Could you imagine going through life every day with near-debilitating, chronic back pain? Back pain is one of the most common ailments in America - it's estimated that 8% of all adults, or 16 million people, suffer from chronic back pain in the U.S. every year. If you've never experienced a back injury or pain, be thankful. Chronic back pain affects every aspect of a person's life, from participating in sports to limitations with everyday activities, like cooking dinner. In fact, many people with chronic back pain can't even make a reliable living and put food on the table. Almost 83 million workdays are lost every year due to choric back pain.
The inability to work and provide isn't just a physical issue - it can become an emotional one too. Many people suffering from chronic back pain also suffer from depression and anxiety. Unfortunately, in the past, chronic back pain sufferers wanting to avoid addictive medications and invasive surgeries had few viable relief options. However, if you're suffering from a chronic back issue like sciatica, a pinched nerve, or a bulging disc, pain relief may be closer than you think.
Modern chiropractic care and, more specifically, a spinal decompression chiropractor in Pawley's Island, SC, may be the long-term solution you need for chronic back pain.
A common misconception is that chiropractors only adjust your back and neck when, in fact, they treat the whole body with all-natural treatments. Here at Elite Healthcare, our doctors focus on your overall health, not just pain. We want to find and address the underlying causes of your symptoms. If you're unfamiliar with an integrative approach to medicine, this strategy may seem new. Our chiropractic care is less about putting a band-aid on the problem and more about finding a natural, long-term solution to your pain.
Fortunately, our experienced chiropractors provide the best in natural pain relief. Prescription and over-the-counter pain medications mask the symptoms you're experiencing versus getting to the cause of your pain. Pain is often the result of your spine being out of alignment, which leads to nerve issues. Once your spine is back in alignment, the nerves function correctly again.
Because our chiropractic center offers a combination of different therapies and non-surgical treatments, we provide a comprehensive approach to healing. Depending on the extent of your back problems, spinal decompression therapy may be the answer to your chronic pain problems.
Initially developed in 1985 by Dr. Allan Dyer, spinal decompression has been used by chiropractors for years. Unfortunately, spinal decompression is often passed over as a viable treatment, despite its numerous benefits.
In the past, patients suffering from chronic back pain issues like herniated discs were usually prescribed powerful medications. They were instructed to refrain from physical activities, referred to a physical therapist, and sent on their way. While physical therapy has an important role in back pain recovery, some back conditions need a more comprehensive treatment approach. For those patients, surgery seemed like the only option.
Today, patients with chronic back pain have many more options to consider. One of the most effective treatments for serious back pain is spinal decompression. This proven therapy, provided by Elite Healthcare, has been shown to significantly reduce pain and help patients live a normal, even active lifestyle once again.
Spinal decompression, also called Lumbar Cervical Decompression Therapy (LCD Therapy), is a very effective non-surgical solution to chronic back pain problems. If you're like most patients, your back pain is caused by disc issues related to your spine. This type of therapy uses computer technology and a spinal decompression machine in cityname, state, to stretch your spinal column slowly and gently, relieving abnormal pressure on the discs in your back, which sit in between your vertebrae.
This precise stretching action causes negative pressure to form inside the discs in your back, making them retract. With time, this negative pressure causes a reverse vacuum of sorts that actually draws your protruding discs into place. When pressure is removed from the disc segments in your spine, you experience much-needed pain relief.
The primary purpose of spinal decompression therapy is to provide you with immediate pain relief while creating a healthy environment to heal your spinal disc condition. Some of the most common conditions that spinal decompression therapy treats include:
This happens when spinal discs in your back are pushed outside of the spinal canal. When pushed outside of their usual space, these discs can put pressure on the nerves in your spine, resulting in localized pain and pain throughout your body. If a bulging disc is left untreated, it has a high chance of rupturing, which can necessitate surgery and longer recovery time.
Herniated discs are discs in your back that fracture or crack and leak fluid. The fluid or gel that leaks from a herniated disc may irritate the nerves in your back. When this happens, you may experience an intense burning sensation that shoots up and down your lower back and legs.
As you grow older, joints in your body, like your knees and hips, begin to wear away with time. The same thing can happen to the discs in your back. Often caused by heavy lifting or a family history of spine problems, degenerative discs are painful and can lead to serious situations. In advanced cases, bone spurs can form and affect the nerves of your spine.
When a herniated disc or bone spur begins to put pressure on the nerves in your back, it often causes sciatica. Sciatica is a common back problem that causes pain to radiate from your lower back down your legs via your sciatic nerve. Sometimes, this pain is only felt in one of your legs.
This condition is similar to arthritis of your spine, where the cartilage inside your facet joint breaks down and becomes inflamed. The result is often intense neck and back pain. It's most often caused by degenerative changes in the joints located between the bones of your spine.
This painful condition manifests when the space in your backbone is too small. When this happens, pressure impacts your spinal cord and the nerves that travel through it. Like other conditions treated by a spinal decompression therapy cityname, state, stenosis is caused by wear-and-tear in your back, which forms arthritis.
This term is often used to classify a range of back problems, most often caused by a pinched nerve root in your spinal column. This pinched nerve root may occur in different locations down your spine, like the lumbar or thoracic areas. Usually caused by a narrowing of the space where your nerve root leaves the spine, symptoms of this condition include pain, tingling, numbness, and weakness.
If you're looking for a safe way to relieve your chronic back pain, spinal decompression should be on your list of treatments to consider. This painless procedure is backed by research showing higher success rates in many patients when compared to spinal surgery. Unlike many medications, spinal decompression from Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine is designed to correct the condition you're facing while also minimizing costs and eliminating recovery and downtime.
Some of the most popular reasons why patients choose spinal decompression over surgery and other treatments include:
Invasive procedures, like back surgeries, often leave the patient racked with pain, long recovery times, and complications. Sometimes, the surgery doesn't work as intended, leaving the patient responsible for a therapy that didn't work correctly. As a non-invasive treatment, spinal decompression therapy can treat back and neck pain without needles, incisions, or harmful manipulations of the spine.
Getting back pain relief from surgery is far from guaranteed. However, because spinal decompression targets the underlying causes of your back pain, it's a much more effective long-term treatment. Spinal decompression is not a quick fix. When coupled with positive lifestyle changes like losing weight, you can maximize the pain-relieving benefits of spinal decompression.
Surgery of the back and spine requires the patient to be bedridden and uncomfortable for days and even weeks. Recovering from back surgery is no easy feat and often requires strong pain medications to help. Sometimes, back surgeries don't go as planned, causing complications and worse scenarios. Spinal decompression, on the other hand, is very effective and doesn't require much recovery time at all. Once your spinal decompression session is over, you'll probably be able to drive yourself home from our office.
One of the least talked about issues with back pain medications is that they only treat the pain, not the underlying causes. For many patients, relying on meds to relieve back pain fosters dependency on pain pills. Pain pill addiction is a very serious issue in the U.S., often leading patients down a dark path. With spinal decompression, you won't have to worry about taking pills for pain relief. That's because the root causes of your back pain are addressed, not just the symptoms.
If you were to look at the cost of surgery and subsequent years of prescription medication, you might be shocked. When compared to spinal decompression, surgery is a much more expensive treatment to consider. You've got to take the cost of surgery into account, but also the fact that you'll be forced to take time off work. By choosing spinal decompression therapy, you're choosing a safe, non-surgical treatment that doesn't require any time off work.
Spinal decompression relieves pressure on disrupted discs, causing them to retract back into place. This revolutionary treatment also lets oxygen, fluids, and nutrients re-enter your spinal discs, which provides additional healing.
By now, you probably have a better idea of how spinal decompression can help rid your life of back pain. But spinal decompression treatment does more than help with bulging discs, herniated discs, arthritis, and more. It has also been shown to provide patients with important quality-of-life benefits.
As mentioned above, harsh surgeries leave you bedridden and unable to work for long periods of time. Spinal decompression allows you to jump right back into the workforce, so you can continue providing for your family. Plus, reducing your back pain naturally increases your mobility since you won't be stressing about hurting yourself while moving. Instead, you'll be living in the moment.
One of the worst symptoms affecting people with back pain is the inability to sleep well. Sleeping with back pain can be horrible, causing you to toss and turn to find a comfortable spot. As soon as you find one and get settled, your back starts to hurt again. It's a vicious cycle, but adjusting your spine and relieving pressure with spinal decompression will help you get a good night's rest.
Did you know that when your spine is decompressed, it helps fluids circulate throughout your body? These fluids actually flush your lymphatic system, which helps support your overall immune system. Better circulation also benefits your brain and can help boost concentration and memory. The improved circulation from spinal decompression may also distribute oxygen and nutrients to your skin, creating a multi-benefit effect.
We are happy to answer your questions, and help you find the services you need. Please message us to get started.
At Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine, we practice an integrated approach to pain relief and chiropractic care. Our goal is to restore your spine to its proper alignment, which speeds up your recovery time and prevents additional injuries. If chronic back pain has taken over your life, it's time to visit our chiropractic office for a thorough evaluation.
Ask yourself this: Have you been suffering from headaches and sleepless nights due to muscle strain? Is your ability to work and put food on the table compromised due to a pinched nerve? No amount of over-the-counter pain medication can provide a long-term fix for such an issue. Thankfully, our chiropractors have years of experience providing relief to patients just like yourself.
After a comprehensive exam, our doctor will create an individualized treatment plan tailored to your body. That way, we can address the full scope of your symptoms by correcting any root causes of your back pain.
From minor chiropractic adjustments to spinal decompression treatment, we'll find the solution that your back and body need to heal correctly. If you're ready to get back on the road to better health, we're here to help every step of the way. Contact our Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine today to get started.
PAWLEYS ISLAND — More than two months after Hurricane Ian swept along the South Carolina coast, the beach of the tiny Georgetown County tourist island has been cleared of the remains of Pawleys Island Pier, but plenty of storm-related work is still to be done.The town has already removed enough debris from the beach to fill about 70 garbage trucks but still needs to clean Pawleys Creek, littered with damaged docks, and replace a sizable amount of sand fencing washed away in the Category 1 storm.Town Administrator Daniel N...
PAWLEYS ISLAND — More than two months after Hurricane Ian swept along the South Carolina coast, the beach of the tiny Georgetown County tourist island has been cleared of the remains of Pawleys Island Pier, but plenty of storm-related work is still to be done.
The town has already removed enough debris from the beach to fill about 70 garbage trucks but still needs to clean Pawleys Creek, littered with damaged docks, and replace a sizable amount of sand fencing washed away in the Category 1 storm.
Town Administrator Daniel Newquist said he doesn’t know yet how much Pawleys Island will request from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the island’s recovery from Hurricane Ian. He said the town has spent $69,000 on sand dune repair and beach cleanup, for which it should be eligible for 75 percent reimbursement from the federal relief money.
Ian took nearly direct aim at Pawleys Island on Sept. 30, collapsing a privately owned pier and washing sand and water beneath the raised houses that make the island a popular spot for rental and vacation homes.
“I don’t want to speak too soon, but I think we’ll get it back sooner than we have in years past,” Newquist told the Pawleys Island Town Council on Dec. 12.
Removal of creek debris also is eligible for federal reimbursement, Newquist said, but will require some coordination with other government agencies. FEMA will only reimburse “the entity, the town, the agency” that is legally responsible for work in a particular location, Newquist said, and some creek debris fell on Georgetown County’s side of the island’s north causeway.
Discussions with the county on creek debris cleanup are preliminary, Newquist said.
Though homes and businesses in various unincorporated areas south of Murrells Inlet and north of Georgetown have Pawleys Island postal addresses, Pawleys Creek comprises most of the town’s western boundary. In some cases, the boundary crosses though the marsh that docks fell into on Sept. 30.
FEMA also indicated debris that fell into navigable channel of Pawleys Creek, which Newquist said is of main concern to the town, should be the responsibility of a state agency. Newquist said he is not sure if this would fall to the state Department of Health and Environmental Control or Department of Natural Resources.
In this case, Newquist said, FEMA would be willing to accept an agreement for the state to allow the town to do the work itself, which would allow the town to be reimbursed directly.
“We wouldn’t have to wait until the state actually mobilizes and performs that work,” Newquist said.
Finding a contractor for creek cleanup is still another matter, however. Newquist told the council that correspondence with contractors resulted in only one response.
“Based on what they were telling me, it’d probably take them within three or four days to complete the work,” Newquist said, adding that he hopes to have the work completed within a month.
Newquist said he’s also hoping for clarity from FEMA as to the town’s eligibility for reimbursement of work on sand fencing and dune vegetation that was damaged by the storm on the town’s beach. He told Town Council in November that about 7 percent of beach debris hauled off the island derived from sand fencing.
“I think it makes a lot of sense to get our beach, as much as possible, back to kind of a pre-storm state,” Newquist said.
But the town also has to be mindful of working with other federal agencies in the area, such as the Army Corps of Engineers, which received a town request for emergency beach rehabilitation assistance. An October assessment by Columbia-based engineering consultant Coastal Science and Engineering found that dunes near the island’s south end “completely eroded” during Ian.
The assessment also suggested that beach renourishment undertaken on the island in 2020 limited damage to area homes from Ian.
When it comes to sand fencing, though, some property boundaries extend into the beach, Newquist said, and the town can’t be reimbursed for work on private property.
Ultimately, Newquist said, he plans to solicit interest from property owners and contractors for sand fencing work before going forward in later winter or spring.
“I think a lot of people would just go ahead and do it (themselves),” Town Councilman Guerry Green said Dec. 12 of sand fencing repair.
For individual assistance from FEMA, property owners can visit the agency’s Disaster Recovery Assistance center at Waccamaw Regional Recreation Center in Pawleys Island. The center is open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m.-noon Saturday.
PAWLEYS ISLAND — A mat designed for beach accessibility is planned as a replacement for the wooden walkway at Pawleys Island’s First Street beach access which was damaged by Hurricane Ian in September.Dubbed Mobi-Mats, the polyester mats have been used by other coastal South Carolina towns, including Surfside Beach and Hilton Head Island, to allow better beach access for the disabled.The First Street access is one of nine on the barrier island and the only one yet to recover from Ian, which made landfall near George...
PAWLEYS ISLAND — A mat designed for beach accessibility is planned as a replacement for the wooden walkway at Pawleys Island’s First Street beach access which was damaged by Hurricane Ian in September.
Dubbed Mobi-Mats, the polyester mats have been used by other coastal South Carolina towns, including Surfside Beach and Hilton Head Island, to allow better beach access for the disabled.
The First Street access is one of nine on the barrier island and the only one yet to recover from Ian, which made landfall near Georgetown and caused millions of dollars of damage along the Georgetown County coast.
“The thought process is, ‘Hey, these types of (mats) do not generate debris, necessarily,’ ” Pawleys Island Town Administrator Dan Newquist said. “You can actually take them up if a storm is going to be bad enough.”
The mats also can be on standby if another beach access is damaged, he said.
The mat that Newquist was authorized to order by the Town Council spans 50 feet by 10 feet and is expected to cost about $6,000.
“The goal is, as long as it’s functioning properly and lasts in terms of weathering and everything else, and indications are that they do, then yeah, our long-term plan is to have one installed there,” Newquist said.
The wooden walkway at the First Street access is no longer in place, since being removed to allow equipment to reach the island’s northern end for debris removal following Ian. There is now only a direct walkway to the beach through the sand, Newquist said.
“We want some type of system in there because over time, more foot traffic, the foot traffic will start eroding that section of the beach,” Newquist said. “So these systems kind of dissipate the foot traffic energy. It kind of keeps the dimensions of the dune itself intact.”
The mat also allows easier emergency access to the northern section of the island, he said.
“It’s not like we can get a fire truck onto the beach or anything like that, but they can get a four-wheeler, a vehicle onto the beach, some of the (John Deere) Gators they have,” Newquist said.
Police Chief Mike Fanning said his department is open to the mat as a long-term solution, though he’s not yet sure of its durability.
At the very least, Fanning said, the mat will better accommodate the stretcher-carrying rescue vehicles used by Midway Fire Rescue.
“They were not able to get over any of our ramps because of the way they just either eroded away from storms or the way they were rebuilt, they had steps on them, so they couldn’t get up and down,” Fanning said. “So this will really accommodate them well.”
Elsewhere on the island, Georgetown County is pursuing a federal grant to renovate the parking lot at the island’s south end, which was used as a staging area for debris removed from the beach following Ian.
Much of that debris derived from the private Pawleys Island Pier, which collapsed the same day Ian made landfall in South Carolina.
Think, “Midsommar.” Or “Shaun of the Dead.” Or, “The Wicker Man.”These are some of the movies that have inspired 21-year-old film director Mathew Epp in a latest ...
Think, “Midsommar.” Or “Shaun of the Dead.” Or, “The Wicker Man.”
These are some of the movies that have inspired 21-year-old film director Mathew Epp in a latest film project that takes place in Pawleys Island.
Epp, a Charlotte, North Carolina, resident, graduated from University of North Carolina at Charlotte recently and is working on a new project, “Eden Avenue.”
Pawleys Island has the perfect small town nature to it, Epp said. He had been visiting a friend — the lead actor — for the past five or six months and decided it was a perfect setting for the film.
“I just realized like the more and more I go down there, you know, it’s a small town,” Epp said. “It’s a local community. And it’s beautiful.”
“Eden Avenue” follows a group of recent college graduates — Michael, Allie, Nick and Brandon, as they decide to take one last vacation together.
The beach town they end up at is inviting at first, Epp said. The town name “Eden Avenue” is supposed to give the area a motherly, inviting feeling.
But there’s a darker side.
The people of Eden Avenue are infected by the algae in the waters. It turns them into a cult-like group of people bent on infecting the protagonists, Epp explained.
It takes on a theme of “group of kids versus everyone else,” he said.
All of this occurs as the protagonists face internal struggles about change. The movie is character driven, and is much more about personal conflicts, such as accepting change than the cult, he said.
With about 20 working on the project, including a crew of 10 and around five to 10 actors, it’s still a while before local residents can see Pawleys Island on the screen.
Epp said that “Eden Avenue” was still in a pre-production stage, but filming is set to begin this month and will take a few days. The crew is still working on getting permits to film in specific areas.
Local viewers can expect to see a recognizable area in Pawleys Island, including the Pawleys Inlet toward the south end of the beach. Epp said he was working with Clam Bake Cove or Oakley as possible settings as well.
He anticipates a spring 2024 release, with “Eden Avenue” distributed on public platforms and then premiering locally in theaters.
The project members are asking for donations to help with production.
And “Eden Avenue” still has some spots left for extras in some scenes, he said.
Those interested can email Fortis Fortuna Films, the production company, at Fortisfortunafilm@gmail.com.
This story was originally published August 11, 2023, 5:00 AM.
When Linwood Altman opened Pawleys Island Realty in 1962, the number of island residents was so small, it didn’t warrant a mention in the South Carolina census. The population remains small, hovering around 130-150, but the 60-year-old real estate company is still thriving. It’s still family-owned and has been instrumental in making Pawleys Island and the surrounding stretch of the “Hammock Coast” a premier place for vacationers.“We just celebrated our 60th anniversary,” said Betsy Altman, owner and...
When Linwood Altman opened Pawleys Island Realty in 1962, the number of island residents was so small, it didn’t warrant a mention in the South Carolina census. The population remains small, hovering around 130-150, but the 60-year-old real estate company is still thriving. It’s still family-owned and has been instrumental in making Pawleys Island and the surrounding stretch of the “Hammock Coast” a premier place for vacationers.
“We just celebrated our 60th anniversary,” said Betsy Altman, owner and broker-in-charge with Pawleys Island Realty. “While the majority of our guests are still from the Southeast, as they have been since 1962, there are a lot more of them now — and a lot more homes for them to buy or rent.”
Pawleys Island Realty has the lion’s share of that choice. When Linwood Altman started PIR, he took over 50 rentals from another company and rented them for $500 per week. Now, of the island’s 450 total rentals, PIR manages 240 of them — and the price tags keep growing.
“Some homes here now rent for $10,000 per week,” Altman said. “And during the height of the vacation season in June, July and August each year, our three-mile-long island community grows to 5,000 people. We still have some homes that rent for $1,500 and up, so there is still a home for everyone.”
While island prices have skyrocketed recently, Altman added that one element has remained the same. Since the company’s beginning, customer commitment has been key. It’s the main reason for the company’s longevity.
“We believe building long-term relationships is the most important part of our business,” she said. “We try to provide a high level of service and rely on our knowledge of our community and the market.”
If trends are any indication, that market will be thriving for a long time to come. PIR’s client list now includes people from New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, California and Canada in addition to the most popular states of South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee. Since 2018, the company’s home sales have risen 4% per year — which means current annual sales of around $28 million.
“Pawleys Island is home to the oldest coastal community in the South,” Altman said. “Second homes, vacation homes and investment homes comprise a huge part of our annual sales.”
Regardless of the market, Altman said her PIR team will deliver the best possible option for each client.
“Our agents are trained in all sales areas, with expertise and specialty training in resort property,” she said. “We listen closely to the goals of our clients and then guide them through the process.”
It’s a lot to look forward to if you’re in the market for a Pawleys Island getaway —especially with the real estate company that helped put this stretch on the map.
“Coastal real estate is attractive to most buyers,” Altman said. “And maintaining close relationships with our owners and clients for over 60 years has allowed us to become a trusted name.”
By L.C. Leach III
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Two Georgetown County destinations were named two of Southern Living’s 25 best fall beach spots for 2023.Huntington Beach (ranked number 10) and Pawleys Island (number 18) were joined by fellow South Carolina destination Sullivan’s Island at number 23.The magazine praised ...
Two Georgetown County destinations were named two of Southern Living’s 25 best fall beach spots for 2023.
Huntington Beach (ranked number 10) and Pawleys Island (number 18) were joined by fellow South Carolina destination Sullivan’s Island at number 23.
The magazine praised Huntington Beach’s annual Atalaya Arts and Crafts festival in September and Pawleys Island’s kayaking and oceanfront cottages.
Both of these places are located in what’s called the Hammock Coast, named after Pawleys Island Hammocks.
Mark Stevens, Director of Tourism Development for the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce, said the area has beaches and history like neighboring Myrtle Beach and Charleston, while being “totally unique.”
With balmy temperatures continuing through the fall months, “the fall is one of the best times that you can be here on the Hammock Coast,” Stevens said.
Southern Living had this to say about Sullivan’s Island.
“This tranquil South Carolina getaway is located on a two and a half-mile long barrier island near the mouth of Charleston Harbor. It’s quiet and charming with a few restaurants you just can’t miss. Edgar Allan Poe was stationed at the fort there—make a stop at Poe’s Tavern and pay homage to the Gothic novelist.”
In March, Southern Living named Huntington Beach State Park the 2023 best state park in South Carolina.