November 17, 2014

This past weekend I attended a seminar by Dr. James Cox, the renown expert on treating chronic back pain, herniated discs, and stenosis. Dr. Cox is the founder and developer of the Cox Technic, and has published books on Low Back Pain and Neck and Shoulder Pain which are in their 7th and 4th printings respectively.

Some key points covered that all people with ongoing or returning spinal pain conditions should know:

~ Back pain that recurs or is ongoing and chronic causes nerves for pain and the sympathetic nervous system to grow in the joints and the discs of the spine. That means that each episode of back pain will be worse due to an overreaction of the nervous system. Pain that would previously have been a 3 then feels like a 9. Pain trains the brain to amplify pain signals. Then, even slight movements or activities set it off.

~ Chronic pain physically changes the brain, making it more susceptible to sensing pain. 

 ~13% of people with chronic back pain are suicidal.


~ Chiropractic adjustments and exercise decrease the brain's pain perception.


~ 3/4 of the people with herniated discs do not have nerve pain.

~ Sciatica (leg pain) without back pain is chemically based. Disc material leaks out and irritates the nerve.

~ Chiropractic adjustments reduce pressure in the spinal discs.