TREATMENT PROTOCOL FOR LOW BACK SYNDROME

Abstract

A protocol for the treatment of lumbosacral spine disease requires the combination of physical and pharmaceutical therapies. For the physical therapy aspect of the present invention, an inversion table is used to periodically impose traction forces of the spine of a patient. Preferably, this is done with the patient lying supine on the inversion table in a head down orientation, with the inversion table inclined at a predetermined angle in a range that includes 45°, for a predetermined time interval that includes 3 to 4 minutes. A pharmaceutical therapy is also clinically prescribed, in conjunction with the physical therapy aspect, that requires ingesting a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), a muscle relaxant, and an antiarrhythmic drug in accordance with a predetermined regimen.

Claims

1. A protocol for the treatment of lumbosacral spine disease of a patient which comprises the steps of: providing an inversion table having a platform for supporting and holding the patient thereon in a supine position, and wherein the inversion table defines a horizontal axis for measuring a rotation of the platform around the horizontal axis through a rotation angle θ measured from a horizontal orientation of the platform; rotating the platform of the inversion table through a predetermined rotation angle θ to an orientation where the patient is held head down for a predetermined time interval; and selecting a pharmaceutical for ingestion by the patient in accordance with a clinically prescribed regimen, wherein the pharmaceutical is selected from the group including a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, a muscle relaxant, and an antiarrhythmic drug.

2. The protocol of claim 1 wherein the rotation angle θ is in a range between 40° and 60°.

3. The protocol of claim 1 wherein the patient has a weight W and the predetermined angle θ creates a traction force on the patient greater than 0.5 W.

4. The protocol of claim 1 wherein the predetermined time interval is in a range between 2 minutes and 5 minutes.

5. The protocol of claim 1 wherein the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug is selected from the group consisting of celecoxib.

6. The protocol of claim 1 wherein the muscle relaxant is selected from the group consisting of methocarbamol.

7. The protocol of claim 1 wherein the antiarrhythmic drug is selected from the group consisting of sotalol or mexiletine.

8. The protocol of claim 1 wherein the rotating step is accomplished at least once daily.

9. The protocol of claim 1 further comprising the step of periodically reviewing the severity of symptoms experienced by the patient to ascertain a degree of alleviation of the symptoms as an indicator of protocol efficacy.

10. The protocol of claim 9 wherein the step of reviewing the severity of symptoms is conducted monthly.

11. A protocol for treating a lumbosacral spine disease of a patient which comprises the steps of: applying a traction force along the spine of the patient, wherein the traction force has a predetermined magnitude and is applied for a predetermined time interval; and selecting a pharmaceutical for ingestion by the patient in accordance with a clinically prescribed regimen, wherein the pharmaceutical is selected from the group including a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, a muscle relaxant, and an antiarrhythmic drug.

12. The protocol of claim 11 further comprising the steps of: providing an inversion table having a platform for supporting and holding a patient thereon in a supine position, and wherein the inversion table defines a horizontal axis for measuring a rotation of the platform around the horizontal axis through a rotation angle θ measured from a horizontal orientation of the platform; and rotating the platform of the inversion table through a predetermined rotation angle θ to an orientation where the patient is held head down for a predetermined time interval.

13. The protocol of claim 12 wherein the rotation angle θ is in a range between 40° and 60°.

14. The protocol of claim 12 wherein the patient has a weight W and the predetermined angle θ creates a traction force on the patient greater than 0.5 W.

15. The protocol of claim 12 wherein the rotating step is accomplished at least once daily.

16. The protocol of claim 11 wherein the predetermined time interval is in a range between 2 minutes and 5 minutes.

17. The protocol of claim 11 further comprising the step of periodically reviewing the severity of symptoms experienced by the patient to ascertain a degree of alleviation of the symptoms as an indicator of protocol efficacy.

18. The protocol of claim 17 wherein the step of reviewing the severity of symptoms is conducted monthly.

19. The protocol of claim 11 further comprising the step of providing a traction bed for supporting the patient in a supine position during the applying step.

20. The protocol of claim 19 wherein the patient has a weight W and the traction force has a predetermined magnitude greater than 0.5 W and the traction force is applied for a predetermined time interval in a range between 2 minutes and 5 minutes.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The novel features of this invention, as well as the invention itself, both as to its structure and its operation, will be best understood from the accompanying drawings, taken in conjunction with the accompanying description, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, and in which:

[0011] FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a patient held on an inversion table at a predetermined angle θ for the purpose of generating a traction force on the spine of the patient; and

[0012] FIG. 2 is a presentation of an exemplary model of a selective process for prescribing a patient-specific pharmaceutical regimen that can be incorporated into the protocol of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Referring initially to FIG. 1 is will be seen that a protocol in accordance with the present invention requires the use of a traction device, such as the inversion table which is shown in FIG. 1 and designated 10. As shown, it will be appreciated that the inversion table 10 includes a platform 12 which can be rotated about a horizontal axis 14 that is established by the inversion table 10. In an operation of the inversion table 10, a patient 16 is preferably positioned on the platform 12 in a supine position. The patient 16 can then be rotated with the platform 12 through a rotation angle θ around the horizontal axis 14 to impose a traction force on the spine of the patient 16. Preferably, the rotation angle θ is in a range between 40° and 60°.

[0014] Once the patient 16 is positioned in a head down orientation at the angle θ, as shown in FIG. 1, he/she will be held in this orientation for a predetermined time interval. Typically, the rotation angle θ will be in a range between 40° and 60°, and the time interval will be in a range between 2-5 minutes. For a patient of weight W, an orientation within these parameters will typically establish a traction force on the spine of the patient that will be greater than about 0.5 W during the physical therapy portion of the protocol.

[0015] With specific regard to the pharmaceutical therapy aspect of the protocol of the present invention, FIG. 2 presents a process for prescribing a patient-specific pharmaceutical regimen that is generally designated 18. In detail, the regimen 18 requires consideration of three types of pharmaceuticals, with each type having a particular therapeutic activity. These pharmaceuticals include: 1) a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) 20 for decreasing neuronal inflammation; 2) a muscle relaxant 22 for blunting muscle spasms associated with neuronal inflammation; and 3) an antiarrhythmic drug 24 for decreasing the repetitive firing of motor neurons in order to decrease traction on vertebral bodies and improve alignment of the spine during physical activity.

[0016] For purposes of the present invention, several different pharmaceuticals within each type of pharmaceutical may be appropriately used. Moreover, it is appreciated by the present invention that each pharmaceutical will individually have a specific dosage efficacy. Accordingly, as indicated in FIG. 2, the preparation of the pharmaceutical regimen 18 includes a selection step 26 that requires prescribing certain pharmaceuticals, as needed. For example, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) 20 is selected from the group including celecoxib. Similarly, a muscle relaxant 22 is selected from the group including methocarbamol, and an antiarrhythmic drug 24 is selected from the group including sotalol or mexiletine. In each instance, the selection of a pharmaceutical is made on an as needed basis.

[0017] FIG. 2 further indicates that a prescription of the pharmaceutical regimen 18 also includes a dosage step 28 for each selected pharmaceutical. The consequence here is that after the selection step 26 and the dosage step 28 a pharmaceutical regimen is completed and is ready for a use 30 by the patient 16.

[0018] While the particular Treatment Protocol for Low Back Syndrome as herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of obtaining the objects and providing the advantages herein before stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as described in the appended claims.