The Alaska Back Pain
Protocol

The Alaska Back Pain Protocol Benefits

Get stronger. Walk farther. Sit longer. Work harder. Play longer. Have more fun. Fewer days in bed, or on the couch.

We created the Alaska Back Pain Protocol (ABPP) in 2001 to help Alaskans like you relieve their back pain.

The outcome of this protocol has been beyond our expectations.

To date, we’ve helped over 9,000 Alaskans experience relief with this unique and proprietary protocol.

We know how debilitating back pain can be. Chronic back pain can cause you to feel weakness, depression, and anger. What is even worse, chronic back pain can lead to addictive pain medications and risky surgery. Without proper treatment of this condition, it can lead to a lifetime of constant pain.

It doesn’t have to be this way. As our ABPP has shown thousands of times, you can find relief without the dangers associated with surgery and painkillers.

Here’s how:

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Experience fast-acting, long-lasting results with the Alaska Back Pain Protocol.

Get back to your active lifestyle, enjoy time with friends and
family, and experience all Alaska has to offer once again —
without pain. For good.

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How Does the ABPP Work?

Before you decide on a back pain treatment, you need to know what to expect.

While every patient’s back pain is a little different, we use four-pillar therapies in the Alaska Back Pain Protocol: Massage/Physical Therapy Modalities, IDD (previously DRS), Chiropractic Adjustments, and Rehabilitative Therapy. After years of research and experience, we know that each of these works together to help combat different problems that cause back pain.

Massage Therapy/Physical Therapy Modalities

1

Massage Therapy helps to reduce muscular tension and reduce scar tissue and other adhesions that are reducing mobility in the lower back area. Physical Therapy modalities reduce inflammation and provide pain relief so that we can work on your back without pain.

IDD System

2

Formerly the DRS system, the IDD system uses axial and spinal decompression to help stop the pain. This decompression helps to reduce tension in your lumbar spine which could end up causing your nerves to tingle painfully or even your spinal discs to grind against each other. In fact, we often use this system not only to prevent spinal issues but to heal them as well. This includes medical conditions such as degenerative disc disease and herniated discs.

Chiropractic Care

3

Chiropractic care works with the musculoskeletal system and uses techniques to help reduce inflammation, tenderness, or pain in areas. Adjusting spinal misalignments will also improve the body’s nervous system, which runs through the spine.

Rehabilitative Therapy

4

Rehabilitative therapy is used to help train your body to function normally again. This could mean helping you to feel less pain or even trying to improve your skeletal structure to make it easier to walk and move around. This includes home exercises throughout the treatment plan, as well as in-office rehab to strengthen up the muscles to ensure long-term relief and prevention of further issues.

Due to the benefits of these four types of therapies, we use them in our exclusive ABPP, which has been helping Alaskans since 2001.

You won’t find this protocol anywhere else.

One reason we continue to be so successful is that we were the first to bring the IDD/DRS system to Alaska, and no one in our great state has more experience using this system.

That’s how we’ve managed to help over 9,000 Alaskans overcome their debilitating back pain. And we can help you.

FREE One-Hour Massage Certificate

SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT AND RECEIVE A

That’s right! Receive a certificate for a free one-hour massage with one of our highly-trained, professional, and licensed massage therapists for use after your first appointment. You can use it yourself, or give it to one of your family or friends for them to use!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the ABPP Used Only for Back Pain?

Back pain is usually caused by some type of strain in the spine. This could be due to problems such as muscle sprains, ligament tears, herniated discs, or nerve conditions, such as arthritis

Back pain ranges in its severity and can result from a few different things, such as:

Age
Lack of exercise
Smoking
Improper lifting
Infections
Tumors
Physical injuries

If you’ve injured your back in some way and haven’t allowed this injury to properly heal, it could also end up leading to unbearable chronic pain.

Is the ABPP Used Only for Back Pain?

Since the spine is an essential part of the nervous and musculoskeletal systems, pain in other parts of the body often originates in the back. This means that, in some cases, the ABPP can help the pain in other parts of the body. However, we won’t know whether the Alaska Back Pain Protocol will be right for you until we do a comprehensive exam to provide you with a diagnosis and create an evidence-based plan to treat your pain — wherever it is located.

What is IDD Therapy?

Also known as Intervertebral Disc Decompression, IDD Therapy works to help decompress your spine and its discs. This can help tremendously with problems such as sciatica, degenerative disc disease, and bulging discs. In addition to using special spinal movement techniques, the therapy also sometimes involves massage therapy.

DRS and IDD

Many of our patients know this system by a different name: DRS. This is the same concept and treatment with a different name. If you’re familiar with DRS therapy, you can rest assured that IDD is the same thing under a different name.

What Type of Problems Does IDD Therapy Treat?

Aside from common back pain, IDD Therapy treats numerous other problems.

Herniated, Bulging, and Protruding Discs
- Herniated discs are one of the most common causes of back pain and themselves have many potential causes including posture, improper lifting, injury, aging, and sitting for long periods.

Leg, Hip, and Arm Pain
- Since the central nervous system starts in the spine and runs throughout the body, issues in the spine, such as spinal stenosis, can cause leg, hip, and arm pain. IDD therapy can help to relieve any pinched nerves that may be causing this pain by decompressing your spine.

How Does IDD Therapy Work?

IDD Therapy works very simply, using a uniquely designed machine. First, you will be required to lay down on a padded table. This will help to remove pressure from your spine which is present when you’re standing or sitting. After you’re on the table, you will be kept secure with a harness around your hips and upper body.

The IDD machine then works, at the direction of a trained technician, to gently decompress targeted areas of your spine using carefully controlled movements. Since compression causes most back pain, this decompression treatment is extremely beneficial and a big part of our Alaska Back Pain Protocol.

IDD Therapy does not hurt. In fact, many patients find it to be soothing and relaxing.

Over time, the therapy will encourage your lumbar system to realign while reducing nerve pain and other similar musculoskeletal problems. The oscillation produced will also encourage the production of a fluid called lactate. This fluid is very important to have in your spine as it will prevent the vertebrae from rubbing against each other.

Massage Therapy in The Alaska Back Pain Protocol

In addition to using special spinal movement techniques, IDD therapy can be combined with Massage Therapy to provide pain relief in the muscles surrounding the spine. This form of chiropractic massage therapy is designed exclusively for our ABPP patients. It will help to reduce swelling, pain, throbbing, and other signs of trauma to the lower back area. Many studies, such as those conducted by the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork, have been done which have proven the helpfulness of massage therapy during spinal decompression treatment.

Some benefits chiropractic massage therapy provides include:

Better blood circulation
Decreased tension
Boosting endorphins in the body
Reducing soreness and pain

Surgery vs. IDD Therapy

So, is surgery or IDD Therapy the best choice for you? While results will vary depending on your body’s specific needs, IDD Therapy is often the best choice for many reasons:

It Has a Higher Success Rate
- Only 34% of patients who had back surgery found that it helped, compared to 92% of surgical candidates who used IDD Therapy and found it provided relief.

Surgery Can Mean More Pain and Problems
- Since surgery is invasive, you’re always taking a risk when going under the knife. Even the most common, minimally invasive surgeries come with risks. And surgery anywhere near or on the spine is rarely minimally invasive.

There Might Be Complications with Surgery
- Complications may include:
  - Problems with anesthesia
  - Nerve damage
  - Infections
  - Reduction in range of motion

The Alaska Back Pain Protocol, which includes IDD therapy, is incredibly safe. It’s a conservative, holistic, and non-invasive treatment that requires no medication, incisions, or needles.

IDD Therapy Has a Faster Recovery Time
- Back surgery usually means a recovery time of one to six months. With IDD Therapy, you can stay active through the treatment.

There is No Age Limit for IDD Therapy
- Unlike surgery which sometimes comes with an age limit, everyone can use IDD Therapy. Better yet, there’s no need to worry about dangerous age-related complications such as with surgery.

As you can see, surgery often has more side effects and can worsen back pain. IDD Therapy has been proven to help heal most patients in a natural way. While the results of treatment will depend on the severity of your pain, IDD Therapy will usually help to relieve it.

Is IDD Therapy Safe to Use?

IDD Therapy is extremely safe to use. It was developed with the help of the best neurosurgeons in the world and is FDA-approved. Because of this, you can rest assured that this therapy is safe to use on all types of musculoskeletal issues.

The Benefits of Using IDD Therapy

There are quite a few benefits that come with using IDD Therapy.

It’s a Non-Surgical Solution
It’s Non-Invasive
It Reduces Pain
It Promotes Healing
The Treatments are Conveniently Short
It Has a 92% Success Rate
It Can Stop Depression Due to Pain
It Incorporates Advanced Technology

Things to Keep in Mind Before Using IDD Therapy

There Will Be a Little Soreness in the Beginning

While IDD Therapy will not cause excruciating pain, it might make you feel a little sore. This is because the discs in your spine that are compressed are being realigned and fixed, which can cause slight soreness in the beginning sessions of the therapy.

You’ll Need to Have a Few Sessions Done

While IDD Therapy works well, it does require you to have a few sessions done. Ideally, you should have about five sessions completed before you start to feel significant results. This requires patience, but the end result is well worth it.

There Will Be Noises

When many patients hear the IDD Therapy table moving, they become a bit concerned over the noises the machine makes. These noises are completely normal and usually stop after the first minute or two of the therapy. Rest assured that there will always be a professional with you, so if you’re concerned about something, they will be there to help you right away.

You Might Be Required to Use Cold or Heat Therapy

Sometimes, you might be asked to use cold or heat therapy at home after your session. This will help to prevent slight soreness after your first few visits. It will also encourage your lumbar system to heal faster.

You’ll Need to Stay Active

Because this therapy is trying to heal your spine and get it to work properly again, it’s important you stay active. This will help train your spine to be flexible and mobile again during your rehabilitation. You ideally should do very simple activities such as gentle stretching, moving your spine against an exercise ball, or even just walking.

You Need to Inform Your IDD Therapist if You’ve Had Previous Back Surgery

While you can use IDD Therapy if you’ve had previous back surgery, you still need to inform your therapist. Sometimes, if you have back implants, it could make it a little difficult for the therapy to work well. Because of this, your therapist will come up with a unique plan for your needs.

What Evidence is There That IDD Therapy Actually Works?

There is plenty of evidence that proves IDD Therapy works for those who suffer from back pain. Aside from the 92% of patients who found relief after a few sessions, there is also MRI evidence.

After comparing MRI scans before and after treatment, patients saw significant results after using IDD Therapy. For instance, bulging discs were fixed, and spinal cord stenosis was healed. These changes could clearly be seen in the MRI scans.

In addition, many prestigious medical journals, such as the European Musculoskeletal Review and the American Journal of Pain Management, found that spinal decompression treatments, such as IDD Therapy, are beneficial.

IDD Therapy is an excellent way to help heal not only back pain, but many other forms of musculoskeletal pain as well. It’s also a very safe and non-invasive option for pain relief. IDD Therapy also helps to give you long-lasting results, unlike back surgery, which means your pain and the problem causing it will be completely healed. This is why it’s an excellent choice if you suffer from back pain or other musculoskeletal issues.

The Bottom Line