A couple of months ago, her mother brought her to me for effective non-drug asthma treatment options.  She had a chronically stuffy nose, difficulty breathing, and a deep wet cough during the day. At night, she would often have bouts of coughing for 20-30 minutes at 1 am and 5 am.  This significantly interrupted the her and her families’ sleep.  Partly as a result of the interrupted sleep, she had dark circles under her eyes.  She could not breathe through her nose but only with her mouth open.

• chiropractic adjustments
• a low-allergenic, anti-inflammatory diet
• nutrition supplements including probiotics, fish oil, curcuma longa extract powder, powdered quercetin ascorbate,  MSM powder, and extra vitamin D

By the way, regarding vitamin D,  a recent article published in the March 2010 issue of Mothering Magazine confirmed that a large majority of children with asthma have low vitamin D levels.  I also reported on this factor in my March 2007 newsletter issue of my newsletter called “Functional Health Notes”.

Within about 6 weeks, the mother reported that she has almost complete cessation of all symptoms mentioned above and has had no need of albuterol for 3 weeks.  She has decreased the dose of Flovent significantly also.  Their family is greatly relieved from this 3-year ordeal.

Copyright © 2010 Douglas Husbands, DC, CCN. All rights reserved.

http://www.drhusbands.com/blog/ Chiropractic / Asthma Treatment for Children: A Functional Medicine Approach

Pregnancy Back Pain Statistics

According to the American Pregnancy Association, 50 to 70 percent of all pregnant women have back pain. According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, back pain during pregnancy is one of the most common discomforts of pregnancy.

In a February 2007 cross-sectional study reported in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiologic Therapeutics [1.  Skaggs C, Prather H, Gross G, et.al., Back and pelvic pain in an underserved United States pregnant population: A preliminary descriptive survey. J Manipulative Physiol Theraputics, 2007;30:130-134.], 67% of the 599 women reported musculoskeletal pain in the second trimester of pregnancy.  80% of those women with pain slept less than 4 hours per night. 75% of these women took pain medications. 85% of these women felt they had not been offered effective treatment options for their pregnancy back pain.

Unfortunately, many women are not aware of effective, safe, non-pharmaceutical options for back pain relief. This is partly because many obstetricians and gynecologists are not aware of the safety and efficacy of chiropractic manipulation for pregnancy-related back pain.

Some Causes of Pregnancy Back Pain

• Changing Hormones:  The hormonal changes during pregnancy allow the ligaments to soften in preparation for childbirth.  Ligaments connect bones to bones via the joints.  The joints can more easily get out of proper alignment, causing pain. Restoring proper alignment with specific chiropractic techniques for pregnancy can decrease pain.
• Increased Spinal Curvature: As the baby grows in the womb, a woman’s center of gravity shifts forward.  This causes the low back curvature to increase.  The mid-back and neck curves also increase as a result.  This can cause jamming of the joints of the spine, specifically the facet joints.
• Sacroiliac Joint and Pubic Symphasis Laxity: The pelvic joints in particular become more relaxed in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy.  This allows the joints to very easily become misaligned.  The misalignment causes pain and restoring proper alignment via chiropractic care often provides significant relief.
• Stress: With the postural and structural changes in pregnancy stress often finds the weak spots, and during stressful times you may find an increase in back pain during stressful periods in pregnancy.

Effectiveness of Chiropractic Care for Pregnancy-Related Back Pain

A review of previous studies on the effectiveness of chiropractic for pregnant women with lower back pain was published in the July 2008 edition of the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics [2.  Stuber K, Smith D. Chiropractic treatment of pregnancy-related low back pain: A systematic review of the evidence. J Manipulative Physiol Theraputics, 2008;31:447-454.].  This study reviewed the previously published journal articles between January 1982 to July 2007.  Six studies met the criteria for inclusion in this review.  Interestingly, the authors noted that 68% to 85% of pregnant women with pregnancy back pain do not look for any care for their lower back pain. The authors theorize that this is because most pregnant women consider back pain to be a normal part of the pregnancy.

In one study, 100% of the 103 women receiving chiropractic treatment attained greater than 50% relief of back pain.  In another study, 84% of the 25 subjects reported lower back pain relief with chiropractic manipulation.  None of the studies reviewed indicated any adverse effects or evidence of harm to either the pregnant woman or unborn child from the chiropractic care.

My Clinical Experience Treating Women with Pregnancy Back Pain

Over the last 19 years, I have treated many women with back pain from pregnancy.  Chiropractic treatments are modified to consider the biomechanical changes and hormonal alterations on a woman’s body for safe and effective treatment, for the mother and the in-utero infant. There are many techniques to safely and effectively perform chiropractic manipulation on pregnant women.

In my experience, one of the most comfortable and effective chiropractic treatment methods that pregnant women seem to prefer is the use of Cox Flexion-Distraction while lying on their side.  I have written about the Cox Flexion method in other articles, such as on herniated neck disc treatment.  With this method during and after treatment, I consistently have women who have had previously had other chiropractic techniques performed by other doctors telling me that they have never felt so good since becoming pregnant.  They often sleep significantly better and are more emotionally stable.

Unfortunately, not all chiropractors have training and advanced experience using Cox Flexion-Distraction.  It is an elective technique taught in some chiropractic schools and offered as a continuing education course to chiropractors.   An article that I wrote in 1991 on this technique was published in the Journal of the American Chiropractic Association.   To my knowledge, on the San Francisco Peninsula where I’m located, I’m one of the few who utilize this method.  I offer this pregnancy back pain treatment in my chiropractic clinic in San Carlos.

Copyright © 2010 Douglas Husbands, DC, CCN. All rights reserved.

http://www.drhusbands.com/blog/ Chiropractic / Pregnancy Back Pain

Most people take a pain pill for their lower back pain and try to continue their activities while thinking of getting professional help later at a more convenient time.  They are unaware that, in many cases, they could get pain relief or decreased pain from just a few chiropractic adjustments.  In some cases, a significant decrease of pain on the first visit to a chiropractor occurs.  I know this because I’ve had new patients say, “wow!” after experiencing their first chiropractic adjustment for their lower back pain.

It is not surprising that many are unaware of this.  Statistically, most people go to their family doctor (often specializing in general practice or internal medicine).  For lower back pain syndromes, family doctors typically do not delve deeply into diagnosing the underlying origin of musculoskeletal pain.  A prescription for a pain reliever or a muscle relaxant is typical.  This only covers up the problem temporarily.  Often, the lower back pain cause is not identified.  When the problem is not resolved, it could lead to complications, and in some cases, disability.

Two of the most common lower back pain causes are facet joint pain and disc pain.  To find out more about facet joint pain and disc pain, go to these links.

Lower Back Facet Joint Pain Treatment

Restoring smooth unrestricted motion is key to resolving facet origin lower back pain.  In cases where restoring smooth unrestricted motion is unattainable, such as in significant arthritis, restoring normal motion to the greatest extent possible will often provide significant relief.  For best results, decreasing intra-joint inflammation and supplying the joints with the necessary nutrients for repair and maintenance are required.  In my chiropractic clinic in the San Carlos – Redwood City area, I use some or all of the following “tools”:

• Chiropractic spinal manipulation, aka chiropractic adjustments, to decrease nerve irritation and restore motion
• Therapeutic exercise to restore motion, strengthen muscles and relax hypertonic muscles
• Postural alignment such as use of special pillows for sleep positioning
• Activity modification such as altering your work or home environment to avoid excessive twisting or slouching
• Use of anti-inflammatory herbs and nutrient compounds such as Devil’s Claw (Harpagophytum procumbens), Willow bark (Salix species), Boswellia (Boswellia serrata), Turmeric (Curcuma longa), proteolytic enzymes and essential fatty acids
• Use of cartilage-nourishing nutrients such as glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, and MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane), and essential fatty acids

With the use of some or all of these methods, you can often experience facet-origin lower back pain relief after the first treatment or within a day or two.  Some or all of these tools are used depending on the extent of the pain or injury.  Medical management of facet joint pain includes injecting anti-inflammatory medicines into the facet joints with a needle, which is often unneccessary.  Sometimes surgical treatment of facet joint pain is recommended, but this is very rarely necessary.

Lower Back Disc Pain Treatment

The primary goal of effective disc pain treatment is to decrease the nucleus pulposus from bulging out through the slight ligament tears, thereby taking the pressure off the nerves, and allow the tears to heal.  In cases where restoring the nucleus pulposus to the center of the disc is unattainable, such as when a piece of the nucleus pulposus has seperated from the disc and moved up or down the spinal cord (termed a disc extrusion or free fragment), then more invasive surgical procedures may be required.  Disc extrusions are not as common as disc protrusions however.  For best results, decreasing localized disc inflammation and supplying the discs with the necessary nutrients for repair and maintenance are required. In my chiropractic clinic in the San Carlos – Redwood City area, I use some or all of the following “tools”:

• Chiropractic spinal manipulation, aka chiropractic adjustments, using the Cox Flexion-Distraction procedure to resolve the lower back disc protrusion
• Therapeutic exercise to decrease the disc bulge, and decrease pain and inflammation
• Temporary, short-term use of orthopedic supports (such as a removable lower back support) to maintain the reduction of disc protrusion after a treatment
• Postural alignment such as use of special pillows for sleep positioning
• Activity modification such as altering your work or home environment to avoid lower back disc irritation or reinjury
• Use of anti-inflammatory herbs and nutrient compounds such as Devil’s Claw (Harpagophytum procumbens), Willow bark (Salix species), Boswellia (Boswellia serrata), Turmeric (Curcuma longa), proteolytic enzymes and essential fatty acids
• Use of cartilage-nourishing nutrients such as glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, and MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane), and essential fatty acids

Using some or all of these methods, you can often expect significant lower back disc pain relief after the first treatment.  There is between an 89 to 95% success rate for complete resolution of disc protrusions within 8 to 10 weeks using the Cox Technic.

Best Options for Lower Back Pain Treatment

Rather than just try to cover-up the lower back pain and/or not identifying the lower back pain cause, seek help from a chiropractor and nutritionist!  You will save yourself a great deal of pain and inconvenience, and may even save your ability to participate and enjoy this season’s festivities!  By the way, not all chiropractors have extensive training and experience in nutrition as I have, so they may not provide a comprehensive nutrition program to help decrease inflammation and support healing as I have outlined above.  If you live or work near San Carlos, Redwood City, San Mateo, Foster City, Belmont and Redwood Shores, contact us to schedule an appointment.  If you have any questions, or would like to discuss your condition first, take advantage of our free 10-minute consultation.

Copyright © 2009 Douglas Husbands, DC, CCN. All rights reserved.

http://www.drhusbands.com/blog/ Chiropractic / Lower Back Pain Causes and Relief

Since I mentioned living to 100, here’s a quote from a famous comedian who lived to 100:

If I knew I was going to live this long I would’ve taken better care of myself! – George Burns on his 100th birthday.

Many of you reading this have parents who are in their 70’s or 80’s who feel this way.  Many of our parents are on multiple medications.  We see them degenerating fast, tired and fatigued, limited by various aches and pains, with no energy.  We say, “at least they are healthy”, meaning, they don’t have any disease crisis.

But the baby boomers among us tend to be mindful that we are likely to live into our 80’s, 90’s and even past 100.  We want to do everything possible to maintain the highest physical and mental capacities.  A recent article in the San Jose Mercury News (October 20, 2009) attests to the fact that our generation, the baby boomers, see the writing on the wall that our quality of life in our later years is dependent on how we regularly take care of ourselves each day.

We shouldn’t think that the common symptoms associated with aging are inevitable.  Our health is influenced by the cumulative choices we make daily regarding:

• what, when and how we eat
• when and how regularly we exercise and rest
• our attitudes
• how our nervous system functions unimpaired by minor energy-flow restrictions

I expect that most of you, are familiar with the first three, even though you may not consistently apply the healthy principles for them.  I’ll discuss the last one.

Unimpaired Nervous System Function

According to Gray’s Anatomy textbook, “The nervous system controls and coordinates all organs and structures of the human body.”   Thus, the nervous system influences all bodily functions.

The nervous system has two branches: the cerebrospinal nervous system and the autonomic nervous system. The first primarily regulates the functions we can intentionally control. It consists of the brain and spinal cord and all the nerves exiting from the spinal nerves. It sends and receives messages to the muscles, joints and the parts we can intentionally control. The other branch primarily regulates functions that we don’t have to think about, such as insulin being released from the pancreas, our heart pumping at the proper rate for our activity, etc. It consists of nerves that send and receive messages from the internal organs and to and from the spinal cord.

Anatomically speaking, both major branches of the nervous system are very intimately connected to the spinal bones, also called the vertebrae.  Due to this extremely intimate connection, any hindrance to smooth motion of the vertebrae will impair the function of the nervous system.  It’s important to mention that both branches of the nervous system will be impaired with any hindered motion or irritation of the spine.  Like an electrical circuit shorting out, hindrances in smooth motion of the spine can disrupt nervous system communication from the spine to the organs or tissues the nerves are connected to.

For example, if the particular nerve impairment from the spine sends and receives messages to your biceps muscles, then the strength of your biceps will be weaker.  If the nerve impairment from the spine sends and receives messages to the thyroid, your thyroid function will be hindered, which may result in contributing to too little thyroid hormones secreted.  The bottom line is where ever there is an area of hindered or irritated spinal motion, these tissues or organs will have impaired energy flow from the nervous system.  Chiropractors call this the vertebral subluxation complex or vertebral subluxations.

How Do Vertebral Subluxations Occur?

Vertebral subluxations occur in the course of life.  Here are some examples:

• turns and twists into extreme positions, or trip and fall during kids’ normal play
• mothers carrying their squirming babies while holding a cell phone with their ear against their shoulder
• weekend warriors in an impromptu basketball game
• sedentary office workers working on their weekend home improvement project
• professional athletes moving, turning, twisting, running and jumping
• in normal vaginal birth, the infant moves through the birth canal with compression, turning and twisting of the neck and spine
• over-working executive who does not get enough sleep or exercise, sits at his desk many hours a day, often in bad posture

Who has vertebral subluxations?  Essentially everyone!

Do Vertebral Subluxations Cause Pain?

Sometimes.  Many people who have vertebral subluxations feel no pain.  Pain from vertebral subluxation often only occurs when the impaired or hindered vertebral motion has been occurring for a long time or has repetitively occurred. Or pain may occur with a sudden wrong movement.  Nevertheless, whatever tissue or organ is associated with the vertebral segment that is subluxated will have impaired function.  The impairment of function will often eventually result in some sort of pain or level of dysfunction in whatever tissue or organ the irritated nerves are associated with however.

Chiropractic Treatment for Correcting Vertebral Subluxations

Chiropractors are the only doctors with extensive training to correct vertebral subluxations.  We do so by various manual techniques, some of which I have discussed in further detail in previous articles and on my website.  By correcting any asymmetric, impaired, or irritated motion of the spinal column and associated joints, the nervous system can express the best communication possible to and from the spine to all the organs and tissues of the body.  Therefore, to live as healthy a life as possible, everyone should receive occasional spinal adjustments from a chiropractic doctor.  Therefore, your chiropractor is an invaluable partner towards helping you maintain the greatest expression of nerve energy flow to and from all the organs and tissues of your body.

What About Medical Treatment Options?

Unfortunately, mainstream medicine still has not recognized what millions of people attest to:  chiropractic is the safest, and the most effective way of preventing and treating pain associated with the spine.  At the current North American Spine Society annual meeting held in San Francisco, CA this week, almost all of the presentations still focus on surgical and other invasive treatments for spine related disorders.   This still occurs even though since 1994, the Agency of Health Care Policy and Research¹ of the U.S. Department of Health found in an extensive research review that:

• conservative treatment such as spinal manipulation should be pursued in most before cases considering surgical intervention
• prescription drugs such as oral steroids, antidepressant medications and colchicine are not recommended for acute low back problems
• the risk of serious complications from lumbar spinal manipulation is rare
• there is currently no evidence supporting the use of trigger point, ligamentous and facet injections as treatment for acute back problems
• the panel found no evidence of benefit from the application of physical agents and modalities such as ice, heat, massage, traction, ultrasound, cutaneous laser treatment, trans-cutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (T.E.N.S.) and biofeedback techniques

Safety of Chiropractic Treatments

Chiropractic is widely recognized as one of the safest drug-free, non-invasive therapies available for the treatment of back pain, neck pain ², joint pain of the arms or legs, headaches, and other neuromusculoskeletal complaints.

One of the most telling evidences of the safety of chiropractic treatments compared to medical treatments for spine associated and other disorders is the malpractice insurance rates of practitioners.  The insurance company’s base their costs on statistics of risks associated with the particular treatment.  My malpractice insurance rates are far lower than the rate of medical doctors.

Chiropractic treatment is even safer, and far more effective, than using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID’s) commonly used for treatment of neck or back pain.  Research shows that approximately one-third of all hospitalizations and deaths related to gastrointestinal bleeding can be attributed to the use of aspirin or NSAID painkillers like ibuprofen³, which are commonly prescribed for spine associated pain.

Living Healthy to 100

Chiropractic treatment using spinal adjustments (aka, spinal manipulation) is a safe and effective method for assisting your body towards maintaining unimpaired nerve flow to and from all the organs and structures of the body, as well as pain relief.  It is beneficial in helping you maintain an active and healthy life as long as possible.  This is a necessary key component of maintaining your health, to the greatest vitality and fullest extent possible from birth and even into your old age!

Copyright © 2009; Douglas Husbands, DC, CCN. All rights reserved.

http://www.drhusbands.com/blog > Chiropractic > Chiropractic Treatment: A Key Living Healthy To 100

Cox Flexion Distraction involves the use of a specifically designed chiropractic table. The patient would typically lay face down on this table. In cases of extreme pain, the patient would lay on his side. The doctor would move the section of the table below the patient’s waist. This has a “suctioning” effect such that the herniated disc or bulging disc is slowly moved back in its normal place. The “suctioning” effect is not painful, but rather safe and gentle. I have performed this disc treatment for people with severe acute pain, as well as, frail women with osteoporosis. All with excellent outcomes.

The typical disc treatment duration is 8 to 10 weeks. Most patients that chose this healing method no longer need surgery. Besides the associated risks, surgery is more expensive. Furthermore, patients avoid the temporary disability and discomfort that comes with surgery.

The rate of success of the Cox Technique is about 84% to 96% for the elimination of lower back pain and the resolution of the following lower back pain problems:

• herniated discs / disc protrusions / bulging disc
• stenosis
• lateral recess stenosis
• lower back facet syndrome (aka, lumbar facet syndrome)

I can attest to this in my over 18 years of practicing chiropractic. Recently, a patient I was treating using this technique told me that her primary care physician advised her to stop her chiropractic visits, and instead, consult a neurologist for the stenosis shown on her MRI result. Her response to her physician was “Why? The pain is decreasing and I feel the herniated disc is being corrected.”

Herniated disc treatment for your back or neck using the Cox method is your best option. Once healing occurs, pain goes away and the affected body region typically goes back to normal function. Read more about this is my chiropractic page, which has the link to the Cox website. Contact us if you have any questions, or to schedule an appointment. We are located in San Carlos in the San Francisco bay area peninsula. Our location is midway between San Francisco and San Jose, near Redwood City, Redwood Shores, Belmont, San Mateo, Atherton, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Woodside, Burlingame, Mountain View, Los Altos, Pacifica, Daly City, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara.

Copyright © 2009; Douglas Husbands, DC, CCN. All rights reserved.

http://www.drhusbands.com/blog > Chiropractic > Herniated Disc Treatment

The chiropractic method I am referring to is called Cox Flexion Distraction.  

The success rate of the use of Cox Flexion Distraction for eliminating neck pain due to bulging disc and significantly reducing neck pain from degenerative disorders of the neck within about 8 to 10 weeks of treatment is impressive.  It is so effective for treatment of the neck or back herniated disc that many patients were saved from having surgery.  Surgeries are not only expensive, they come with great risks.  Having used this method for over 18 years, I’ve saved my patients from the discomfort, temporary disability and expense of neck surgery. 

Cox Flexion Distraction is performed by using a specially designed chiropractic table.  To perform the procedure for the neck, the patient lays face down.  The doctor then gently and slowly moves a section of the table that bends at the front of the patient’s neck.  This has the effect of “suctioning” the herniated disc material away from the nerve being irritated.  An alternative method is to gently move the part of the table below the patients waist, with the doctor’s hand on the patients neck, providing a gentle and comfortable tractioning effect concentrated in the neck.  The term “suctioning” might lead you to believe that this is a painful procedure.  It is actually a gentle and safe procedure.    It gently opens up space in the irritated segment.  It gently provides controlled motion so that any inflammatory byproducts can be mobilized from the area.  I’ve used this on patients with severe acute pain, including frail, older people with osteoporosis with excellent results. 

Not all chiropractors are trained in Cox Flexion Distraction.  For additional information on Cox Flexion Distration, go here.  If you have questions regarding this procedure, or to schedule an appointment at our office, contact us.  If you are outside the San Francisco Bay Area, ask your local chiropractic clinic if they use the Cox Technic. You can also find a chiropractor through the Cox Technic website. Note that not all chiropractors with Cox training are listed in the Cox Technic website.

Dr Husbands is a Chiropractor, a Certified Clinical Nutritionist, an Anti-Aging Healthcare Practitioner and a Functional Medicine Doctor.   For more information, visit http://www.drhusbands.com.

Copyright © 2009; Douglas Husbands, DC, CCN, ABAAHP. All rights reserved.

The chiropractic method I am referring to is called Cox Flexion Distraction. Statistics show the success rate of the use of Cox Flexion Distraction for eliminating the lower back pain and resolving the following causes of lower back pain is between 89% and 95% within about 8 to 10 weeks of treatment:

• disc protrusions, disc bulge, herniated disc
• stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal)
• lateral recess stenosis (narrowing of the canal where the spinal nerves exit)
• lower back facet syndrome (lumbar facet syndrome)

It is so effective for treatment of the above conditions that many patients were saved from having surgery.  Surgeries are not only expensive, they come with great risks.  Having used this method for over 18 years, I’ve saved my patients from the discomfort, temporary disability and expense of low back surgery.  One patient I am currently treating using Cox Flexion Distraction shared with me that her primary care doctor recommended that she stop her treatments with me and see a neurologist for the stenosis.  She responded by saying, “Why would I do that?  I’m getting better with this treatment.  The pain is decreasing…”

Cox Flexion Distraction is performed by using a specially designed chiropractic table.  To perform the procedure the patient lays either face down, or even on their side if in extreme pain. The doctor then gently and slowly moves a section of the table below the patients waist, which has the effect of “suctioning” the bulging disc material away from the nerve being irritated.  The term “suctioning” might lead you to believe that this is a painful procedure.  It is actually a gentle and safe procedure.    It gently opens up space in the irritated segment.  It gently provides controlled motion so that any inflammatory byproducts can be mobilized from the area.  I’ve used this on patients with severe acute pain and frail osteoporotic women with excellent results.

Click the link here for additional information on this particular chiropractic procedure.  If you have questions regarding this procedure, or to schedule an appointment at our office, contact us.

Dr Husbands is a Chiropractor, a Certified Clinical Nutritionist, an Anti-Aging Healthcare Practitioner and a Functional Medicine Doctor. For more information, visit http://www.drhusbands.com.

Copyright © 2009; Douglas Husbands, DC, CCN, ABAAHP. All rights reserved.

Acute pain is that which comes on quickly, can be severe and lasts a relatively short time. It is usually attributable to a specific injury and usually responds to treatment more quickly than chronic pain. Here’s an example of acute pain and its cause:

A person bends over to lift a heavy object from the ground with their knees straight, resulting in sudden sharp lower back pain with radiating leg pain. This describes the pain characteristically resulting from an acute lower back disc protrusion. This spine pain is often called sciatica because the disc injury irritates the sciatic nerve.

Chronic pain is that which persists and progresses over a long period of time. It usually responds to treatment more slowly than acute pain. Chronic pain is usually multifactorial. In other words, it typically stems from a number of different causes. Here are some examples of chronic pain:

Fibromyalgia, a condition in which a person suffers multiple areas of severe muscle tenderness, numbness and tingling, and anxiety.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, or CFS, which shares many of the symptoms of fibromyalgia along with extreme fatigue aggravated even by minimal physical activity.

There are multiple alternative medicine treatment options for acute and chronic pain. For acute pain involving muscles and joints, I have had exceptional results using various types of chiropractic treatments, manual massage and physical therapy procedures and modalities. turmeric, cayenne, and proteolytic enzymes are effective for quick relief of acute musculoskeletal and chronic inflammatory pain. For acute digestive tract pain, digestive enzymes, probiotics, aloe vera juice or aloe vera leaf extract, slippery elm extract, mastic gum and calcium/magnesium citrate can provide quick pain relief. For chronic pain relief, turmeric and cayenne herbal extracts are highly effective due to their powerful anti-inflammatory effects. Ribose and co-enzyme Q10 are also helpful for chronic pain because of their effect on providing the cells with energy. Cells with low energy secrete inflammatory substances that cause pain. Chiropractic, massage and acupuncture are very effective for chronic pain relief.

These are just a few of the options for pain relief using alternative and complementary health care methods. Contact me if you have any questions on treatment for your acute and/or chronic pain. If you have chronic fatigue and/or fibromyalgia, here’s a patient testimonial on Yelp. Additional patient testimonials can be found on my website.

1. Pharmaceutical Therapies
2. Nutritional Support
3. Manual Therapies
4. Rest, Recovery and Energy Therapies 

Pharmaceutical Therapies

The over-the-counter and prescription drugs for pain (pain killing or pain blocking) are widely used, primarily due to the mass-marketing of drug manufacturers.  However, their side effects have to be dealt with sooner or later.  The most commonly reported side effect is gastrointestinal bleeding caused by aspirin and ibuprofen-based drugs.  These are also called NSAID’s (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).  It’s estimated that 41,000 people each year are hospitalized from the side effects of NSAID’s and 6,000 people each year die from complications directly related to NSAID’s.

Nutritional Support

Foods

Chronic pain is very often associated with chronic inflammation.  Anti-inflammatory foods are those which have the effect of being less acidic, and more alkaline.  Examples of foods that are highly alkaline are: pumpkin seeds, lentils, brocoflower, sea vegetables, sweet potatoes, yams, garlic, asparagus, kale, mustard greens nectarines, and limes (yes, limes are also highly alkaline).  To get the most effective pain-reducing diet consult a Certified Clinical Nutritionist.

Dietary Supplements, Nutrient Cofactors, Herbs

B-vitamins, inositol, zinc and antioxidants are critical for healing nerve-oriented pain (neuropathies).  Magnesium, B-vitamins, antioxidants, zinc, iodine, selenium and malic acid are critical for muscle pain.  Fish oil has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, therefore pain decreasing effects.  Co-enzyme Q10 is critical for anyone taking cholesterol lowering medications which often cause muscle pain and weakness.  D-Ribose is necessary for making energy in the cells and decreasing pain.  Proteolytic enzymes are highly beneficial for decreasing chronic pain, as well as acute pain.  Turmuric (Curcuma longa), Tetrahydro-iso-alpha acids from hops (Humulus lupulus), Boswellia serrata, Ginger (Zingiber officinale), Cayenne pepper (Capsicum annuum) are herbs very beneficial for pain.   Arnica is a homeopathic remedy highly useful for pain relief.  To safely and effectively use any combination of the above, consult a doctor trained in Functional Medicine.

Manual Therapies

Rest, Recovery and Energy Therapies

Examples of Pain Relief or Getting Rid of Pain

“After several years and several different approaches to finding relief for neck and shoulder pain, I found Dr. Doug. With a new approach and better understanding of the source of my pain came new relief.  To this day I can better manage the pain and my over all health has remained high.  At 57 I still race motocross and play high level tennis three nights a week. Thanks again Dr. Doug.” -LC from Northridge, CA

“I’ll never forget how when I was in so much pain… We will always remember the considerate way you cared for us and the excellent treatment you always gave us.  I tell the story all the time about how you diagnosed my (low back) disk problem, identifying the exact spot, with just an x-ray–something the doctors never did, until finally an MRI confirmed what you had already found!  And how you gave me such relief from pain! Thank you very much.” -JB from Northridge, CA

“I have suffered from GI problems my entire life.  It eventually got to the point where I wasn’t sleeping, couldn’t eat any raw food, and was generally exhausted all of the time.  What I liked most about Dr. Husbands’ approach was that he conducted tests that identified the issues and put me on the path to resolution. With a combination of diet modifications and supplements I now sleep well every night, can eat raw food, and have significantly more energy.” -JB from Redwood City, CA

Contact me to assist you or a loved one for chronic pain relief or to get rid of your pain.

If you need additional help, contact me.

Dr Husbands is a Chiropractor, a Certified Clinical Nutritionist, an Anti-Aging Healthcare Practitioner and a Functional Medicine Doctor. For more information, visit http://www.drhusbands.com.

Copyright © 2009; Douglas Husbands, DC, CCN, ABAAHP. All rights reserved