain is the second most common reason to see a doctor and one of the most common reasons for missing work. Only upper respiratory infections caused more people to go to the doctor’s office. The impacts on the individual are high. Ranging from chronic ongoing pain, to debilitating pain that interferes with quality of life and satisfaction a healthy, active lifestyle can bring.

Most cases of low side back pain are the result of a mechanical problem and not caused by serious, underlying conditions, such as cancer, infections, fractures etc… The spine is a very complex structure and the conditions that affect it are equally complex.

Many times, back pain is caused from a sudden movement, lifting a heavy object, sitting in one position for long periods of time or from an injury or accident. Before the moment you feel the pain or injury, there is most often a pre-existing injury or loss of tissue strength and function in your spine.

The following is a list of common causes of low side back pain:

1. Bulging or herniated discs
2. Injury or overuse of muscles, ligaments, facet joints, and the sacroiliac joints.
3. Muscle spasm (very tense muscles that remain contracted)
4. Degeneration of the discs
5. Poor alignment or fixations of the vertebrae
6. Spondylolisthesis
7. Osteoarthritis
8. Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal)
9. Small fractures to the spine from osteoporosis
10. Strain or tears to the muscles or ligaments supporting the back
11. Spinal curvatures (like scoliosis or kyphosis), which may be inherited and seen in children or teens

Luckily, there is a non-invasive, safe alternative for treating back pain, spinal decompression. Non-surgical spinal decompression generates gentle pulling and positioning that allows the spinal discs to decompress, or reduce the pressure they are experiencing. Decompression produces a negative pressure that allows the injury to heal naturally within the disc. Non-surgical spinal decompression is effective in treating many conditions including back pain, leg pain, neck pain, sciatica, herniated or bulging discs, degenerative discs (arthritis), and posterior facet injuries.

Patients that undergo spinal decompression therapy are treated fully clothed. They may lie face up or face down depending on the recommendation from the doctor. This versatility allows us to set specific guidelines for your individual needs and condition. The patient is fitted with a comfortable harness that gently connects to your pelvis and another that is fitted to your thoracic area. The table is controlled by the doctor using a computerized console where the customized treatment protocol is entered into the computer. Each treatment last approximately 20 minutes.

Spinal Decompression is a very safe and effective treatment for back pain, leg pain and neck pain. Although no treatment is 100% successful, has a very high success rate with full compliance from the patient.  There will be certain activities you are asked to avoid while you are going thru your treatment protocol. You will be prescribed specific active rehabilitation exercises designed to strengthen and stabilize your spine.

If you have further questions or know someone that would benefit from non-surgical spinal decompression, please contact our office at 360-705-0900, or click here to visit our website.

References

1. http://www.americanspinal.com/

For years I have been searching for the best program to deliver overall wellness…not just for my patients, but for myself, my staff and my family.

Personally, I was committed to continually improving my own health steadily each year. I knew I didn’t want to go through the rest of my life physically aging every year the way so many become resigned to do. I have known many people who despite the inevitable march of time, manage to stay young in spite of it… not just looking young, but living a youthful, active and vibrant life. I knew I wouldn’t be satisfied with anything less. I also knew that this should be doable for my friends and family as well.

Over the years, I have reviewed many, many programs, looking for one that incorporated all of the necessary components of true health, not just weight loss. Weight loss by itself is not health. We all know plenty of skinny, unhealthy people. Many people in losing weight unfortunately have also lost energy, strength and health. This is not only undesirable, it is unacceptable.

I am happy to tell you that my search has paid off. After investing a lot of hard work, energy and resources, the 8 Weeks to Wellness program will be available here, at Pinnacle Health Solutions. There are over 40 offices in the country currently helping patients through this approach. Our office is the only 8WW office in Washington State. This program is truly fantastic. Our entire team (Dr. Christensen, Betty, Kris and I) have achieved significant health benefits using this approach. It was important to me that we personally were successful with this program before we offered this to our patients.

Betty, Kris and I just returned from Pennsylvania where we received some advanced 8WW training. This experience was a true gift. We saw, first hand, how this program coordinated many powerful healthcare approaches to finally connect the dots for so many patients. At the end of the weekend Betty said it best – “Wow! We are really going to help save lives.” We all passionately feel that way.

8 Weeks to Wellness incorporates the following essential parts of a healthy lifestyle:

Nutrition. You simply have to have the right fuel. There is just no way around this. We will show you what, when, where and how to eat, and we’ll help hold you accountable. You will also receive 8 weeks’ worth of the best meal supplements to accompany your new eating plan. You can only get these from a doctor. By the way, one of our goals has been to minimize the supplements required, stressing the right foods first. This program achieves that.

Personal Training and Individually Tailored Functional Fitness. For most people, exercising alone does not work well. How many gym membership and pieces of home exercise equipment have we all purchased in our lifetimes? Perhaps we get some initial benefit only to quickly plateau or, even worse, we are injured and forced to stop and regress. Our personal trainers will safely push you so that your body changes quickly and more efficiently than you thought possible. Not only will they help you lose weight and build strength, they will help you improve your functional fitness by tailoring your program based on up to date assessment from our doctors and massage therapists. Your weak links will get stronger! This comprehensive and coordinated approach is a very unique and critical feature of the 8 Weeks to Wellness program. Our personal trainer, Jenny Brogdon, is a true and remarkable find. She is an Olympic hopeful who will compete in the Olympia high jump trials this June. She is very personable and passionate about health and has a gift with helping people with different abilities and goals.

Chiropractic. Without a healthy nervous system and a functioning muscle system you cannot truly be healthy. Stress stored in the nervous system can adversely affect your entire body. It absolutely must be removed for you to heal, move and function at your best.

Massage Therapy. Massage reduces stress and soothes sore muscles. You might not think you need this, but wait until you start moving like you have never moved before. Massage also helps restore healthy circulation and communication throughout the body. Through our interview process, we have met some very talented and committed massage therapists. We look forward to your knots and tight muscles melting under their talented hands.

Meditation. A quiet mind decreases stress and increases function and health. We will show you how to reap the benefits from this practice in only a few minutes every day.

Accountability. Every professional you encounter through this program will be checking to make sure you are on track and completing all the necessary steps to maximize your success.

All of these components are essential to achieving and sustaining your best health.

If you are looking to reclaim your true health, I highly recommend you contact our office to learn more. We will be hosting free introductory classes twice per month at our office. Please call our office now and let us know you will be coming – (360) 705-0900. If this time does not work for you, let us know and we will place your name on a waiting list for a future class.

We are committed to helping make this an incredible year for you.

Sincerely,
Dr. Dan Greenlee
Clinic Director

Have you ever eaten a pomegranate? They are the fruit with the little red seeds in them.

Well, it turns out that pomegranate juice has some pretty powerful health benefits. Some research was done a few years a go and I want to share with you some of the findings because they are pretty interesting.

Check out the benefits discovered in the research study:

* After one year of pomegranate juice consumption (3 ounces per day), systolic blood pressure decreased by 21%.

* After one year of consumption, the antioxidant health status increased by 130%.

* Oxidative stress is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease. Consumption of pomegranate juice lowed the oxidative stress levels in the blood.

* A significant decrease in the LDL cholesterol levels after 6 months of consumption.

* Was shown to decrease atherosclerosis in the carotid arteries.

So let’s recap the benefits really quick. By consuming only 3 ounces of pomegranate juice daily, over time there is a good chance you would obtain the following health benefits:

* Lower blood pressure
* Increased antioxidant health status
* Decreases carotid artery atherosclerosis
* Lower oxidative stress levels
* Lower LDL levels

Those are some good benefits, so I’d recommend you consider adding this juice to your diet. You can buy pomegranate juice in your local grocery store. I think the main brand is “POM.”

To your health!

Dr. Dan Greenlee

Source: Clinical Nutrition, June 2004, 23, 423-433

Many patients new to chiropractic care don’t realize that infants, toddlers, pre-teens, and teens get chiropractic care. They often ask, “Why would kids get chiropractic care? Thy don’t have back pain.”

The answer is simple. Chiropractic is so much more than back and neck pain relief. Chiropractic adjustments make the body work better. They boost the immune system. They reduce stress on the physical body. They do all sorts of amazing and beneficial things to keep you healthy.

There is no age limit to receiving the awesome health benefits of chiropractic care. In our office we see patients from birth to death. Chiropractic care can make a difference at any age.

Now, what about this question: “Are kids who receive chiropractic care healthier than kids who don’t receive chiropractic care?”

What do you think?

A research study was done several years ago to figure this out. Here’s what they found:

1. There is a “definite” correlation between chiropractic care and better health.

2. 69% of the chiropractic children (kids who receive chiropractic care) have never had an ear infection, while only 20% of the children who only receive medical care have never had an ear infection.

3. Medical treatment is disease treatment. Chiropractic healthcare is primarily preventative.

4. 95% of chiropractors considered that chiropractic had a positive effect on their children’s health.

5. The study has shown that children raised with getting chiropractic care are less prone to infectious processes such as ear infections and tonsillitis and their immune systems are better able to cope with allergens like pollen, weeds, grasses, etc. compared to children who do not receive chiropractic care.

6. Chiropractors responded that the “recovery time from any trauma or illness by their children was more rapid than that of their children’s peers.”

7. The study has shown that there is validity in the premise that chiropractic has a positive effect on the health status of individuals.”

8. The results of the study confirm the benefits of the chiropractic model of health care on the health status of children.

So there you have it! Chiropractic works great with kids.

If you would like your children or grandchildren to start receiving the benefits of chiropractic care, I’d like to help you get them started.

For the next two weeks, when you schedule your children an appointment, I will do the examination(s) and first visit for free. This will help you get them started.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to email me or call.

To your health!

Dr. Dan Greenlee

Source: The American Chiropractor, November 2008

Jerry Rice, one of the best wide receivers to ever play in the NFL, and also a star on the popular television show “Dancing with the Stars” has teamed up with the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress to let the public know about the positive benefits of chiropractic care.

Check out some of Jerry Rice’s comments:

“My first experience with chiropractic care was right before the 49ers were to play the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII in 1987. A couple of our key players were injured and a chiropractor turned things around. I quickly became a believer and ever since I have had the benefit of chiropractic care.”

“Football is a very rough and vicious sport. I took some vicious hits from players nearly twice my size. Thankfully, I had the durability to withstand these tackles or I would have never succeeded or lasted as long as I did. Chiropractic was the key to keeping me in the game.”

“Dancing with the stars was every bit as exhausting and challenging – though not nearly as brutal as football. It required many hours of practice. I had aches and pains that I never had before. Again, chiropractic made the difference – and kept me dancing and in competition.”

If you’d like to see the video of Jerry Rice talking about chiropractic care, it’s on YouTube. Just Click the link below to watch:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=jerry+rice+%2B+chiropractic+care&aq=f

Did you know that most professional athletes receive chiropractic care on a regular basis to keep their bodies healthy and performing at their best? It’s true.

And even though none of us are professional athletes, that doesn’t mean that we don’t suffer from stress, aches and pains, stiffness, fatigue, soreness, or other problems.

The cool thing is chiropractic care will improve our quality of lives and keep our bodies healthy just like it does for pro athletes. I hope you understand that chiropractic care is for much more than just pain. It can keep your body healthy and functioning at its best.

The patients we have in our office that include regular chiropractic adjustments as part of their overall health plan are happier, less stressed, don’t get sick as much, sleep better, are more productive at work, and don’t have as many aches and pains.

The days of chiropractic care being thought of as a treatment only for back pain are over. That thinking is severely outdated. Chiropractic care has been proven to do much more than that, so please take advantage of all of the benefits that chiropractic care can offer you.

Learn more about the unique, state-of-the-art healing treatments now available at the Pinnacle Spine Center: click here!

To your health!

Dr. Dan Greenlee

If so, the next time you reach for your bottle of Tylenol, consider this: There is evidence that many people who take maximum doses of this over the counter pain reliever had abnormal livers.

In other words, taking Tylenol as recommended on the bottle can create problems with your liver.

In the study, 40% of participants showed signs of liver damage after just two weeks.

Also, the leading ingredient in Tylenol is acetaminophen, and researchers warned that it’s easy to take more than the maximum daily amount of acetaminophen because its found in other medications that people take routinely.

The study, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, pointed out that acetaminophen overdose is the leading cause of acute liver failure.

The New England Journal of Medicine reports that 8 to 10% of the annual kidney failures in the United States are caused by acetaminophen. This is 4,000 to 5,000 people every year who develop serious disorders from taking what is regularly purchased and consumed over the counter to cover up pain. (NEJM, 1994; 331: 1675-1678)

So to minimize the risk of damaging your liver, which can happen very quickly, you may want to natural forms of pain relief. Several options are now available in our office or the natural grocery store.

As an example, start taking a high quality fish oil. It has been widely proven to reduce inflammation and should help ease your joint pain.

* But the other important question to ask is: what is causing the inflammation? In other words, what is the cause of this symptom?

Misalignment or fixation of spinal joints or extremties (like shoulders, knees, elbows, wrists, feet, etc.) frequently cause inflammation. That being the case, doesn’t it make sense to have a specialist in biomechanics (like a skilled chiropractor) examine you to see whether this might be the cause of your problem?

** I have seen situations where a toe stubbed years ago (which didn’t even hurt anymore), long ago altered a patients walking, which caused knee, hip and finally back pain. The problem was corrected, however, when the toe misalignment was adjusted.

In summary:

1) Please be careful with the over the counter drugs. They can cause some serious problems if they are used too often.

2) Use natural anti-inflammatory agents (fish oils, MSM, ice) whenever needed.

3) Ask yourself, am I treating the cause or the symptom? Then you make the choice.

If you have any questions, just email me. I’ll be happy to help you out.

Sincerely,

Dr. Dan Greenlee

People often seek spinal decompression therapy after conservative therapies (chiropractic, physical therapy, exercise therapy, etc.) has failed to effectively heal the damage.

SDT utilizes FDA cleared equipment to apply distraction to the spine in a very specific and controlled way. Dr. Sheally, M.D., a Neurologist, developed the first table to help reverse the pressure on spinal discs. During decompression therapy, a patient undergoing treatment for low back pain, lies comfortably on his/her back or stomach on the decompression table. Padded straps help support the patient’s upper torso and their waist as the decompression gentle applies distraction to a specific area of the patient’s spine. For the neck, the patient lies comfortably on his/her back with a pair of soft rubber pads behind the neck. There are different versions of this table such as the DRX 9000, or the Chattanooga Versions which have important features and differences (covered in another post).

During a session, a gentle pull might be held for 45 seconds and then relaxed for 25 seconds. Through repeating cycles of axial unloading, a vacuum inside specific spinal discs. This “vacuum effect”, also known as negative intra-discal pressure, helps increase the protein synthesis inside of the spinal discs. In other words, the spinal disc has been shown to produce more repair material because the decompression is bringing in more nutrients inside the damaged disc. This facilitates healing from the inside.

The “vacuum effect” can induce the retraction of the herniated or bulging disc into the inside of the disc, and off the nerve root, thecal sac, or both. This can provide great relief by taking pressure of sensitive nerves and allowing them to function again.

SDT is extremely safe and comfortable. In fact the very effectiveness of the therapy requires the patient be as relaxed as possible. Most of our patients listen to soft music or the sounds of a fountain during their treatment. Many are so relaxed they fall asleep during their treatment.

To see pictures of this process in action or for additional information, click here.

I hope the above information has been helpful in your search for better health,

Sincerely,

Dr. Dan Greenlee

Help Stop Bullying — Produce Happier and Healthier Kids … and Adults.

Anyone who loves kids should read this.

Recently, there was an amazing program on the Diane Rehm.  I stopped what I was doing, sat down and listened to how Jodee Blanco was helping kids who are bullied and those who bully.  Teaching compassion is no easy task, but Jodee Blanco has done this effectively for thousands, transferring her bitter experience into something that powerfully helps kids, schools and communities through her work.

I highly encourage you to listen to this program:  go to drshow.org,  click on archive, select March 5^th, 2008 (2^nd show, Jodee Blanco). 

Even listening to the first 15 minutes would be impactful.  If you are so inspired, you can get both of her books on Amazon.com – Please Stop Laughing at Me & Please Stop Laughing at Us.

How many lives would change if more of our children knew this information? 

Imagine children learning to be more compassionate and empathetic with each other.  Imagine kids possessing more tools to resist the adolescent peer pressure that is often quite cruel.  Jodee’s work can help.

Jodee’s work is, by the way, not just for kids … it’s for all of us.

Here’s to spreading a more compassion in the world … beginning with our children.

Dr. Dan Greenlee, D.C.

www.PinnacleSpineCenter.net