Back or Neck Pain? Treat with the DRS Protocol. Drug-free, Pain-free and safe for Seniors!

Pain pills, antihistamines such Benadryl and many antidepressants and other mood altering drugs can affect the way our brain functions.  It is reported that even statins can affect memory. Many people buy over-the-counter products from the drugstore and some of the products with regular use can impair thinking and cause loss of memory. Elderly people can be most affected. 

Certain drugs will block a vital neurotransmitter that affects functions in the body, memory and cognitive functions are some. The drugs are called anticholinergic, and the effects will build up. Anticholinergic means an inhibition of cholinergic neurotransmission at muscarinic receptor sites.)

 Some of the symptoms are as follows:

 -Blurred vision

- Confusion, disorientation, memory impairment

- Dizziness when standing

- Drowsiness or sedation

- Nervousness, agitation or anxiety

- Hallucinations and delirium

- Reddening of the face (flushing)

- Fever

- Dry lips, mouth, and throat, speech difficulties, trouble with dentures, chewing and swallowing

- Nausea

- Constipation

- Rapid heart rate

- Weakness

- Trouble urinating or emptying bladder

 Senior patients are most vulnerable because they tend to take more medications, in general.

There are now many new research studies about the affects of ant cholinergic medicine because of the finding of British study on men and women 65 years or older.  The study followed 13,000 patients who were taking more than one anticholineric drug.  These patients scored lower on cognitive function test than those who did not take this type of drug.  Also it was found that the death rate of those who were taking many anticholineric drugs was 68 percent higher.

So far it can’t be determined why the death rate is higher except the commonality of anticholineric drugs. Some professionals suspect the drugs affect organs and the cardiovascular system.  Yet there are no studies to prove it.

Twenty percent of patients over 65 are taking at least one anticholinergic drug.  A study of 4000 seniors was performed in Indianapolis IN, and it found those that were taking three or more anticholinergic drugs for 90 days were three times more likely to be diagnosed with cognitive impairment as compared to those in the study who did not taken type of drug.

Still, there is already a consensus in the scientific community that anticholinergic compounds should be prescribed with caution, especially for the elderly

It is shown in studies that 25% of patients treating for memory disorders have reversible problems.  Those patients taking a combination of medications may become better once their medications are assessed and replaced with those that are not anticholinergic.

This is why it is vital to tell your doctors about all the drugs you take and about all over-the-counter products.  There may be no adequate substitutes for some essential anticholinergic drugs. However, taking multiple drugs that have the potential for these side effects should be assessed: especially, when it comes to treating problems such as the common cold or taking other over-the-counter remedies.  Do not stop medications on your own without consulting with your doctor.

When patients treat at Busch Chiropractic Pain Center with the DRS Protocol for painful spinal conditions such as degenerative disc disease, herniated discs, sciatica, spinal stenosisand other back or neck conditions they do not have to worry about taking addictive or impairing medications.  The DRS Protocol is nonsurgical and pain-free and there is no worry of drug interactions. 

Rick had talked with a lot people and decided to call Busch Chiropractic Pain Center.  When Rick came to be examined by Dr. Busch he had bad pain from sitting.  In fact, sometimes he wasn’t even able to sit for 10 mins before his pain became unbearable.  So traveling for him was a nightmare.  Also, sleeping was a big problem. Rick would wake up many times a night because his back pain. He was also worried because he taking ibuprofen so much of it each day, just to keep going.

After examining Rick and reviewing his film, Dr. Busch felt he was a candidate for the DRS Protocol™ and Rick began treatment.  Rick is ecstatic!  He didn’t have to take addictive medications or have surgery. He is sleeping great, and he has been on several long international business trips and has done very well with his travels. Rick feels the DRS Protocol™ is amazing, and he is so thankful Dr. Richard Busch was able to help him keep working get his life pain-free life back!

Originally, Greg had been getting by on NSAIDS and muscle relaxers, however now he was facing surgery based on what his surgeon recommended. Greg wanted no part of surgery and was looking for alternatives.

When he went to see Dr. Richard Busch, his pain was sharp and shooting.  Normal activity just increased the pain level.  He would greatly set himself back, if he really worked normally. After treating with the DRS Protocol™, Greg is back to all activities and goes days and weeks with absolutely no pain.  He is no longer taking medications and is thrilled with his great outcome.  He is so happy he treated with the non-surgical, drug-free DRS Protocol.  He tells everyone surgery is not the only option.

Busch Chiropractic Makes Pain Go Away!

When you do something well, word travels fast and that is exactly how Joe heard about the Busch Chiropractic Center.  Joe had definitely heard about Busch Chiropractic Pain Center, and even though he lived 2.5 hours away, he was willing to make the drive, if Dr. Busch thought he could help Joe. 

Joe had suffered from a low back condition (degenerative disc disease) and had tried conservative care such as chiropractic, physical therapy and pain medications.  When that didn’t work, he gave up and had a spinal fusion.  For the last two years, he continually suffered from moderate to severe low back pain, left hip and thigh pain. 

Joe absolutely did not want to have another surgery, because his recovery was so difficult and he ended up right back where he started.  So he decided to use the internet to research options other than surgery.  When Joe got to Dr. Busch he was miserable with constant pain and was having difficulty standing, sitting and walking.  He was also having cramping in his leg.  He was constantly taking one prescription or another trying to get some relief.  He took Norflex, muscle relaxers, Tylenol or whatever was available at the time.  Joe was relieved when Dr. Busch said he was confident – after a thorough examination and a review of Joe’s films – that the DRS Protocol™ would help him. 

With a willingness to stay in a hotel during the week, Joe began treating and today he is walking and moving much, much better. The 2.5 hour car ride was not an issue.  Joe is doing better than he ever expected.  And he is so happy he didn’t have to have another surgery.  His wife is also very happy to have him back to being able to walk and be active, because she was getting bored shopping by herself while they were in town!

The following back and neck surgeries are some of the most common:

Discectomy is removing a herniation of the disc and can require removing a portion of vertebra (the bone in the spine) to access the disk.

 Laminectomy is a surgery that removes the bone over the spinal canal.  The goal is to enlarge the spinal canal.  This performed for spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal and can cause pain from nerve pressure).

Spinal fusion permanently connects two or more bones in your spine. It is intended to add stability and eliminate motion.

Traditional medical treatment for FBBS can be physical therapy, nerve blocks, TENS units, anti-inflammatories, NSAIDs, pain medications, epidurals, pain pumps, spinal cord stimulators and anti-depressants. 

To treat patients who are suffering with pain and other symptoms from herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, facet syndrome and even Failed Back Surgery Syndrome, Dr. Richard Busch, Busch Chiropractic, Fort Wayne IN, developed the DRS Protocol™ and has successfully treated thousands of patients.  The DRS Protocol™ is noninvasive, drug-free, and risk-free.  Patients don’t have to worry about recovery time, loss of work, and potential long-term side effects from surgery such as scar tissue and continuing pain.

The authors used database information from 2005 to 2008 of the American College of Surgeons.  The database records preoperative information and postoperative complications and death of patients who had surgery in participating facilities in the United States.  The data includes a variety of types of surgery.

The study included factors of existing medical conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular problems, age, body mass, and gender.

The study covered 3,475 patients who had received one or more spine operations.

• The age range was from 16 to 90 and the average age was 55.5 year
• 54 percent were men, and 76 percent were Caucasian

The main conditions of the study treated by back surgery were herniated disc, spinal stenosis, and degenerative disc disease (DDD). The study focused on complications and death within 30 days after surgery.  So anything that happened after 30 days was not part of the study.

Some of the major complications were blood clots deep in the legs (deep vein thrombosis); life-threatening bacterial infections and deep wound infections; and addition surgeries.  Considered by the study to be more minor complications were pneumonia, nonlife-threatening wound infections, and urinary tract infections.

Within 30 days of surgery, 7.6 percent of the patients had developed complications and 10 had died. The study also identified risk factors for developing one or more complications, including death, within the 30-day post surgery:

• Patient’s age;
• Congestive heart failure and/or a history of heart attack;
• Preoperative neurological problems;
• History of spinal wound infection;
• Use of corticosteroids (e.g. prednisone);
• Prolonged surgery times, and other risks

Dr. Richard Busch of the Busch Chiropractic Pain Center, Fort Wayne IN, states, “What we are doing with the DRS Protocol™ is a very successful, noninvasive alternative for treating degenerative disc disease, herniated disc, spinal stenosis, facet syndrome and failed back and neck surgeries.  There are no risks such a MRSA, blood clots, recovery time, and the patient can stay on the job.  It is definitely safe for senior patients.”

To read full news release go to http://tinyurl.com/cv5w6o2

This case study noted that this patient’s previous medical treatment had included multiple emergency room visits; private specialists; and a rotation of drug therapies including Paxil, Xanax, and Celexa all of which had failed to help her. The patient’s history also included at least three motor vehicle accidents between 1995 and 1997, including one where her head shattered the windshield.

The articles note that according to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety is the most common mental health illness. It affects more than 19 million Americans ages 18-54. Patients suffering from General Anxiety Disorder make three to five times more visits to doctors’ offices and emergency rooms and the Anxiety Disorders Association of America reports that direct healthcare costs and lost productivity of these conditions cost more than $42 billion per year.

In December, 2001, the patient started chiropractic care for correction of nerve interference called “subluxations”. This patient’s results were then documented over a four month course of care. It was observed that medication was discontinued successfully. Additionally, the articles noted that after a four-month course of chiropractic care, the young woman reported an 80% reduction in her anxiety symptoms, including a 90% decrease in her headaches. The patient was able to resume a normal lifestyle without resorting to prescription or over-the-counter drugs.

The research was co-authored by Dr. Madeline Behrendt, Associate Editor of JVSR, and Dr. Nathan Olsen, a chiropractor in private practice in Boise, Idaho. They noted in their conclusion that, “These improvements suggest positive changes in mental health function may be associated with subluxation correction from the application of chiropractic care.”

Dr. Behrendt additionally commented, “This young woman spent two years in crisis, going from emergency room to private specialist, spending thousands of dollars for tests and drug therapy, without any resolution of her problems. A simple, non-invasive spinal screening ultimately provided the findings that made the difference: her spine was subluxated, impinging on nerves, and altering the proper function of her nervous system.” Behrendt continued by asking, “How many other people are suffering unnecessarily because they are missing the proper screening?”

Both share a need or desire for chiropractic care to enhance their demanding performances. Having been a team doctor for six Olympic competitions, my latest “gig” with Metallica has shown me that intense activity, endurance and strength are sought by both kinds of performers, be it on stage in front of thousands of fans or competing for a gold medal at an Olympic event.

For the last nine years and more than one thousand tour dates, I have been providing Metallica’s band members with almost daily care.  Going on thirty years of making music and more than 100 million albums sold, Metallica’s rock and roll habits of decades ago have simply been replaced with more conservative routines, as they prepare for their two-hour-plus concerts.

Pre-concert care, deep tissue work and rub-downs between songs are just a few of what Metallica’s band members have required on the road.

Voodoo doctor

Vocalist and rhythm guitarist James Hetfield has called me a voodoo doctor and bass guitarist Robert Trujillo says my treatments resemble acupressure.  I’m counted on by drummer Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett, who happens to be my cousin.

At the end of the day, all of the band’s members are finely tuned into the idea of how they can best prepare for demanding concerts to please their fans of many ages.

Odd as it seems, treating rock stars and competitive athletes have a lot in common.  Trujillo needs constant attention to his guitar-strumming arm and its speed-demon fingers, even between songs backstage.  Deep tissue work before shows has also become a Metallica tradition.

Metallica’s band members must individually maintain cardio-vascular endurance, an exercise and stretching regime and a balanced diet and nutrition.  With the bands’ intense concert schedule and travel itinerary, Metallica members must be at a peak performance state both physically and mentally.  Subsequently, their qualitative longevity deserves and requires preventative and maintenance healthcare on a daily basis.

To me, Metallica brings harmony to their fans as the band roams the jungle of a world filled with chaos and insanity.  Helping Metallica bring their music to the world has been my own rock and roll dream come true. It has been a privilege to work and tour around the world living in the mad, mad world of Metallica.

Almost Famous

I’ve been a huge fan since my cousin Kirk invited me to a Metallica concert in San Francisco in the early 1980’s, not long after the band formed in 1981.

My family had always been chiropractic-oriented family and believed each of our innate abilities flourished throughout our lives whenever the life force was made to flow freely with chiropractic care. That was our gospel, and one that Metallica eventually tuned in to.

During the early 1980’s,  Metallica released hits with fast tempos and instrumentals, fast becoming well known as one of the top four thrash metal bands, alongside Anthrax, Megadeath and Slayer.  Because of their aggressive musicianship, Metallica gained a loyal fan base in an underground music community.

In 1986, Metallica’s album, Master of Puppets was described and acclaimed as one of the most influential metal thrash albums of all time.  In 1993 onward, Metallica achieved substantial commercial success with the Black Album, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.  With the release of the Black Album, Metallica shifted and expanded its musical direction resulting in an album that appealed to a mainstream audience.

It was Kirk who was convinced of the power of chiropractic and insisted that his spine is adjusted regularly.  His sister, Jennifer Hammett also plunged into the world of chiropractic in the 1990’s.

As an Australian/American citizen, I would meet and work with the band on a part-time basis when I lived in Australia.  It was at the time, in 2000, that Metallica released St. Anger, an album that seemed to have alienated a number of fans. Nevertheless, the band created a documentary describing and exposing the bands most inner hopes, fears and turmoils.

After given them adjustments a number of shows, by 2002, they appointed me as Metallica’s full-time touring band doctor.

Diehard fan

The diehard Metallica fortress that had grown through nearly 30 years was becoming much more stable and solid. It didn’t
matter if fans had come and gone during the last 29 years, Metallica music had been a great source of love and support for many fans to lean on.

They have been through a lot that some fans criticized, from signing on to  a major label, to doing a ballad, to cutting their hair, to fighting Napster, as well as to create a documentary that brought on their most intimate fears to the public. Yet the Metallica fortress stood solid and unshakable.

Releasing nine studio albums, three live albums, two EPs, 24 music videos and 45 singles, Metallica has won nine Grammy Awards.  Metallica has also had five consecutive albums debut at the top of Billboard 200, the first band to do so.

Metallica was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland, Ohio in April 2010. When they accepted the new title, it was one of the best moments of my life.

After having worked behind the scenes at concerts in cities around the country and the world, adjusting the band to keep on playing for fans, I can definitely say, it’s only rock and roll, but I like it.