- With Mayo Clinic neurologist
Jerry W. Swanson, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Jerry W. Swanson, M.D.
Jerry W. Swanson, M.D.
Dr. Jerry Swanson is a board-certified neurologist at Mayo Clinic and is a professor of neurology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. He has a special interest in headache disorders and medical education.
Dr. Swanson, a Lacon, Ill., native, was appointed to the Mayo Clinic staff in 1982 and works in the Department of Neurology with about 90 other physicians. He formerly chaired the Headache Division in the Neurology Department at Mayo Clinic and works with headache subspecialists around the world. He has published and lectured widely on headache disorders. He also serves as Assistant Dean for Assessment in Mayo Medical School.
"In a manner similar to the printing press, Internet technology enables the unprecedented ability to communicate with the global community about health information," Dr. Swanson says. "There is no doubt that the knowledgeable individual contributes greatly to his or her own health care, and now we can share information much more widely."
"There is much information already available about health care on the Internet. Unfortunately, much of it is not founded on sound principles. It is exciting to be a part of the MayoClinic.com team and contribute to the creation of a reliable and timely health resource."
Dr. Swanson is the neurology editor for "Mayo Clinic Family Health Book" and has reviewed articles for "Mayo Clinic Health Letter" and "Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource." He is also editor-in-chief of the "Mayo Clinic on Headache" book, published in 2004. In 2008 the magazine "Women's Health" named him one of America's Top Doctors for Women.
Causes (1)
- Tarlov cysts: A cause of low back pain?
Treatments and drugs (3)
- Disk replacement: An effective treatment for low back pain?
- Myofascial release therapy: Can it relieve back pain?
- Epidural steroid injections for back pain: Why limited dosing?
Lifestyle and home remedies (1)
- Back pain relief: Ergonomic chair or fitness ball?
Alternative medicine (3)
- Prolotherapy: An effective treatment for low back pain?
- Inversion therapy: Can it relieve back pain?
- Bowen therapy: Effective for back pain?
Mayo Clinic Health Manager
Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.
Get Started
About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Question
Bowen therapy: Effective for back pain?
What's your opinion on Bowen therapy for back pain?
Answer
from Jerry W. Swanson, M.D.
Bowen therapy is a type of soft tissue massage accentuated by short waiting periods throughout the treatment session. Although some people find massage therapy helpful for low back pain, Bowen therapy isn't recognized as an evidence-based treatment for low back pain. To date, no controlled research studies have compared Bowen therapy with standard interventions for low back pain.
If you have back pain that doesn't begin to improve within 72 hours, consult your doctor. Treatment options may include over-the-counter or prescription medication, heat therapy, light physical activity or physical therapy. In some cases, corticosteroid injections are helpful. Some people also find back pain relief through chiropractic care or acupuncture.
Next questionTarlov cysts: A cause of low back pain?
- Madson TJ (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 29, 2008.
- Knight CL, et al. Treatment of acute low back pain. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 4, 2008.
