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, S.C. — There was plenty of sunshine throughout the Grand Strand after post-tropical storm Idalia moved offshore.While much of the Grand Strand was problem-free after the storm, others didn’t weather the storm so well.The small beach town is about 30 minutes south of Myrtle Beach.Splintered trees, possibly caused by a brief tornado, left local residents shaken."We are the only house in the area...
PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. — There was plenty of sunshine throughout the Grand Strand after post-tropical storm Idalia moved offshore.
While much of the Grand Strand was problem-free after the storm, others didn’t weather the storm so well.
The small beach town is about 30 minutes south of Myrtle Beach.
Splintered trees, possibly caused by a brief tornado, left local residents shaken.
"We are the only house in the area that got a giant three knocked on us," said Shannon Wyrick.
Wyrick was inside her mother's house, with her friend, Caitlyn Miller who is from Greensboro.
She said she had never experienced a storm like this before.
"This is my first hurricane. I’m from Greensboro, so I’m like all right you guys say it’s good and there’s no evacuation happening, we’re good and then this happened," said Miller.
While the sun is shining, making it an amazing beach day for many, some are cleaning up after a possible tornado touchdown related to Idalia. This home is in Pawleys Island, just south of Myrtle Beach. Luckily no one was injured. @WFMY pic.twitter.com/ikVwUfnl62
— Daniel Crews WFMY (@DCrewsNews) August 31, 2023
Both say the winds that brought down these trees were there and gone within seconds.
"We left that room and I peaked in the room and saw oh my God, the whole entire tree is in the room we were just down. I was telling her, I don’t know if you wanna look at it right now because she was all shook up," said Wyrick.
No matter how weak a storm is in the future Wyrick says they plan to evacuate, just in case.
"This one I was like 'you know will be fine there’s nothing to worry about' and was not worried, but it was just so fast. So yeah, I plan to play it on the safe side so next time we will not want to stay here." said Wyrick.
The National Weather Service surveyed the damage on Thursday and are expected to release more on their findings by Friday morning.
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.” Pawl...
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.
PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. (WBTW) — Some homes in Pawleys Island faced major storm damage from Idalia.That damage was evident on True Blue Drive, where residents said it sounded like a train was coming right before a tree fell on top of their house.“You know, everything happened at one time — the tree crashed, all we heard was a loud noise and we just went to the other side of the house as quickly as possible,” Shannon Wyrick said.Tropical Storm Idalia swept through the Grand Strand area Wednesday after...
PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. (WBTW) — Some homes in Pawleys Island faced major storm damage from Idalia.
That damage was evident on True Blue Drive, where residents said it sounded like a train was coming right before a tree fell on top of their house.
“You know, everything happened at one time — the tree crashed, all we heard was a loud noise and we just went to the other side of the house as quickly as possible,” Shannon Wyrick said.
Tropical Storm Idalia swept through the Grand Strand area Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning.
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The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for the coastline that was in effect from about noon until 10 p.m. Wednesday.
Many residents in Pawleys Island said at about 6 p.m. there was some rain and wind out, but out of nowhere the conditions picked up intensely.
“We just knew between six and all night long that the hurricane would pass through, so I thought the worst part would be later on, so we’re just sitting there after work eating some grapes,” Wyrick said.
Wyrick was in her mother’s home when she and her friend heard a train-like sound and a second later, a tree from their front yard came crashing into the room.
Both Wyrick and her mother said that in the 20 years of living in their Pawleys Island home, they’ve never experienced what felt like a tornado.
“It was just the scariest noise you can think of, just like, loud, because it was just like a tornado, tree crashing, right next to us from the window, we just instantly stood up and tried to go,” Wyrick said. “I knew the safest room in the house would be the laundry room, so we just stood up and I said, ‘let’s go to the laundry room as quick as possible,’ and then we were like, where’s the dog, where’s my mom? We just checked on them.”
Wyrick said this was the last thing she expected to happen to them, especially during a tropical storm.
“Normally, I’m very cautious, I like to evacuate,” she said. “But this one, I was like, it’s not even going to be a hurricane, it’s just a tropical storm coming through so I was like, nothing to worry about.”
Wyrick added that even though part of their house is damaged, no one got hurt.
“Thankful we were all there to all help each other get safe,” she said.
Adrianna Lawrence is a multimedia journalist at News13. Adrianna is originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, and joined the News13 team in June 2023 after graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2023. Keep up with Adrianna on Instagram, Facebook, and X, formerly Twitter. You can also read more of her work, here.
PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. (WBTW) — A Georgetown County resident reeled in a bonnethead shark over the weekend.A bonnethead shark is a type of hammerhead shark.Johnny Cooper’s fishing rod caught beachgoers’ attention Saturday afternoon when they noticed it pulling him closer to the water.Once he reeled in the shark, he unhooked it and threw it back in.Daniel Abel, a marine science professor at Coastal Carolina University, said once they’re caught, the time starts ticking for the sharks to be rele...
PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. (WBTW) — A Georgetown County resident reeled in a bonnethead shark over the weekend.
A bonnethead shark is a type of hammerhead shark.
Johnny Cooper’s fishing rod caught beachgoers’ attention Saturday afternoon when they noticed it pulling him closer to the water.
Once he reeled in the shark, he unhooked it and threw it back in.
Daniel Abel, a marine science professor at Coastal Carolina University, said once they’re caught, the time starts ticking for the sharks to be released safely.
This wasn’t the first hammerhead Cooper’s caught, but he said every time he has, it’s been while boat fishing — never surf fishing.
“Five of the nine total kinds of the hammerhead sharks are found in our waters,” he said.
Abel said a bonnethead is the most common to catch out of the five.
“It’s not rare to catch one but their diet is specialized. They like to eat crabs and crustaceans and small fish,” Abel said. “So, they don’t always pick up the bait that we may be using when targeting other species.”
Cooper said it’s easy to tell the difference between a bonnethead from other hammerhead sharks because they have rounded heads and spots along their bodies.
Abel added that these sharks have small teeth, so they aren’t a threat to people swimming at the beach.
“They get to be about five feet long as adults and they mature right around the size that he has,” he said.
Cooper said surf fishing is more challenging.
“You got to really cast out a good wave sometimes to get a good fish and the waves pulling your line,” Cooper said. “You’ve got to distinguish between the bite and the waves and the wind movement.”
Cooper said he also caught four black tip sharks, blues and whiting kroger and some sea trout.
“When I got it up on the beach after a 20-minute fight, it was pretty exciting,” he said.
Cooper said he threw the bonnethead and the black tip sharks back, but kept the other caught fish.
Jackie LiBrizzi is a multimedia journalist at News13. Jackie is originally from Hamilton, New Jersey, and was raised in Piedmont, South Carolina. Jackie joined the News13 team in June 2023 after she graduated as a student-athlete from the University of South Carolina in May 2023. Follow Jackie on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, and read more of her work here.
PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. (WPDE) — Some residents are upset after a street in a Pawleys Island neighborhood was turned into a private road.Many said they were never informed of the change on about a 75-yard section of Heather Drive in the Hagley Estates.A petition to make Heather Drive private was filed in court back in May and recently approved by a master in equity judge.According to one nearby resident, her cul-de-sac has been cut off from Heather Drive. Many neighbors -- including the property owners association pre...
PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. (WPDE) — Some residents are upset after a street in a Pawleys Island neighborhood was turned into a private road.
Many said they were never informed of the change on about a 75-yard section of Heather Drive in the Hagley Estates.
A petition to make Heather Drive private was filed in court back in May and recently approved by a master in equity judge.
According to one nearby resident, her cul-de-sac has been cut off from Heather Drive. Many neighbors -- including the property owners association president – said no one was ever notified.
“It’s frustrating that we didn’t know. It’s very frustrating because that’s the route I take in and out of my house every day. If I went the other way around. It would add 6 minutes to my day every day,” said Nicole Stevenson, who lives on the cul-de-sac next to the private road.
Even the post office wasn't notified initially, which meant some residents were temporarily cut off from getting their mail.
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“My sister who is a senior and our handicapped nephew, who is mentally challenged, they have to have frequent medication deliveries and so waiting on those things was kind of frustrating,” said Susan Jeffers, who also lives on the cul-de-sac next to the private road," said Susan Jeffers.
SC code 57-9-10 requires anyone who files a petition for a road closure to post their intentions on the street and publish it in a newspaper once a week for three consecutive weeks.
The South Carolina Press Association tracks such legal notices -- and their database shows no publications were made in papers of record relating to Heather Drive.
Residents said they've informed the county council that no signs were ever posted and they've started an online petition to turn Heather Drive public again, and it's gained about 300 signatures.
“I contacted county council. I know neighbors have gone to meetings. I’ll be at the next council meeting. I’ve contacted everyone I can,” said Stevenson.
ABC15 reached out to the three parties who filed the petition to find out why they turned the road private.
Two declined to comment and one did not respond in time for this publication.
We also reached out to the Georgetown County Attorney and they responded with the following:
"Heather Drive was not closed by any action or process of Georgetown County's Administration or public services department. as a result, the county is unable to reverse this action."