Typically, most patients come to see me when they are in pain or discomfort and our team helps them get back to their current health status prior to the acute issue. But what happens after that? Once a patient’s acute pain, discomfort or condition has resolved, they’re often left wondering if they should get maintenance or preventative treatments. Well the answer is a little more complex then a simple yes or no answer. In this article, I will discuss the route for you to take to make that informed health decision and give you a very basic algorithm to follow to help you decide. But first, lets discuss what exactly maintenance or preventative treatment/care entails…
Preventative or Maintenance Care/ Treatment is a whole body treatment which addresses any developed imbalances, impedances, functions, etc. in which are risk factors for disease and dysfunction. These risk factors can be triggered by several variables like work, stressors, physical activity, environmental, postural, congenital, etc. Our body makes adaptations and self regulates to these variables which often leads to chronic conditions down the road. Preventative treatment addresses these adaptations our body is trying to self regulate and steers it down the right path so we avoid long term implications. A simplistic example of this is how sitting at a desk all day can effect our body’s anatomy. This can lead to tension, headaches, muscle imbalances, rounding of the shoulders, straightening of the normal curvature in your spine, inflammation, etc. – All of which would be addressed in our preventative/ maintenance care and treatment protocol in order to come up with a treatment plan to mitigate the risk of developing chronic pain, restricted movement, etc.
SUBJECTIVE: Of course if you are already a patient of mine, I will have already reviewed the above; however, we as we are transitioning from acute pain to preventative treatment, we will be reviewing this information again but looking at it with a different perspective. PHYSICAL EXAMINATION/ OBJECTIVE: Breakdown of this physical examination: ASSESSMENT: PLAN: We will do our very best to accommodate the patient’s variables into their treatment plan; however, it is important to note that all expectations may not be met as more variables interfere with the original prescribed treatment plan. This will all be discussed with the patient at this time of the appointment.
Now that you know what Preventative/ Maintenance Treatment and Assessment actually does, how do you decide that you need it? Below is an algorithm I’ve developed to help patient’s decide if they should explore this health opportunity.
Now that you have all the information about preventative or maintenance treatment, you are able to make the informed decision if it is right for you and your health. In my professional opinion, there are not too many people (if any) whom shouldn’t implement some sort of preventative healthcare into their life due to the ongoing stressors and risk factors throughout our daily lives. Correcting issues and addressing risk factors before pain or dysfunction can prevent big issues from arising and can significantly improve your quality of life. “You don’t have to cure a disease, which you never had” If you believe you should be implementing a maintenance or preventative treatment program into your life, I would be glad to help you along that process. Please give our office a call to schedule your assessment or reassessment if you have been my patient in the past. Questions or Concerns? Please reach out, we would be glad to assist you in anyway we are able to do so.
Why Maintenance Care?
What is Maintenance or Preventative Care/ Treatment?
What does a preventative or maintenance appointment entail?
So how do you decide if you need maintenance/ preventative care?
In Conclusion…
The Ontario Government has announced that masking requirements are removed for many indoor settings as of today March 21, 2022; however, this does not include healthcare settings.
As healthcare professionals, our regulatory bodies have stated we must adhere to this policy and as such, masks will still be required for all in-person appointments at this time.
Thank you for your continued compliance and understanding in this matter.
I hope all of you have a great holiday season spending time with your loved ones… and not having any flare ups for your conditions! BUT, in the event that you wish to see me for treatment or examination, below are my extended clinic hours this holiday season. If you wish to schedule an appointment during this time, please call our office at 519-735-7555 or email us at info@cccosteopathy.com and one of our team members will reach out to you to schedule an appointment.
You’ve had chronic low back pain for months and/or years. Your doctor ordered you an MRI which showed multi-level degeneration/ arthritis, bulging or herniated disk(s), stenosis, or another long terrifying word. You were told you the treatment options were steroid or an epidural injection, NSAIDs, opioids, physiotherapy or even to consult a neurosurgeon. You may have been told that you have to live with this pain. You tried a few of those treatment options with no success or the success (pain relief) was short lived. This left you disheartened, depressed and thinking that you are going to be in pain for the rest of your life. You now avoid physical activity because you think or have been told that it will make your condition worse. Sound familiar? I hear various versions of this story on a daily basis during my initial consultations. While MRI and other diagnostic imaging remains an excellent assessment tool, it unfortunately carries the burden of giving patients a beautiful mental image of ‘how bad their injury is’ and can contribute to negative thoughts about recovery and prognosis. (Wang et al., 2018) What if I told you that asymptomatic individuals (people without pain or other symptoms of disease/condition) can have the same CT/ MRI findings as you? A study conducted by Brinjikji, et al. (2015), systematically reviews the evidence for the prevalence of common spine conditions on asymptomatic people through decades of age: 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80 y/o. The goal of this study was to estimate the prevalence of common spine conditions which showed on diagnostic imaging of healthy individuals (asymptomatic). This study reviewed 33 articles reporting imaging findings for 3110 asymptomatic individuals. This study proves that some findings are part of the normal aging process and may be unassociated with low back pain. In short, your pain MAY NOT be stemming from what shows up on diagnostic imaging reports! It is our job as your healthcare providers to make a clinical judgement based on our assessments, the patient history and diagnostic imaging to figure out exactly what is MOST LIKELY causing your pain and then discuss your treatment options. In many cases, you DO have conservative treatment options and likewise, the worst thing many patients can do is avoid any type physical activity. Of course, in some circumstances the diagnostic imaging does help us determine the source of your pain, it also helps us better understand what is going on in your spine, what we can expect in terms of recovery, and what is the best available options for your unique circumstance. We as healthcare practitioners NEED to do a better job of educating the patient about the findings and how they correlate to their pain. We also need to do a better job of not basing a diagnosis solely on diagnostic imaging. References: Wáng, Y. X. J., Wu, A. M., Santiago, F. R., & Nogueira-Barbosa, M. H. (2018). Informed appropriate imaging for low back pain management: A narrative review. Journal of orthopaedic translation. Henschke N, Maher CG, Refshauge KM, Herbert RD, Cumming RG, Bleasel J, et al. Prevalence of and screening for serious spinal pathology in patients presenting to primary care settings with acute low back pain. Arthritis & Rheumatism 2009; 60(10):3072-80. Dagenais S, Haldeman S. Evidence-based management of low back pain. St Louis (MO): Mosby; 2011; p. 1-12. We are extremely excited to announce that we are the first in our area to offer Tecar Therapy as a treatment option at our clinic! Ok, BUT what is it, what does it do and how can it help me? TECAR therapy is a form of combined contact diathermy and electrotherapy. It is a medical practice that applies electromagnetic energy to biological tissue. The electromagnetic frequency applied originates from the radiofrequency spectrum. Unlike electrotherapy it does not provoke muscle contraction. The electromagnetic field created, capacitive or resistive, generates heat, allowing targeted, easy-to-manage therapeutic applications. The heat-induced vasodilation increases the exchange of substances resulting in drainage of the inflamed area and an influx of reparative cells. TECAR therapy also has pain resolving properties through its stimulation of endorphin production. TECAR therapy uses high-frequency currents for the bio-stimulation of tissue with different resistivity. TR Therapy generates, within the tissues, the phenomena of polarization of cellular membranes. The resultant flow of electrolytes facilitates trans-membrane exchange in the cell, rebalancing the intra-and extra cellular matrix and reactivating metabolic processes. Using the bio transfer algorithm, allows dosage of energy so that the natural thermal state of the tissues can generate, through controlled vasodilation, a rinsing of inflammatory metabolites from the affected area. TR Therapy interacts with the peripheral nervous system. Hyper polarization of fast fibres, generated by the rapid oscillation of the magnetic field, inhibits the passage of pain signals. This leads to a progressive regression of symptoms and a return of the sense of well-being for the patient. The passage of energy through tissues and the consequent electrolytic flow causes a localized increase in temperature. The resulting vasodilation leads to increased hematic flow. Areas with poor blood flow, due to contracture or muscular fibrosis, benefit immediately as the presence of arterial blood guarantees increased muscular oxygenation. The precise and aimed effect of the Targeted Radiofrequency Therapy on the hypertonic muscle fibres causes their immediate relaxation. The effect of myorelaxation is primarily based on vasodilation, which occurs immediately during the therapy and is responsible for higher supply of nutrients into the tissue. The improvement of tissue metabolism is a natural and valuable secondary outcome of the therapy. It leads to faster healing of the traumatized soft tissue and faster resorption of post-injury haematomas. The walls of the arterioles are enlarged, and the precapillary sphincters relaxed, allowing increased local blood perfusion. This leads to an increase of the lymphatic processes (drainage) and subsequently to reduction of the edema. The principal effect of the Targeted Radiofrequency Therapy–the pain relief–results from muscle relaxation, edema reduction, tissue regeneration and healing. Tecar Therapy can be used in the treatment of both chronic and acute conditions. Although TECAR Therapy is safe for almost everyone, it is contraindicated while pregnant as well as those who have an implanted pacemaker or some other electronic medical device. No. In fact, most patients experience a relaxing feeling throughout the duration of the treatment. Most patients experience positive results right after the first treatment; however, each patient and condition is different and results may vary. We would suggest Tecar Therapy instead of Shockwave Therapy for more acute phases of an injury or condition such as tendinitis. Tecar Therapy aims to reduce inflammation, where as Shockwave Therapy aims to create inflammation resulting in a jump start of the bodies natural anti-inflammatory process. Other variables in this decision are financials, patient’s availability (Tecar frequency protocol is typically 2x/ week where as shockwave is 1x/ week) and patient’s health history. We discuss all treatment options with our patient prior to treatment so that we can pick the best treatment option for that patient and their condition. Tecar Therapy utilizes electric current but is by no means dangerous. The modality distributes pleasant warmth through the tissue doing no harm when applied correctly. The practitioner asks the patient about their sensation throughout the treatment and prevents any feeling of discomfort. Every patient and condition is different. Tecar Therapy brings scientifically proven, immediate and long-lasting relief. It relieves conditions for which it is indicated instantly, moments after initiating the therapy. The results depend on the patient’s condition and whether the patient follows the practitioner’s suggested treatment plan and protocol. Just a reminder that as of today, Monday June 14, we are open during our regular clinical hours to see osteopathic patients with Spencer Jean, DO, DO(MP), MBA. Finally, after weeks of lobbying and waiting, I am extremely excited to inform you all that the Ontario Government has officially amended the “REOPENING ONTARIO (A FLEXIBLE RESPONSE TO COVID-19) ACT, 2020 Amending 0. Reg. 82/20” to include Osteopathy as an essential healthcare service! Effective Monday June 14, I will be in the clinic seeing patients during my regular clinic hours. If we were forced to cancel your appointment during this shutdown, rest assured you will be the first to receive a call this week to schedule your appointment(s). You are more than welcome to call our office anytime to secure your appointments as I do expect the schedule to fill up quickly. I’d like to thank all of you for the ongoing support. Without your support, whether that was writing a letter, email, phone call or simply voicing your opinion to myself and our office, we would not have accomplished this achievement. It is because of my patients that I have fought so hard to make this possible. Once again, from the bottom of my heart I sincerely thank you. I look forward to seeing each and everyone of you and getting your health back on track! Yours in health, Spencer Jean, DO, DO(MP), MBA To all current, future and past Osteopathy patients, It breaks my heart to inform you that the Windsor Essex County Health Unit has informed me that under the current provincial covid-19 restrictions (Schedule 2) Manual Osteopath’s are not permitted to see patients for in person treatments until further notice. This is extremely disheartening. The reasoning for this is that in Canada Osteopathy is self-regulated instead of provincially regulated. This means that there are several governing associations and societies which manual osteopaths can choose to join based on those associations requirements as well as the individual practitioner’s needs. Due to this, Osteopathy has been an oversight and has not been included in the “Schedule 2” of our current covid-19 regulations. I am actively working on solutions with our local health unit as well as The Ontario Minister of Health and the provincial MP. I assure you that I am fighting for my patients as I know how detrimental this will be for those who are on current treatment plans. If you have a scheduled appointment with myself, I will be in contact with you to discuss treatment options while I am restricted from seeing you in person. For example, home exercise programs, referral to our chiropractors for those who are receiving radial shockwave therapy, low level laser therapy and iontophoresis treatments. If you would like to voice your opinion to our health unit and government officials, you may do so by emailing the following officials: phatfield-co@ndp.on.ca; mfines@wechu.org; premier@ontario.ca; enadalin@wechu.org; christine.elliott@pc.ola.org; irek.kusmierczyk@parl.gc.ca. Again, I am extremely disheartened to inform you of this news and will continue to do my best to help you in any way I can through email, referrals, and Telehealth. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please email me at spencerjean_do@outlook.com and I will respond as soon as I am able to. I will continue to fight for my patients and hopefully will be able to see you in person soon. I will update you all as soon as I am updated. Thank you for your understanding. Yours in health, Spencer Jean, DO, DO(MP), MBA We are extremely pleased to announce that manual osteopath, Spencer Jean, DO, DOMP, MBA, is able to accept patients for “IN-PERSON” clinical appointments! It has been confirmed that while Ontario takes a regional approach in managing the spread of covid-19, we will be able to accept patients in-person at the clinic – no matter the zone Windsor-Essex is in. Of course, as we have seen in the past, this can change as per the Ministry of Health Office; however, we do not believe this will be the case at this point in time. This has been a difficult and confusing time for our practice and our loyal patients. We’d like to thank you for bearing with us while we obtained guidance on our recent shutdown due to the provincial wide lockdown. We will be calling patients in order of the last date of appointment cancellation in order to schedule those appointments; however, if you’d like to be proactive and not wait for us to call, you may call our office to schedule your appointment at any time. We have made a few amendments to our office hours in order to decrease the volume of patients in our waiting room and office. Please see below. Thank you so much for your continued understanding. We can’t wait to see you in our office and get you back on track with your treatment plan and health goals. To get the most up-to-date information, please follow us on Facebook [@cccosteopathy] as well as provide us your email address when you come into the clinic so we can add you to our mailing list. Unfortunately, due to the lack of inconsistency between osteopathic colleges, associations and societies regarding the allowance of their members to continue the practice osteopathic medicine during the current provincial lockdown, the Chief Medical Officer of the Provincial Health Office has decided to cease in person osteopathic treatments until at least January 23. We will be in contact with you to reschedule any in person treatments when we are able to provide this service. Until then Spencer will be providing HIPAA compliant TeleHealth appointments through audio and video. To learn more about TeleHealth appointments, how we can still provide exceptional care, what to expect and to book your TeleHealth appointment, please visit: TELEHEALTH — CCC Osteopathy If you have an appointment scheduled prior to January 23, our office will be in contact with you directly to reschedule. We hope to be able to provide in-person osteopathic services after January 23 and once we have confirmation, we will contact all patients we had to cancel due to these new regulations in order of the patient’s cancelled appointment. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please contact our office. FOR ACUTE EMERGENCIES… Acute emergency patient’s are still able to see Dr. Todd and Dr. Sarah for chiropractic treatment or they can schedule a TeleHealth appointment in which I can deem the best course of action for that specific patient and condition. This is extremely disheartening news and while I disagree with the decision, the decision is ultimately out of my control and will adapt to the current situations in order to provide the utmost exceptional care that my patients know and except. For the most up-to-date information, please follow us on Facebook and Instagram at ‘CCC Osteopathy’, visit our website at www.cccosteopathy.com, and check your emails for news updates. I’d like to thank you for your patience and understanding through these difficult and confusing times. Thank you. Your Manual Osteopath, Spencer Jean, DO, DO(MP), MBA2021 HOLIDAY CLINIC HOURS
HOLIDAY CLINIC HOURS
What does this mean for you?
If this sounds like your situation, what should you do?
Take back control of your health. Schedule a consultation today.
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOSTIMULANT EFFECT
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY EFFECT
ANAESTHETIC EFFECT
DECONTRACTING EFFECT
MEDICAL EFFECTS
MUSCLE RELAXATION
TISSUE REGENERATION & HEALING
EDEMA REDUCTION
PAIN RELIEF
INDICATIONS FOR USE
CONTRAINDICATIONS
PATIENT EXPERIENCE
Pricing (Includes HST)
PACKAGES
PACKAGE
PRICE
REGULAR PRICE
AMOUNT SAVED
6
$486.00
$540.00
$54.00
8
$648.00
$720.00
$72.00
10
$810.00
$900.00
$90.00
12
$972.00
$1080.00
$108.00
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Call us to schedule a consultation with Spencer today to see if Tecar Therapy is right for you!
Clinical Hours – Spencer Jean, DO, DO(MP), MBA
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY MORNING 8 – 11am 8 – 11am 8 – 11am 8 – 11am 8 – 11am 9 – 12n OFF AFTERNOON 2 – 6pm OFF 2 – 6pm OFF 1 – 4pm OFF OFF WE ARE NOW ABLE TO ACCEPT PATIENTS FOR IN-PERSON OSTEOPATHIC APPOINTMENTS!!!
DAY MORNING AFTERNOON MONDAY 8 – 11 AM 2 – 6 PM TUESDAY 8 – 11 AM OFF WEDNESDAY 8 – 11 AM 2 – 6 PM THURSDAY 8 – 11 AM OFF FRIDAY 8 – 11 AM 2 – 4 PM SATURDAY 9 – 12 PM OFF SUNDAY OFF OFF
