Dr. Butwell Helps Back Pain Sufferers Fight Fear Avoidance and Move More

Fear of back pain? Once you have had it, you answer “yes!” Your Georgetown chiropractor totally understands this. Georgetown back pain and neck pain patients do not want to experience that pain again. Dr. Butwell helps spine pain sufferers get their confidence back with encouragement and exercise. 

FEAR AVOIDANCE DUE TO BACK PAIN

Back pain sufferers don't want to revisit back pain if they have any options at all. That desire - whether obvious or subtle, stated or just ruminated in the mind – sets up the ‘perfect storm’ for a behavior called fear-avoidance. Patients with persistent spinal pain syndrome - post-surgically generated or not – elicited high levels of fear avoidance, anxiety, and depression. (1) Researchers noted that the pain experience is not just physical as emotions, behaviors and beliefs are mixed in, too. Fear avoidant behavior like fearing the act of lifting an object grows and impacts muscle behavior without realizing it. A recent study compared fear-avoidant beliefs and the lumbar spine paraspinal muscle activity use while lifting in both back pain and in pain-free persons. Fear of lifting an object with a flexed spine as documented in a questionnaire was negatively related with erector spinae activity to protect the spine from harm. The proper way to lift has been debated for a long time. Lifting with a straight back has been described as safer than lifting with a flexed back though research has not necessarily supported that while lifting with a lordotic posture has been reported to result in more erector spinae muscle activity resulting in muscle fatigue and pain.  (2) Dr. Butwell knows the significance of handling fear avoidance and its link to better quality of life.

HOW TO MANAGE FEAR AVOIDANCE

Researchers noted that back pain sufferers today ‘get’ that they must keep active but some require a little more support and encouragement to move and exercise due to a lack of confidence in their backs’ ability to exercise without triggering pain. The healthcare provider not only can share the latest findings on pain control but also teach the back pain patient to be physical in the safest way possible. (3) If you’re that patient, Dr. Butwell is your coach! We’re a team and can help you move easier and with less fear and provide gentle, relieving spinal manipulation. Three months of chiropractic manipulation and exercise for older adults with chronic back pain improved their self-efficacy and fear-avoidant behaviors together with reductions in disability. A 30% or more drop in the Oswestry Disability Index indicated positive response to care. (4) The more engaged a patient is with treatment, the greater the influence on the feeling of self-efficacy and disability reduction. (5) Let’s work together to control your Georgetown back pain so it does not control you. 

CONTACT Dr. Butwell

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Tom Menendez on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he illustrates the relief with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for an older patient with back pain for whom fear avoidance is understandable.

Make your Georgetown chiropractic appointment now so that if you are asked if you fear back pain, you can say “no”!