Positive Health Online

I asked some of my graduates at Morley College (www.morleycollege.ac.uk) to send me case studies on people with severe back problems to demonstrate the effectiveness of this therapy. I will be offering two workshops at CAM Expo in October (www.camexpo); also the next diploma course at Morley College starts in October. Visit www.neuroskeletal.co.uk to find a practitioner near you.

Case Study One – Bulging Disc

This patient came for treatment after reading the NSRT website. He had paid for a private MRI scan, and the Consultant’s report showed degenerative changes at L4-L5 and S1. L2-L3 and L3-L4 showed a diffused bulge, with near straightening of the posterior concavity resulting in bilateral neural foramina narrowing with impression on the exiting nerve roots. L4-L5 also showed a diffused bulge with mild hypertrophy of the facet joints noted at L4-L5 and L5-S1. Needless to say, the patient presented with extreme lower back pain, plus right buttock pain and referred pain shooting down his right leg to the calf area. A postural analysis was taken which showed some twisting in the pelvis (possibly the result of an earlier fall). On palpation, the right side of the sacrospinalis locked in spasm. After the first NSRT treatment, which included the use of an inversion table, the pain changed from being constant to intermittent, and he had even forgotten about it once or twice. The second treatment was repeated in the same way as the first, and two days later the treatment really took hold and he experienced extreme discomfort as his body adjusted itself. Since then the pain has diminished to just a light twinge. After this initial success, it was decided to offer remedial massage with trigger point therapy for the third treatment, and as I am also an aromatherapist, I used oils that are good for muscular pain: Lavandula x intermedia, Helichrysum italicum and Salvia sclarea. He then returned for the fourth treatment where we used just NSRT, and he reported that all the pain had now ceased. We then discussed starting gentle Pilates exercises to help strengthen the muscles that support the spine. He continues to be pain-free and returns for regular massage treatments now to maintain wellbeing.

Case Study Two – Spina Bifida Occulta

This patient was a part-time nurse manager in her 50s. She was suffering from long-term chronic back pain as a result of congenital spina bifida occulta. Her condition has been aggravated by lifting patients. She had tried Osteopathy but this did not relieve the pain, so she started taking analgesics painkillers two to three times per week. The patient’s recent MRI scan identified degeneration in L4 and C4-C6. Postural Analysis identified scoliosis of the spine. The right side of her pelvis was slightly higher than the left with significant hip rotation towards the right. After the first NSRT treatment she was pain-free for a few hours. During the second NSRT treatment, the pain had gone. Subsequently during the treatment, the pain came back, but mildly, and remained for the rest of the night, but was gone in the morning, and throughout the following week. After the third NSRT treatment she was pain-free at the end of the session. This lasted for a week. The patient reported that she was no longer having shoulder pain. After the fourth NSRT treatment she was pain-free for two weeks. When the pain did come back it was not as bad as it used to be, and she stopped her painkillers. Treatment was over a period of three months in which she had ten sessions. After the treatments stopped she had no pain for three months.

This patient strongly believes that if she has intermittent treatments she will stay pain-free. For her this therapy has been very successful.

 

Case Study Three – Chronic Back Pain

This patient had lower back pain for 20 years, ever since he fell backwards onto the corner of a table. At the hospital he was told there was some damage to his spine, and that there was nothing that would help except ice-packs and painkillers. So for the next 20 years he suffered; sometimes it was so bad he could hardly stand up, at other times it was just a dull ache, but one way or another he had pain every day. It took four sessions of NSRT to get this patient pain-free, and another two sessions to keep him that way. It has been two years since his treatments and he has not experienced any return of the pain. He is delighted and gives my card out to lots of other people. I don’t always have such quick and startling results with long-standing problems, but the success rate is still very high.

Case Study Four – Prolapsed Disc

The patient was a 63-year-old man diagnosed with a prolapsed disc and arthritis around C3-C4. Neck problems had been prevalent for 30 years with whiplash-like symptoms. His sacroiliac joint had seized up several years ago, and in his worst episodes of excruciating pain he sweated intensely and fainted. He found chiropractic too painful, and was on maximum doses of NSAIDS for three months. Weekly treatments were given with NSRT. Immediately after his first treatment, his neck felt stiff, but loosened again after an hour. The patient then had three good days before the neck and back pain returned for two days, then eased again. A similar process followed for the next three treatments, until pain completely disappeared for longer periods. After a massage and another NSRT treatment, the patient noticed definite improvements in his quality of life. He had benefited from NSRT and had enjoyed the gentle treatments.