How To Overcome Back Pain

The Chronicle Getting You Back on Track

“After Experiencing PainWhile Bending, I Decided toDo SomethingAbout It! ” How to Overcome Your Back Pain Is back pain causing you to move a little slower and more cautiously? If left untreated, chronic back pain can lead to long-term spinal, joint, and possibly nerve damage. Back pain is one of the most common physical complaints that people suffer from and more than 80% of the US population will experience back pain at some point in their lifetime. Back pain can interfere with your ability to bend, kneel, lift, reach, do work, and enjoy time with your family. Not to mention, it can make you downright irritable and affect others around you. Why Do I Have Back Pain? Back pain occurs for a number of reasons, but has a few simple root causes: • Weakness in the spinal and core muscles of the trunk • Poor posture and strain on the spine with slouched sitting • Repetitive injury to muscles and tissues around the spine with poor lifting • Limited flexibility of the spine, hips and muscles of the thighs • Poor coordination of the abdominal, pelvic and back muscles Most people don’t seek treatment soon enough and continue to suffer with a nagging ache or pain in their back. They may even feel

symptoms travel to the buttocks and legs. Many people feel that not much can be done for back pain and use medication to numb the pain to get through the day. However, medication mostly masks the pain and does nothing to address the root cause of the problem. Solutions to Back Pain Treating back pain starts with determining the true cause. A thorough evaluation of your movement, strength, posture and joint mobility can tell a lot about the true origins of your pain. Only then can the proper plan be formulated to get you out of pain quickly and back to the activities you love. Whether you just tweaked your back or have been suffering for a long time, seeing one of our spine specialists can help you return to a more active and pain-free life.

The Chronicle Getting You Back on Track

“Are ThereWays I Can AvoidMoreBack Pain? ”

1. Keep a Good Posture. When you are standing, imagine a string through the top of your head lifting you straight up. This puts your neck, shoulders, spine, and hips in natural alignment. With sitting, make sure you sit back in the chair with your feet on the floor and your lower back supported. Your shoulders should not slouch when sitting. Avoid soft couches when you can. 2. Lift Properly. Picking things up is a normal part of our day. Even if you pick up something light, your back muscles have to lift the weight of your upper torso and control that movement. Make sure you always face what you need to pick up, squat while keeping your spine straight, and push with your leg muscles. This helps reduce the excessive pressure on your spine. 3. Stay Flexible. Flexibility is key to maintaining a healthy back. By keeping your body flexible, the normal forces of movement and lifting can be distributed across the spine, rather than focused onto a few segments, which can then fail. An easy stretching routine everyday can keep you feeling NewCoeur D’Alene Pediatric Practice CheckusoutatSynergyIdaho.com We were able to prepare for our new location with the help of several outstanding volunteers. We would like to thank everyone for their help in making this a huge success. Pictured are Mark (OT), Sawyer and Parker (the owners’ children pressed into service), Will (SLP) and Sam (OT). How to Take Care of your Back

great and put a spring in your step.

4. Stay Strong. You have hundreds of muscle that control the movement of your spine. Major muscles that support the spine are called your core muscles and include your abdominal, pelvis, spinal, and hip muscles. By keeping your core muscles strong, you support your spine and have the ability to easily control lifting, quick movements, bending, and a lot more. 5. Get Physical Therapy. Our physical therapists are medical experts in evaluating spine and body movement. By having a regular check up, you can make sure your body is in good condition to tackle the activities you love. If you have a history of back pain, injury, or are currently experiencing aches and pains, we can analyze your problem and construct a treatment program that will work best for your individual problem. With soothing hands-on therapy and targeted easy exercises, we can help you return quickly to feeling your best. Even if you suffer from severe pain we can help you get out of pain and live the life you deserve. Call Today!

Inside This Newsletter

• Staff Spotlight • Patient Success Spotlights • Referral Program • Workshop Information • Treatment of Shingles

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Be the first 10 to call with the misspelled word and receive a $10 GIFT CARD Call In & Win Hotline: (509) 413-1630

Sawyer

Will, SLP

Mark, OT

Sam, OT

Parker

We are Seeking a New Physical Therapist at Synergy! Synergy Healthcare is looking for an upbeat, enthusiastic, gracious, and thoughtful full-time permanent Physical Therapist to join our team. Do you know someone who is constantly loving to learn and wants to provide outstanding care? Please send them our way! Contact us at (509) 413-1630 to request an interview.

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NON-PHARMACOLOGIC TREATMENT OF SHINGLES

Shingles is an infection of a dermatomal or cranial nerve by the herpes zoster virus. The herpes virus establishesa latent infection in thenerve that lasts for the life of the host and may become active at times of stress or immune system compromise. Pain in the affected nerve usually begins during the viral prodrome and can last up to three weeks before red raised lesions and blisters break out along the course of the nerve. Herpes Simplex 1 (HSV1) is part of the same family of viruses that causes “cold sores” or lesions around the mouth. Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HSV2) lies dormant in the genitalsandcauses recurrentoutbreaksof lesions in the genital or anal area. Both are related to the varicellaorchickenpoxvirus; theEpstein-Barrvirus is also included in this class of viruses. In unpublished anecdotal reports of Frequency Specific Microcurrent (FSM) treatments during the last twelve years, one frequency combination has been observed consistently to eliminate the pain and shorten the course of shingles.

described on the list as being useful for “virus”— was first applied to a patient with acute shingles blisters using alternating pulsed DC current along the length of the dermatome to see if it would produce any clinical improvement in this viral condition.Thepainwas reducedwithin20minutes and it was found that 60-minute treatments on three consecutive days produced permanent pain reliefand resolved theblisterswithin twodaysafter the final treatment. In 2004, when a patient fell asleep and treatment was extended until he awakened after two hours, it was discovered that a single two-hour treatment produced the same clinical outcome as three sequential one-hour treatments. There have been no pre- and post-treatment viral samples taken in shingles treatments, so the mechanism by which the frequency treatment protocol relieves the pain and shortens the course of shingles and oral or genital herpes outbreak is unknown. The imediate pain reduction and lasting pain relief suggest that it interferes in some way

with either viral structure or replication. The mechanism for this effect is unknown. It is not known whether the frequency would be effective if applied by an auditory source since it has only been applied using electrical pulses delivered by micro amperage current. Several mechanisms have been proposed but none have been tested.

In 1998, the 230 Hz / 430 Hz frequency pair—

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Staff Spotlight

Kevin Brick, M.S.O.T. Occupational Therapist

Kevin received his bachelor’s in Occupational Therapy in 1978 and an advanced master’s in Research and Technology in 1992 at State University of New York (SUNY) in Buffalo. He has extensive clinical expertise in orthopedic and neurological conditions from pediatrics to geriatrics. Kevin combines a wide variety of technologies to expedite healingand trainhispatients inproperbodymechanicsandcompensatory movement strategies. His knowledge of acute injuries and chronic pain has developed from comprehensive education and training in soft tissue osteopathic approaches. He is proficient in cranio-sacral therapy, visceral manipulation, and muscle energy techniques that serve to complement physical therapy modalities and traditional therapy approaches. He also has extensive experience in Frequency Specific Microcurrent, a modality

Kevin, Emily, and Julie

which directly affects the cause of pain and dysfunction at a cellular level.

He was the Internship Coordinator and instructor at Eastern Washington University,whereheassisted indevelopingcoursework for theOccupational Therapy Department and transitioned it from a bachelor’s to a master’s program.Duringhisgraduateeducation,heco-instructed theundergraduate course on the philosophy of effective client care and management.

CALL TODAY! (509) 413-1630

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Patient Success Spotlights

I have been able to resume cycling and yard work!

I am now able to go on hikes with my family!

“I have had multiple injuries in my life,someasearlyasage5. I alsohavehad5majorsurgeries

Arch,andChuckused theirconsiderableskills to treat tightmusclesand fasciaandaddress manyunderlyingproblems that restrictedmy movement and function and caused pain. Lastbutnot leastaremyongoingFeldenkrais classes at Synergy and I attend weekly for a minimal fee. These are taught by Nora who is an expert in this very gentle but effective movementclass.She teaches it inaway that issafe formyhipandhelpsdecreasemyback andhippain. I’mvery impressedwiththisclass (andNora)andhow ithelpsmeand I intend to continuewith it forsome time tomaintain the gains I’ve made. I would recommend this for anyone.Synergy isauniquesettingwithhighly skilled therapists who treated the underlying causeofmypainanddysfunction. Iwasableto seedifferent therapists fordifferentproblems depending on their expertise, something I really liked. I still have more work to do but I am vastly better than I was a year ago. My pain is decreased (without pains meds most of the time), walking feels normal again and I have improved stamina for all everyday activities. Thank you Synergy! I am already recommending Synergy to my doctors and friends.” – Stephanie H.

“I came in today to Amy Fox for shoulder pain which was limiting my cycling and I thought I would have to give up the sport. Amy

withcomplicationssinceJuly2012. Ihadhigh levelsofpain inmultipleareasandwithmost activities and was unable to walk normally. I was forced to retire early and was unable to do gardening, sail our boat, and in general unable to lead my usual activity lifestyle. I had been to other physical therapists and a variety of other professionals such as chiropractors, massage therapists, manual therapists,andtraumatherapistswithminimal improvement,andat timeswithsetbacksdue to their therapy. I started therapy at Synergy late in the year of 2015 and continued with them on and off until the end of Nov 2016. It took a long time to address my many issues, but theydid.Shauna found thatmyscar from the hip replacement surgeries was adhered, causing me restriction and tightness in my hip and back. Once she treated that I finally took steps that felt “normal” again – for the first time in 3 years. Amy did a very good job of overall assessment and instructed me in stretchesandexercises that Istilluse tokeep myself flexible and walking normally. Becky,

encouraged me not to give up, that she could help, and she has. Through treatment and exercise, I have been able to resume cycling and yard work, which I had given up entirely. My experience with Synergy has been really positive and given me great confidence that I will be able to continue an active lifestyle at the age of 76 and beyond. Thanks, Amy & Synergy!” – Dixie G.

My knee is normal and flexibility has improved!

“My left knee was swelled up and I was in a lot of pain when I arrived for my first session. After doing my exercises at Synergy and at home, the pain left

and the swelling disappeared. After three sessions, my knee is normal and flexibility in my body has greatly improved. I do the daily exercises recommended. I highly recommend Synergy.” – L. W.

Our Goal Is to Get You Back on Track As Fast As Possible Using the Latest Cutting Edge Techniques in the Field

FRIENDS OF SYNERGY

Find out if Frequency Specific Microcurrent can help you!

“You Help Us, Help Others”

COME TO A FREE MICROCURRENT WORKSHOP MARCH 21ST AT 6PM

Thanks to all those who referred a friend or family! You will receive $20 Synergy Bucks - equivalent to cash to spend on services and products at Synergy! Below is a list of our most current Synergy Buck recipients. Thanks, everyone, for trusting us with your friends and family.

Marcy W. Lynn C. Suzanne G. Faris C. Carolyn S.

Suzanne C. Sydney L. Marisa S.

Lex S. Cynthia R. Haley H. Stephanie W. Diane F.

12012EMissionAve SpokaneValley,WA99206 Phone:(509)413-1630 synergyspokane.com

Clara C. Darla K.

Presented by Kevin Brick M.S.,O.T. We can only host 30 people, so if you are interested, please call today to hold your spot. You must be able to manage 12 stairs up and down.

DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO NEEDS OUR HELP? HAVE THEM CALL TODAY! (509) 413-1630

$20 Off Feldenkrais Session, First 10 Callers Do You Suffer from Stiffness&Balance Problems? If you answered yes, Synergy has a solution to keep you upright and moving freely. We call it Feldenkrais.

This offer may be transferred to friends & family TRY THIS CLASS AND SEE WHAT IT CAN DO FOR YOU! Limited to first 10 callers who register for the class

What is Feldenkrais? The Feldenkrais method was developed in the 1950s by Moshe Feldenkrais, a mechanical engineer and judo expert. It specifically uses neural pathways to help your body move more easily and efficiently. How does Feldenkrais work? Many of us go day-to-day on autopilot until we start feeling pain or our bodies can’t perform the way we want them to. When we move the way we always have, we can cause damage or problems for our joints. Feldenkrais is a movement-based therapy designed to improve your awareness of how you use and sense your body. Once you perceive the way your body moves through everyday functions, you can shift those movements into more efficient and healthy patterns, thereby reducing your risk of falls, improving

your motion, decreasing your overall body stiffness, and keeping your brain working really well. What can I do about my stiff body? There are lots of different treatment approaches out there, and it can be kind of frustrating trying to figure out which is the best route to try. It seems like there are a ton of exercises and lots of information out there about what to do. How do I know which is the best for me? Schedule an appointment with one of our PT’s and we can help you figure that out. Go to our website, top right hand side and find a comfortable place to sit. Just follow the instructions to see what an amazing difference this can make for you. Our website also has a video of Nora, discussing what it is and why she loves it. Don’t miss it!

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(509) 413-1630

What is MICROCURRENT? Microcurrent is current in millionths of an ampere. Micro-amperage current is the same kindofcurrent your body produces on its own so you can’t feel the current. Microcurrent has been shown to increase energy production in cells by 500% and numerous papers document its ability to improve healing in wounds and fractures. What can the frequencies treat? The frequencies appear to change pain, function and even structure in a large number of clinicalconditions.Frequentlyspecificmicrocurrent (FSM) is especially good at reducing inflammation, treatingnerve, joint,andmusclepain,anddissolving or softening scar tissue. The frequencies to reduce inflammation have helped thousands of patients with inflammatory conditions such as asthma, liver problems, irritable bowel, cardiovascular disease anddiabeticneuropathies.Patientswhoare treated within four hours of new injuries such as auto accidents and surgeries have reduced pain and a greatly accelerated healing process due to the effects of both the current and the frequencies. There are no guarantees that every protocol is

going to be effective in every patient. In general, the frequencies either work or don’t work and if they don’t work they simply have no effect. As long as appropriate proven therapies are not delayed or withheld, FSM “can’t hurt, might help.” Practitioners are trained in the concept that FSM is to be used as an adjunct to therapeutics appropriate to their discipline for the patient after proper diagnosis. Is there anyone FSM does not work on? Patients who are dehydrated cannot benefit from FSM. Every patient is advised to drink at least one quart of water in the two hours preceding treatment. Patients who are chronically dehydrated may need more water for treatment to be effective. The effectivenessofFSMdependsalmostentirelyonan accurate diagnosis. Shoulder pain can come from muscles, tendons, bursas, nerves, or the joint. FSM will treat all of these pain generators effectively but the practitioner must treat the right tissue for the

correct condition to effectively eliminate the pain. This analogy applies to every condition. Is FSM FDA approved? The FDA has not evaluated the use of resonance therapy or frequencies. The statements made here apply only to observed clinical effects of FSM and are not intended as claims for any device. FSM does not make any claims about being able to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent any condition or disease. Are there any risks or dangers? There are no risks to the patient that we know about as long as the practitioner follows the proper contraindications and precautions associated with both FSM and the use of the machine. There are frequencies used to remove scar tissue that should not be used within six weeks of a new injury. The device should not be usedacross thechestofpatientswithpacemakers. FSM should not be used on patients known to be pregnant even though there have been no adverse reactions in pregnancy. synergyspokane.com

ATTENTION BACK & NECK PAIN SUFFERERS 30 YEARS & OLDER!

We’ve put this Free Report together that shows you the 5 natural ways to stop your back & neck pain. After treating hundreds of patients with back problems, we want to share with you these 5 simple things you can do at home to start feeling great.

• Is your mind on your back pain instead of your life? • Have loved ones stopped listening to your complaints because they have heard it so many times before? • Do you feel really stiff when you try to get out ofbed in the morning? • Do you have to think twice before you pick things up? If You’re Nodding Yes, Then Now Is the Time to Make Your First Step in the Right Direction and Take Charge of How You Feel. DOWNLOAD THIS BOOK TODAY! Learn 5 Simple Ways to Stop Your Back or Neck Pain Naturally with This FREE eBook

DOWNLOAD INSTANTLY AT: www.spinebook.net/synergyhealthcare