SPONSORED CONTENT CONTENTntly ation: A case of mistaken identity?bser . George Rothlux The Message of Pain Towards an Understanding of Chronic Pain and Strategies to Overcome It By Dr. George Roth vations in a new light: R L searched the Internet for scientific Startling Observations: Bone Enlarges with Injury! ence to support chiropractic. Unfortu-y , most of the references emphasized While studying radiology in chiropractic ack of scientific validation or measur-tcomes school, I noticed that the size of a structure on Pain not tenets the Problem to support the is basic of one side of the body was often different than fession. At best, Pain there are a few studies that its counterpart other side. For example, A Testable Hypothesis for a Molecular Origin of is a message something on is the out Figure 3, Pre-treatment: Femoral and monstrate a modest advantage for chi-c the proximal femoral or humeral head, or the Fracture Resistance of balance. Understanding its underlying tibial epiphyses enlarged, approximately 5 manipulation over some prescription tibial plateau on one side was noticeably larger A mm. compared to the right. *Note relative cause, is the such first step breaking the cycle ions for certain conditions, as to than the opposite side in the same individual. narrowing of the medial joint space.NSORED Before impact in. However, the overall impression is My professors were unable to shed any light on of fear and anxiety that may be aggravat-iropractic science is still relatively un-and these findings. As an anatomy lab instructor at ing it, allowing for relief, resolution, and the that chiropractors are only mini-ccepted the college and from subsequent observations the shape of the bone is possible and appears to restoration of our health. as part of the health care team. of cadaverous specimens, I was able to confirm B allow for the restoration of the joint space and e been a chiropractor for over 40 years, these differences. At the time, these facts were As an impact biomechanical function, resulting in improved begins to y in my career, I became convinced that filed away, and it was only many years later that healing of the entire joint complex. separate fibrils ot achieving the kinds of results prom-en these early observations came to be viewed in a Introduction I attended school. I also witnessed new light, based on my clinical research. Subluxation: Many people come to us seeking solutions for f my colleagues becoming disheartened By carefully examining a better quality skel-C A Case of Mistaken Identity? a patient asks me I can get rid is of cast their g in practice. pain. They When had come into this etal if model, which from a real skeleton, The subluxation theory and the idea that bone I usually respond on with high pain, expectations and a sincere in the you following can verify manner: many of these same discrepan-“go out of place” has long been questioned o help their fellow humans, but the cies for yourself. Besides the examples of the However, I believe that the entire premise ma f treatments First, they were taught did not actually femur, not tibia interested and humerus I tell them: “I’m in mentioned earlier, be a matter of mistaken identity. By this, I mean to these expectations.many close inspection of the spine can be very re-getting rid of your pain”. I a let that statement sink that the palpatory impression of “misaligned Dred_Content_DPS_Dec19_EJS.indd Figure 1: Chronic Pain Cycle of you, I pursued long likely search ask vealing. Note the vertebra” may be the result of enlargement o in, as they a most themselves if differences they are in the size (width, tional modalities to improve my results, depth and height of the articular processes) at part of the vertebral segment (see Figure 1 in the right office. I then proceed to tell them After the impact my outcomes and give me the confi-o various levels throughout the spine. Figure 1 above). The fact that many patients achiev is over health professional. Sadly, many diagnoses are that am however, interested in getting rid of Unresolved be able to find and I resolve my patient’ s demonstrates these differences in the size of painful conditions that persist for benefit through chiropractic adjustment ma incorrect (the Mayo Clinic reports that only 12% the problem that is causing their pain. I remind longer than 3-6 months can evolve into the ons. In this search, I was blessed to meet the articular processes of the atlas. I contend be due to its influence on the actual structur Figure 2: Microscopic of Bone About 25% of of diagnoses are correct). There are also a wide them that pain a very useful service. condition known as chronic pain. 1 Evidence researchers and clinicians from provides other that on palpation, these areas of enlargement of the osseous enlargement, albeit inadvertentl Expansion with Injury, Paul Hansma Lab, cell biology, For biomedical engineering, may be to easily for a relative rotation or sufferers chronic pain may go on to develop a (With range of scary medical stories example, it can alert us an mistaken underlying on shows the part presenting of the practitioner. In my opinion, i University of California, Berkeley, 2005. dic medicine, osteopathy condition, and physical translation an of the vertebral segment (see: Sub-author) (CPS), condition called permission ‘chronic from pain the syndrome’ about people succumbing to an were endless structural by providing undeniable practitioners made variety aware of the fact tha ne). They were making amazing discov-gar A certain Case of Mistaken below). alters the shape and size of bone in th which is accompanied by other symptoms, such of health challenges. injury These factors can contrib-symptom (pain) when we luxation: attempt move-Identity, ding the underlying effects of injury Recent evidence from the University of Cal-male hockey player, who had been suffering and throughout the body, they would ute to a heightened spine perception and a lowered ments. As a result, it may prevent us from further depression or anxiety. 2 mechanical dysfunction at the cellular, ifornia, revealed by the powerful Atomic Force from knee pain for several months, which 6 be eager to apply methods that would mor threshold for pain. damaging an already injured area. trical and even the molecular level. I microscope, under the direction of physicist prevented him from playing. The injury also precisely target these areas and thus achiev Chronic ‘Vicious Cycle’ zed that for a system of therapeutics Paul Hansma and his team 1 , has The caused considerable pain during normal daily confirmed the Pain even better results. In his book: The Brain’s Way of Healing, Dr. Norman I think you would agree presence that our of goal as protein prac-structures alid, it had to be congruent with this activities, such as climbing stairs, which As he the pain persists, stress, tension and the certain within that only chronic pain is a phenome-biochemical changes associated with anxiety and ng science. titioners, should be to identify able to accomplish in a slow, hob-the bone that correct expand the with an Doidge injury. explains These was Neurological Evidence bling manner. Fortunately me, orthopedic findings are happens, consistent with clinical obser-by governed the tendency of the for nervous may become amplified. number source of the problem . Once that the my non One Ultimately, of the major the factors, which drew me to surgeons were monitoring size of of the bones vations, which were first made system over 40 to years in the first of place, was its emphasi neuroplastically increase the the number of neurons, as well chiropractic as the complexity their pain would no longer be necessary and should re-at the knee with a high degree of precision, ago (see Figure 2). the also central importance of the nervou within the brain associ-synaptic connections on may increase, result-solve on its own. Nevertheless, most conventional neurological connections due to an underlying genetic 3, 4 condition. As a system. This made absolute will sense to me, as These ated with the negative sensation of pain. ing in the likelihood that the pain response approaches are focused on getting rid of symp-result, they took consistent measurements to Restoration of Bone Size disruption of neurological signals to any are to increase over time ulti-They be more readily… and chronically, triggered. toms, such as pain, which of course, could lead connections tend within one-hundredth of a and millimetre. and Joint Healing of the body, could lead to serious functiona develop a life of own, when becoming more condyle This becomes a vicious cycle, referred to as the to ongoing tissue damage One and of degeneration. were all their surprised the femoral the significant This clinical mately breakthroughs consequences and even threaten survival. Th easily minimal stimulation. Chronic Pain Cycle (Figure approach is akin to ‘killing that the my messenger’. and the tibial plateau of the left knee, which colleagues and I were able triggered to ac-with unique 1). anatomical structure of the spine i had been approximately 5 mm larger than its complish was that bone size appeared to be exquisitely designed to afford substantial pro the right, had suddenly restored has to normal with treatment. At first, we counterpart tection Underlying to the spinal cord, while still allowin Addressing the Hidden, Cause These impulses may even on ‘spill over’ into adja-shrunk The pharmaceutical industry historically that amount after only a few treatments (see questioned results and followed them up for mobility and flexibility. However, it was a of Many Cases of Chronic Pain cent parts of the by brain. This can lead to so-called made a huge portion of its profits these by promoting Figure 3 and 4). Subsequently, the young man’s with precise measurements using callipers and ways a mystery to me why there was never an Model of C1, cast distributing from a real powerful Bone Expansion giving the patient the sensation Structural Change… and pain medication, de-‘referred pain’, parents noted that he was once again “flying tape measures. Inter-tester validation appeared specimen. Note the enlargement mention in the chiropractic literature regardin Research has demonstrated that the molecular that the pain is coming from other areas, in ad-the abundance for deleterious ght articular spite process and the spinal of evidence up” the stairs with absolutely no pain. This case to confirm our findings. the most significant concentration of neuron which measured 2 mm. larger in addictive potential. elements within certain tissues at the site of in-dition to the original site of contention injury. that normalization side-effects and verified my of Several years ago, I treated a 15-year-old in the body, housed in the equally protectiv imension. 18 2-3d As practitioners, we may provide various forms of manual therapy, as well as electrotherapy, laser, acupuncture or other modalities. In many cases, we are successful to varying degrees, in helping our patients. Nevertheless, there are always a subset of pa-tients for whom nothing we try seems to help for very long, if at all. In those cases, we may be-come frustrated and even blame the patient for sabotaging their care or ‘not wanting to get bet-ter’. Eventually, we either give up on them or they leave our care, seeking other potential solutions. As humans, we have the unique ability to con-sciously focus on pain in ways that can add to its neuroplastic augmentation within the portions of the brain that interpret pain stimuli. This is often due to our state of mind regarding the condition, which can increase certain negative emotions, such as anxiety or fear. A similar cycle was first described by Dr. John Sarno in his book, Mind Over Back Pain. 5 Fear and anxiety about a painful condition may be aggravated, for example, by receiving a frightening ‘diagnosis’ from a well-meaning jury, expand and become rigid. One of the most common tissues affected by this phenomenon, due its density, is bone. 7 You may be surprised to identify these differences in your own body, by simply noticing the fact that one of your wrists or 2019-11-21 9:01 AM knees is larger than the other. Common injuries, such as falling on an outstretched hand or knee are all too common (Figure 2). The expanded osseous structures can become an ongoing source of mechanical stress on pain-sensitive soft tissues (ligaments, tendons and other articular elements) and thus contribute to the cycle of strain and chronic pain.
Chiropractic + Naturopathic Doctor July/August 2022: Page 12
