AVOID SURGERY:
TECHNIQUES EMPLOYED AT THE
KRAUS BACK and NECK INSTITUTE
(KBNI)
Conservative Care

NON-Surgical RESULTS

Treatment Philosophy of the Kraus Back and Neck Institute

At the Kraus Back and Neck Institute (KBNI), located in Houston, Texas, we present  patients with all of the options of treatments available for their problem.   When there is impending nerve or spinal cord damage present, surgery may be the only choice, but in a majority of cases, conservative approaches may be tried first, and these are often very successful at improving the patient's symptoms, and thus avoiding the need for surgery.  We feel that, when appropriate, conservative care is preferable, over a surgical alternative.  As was stated to Dr. Kraus by one of his patients, "you can always cut, but you can't uncut." 

Depending upon the problem, patients seen at the Kraus Back and Neck Institute will have a treatment plan designed and centered around their pain.  There are many causes of pain in the low back and neck, and the treatment of a patient with chronic pain which has persisted for years, may be different that that for a patient with only several weeks or months of pain.  Also, the treatment of pain in the low back or neck may be different that the methods involved to treat pain the the arms or legs.  Our goal is not only to treat the pain a patient is experiencing, but to implement measures to attempt at preventing future onset of pain. 

The acute pain which a patient experiences, may be often improved with IDD therapy.  This is a non-surgical conservative treatment, which involves computer guided traction to the lumbar or cervical spine.   We supplement this treatment with massage which may include myofascial release, and electrical stimulation, ultrasound, and heat.  We also incorporate Infrared Laser Light therapy (Cold Laser treatment), using a Dynatron Solaris light therapy unit.  This is an FDA approved laser unit, which is intended to help with focal muscular pain. 
 

Once the acute pain has improved, we begin the next phase of treatment, which consists of muscle strengthening.  Using MedX Medical Lumbar and MedX Medical Cervical machines, the pelvis, chest, knees and hips are locked into position, thus isolating the cervical and lumbar spines, and facilitating strengthening of the muscle groups related to these areas of the body.  The long term improvement in pain may in part be accomplished with the use of strengthening equipment, such as the ones at this facility.

At the Kraus Back and Neck Institute, we believe that some of the passive treatments which we incorporate, help our patients to improve their acute pain.  But, for the long term improvement, we incorporate more of an active type of treatment, through the use of highly specialized MedX Lumbar and Cervical Medical Machines.  This helps to build healthy spines for our patients, often eliminating the need for an open surgical procedure.  But, since we offer both non-surgical as well as surgical treatments, and since Dr. Kraus is actively involved in both approaches in the treatment of his patients, if surgery is needed, the continuum of the pre-operative as well as the post-operative care is as seamless as possible. 

Research:  At the Kraus Back and Neck Institute (KBNI, Houston, Texas), we are constantly evaluating our results, and correlating these with the patients' initial presenting symptoms.  We are continually striving to find new and less invasive, conservative answers to the treatment of one of the most common ailments of society, neck and low back pain. 

Scheduling an Appointment:  If you would like to be seen at the Kraus Back and Neck Institute (Houston, Texas), please call  281-870-9292.  In order to make your initial appointment as beneficial as possible, please bring any pertinent imaging studies (MRI scans, X rays, CT scans) and their reports, as well as any EMG/NCV reports, and any operative reports from previous surgeries which you may have had on the spine.  If you have difficulty obtaining any of these, we may be able to assist you. 

While we take care of many patients in the Houston, Texas area, many patients travel a great distance to see us.  Since Houston is the fourth largest city in the nation, travel to this city is very easy.  It has two major airports which provide easy travel to most parts of the United States and its nearby  countries.  There are numerous hotel accommodations in the vicinity of our facility.   Our office would be happy to assist you in making airplane and hotel reservations.  Please do not hesitate to ask for our assistance.  Our office number is 281-870-9292. 

Directions to the Kraus Back and Neck Institute (Houston, Texas):
 

Conservative Non-Surgical Treatments at the Kraus Back and Neck Institute
Houston, Texas

Computer Guided Traction (IDD therapy; accu-spina)

Using the Spina Disc Traction Machine (IDD therapy; accu-spina), patients may be able to have some or much of their back, neck or leg and arm pain improved, without the need for surgery.  The Spina Disc Traction Machine (IDD therapy; accu-spina) allows a precise amount of traction, the pattern of which is regulated by a computer,  to be placed upon the lumbar or cervical spine, which helps to distract or expand the disc space, while at the same time helping to open up the neural foramina (openings between the bones of adjacent vertebral levels), through which the individual nerve roots travel.  This technique may improve pain in the back, neck, or extremities.  By utilizing an oscillating traction mode during the IDD therapy, the muscles in the spine may be helped to relax, resulting in  traction being applied directly to the ligaments, disc spaces, and neural foramina.  Many patients fall asleep during IDD therapy, which is fine, since this further relaxes the muscles, and allows the IDD therapy to apply the traction directly to the spine, without interference of muscle resistance.

As the sessions of this computer guided traction using the Spina Disc Traction Machine (IDD therapy; accu-spina) progress, the amount of traction utilized is varied, allowing for optimal treatments.  After therapy is completed, maintenance treatments on the Spina Traction Machine (IDD therapy, accu-spina) may be of benefit.  We find that 75-80% of our patients have improved significantly with these conservative treatments.

Focal Lumbar and Cervical Strengthening Using
MEDX Medical Lumbar and MEDX Medical Cervical Machines

More Information on our MEDX Equipment

Chronic pain in the neck and low back may, in many cases, be due to weakened, deconditioned muscles in the spine.  We have all heard of the advice for us to "strengthen your spine."  But how does one accomplish this?  It is very difficult for one to strengthen the spine, because many other muscle groups try to work their way in, effectively allowing one to "cheat" during these strengthening exercises.  For example, many are familiar with the roman chairs, and the back extension exercise machines available in most gyms.  If you really think about it, however, the lumbar extension machines allow one to strengthen their hamstring muscles (which run along the back of the thighs) and their gluteal muscles, but do very little to strengthen the muscles along the lumbar spine itself.  Give this some thought the next time you try strengthening your back with one of these machines.  During these exercises, the spine, for the most part, is held in a stationary (isometric) position, as the hamstrings and gluteal muscles do their work, and get stronger.  For the spine, this is essentially an isometric exercie, which may add a slight amount of strength to this muscle group, but nowhere near as much as an exercise in which the muscle group is contracting and relaxing through its full range of motion.  After all, you wouldn't want to strengthen your biceps and triceps muscles by simply pushing your hands together in an isometric fashion.  Although you may work the biceps and triceps to some degree, they will never reach the potential they would if you were to do biceps curls or triceps extensions.  The muscles in the spine (lumbar or cervical) are no different, in principle.

This is where MedX Medical Machines for the lumbar and cervical spine come in.  These high end pieces of machinery allow the physical medicine specialist to essentially lock and immobilize other  body parts, making "cheating" impossible, and making sure that the cervical and lumbar spines are worked and exercised through their full range of motion.  The MedX lmedical umbar machine allows the operator to "lock in" the patient's thighs and pelvis, so that the only moment arc possible is that of the flexion and extension of the lumbar spine.  The MedX medical cervical machine locks in the chest, so that the only moment arc possible is that of the extension and flexion of the neck.  Both the MedX medical cervical machine, and the MedX medical lumbar machine, allow the patient to have accurate testing of the range of motion, as well as the strength of the cervical and lumbar spine, at every three degrees of motion, to be performed.

When our patients are using the MedX Lumbar and MedX Cervical Machines, they will be able to monitor their progress on a computer driven plasma screen.  We feel that this is important, because nothing is as convincing about progress, as the ability for one to monitor their own strength curve, and see it improve over the course of treatment.  The MedX Lumbar and MedX Cervical machines allow the isometric evaluation of the strength of the cervical and lumbar spines in different degrees of flexion. 

Low Level Laser Light Therapy (Cold Laser)

The Dynatron Solaris Light Therapy Unit allows the delivery of infrared heat deep into the soft tissues of the back, into the muscles, which is too deep for more traditional hot packs to penetrate.  This device is approved by the FDA for the treatment of local muscular pain, and is one of the new and innovative treatments offered at the Kraus Back and Neck Institute.  Using different applicators, either a small focal area, or a broad surface, can be treated.

Ultrasound

Ultrasound is another technique to warm the deep muscles of the back.  When muscles are warm, the amount of blood flowing through them increases.  This increase in blood flow helps muscles to heal when injured, and helps to remove waste products of muscle, such as lactic acid.  Hot packs applied to the skin may help with more superficial muscles, but ultrasound allows heat to penetrate through to the deep muscles.

Other Treatments Available at the KBNI

Electrical Stimulation

Hot and Cold moist heat packs.

Massage

Floor Exercises

Instruction for Home Exercises