What We Treat

Neck & Back Pain Treatment in Murray UT

Dr. Clark specializes in the treatment of spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, herniated discs, sciatica with spinal decompression therapy and other proven, surgery-free methods. Learn more about each condition and its symptoms.

Degenerative Disc Disease

WHAT IS DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE?

Degenerative Disc Disease is the normal degeneration of your discs as you age.

Degenerative Disc Disease is a term which is used to describe the normal degeneration of your spinal discs as you age. This process includes a loss of fluid and the development of tiny tears or cracks in your discs that can cause pain or weakness.

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Herniated Discs

WHAT IS A HERNIATED OR BULGING DISC?

When your disc is damaged or torn, the nucleus—the soft jelly-like substance inside the disc—can leak out. If it leaks out completely, it’s called a herniated disc. If the layers of the outer material (annulus) are not all completely torn, discs can bulge without herniating. It’s like if you step on a balloon and it doesn’t pop. The balloon bulges out to one side or the other without the rubber breaking.

When a disc bulges or herniates, it is a major cause of back pain. It can also pinch the delicate nerves that pass by as they exit the spine and go into the legs or arms. That’s what can cause radiating pain. In other words, pain, tingling, and numbness going down your leg or arm and possibly into your toes or fingers!

This radiating pain is often referred to as sciatica in the leg or cervical radiculopathy in the arm.

As the outer portion of the disc weakens, the pressure on the disc causes the inner nucleus to migrate through the small cracks and fissures that have been created. This pressure changes with various activities, and an activity such as lifting incorrectly can dramatically increase the pressure inside the disc.

When the pressure in the disc increases, the forces push the inner material outward. And if there are small cracks or tears in the outer fibers of the disc, this material can literally “squeeze out.”

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Sciatica

WHAT IS SCIATICA?

Sciatica refers to pain, tingling, or numbness along the sciatic nerve, which runs from the bottom of your spinal cord down the back of the leg.

Sciatica refers to pain, tingling, or numbness along the sciatic nerve, which runs from the bottom of your spinal cord down the back of the leg. This condition commonly occurs when the nerve roots that lead to the sciatic nerve are compressed.

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Spinal Stenosis

WHAT IS SPINAL STENOSIS?

Spinal Stenosis is a Narrowing of the Spinal Canal.

There are multiple canals, or openings, that the nerves in your neck and back travel through. The canal in the center that runs from your ribcage up and down is called the Central Canal. This canal is really a long tube created by the hole or canal in the middle of each of the vertebrae. These vertebrae that form your spine are stacked on top of one another. The central canal is where your spinal cord and spinal nerves run.

This canal can narrow and become smaller as we age and our spine degenerates. This is called spinal stenosis. This narrowing can pinch the spinal cord and spinal nerves that travel through the central canal. This most commonly causes low back pain, along with pain, numbness, and weakness in one or both legs with spinal stenosis. The pain tends to be worse with standing and walking and is relieved by bending over, leaning on something (like a shopping cart) or sitting. The pain can become unrelenting and the mental and physical toll this puts on those who suffer with spinal stenosis should not be understated.

The spinal cord and spinal nerves are very delicate structures. Long-standing pinching or compression on either of those nerve structures can result in permanent nerve damage if left untreated.

What causes Spinal Stenosis?

The Parts of the Spine that can be Involved with Spinal Stenosis

As spinal stenosis is a narrowing of a major canal, we have to consider what structures are there that can cause narrowing. There is the large part of the vertebra (body) in the front. There is also shock-absorbing material that sits between each body of the vertebra like a sandwich. This shock-absorbing material is shaped like the body and we call it an intervertebral disc. Your disc is like a strong jelly donut; it has a tough outer portion and a soft jelly-like inside. Your disc can get injured or degenerate (become thin and worn out). They can bulge, protrude, or herniate. The majority of the time someone has one of these problems, the disc will move into the space in the spinal canal, contributing to the stenosis.

The back part of the spine is made up of the facet joints. The bones that make up the facet joints can grow or become larger due to stress or degeneration, wear and tear (arthritis).

The ligaments line the inside of the spinal canal. They can thicken due to stress.

Spondylolisthesis: Another possible contributor to the narrowing of the spinal canal (spinal stenosis) is when one vertebra slips forward, backwards, or sideways compared to the vertebra below it. There are a number of reasons why this can occur.

True spinal stenosis usually involves at least two of these contributing factors. I say this because spinal stenosis is commonly diagnosed inappropriately and, therefore, is commonly treated incorrectly.

What can be done about my stenosis?

Very Effective Non-Surgical Treatment for Spinal Stenosis

Because it is difficult to diagnose spinal stenosis, Dr. Clark does not even consider whether his Spinal Stenosis Program is right for you until he has thoroughly studied your condition, done an extensive exam, and spent ample time reviewing your current MRI… as well as any other tests you may have had that will assist us in establishing the best treatment for you to get the very best result.

He does not accept all cases for treatment because some cases would not be amenable to our care. He does not want to waste your time or money! Whether or not you are a good candidate for Dr. Clark’s program is entirely contingent on what your MRI shows.

If he can’t help you, he will tell you upfront and direct you to the best health care practitioner for your situation.

He has successfully treated thousands of spinal stenosis patients and can identify if it will work for you.

Because spinal stenosis can involve poor muscle support, spinal alignment, loss of normal low back curve (bad posture), spinal flexibility, along with the other factors discussed above, an effective treatment program must address each of these problems. Spinal surgery is not the best choice for most spinal stenosis patients.

Our Spinal Stenosis Program is aimed at correcting the actual problem, not just the symptoms. It utilizes non-surgical spinal decompression with the DRX 9000 and uses methods designed specifically for spinal stenosis to actually increase the space in the canal and reduce the pinching on the spinal cord or spinal nerves. During this program, you will receive therapies

that relax spasmed muscles and prepare the low back area to receive the other aspects of the treatment.

Spinal Decompression Therapy decreases disc bulges and herniations, promotes disc rehydration, and increases the size of your spinal canal.

Specific exercises, when done correctly, will stabilize the spine, correct posture, tighten spinal ligaments, and expand the spinal canal.

Spinal Alignment with gentle chiropractic care can actually increase the size of the canal when applied correctly and at the appropriate times.

Interferential Therapy promotes healing and regeneration in the nerves that have been damaged or pinched.

Yes, it is difficult to treat, but just ask our patients and they will tell you that our program has given them their life back! We have taken the very best in non-surgical treatment and created this very effective program.

Please, if you believe you have spinal stenosis, don’t give up and settle for a lifetime of epidural shots, surgery, or just living with the pain.

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Neck or Back Pain

WHY DO WE GET NECK OR BACK PAIN?

The most important thing to remember is that back pain is most often the result of a structural problem and until the structure of your spine is addressed, the pain will persist.

The outer portion of the disc is called the annulus fibrosis, and the soft inner structure is called the nucleus pulposus. These unique structures provide flexibility, cushioning, and freedom of movement for the spine. It also creates space between the vertebrae so that the delicate spinal nerves can pass through the openings called foramen to reach their target destination. In the low back, the destination for those nerves in your legs is the low back, while in the neck it is the arms. If the discs become damaged in any way, a cycle of pain begins with the start of progressive problems that can culminate in a herniated disc or ruptured disc.

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HOW ARE DISCS DAMAGED?

Overall, discs are very tough and resilient; however they are very susceptible to injury with repetitive activity and loading.

For example, when you lift incorrectly or sit in one position for long periods of time, the fibers in the disc begin to weaken. An example of this is a common paper clip. If you bend the paper clip once, it doesn’t break, but if you do it over and over again, it just snaps in half.

The fibers of the outer portion of a disc, the annulus fibrosis, behave in much the same way. The fibers break down as the stress on the disc is repeated (for example, repeated lifting or sitting in one position for long periods of time). This creates small tears and fissures in the discs, creating a pathway for the softer inner nucleus to slowly leak out. This is the beginning of a disc bulge or herniation.

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