Thank You!
I am so grateful for the nice responses I’ve been getting from viewers. This past week, between the FB fanpage, Twitter, You Tube and directly from right here on the blog, I have gotten more letters than in any previous week. So really, thank you for stopping by and contributing. When I end a video with ‘your cards & letters are what keep this place interesting’- it is the honest truth.
Viewer Letters
DR. KIRSCHNER–DO YOU FEEL THAT DOING YOGA IS A GOOD ALTERNATIVE EXCERCISE FOR SOMEONE WITH SERIOUS BACK PAIN? I HAVE VERY LITTLE KNOWLEDGE OF YOGA. WILL IT HURT ME?
-M
Well M, without knowing the specific mechanism or type of back pain you have, I can only make a few statements about Yoga in general…
As a rule, I love Yoga both for exercise and as a modality for helping with back pain. Gentle range of motion exercises and stretches, as found in various types of yoga can be useful for reducing back pain- I’ve personally only done ‘hot’ Yoga a few times, but it was really great for loosening up the muscles of the spine, and restoring some lost range of motion. It also helps with core stability, which is critical for long term reduction of back pain. If you are experimenting with different types of exercise, I would also give a well structured Pilates program a shot as well. As I mentioned before- I don’t know your specific circumstances, so be sure to consult your physician before trying anything. Hope this helps!
In response to the piece on prayer from last week:
Dr. Kirschner, prayer is such an integral part of my health & wellness. I have constant back pain, resulting from a fall off a bicycle. I had a compression fracture in L4, and I have never really had a pain free day since. My faith in God is really one of the only things that keeps me going. My family doctor understands how helpful this is to me, but none of the specialists I see really get it. Thank you for acknowledging the value of prayer.
-Teri
You will always see me stress the connection between body and mind, and for many people, faith is the best way they have of accessing the ‘mind’ component of back pain. I am glad you have found a way to find relief!
In response to the intro to the Alternative Medicine pieces starting next week, Live from the Dead Sea:
Andy- each year me and my boyfriend travel to the Dead Sea and soak in both the sea, and the mud baths around it. When I leave there, I get improvement in my neck pain which lasts 3-4 months. Your readers should really know about this- I get relief without medicine, and it lasts for a long time. I’ve been told the Dead Sea has properties which help lots of people.
-Shawn
As I related in the intro to that video- tens of thousands of people flock to the shores of the Dead Sea each year to float in the salty water, and get themselves covered in the mineral rich mud. I have patients who go there for pain relief, psoriasis, and other conditions. I have seen enough anecdotal evidence that people are getting relief, so I cannot simply write it off as some ‘crunchy’ pseudo-holisitc medicine- but conversely, I cannot explain why these folks are getting these results. I enjoy the sensation of floating in the Dead Sea- but it left me with my skin feeling kind of weird for a few days- and I didn’t particularly care for the sensation. As for a recommendation: if you have people close to you who have gotten results, and it is not too much of a hardship- give it a try! At the very least you will have an amazing trip to one of the most beautiful countries in the world.
Back Together is now available on Amazon.
My book, Back Together, has been available on Amazon since it’s launch. Last week my DVD program finally became available. They both make great gifts- so I hope you will give them a look. The links are below:
Back Together- Hands-on Healing for Couples (BOOK)
Back Together- Simple & Effective Relief from Back Pain- for Couples (DVD)
Thanks again for stopping by. Look for the wrap up on my spinal surgery pieces this week, and the alternative medicine series to begin next week.
Best, and be well!
-Andy
Performing an upper thoracic release on the great Jeremiah Trotter.
