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Health and Wellness
PAGE 70
A HOLISTIC VIEW
OF BACK PAIN
MANAGEMENT
By: Dr. Vincent Sferra
Chronic (ongoing, episodic) back
pain necessitates stepping back as
a physician in order to look at the
patient and the causative ‘picture’
as a whole (holistic). Acute trau-
matic injury aside, almost all back
problems are a combination of
poor body mechanics along with
insufficient stabilizing forces due
to inadequate or absent strength
and conditioning of the support-
ive musculature. Proper nutrition
and rest also play significant roles
in the healing of back problems
by allowing the natural processes
of inflammation control and tis-
sue repair to occur.
Failure to condition the spinal
joints and muscles regularly, espe-
cially with known disc and joint
problems, will place more stress
on those structures and deepen
the problem. If you do not exer-
cise these areas, or even worse,
you don’t exercise at all, it only
stands to reason that you are not
getting any stronger and likely
getting weaker. Allowing the
spine to continue to weaken sig-
nificantly increases stress on the
discs and the potential need for
surgery. And unfortunately, a
weak spine that needs surgery is
at greater risk of failed back sur-
gery. We believe there is no way
around the need to get your spine
strong. Strengthening your spine
is either to avoid surgery, defer it
or to strengthen & rehabilitate
your spine after an ultimately
needed surgery.
Insufficient body mechanics
include how we lift things and
move our bodies as well as how
we posture ourselves (in front of
computers, driving, sitting in front
of the TV and sleeping). Consis-
tently maintaining good posture
and body mechanics helps sup-
port our spine. Repetitively failing
to do so and we weaken the
spine, slowly wearing on the mus-
cles, ligaments and discs. This is
behind why so many claim to
have done ‘nothing’ when their
back ‘went out.’ They didn’t have
to. It was already weak and
primed to do so!
It has been said that you become
what you eat, think and do, and
unfortunately for many, you are
what you’ve eaten, thought and
have done. Fortunately the body
has a resilient and magnificent
ability to heal and repair. But we
must change our habits in order
to turn it around. At Natural Med-
icine and Rehabilitation we
approach back problems like
most chronic health problems,
with a ‘whole’ view perspective of
the patient. From our diagnostic
work-up and nutritional interven-
tion to our treatment modalities
such as chiropractic, manual ther-
apies/massage, physical therapy
and therapeutic exercise, we
strive to be comprehensive and
‘
whole’ with our patient care.
Dr. Sferra is the founder and
Director of Physical Rehabilitation
at Natural Medicine & Rehabilita-
tion. He is Board Certified in Chi-
ropractic Medicine, a Certified
Clinical Nutritionist and is CSCS
certified by the National Strength
&
Conditioning Association. Dr.
Sferra is the recipient of the
“2005
Spirit of Somerset” award
for his outstanding contribution
to Health and Wellness in the
community.
For more information visit www.
NMRNJ.com, or call 908-252-0242.
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