Archive for the ‘Articles by Michael Harris’ Category
Monday, February 14th, 2011
There are plenty of stories of folks who, after many years of doing things a certain way, discover a much easier way to accomplish the same task. It could be a certain route they drive each day to work only to realize that by turning on “D” Street instead of the expressway they can save 15 minutes of time in the car each day by avoiding a particularly congested area of the commute.
Or how about the story of the treasure seeker spending his life looking for the mother lode only to find the most valuable treasure was in his back yard the whole time? If only he had known. If only someone had told him.
Running a business in the medical industry can be much like the two examples above. There may be a certain route you have been taking to serve the public and make a profit. But what if there were an easier route that got you more profits quicker? What if instead of looking all over the world or Internet for a goose that lays golden eggs, you had someone show a treasure you already have but just didn’t know it?
Marketing and business gurus constantly teach us that the quickest way to expand practice or business revenues is to focus on your current customer base. Specifically, to sell more to those with whom you already have a relationship of trust.
But what can you offer them without jeopardizing their trust in you? Obviously it has to be something of value to them…something they would be grateful to you for thus deepening their value and commitment for you.
Did you know that there are several highly reimbursable items with excellent patient outcomes available to you right now? They are so effective that they just might be that “easier” route to patient success and increased profits.
Take electro-therapy for example. TENS units are medically coded and have an average reimbursement of around $350 while the wholesale cost is around $30 depending on the unit. That’s over a 1000 percent markup! And TENS is proven to aid patients who suffer in pain by providing a pleasant sensation that overrides the pain within the nerve channels. It’s so effective that the American Society of Anesthesiologists recommends it as a good way to treat chronic pain. Plus there are several other electro-therapy modalities such as microcurrent, IF, EMS and galvanic that each have their own strengths. While they are not Medicare reimbursable items, many private payers will cover them. Plus there are several manufacturers that offer dual units—units that combine TENS with say, microcurrent or EMS. This way you can prescribe TENS to a patient who needs both modalities, and he/she will get the added benefit of the other.
Another highly effective and high reimbursing device is the SR 500 Decompression Back Brace which reimburses at an average of $930! Other back braces have similar reimbursement rates but only the SR 500 Decompression Brace works to treat the cause of most lumbar back pain instead of the symptom. (To learn more about it click here). The increase in patient satisfaction due to the healing and pain relief your patients experience will lead to an increase in referrals.
There are many other ways to increase your revenue from your current customer base. Billing items such as conductive garments, conductive bracing and many other products and treatment modalities are just some examples.
Before you invest a small fortune trying to increase your practice revenues by advertising to get new customers, consider the “treasure” that is lying right in your own back yard. Help your current customers by giving them more options to treat their pain and to heal. As you do you might just find what you had been looking for all along.
Tags: alternative pain management, back brace, decompression, discs, Durable Medical Equipment, Electric Muscle Stimulation, electro therapy, EMS, galvanic, IF, Lower Back Pain, microcurrent, spinal decompression, sr 500, TENS
Posted in Articles by Michael Harris | No Comments »
Monday, January 31st, 2011
The previous microcurrent article was an introduction. We covered what microcurrent is and what it does in general. If you missed it, click HERE to read it.
There was such a tremendous interest in that article and in microcurrent in general that we are compelled and pleased to follow it up with this article that takes a more specific look at some effective protocols.
It is important to understand that although microcurrent is the only electro-therapy that mimics the body’s own electrical current (and that is why it is so effective at healing) there are various frequencies and combination of frequencies that have been shown to effectively target specific ailments. Although microcurrent is not a one-size-fits-all-problems type solution, it has been through extensive research, trials and experiments that winning protocols have been discovered. Learning these protocols could mean significant success for your patients which will translate into significant increase in revenues as patient success and volume rises.
As with most any program or knowledge, those who have discovered these protocols don’t give them out free of charge.
Think of it this way: Someone invented the computer which is a wonderful blessing to the world. Then someone else created a software program that helps that computer become a useful tool for more people and for specific needs. (Think IBM and Microsoft). Both the maker of the computer and the creator of the program want to be paid. Same goes with the maker of microcurrent devices and with those that figure out how to harness their powers to tackle specific diseases and injuries.
While microcurrent can be used to aid the healing of many injuries, there is a short list of “no-go zones.” You need to be fully aware of them before prescribing microcurrent or using it on yourself. Outside of these areas lies a vast frontier of injury types, pains and diseases for which there are claims of microcurrent‘s miracle healing properties. Some are claimed proven improvements, some are simply observed improvements and many are just reported individual successes. Beyond these reports there is a whole lot of unknowns and thus room for more experimentation and discovery.
Two individuals who have successfully pioneered some specific protocols are Carolyn McMakin, MA, DC who is the clinical director of the Fibromyalgia and Myofascial Pain Clinic of Portland, OR; and Robert C. Beck, D.Sc., who is the inventor of the original flash strobe for photography.
Let’s take a look at each individual and what they have discovered:
Carolyn McMakin
Carolyn’s introduction to microcurrent began in the early 1990s when she learned of a Canadian osteopath that was using a rudimentary but effective microcurrent machine made in 1920. She applied what she knew about fibromyalgia and myofascial pain to what she discovered about microcurrent and through clinical trials came up with what she calls FSM (Frequency Specific Microcurrent). FSM is exactly what it says it is…microcurrent tuned into specific frequencies to treat specific conditions. And they are impressive. According to Dr. McMakin’s website, FSM is “especially effective at treating nerve and muscle pain, inflammation and scar tissue. There is a kind of fibromyalgia associated with spine trauma that is particularly painful and difficult to treat even with narcotics. There is one frequency combination, and only one frequency combination, that has been observed to eliminate pain in patients with this condition. Shingles responds very well to only one frequency combination that eliminates the pain in 20 minutes and causes the lesions to dry up and disappear in approximately two to three days. There is one frequency combination that so far has been 100% effective in eliminating kidney stone pain. This frequency combination does nothing to remove the stone; it only eliminates the pain. The frequencies have created observed effects in asthma, liver dysfunction (reducing elevated liver enzymes), irritable bowel and many other conditions. It has been observed that patients who are treated within four hours of a new injury including auto accidents and surgeries have much reduced pain and a greatly accelerated healing process.”
The site also states that a certain frequency is effective in reducing swelling as a result of sunburn on laboratory rats. McMakin is careful however to clearly state than none of the frequencies are FDA approved and she makes no claim of any cures—just observed results.
McMakin offers seminars held at locations across the country where practitioners can come to learn FSP.
Robert C. Beck
Robert (or Bob as he likes to be called) has credentials so impressive they are in company with the likes of Thomas Edison. As stated earlier, Bob Beck is the creator of flash photography—a feat he accomplished when he was still quite young. It wasn’t until later in life that he discovered microcurrent when he read an article in Science News in 1990 which reported that Dr. Kalli of Albert Einstein College of Medicine had claimed to cure the HIV virus using two wires put directly into a Petri dish of infected blood. He observed that by delivering 50 millionth of an ampere the HIV virus somehow lost its ability to attach itself to receptor cells. As Beck soon learned, Dr. Kalli filed a patent for a small device that is surgically inserted into a vein where it provides the needed current to clean the blood of pathogens. However, the device had to be surgically removed once a month so a new battery could be put in.
It occurred to Beck that it would be possible to deliver the same current from the outside of the skin…specifically at the wrist where veins are close to the surface. Thus the Beck Zapper was born for use in blood electrification. But Beck didn’t stop there. He knew that many parts of the body do not get good blood flow…such as lymph nodes. So he invented a device that would deliver magnetic pulses directly to whichever body area the patient or doctor would desire.
Use of these two devices is Beck’s version of microcurrent implementation. He later added the admonition to drink Ionic/colloidal silver (a known natural antibiotic) and ozonated water. The four practices combined constitute The Beck Protocol. Beck has many proponents willing to testify at any given moment as to the effectiveness of his regimen. But of course the government regulators disagree and consider such testimonials to be misleading.
There are other protocols out there. Simply doing a Google search for “microcurrent protocols” will reveal McMakin’s and Beck’s sites, as well as some others.
No matter your specific approach, one this is for sure: Microcurrent is a mighty current. It has shown impressive results that can help your patients heal and consequently boost your bottom line.
Tags: AIDS, alternative pain management, Durable Medical Equipment, electro therapy, Fibromyalgia, HIV, microcurrent, schingles
Posted in Articles by Michael Harris | 4 Comments »
Wednesday, January 19th, 2011
If you are one of the millions of Americans who suffers from Sciatica, you know all too well how it can negatively affect your life. But what is Sciatica? How is it diagnosed? Can it be healed?
What is Sciatica?
Many folks confuse sciatica to be a diagnosis. It’s not. It’s a symptom of a different problem. But finding the problem can be…well, a problem. Think of it this way: You pull out a string of Christmas lights to put on your tree. You plug it in to be sure they work…but they don’t. So you check the fuse. It’s good. Now what? You systematically start looking at each bulb to find the one that is missing or burned out. It’s a painstaking process of hit and miss. That’s the same kind of problem doctors are facing—albeit much more intricate and critical—when they are trying to pinpoint the cause of sciatica.
Finding the source of sciatica can be difficult at best because it can be caused by a number of different conditions anywhere along the roots of the five sciatic nerves. The roots stem from the lumbar and sacral nerve lines which string down the spine in the L4 to the S3 vertebrae regions. Just about anything can go wrong in that area and cause sciatica to manifest itself in your buttocks, leg, knee or foot. You’ll know it when it occurs because it hurts! But moderate to severe pain is not the only challenge. Numbness, tingling, pins and needles and muscle weakness are signs of sciatica as well.
The most common culprit behind sciatica is nerve pinching. Nerves can get pinched in a variety of ways ranging from lumbar misalignment, a sacroiliac joint misalignment, Piriformis syndrome, greater Trochanteric Bursitis and most commonly, disc herniation.
How is Sciatica Diagnosed?
The standard protocol no matter what kind of doctor is consulted is for an examination to be performed first. If the sciatica does not extend below the knee, it is less likely that it is due to a disc problem, and it’s more likely that it’s due to a lumbar misalignment, a sacroiliac joint misalignment, Piriformis syndrome or Greater Trochanteric Bursitis. If on the other hand the sciatica does extend below the knee, it is somewhat more likely that it is due to a disc lesion.
Once the examination is performed the next steps differ depending on what type of doctor is doing the examining. If it’s a chiropractor, it is most likely that after the examination he will take an x-ray to rule out any kind of pathological process (such as bone cancer), and then treat the patient with chiropractic adjustments and physiotherapy. If the patient does not respond favorably within a week or two to this conservative approach, then the doctor will request pre-authorization from the insurance company for an MRI. It is unlikely that an insurance company will approve an MRI until after conservative treatment has been tried first and failed.
If however the patient is complaining of neurological symptoms such as numbness in the leg or weakness of any of the muscles of the leg, particularly the inability to walk on their heels (a condition called foot-drop), or loss of control of bowel or bladder function, then those neurological signs justify immediate approval and performance of an MRI. To not do an MRI in such a case could constitute negligence and could jeopardize the patient’s life, if not their ability to walk normally for the rest of their life.
If the patient goes first to an MD instead of a chiropractor, it is likely that they will first be prescribed some pain killers and anti-inflammatory medication. If that doesn’t work then they’ll prescribe physical therapy. If the therapy doesn’t work then they’ll order an MRI. Unless of course the patient demonstrates neurological signs and symptoms in which case the same urgency exists as in the above paragraph.
It is important to note that X-rays do not show whether or not a disc is bulging or ruptured. They only show the disc space, showing if it’s normal-sized, or thin. If it’s thin it may or may not show signs of arthritis. Occasionally an inflamed disc can show up on an x-ray as somewhat thicker than usual.
MRI’s and CT’s both show discs and will differentiate a normal healthy disc from an unhealthy one. They will also show if a disc is bulged or herniated and will show how well hydrated it is. Generally speaking, CT’s are best to show hard tissues such as bone, and MRI’s are best to show soft tissues like discs and nerves. So if arthritis or fractures are suspected by the ordering physician, a CT is ordered. If a disc bulge or herniation is suspected, then an MRI is ordered. Other diseases can also show up on CT’s and MRI’s such as spinal cord tumors, bone cancer, bone abscesses, meningeoceles, etc.
Can Sciatica be cured?
The more correct question is, “Can sciatica be relieved?” Remember sciatica is a symptom not a diagnosis. So whether or not sciatica can be relieved depends on whether or not the cause of the sciatica can be fixed.
The good news is that since the most common cause of sciatica is an impinged nerve usually resulting from a herniated or bulging disc, the answer is yes: Sciatica can be relieved with a fairly high success rate depending on how the problem is addressed. Many successful tactics can be implemented by your chiropractor or MD. They range from spinal decompression to surgery on the extreme end to core muscle strengthening, stretches, yoga and acupuncture on the more conservative end.
If the diagnosis is something other than a disc problem, the treatments can vary quite a bit…more than can be covered in this article.
Conclusion
The cause of sciatica can be very hard to diagnose. If you or a loved one is suffering, definitely seek help. Visit your chiropractor or MD, based on your preference. To do nothing may cause irreversible damage that may affect your ability to walk. Rest assured, help is out there. Relief is within reach.
Tags: back pain, back surgery, herniated disc, Lower Back Pain, pain, sciatica, spine
Posted in Articles by Michael Harris | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, January 12th, 2011
Often referred to as MENS (Microcurrent Electrical Neuromuscular Stimulation), proponents tout microcurrent therapy as the most effective form of electro-therapy available. The basis of their claims stem from the size of the wave length—rather the lack of size. Microcurrent is tiny, one-millionth the size of on amp in fact, which happens to be the same strength as the natural electrical current that flows through our bodies on a cellular level. When a cell is injured its capillaries dilate allowing excess blood proteins to enter which promotes bloating and pain commences. Multiple bloated cells in a given area of the body constitute visible swelling.
While swelling may be our body’s natural way of protecting a wound, it has many drawbacks that impede the healing process. When cells are damaged and swollen they become nearly impervious to our body’s natural electrical current. Without this electricity the cell is unable to oxygenate, absorb nutrients, eliminate waste, exchange ions, conduct protein synthesis and produce ATP (the protein that is chiefly responsible for giving us energy). Even the cells polarity may be askew, oscillating randomly. Only with time do the cells that can receive some electrical current heal. Those that are too damaged to heal die and are discarded by the body.
The problem with this natural healing process is the time it takes. Anyone who has ever had a sprained ankle or a torn ACL knows this. If only there was a way to speed things up.
With MENS there is a way.
Bombarding an injured area of the body with excess electrical current vastly increases the amount of electricity that penetrates the membrane of the damage cells—up to 500 percent some studies suggest. The more current that reaches the interior of a cell, the quicker it can expel waste, create ADT, process ions, and re-polarize. Only then can it absorb nutrients and oxygen and resume normal cell physiology.
More so than any other modality, microcurrent is effective at aiding and even speeding up the healing process. (Double-blind studies were conducted by Lerner and Kirsch). Although popular, TENS works best for temporary pain relief by occupying the nerve channels that transmit the pain signal. But because of the size of its wavelength (1000 times larger than microcurrent) it can’t penetrate the cell wall to aid in healing as MENS can. Ultrasound can penetrate the cell wall but its function is to excite liquids using vibrations. It has its own useful purposes.
To a medical professional (clinic, DME suppler, biller etc…) MEMS can represent a significant opportunity for additional revenue. Although it may be a little challenging to find a payer (private insurance and Medicare) that will approve microcurrent as a reimbursable device in and of itself, many microcurrent devices such as the InTENSity Select Combo or the InTENSity Micro Combo feature microcurrent combined with TENS, which is a reimbursable modality. Prescribe the patient this TENS unit for pain relief and he/she gets the needed bonus of microcurrent along with it.
No matter the desired outcome microcurrent definitely has some impressive history of positive outcomes. Athletes such as Joe Montana have used MENS to speed recovery and return to the game.
Tags: alternative pain management, Electric Muscle Stimulation, electro therapy, healing, injury, MEMS, microcurrent, swelling
Posted in Articles by Michael Harris | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, December 1st, 2010
Did you know that virtually all back braces on the market today are based on the same working concept that was first developed way back in 650 A.D.? Sounds crazy but it’s true. That concept has been to immobilize the area of the back that is experiencing the pain. Immobilization is best accomplished using a belt or brace that squeezes tightly, similar to a woman’s corset. This is referred to as constriction.
However, in the 1990’s with the onset popularity of spinal decompression therapy one company designed a new kind of brace from scratch…a brace that could achieve a similar effect achieved during decompression therapy. (Decompression therapy is the use of computer guided spinal adjustments that targets herniated or bulging discs while you are lying on a spinal decompression therapy table. The adjustments expand the space between the two compressed vertebrae thus allowing the disc to distract [return] into its proper place and begin healing.)
The resulting new brace is the SR 500…a brace that inflates with air and expands vertically once adorned. As it expands vertically it pushes up against the rib cage and down against the pelvic girdle. This action helps offset the effect of gravity and stretches the lower spine thus creating decompression.
Since its invention and introduction to the U.S. market, the SR 500 has gained many fans, sworn advocates and users. The exclusive US distributor of the SR 500 is Spinal Rehab Solutions, Inc. (and the owner of this blog). It has received numerous testimonial letters at its offices in Henderson, NV. Many of them tell of how the SR 500 has practically healed them, saved them from spinal surgery and/or has afforded them a normal life again. The following is one such testimony:
“I have been using the SR 500 for about 18 months now. I first injured my back over 17 years ago when I fell on a ceramic tile floor. The fall caused my L5 disc to bulge. Since then my lower back had gotten worse as my discs had degenerated. No doctor or surgeon could help me. Weekly visits to my chiropractor were all that was saving me. During this time I never stopped looking for a remedy. Every three months or so I would use Google to search for various key words for back pain remedies. Then finally I found the SR 500 and I have been wearing it religiously since. I love it! It works! I can definitely tell my back is finally healing. I am no longer in pain and am even able to start exercising again. My chiropractor even got mad at me because he knows I am doing something that is healing my back but I haven’t told him what! I estimate that in another 6 months my back will be totally healed.”
Kathy Benkert
Lathrup Village, Michigan
Here is another testimonal from a gentleman in Kansas City, KS–a man that happens to actually work in the medical equipment supply industry and was already familiar with the various constriction braces on the market. Here is what he had to say:
“I was first introduced to the SR 500 Brace at a company training. Spinal Rehab Solutions founder and CEO Steven Fontana had flown out to our corporate headquarters in Kansas City, KS, to educate our staff on how this new brace works so we could best represent it to our client base. As Steven began to explain how the brace creates decompression of the spine by lodging up under the rib cage and pushing down against the pelvic girdle, my interest immediately began to intensify.
I approached Steven after the training to inquire about getting one. I explained to him how I had been suffering from chronic back pain for the last 8 years (since my spinal compression fracture) and was on the verge of agreeing to back surgery.
Steven was kind enough to leave me with a sample brace and I began wearing it that day. I was very anxious to see if it would do what Steven claimed it would do—decompress my spine. I had a 3 day ministry convention coming up where I would be standing in a booth long periods of time. I figured that would be the ultimate test for the SR 500.
Well, it has been a month since I first started wearing the brace and I can honestly say I am very blessed to have received it. My back pain is pretty much eliminated. I still wear the SR 500 from 2 to 4 hours per day. If I have a particularly long day on my feet, or have to do a lot of walking, or any serious lifting (not often, but occasionally) I still feel that old ache… but it is SIGNIFICANTLY improved! So much so, that I have really put off the idea of surgery!
I used to have nights when I couldn’t sleep, even with pretty heavy doses of anti-inflammatory medication, and sometimes even with prescription pain meds; I have not had a sleepless night (well, at least from back pain) since about a week after I began wearing the SR 500.
I wore the SR 500 for most of the time that I worked the 3-day ministry conference; I wore it under my polo, over a t-shirt, and it was quite comfortable for the extended hours I worked our booth. I am gearing up to work another 3 day festival on Labor Day weekend, and will be counting on my SR 500 to pull me through again!
Thanks again to Steven and Spinal Rehab Solutions for providing this incredible product to me. I’m serious… I LOVE it!”
Jim Gillespie
Knit-Rite
Kansas City, KS
If you suffer from a bulging or ruptured disc please consider the SR 500 brace. It could help you like it has helped thousands already. You must first obtain a prescription from your doctor. Most insurance companies will cover the SR 500 as will Medicare. If your doctor is not familiar with the SR 500 you may want to visit www.SpinalRehabSolutions.com and print off appropriate material to take to him/her. If your doctor still will not prescribe you one (although rare, it has happened. Some doctors just don’t like new things or change, or they may have financial motives to steer you toward surgery or other remedies), then please move on to another doctor, or call the Spinal Rehab offices at 702-586-5107 to inquire about a doctor in your area that is known to be familiar with the SR 500.
Happy healing!
Tags: back brace, back pain, back surgery, chiropractics, decompression, herniated disc, Lower Back Pain, pain, spinal brace, spinal decompression, spine, sr 500
Posted in Articles by Michael Harris | No Comments »
Tuesday, November 30th, 2010
Your website needs to be constantly Search Engine Optimized (SEO) but it’s a daunting task complicated by search engine algorithms only qualified “geeks” could understand. Therefore you need to outsource it to professional SEO companies. Only they can accomplish any real, lasting results.
Sound familiar?
Whether you are an owner of a durable medical equipment company, a clinic, a pharmacy, a chiropractic clinic or a non medical related business, SEO has always been a daunting challenge. Up till now you have likely just avoided the whole SEO issue altogether… by not dealing with it. You have reasoned that SEO companies cost a fortune, yet you really don’t know how to do it yourself. So you remain in the SEO-don’t-ask-don’t-tell zone. But it is time to get out of limbo!
The truth: Search engine optimization ISN’T that difficult. It can be time consuming but if done right the payoff is well worth it.
Here’s how it works and what you got to do…
When someone does a search online, Google, Yahoo, Bing and other search engines use various algorithms to instantly scour the web and bring back the most relevant results. Providing the search is relevant to what you offer, your goal is to be among the top of those results within your geographic region.
This is where optimizing your site comes in. Optimizing in this sense really means you are making your site as visible and as likeable as possible by the search engines. But these engines are coded programs, not people so you have to play by the pre-programmed rules by which they are governed. These are called algorithms.
Basically the algorithms dictate how the search engine goes about searching. Results are determined by looking at a complex combination of key words, freshness, relevance, popularity, linkbacks and longevity. We’ll take a look at each one individually.
Freshness
Keep your site fresh…as in fresh content. Make changes and updates often. Google likes to see that your site is staying on top of things. Stagnant site = dead site. The best and easiest way to keep fresh content is to have an active blog.
Relevance
Your site has to be relevant to the search being performed by the user. Ask yourself what words your ideal customer would use in the search bar. If you are a TENS provider and your ideal customer is one who would want to buy a TENS unit, then you need to determine all the right words one would use when searching for TENS. These are called key words. Make sure these key words are found throughout your site and your blog, however, DO NOT over use them. This is called key word stuffing and Google will blacklist your site if it is found in violation.
Popularity
Google also rates your site based on how popular it is. Popularity comes with time and with your efforts promoting the site. The more visitors you get the higher you will rank.
Linkbacks
Tied to the hip of “popularity” is linkbacks. A linkback is when another site links to you. The more the better, and the bigger and more popular the site linking back to you the better. Also, .orgs carry more link back weight than .coms and .nets. And .gov trumps them all.
The best way to get a linkback is to post good and original content to your site, particularly your blog. Then go out and actively promote that content via social media outlets like Twitter and Facebook. Even email your current customer list link to it and invite them to post it on their blogs with a linkback to you. You can also post the content to other hosting sites such as YouTube for videos and Ezines.com for articles.
Summary
Set yourself up for SEO success by implementing the above tactics. Create a weekly plan of attack and stick to it. Soon you will be rising to the top of the searches you are targeting!
Tags: algorithms, Bing, blogs, Google, Linkbacks, Search Engines, SEO, Yahoo
Posted in Articles by Michael Harris | 1 Comment »
Friday, October 29th, 2010
If you were to do a search online for the “SR 500” you would likely come up with some links to a Yamaha motorcycle. You would also find the SR 500 is the given product name for a certain type of back brace, however, the SR 500 is no normal brace. Normal braces—or braces that are “common” on the market—are constriction braces. This means exactly what the term implies…they constrict. They are designed to cinch tight around the abdomen to immobilize the area. The theory is less movement less pain.
This simple logic has been the “backbone” of back bracing theory for hundreds of years. Then in the mid 1980s a new kind of treatment started to take hold in America—spinal decompression. By the late 1990s decompression therapy had made significant advances in technology and popularity. It was about that time that a Korean Medical company asked the question: Why can’t there be a brace that produces some of the same effects as decompression therapy?
The result of that question led to the world’s first ever decompression brace. I’ll spare you the details of exactly how it evolved, but evolve it did to what is now known as the SR 500. So let’s take an inside-out look at the SR 500. What makes it unique? What makes it a “decompression” brace?
First of all, the SR 500 is not a constriction brace. It does not immobilize the spine. When properly adorned, it actually promotes healthy movement. This helps avoid muscle atrophy which is a known side effect of the constriction back brace.
What the SR 500 does is expand vertically. In order to obtain a decompression effect, the designers created unique air chambers or cells made of a rubber bladder-like material that, when filled with air, expand upward. As they expand they cause the overall profile of the belt to grow from just 4 inches in height to over 7 inches in vertical height. As it does it lodges up under the rib cage pushing upwards and down against the pelvic girdle pushing downwards. The result is an unloading of the lumbar spine as the weight-bearing forces are offset. As this occurs, something quite magical takes place inside the spine. Discs that have been “compressed” due to an injury (such as a herniated or bulging disc) or due to a long life of poor health and poor posture (results are disc degeneration) can now “decompress.” That means they can distract or facilitate back into their original space and shape. As they do they reabsorb any lost fluids and begin to heal.
The decompression effect achieved by the SR 500 is a scaled down version of the decompression achieved on a decompression table at a qualified chiropractor’s office. Decompression tables use computer guided micro movements to target and adjust specific discs for short periods of time while the patient is on the table. This pinpointed effect has produced thousands of positive results for chronic back pain sufferers. The SR 500 offers the chance to continue decompression into the home between visits or after the therapy ends. It serves as a perfect supplement to the table treatments and it has helped speed the recovery of many patients. It has even allowed many patients freedom from pain killers and the elimination of the possibility of spinal surgery.
Included with the SR 500 is a hand pump that has a built in pressure gauge to insure proper inflation, a owner’s manual and a laundry bag. The SR 500 is 100% machine washable. The brace also comes with a rigid front and rear panel for those individuals who need more spinal stability in the initial stages of healing.
The design behind the SR 500 is patent protected and is available by prescription only. Medicare and private insurance companies reimburse for the brace. Visit your doctor, chiropractor, physical therapist or other care provider to inquire about obtaining your own SR 500. You may want to visit www.spinalrehabsolutions.com first and print off some information to show your provider in case he/she is not familiar with this type of brace.
Tags: back brace, back injuries, back pain, back surgery, chiropractics, decompression, discs, distraction, Durable Medical Equipment, healing, herniated disc, Lower Back Pain, pain, spinal brace, spinal decompression, Spinal Rehab Solutions, spine, sr 500
Posted in Articles by Michael Harris | 10 Comments »
Monday, September 27th, 2010
See if this sounds familiar: Man is in pain. Man goes to doctor. Doctor prescribes pain medication. Man feels better. Prescription runs out. Pain comes back. Man goes back to doctor. Man gets prescription renewed. Man does this many more times. Man eventually gets surgery and fixes source of pain, has a full recovery. Man no longer needs pain meds for pain, doctor discontinues prescribing them. But man still needs pain meds…because he is addicted. Man resorts to obtaining pain meds illegally. Man eventually gets caught and suffers public humiliation. Man goes to rehab and finally becomes free of his addiction.
Sound crazy? Think it is unfathomable that our great medical system could aid in the addiction of an otherwise upstanding man? See Rush Limbaugh.
The truth is hundreds of thousands of individuals are hooked on narcotic pain medications every year. And who can blame them? Pain hurts and so do withdrawal symptoms.
In the last few decades a different thought trend has emerged for dealing with pain. Appropriately called “alternative pain management,” this trend has grown into an industry providing many products and services that thousands of chronic pain sufferers rely upon on a daily basis.
A new study by David Eisenberg, M.D found that total visits to alternative medicine practitioners jumped 47% from 427 million in 1990, to 629 million in 1997 which easily topped the 386 million visits to primary-care doctors.
Here is your quick rundown on the top trends in alternative pain management.
TENS
Tens stands for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. Transcutaneous (trans-kyoo-tey-nee-uhs) means “through, or by way of the skin.” TENS sends electrical impulses via electrodes or conductive garments to occupy the nerve pathways with a more comfortable sensation which overrides the pain. TENS recently was recognized by the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ Task Force on Chronic Pain Management as an effective mode of pain relief. (Read full article here.)
Chiropractics
Despite its growing acceptance even within “mainstream” medicine, Chiropractics still has its doubters. Yet it has far more advocates. Golfers and other pro sports individuals will often employ a private Chiropractor. The practice has been growing in popularity here in the U.S. since the early 80’s.
Decompression
Usually administered by a specialized Chiropractor, decompression is very effective for disc-related back pain sufferers. The patient is harnessed on a table and a computer uses micro movements to slightly expand the amount of space between the vertebrae.
Visceral Manipulation
This is practice of “massaging” internal organs and the membrane that supports them. When an organ is damaged the membrane that holds it in place can stiffen forcing the surrounding organs to move around it. Visceral manipulation has helped thousands with ailments ranging from lower back pain to heart and lung problems.
Acupuncture
Got pain? Fix it by sticking dozens of needles in you. Sounds fun doesn’t it? Acupuncture dates way back to ancient China. It works by altering the senses of the nerves surrounding the area in pain. Reviews have been mixed as with most alternative approaches. Some swear by it, others get nothing out of it.
Yoga
Combining the art of meditation and stretching, yoga is the ultimate heal-yourself approach to dealing with pain. There is no shortage of believers either. But like most alternative approaches, science can’t find any solid evidence to back up the claims of the thousands who swear by it.
There are many other alternative approaches to managing pain in addition to these front runners. If you are in pain it may be in your best interest to try some of these remedies first before accepting a potential addictive regimen of pain killers. Who knows, you may even be able to avoid a surgery and improve your overall health. And good health is the number one preventative medicine to keep you out of pain in the first place!
Tags: acupuncture, back brace, back pain, chiropractics, decompression, discs, DME, DMEPOS, Durable Medical Equipment, Electric Muscle Stimulation, electro therapy, healing, herniated disc, HME, Home Medical Equipment, TENS, visceral manipulation
Posted in Articles by Michael Harris | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, September 14th, 2010
Tags: back brace, back pain, back surgery, DME, Durable Medical Equipment, herniated disc, Lower Back Pain, pain, prescription drug addiction, spinal brace, spinal decompression, spine, sr 500
Posted in Articles by Michael Harris | 2 Comments »
Monday, August 30th, 2010
Give your back a break! Treat it with respect and it will support you your entire life. Ignore it; neglect it or even abuse it and you will become one of the 80 percent of Americans who suffer from severe to moderate chronic back pain.
Here are seven sins that can spell pain and suffering to back health if not avoided.
Sin 1-Lifting with your back
The muscles in your legs work synergistically to be the most powerful group in your body. Your back muscles on the other hand are spread out and work more independently responding to which way you need to twist or bend. Therefore, when it comes to lifting heavy objects, you are much more likely to isolate, strain and pull a back muscle than you are a leg muscle. Plus, your spine consists of many individual bones (vertebrae) that house and protect nerves that are connected by many delicate micro tendons, tissues and muscle. Your legs on the other hand have three main, large bones supported by large muscles. Logically thinking, the legs are where it’s at when you need to lift.
Sin 2-Poor Posture
Slouching: Yes, it is a sin. Your mom knew what she was talking about all those years. Over time it and other poor posture positions wear the ligaments down, squish the discs into degenerative oblivion and can even cause the vertebrae to rub, grow spurs and fall out of alignment.
Sin 3-Wreckless Abandon
While we are young many of us feel indestructible and we engage in risky activities that can lead to back injury. For example, my brother once got a little too big for his britches while jumping his dirt bike at our local sand dunes. Too much speed led to too much height which led to landing too hard which led to a broken back. Luckily no damage occurred to his spinal column, but now that he is older the location of his breaks are turning into sources of pain, and the prognosis is for it to worsen. Moral of the story: We all get old and injuries incurred when we were young though careless actions can come back with a haunting vengeance.
Sin 4-Poor Health
We’ve all seen the guy with a belly so large he has to lean way back to maintain a center of balance. The strain such a posture puts on the spine is one thing, the wearing effects of the excess weight is another. Additionally such a person is likely not in the habit of keeping his core muscles in shape. They are your abdominal muscles and all the back muscles surrounding your spine. If kept strong they minimize the deteriorating effects gravity can have on your discs and vertebrae. When weak you run a significant risk of degenerative disc disease and a drove of other malicious ailments. Add the burden of excess weight or obesity and you are sure to be hurting as early as your mid 30s, depending on factors such as genetics and the previously-mentioned sins.
Sin 5-Genetics
It may not be fair to call genetics a sin…but just as inheriting a predisposition for cancer or heart problems, genetics can dictate your back’s susceptibility to such things as arthritis and other diseases. Sin or not, genetics can play a very significant role.
Sin 6-Injury
Accidents happen. Whether you slip on some ice; lose your footing on your stairs; get in an automobile accident or land wrong when skydiving; one accident can cause a lifetime of pain. It doesn’t matter if you are the cause of the accident or a victim, the sentence is the same…damage to key locations of your back.
Sin 7-Disregard
Should you have the misfortune of sustaining a back injury or if you are hurting as a result of one of sins 1-5 you are likely going to end up talking with a doctor, a chiropractor, a physical therapist or some other practitioner as you seek relief from the pain. And you are likely to hear all sorts of advice. The worst thing you can do is permanently ignore what you hear. However, some of the advice may be conflicting so it is important that you do your own research…and of course opt for the less evasive therapies before agreeing to back surgery. And if your doctor asks you to take it easy, wear a back brace or do some specific core-strengthening exercises, follow his suggestions! For to disregard them would be…a sin.
Tags: back brace, back injuries, back pain, back surgery, Lower Back Pain, spine, sr 500
Posted in Articles by Michael Harris | 4 Comments »
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