September 2025 Healthy News from Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC - Second Chances: How Flexion Distraction Therapy (and Even Gardening!) Rescue Patients from Failed Back Surgery Syndrome
From Surgical Disappointment to Relieving Hope: The Cox® Technic Solution for Persistent Back Pain
When back surgery or neck surgery does not deliver the relief patients desperately wished for, the resulting condition—failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS)—can leave them feeling trapped between ongoing pain and fear of more procedures. But new research illustrates both why some surgeries are deficient and how patients can find genuine relief through well-studied chiropractic care. Hajilo and colleagues' revealing 2024 study discloses the disconcerting reality that doctors currently lack reliable ways to predict which patients will experience FBSS after posterior spine surgery, while their comprehensive analysis links crucial risk factors that could transform patient outcomes. (1) Enter the game-changing work of Kruse, White, Rogers, Klamson, and Gudavalli, whose 2025 research demonstrates how Cox® Technic flexion distraction—a gentle yet powerful chiropractic approach—is offering real hope to FBSS sufferers who thought they'd exhausted their options. This focused technique works by carefully decompressing and mobilizing the spine, delivering a welcome alternative to more invasive interventions. (2) Together, these revealing studies show that while post-surgical pain may be intricate and multifaceted, patients aren't helpless—efficacious, conservative treatments and even some lifestyle changes exist that can you regain your quality of life without the risks and recovery time of repeat surgery.
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox, developer of Cox® Technic, on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson explain in his own words the benefit of treatment with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for La Grande failed back surgical syndrome back pain sufferers.
TIP OF THE MONTH: “Grow” Your Way Past Back Pain
Speaking of lifestyle impacts on post-surgical FBSS, recent research is offering bright hope for back pain sufferers after surgery, and the solutions might be simpler than expected. A major healthcare study exposed that patients with failed back surgery syndrome often share modifiable lifestyle factors – smoking, excess weight, and mood disorders – suggesting that addressing these areas could significantly boost outcomes. Even more encouraging is research on therapeutic gardening, where two-thirds of chronic back pain patients believed gardening could help the way they felt, and they were proven right. Participants experienced improved spine flexibility and reduced anxiety through structured horticultural activities. The gentle movements of tending plants, combined with nature's stress-relieving benefits, created an unexpected pathway to healing. These studies suggest that recovery might flourish not just in medical offices, but through lifestyle changes like stopping smoking, handling weight, dealing with issues of mental health, and literally returning to our roots in the garden. (3,4)
Schedule your La Grande chiropractic appointment with Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC now!
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