“For every action
there is an equal and opposite reaction.” Just a physics rule? Not at all! It applies to
many things in life, including neck and back pain.
Adjacent segment disease exemplifies this theory!
When back pain is addressed with back surgery, particularly
back surgery involving a spinal fusion, the reaction to
the action of the fusion is pressure on the spinal segments above and below the
surgical segment. These are the adjacent segments. These segments accept the work of the surgical segment which they were not designed
to do. These adjacent segments rebel with pain of their own.
Wilson Family Chiropractic soothes these rebellious adjacent segments with
gentle, non-surgical, pain-relieving chiropractic treatment.
WHAT IS ADJACENT SEGMENT DISEASE?
Researchers define adjacent segment
disease (ASD) as a “disappointing long-term outcome for both the patient and
clinician.” Cervical and lumbar spine adjacent segment disease is reportedly
between 2% and 4% a year according to one study. It impacts
reoperation rates after spinal fusion. Risks for ASD are assorted
including existing degeneration of adjacent segments, predisposition to degenerative
changes, and altered biomechanical forces because of
a prior fusion. Non-surgical treatment for adjacent segment
disease is the first step as long as progressive
neurological deficit is not an issue. (1)
HOW DOES BACK SURGERY INFLUENCE ADJACENT SEGMENT DISEASE RISK?
Types of surgical approaches have an effect on the
chances of fusion as well as adjacent segment disease. Total
disc replacements (TDR) for neck pain conditions using a ball and socket are created
to maintain motion and reproduce normal motions
of the cervical spine. In a surgery for adjacent segment disease in a patient
with a TDR, fusion was seen, yet adjacent segment disease
was present too which took the patient back to surgery. (2) Adjacent
segment disease after a single level lumbar fusion was a significant
cause of post-surgical issues in a recent report. It commonly
indicated the need for reoperation after
a thoracolumbar fusion, subjecting patients to more
post-surgical issues and longer recovery
periods. (3) Low back pain patients who underwent fusion
surgery had an elevated risk of post-surgical work-disability
after insurance regulation alterations compared with low back
pain patients who were treated non-operatively or with
decompression only. (4) In one study, the reoperation for ASD was
25.2% for L4L5 fusion though adjacent segment disease at L5S1 after an L4L5 fusion
surgery was low. (5) Another study of 1000 patients who underwent
a fusion back surgery reported that 9%
experienced adjacent segment disease on average at 4.7 years after the first
surgery. Adjacent segment disease was most common in degenerative
spondylolisthesis at the cranial fusion segment. Risk for adjacent segment disease
was increased in patients whose fusions were longer. Adjacent segment disease happened
sooner after fusion in elderly patients and in those with degenerative
lumbar scoliosis. (6) Chiropractic non-surgical care may meet the plea
for non-operative treatment pain after back surgery including fusion
back surgery.
HOW DOES CHIROPRACTIC ADDRESS ADJACENT SEGMENT DISEASE?
Support via research for Millville chiropractic care
of post-surgical continued back pain grows. A study
of 32 post-surgical back pain patients cared for with Cox®
Technic showed improvement of 41% to 57%, greater
in those who had combined surgeries like fusions. (7) Another study of Cox®
Technic treatment stated that 69 post-surgical continued pain
(PSCP) patients experienced active chiropractic care in
the form of Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction for an average of 11
treatments over a 49 day period. Pain relief was 71.6% (SD: 23.2). Two years
later, the sustained pain
relief was 70% with 32 patients needing further
care to maintain pain relief. PSCP patients demonstrated
pain relief following specific chiropractic distraction spinal
manipulation. (8)
CONTACT Wilson Family Chiropractic
Listen to Dr.
Lee Hazen on The Back Doctors
Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson about his care of a failed
back surgical syndrome (aka post-surgical continued pain) patient with the Cox®
Technic System of Spinal Pain
Management.
Schedule your Millville chiropractic appointment today.
Wilson Family Chiropractic cares for post-surgical continued pain and adjacent segment
disease. It’s not necessary to suffer the reaction to
the action of back surgery when Millville chiropractic non-operative
care is available at Wilson Family Chiropractic.