Epidural Injection for Sciatica, Think Twice Says San Mateo Chiropractor

In an article published last week on Medscape epidural steroid injections were compared to salt water (Placebo)  injections for sciatica.  At one month post injection there was only slight improvement in the steroid vs. salt water groups.  Both groups were followed at 3 and 6 months.

At those markers the salt water or placebo had more improvement than the steroid injection!!!

The reality is an epidural injection will never have a long lasting effect, nor will it change anything functionally to improve the condition.  The epidural injection should be used as an addition to another therapy. Our office has successfully treated sciatica for over 24 years.   www.chiropractorsanmateo.net

Did you know that physical symptoms created by a car accident can take weeks or months to develop?  Or did you know that symptoms that may initially seem mild can become severe left untreated?

We have a patient that was involved in a car accident in June of 2011.  He had some neck pain immediately but after a few weeks of care felt much better and got back to his active life.  Then in January of 2012 he coughed, just a simple little throat clearing cough.  His pain was intense, which led to an MRI which showed a disc herniation at the C6 level.  Now, had he not been examined immediately following the accident it would have been much more difficult to connect the dots.

Moral of the story…If you are involved in a car accident get yourself examined, even if there are no symptoms initially.

I was just given a very interesting article by a patient of mine.  The title is…”How Doctors Die” . Written by Ken Murray MD.  Here is a small sample of the article…It’s not a frequent topic of discussion, but doctors die too.  And they don’t die like the rest of us.  What’s unusual about them is not how much treatment they get compared to most Americans, but how little.  for all the time they spend fending off the deaths of others, they tend to be fairly serene when faced with death themselves.  They know exactly what is going to happen, they know the choices, and they generally have access to any sort of medical care they could want.  But they go gently.  Of course, doctors don’t want to die; they want to live.  But they know enough about modern medicine to know it’s limits.

Wow, you are probably wondering how this is pertinent to a Chiropractic blog, well here is the tie in.  Two years ago I had lunch with a well known MD in my area. His day is spent giving epidural injections to patients in pain.  He sat across from me and told me…” I would never have one myself,  at best it lasts for 12 weeks”.  Don’t get me wrong, I think epidurals have a place, I am just using this as an example.

I just think it is important that the recommendations you make for a patient are the same you would do or have done for a family member.

To your health,

Dr. Barry R. Canty

It never ceases to amaze me, the number of people who take much better care of their teeth than their spines.

You can live a happy, healthy life without a single tooth in your head.  Try to do that with a degenerated spine.

Degeneration of the spine is the same as any other type of degenerative process, by that I mean there has to be a start date when the process begins, followed by the passage time with nothing introduced to alter the process.  Imagine a piece of metal that has been scratched, rust starts. Or wood that has the start of dry rot.  If nothing is done to either they will rust or rot completely away.  It can happen to your spine too.

This is why Everyone needs to have their spines examined. A small problem caught early never progresses to a larger problem.

Call our office to schedule your exam, you will be better off for it.

To your health

Dr. Barry R. Canty

It is impossible for a healthy disc to ever herniate.

People are often shocked by this statement but it is absolutely true.  The amount of force required to injure a healthy disc will cause the vertebrae to break first.  So how does a disc go bad? First: The vertebrae around the disc stop their normal motion.  Second: Due to a lack of normal motion, those vertebrae start to degenerate and become arthritic. Finally: This lack of motion leads to the disc not getting the fluids it needs to stay healthy.  What little fluid remains is able to now move within the disc, looking for the weakest point…add a little extra force from improper bending, lifting or straining and suddenly it herniates.

But actually it wasn’t sudden at all, in fact in most cases they are years in the making.  This is why it is so important to have your spine examined to look for these motion issues before they become much bigger problems.

To your health,

Dr. Barry R. Canty

Here is a simple exercise that you can do at home with no exercise equipment.
It works the longus capitis, longus colli, SCM (sternocleidomastoid) muscles.
The purpose of this exercise is to increase neck strength and muscular endurance.
The benefits are improved stability, functional strength and injury prevention.

Begin by lying on the back with the head extended off the table, maintaining a chin tuck position.
Slowly extend the head back towards the floor and then raise the head, returning to the initial neutral starting position and repeat as instructed.
Move slowly through the range of motion.
Slowly return to start position.
Repeat for prescribed repetitions and sets.

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Here is a simple exercise that you can do at home with no equipment.
It works the biceps femoris, semimembranosus, semitendinosus muscles.
The purpose of this exercise is to increase knee strength and muscular endurance.
By doing this exercise you can have the benefits of improved stability, functional strength and injury prevention.

Begin lying on floor facing up.
Bend knees so feet are firmly on floor.
Extend arms upward toward ceiling.
Activate core muscles.
Lift hips off floor to attain a bridge position with knees, hips and shoulders in alignment.
Slowly return to start position.
Repeat for prescribed repetitions and sets.

Initially, you may develop some cramping in the back of your thigh. A simple hamstring stretch before and after may prevent this from occurring.
Slowly return to start position.
Repeat for prescribed repetitions and sets.

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Here is a simple exercise that you can do at home with no equipment.
It works the gluteus medius/minimus, piriformis and hip lateral rotators muscles.
The purpose of this exercise is to Increase hip strength and muscular endurance. By doing this exercise you can have the benefits of Improved stability, functional strength and injury

Begin lying on side on the floor with legs extended.
Top leg should attain a straight line through hip and shoulder.
Bottom leg may be bent for added stability.
Activate core muscles.
Lift top leg upward, abducting leg as foot simultaneously rotates. This will result in a toe-up position.
Slowly return to start position.
Repeat for prescribed repetitions and sets.

© 2005-2010 WebExercises, Inc., Patent Pending, All Rights Reserved.

Here is a simple exercise that you can do at home with no equipment.
It works the peroneus longus/brevis, tibialis anterior, tibialis posterior, gastrocnemius, soleus muscles.
The purpose of this exercise is to improve muscular endurance, ankle strength, and proprioception.
By doing this exercise you can have the benefits of Improved stability, functional strength and injury prevention.

Begin seated in a chair with good posture.
Extend leg.
Attempt to write alphabet from A through Z with toes, moving ankle in all directions.
Repeat for prescribed sets.

© 2005-2010 WebExercises, Inc., Patent Pending, All Rights Reserved.

Here is a simple exercises that you can do at home with no equipment.
It works the multifidus, erector spinae, transverse abdominus, oblique muscles.
The purpose of this exercise is to Increase low back strength and muscular endurance. By doing this exercise you can have the benefits of Improved stability, functional strength and injury prevention

Begin lying on your back.
Extend arms above head flat on floor.
Activate core and lift knees above hips and maintain a 90/90 hip and knee position.
Activate core.
Lift one arm off the floor and raise it towards ceiling until above shoulder level while simultaneously extending one leg downward towards floor.
Pause momentarily.
Return to start position, alternating sides.
Core activation should be maintained throughout entire exercise.
Repeat for recommended repetitions and sets.

© 2005-2010 WebExercises, Inc., Patent Pending, All Rights Reserved.

Here is a simple exercise that you can do at home with no equipment.
It works the areas related to the shoulder such as deltoid – anterior, deltoid – lateral, pec major – clavical head, and coracobrachialis muscles.
The purpose of this exercise is to Increase shoulder strength and muscular endurance. By doing this exercise you can have the benefits of Improved stability, functional strength and injury p
Begin on floor on hands and knees.
Hips should be above knees and shoulders above hands. Attain a straight spine position.
Activate core muscles. While maintaining a straight spine, reach forward until arm is at shoulder level. Slowly return to start position.
Repeat for prescribed repetitions and sets.

© 2005-2010 WebExercises, Inc., Patent Pending, All Rights Reserved.