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Office of Dr. Husbands

Our address:
Douglas Husbands DC IFMCP
1100 Laurel St Ste B
San Carlos, CA 94070

His office is in Suite B, in the same suite as New Life Chiropractic, in the same building as Quest Diagnostics.

Lower back pain decreases enjoyment of activities, such as gatherings with friends and family on Christmas and other holidays.

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 click the following links:
Facet Joint Pain
Disc Pain

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 regarding resolving your lower back pain, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Douglas Husbands DC IFMCP CCN
Douglas Husbands DC IFMCP CCN

Dr. Husbands is an Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner, Doctor of Chiropractic and Certified Clinical Nutritionist. He specializes in digestive disorders, autoimmune conditions, mold-related illness, and musculoskeletal conditions, such as herniated disc and sciatica. He’s been in practice for over 28 years, with the last 12 years in San Carlos, CA.

He is a San Francisco native, and he loves the Giants. [Read Full Bio]

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