Blog Post

Acupuncture is one of the oldest and most commonly used medical procedures in the world.   It was originated in China over 2,000 years ago. 

It is very important to let you doctor know of any other forms of pain relief you may be taking.  The term acupuncture describes a family of procedures involving stimulation of anatomical points on the body by a variety of techniques.

Since 1992 acupunture has been used a lot more by doctors, dentists, and other practioners for relief or prevention of pain and for various other health conditions.

With acupuncture the needles are metal and hair thin.  People on the most part feel minimal to no pain at all.  Some even feel energetic by the treatment and others feel relaxed.

Blog Post

The care of a patient with a lumbar herniated disk is far from standardized and, to a certain extent, needs to be individualized for each patient.  It usually causes sciatica or a radiculopathy and is refered to as bulging disk,  ruptured disk, or a pinched nerve.

Depending on how long the person has had the pain and the extent of the pain depends on the treatment he or she receives.  Generally, patients will be advised to start with 6 to 12 weeks of conservative treatment (such as physical therapy). If that doesn\'t work after 6 to 12 wks it is reasonable to consider surgery. At times, if there is severe pain and the patient is having difficulty maintaining a reasonable level of functioning, surgery may be recommended prior to completing a full 6 weeks of conservative care for the herniated disk.

There are many diffrent treatment  options but the primary goal is to provide relief of pain and to allow return to a normal functional level.

The most common options are:

1. Rest, followed by slow mobilization

2.  Pain medications

3. Chiropractic/osteopathic manipulations

4. Physical therapy

 5. Epidural steroid injections

It takes time to heal a herniated disk so be patient and try these approches.