Ever since our ancestors developed the ability to walk on two human spines became vulnerable to gravitational challenges. Granted, humans created defending mechanisms shaping their spines into four gentle curvatures that helped to absorb mechanical stress. Furthermore, hunters and gatherers’ strong paraspinal (around the spine) muscles protected them from shifts and slips in their back and neck. Modern humans are different. We sit a lot and eat a lot, are either inactive or engage in unnatural physical activities, and are stressed over many things that have nothing to do with core survivorship. People are pawns of their habits and prone to automated behaviour. Most of us do not realize self-harm until it is too late. Even when we do, we rarely change our patterns. The examples of the former are strenuous sports challenges, while smoking represents an example of the latter.
On the other hand, there is a generations-long fallacy concerning the medical treatment of back pain. A typical scenario includes a visit to a family doctor or emergency room following by recommendations to take anti-inflammatories, rest and see physiotherapist and orthopedic surgeon. Moreover, patients usually receive “good news,” reassuring them they have a 70% chance of getting better in 4-6 weeks. The alternative news is every third patient will not get better! Generic remedies do not usually work, and orthopedic surgeons do not treat back and neck pain unless they see a reason to operate. Referring all back and neck patients to spine surgeons does not make sense. It is a historically wrong automated medical decision pattern. Indeed, no one considers sending a patient with a common headache to a neurosurgeon. Still, people with back pain are doomed to wait to see an orthopedic specialist only to receive the same chant: “take an anti-inflammatory, do physio and give some time.” In recent years, surgeons initiated and developed programs led by physiotherapists and chiropractors that evaluate and triage patients without doctors. These programs work but to a certain extent. Patients do not need a surgeon but want to see a spine specialist anyway to guide non-physicians, advise, and offer advanced technical non-surgical methods. Unfortunately, traditional medical training does not have a “spinology” pathway. A neurologist may elect to specialize in treating headaches and receive formal education and coaching. Still, none of the residency programs include comprehensive education in spine health. Usually, doctors evolve and acquire skills and philosophy of spinology later in their career in orthopedics, rehabilitation or pain medicine. Spinology rejects the concept of “non-specific back/neck pain.” Therefore, the first pursuit is to establish a precise anatomical diagnosis. “If you alter the structure, you alter the function.” Almost any functional problem has an anatomical cause. Even when the cause cannot be fixed, diagnosing it allows finding detours and solutions to restore health. Spinology embraces a viewpoint and practical methods to help the spine function at its best possible level. Spinology program focused on two goals. The first is to alleviate pain and even address the pain source. It works as a reset button, helping brain to refocus from pain and fear to repair and function. The next step is to cater to individual needs by implementing a tailored approach to prevent re-injury and promote innate regenerative mechanisms. The program addresses habits and lifestyles by determining benchmarks and helping participants to achieve them via constant support of their needs and forming new habits.
