By Jackie

Long before Clear Passage Therapies existed, Belinda and Larry Wurn opened a physical therapy clinic to help people with chronic pain. The Wurns helped so many patients that their clinic grew to five clinics across the state of Florida. The Wurns eventually sold their clinics and opened Clear Passage Therapies to address infertility and chronic pain.

Chronic pain remains near and dear to the hearts of the Wurns and they continue to treat patients in debilitating pain. An entire section of their upcoming book, Miracle Moms, Better Sex, Less Pain, is devoted to pain, including chapters about chronic pain, post-surgical pain, endometriosis pain, and menstrual pain.

In the chronic pain chapter, the Wurns begin the chapter with an explanation of what lead them to treat chronic pain and their initial success in this area. They also explain the foundation of their treatment: adhesions. They then share two patient stories that illustrate the importance of adhesions and treating the body as in interconnected puzzle, instead of separate parts (see An Unexpected Cause of Chronic Headaches). The Wurns then dive into specific conditions, explaining how the Wurn Technique can help. The conditions include:

• Abdominal Pain, including Rae’s story of unexplained abdominal pain. For more information about abdominal pain, you can also see Study Examines the Role Between Adhesions and Chronic Abdominal Pain
  
• Back Pain, including feedback from patients who came for treatment for infertility and surprising found their back pain was also reduced. Also see Your Mother Was Right: Stand up Straight!
• Fibromyalgia
• Headaches, along with a story about Barbara who experienced severe headaches after a car accident. Also see An Unexpected Cause of Chronic Headaches.
• Myofascial Pain syndrome
• Pelvic Organ Pain, including a story by Marcella who experienced pelvic pain after a c-section
• TMJ pain
• Tailbone pain

To learn more about our upcoming book, visit our book page here. You can also sign-up for our newsletters that feature stories by former patients and share free e-chapters from the book. To learn more about our treatment for chronic pain, you can visit our chronic pain page.

By Jackie

People who suffer from low-back pain often wait to see their doctor because they think they may have “temporarily strained” or hurt their back. No one wants to spend extra time or money seeing the doctor if the condition will just go away by itself.

But if weeks go by and the pain still persists, it is a smart move for you to consult your doctor. Depending on the severity of the pain, the location of the pain, and what caused the pain to occur, he or she may suggest you undergo lumbar imaging (radiography, CT scan, or MRI).

If you doctor doesn’t suspect any serious underlying condition, you may not need the lumbar imaging. A recent study published in Lancet (Feb 2009) examined the use of lumbar imaging for patients with low-back pain. The study examined patients with low-back pain who had no history or clinical features suggestive or serious low-back problems. They then divided the patients into two separate groups: those who immediately underwent lumbar imaging and those who were treated with regular clinical care. When the study followed up with the two groups in the short term (3 months) and long-term (6 months), they found no differences in quality of life, level of pain or function, mental health, overall improvement, or satisfaction with treatment.

The study was so sure of its results that it recommended, “Clinicians should refrain from routine, immediate lumbar imaging in patients with acute or subacute low-back pain and without features suggesting a serious underlying condition.”

What this means for you, as a patient with low-back pain, is that you do not have to immediately undergo lumbar imaging if your doctor doesn’t suspect an underlying condition. This may be a hard choice, especially because in American culture we want answers immediately. However, you may be better served to follow the clinical treatment options first, save the extra money, and try other alternative treatments (try reading Yoga Can Decrease Your Low Back Pain). If your pain continues to persist, your doctor can schedule you for any tests you may need.

By Jackie

Whose mother hasn’t told them to stand up straight? Most mothers remind their children of proper posture so that they stand taller, breathe deeper, look stronger, and because, well, their mothers told them to do it too.

Mom’s advice does far more than make you look good; it’s pivotal to good health. Improper posture can lead to numerous problems including:

• Decreased lung capacity
• Neck pain
• Ligament stress
• Back pain
• Shoulder tightness
• Abnormal joint wear
• Increased muscle fatigue
• Constricted blood flow
• Adhesion Formation
• Chronic pain throughout the body

How does all of this happen just from poor posture? First, poor posture happens a lot more than you think. Improper posture can occur while seated at a computer, eating lunch, driving a car, walking, or even leisurely sitting. A person can go through an entire day with improper posture.

Improper posture puts unnecessary stress on ligaments and muscles in the body. This eventually leads to fatigue, soreness, pain, and inflammation. When inflammation occurs, cross-links begin to form within the muscles. These cross-links can continue to build, causing tightness, pain, and adhesions.

When your body isn’t in its natural alignment, blood vessels and nerves can become constricted – leading to decreased blood flow and fatigue. Improper posture also puts unnecessary pressure on joints and organs that weren’t designed to experience that pressure day after day.

What can you do if you experience symptoms due to improper posture? First step: change your posture! To learn how to sit properly at your computer, read our article on Seven Tips to Limit Back and Neck Pain. Second, understand that your body may not be able to naturally return to its proper alignment. Chronic poor posture can lead to adhesive patterns that prevent the ligaments and muscles from relaxing to their natural position. Clear Passage Therapists frequently see this in patients who come to the clinic for chronic neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain, and headaches. To learn more about our treatment for these conditions, please visit our chronic pain page.

A tailbone pushed forward can pull on the spinal cord, causing tension at the base of the skull

By Jackie

If you experience chronic headaches and are currently sitting, the answer to your problem may be directly underneath you – your tailbone.

Although you may never have thought of your tailbone and skull as connected, they are in fact united by the dura. The dura is the thick collagenous covering of the spinal cord that runs from the base of the skull all the way down to the tailbone. When a person experiences a serious trauma (such as a car accident or fall), the tailbone can be pushed forward or to one side. When it is out of its correct position, the tailbone can pull on the dura, creating tightness at the base of the skull and recurrent headaches.

Years ago, Belinda and Larry Wurn treated a patient, Michael, who was in a serious construction accident. When Michael came for treatment, he experienced chronic pain throughout his body, walked with a severe limp, and had minimal function of his hands. The Wurns enabled Michael to walk properly, regain full use of his hands, and break free from the constant pain throughout his body. However, Michael still experienced severe headaches daily.

Determined to help, the Wurns paid special attention to the tissues around Michael’s head. While tractioning his head, Larry noticed an “anchoring sensation.” Larry explained, “It felt like the tissues of his neck and at the base of his skull were anchored much further down.” After discussing his findings with Belinda, they decided to treat Michael’s tailbone. After treatment, Michael never experienced headaches again.

If you would like to learn more about how adhesions may be causing your chronic headaches, please visit our headaches page. To learn more about treatment for tailbone pain or dysfunction, please visit our tailbone page.

Clear Passage Therapies offers seven steps to help shoppers avoid stiffness and back and neck pain while shopping online this Holiday season.

Gainesville, FL (PRWEB) December 3, 2008 – As the Christmas season begins, more and more shoppers are turning to their computers to find the perfect gifts. Clear Passage Therapies, a recognized leader in manual physical therapy for adhesions, pain, and infertility, offers seven steps to help online holiday shoppers ease or eliminate pain.

Larry Wurn, Director of Clinical Studies, Clear Passage Therapies, and co-author of a new book Miracle Moms, Better Sex, Less Pain, says, “Poor posture and increased time at the computer can lead to head, neck, and shoulder pain and stiffness.”

Wurn suggests the following tips to improve online shopping stamina and avoid postures that can cause pain:

1)     Start with a solid foundation – find a good chair that supports your back and forearms.

2)     Your feet should touch the floor. If they don’t, use a footrest to give yourself additional support.

3)     Adjust the height of your computer screen to the same level as your eyes. Wurn says, “If your screen is adjusted too low, the muscles at the back of your neck work overtime, causing chronic neck and shoulder pain or headaches at the base of the skull.”

4)     Avoid hunching forward since this causes neck strain and spasm. If you keep a reverse curve in your low back, your upper body will generally be in a near-perfect position to relieve strain. You can put a small pillow or little section of the newspaper in your low back to remind you to sit up straight. According to Wurn, “When you need to lean closer to the screen, bend from the hips, not the low back.”

5)     Let your shoulders relax. The body is more stable when the shoulders are down, resting on the torso. If you are not sure whether your shoulders are relaxed, lift them once and then let them drop.

6)     Get up and move at least once every hour – more often if possible. Mobility is an essential part of life and helps avoid chronic pain.

7)     Support your forearms by placing them on the arm-rests of your chair. Ideally, your wrists should be slightly lower than your elbows. 

Wurn writes more about chronic pain and posture, and treatment for people with chronic pain in Miracle Moms, Better Sex, Less Pain, a book he is co-authoring to be published in January. The table of contents is available at the Clear Passage Therapies blog to spur discussions with readers on important topics. A free e-book excerpt from the book will be available in December at http://www.clearpassage.com.

Clear Passage Therapies offers six back-saving tips to help holiday shoppers ease or eliminate back pain during an all-day shopping spree.

Gainesville, FL November 21, 2008 — Clear Passage Therapies, a recognized leader in manual physical therapy for adhesions, pain, and infertility, offers six back-saving tips for holiday shoppers hitting the malls and outlets this season.

“Your low back is the center and core of your body,” says Larry Wurn, President and Director of Clinical Studies, Clear Passage Therapies. “Taking care of your low back is key in maintaining a strong, healthy body overall.”

According to Wurn, the six major tips shoppers should use to reduce potential back pain associated with a long day of shopping are

1. Wear comfortable shoes with good cushioning support; flip-flops and high heeled shoes are not recommended.
2. Avoid carrying any weight (e.g. purse, presents, or a baby) on one side of your body. “Weighty objects should be carried close to the center of your body to minimize stress on your low. back,” he said. “Hold them in close – or use a back-pack attached evenly on both shoulders.”
3. Condense your large purse to a smaller lightweight satchel to keep the excess weight to a minimum.
4. When you can, use a cart instead of a hand-basket for your purchases. A cart will not only take a huge weight off your shoulders and back, it will lend valuable support to your low back.
5. Don’t let the stress of shopping cause you to lift your shoulders. High shoulders are inefficient, carry less weight and can quickly cause neck pain or headaches during a day of shopping. Let your shoulders relax onto your chest; then use your arms to lift, keeping your packages low and close to your body.
6. Concrete and tiled floors can be hard on the back so take regular breaks to sit, or elevate your feet. A 5 to 10 minute break off your feet for every hour of shopping is a good plan.

Wurn and his wife, Belinda, are currently co-authoring a book, ‘Miracle Moms, Better Sex, Less Pain’, that examines their non-surgical manual physical therapy (Wurn Technique®). The therapy has been shown in peer-reviewed medical journals to reduce adhesions, decrease pain, and restore function. It has proven effective for many people without the risks or side effects of surgery or drugs. It can be used as a stand-alone treatment or in conjunction with other treatments.

‘Miracle Moms’ will be published this winter, with medical insights by research gynecologist and co-author Richard King, MD. A ‘sneak peek’ is available at the Clear Passage Therapies blog to spur discussion with readers on important topics. A free e-book excerpt chapter will be available in December at http://www.clearpassage.com.

By Jackie

A study published in July of 2008 found that an intensive one week program of yoga can reduce chronic low back pain. The yoga program was specifically designed for low back pain and consisted of postures, breathing practice, meditation, and an introduction to the philosophical concepts of yoga.  The participants in the program experienced decreased pain and increased spinal flexibility, spinal flexion, spinal extension, right lateral flexion, and left later extension.

Before you jump into the first yoga class you can find, there are a few things to consider. If you have never practiced yoga before, it is best to start with an introductory or gentle class. These classes will show you the basics of yoga so that you can breathe properly and complete postures without hurting yourself. Once you have learned the basics, you can move on to more advanced classes. Keep in mind that there are many different styles, so make sure to ask about the style and what makes it unique before joining the class.

If you try a yoga class and you don’t like it, don’t give-up yet. The teacher makes all of the difference in a yoga class. Even within the same style of yoga, teachers use different techniques, assist participants differently, explain postures and breathing differently, use different kinds of music, do different series of postures, determine the intensity of the practice, and much more. Try a few different teachers before you rule-out yoga altogether.

If you don’t have time to work yoga into your schedule now, try doing stretching at least once a day. In the yoga study, the participants were compared to a control group who only practiced physical exercises. Participants in the control group also experienced increased flexibility and decreased pain (though not as much as those who practiced yoga). So, if you don’t have time to make it to a yoga class, try doing some simple stretches in the morning or at night before you go to bed.

If you would like to read more about causes of low back pain, visit our back pain page.