Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK

Interventional Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine | @WesternU alum | Naturopathic Doctor

[Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK @dr_timmermans]

@adam_siddhartha Thank you for sharing!

[Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK @dr_timmermans]

Lack of improvement in pain after receiving a corticosteroid injection could indicate a misdiagnosis of why you are in pain. This often happens when treatment decisions rely too heavily on image findings.

[Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK @dr_timmermans]

Reducing the number of times you micro-aggravate your pain throughout the day can help to desensitize tissues which means your brain perceives less pain.

[Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK @dr_timmermans]

If sitting worsens your back pain but moving around eases it, aim to stand and walk more often. Cutting down on the time spent in positions that aggravate your pain can make a significant difference.

[Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK @dr_timmermans]

I’m gonna keep saying this until I turn blue in the face - imaging does not show your pain, it only shows structures that MIGHT be painful. The physical assessment is REQUIRED to determine if those structures are causing your pain.

[Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK @dr_timmermans]

Suffering from chronic pain is not something to take lightly. There is too much gaslighting in the medical system.

[Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK @dr_timmermans]

@stankrod Can't see any reason why this would negatively affect treatment, and it will most likely be helpful in the overall healing process

[Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK @dr_timmermans]

Accurate chronic pain treatment hinges on a thorough physical exam, not just imaging, to connect symptoms to their true source and guide effective therapy.

[Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK @dr_timmermans]

Relying solely on others to alleviate your low back pain is not a sustainable approach. While professional support is crucial, actively participating in your healing process is essential for effective, long-term pain management.

[Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK @dr_timmermans]

Effective pain management strategies must be personalized, acknowledging the importance of the biological, psychological, and social elements in each case.

[Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK @dr_timmermans]

Consistent practices in nutrition, exercise, sleep, and emotional care are fundamental to healing from chronic pain. Sometimes optimizing these areas for 6-12 months can eliminate pain, but sometimes not. I’ve never hear anyone say that optimizing all these areas made them worse.

[Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK @dr_timmermans]

@wedgylx glad to hear it's doing better now!

[Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK @dr_timmermans]

While nerve flossing may benefit those suffering from nerve inflammation, it can aggravate symptoms in others. Identifying the root cause of the inflammation is crucial, as sometimes decompression, rather than nerve flossing, is the more suitable treatment.

[Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK @dr_timmermans]

After being in severe pain, acceptance of a low grade pain on a daily basis is hard to accept. But this acceptance may be the key to having a full and joyous life despite pain.

[Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK @dr_timmermans]

@wedgylx there's a lot that goes into deciding if flossing is the best approach for a disc issue. Most of the time, we don't recommend flossing for that; we usually recommend opening techniques to take pressure off the compressed and irritated nerves.

[Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK @dr_timmermans]

Treatments covered by insurance work for the majority of people, as long as they are targeted at the proper diagnosis. But when they don’t work, the answer might not lie in getting more treatments covered by insurance, but rather it might lie in treatments outside of insurance.

[Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK @dr_timmermans]

Waiting for someone else to fix you or get rid of your pain is a poor long-term strategy. While many will still need help, guidance, and direction from healthcare professionals, taking accountability and action in your own life is a requirement for long-term pain management.

[Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK @dr_timmermans]

If you have pain that goes down your leg, it’s not always coming from the disc/nerves in your back (what people might call ‘sciatica’). Pain down the leg can also be caused by the facet joints, the SI joint, even ligaments like the SI ligaments or iliolumbar ligaments.

[Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK @dr_timmermans]

If the treatments provided by your doctor, that your insurance covers, are not helping you with your pain, you might have to consider starting to work outside the strict restraints of the insurance system.

[Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK @dr_timmermans]

Most people in chronic pain need more movement and exercise, and most people need professional assistance on how to move and exercise despite their pain. This is why we advocate for physical therapists and strength trainers as part of the healing process.