PCA Continuing Education Courses - CANCELLED

We have been informed that the PCA Continuing Education Course scheduled for Saturday, May 9th in Pittsburgh has been cancelled.  The reasons for the cancellation are unclear but we hope that it can be rescheduled in a timely fashion.  

As far as we know, the Multiple Impulse Therapy Course scheduled for Saturday, September 26th in Philadelphia is still a go.  Please follow up with the PCA as their website currently lists both events on their "Upcoming Events" tab.

Our next seminar is scheduled for Saturday, June 6th in San Diego, CA.  Stay tuned for details!

Drs. Jason Bourne & Nancy Brooks-Bourne in Ontario, Canada

I'm taking this blog global, one continent at a time.

Dr. Jason Bourne has been using a PulStar system for about 4 1/2 years but recently he purchased a second system that his wife, Dr. Nancy Brooks-Bourne will use.  This dynamic duo has offices in London, Ontario (150 Kent St, N6A 1L3, P:519-433-7444, F: 519-433-1276) and Exeter, Ontario (374 Main Street S, N0M 1S6, P: 519-235-2225, F: 519-433-1276).

Jason was born and raised in Deux-Montagnes, Quebec (north of Montreal) while Nancy grew up in Grand-Falls, Newfoundland.  Both graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, IA, Jason in 2002 and Nancy in 1999.  Each has been practicing in Ontario since their graduation.  Aside from PulStar, they specialize in Neuromechanical, Diversified, Thompson, Gonstead and Torque Release Technique.

When not giving PulStar treatments, this PulStar power couple enjoys spending time with their children, Brooke and Evan, and their Redbone Coonhound, Penny.  Some of their favorite activities are skiing, cycling, hiking and going out on their Seadoo boat.

Dr. Jason Bourne says they chose the PulStar Multiple Impulse Therapy because they, "like the specificity of instrument adjusting.  We like that PulStar is visual and we can show our patients where their problems are.  It proves what we do and we know our patients like that".

As of right now, the First Couple of Canadian Chiropractic, has two of the 5 PulStars in the whole Province.  Dr. Jason Bourne was the first chiropractor in Ontario to use the PulStar and others have obviously taken notice of his success.     If you would like to make an appointment with the most experienced PulStar doctor in Ontario, you can call 519-433-7444.

PCA Continuing Education Courses

The Pennsylvania Chiropractic Association (PCA) will be offering two continuing education courses on multiple impulse therapy this year.  Both will feature our very own PulStar expert, Dr. Stephen Savoie.

Dr. Savoie will demonstrate why multiple impulse therapy provides the measurable benefits that patients want and need.  He will help attendees understand why the PulStar system represents the gold standard for multiple impulse therapy, patient record management and applied assessment/adjusting technique.  

Attendees will learn how results are immediately and graphically presented so patients can easily interpret them.  And they will see how multiple impulse therapy can enable them to quickly and accurately measure every outcome. 

The seminars will be held in Pittsburgh on Saturday, May 9th and in Philadelphia on Saturday, September 26th.  8 CEs have been applied for in PA for each program.  Those looking for more information can visit the PCA website.

Dr. Demetrios Athans in Tampa, FL

Dr. Demetrios Athans recently purchased a PulStar Multiple Impulse Therapy for his practice located at 19651 Bruce B Downs Blvd in Tampa, FL 33647.   Dr. Athans has been practicing at this location for the last 4 years.

Dr. Athans grew up in Boston, MA, graduated from Life Chiropractic College in Marietta, GA and had a practice in Melbourne, FL before moving to Tampa.  When he is not helping patients with PulStar treatments he can be found on one of the area's many fine golf courses.

Dr. Athans specializes in both the diversified technique and now the PulStar also.  He chose the PulStar "to improve patient results" and to provide more treatment options for his patients.

Dr. Athans quipped that patients should come to see him because of his "Greek healing power".  So if you need an adjustment, golf tips or a smile you can make an appointment with Dr. Athans by calling 813-994-2266 or by visiting his web site.

Welcome to the PulStar family, Dr. Athans!

X-Rays and low back pain

Many chiropractors use x-rays to help them identify the source of pain their patients are feeling and to help them find the appropriate treatment.  I found an article about some research that was published recently that says there is no benefit to routine imaging for low back pain.

The research was done by an organization called the American Pain Society.  According to their mission statement, the Society "is a multidisciplinary community that brings together a diverse group of scientists, clinicians and other professionals to increase the knowledge of pain and transform public policy and clinical practice to reduce pain-related suffering".

The results of their research are that there is "no benefit to routine lumbar imaging for low back pain without indications of serious underlying conditions" and "that clinicians should refrain from routine use of imaging in these patients".  So unless a patient has a serious spinal issue, regular x-rays during routine visits are unnecessary.   There was no difference between treatment done with imaging and without either in the short term or the long term.

Despite recommendations since 1994 stating that clinicians should avoid using imaging in the first month of acute low back except when "red flags" were present, the use has increased.  And despite all the risks associated with imaging "including radiation exposure or turning up anatomic problems that are not the actual cause of the back pain, and raise both direct and indirect costs", the use of imaging has increased.

Dr. Dan Collins, who has helped develop and train the PulStar, told a group of chiropractors at our Pittsburgh seminar last month that he x-rays his new patients at their first visit to make sure he is aware of any serious spinal conditions and after that he trusts the PulStar analysis.  Even when the PulStar and the patient disagree on the source of the pain, he said, trusting the PulStar always results in relieving the patient's pain.

The PulStar is non-invasive, gentle, safe and most importantly, effective.  A chiropractor using the PulStar will be able to accurately analyze your spine without unnecessary imaging and then offer a gentle, effective treatment to help relieve your pain.  You can click this link in order to read the published research about PulStar's effectiveness or the link in the right hand column to find a PulStar doctor near you so you can see for yourself the many benefits of the PulStar Multiple Impulse Therapy.

"Alternative Therapies"

I follow a number of blogs to keep up with what people are writing about back pain since that is what the PulStar Multiple Impulse Therapy does, relieve back pain.  

One of the bogs I follow is Lose the Back Pain.  This blog, like many of it's kind, doesn't have one method for curing back pain but many.  They sell different products and push their "alternative therapies".  I have no issues with trying something different before deciding on medicines and surgeries.

What I do take issue with is a recent post about healing being an art and not a science.  The author gives examples of going to a chiropractor and an acupuncturist and how each of those practitioners may give different remedies each time because they are artists.  The author goes on to explain that the "healer"recognizes:

"sleep deprivation is both caused by and is also a cause of anxiety; that weight gain is due to improper diet and emotional issues; that insomnia is a result of anxiety and poor food choices and lifestyle choices and jobs that lead to stress and organ-energy imbalances.  There is something in the body 'allowing' these diseases to thrive."

There's no art to any of that, it's science.  Psychology is a science in which we find out about the symptoms and causes and cures for anxiety.  And medicine isn't always the cure.  Any doctor or nutritionist will tell you all the scientific ways that a diet full of cheeseburgers is improper, a poor lifestyle choice and will cause emotional issues when you can't fit into your jeans any more.  We all know that sitting on our couch with a remote is much less healthy than walking with a friend.  It's not art, it's a science.

Back pain relief isn't about art, it's not about "holistic healing", it isn't magic.  It's about science.  There is a reason your back hurts, there is a cause.  The PulStar will scientifically find the cause and will help cure the back pain.  It's not drugs, it's not surgery, it is scientific pain relief.  And best of all, PulStar is gentle.  It doesn't hurt, there is no twisting, cracking or popping.

The one thing from the post that I agree with is that the patient must participate.  This isn't art either, it's also science.  There is no magic pill or wand or "holistic treatment" that will make it possible for you to eat fast food every day, not exercise and still be healthy.  You need to change the way you live. That's not an artist's subjective opinion, it's scientific fact.

Dr. Brian Sharp in Springfield, TN

Dr. Brian Sharp is another veteran PulStar user whose practice, Sharp Spine Center, PLLC, is located at 2012 - Memorial Blvd, Springfield, TN 37172.  Dr. Sharp has been using the PulStar exclusively here for two years.

Dr. Sharp grew up in Atlanta, GA, graduated from Life University in Marietta, GA in 2004 and practiced in Alpharetta, GA prior to moving to Springfield.  When he's not giving PulStar treatments Dr. Sharp enjoys spending time with his family, friends and his church.  He enjoys their midwife appointments since he and his wife are expecting their first child in September (congratulations!).  And he is a fanatic hockey and soccer fan as evidenced by the Man U jersey he wore to our Pittsburgh seminar.

Dr. Sharp chose the PulStar because he was using multiple impulse therapy for two years prior to opening his own office.  He said, "I knew I needed to use the best equipment out there as my #1 priority is to give the best to my patients.  With the PulStar, I'm doing that on each and every visit without any question."

Dr. Sharp went on to say that two things separate him from other chiropractors:  

"The first thing is the PulStar.  With this amazing technology there is no fear of the traditional chiropractic adjustment which many people do not like.  Second, I focus on only recommending what's best for each patient.  Therefore, everyone receives individualized care and specific care plans to address their unique situation."

To learn more about Dr. Sharp or to schedule an appointment you can call 615-382-1411, visit his web site or send him an email at sharpspine@gmail.com.  

We wish Dr. Sharp continued success using the PulStar and look forward to hearing about the newest addition to the Sharp family in September!

Pittsburgh Seminar

Our biggest seminar of the year is coming up March 7th and 8th!

We will be hosting a 2 day conference at the Doubletree Hotel in Pittsburgh where attendees will receive in depth training with the PulStar Multiple Impulse Therapy.  Our national trainers will be there to teach basic and advanced protocols.  Attendees can also become certified at this seminar.  

If you can't make the Detroit seminar in February, this one is only a couple of hours away.   

To register call 800-628-9416.

 

Dr. Brian Seitz in Hillsboro, OR

I thought it might be a good idea to profile some of our veteran PulStar users along with those just getting started.  So...

Dr. Brian Seitz practices at Tuality Physicians, PC at 730-D SE Oak Street in Hillsboro, OR 97123.  Dr. Seitz has been practicing in Western Washington County (OR) for 21 years!  9 of those years have been spent as a DC in an MD/DO primary care practice group.

Dr. Seitz spent the first 12 years of his life in Southern California before moving north to Oregon where he has been since.  He graduated from the Western States Chiropractic College in June of 1988 before opening his own practice.  When he's not busy treating patients with the PulStar, he's busy playing basketball, mountain biking and playing an occasional round of golf.

Dr. Seitz is diversified in his treatment techniques.  In addition to the PulStar Multiple Impulse Therapy, he can offer manual adjustments as well as various modalities to support an injured patient and help relieve pain.  He also uses therapies for tendinopathies and for breaking down excessive fibrosis. Dr. Seitz also counsels patients on appropriate nutrition and exercise for general wellness and targeted problems.

Dr. Seitz chose the PulStar about 7 years ago because he wanted to be able "to provide a treatment option for patients fearful of traditional adjusting".  He also said that the PulStar offers him the additional benefit of  prolonging his useful career because the PulStar gives him an alternative to manual adjusting if he were to suffer an injury.  You heard it straight from the doctor's mouth, the PulStar is good for patients AND doctors. :-)

Dr. Seitz's patients are treated "as a unique individual, not part of a 'system approach'."  He will "listen to (his) patients and strive to empower each patient with knowledge of self-help and wellness".  Dr. Seitz says, "People get better with my care!"  With his years of experience and the PulStar at his side, we know he is right.

To get more information about Dr. Seitz or to schedule an appointment, you can call 503-640-3724 or you can visit his web site. 

Dr. Tami Andrews in Lake Elmo, MN

I am proud to post about a new member joining the PulStar family!

Dr. Tami Andrews is the newest user of the PulStar Multiple Impulse Therapy.  Dr. Andrews practices at the Lake Elmo Chiropractic Clinic at 3511 Lake Elmo Avenue N, Lake Elmo, MN 55042.  She has been practicing here for 13 years.

Dr. Andrews got her start at Hynan Chiropractic in St. Paul where she practiced for 4 years after graduating from Northwestern College of Chiropractic in 1992.  She specializes in adjustments, nutrition and non-surgical decompression.

Raised in Chisholm, MN, Dr. Andrews enjoys playing tennis, watching hockey and skating as would any true native of the North Star State. :)

Dr. Andrews says she chose the PulStar because of the technology, customer service and price.  Patients at Lake Elmo Chiropractic can expect personal service, a caring attitude and prompt attention.  And she says, "we have combined technology in our offices that other offices do not".

To schedule an appointment you can call 651-779-7858 or 651-777-2426 and you can find her on the web by clicking here.

Dr. Andrews, it's good to have you on board.  We look forward to hearing your successes with the PulStar.  Good luck!

PulStar is Reliable and Consistent

One of the benefits of technology is that measurements can be made precisely and they can be repeated accurately.  

For example, we could measure the speed of a thrown baseball by having someone count how many seconds it takes to get to the catcher.  How reliable would that be?  Maybe the person starts a little faster on this throw, a little slower on that throw.  And how about consistency between counters?  Maybe one counts "one-one thousand", one counts "one Mississippi" and a third counts "one, two...".  How accurate can any of them be?

We could use the technological advancement of the stopwatch which would improve the time measurement but still would have inconsistencies between those using the watch.  What if one person starts the watch during the wind up, another right before he ball is released and a third after the ball has left the hand?  All three would accurately judge the time from the starting point to the end but the starting points would all be different.

Thankfully a radar gun was created and there is much less confusion or argument about the speed of pitches.  There is little human inconsistency that interferes with the measurement of a thrown ball.  We now trust that a ball measured at 93 mph in Pittsburgh's PNC Park will be measured at 93 mph in every other park in the country.

Now think about chiropractic.  A doctor using just his hands can not objectively quantify the stiffness of muscles or pinpoint exactly where a problem may be.  He can go on his experience and intuition to find and relieve your pain.  Even if you find the best chiropractor available, how accurate can he be for every one of your visits or for every patient he sees?  Human error is undeniable, it's going to happen, even to the best of us.  What if you moved and needed to see a different chiropractor, what's the guarantee the new doctor will find the same things as your previous doctor?

There are instruments available in chiropractic that may offer adjustment or analysis but are no more beneficial to chiropractic than the stop watch in the example above was to measuring the speed of a thrown pitch.  These instruments rely heavily on the doctor using it and the diagnosis of that doctor.  Different practitioners of these instruments will achieve different results.

Thankfully there's the PulStar Multiple Impulse Therapy.  Dr. Robert Leach, a PulStar user,  published his research about PulStar's repeatability in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics.  What Dr. Leach found is that for an experienced user, the PulStar analysis was repeatable on a scale of .89 out of 1.0 and between different doctors the analysis was repeatable on a scale of .87 out of 1.0.

The point is that you can count on the PulStar technology to accurately and consistently analyze you to find the problems causing your pain.  You can count on it if you go to the same doctor every time and you can count on it if you have to go to a different PulStar user.  The PulStar will improve chiropractic just like other technologies have improved every aspect of our lives.

 

You can click here for more research available about the PulStar or PulStarFRAS.  Just type either word into the box and click "go" to find the published research.           

More on PulStar's Flexibility

In an earlier post I talked about PulStar's flexibility when it comes to force settings and the different modes of adjusting.  Another way PulStar's flexibility can help you is in the adjustment position.

Our research has found that patient position is an important variable when it comes to effectively dealing with a patient's pain.  Patients react to treatment differently in different positions because of things like gravity and the support they receive from the table they are laying on or the chair they are sitting in.  If you are laying on a table some muscles are relaxed and the adjustment may not be effective.

Some patients spines look completely different when standing compared to when they are laying down or sitting.  A little more surprising than this is that different problems causing pain may show up in these different positions.   With this in mind we developed constant posture systems that allow doctors to both analyze and adjust patients in standing as well as sitting positions.

No other instrument or adjusting technique can offer this option which is designed to make sure a patient's back pain can be relieved quickly and effectively.  The PulStar Multiple Impulse Therapy is the best instrument technology on the market.

PulStar is Patient Friendly

The PulStar Multiple Impulse Therapy has always included a sophisticated database.  Not only does this system analyze and adjust patients, it also stores the results of the visit.  In the database a doctor can store the results of the analysis and adjustment, where the patient was adjusted, how much force was used and even the number of impulses!!   Any patient can view any of their previous visits, get a print out of any visit and even be shown trends for every vertebra over all visits on an easy to understand display.  

Also, if a patient has a previous visit, as soon as their information is retrieved, a "Last Visit Display" pops up so the doctor and patient can review the results of the last visit and compare it side by side with the results of the current analysis.  The PulStar displays the images side by side using bar graphs that make it simple for a patient to understand.

The PulStar technology takes the guess work out of back pain treatments.  Doctors can find the exact area where the pain is coming from and treat it effectively to relieve the pain.  Then both the patient and the doctor can review the results together to make sure progress is being made.  Empowering the patient in this way has helped make PulStar a patient favorite across the country.

Why Don't All Chiropractors have a PulStar?

Given all that I have learned about the PulStar Multiple Impulse Therapy since I've been here, I often wonder why chiropractors aren't beating down our door for one.  It's interesting to me when I talk to a chiropractor about buying a PulStar, the two main reasons I hear why they don't want to buy one are 1. Cost and 2. they don't want to change the way they currently do things (ie manual  adjustments).

The cost is understandable especially in these difficult economic times and it's a topic I can discuss later.  But the part about this that I struggle with is that the PulStar will attract new patients which will in turn increase their income.  But they say it still costs too much.  However, it's a pretty good bet that most of these chiropractors have spent more money on a car that loses value everyday and costs more in maintenance and gas and doesn't return a penny.  But people still buy cars.  Anyway...

The other reason that chiropractors don't buy is because they think they do it better themselves and technology is just for show or for chiropractors that hurt and can't use their own hands any more.  We hear stories all the time from doctors who buy a PulStar and find they had no idea how much their patients prefer it.  If you read through the testimonials on our web site and the results of a survey given by Dr. Mantoya to his patients posted earlier, you will see that patients love the gentle treatment the PulStar gives them.

Everyone knows that one of the knocks on chiropractic is that people think it hurts and is dangerous.  Chiropractors know this but somehow don't believe that people with back pain don't seek chiropractic care because they are scared.  I'll admit that I have never been manually adjusted and I never will.  I don't care what anyone says, I don't want my body twisted up and I know that I am not alone.  The PulStar is ideal for someone like me and had I known it was available, I would have started using it a long time ago. 

I hope we can get some people on this blog to comment about their experience being manually adjusted and then getting a PulStar treatment to relieve their back pain.  I'm sure if enough people tell chiropractors that they prefer the safe and effective PulStar treatment, more chiropractors will make it available.  Treatment for back pain doesn't need to be painful or scary or dangerous.  The PulStar proves it.

Back Pain Treatment Is So Confusing

I'm always looking around at what other people are saying about back pain and the treatments that are available or that they suggest. It's no wonder that people are so cynical when talking about "cures" for back pain.

I was at a site called BackPainFixes.com and I clicked on the "Sports Medicine" link and I noticed all of the "Best Sports Therapies" in the left hand column and I couldn't help think, "If any one of them worked, why would they need to list all of them"?  There aren't 43 different solutions to relieve headaches.  You take ibuprofen or acetaminophen and you call it a day because it works.  You don't try some exercise one time, try straps, weights, girdles, helmets or whatever instrument another time and then some balm or cream or syrup another time.  We all know that ibuprofen and acetaminophen work so we use those.

But when it comes to back pain, web sites have no problem selling every thing under the sun because it doesn't matter what works and what doesn't as long as you keep buying the products they produce or market.  If relieving your pain mattered, they would only list the product that worked and not every product available.  The truth is that if they cure your back pain, they may not be able to sell you more products.

Chiropractors that use our PulStar Multiple Impulse Therapy report that they are getting a great response from their patients (physically) and that their patients love it.  Add to that the research we have done on the results of treatment with our system and it's pretty hard to deny that we aren't the ibuprofen or acetaminophen of back pain.  The PulStar will give you safe, gentle and effective pain relief.  We just need to get it into the hands of more chiropractors.

If you have had an experience with the PulStar, let us know about it.

Happy Thanksgiving! 

PulStar Treatments are Easy to Understand

One of the reasons patients love the PulStar is that it's easy to see and understand where the problem is, what the doctor did to fix the problem and the results of the treatment.  The reason is that the PulStar offers a "Full Spine Display".

This display shows both the doctor and the patient all 30 vertebral locations and the stiffness at each vertebra.  There is no need to switch back and forth between each area of the back.  The doctor and the patient can view the entire spine and evaluate the response at each area.

Not only can the doctor and patient see the results of the last visit (graph on far right) they will be able to see the results of the pre- and post- scans also.  Patients will get an easy to read picture of their progress since the last visit.

Also on the screen a patient can see the amount of force delivered by the PulStar and the rate it was delivered at.  All of which can be adjusted by the doctor as necessary.  There is no guessing or estimating what was done and how much force was used, it is all displayed on the screen.

The PulStar Multiple Impulse therapy allows patients to interact with the doctor and to easily understand the analysis and treatment in clear and precise terms.  Patients can feel safe knowing that a doctor won't accidentally use too much force during an adjustment of the back or neck and cause damage.  

The PulStar's technology adds objectivity to a field built on the subjectivity of the practitioner.   Patients appreciate the consistency delivered by the PulStar because it ensures a safe, gentle and effective treatment delivered every time.

iSpine

As I was looking for more information about how people handle back pain and what they do for relief, I found a community called iSpine which stands for the "International Spine Patient Information Network".  The site is designed to share information between people suffering through back pain.  The forum allows people to ask questions, share their experience and find some emotional support.

I asked if anyone had tried a PulStar Multiple Impulse treatment to relieve their back pain.  The site administrator responded quickly and with some skepticism.  He noted that maybe the site was designed for those suffering more severe back issues or structural type problems.  Someone else called me a spammer.  I offered to get either of them a PulStar treatment so they could report back but neither accepted.  What can you do?

In any case, if someone is suffering from severe back issues and are looking for ways to avoid surgery, first I would suggest a PulStar treatment and second I would say check out iSpine since they seem to have more activity from real people than other blogs or web sites I've seen.

Money Spent on Back Pain

In my search for back pain treatments, I came across this article from the NY Times "Well" blog.  The author cites a report that shows how more people are spending more money on back pain relief than ever before.  People are spending more on drugs and surgeries and not finding the relief they are after.

In the previous post, Dr. Evans talked about research that showed that 96% of the patients treated with the PulStar were completely out of pain in six visits.  No drugs, no surgery, just safe, gentle and effective pain relief.  

Reading articles like the one above makes me realize how important our job is to get the word out about how effective the PulStar is.  Who wouldn't want to save time and money to cure their back pain?  Many people are afraid of the addictive nature of medications and the complications that can arise from surgery.  The Pulstar Multiple Impulse Therapy can give them that relief with no addictions and complications.  It really is a great instrument.

How many Multiple Impulse Therapy treatments will be necessary?

Each individual is a unique organism that responds in its own unique way to environmental stimuli including Multiple Impulse Therapy (MIT).  While no-one can say exactly how many treatments will be required to resolve your pain (or even predict whether you will respond to MIT) clinical studies provide a baseline reference.  For example, in a study of 249 consecutive patients, half of all patients treated reported complete pain relief in less than four visits.  The half requiring four treatments or more usually reported pain relief by the sixth visit.  In that study, 96% of the patients responded to the treatment.

The Efficiency of multiple impulse therapy for musculoskeletal complaints.

J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2006 Feb;29(2):162.e1-162.e9.PMID: 16461177

How is Multiple Impulse Therapy Different?

One of the frequent questions that patients have is "Will the treatment hurt?"  Since The basis for Multiple Impulse Therapy is a precisely controlled low energy impulse, In general, the therapy will not cause you any more pain than you are in right now.  Both the analysis and treatment impulses can be as low as five pounds which is hardly noticeable.  Patients report that the feeling is closer to a soothing deep massage than a conventional manual adjustment.  The therapy consists of a rapid repetition or train of small impulses rather than a single high energy thrust.  These impulses stimulate reflexes and relax the muscles around the joint thereby allowing the relief of muscle spasms that place abnormal loads on joint systems.  Once the abnormal loading of the joints is corrected and the joint is restored to normal motion, the related joint pain is usually relieved.  You and your clinician can see the effectiveness of the impulses as they relax the joint system.  Since the therapy is applied through many impulses, there is no single adjustment and no "crack" when the joint is treated.