Advancement in treatment for chronic thoracic pain

I had an accident in 2000 which left me with a severe dysfunction of the thoracic spine with associatesd soft tissue damage and muscle spasm.

I have been treated with manipulations, diclophenac, co drydamol, theraputic massage and TENS. The pain can be so unbearable I have even tried Rekki, crystal healing and other nonsense to try to ease it.

I attended a pain clinic for a number of months which helped me greatly but I have reached a plateau, my back is in constant pain, most of the time it is manageable but at times it is immobilising and torturous.

At the time of the accident the only surgical treatment that was offered was a procedure that would fuse my ribs to my spine which seemed overly drastic to me.

I was wondering if there have been any advancements in treatment over the past few years or if you can give me any advice to cope with the pain.

Many thanks in advance.

[Adam Tanase, D.C.]

The funny thing about the spine is that much can be done for the cervical area (neck), much can be done for the lumbar area (lower back), but when it comes to the thoracic spine (everything in the middle), there aren't really any specific treatments tailor made for it.

It's a very difficult area to address structurally because of all the rib attachments. Motion is limited because of the cage-like design.

You might benefit from consulting with an Upper Cervical specialist (www.UpCspine.com) in your area. Addressing how the head/neck are balanced over the shoulders could reduce the compensatory mechanical stress present in the thoracic vertebrae, thereby giving you the relief you're seeking.

Adam Tanase, D.C.
www.drtanase.com