health issues, arthritis, degeneration, surgery, osteoarthritis, laminectomy, spinal fusion,

The term doesn't tell us much about why, or how to fix it. Many medical physicians use the term loosely, as in "It's probably arthritis. Just learn to live with it. After all, considering your age... "

Well, there's more to it than that. Yes, many forms of joint inflammation seem to respond to medication. But could a less invasive approach, like diet or lifestyle modifications work? In most cases, the answer is yes.

Degenerative joint disease (DJD) is the accumulation of long term joint pressure, inflammation, or misalignment. The good news is that the symptoms associated with degeneration can almost always be helped with conservative treatment. Gentle adjustments, easy stretching, and light exercise help to reduce pressure on the joints by restoring more normal movement and energy. Eliminating inflammatory foods from the diet may be helpful.

Many types of arthritis might best be viewed as "tendencies". In other words, we can influence the clinical significance, or symptoms, by lifestyle changes. Spinal degeneration, if the cause is not corrected, advances over time. Period. Phases of degeneration cause a gradual overgrowth of bone, leading to ever more restricted motion, and increasing the likelihood of nerve entrapment or irritation.

Laminectomies (cutting away of the back part of the spine), discectomies (removal of part of a disc), and spinal fusions (with metal rods or bone grafts) are desperate measures. While these last resorts have their place in the treatment of back and nerve pain, the conservative alternatives avoid the complications of hospitalization, infections, scar tissue, and irreversibility.

Patients who have had unsuccessful or only partially successful surgeries may still find relief with our treatment. Obviously, we are extremely aware of any inherent weakness created by the surgical procedure, and take treatment at a pace compatible with each patient's condition.