Spine woes are back....in fact they never left and are getting worse
by Sean Lyons
Do you deal with back and spine pain? You are not alone. Have you and/or your insurance company spent a great deal of money on medication? You are not alone. Does your back still hurt? Unfortunately, you are still not alone and the numbers are growing.
What the Report Says:
In a February 13, 2008 article titled, “Americans Spend More to Treat Spine Woes,” the New York Times discussed a report in the Journal of American Medical Association, which found “spending on spine treatments in the United States totaled nearly $86 billion in 2005, a rise of 65% from 1997…The biggest surge in spending has been for drugs. In 2005, Americans spent an estimated $20 billion on drug treatments for back and neck problems, an increase of 171% from 1997. The biggest jump was for narcotic pain relievers like OxyContin and other drugs, which increased more than 400%.”
Other treatment options, and the associated costs, for back, spine and neck problems also increased over the same time period:
q Outpatient treatment up 74% to @$31 billion
q Emergency room visits up 46% to @$2.6 billion
q Surgery and other inpatient treatments up 25% to @$24 billion
Brook I. Martin, research scientist at the Department of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine at the University of Washington and lead author of the AMA study stated, “we’re putting a lot of money into this problem, and it’s a big investment in health care expenditures, but we’re not seeing health status commensurate with those investments.”
Basically, more of us are experiencing neck/spine/back pain; spending a lot of time and money on a variety of treatments, and our desired results are not felt. The article goes on to state, “despite the growth in treatment of back problems, the data shows that the percentage of people with serious spine problems has not declined; it appears to have increased….it is not clear why more people appear to be suffering from back and neck pain.”
What CVWC says:
In light of the exponential increase in the use of “compact technology” i.e.- computers, laptops, mobile phones and IPOD’s, it doesn’t seem too surprising there has been an increase in acute/chronic neck and back pain conditions. Have you ever watched someone working at their computer? Ever noticed how poor our posture gets working at our desk or driving in our cars, or text messaging, or playing computer games? Habitually repetitive poor posture over a period of time wreaks havoc on our bodies causing sore, stiff, achy muscles. This can lead not only to chronic bouts with pain, but also increased stress levels, restricted performance and even depression. Add to that the financial strain from depreciated work performance compounded with symptom-treating medications and expensive, invasive surgeries that leave the promise of a “less-pain” life, let alone a pain free life, unfulfilled.
Our therapy rooms are frequented by people with poor behavioral posture that has led to chronic and acute pain. Muscle Release Therapy, MRTh® addresses and treats each individual’s postural imbalances by assessing postural impediments. The soft tissue is evaluated and released to ensure proper muscle function to prevent further problems, pain and discomfort. This is accomplished by releasing the postural impediments to encourage proper fluid fluctuation, thereby facilitating efficient functional movement.
The most effective way to combat chronic and acute pain is by combining the postural balancing of MRTh® with the postural stabilizing and performance enhancing benefits of Functional Movement with Pilates Machines℠. The Pilates studio is your opportunity to develop a strong, stabilizing core; increase your mind-body connection; maintain your efficient, balanced posture; and improve just about every activity you engage in!
To learn more about how a strong core can help alleviate neck and back issues be sure to join us May 13th or May 15th for “What Core Strength Is.” Click here for more information.