The Spine

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pops6927

Gone but not forgotten. RIP
Original poster
OTBS Member
SMF Premier Member
Jul 23, 2008
7,245
1,219
Fort Worth, Tx.
We have two parts to our bodies; our head and our frame.  Inside, the head contains the brain, the director.  It is the command center telling our frame what to do.  It communicates to our frame with nerves; our 'wires'.  this bundle of wires is in sheath in our spine, carrying these wires throughout our frame to all extremities.  This column, our spine, is multi-ported, allowing the nerves to go to every part.

Here is where each area goes to through our spine:


When our spines are perfect, the wiring system works perfectly. A signal from the brain travels down the spine, goes out of the spine at a particular place, travels to the area intended, and delivers the signal, strong and healthy, and does the intended thing the brain wants it to do.  

However, our bodies are subject to wear and tear,  If at some point the alignment of the spine is altered, then the wires get pinched or cut off, inflamed, degenerated, and so on.  The signal sent is interfered with.  It can be followed by a signal of pain, inflammation, discomfort; in other words, your body is telling you something is wrong.  You take medicines for it to relieve the pain and swelling; it helps.  But, it doesn't 'fix' the problem and it likely returns.  The only true fix is to realign the spine so it doesn't interfere with the nerve sending the signal.  This realignment can be done sometimes with medications; i.e. muscle relaxers that allow the muscles to pull the misaligned part into it's rightful place.  Or, it can be done mechanically.  Hanging upside down, turning and twisting until the parts and pieces get back into the correct place.  Or, it can be done by physical manipulation, called Chiropractic Care.  In any case, the cause of the pain is misalignment, the cure is to realign the spine so it is working properly, nothing is pinched, nothing is swollen, nothing is impeding the electrical signals in the nerves from getting to their rightful places with full power to each.
 
The reason I am putting this on here is for those who have chronic pain and, not having tried chiropractic, to give a little information about it as it may help you.  I have had back problems since my teens unloading beef; the deliveryman would pull each quarter off the hook in the truck and either hand it to me or lay it on the floor for me to pick up.  Many more than once I would not be ready to receive the next piece but what it was an inexperienced driver and would dump the quarter on me, had several spine compressions and two squashed ones. After a couple years of treatments, back strengthening, tons of pain pills, etc. I had orthopedic doctors tell me there was nothing they could do, I'd have to live with the pain.  Which I did for almost 15 years.  I was the meat manager in Ogdensburg, NY for Great American and couldn't stand at the wrapper for more than 10 min.  Charlie, my 1st cutter, told me he was going to drag me, kicking and screaming if he had to (he weighed 375 lbs, he could!) to his chiropractor over in Cornwall, Ont.  Never been to one, highly doubted their 'voodoo' crap would help.  He xrayed me, showed me where my spine was out of alignment (looked like a broken snake!) and in 3 sessions stopped the pain I'd had for 15 years prior!  Stubborn-butt me was a certified believer right then and there, I was totally flabbergasted that the best orthopedic surgeon in the North Country, Dr. VanEenenaam told me I had to live with it and now, after 15 years of doing that, I was pain free in 3 weeks! 

I have been to 3 chiropractors since then.  Once I transferred out of Ogdensburg, I got one locally in my home town, Dr. Violet Touchton.  She maintained my spine until I moved to Fort Worth, where I got Dr. Denton James.  Went to him for many years, then got transferred to Camp Bowie store and did more delegating then moving (it was a brand new store so resetting was not an issue) and discontinued.  That was a few years ago, maybe 2008.  Now, retired on Disability, I vaccuumed 3 weeks ago and threw my back out pretty bad.  Tried Dr's (primary) orders w/Vicatin, didn't help, sought out a chiropractor and had my first treatment yesterday; this is a pamphlet he gave me, thought i'd do a thread on it in case it can help anyone else! 

I'd love to hear from others with spine problems and what help you've had!
 
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I love my inversion table.....haven't been to the bone crusher in 3 years.... 
DaveOmak, I've been looking at different ones for a while and just haven't pulled the trigger yet..... I’ve been comparison shopping. If you don't mind what's your thoughts on yours and if you had to buy another one, which one would you buy? How often do you use it? and how long ? Scare of having surgery, don't like the ideal of them sticking a needle in my back and I really don't want someone twisting and bending me to align my back, so I've just learned to deal with it and sit it out when I can’t……But I know the older I get the worse it going to get. I just thought that would be one way to aleve some stress on my disk….
 
Once you get aligned properly by a good chiropractor you will feel great.  The problem with the inversion process is you can twist more out of whack than you can into whack.  And, if your insurance covers chiropractic, the subluxations aren't that expensive.  I'm paying $13.25 per visit, 2x/wk for 4 weeks, 1x/wk for 5 weeks, and 1x/month for 2 months after insurance.  Then, it's only when I need to see him or her.  i'd gone over 5 years until I put it out again.  Now, i'd love to have one of those and have him show me the correct way of using it, but I'd really fear doing more damage than good.  The chiropractor knows what he's doing, went to school 8 years, intern another 2.  
 
I have had back pain for several years on 2 separate occasions....   Sports medicine therapist did a great job temporarily fixing me.... The chiropractor fixed me up for a few days at a time.... Having the tilt table, in conjunctions with the chiropractor for the first 3 months was great... Now my back is almost as good as new with regular tilt table sessions... (10 minutes 1-2 times a week) and I haven't been to the chiropractor in 3 years...  baling hay, packing fertilizer bags.... I'm good to go, no payments to the chiropractor....  the tilt table has payed for itself several times over and keeps me in pretty good shape for an old guy....   I don't have insurance so I rely on myself for health care....  I don't think chiropractors will show you how to use a tilt table, they take away their business and food off their table... 

edit for spelling corrections 
 
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I love my inversion table.....haven't been to the bone crusher in 3 years.... 
I have a friend that has an inversion table and loves it. My bone cruncher uses a "whole" body wellness approach (diet, exercise, etc) and "the activator method" instead of the standard manipulation. I haven't been in over 5 yrs but it only costs me $40.00 per visit and insurance doesn't cover chiropractic for me. BF usually goes 4-5 times per year with his work being a factor in throwing his back out. We've been considering an inversion table but just haven't really gotten very serious about it I guess.
 
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I've seen the Teeter Table on TV, wonder what the instructions give?  I'll look it up and see.

Nothing, just basic operating instructions, specifics are on the DVD I'm sure on moves to do to not fracture your spine or things like that.  A $300 invenstment.  May have to consider it once the treatments are done.  I have multi compressions in my mid back from beef dropped on me, 3 vertebrae with 2 swollen and bulging discs, of which 1 was partially removed from surgery, scoliosis, my spine looks like a snake, my neck is stage 3 (out of stage 4) impacted, plus hyper-arthritic throughout the entire spine.
 
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Anyways, regardless of method used, spinal health is important to every single nerve in your body and many illnesses as well as accidents to your spine can be traced to misalignment.  Getting it corrected by whatever means is paramount to good health and well being.  Once nerves become pinched, they become swollen and are not delivering the correct messages to the areas affected, causing pain and withering, disease and decay.  Restore those paths, stop the pain and your body responds and is healthy again.
 
Pops, morning... Using the table in conjunction with a qualified chiropractor is a must....  Misalignment stretches muscles and the repositioning and retraining of the muscles is important...  (things the sports medicine doctor taught me)...  Heat application for blood flow, and ice for contraction and stabilization are all part of the treatment... Without your spine in good health, your total body suffers....

Looking at the spine chart, I believe the 1T vertebrae was out of position in my back... My left arm was totally useless for 2 years...  doctors could do nothing... they could find nothing wrong.... 1st trip to the sports med. doc, my arm was normal for 10 seconds when it misaligned again on it's own... It took 6 months of treatment to retrain the muscle, due to it being stretched for such a long period of time... That was 15 or so years ago...  Since then the 5L in my spine raised havoc with my left leg and foot....  I did not wait for it to get worse and went to the bone crusher... It took the second chiropractor to find and fix the problem and the tilt table now maintains my back health....  

I do not do the upside down stuff, (as seen on TV)... maybe 30 deg from horizontal is about it.... Works for me... Dave
 
I went back to the chiropractor today and specifically asked him what he thought of the inversion tables and he said basically exactly what you said; it is wonderful to give joint relief for back, hips, knees, ankles, etc., he uses one himself.  However, only in the tilt position, not in the vertical position where you can contort; it can seriously injure your back beyond repair by trying unknown moves.  Like anything, use it as intended and don't do anything extreme without first knowing what the consequences will be without consulting a professional.  But, he said it can give relief and has no problem anyone using it gently.
 
http://www.atlasorthogonality.com/PatientSite/aboutAO.html

http://www.upcspine.com/tech2.htm

http://www.sweatinstitute.com/content/home.php

My chiropractor is also a  Atlas Orthogonal Adjustment Certified Doctor, his webpage: (not trying to advertise, but a lot of healthy tips and news on his page promoting YAWYE!)

https://www.facebook.com/BackToHealthFamilyChiropractic

What is "Atlas Orthogonal Adjustment"?

As you can see from the links above, it is the 1C 2C joint, the very first joint in your spine that cradles the skull.  If this is out of alignment, it can affect your alignment of the entire spine; your "head isn't on straight" so to speak.  My chiropractor is one of only 300 practicing chiropractors worldwide that can perform this adjustment.  There are over 60,000 practicing chiropractors in the US alone.  It is a very minute, precise adjustment to this joint, guided by many xrays, using a machine like this:


(the white-based table)


Another view.

The machine has a pinpoint actuator that very very gently pushes on the joint at very precise angles aligning it. It feels like a feather pressing on your skin it's so gentle.  However, it aligns this no. 1 joint so the skull fits in the socket squarely, not crooked.  Once this is established, then the entire rest of the spine aligns squarely and unkinked.  Amazing results have been proven to work wonders with this tiny adjustment done!  But, it requires 2 years of additional training to be able to know how to do this correctly.  However, my chiropractor offers this adjustment.  Further tests will determine if I'm a candidate for this procedure.


This is the symbol for Atlas Orthogonal Care.

http://backtohealthtexas.com/
 
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Well, it has been a few days since my last adjustment to my spine, had one Thursday.  It is much better; most the pain has gone away on the left side from sciatica.  I'm able to walk better!

Now, a "strange" development... I'm sleeping better... that doesn't seem strange, but I'm sleeping better not because of back pain, but because of less "need to go"!  And not just a slight difference, either!  Magically, since Thursday night, it's cut in half or better!  I am on two diuretics; straight hydrochlorothiaszide (HCTZ) and in conjunction with Lozartin/HCTZ, a BP pill, 25 mg each, total 50 mg.  Kinda like one makes you pee after you just got done peeing, lol!   Time asleep 'normally' has been about every hour on the hour to once every 2½-3 hours; now up max 2 times a night instead of 5 or 6 times a night!  All from chiropractic adjustment.  If you look on the chart (use Martin's, much easier to read!) you can see 10T and 4L as culprits, and that's where he's been adjusting me!!  Absolutely amazing!  How pressing on my back can affect something as relevant as reducing how many times i have to get up and pee every single night!  I just awoke after 6+ hours of sleep getting up once.... just once!  Think of it, what does that do for your health?  For your rest?  For your well-being?  If somebody told me, without taking any more pills, I could make you stay asleep like you normally should far longer just by touching your back, you'd think I was crazy!  I am absolutely amazed!
 
Went back Monday and talked to Dr. Chris about it, and he just smiled and repeated his sign on the front... "Back to Health"...!  He reiterated, once your spine is in line, everything works the way it is supposed to. My urinary tract was just trying to tell me, for years, "something is wrong" by waking me up every hour.  The nerves were impinged and reacting to bad electrical outflow.  Once the nerves were restored to health, they no longer had to keep sending out those warning signals that something was wrong, I can rest much more comfortably, and when I do wake up, it is now for a full bladder, not a little bit every hour.  Good things are happening!  My left side is feeling better, I'm walking less crooked, still some nerve pressure, that's why I have to go back for adjustments.  My muscles have been set holding my spine crooked.  He is changing that alignment to a new and better one, but muscle memory keeps interfering and trying to 'restore' to the years of misalignment.  He is creating a 'new normal', convincing my back to align correctly.  Yes, this process does take many initial appointments.  They are not scheduling for more money, they are scheduling to get me "Back To Health".  When you think about it in the long term, it is a lot cheaper.  Once the back is aligned properly, no money is spent for a lot of medicines to correct problems caused by misalignment.  For example, I don't have to go to a urologist now to find out why I pee every hour at night, he run tests, etc., all costing lots of money.  Get your spine aligned properly, then see what disappears....and doesn't need treating!  Check the vertebrae chart and see what you're being treated for that could be corrected by spinal adjustment!
 
Went back today to Dr. Michlin and got another adjustment; had to stop at Walmart and shop a little too and already it felt better!  Got my ice pack belt on (an old cheap fanny pack that I put in a bag of ice or 2 icebricks and strap it to my back and sit in the chair, the ice cold pressing right on my back!).  Told him about my analogy of either getting adjustments or having the additional expense of a urologist and all sorts of tests and pills and treatments and his response was, "....all I do is remove the interference, the body knows how to heal..." - so true!

 
Just smoked some veggies for the good Dr. Michlin and his wife Nancy, look forward to my appointment tomorrow afternoon to give them the packages!  Hope it's ok for them!

Status update; my back feels stronger on the left side with fewer and fewer zings, I have almost totally lost my limp I've had from my strokes, isn't that amazing?!  I continue to sleep better, longer, and more rested; my continence is at "normal"!  Dr. Michlin is about the best of the best that I know of.  For anyone in the metroplex area, here is how to contact him, he does wonders!


Not trying to advertise for him, but this is about him and what good he's doing and I'd be remiss not to let others know how to get in touch with him to improve their health too.  He has patients come from all over to see him.  I'd love to see in this thread others post business cards of those who have helped them too from all over the US.  You find a good doctor, you eagerly share it to as many people as possible to bring them business and to help others too!
 
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