DMX: Injuries and pain that change your life: Back pain

Your back...it essentially makes your life easier or harder.  When your back is healthy you don't really "think" about it.  When it hurts...it's all you think about.



Your back protects your spine and all that your spine protects.  Your spinal cord and the nerves inside the spinal cord are highly sensitive and once this area is damaged...your life changes.

What produces back pain?  There are many different areas of your back, that if injured, can cause pain.  One type of pain is the irritation of the nerve roots that run down your arms and legs that can cause numbness in these extremities.  

Another injury could be to the disc, bones, joins or ligaments to the spine.
When you have a back injury it is important that you KNOW what is causing the injury.  Many people spend a lot of time treating the symptoms without really knowing the cause.  X-rays are usually ordered first and depending on what is discovered with the x-rays "treatment" is determined.  When that treatment is not working than MRI's are usually ordered. Here is my problem with this.  How long does treatment for symptoms happen before the reason is actually discovered.  I have discussed the importance of getting the best information as early as possible.  Watch this VIDEO on Digital Motion X-rays and learn there is a better way to discover your injuries EARLY ON!!

Back pain ranges from acute (usually lasts from a few days to a few weeks) to chronic (lasting for more than three months).  When a person has back pain it is important to understand why and where.  The pain may be constant, intermittent or only occur with certain activities.  Pain may be in one area or radiate to other areas of the body.  It can from range dull ache to a sharp, piercing or burning sensation.

A person with back pain is offered pain medication, surgery or physical therapy.  When you know what is causing the pain and you treat the injury not the symptoms your quality of life will be better and healing will be faster.  

What is important to know when you have back pain....the sooner you know what is causing it; the sooner you are on your road to recovery.  There are other options other than pain medication and surgery!  

Don't settle for the old X-rays....choose Digital Motion X-Ray!  

Please like Colorado Car Wreck | Your Auto Injury Clinic on Facebook or visit their website.

Dr. Jere Sutton of the Colorado Car Wreck is a Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon

Back to School. Getting them ready and keeping them safe.

It is that time already.  
School Supplies
School Clothes

This time of year always comes with mixed emotions...Parents are happy that routines get back to normal but cringe at all the school supplies that they are required to purchase for their children.

I don't know about you but I do know that when I go into WalMart and see all the list of supplies that each grade must have I wonder how it got this way.  I may be dating myself but when I went to school we needed a notebook, pencil, rule, glue and occasionally we would need poster board for science.  I don't know how parent's afford their children going to public schools when they have more than one child.  Many of my friends who have 2+ children in school all say the same thing, "with the cost of supplies it's difficult to buy school clothes."  Many of my friends will not purchase some items on the list because of the cost.  I understand that the budget is down for schools and I have the utmost respect for teachers but how do parents do it?

The response from children about going back to school is usually dread....until that first day.  The dread comes from having to wake up early and function before 8:00 am.

Now is the time to start getting your child(ren) ready for this.

• Start having them have that dreaded "bedtime" again and start making it earlier and closer to the time they will have when school starts.
• Start having them wake up earlier and gradually work towards the time they will need to wake up when school starts.
• If your child hasn't done much "school work" or "thinking" this summer get them back on track now.  Reading is a great way to get them prepared.
• Talk to your children about safety going to and from schools whether they ride the bus or not.  The bus stops, puts out the stop sign for cars to stop but let's be honest....none of us are "used" to that so start talking to your child(ren) now about safety of getting on and off the bus.
• If your child walks to and from school you can never talk to them enough about strangers approaching them.  Have a "code word" that only you, your child and anyone who would be allowed to pick them up would know. Here is the link to the Pueblo County Sexual Offender list.  Put your school and your home address in to see how many are in your neighborhood.  Want to see all of them in a nutshell go to this website.

Colorado Car Wreck | The Auto Injury Clinic is urging all drivers to please watch out for children in the upcoming months.  They will be walking, riding their bikes, getting on and off the bus.  Start today by watching for school zones and slowing down so when school starts the "lack of doing it" doesn't cause a child to by injured.  Let's make this a safe year going back to school.

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Please share any tips you have for getting ready for back to school