Two years later the pain became so acute that she could no longer sit or walk. ‘I was in despair,’ she said, ‘and took strong analgesics.’ A hernia which, when first observed, was three millimetres became four times bigger. One possible solution was an operation, but Elena had her doubts. ‘The pain in my legs might disappear, but getting rid of the pain in my back was another matter. And there was a risk with this kind of operation of scars forming with the same effect in future as the hernia itself.’ This caused Elena’s husband, Vadim, also a viola player, to turn for help to friends and acquaintances and to look everywhere on the Internet for alternatives. For Vadim an operation was a remedy of last resort. People who are looking for alternatives to usual methods of treatment sometimes go as far afield as the much-vaunted Dr Bonaty in Florida. But the Konovalovs are from Russia and so, of course, can read the Cyrillic alphabet. Consequently they sometimes visited Internet sites which do not normally attract many westerners. Much interest has been generated by an institute in Moscow which has achieved great success in spinal hernia treatment. It claims to have been successful in 75% to 99% of cases, depending on the degree of protrusion of the hernia. ‘I’d already tried without result physiotherapy, osteopathy and manual treatment,’ Elena said, ‘and thought it worthwhile trying in Russia.’ Vadim explained that the treatment available in Moscow is based on the simple ‘Gravitrin’ apparatus, developed by the military to safeguard pilots against overloading of the spine during flight. Pilots often complain of back pain. ‘Gravitrin’ is not a complicated appliance. It is a little bigger than a bench with an adaptable head-rest and a support for the legs. Beneath a supportive surface there are elements radiating warmth to help the recumbent body to relax and stretch gradually under its own weight. One vertebra is separated from another by an elastic disc which gives the spine its flexibility and prevents pressure on the nerves. Treatment in the Moscow clinic continued for one month and use of the ‘Gravitrin’ was part of a programme which also included other methods: massage, breathing exercises and alternative therapy to improve blood circulation. Additionally the ‘swing’ apparatus was employed – a small box on which the ankles are placed and are then shaken from side to side in imitation of the movement of a fish’s tail. The purpose is to strengthen the muscles of the legs and back. Her stay in the clinic was for Elena a unique experience. Even while undergoing treatment she felt less pain and after four weeks progress was obvious. After a couple of months she repeated the treatment and reported: ‘I don’t feel pain, I can walk again.’ Two months later she went back to work. Her neuropathologist was very surprised and was persuaded that, in his own words, ‘A great effect has been achieved at a quite acceptable price, and thanks to that there is a possibility of avoiding an operation which, from a financial point of view, would be more costly.’ In Elena’s case the cost of the treatment was reduced because, Russian by birth, she had no need of an interpreter and could live in Moscow at the home of a relative. Four weeks’ treatment cost her E600 – far less than if she had to pay for an interpreter, accommodation, etc. Elena and Vadim are very enthusiastic about the ‘Gravitrin’ apparatus and Vadim has been exploring the possibility of bringing it to the Netherlands, where thanks to his connection with the Moscow clinic it can be delivered. It can be portable, for use in the home, where, although not as heavy as in the institute, it is no less effective. Elena has such a ‘Gravitrin’ in her own home and also a ‘swing’. She says: ‘My disc hernia has not disappeared, I’m not allowed to carry heavy bags, nor to dig the garden, and after a long day I feel my back. But if I use the “Gravitrin” apparatus I feel at once much better.’ Marks made with a pencil on the wallpaper in her bedroom illustrate the stretching effect of the apparatus: she has grown by 1.5cm.Vadim hopes to arouse the interest of physiotherapists in the Russian method of treatment. The idea of spinal stretching is not extraneous; it is often included in the complex of hernia methods of treatment. ‘It is necessary to accept that not everything has to be high technology,’ Vadim says. ‘It isn’t surprising that this kind of device was created in Russia. There they operate rarely and look more for alternative methods. As a result they sometimes find very easy solutions. But “easy” doesn’t always mean “bad”.’ The spinal column, the core of the body’s motor apparatus, consists of the vertebrae alternated with the intervertebral discs. These elastic discs function as a kind of “amortization” and are there to enable the vertebrae to move easily in relation to each other.
‘The ligaments, muscles and tendons help to preserve the unity of the construction. The intervertebral disc’s hernia is a protrusion of the jelly-like nucleus through a crack in the fibrous capsule of the disc.’ In most cases the hernia occurs in the lowest part of the back in the region of the three lowest lumbar vertebrae. The protrusion presses on the nerve and causes pain. Pain can be felt in the legs and causes a “pins and needles” sensation and numbness. In the majority of cases the symptoms of the hernia can be alleviated if the patient reclines calmly in bed, undergoes physiotherapy and takes analgesics. If the pain continues, the alternative to all this is an operation to remove the hernia. Excessive loading and incorrect posture are possible causes of hernia, although the exact reason is yet to be discovered.’
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