Got Lower Back Pain on Your Brain?
Our world is filled with the wonder of technology – smart phones, space exploration and the sheer number of cute puppy videos on Instagram – but one problem that will affect up to 80% of the population in its lifetime has yet to be solved: low back pain.
Low back pain accounts for more than 264 million lost workdays per year workdays and stands as the 3rd most common reason for doctor visits in the United States, behind skin disorders and osteoarthritis/joint disorders. (https://www.acatoday.org/Patients/Health-Wellness-Information/Back-Pain-Facts-and-Statistics) It can be caused by a range of factors including anything from being a weekend warrior who played too hard to a tickle of the nose that caused a sneeze. If you are one of the 8 in 10 people who have experienced this common malady, you know it’s no joke.
Luckily, the majority of cases end up resolving with standard treatments including our personal favorite, chiropractic care to address alignment and nutritional remedies to decrease inflammation, but for an unlucky 10-20% of back pain patients, their acute pain turns into chronic pain. It just won’t go away.
Chronic pain, whether in your lower back or anywhere, is defined as pain that lasts longer than 12 weeks. Chronic pain is associated with serious negative effects on those who suffer from it, including psychological disorders like depression and anxiety, to more complicated physical ailments such as loss of muscle strength, reduced range of motion and disturbed sleep. (https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Low-Back-Pain-Fact-Sheet)
Unfortunately, common treatments for chronic low back pain like anti-inflammatory medications, opioid pain medication and steroid injections have widely varying efficacies and rarely provide sustained pain relief, in addition to introducing toxic chemicals to your body. What many patients call, “The Big Fix”, surgery, is invasive and expensive, to say nothing of the time lost to hospital stays and lengthy recovery. Charles Rosen, M.D., clinical professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of California,
Irvine, School of Medicine says, “An enormous number of back surgeries don’t give patients long-term relief.”
What is a chronic back pain sufferer to do?
JBS Wellness is delighted to introduce a new treatment for chronic lower back pain: the Erchonia FX 635 laser, the first and only FDA market cleared low-level laser option for reducing chronic lower back pain. In the clinical trial leading to the FDA clearance, 72% of patients experienced a minimum of a 30% decrease in their level of pain up to 8 weeks after their laser procedure. The clinicians conducting the trial stated, “We believe we have demonstrated that the use of non-thermal lasers has proven to be a far better option for treating low back pain than that of opioids or NSAIDS.”
The Erchonia FX 635 laser works by applying different wavelengths and outputs of low-level light directly to a targeted area. The body tissue then absorbs the light. The red and near-infrared light cause a reaction, and the damaged cells respond with a physiological response that promotes regeneration. The procedure is painless and noninvasive with no
sound, vibration or heat. Each treatment takes only 20 mins.
Dr. Shaw has seen patients respond positively to laser treatment. She says, “I’m happy to provide the latest technology for my patients experiencing the devastating effects of chronic lower back pain.”
For more information about the Erchonia FX 635 laser or a consultation with Dr. Shaw, contact JBS Wellness here.
