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Fort Wayne Chiropractic Help for Persistent Pain After Back Surgery

March 07, 2023

No longer the ‘favored’ descriptor for back pain that lingers following a back surgery that was supposed to ease it, failed back surgery syndrome has new names like ‘post-surgical continued pain’ and ‘persistent spinal pain syndrome’. Despite its name, if you have undergone back surgery and still have back pain, you know how the pain can alter your life, day and night. For many, this means not getting a good night’s rest, which can result in further tiredness and lack of productivity during the day. Luckily, there is hope for those who suffer from persistent spinal pain syndrome (PSPS) after back surgery. Recent studies have demonstrated that using chiropractic spinal manipulation and even auricular acupressure can effectively reduce back pain and improve sleep quality.

WHAT IS PSPS - Persistent Spinal Pain Syndrome?

PSPS is identified as persistent, new, or recurrent low back with or without lower extremity (radicular pain for 10%-40% of patients) pain after at least one or more back surgeries. It’s most common in lumbar spine surgery and considered ‘chronic’ at 3-months post-spine surgery due to quick onset of neuropathic pain. (1) Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc has gentle, safe, alleviating treatment for post-back-surgery patients.

HOW DOES CHIROPRACTIC SPINAL MANIPULATION HELP?

Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc implements evidence-based, well-researched chiropractic technique, Cox® Technic. A chiropractic study related the outcomes of 32 cases of post-surgical continued lumbar spine pain after back surgery who were managed with (Cox®) flexion distraction spinal manipulation and mobilization. Relief was rated by numerical pain scale scores (0/no pain to 10/worst pain) and dropped 4.1 out of 10 in a mean number of 14 treatments. Patients who underwent back surgeries that blended surgical types (like discectomy with fusion or laminectory) decreased even more with 5.7 out of 10. (2) An additional study of 69 cases treated with (Cox®) flexion distraction reported that 81% of patients responded with greater than 50% relief of pain at the end of care (mean: 49 days, 11 treatments). At 2-years’ follow-up, 78.6% still experienced their pain relief. Mean relief of pain at the finish of the treatment period was 71.6% and 70% at 2-year follow-up. (3) Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Byron Folwell on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for post-back-surgery-continued back pain patients.

A HELPFUL ADJUNCTIVE APPROACH: WHAT IS AURICULAR ACUPRESSURE? 

Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc welcomes effective non-surgical means to help our chiropractic patients get that extra edge of relief. Auricular acupressure is such an approach in which pressure is applied to specific points on the ear. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries, but recently researchers have begun evaluating its potential as a form of treatment for PSPS patients. A Korean study revealed that auricular acupressure decreased both pain and neurological symptoms related to PSPS. Researchers described it as an effective, safe, cost-effective, non-invasive intervention that can improve pain, neuropathy, and sleep in PSPS patients. (1) Well, you can’t argue with those outcomes! Fort Wayne post back surgery continued pain patients would surely welcome them. Another study found that auricular acupressure was effective in decreasing pain and improving the sleep of older osteoarthritic persons residing in nursing homes. (4) Regardless of age, we all could use better sleep when having pain.

CONTACT Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc

Back pain after back surgery can be frustrating, but it doesn’t have to keep you awake all night or bother you as intensely. If you are dealing with post-surgical back pain or poor sleep quality due to PSPS, schedule your Fort Wayne chiropractic appointment with Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc today to explore how chiropractic can help you!