Lower Back Pain Stretches, More Exercises for Back Pain

Lower Back Pain Stretches and Exercises
Dr Barry L Marks, DC
Orange, CA

Lower Back Arch

The lower back arch is good to stretch out and elongate your entire spine. This may relieve pain and tension from back strains, disc herniation, bulging discs, degenerative disc disease and arthritis.

• Assume a hands and knees position
• Arch your back up 
• Tuck your tail and head downward and squeeze lightly while exhaling
• Take a breath in and straighten your back then repeat

For more information on lower back pain exercsies and treatment go to http://orangespinaldecompression.com

Exercises, stretches for lower back pain

Lower Back Pain Stretches and Exercises for Back Pain
Dr Barry L Marks, DC
Orange, CA

A good stretch for lower back pain due to disc herniation, bulging disc, degenerative disc disease, sacroiliac strain and tight lower back due to a strain is the Knee-to-Chest stretch.

• Simply lie flat on your back
• Bend your knees and grasp them with your hands
• Pull knees up towards chest and hold for a 5 count
• Lower slightly and repeat

An alternative is to use only one knees at a time or to bring one knee up towards the opposite shoulder and hold. This is good for stretching the sacroiliac joint.

For more information on back pain and lower back pain exercises go to
Cure for Lower Back Pain

DRX9000 Spinal Decompression in Orange, CA 92868

Spinal Decompression Therapy for back pain & sciatica
Dr Barry L Marks, DC
Orange County, CA

Severe back pain sufferers who have been diagnosed with disc herniation, bulging discs or degenerative disc disease have a viable option besides shots and surgery. Spinal decompression with a DRX9000 is quickly becoming a popular alternative to traditional medical treatment for lower back pain.

But many potential patients wonder what spinal decompression is all about. Is it safe? Is it painful? Who can recieve this therapy? What does the machine look like?

Here is a brief introductory video into Spinal Decompression…

For more information on spinal decompression and to see if it is the therapy for you, visit http://orangespinaldecompression.com

Back Pain from Disc Dehydration with No Disc Bulge or Herniation and No Sciatica?

Lower Back Pain Diagnosis and Back Pain Treatment Information
Dr Barry L Marks, DC | Orange County Back Pain Specialist

A common question I get is “How can I have pain, when there is no disc bulge or herniated disc and there is no pressure on my nerves on the MRI? My doctor says I have no bulge so he doesn’t know why I hurt…”

It’s an excellent question really and one that often stumps doctors. The answer lies in the anatomy of the spine and disc in particular. Up until about 20 years ago doctors thought the discs and supporting ligaments of the spine had no nerve supply. We now know however that the outer layers of the disc called the annulus and the broad ligament that runs up and down the back of each spinal bone (posterior longitudinal ligament) are both supplied by the sinuvertebral nerve. This nerve carries pain impulses from these structures.

When you think of nerves, you may think of a sinlge wire leading from the spine to it’s intended target like wiring in your house or car. It’s a nice and neat way to think. The reality is however, that nerves are more like ivy. A main nerve may lead to the target, but once there the nerve divides into many tiny fibers that spread out over the area. So it is in your disc and posterior longitiduinal ligament.

So when your disc is in trouble and beghins to become dehydrated and deteriorates (degenerative disc disease) it has been found that your nerves begin multiplying and cover the area even more densly. This leads to a disc that is hypersensitive and when the nerves are irritated they bombard your brain with pain messages.  The nerves that are embedded in your discs tell the brain to sense pain directly over the spine. Therefore, if you have degenerative disc disease of your last disc, your L5 disc, you will perceive pain in the midline of your lower back just above your tailbone.

The reason you do not experience sciatica is because the nerves that cause sciatic pain (pain down your butt to your legs and feet)  are further away from the disc in the hole between the spinal bones known as the foramen. To irritate these nerves, there needs to be pressure into the foramen by either a space that is diminished by the two bones coming closer together as the disc deteriorates or from a bulge or herniation poking into the foramen and onto the nerves.

So, if you are sufferifng from pain that is in the midline of your spine and you have a positive MRI for dehydration (desiccation) or degenerative disc disease, but no bulge or herniation it is likely you are suffering from disc disease that is affecting the sinuvertebrtal nerve.

For more information on treating this type of back pain go to: http://orangespinaldecompression.com and http://cureforlowerbackpain.com

About Golf Back Pain

Dr. Barry L Marks, Chiropractor
Spinal Decomrpessioin Specialist in Orange County, CA

 Jack had it. Tiger has had it. Freddie too. Many of the elite of golf have had it.

The “it” is low back pain.

While very few recreational golfers have much in common with these legends, low back pain is the one thing shared by golfers of all skill levels.

Low back pain is reported to be the most common ailment affecting working age adults in the U.S., second only to the common cold. An astonishing 80% of Americans over the age of 30 will suffer at least 1 week of debilitating back pain during their lifetime. 

About Golf Back Pain
Amongst the nations 30 million golfers, back pain is even more prevalent.

According to back pain expert Dr. Barry L. Marks, DC who focuses much of his practice on golf related injuries, “Golf and back pain go hand in hand.” Dr. Marks adds, “Many people, even golfers themselves, do not realize what a physically demanding sport golf really is. The amount of strain placed on the lower back joints, discs and muscles is tremendous.”

Dr. Marks reports that overstretching and straining muscles that are cold and tight cause many injuries. “Golf can be rough on the back, but it is made even worse by golfers not stretching or warming up before a round.”

“Often overlooked is the fact that on public courses players take a shot and then wait around quite awhile before their next swing. This slow play causes the muscles to cool off and tighten up. Your next swing is with tight muscles making injuries more likely. Walking rather than riding a golf cart can help prevent this, but many courses do not allow walking.”

The most serious problems for golfers according to Dr. Marks include disc bulges, degeneration and herniation.

Golf Back Pain a serious problem…
“Symptoms of back pain that radiates to the buttocks, thighs or legs are very serious,” warns Dr. Marks. “These symptoms often mean that the cushions between the spinal bones of the low back have deteriorated or are bulging outwards into the nerves.”

Once this occurs, it’s definitely time to seek specialized help according to Dr. Marks. Severe back pain and sciatica (leg pain caused by disc material irritating the sciatic nerve) can come and go and is often helped by chiropractic manipulation, acupuncture or physical therapy. But questions often posed to Dr. Marks are: What about golf back pain that does not respond well to these treatments? And what can be done about golf back pain cases that seem to go away only to return a month of two later?

Surgery may not be the answer…
“Moderate to severe back pain and/or leg pain caused by deteriorating discs that fails to improve with non-invasive procedures or often reappear, were often thought to require surgery” replies Dr. Marks. “But today physicians realize that surgery has its place in treating these resistant cases, but only as a last resort.”

Searching the medical literature you will soon find that the most common type of back surgery (discectomy) has at most a 50% success rate and that at 12 months post-surgery surgery patients are no better off than non-surgically treated patients.

Additionally, patients undergoing surgery are prone to additional surgeries later on.  Second surgeries are usually fusions where two or more spinal bones or vertebrae are in various fashions tied or bolted together.

A study at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago found complications including infection, bleeding, nerve injury, severe pain, and repeat operations occur in 14% of fusions.

A 2004 Spine journal article found an 18% early complication rate with fusion. The Spine article also indicated no difference in pain or disability between surgical fusion patients and patients who did not have surgery, but who performed exercises and behavior modification.

A Cochrane Review in 2005 also found that surgical fusion did not experience any less disability or any better quality of life two years after the surgery than those who did not have surgery. These results seriously bring into question the efficacy of spinal fusions for back pain.

Despite the risks and apparent lack of success of surgical fusions, they are on the rise in the U.S. The increase in fusion rates was 100% from 1979 to 1990 according to a National Institutes of Health study. A Canadian study reported in the Canadian Medical Journal in August of 2005 found an astonishing 300% increase from 1996 to 2001.

In the past this very invasive form of treatment was saved for unstable spines, but over the past few years U.S. surgeons have increasingly began performing fusions for chronic low back pain. Some studies from the NIH have indicated that U.S. surgeons are 40% more likely to fuse than their counterparts in any other parts of the world.

Medical researchers say that surgery is mandatory in cases of severe and rapidly progressive neurologic signs such as loss of use one or both legs, inability to control the bladder or bowel or loss of sensation around the anus. “Other than those severe signs of spinal cord pressure, which is quite rare,” reports Dr. Marks, “studies show a lack of lasting results with surgery purely for pain relief.”

A better alternative…
The good news for golfers with severe back pain or leg pain is that advances in medical computer technology have lead to a promising new treatment called “non-surgical spinal decompression.” This new treatment for disc problems that cause back pain and sciatica has been clinically shown to relieve pain and can actually reduce the size of disc herniations. All without the risk and potential side effects of surgery.

“Golfers with severe back pain and/or sciatica have new hope with this new tool,” exclaims Dr. Marks. “More research is underway on non-surgical spinal decompression, but it is far from investigational.” The equipment Dr. Marks recommends is called the DRX9000, which is gaining favor in the medical field as a safe and effective means of relieving back and leg pain.

“The results I have personally seen with the DRX9000 are truly miraculous. I wouldn’t believe it unless I had seen it,” proclaims Dr. Marks.  “Patients that have failed acupuncture, chiropractic, physical therapy – even patients who have had previous surgery and failed, have gotten tremendous relief in a very short time. Best of all, they have gotten these results without the risks or side-effects of drugs, shots or surgery.”

Warning…
Dr. Marks warns golfers suffering from severe back and leg pain, however that treatment with the DRX9000 is not a cure-all. There are some patients who cannot receive this care due to underlying spinal problems. In fact, Dr. Marks reports that there is a careful screening process he conducts for anyone interested in this care.

“In my spinal decompression center, we go over the spine with a fine tooth comb,” explains Dr. Marks. “There is a standard checklist for DRX treatment, which we perform, but there are additional tests and procedures I have developed to make sure of the correct diagnosis, exact location of the troublesome disc or discs and a functional assessment to ensure maximum success of the decompression.”

“I do not accept anyone for care unless there is a clear indication that they are going to be an excellent candidate. Many cases are not accepted and sent to other specialists, but the only way to know if this treatment is possible is to be evaluated carefully,” concludes Dr. Marks.

Free Golfer’s Guide to Back Pain 
For Golfer’s considering this new form of treatment, Dr. Marks has prepared a free booklet entitled “The Golfer’s Guide to Severe Back, Disc and Sciatica Pain.”

The booklet is free of charge and reveals what golfers must know about golf back pain and how to get off the couch and back onto the course.

The booklet can be obtained by visiting PainlessGolf.com

In addition to the Free booklet, the website also details the most common causes of back pain amongst golfers and other useful information.

Dr. Barry L. Marks, DC is the founder and medical director of Orange County’s first dedicated DRX non-surgical spinal decompression center, Orange Spine & Disc Rehabilitation Center in Orange, California. He has been in practice for over 22 years, has extensive post-doctorate training in golf related injuries and is a former Associate Clinical Professor at a leading chiropractic college. His expertise on non-surgical spinal decompression is often sought from physicians and patients nationwide and globally. Axiom Worldwide, the manufacturer of the DRX9000, often refers other doctors to tour his model decompression facility.

Common Questions Asked by Disc Herniation Sufferers

Dr. Barry L. Marks Chiropractor
Orange County Spinal Decompression Specialist

Here are some common questions by disc herniation and degenerative disc sufferers prior to spinal decompression therapy:

How Bad Is It?
Any degree of disc dehydration and/or degeneration is very bad. When discs begin to fail, they rapidly deteriorate and compromise the function of your spinal nerves. The worse a disc gets, the more quickly it deteriorates causing more nerve problems. Permanent neurologic damage may result if nerves are compressed long enough.

Can It Be Fixed?
Not all disc problems are fixable. Some people have let their discs get too bad before seeking an answer. The good news is that even patients with very severe disc degeneration have gotten relief from DRX therapy. If we accept your case, you have at least an 86% chance of getting better. You have a 0% chance of recovery if you do nothing.

What Will Happen If I Don’t Fix It Now?
As stated previously, discs problems tend to accelerate with time. If you wait too long, you may not be a candidate for non-surgical spinal decompression. Wait longer and you will no longer be a surgical candidate and have to live with permanent nerve damage, excruciating pain and disability.

Why Should I Choose Your Office for Spinal Decompression therapy?

Experience: We have been doing DRX therapy longer than anyone in Orange County. Dr. Marks has over 20 years experience as a doctor of chiropractic and is a former Associate Clinical Professor. He has taken years of post-doctorate training to become known as a specialist in spinal orthopedics.

Trust: Many doctors, chiropractic and medical, refer their cases to Dr. Marks. They understand that they will get an honest and accurate diagnosis and the best possible care for their patient’s problem.

Results: Many of our patients have already been through other supposed “spinal decompression” programs and failed. Our unique treatment system using the InsightSystem computer spinal analysis, DRX non-surgical spinal decompression and the Erchonia Cold Laser has been proven to work even when all other methods have failed.

I’m sure if you have suffered from back pain or sciatica and it has not responded to acupuncture, chiropractic, physical therapy or shots and you are looking for an alternative to surgery, you may have had these same questions mulling over in your mind.

For a Free Back Pain report explaining why your back hurts, why other treatments have failed, and whether spinal decompression is the answer for you, follow this link

“Pain in Low Back?”

Dr Barry L Marks
Chiropractor, Orange County, CA
Back Pain & Spinal Decompression Specialist

If you are suffering from pain in low back, the most obvious question is why?

Here are the most common causes of lower back pain:

• Back muscle strain
• Subluxation or misalignment of spinal bones
• Arthritis of joints AKA “facet syndrome”
• Degenerative disc disease
• Bulging disc
• Disk herniation or herniated disc or slipped disc
• Spinal stenosis caused by disc bulge or arthritis or both
• Foraminal stenosis caused by herniated disc or arthritis or both

To see what might be causing your back pain or sciatica, review this article.

Okay, so now you’ve identitifed what could possibly cause your pain in low back, now what?

Best treatments for lower back pain from strain, misalignment, mild to moderate arthritis or facet syndrome: (In order)

1. Chiropractic with physiotherapy modalities and rehabilitative exercises
2. Physical therapy
3. Acupuncture

Best treatment for back pain or sciatica caused by disc bulge, disc herniation or stenosis:

• DRX9000 Spinal Decompression
• No other treatment method has been proven to reduce disc herniation size, rehydrate the disc or repair the disc.

As you have just learned, pain in low back has many causes and treatment depends on what is at the root of your problem. It’s important to remember that everyone is different, some people respond well to one method while others do not. The key is to keep trying until you find the solution that is right for your particular condition. Your health and your life are too important to just give up on.

More information on DRX9000 spinal decompression and how it might help your pain in low back here

Free Back Pain book offer here

Common Back Pain and Spinal Decompression Questions

Dr Barry L Marks
Chiropractor, Orange County, CA
Back Pain & Spinal Decompression Specialist

Back Pain & Spinal Decompression Quick Answers

These are quick answers to popularly asked questions from our blog

Bulging disc treatment in Anaheim, Anaheim Hills, Brea, Buena Park, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Irvine, La Habra, Orange, Placentia, Santa Ana, Tustin, Villa Park, Yorba Linda? Yes, our Orange, CA office is centrally located in Orange County at the intersection of the 5, 22 and 57 freeways. We can be reached within 30 minutes from all of OC and many parts of LA, Long Beach, Corona, etc.

Do disc bulges get worse with time? Yes. Disc disease is a progressive, degenerative process. Each year the disc loses more water and weakens. The bulging may progress slowly, but eh disc itself is getting sicker and sicker until it totally fails and nerves become damaged. Disc disease must be treated as soon as it is identified to prevent major complications.

Deteriorating discs at 33? Yes. Many patients suffer disc injuries in their teens and twenties from sports, work, accidents, etc and then by their thirties disc disease becomes apparent. About 20% of my practice involves disc disease sufferers under the age of 40.

What type of abdomen exercise is safe for disc herniation? A modified crunch or Pilates “hundreds” are safe for disc pain. See this post here.

Back exercises for disc degenerative disease? Herniated disc core exercises? Try these posts for some great back exercises safe for bulging disc and degenerative disc disease: Core exercises 1 Core exercises 2

Bulging disc stretching exercise? Back stretching exercises here Exercise for relief of acute back pain here.

How do you treat a bulging disk? Two options: 1. symptomatic relief only with drugs, chiropractic, physical therapy or injections. Pain will diminish, but disc will continue to deteriorate over time. 2. DRX9000 spinal decompression to repair the damaged disc. The disc is bulging due to dehydration and damage. Only spinal decompression is able to re-hydrate the disc and repair it.

Why an MRI? X-rays only show bones and the spaces between the bones where the disc lives. They do not show the actual disc itself or the nerves. An MRI is able to show the disc, it’s hydration and health level and if it is bulging. The MRI scan will also show if any nerve impingement is occurring and at which levels. Without an MRI, your doctor is in the dark.

How many treatments of spinal decompression to repair a disc? It depends on the severity of your disc problem. 20 is a minimum number based on research. Average is about 25. I have had some patients require 30 or more before they were stabilized.

How much does spinal decompression cost? Touchy subject. It depends on the severity of your case. Prices among offices vary from $4,000 to $7,000. If you have insurance that covers, you will pay less out of pocket. Obviously with a price tag in the thousands price is one factor to consider when deciding who to go to. But there are many other factors to consider like experience, doctor’s credentials and background, facilities, will the doctor take care of me or a technician, the technician’s credentials, ease of appointments, doctor-patient rapport, friendliness of staff, ease of doing business, clear explanation of the procedure, knowledge of your particular type of disc problem, etc. A “cheap” office may not provide you with the training and experience you need to care for your particular problem. A high priced office may provide excellent care, but are the extra’s you are paying for worth it? Our moderately priced program (under $5,000) includes up to 26 sessions and if you need an MRI, but don’t have one, we will show you how you can get one Free as part of your spinal decompression program in our office.

Do you have testimonials from satisfied spinal decompression patients? Of course. Here are a few. But we also have actual patients who have volunteered to call upon prospective candidates and tell them their story and how they’ve been helped.

If you have a question that has not been addressed here, please submit your question or commnet and I will do my best to make the information available to you.

Spinal lumbar disc pain

Dr Barry L Marks
Doctor of Chiropractic
DRX9000 Decompression Specialist Orange County, CA

New Treatment for Spinal Lumbar Disc Pain

If you have back pain or sciatica and you’ve tried chiropractic and physical therapy with no relief, you may have stenosis, disc herniation or a degenerative disc. These causes of lower back pain often resist treatment by chiropractors, therapists and acunpuncture.

In the past, back surgery such as a laminectomy or spinal fusion were your only option. Spinal surgery for disc pain is often unsuccessful and has many serious side effects such as nerve damage, infection, bleeding, repeat surgeries, failure and more, which is probably why you are wary of even contemplating this form of treatment for your spinal pain.

Luckily there is a modern alternative to back decompression surgery. If you are suffering from spinal lumbar disc pain there is hope for relief of your back pain without chiropractic, physical therapy, drugs, shots or surgery.

DRX9000 Spinal Decompression

The treatment is called DRX9000 Decompression or spinal decompression. This is a relatively new computerized medical procedure that is an advancement over older, outdated lumbar traction. Whereas lumbar traction uses unsophisticated mechanical winches to pull on the spine, true spinal disc decompression with the DRX9000 uses a computer controlled system that not only pulls on the spine to decompress the discs, but also “senses” how much resistance your body has and adjusts the amount of pull.

This and other patented features, has resulted in a medical technology than can relieve disc pain in over 80% of cases.

Discs that were once dehydrated (desiccated), herniated, bulging or degenerative can now be repaired. The DRX9000 can increase the amount of water in the disc, decrease the size of bulging and herniated discs and relieve nerve pressure causing sciatica. It can even help the back and leg pain from stenosis. All without chiropractic, physical therapy, drugs, shots or spine surgery or decompression surgery. And it can accomplish this in as few as only 5 weeks.

But like any medical procedure, some patients will not medically qualify for DRX9000 Spinal Disc Decompression. Follow this link now to see if your spinal lumbar disc pain can be relieved by spinal decompression and receive a Free Consumer’s Guide to Severe Back Pain.

Dr Barry L Marks, chiropractor in Orange, CA has over 22 years experience in spinal orthopedics and is a former Associate Clinical Professor at a leading Chiropractic College. He is an author and lectures on Back Pain and Spinal Decompression. He is the Medical Director of Orange County, CA’s first Dedicated DRX9000 Spinal Decompression Center Orange Spine & DIsc Rehabilitation Center at 2401 W. Chapman Ave, SUite 102, Orange, CA 92868.

Treatment for Bulging Discs, Disk Herniation, Degenerative Disc Disease

Dr Barry L Marks
Chiropractor, Orange County Spinal Decompression Specialist

Fair warning before reading this article…it may offend certain people with pet causes and who cling to their beliefs no matter what the facts tell them.

Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Drugs, Exercise, Physical Therapy and Surgery CANNOT cure disc disease.

Let that sink in for a few seconds longer before moving on…

I have been a practicing chiropractor for over 22 years. I truly believe in my soul that every spine should be regularly adjusted by a chiropractor. My family and friends all receive regular chiropractic care. I believe that a properly functioning spine increases the immune response and therefore will help resist disease.

But, I know my limitations.

Same goes for acupuncture, drugs, therapy, etc. Tremendous relief can be experienced at the hands of these practitioners, but they have limitations as well.

All of the therapies listed above can help reduce inflammation, spasm and pain. They might be able to improve mobility and get you to walk a little better.

But not one of them can repair a degenerative disc. All they can hope for is, at best, is to slow down the deterioration.

If you think surgery can repair a disk herniation, consider this sobering fact. Surgical intervention in disc disease involves cutting or burning away of the bulge. In other words, the disc material is being removed and the disc fibers that are left behind are damaged and repair themselves with scar tissue. Scar tissue is not like disc tissue. It is less flexible, weaker and prone to inflammation. And that is why within 5 years of a first surgery, approximately 70% of patients require a second surgery.

Okay, so is all hope lost? Is there no treatment out there that can repair a damaged disc?

Yes and No.

First the “yes.”

A fairly new computerized medical technology called spinal decompression CAN repair a disc. It has been proven in several studies and more importantly in my own office, that DRX9000 spinal decompression DOES increase disc hydration levels (puts water back into the disc). Spinal decompression DOES reduce the size of disc bulges and herniations. Read this for proof. Thousands of patients each year are now finding relief of their disc related back pain without chiropractic, shots, therapy or surgery.

But it’s not a cure-all.

Sorry to rain on your parade. Before you run out to your car and drive over to the nearest DRX machine and jump on, you must realize that like every other medical treatment out there, there are limitations. Many patients cannot undergo spinal decompression due to physical problems and limitations. Others are so bad that the procedure cannot make up for the many decades of spinal neglect and abuse that some patients endure before finding this treatment.

But for the people that are good candidates, for those who have not allowed their spine to totally deteriorate, the DRX9000 spinal decompression unit can be a God send. I have personally seen patients who could not walk go back to exercising within weeks. I’ve seen people suffering from debilitating leg pain for many years find relief within days.

Spinal decompression with the DRX9000 gives back pain and sciatica sufferers their best chance for repairing a damaged disc and finding relief.

To learn more, order a Free Consumer’s Guide to Severe Back and Leg pain.

You may also learn more online at Orange Spinal Decompression.