History
Catherine is a 39 yr old business consultant who injured her back when emptying the dishwasher in 2008. She has suffered 3 years of persistent right low back and right leg pain. The intensity of her pain was commonly 7/10 NRS and worsened by bending, sitting, home activities and gardening.
Catherine was able to flex to the knees only, when supporting her trunk weight with her hands. She had impulse pain but no neurological signs. Her range of lumbar extension was 50%. She was acutely tender to palpate over the low lumbar spine. Straight leg raise were bilaterally 80 degrees with no sensitisation.
Chiropractic manipulation and physiotherapy was of no lasting benefit. She was not considered a surgical candidate by her medical team.
Diagnosis
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Current Subjective History
Maria is a 47 year old, 178 cm tall, primary school teacher. She is fit and healthy, exercising regularly with walking and kayaking.
On Jan 10th 2012 Maria had an acute flare low back radiating bilaterally down the posterior of her legs as far as the heals. Maria was unable to sit and struggled to do the normal activities of daily living with pain levels at 7/10 NRS. Maria admitted to some ongoing low back pain issues over the 2 years, but this tended to be local and settled without needing any medical intervention.
Objective Examination
Maria had grossly restricted lumbar flexion, was acutely tender to palpate the low lumbar spine and had bilateral restriction of SLR to 60 degrees, which was positive to dorsiflexion sensitisation. Reflexes and muscle strength were normal.
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Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Case Study: Improved Function and Pain Control
SS presented to Lifestyle Therapies with a long history of fibromyalgia and chronic pain affecting the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine.
Her pain was widespread, with symptoms radiating into both arms and both legs. She had previously tried various forms of treatment and reported that hands-on therapy often aggravated her symptoms.
This was clinically important. In patients with fibromyalgia and persistent widespread pain, manual treatment can sometimes be poorly tolerated when the nervous system is highly sensitised. The initial treatment approach therefore needed to be gentle, carefully monitored and guided by reassessment.
This case study outlines SS’s presentation, assessment findings, treatment approach and early progress with physiotherapy care and adjunctive static magnetic field placement. Read more…
The dangers regarding overdose of prescription medications in the US is now becoming critical. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 27,000 people died from prescription drug overdose in 2007, a 5 fold increase since 1990 with the main culprit being pain medications.
Even the cosy relationship between medical schools and pharmaceutical companies is coming under closer scrutiny. The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health which has been criticized for its advocacy of controversial uses of narcotic painkillers said it will no longer take money from the drug industry. The university had taken $2.5 million over a decade from companies that make opioids with a clear conflict of interest for their “independent” advocacy for the use of narcotic painkillers for chronic pain.
Meanwhile, ground-breaking therapies with little or no risk for patients such as neuromagnetics are practically ignored by doctors. Despite good evidence for this unique type of magnetic therapy, it still struggles for recognition. Principle physiotherapist Dianne Hermans has treated thousands of patients using quadrapolar magnets since 1999 with an 80% success rate, you can read some of the chronic pain case studies here. This supports the neurologist, Dr Robert Holcomb who pioneered this work with over 2,000 chronic and complex pain patients treated at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in the 1990’s also with an 80% success rate.
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A growing challenge for the Australian health system is the growing cost of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) which subsidises the costs of approved drugs.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease which causes chronic inflammation of the joints and as an example, the annual cost of these drugs to the Australian tax payer increased three-fold from about $46 million to almost $134 million between 2003 and 2007. Clearly this is unsustainable.
Lifestyle Therapies offers drug free treatments such as neuromagnetic therapy that can dramatically reduce the costs and the side effects on your body. In fact, this case study presented by principal physiotherapist, Dianne Hermans at an International Physiotherapy Conference showed a gradual decrease in pain medication of over $700 per year to almost nothing after a 20 year chronic pain history.
Reduction in cost of pain medication
Chronic Low Back Pain Case Study: Improved Sitting Tolerance and Reduced Lumbar Hypersensitivity After Physiotherapy Care
Peter, a 50-year-old man with a 15-year history of chronic low back pain, right foot numbness and marked lumbar hypersensitivity, was referred to Lifestyle Therapies by a local health provider. His case is a useful clinical example for readers wanting to understand the broader role of magnetic therapy for low back pain as part of a structured physiotherapy management plan.
He was initially referred for InterX therapy, an electrotherapy device used in the management of pain and altered skin conductivity responses. His presentation was complex, long-standing and functionally limiting.
This case study outlines Peter’s clinical presentation, treatment approach and observed outcomes during a course of physiotherapy care that included InterX therapy, hands-on treatment, rehabilitation planning and adjunctive use of a multipolar magnetic device.
Clinical History
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Chronic Upper Back Pain Case Study: Improved Symptoms After Physiotherapy Care
Adrian presented to Lifestyle Therapies on 8 June 2010 for physiotherapy management of long-standing upper back pain.
He had experienced upper back pain for more than 13 years, with symptoms progressively worsening over the previous four years. By the time he attended the clinic, the pain had become difficult to manage and was significantly affecting his quality of life.
Adrian had also experienced a frozen shoulder approximately 12 months earlier. He had already consulted several different health professionals, including an acupuncturist, physiotherapist, chiropractors, a rheumatologist and a musculoskeletal doctor.
After many years of pain and limited relief, Adrian was understandably frustrated.
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10-Year Chronic Pain Case Study: Back Pain, Ankle Pain and Treatment Progression
Sharon presented for physiotherapy after reading about the chronic pain services offered at Lifestyle Therapies.
She had been living with pain for approximately 10 years following a car accident in 2000, during which she fractured her left ankle. Since that time, she had developed persistent lower back pain, upper back pain and ongoing left ankle pain with reduced range of movement.
Sharon had already seen multiple therapists and tried a range of treatments. She was also experiencing depression, and the impact of living with persistent pain was evident from the first consultation.
This case study outlines Sharon’s presentation, early treatment response and the role that physiotherapy care, manual therapy, movement retraining and adjunctive Q magnet placement played in helping her progress. Read more…
By Angela Bordignon – recent patient of Dianne Hermans.
I have had a disc issue for about 15 years, mainly concerning deterioration and a herniated disc at L5/S1, which I have managed very successfully via chiropractic treatment. Twelve months ago I started experiencing major spasms in my back, developed sciatica down one leg and had constant hipflexor tightness. After 8 months of weekly visits to my chiropractor we realised things weren’t getting any better so I had an MRI scan and was referred to a neurosurgeon in preparation for a potential disk operation to remove the herniation, which was causing my sciatica. At that point, I felt surgery might be my only option but wanted to try the chronic pain guaranteed service with Lifestyle Therapies before I committed to surgery. I now realise that if the symptoms aren’t subsiding after 12 weeks of consistent treatment, you probably need to try something else.
When I contacted Lifestyle Therapies and commenced the chronic pain guaranteed service, I was in chronic pain and discomfort daily (and had been for 8 months). I have always been a very active person but was at a stage where my disc issue was having a considerable effect on all areas of my life (physically, mentally and emotionally). I didn’t like to take pain killers, unless I was in crisis mode, as I found they caused more problems for my digestive system. I was unable to exercise other than walk slowly, was constantly stiff, couldn’t sit for any longer than 30 minutes at a time. I was becoming quite depressed and tied of trying not to be depressed!!
I felt Lifestyle Therapies offered a wide range of services which seemed to cover all areas of health in relation to my situation and I felt I would be in good hands. I found the team very friendly and the environment very relaxing. The initial evaluation was very thorough compared to anything I had experienced before. After a lengthy assessment, massage and ultra sound, they taped two Q magnets to specific areas of my body to alleviate the pain caused by my pinched sciatic nerve. It was also suggested I may have issues with iliopsoas muscles. I was provided some reading material and after reading this, I fully believe this has been a major contributing factor to my issue. I left with more hope of a recovery than I’d felt in a long time.
My expectations around Q magnet therapy were positive as I believe you should keep an open mind to new treatments. I had a lot of questions though and the team at Lifestyle Therapies have always taken the time to explain the issue in layman’s terms not to mention been very honest. Two weeks following my first visit my pain and muscle spasms had subsidised. Then following weekly appointments for approximately 4-5 months I am now completely pain free and have finally removed my beloved Q magnet and feel amazing.
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