What does the treatment involve?
All patients are given
an initial assessment, lasting typically 90 minutes,
which involves: a physical examination by a chartered
physiotherapist; a questionnaire; and testing of your
range of motion and muscular endurance.
The assessment determines whether DBC treatment is
likely to be able to help you, and if so, a customised
programme is developed. The programme will involve 2
treatment sessions of around 75 minutes per week for 6
or 12 weeks, using the specially designed DBC machines.
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Is it suitable for me?
DBC
based treatment will benefit most patients who have
suffered lower back or neck pain for more than 6 weeks,
or who are suffering from more severe whiplash injuries.
DBC has helped very long term sufferers and those for
whom surgery has not been effective.
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How does it work?
DBC
treatment is exercise based. The specially designed
machines isolate specific muscles, and allow you to
exercise these muscles within a controlled range of
motion and loading. Exercising muscles in this way
reverses the vicious circle of pain leading to those in
pain not using muscles, leading to weaker muscles and
more pain, into a virtuous circle of using muscles,
strengthening them and reducing pain. Unlike free
exercise, the DBC machines enable the deep spine muscles
to be activated. The exercises are supervised by a
physiotherapist.
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Is it expensive?
Rates vary across
clinics, but typically the costs are similar per hour to
physiotherapy.
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Will my private medical insurance
cover it?
Generally private
medical insurance policies cover it within any annual
limit for outpatient physiotherapy treatment.
Increasingly employers are willing to pay for treatment
to assist an early return to work – consult your
occupational health department.
Some Primary Care Trusts are considering funding DBC
treatment where it may be an alternative to surgery.
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Do I need a GP referral?
Whilst we would always
advise you to consult a GP if you consider that your
musculo skeletal condition is not responding, a GP
referral is not required prior to treatment (your
insurance provider may require you to obtain one, if you
intend to reclaim).
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