Ask Dr. Jamie Gallant

Back Pain

My back has been killing me for several years now. Nothing seems to work. Can Naturopathic physicians do anything for my problem?

The solution to your problem often depends on what the root of the problem is. If you have back pain due to a severely herniated disc, chances are surgery is necessary for a complete recovery. Unfortunately, this is only part of the solution. Surgery may correct an underlying defect in the disc but it usually does not address why the disc herniated in the first place. The most overlooked cause of back pain is ligament laxity. Ligaments are tissues that “brace” bone to bone throughout the body, allowing for stabilization of every joint. When ligaments are injured, they are often stretched slightly. This leads to compromised ability to stabilize the joints. This is often why an “old” injury from many years ago keeps coming back to haunt you whenever you exert yourself. The best therapy to restore joint stability of lax ligaments is PROLOTHERAPY, which involves injections of sugar and anesthetic into ligaments to stimulant healing. After a series of 4-10 treatments, stability is greatly improved, therefore decreasing stress to the joints and/or disc. Come into A New Leaf and together we will assess whether prolotherapy is a suitable treatment for you or if there is an alternative solution to your back pain.