Welcome to the World of LORDEX®
OUR STORY
The LORDEX® Medical company began over 40 years ago in response to an observation regarding chronic back pain. The medical profession, despite advances in pharmaceutical and surgical techniques, is no closer to a cure for back pain now than it was a thousand years ago. Furthermore, there is no consensus on the cause or the standard of care. Surgeons are trained to perform surgery, family practice doctors recommend medications to address symptoms, and chiropractors and osteopathic physicians manipulate the spine to reduce nerve pressure. In essence, the care one receives for back pain is determined by the specialist visited. Although treatment approaches may vary among surgeons, chiropractors, osteopaths, and physical therapists, each specialty reports success that satisfies a large consumer base—at least for a while.
Data shows that 50% of all back surgeries fail within five years, and in many cases, patients report becoming worse. Medication has never been touted as a cure for back pain, yet it is widely prescribed as a means to mask the pain, which inevitably returns. The potential for addiction to pain medication is another concern. Chiropractic and osteopathic physicians compete for patients who respond to spinal manipulative therapy. Patients are usually advised to return when the pain recurs, implying a high probability of recurrence. Physical therapists and pain management clinics seem to serve as the exit strategy when drugs and surgery fail. Selecting a provider in whom to place trust for care, amidst the cycle of never-ending back pain, is a daunting task. Even more confounding are unknown factors like expertise, individual skills, experience, and choice of techniques within each particular field. Yet, studies and reports of patient success can be presented for each profession—at least temporarily.
While studying the data, it was important to address the right questions.
To solve the mystery of chronic back pain, a search began for something all back pain sufferers had in common. The end result was always… PAIN. The real question should be: where was it coming from? Often blamed on arthritis, a herniated disc, a muscle spasm, or degenerative lumbar joints, the underlying question remains: why did these changes occur in the first place? What was the “first cause” of these various medical terms to which blame is assigned? When pain suddenly appears by simply getting out of bed, putting on shoes, or bending forward to brush your teeth, ask yourself: is that the actual cause? Or could it be a description of what a person was doing when the “dysfunction” in the spine exceeded the individuals pain threshold? Shouldn’t the focus be to eliminate the actual cause of the recurring pain, instead of taking a drug simply to return below the pain threshold? The absence of pain clearly does not mean the source of the problem has been resolved.
How, then, do we find the “secret” to unlocking the cause of chronic back pain? The search eventually returned to the same question regardless of the suspected trigger. Herniated or bulging discs don’t always cause pain… until they do. But shouldn’t the question be “what caused the disc to herniate?” Or what causes one spine to degenerate and another to remain healthy? A deep dive doesn’t always have to be complicated. Physics offers simple truths, like “every action has an equal and opposite reaction,” which is Newton’s third law of motion. This means that for every force exerted on one object, there is an equal and opposite force exerted by that object on another. So, if you are now asking yourself “how does that relate to my back pain?”… you are asking the right question.
Consider the period of time where daily running, jumping, climbing, and falling were part of a routine. That was most likely during growth, between birth and 22 years old. We were all resilient and bounced back, even recovering from seemingly severe spills. Healing occurred in record time. It’s amusing to think that “record time” is seldom revisited after age 50.
Avoiding trauma becomes a daily goal after 40 for that reason. Healing becomes a continuous task compared to those days of overnight miracle recoveries. Research suggests that even seemingly minor or isolated traumatic injuries during childhood can have long-lasting effects on development, physical health, and even emotional well-being. Of course, the type of trauma, individual resilience factors, and support systems can directly impact healing.
Imagine the effect of a cue ball striking a target ball in a game of pool. The impact of the white cue ball, striking its target ball, generally sends the target ball across the table while the cue ball suddenly stops. This dynamic energy exchange happens every time the human body experiences Newton’s “opposite” reaction. When the structure and function of normal body mechanics are disrupted by insult and injury, the force is often enough to produce a lifetime of consequences. At a minimum, it sets the stage for dysfunctional changes in the future.
Once this mechanical insult impacts the human body, it becomes the “first cause” of many problems, including spinal instability. Through examining the physics and dynamics of spinal motion, it has become apparent that unless the focus is aimed at restoring back muscle strength, the inevitable instability of the spine will result in degenerative changes, nerve irritation, and pain.
The goal of discovering how to restore spinal strength led to a long path that included exercise scientists, chiropractors, and spine surgeons. University research and clinical studies revealed parameters in equipment design, angles, and appropriate protocols to produce a means to both test and treat back pain. NASA utilized much of the initial LORDEX® research to help measure and ultimately strengthen the spinal muscles of astronauts who would experience atrophy from disuse while in outer space. The hope, vision, and belief were that strength restoration could occur in patients, even after long periods of exercise neglect. Seeing individuals regain strength and reduce pain for over 40 years has been the primary motivation for the LORDEX® family.
Over the years, LORDEX® developed a patented device and protocol for the non-surgical reduction of herniated discs. At the time, most surgeons primarily offered disc decompression (laminectomy) or spinal fusion techniques. Disc decompression involved cutting through muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bone to access what was believed to be the offending disc. The hope was that removing a small amount of disc material would create more space for exiting nerve roots. Unfortunately, this often resulted in scar tissue, increased patient pain, and symptoms worse than the original problem.
Spinal fusion was considered a second option, based on the belief that if the spine couldn’t move, it wouldn’t hurt. However, the spine is designed to move, allowing for load sharing among all five lumbar vertebrae. Fusing two or more vertebrae significantly reduces the number of mobile vertebrae while simultaneously transferring greater torque demands to the remaining moveable segments.
The LORDEX® invention called “Non-surgical Spinal Decompression” or NSSD, offered a non-invasive method to decompress bulging or herniated discs without surgery. The combination of non-surgical spinal decompression, and the Rx1 Strength restoration protocol, became known as the LORDEX® Spine System. The LORDEX® System of care has been used by millions of patient, in doctors’ offices, in the U.S. and worldwide.
testimonials
we are currently assembling written and video testimonials of owners who have enjoyed the “Lordex® Experience
At LORDEX®, we are proud of the relief the LORDEX®Rx2 has meant to thousands of men and women. It is our sincere desire for you to experience the same long-term benefit of strength restoration and pain relief. We will be bringing weekly blogs and updates on health and wellness matters to our clients and all those who are suffering from chronic low back pain, looking for a natural solution. Kindest regards, Dr. John
Don’t wait any longer. Connect with us today to discuss how you can manage your chronic back pain effectively, right from home.