by Alicia Savino, DC, LMT

I am always on the look out for health care providers that partner with their patients to provide integrative and holistic care. Dr. Savino’s unique skill set provides just such an experience. Be well.

Too often, in Western society, our bodies are looked at as pieces rather than a whole. What an orthopedist might define as disc pain, a neurologist might define as nerve pain, a massage therapist might define as muscular adhesions, and a chiropractor might define as joint misalignment. Our bodies, thankfully, aren’t that simple. Everything is integrated. Which means that when one aspect isn’t functioning properly, it affects the whole. Below is a case study of a patient who entered my office after suffering for years from chronic low back pain. This will illustrate my integrative approach to care.

History
A 60 year old woman entered my office recently complaining of chronic low back pain. Her pain first began 5 years prior. Originally, she experienced low back pain with numbness and tingling shooting into her left leg. Since that time, she has been receiving corticosteroid injections  around the injured disc and using prescription pain medications for the pain as needed. The patient stated that the injections work for about a year, but then they wear off and she starts the cycle again. Due to the prohibitive costs of a high deductible health insurance plan, she decided to look into alternative care this time around.

Exam
During the patient’s exam I found that her shoulders were rounded forward which created an altered center of gravity. Her right hip was raised compared to her left, rotated forward, and tilted towards the front. Upon feeling the patient’s spinal motion, I was able to find subluxations  (joints that were not moving properly) at her right sacroiliac joint, her 4th and 5th lumbar (low back) vertebrae, and her 9th through 12th thoracic (mid back) vertebrae. Next, I examined the patient’s soft tissue (muscle, fascia, ligaments, and tendons). She was found to have tight and restricted hip flexors (from sitting), paraspinal muscles  (from holding her body in place due to the altered center of gravity), and quadratus lumborum . Her fascia was restricted and pulling her body forward towards the right side. The patient also had very stiff and decreased low back range of motion. Lastly, the patient’s core was weak and not stabilizing her low back.

Treatment
As both a Chiropractor and Massage Therapist, I worked with this patient to address both the alignment issues and the soft tissues restrictions. We began her treatments with heat. This works to loosen up the muscles and fascia. Then we worked on stretching, massaging, and releasing the patient’s tight muscles and fascia. I used chiropractic adjustments for her subluxations (joints that aren’t moving properly). Lastly, due to the history of disc disease I used a decompression table to elongate her lumbar spine. For home work, I gave this patient specific stretches for her tight muscles and exercises for her weakened core.

Outcome
After a month of care this patient no longer has any low back pain or referred numbness and tingling. We were able to address all aspects of this patient’s pain. So, instead of masking the pain and inflammation  with injections and pain medications, I was able to use an integrative approach to find the underlying causes and to address them.

Alicia Savino is a Doctor of Chiropractic and Licensed Massage Therapist practicing in Delmar New York at Savino Chiropractic PLLC. She is also certified in the Webster Technique (a specific technique for treating expectant mothers) and specializes in pregnancy care. More information about her practice can be found at www.savinochiropractic.com or by contacting her at alicia.savino@gmail.com.

I truly love helping people not only feel better, but be able to function at their fullest capacity. I know how much being adjusted and balanced has improved my own life and I want to share that with my community.

Ann Carey Tobin, M.D., FAAFP, is a board certified family physician and certified Eden Energy Medicine practitioner. Her integrative medicine consultation practice, Partners in Healing, is located in Delmar. She can be reached at 518.506.6303, by e-mail at atobin.pih@gmail.com or visit www.partnersinhealing.info

Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes only. Please consult a medical practitioner regarding the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your symptoms or medical conditions.