West Knox Acupuncture

Don’t Live with Chronic Back Pain

TODAY WE are here with Drs. A.J. and Monica Sarrat of West Knox Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine to learn about Failed Back Surgery Syndrome, which is one of their specialties in the clinic.

What is Failed Back Surgery Syndrome?

Failed Back Surgery Syndrome is a term that describes the set of symptoms someone has after a back surgery that was not successful. These patients continue to experience chronic back pain even after surgery, and the likelihood of getting this condition increases with multiple back surgeries.

Other symptoms may include anxiety or depression, in addition to the continued back pain.

Why do some people get this condition?

Some common causes are choosing the wrong surgical procedure, an inappropriate surgical candidate, or not performing surgery at the correct level in the spine. Certain types of spinal procedures like fusions, especially if they are multilevel fusions, will likely cause pain or new disc herniations above or below the fused spinal segments due to the fact that the discs above and below the fusion are not able to withstand the pressure exerted on them and end up creating bulges, herniations, or extrusions.

If the sacrum is fused to the last lumbar vertebrae, it can also cause another type of low back pain by putting excessive pressure on the joints lower down in the pelvis. Sometimes this is unavoidable because the surgery was necessary to keep the patient from losing the ability to stand or walk.

What are common treatments for Failed Back Surgery Syndrome?

Most treatments are limited to pain medications, injections, or spinal cord stimulators. The days of multiple surgeries and revisions seems to have passed, as we are seeing fewer and fewer of those patients in recent years.

What is your experience treating this condition?

Dr. A.J. was hired by a hospital specifically to treat these patients and was there for almost 15 years. He had a greater than 85% success rate during that time and also

Over the years, I have had back injections that really haven’t helped, and physical therapy that didn’t do a lot either. This has been going on for more than 30 years. We sat down with Dr. A.J., he told us what to expect and what the procedures would be like. I am now able to do more things around the house, and even travel more. We made a trip recently and I spent 10 hours in the car with no pain - I could have never done that before!

Successful treatments are available for chronic back pain

I had a two level lumbar spinal fusion 15 years ago and developed other related issues - joint pain and dysfunction, plus some muscular issues. After an intensive pain management series with both doctors, I am amazed and grateful for the difference it has made in my life. I am moving better, able to start slowly working out again, and wow! What a mood booster not being in such pain 24/7. My quality of life has changed so much for the better.

in his private practice. These were mostly patients who had been prescribed dangerously high doses of pain medication to the point that their doctors wanted them to safely detox from them. Dr. A.J.’s goal was to get the patients’ pain down to a manageable level so that opiates would not be needed when they were discharged after treatment - usually two to three months.

How do you help these people?

Our clinic uses many other types of treatments, in addition to acupuncture, to get the results that we regularly see. Some of these block pain signals from reaching the spinal cord, others reduce inflammation to help with pain, and others resolve muscle imbalances that can be contributing to the overall condition.

Who are good candidates for these treatments?

Anyone with back pain after surgery should schedule an in-office consultation to see if they are a good candidate. During our initial meeting, we will be able to tell them what the likelihood will be that we can help. If we do not believe we can help, we will also let them know.

How long does it take to see improvement?

This mostly depends on the severity of the condition and how long they have had it. Because of our extensive experience in this area, we can give a good estimate of what to expect and how long it will take during the initial consultation.

What are the goals for treatment?

First of all, we want to reduce the pain, although this doesn’t happen overnight. As the pain decreases, we like to get the patient to slowly increase their activity levels, because gentle exercise can generally help them long term. It is very rewarding to get someone moving again, playing with their grandchildren, going for walks, or even playing sports they love like tennis or golf.

Is there anything else you would like to tell our readers?

We know that the debilitating pain that goes along with Failed Back Surgery Syndrome can be a terrible drain on you and your loved ones. We are excited to bring cutting-edge, non surgical, natural pain interventions to Knoxville. If chronic pain is impacting your life, medications may not be your only solution. We will evaluate your specific needs, then a customized treatment plan will be created specifically for you. Don’t wait until it’s too late.

What is the next step for people with chronic back pain?

Call our office at 865-275-2444 and make an appointment to determine if your back pain can be treated. We have helped thousands of people just like you. You don’t just have to live with it. West Knox Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine

9125 Cross Park Drive Suite 150 Knoxville, TN 37923 865.275.2444 WestKnoxAcupuncture.com

Make Life Easier

with an Organized Garage

BY CARRIE MCCONKEY, CARRIEMCCONKEY.COM

THE GARAGE is the perfect location for activities that involve many moving (and often cluttered) parts: lawncare, automotive, sports, and hobbies. Make it easier to keep things neat, clean, and organized in your garage by installing storage designed for the purpose of the space. Cabinets and countertops, slatwall, and overhead racks provide an attractive way to keep your garage in top shape no matter what messy adventures your busy household may embark upon.

Create Order with Cabinets and

Countertops. Keep sports equipment, garden tools, pool toys, and much more in durable melamine or color-rich powder-coated cabinets made to fit your storage needs. When you need time to unwind from your activities, LED-lit countertops with power strips provide a relaxing space for woodworking and other hobbies.

Hang Supplies Big and Small with

Slatwall. Hard to store equipment such as shovels, brooms, and bikes can be stored safely out of the way with attractive poly-resin slatwall. Smaller items like tools, spray paint, and cleaning supplies can be stored on slatwall accessories such as shelves, hooks, baskets, and bins - in view and within reach.

Keep Items Up, Up, and Away with Overhead Storage. Keep seasonal or infrequently used items high and dry in storage racks suspended from your garage ceiling. Store suitcases, fishing equipment, removable car roofs, and more, or use bins to hold smaller, lighter items such as Christmas decorations.

Tie Things Together with an Epoxy Poly

Floor. Your garage improvements aren’t limited to the walls and ceiling. Transform your worn, cracked, and stained concrete floor with an attractive and durable Epoxy Polyaspartic floor. Not only will your garage make style strides, it will be easy to clean oil stains from the car, potting soil from the garden, and grass from the cleats.

Call, Click, or Come in for Your Free

Consultation. Visit the Designer Garages showroom in West Knoxville to see the latest in storage design trends, and let their experienced professionals clear the clutter of your on-the-go clan with an organized garage!

Overhead storage, Nightfall Epoxy/Polyaspartic floor, Pewter powder coated cabinets. Taupe slatwall, Shadow Frost cabinets, Dolphin Epoxy/Polyaspartic floor.

Designer Garages

201 Center Park Drive, #1070 Knoxville, TN 37922 865.268.4868 DesignerGarages.com

What’s New at the Zoo?

IF YOU haven’t been to the zoo in a while, now is a great time to go! Zoo Knoxville welcomed another new silvered-leaf langur monkey at the end of June. Unlike the adults of this species who are gray and black, baby langurs are bright orange! The male baby, who is now exploring the outdoor habitat, will retain this orange color for a few more months. They are all a part of the Silvered-Leaf Langur Species Survival Plan.

The Zoo will soon be introducing baby chimpanzee, Stevie, once she reaches a more independent phase and can be reunited with the adult chimpanzees. Her keepers have been taking care of her in an off-viewing area since her mother’s surgery after she was born.

You can also watch the river otter’s antics in their new habitat - part of the ARC project. River otters are an indicator species whose presence is a sign of good water quality.

Visit ZooKnoxville.org or their Facebook page for more great animal photos and information!

ZOO AFTER HOURS

Thursday Evenings thru September • 5 to 8 pm Free for annual pass members or with a general admission ticket (same day re-entrance allowed). Featuring a patio DJ, special menu items, a new food truck each week, craft beer, wines and specialty cocktails, it’s a perfect way to wind down each week with friends and family or the perfect date night! Always kid-friendly and always wildly fun for the whole family! The Splash Pad is open all day and evening!

Hardwood Floor Refinishing: You’ll Get What You Pay For

COLONIAL VILLAGE in south Knoxville, part of the post-war residential boom, is where Lauren Moroz found her 70-year-old home complete with red oak floors that definitely needed some TLC to restore them to their former glory. After finding out who not to go to for refinishing from her friends on Facebook, she called European Fine Hardwood Floors to tackle the job.

After meeting with Valera and Svetlana Tomescu, owner/operators, her initial impression was “knowledgeable and detailed” - exactly what Lauren was hoping to find! “They asked a lot of questions about the project and answered all of mine - in detail,” said Lauren. “I felt confident from that first meeting that they would do an exceptional job on my floor.”

European Fine Hardwood Floors was also able to remedy the issue of an addition to the main bedroom that Lauren thought had laminate flooring that unfortunately did not match the original hardwood in the rest of the room. After four other flooring companies quoted the job on that basis, Valera was the first to recognize that the add-on did indeed have hardwoods that could therefore be refinished to match the rest of the bedroom. “That was a really big deal to us and again speaks to his knowledge and attention to detail.

“The bedroom refinishing was completed, and the floors are absolutely gorgeous from end to end and corner to corner!” Lauren happily relayed. She was so delighted that she had the Tomescu’s install new hardwood floors in her kitchen (the only room that did not come with hardwoods) and was again pleased with the transformation, as well as the transition from the new kitchen flooring to the original flooring in the dining room. After Valera made a few repairs and dealt with a couple of existing stains, the home project was done.

The most surprising aspect of the job? “Svetlana also told us there would be very little to no dust, which I found very hard to believe” said Lauren. “But she was right! There was no noticeable dust throughout the entire project.”

Lauren added, “In my experience, you often get what you pay for. The quote from European Fine Hardwood Floors may not be the lowest you receive, but I feel confident you’ll be happy with the end product. The work is exceptional.”

Whether your existing hardwood flooring needs an update or you’re needing to add some hardwood flooring to your home, contact the certified professionals at European Fine Hardwood Floors for superior craftsmanship and attention to detail. Like Lauren, you’ll be so glad that you did!

European Fine Hardwood Floors

865.640.3680 KnoxvilleHardwoodRefinishing.com Certified Craftsman by Bona

EUROPEAN

FINE HARDWOOD FLOORS

DUSTLESS REFINISHING – NEW FLOORING INSTALLATION – STAINING - RESTORATION AND REPAIR

GENUINE DUST-FREE FINISHING

Durable, water-based, and environmentally friendly low VOC fi nishes

Dustless and safe refi nishing for your home, using our Bona truck-mounted containment system

Family owned and operated, celebrating 10 years serving Knoxville area clients

Superior craftsmanship by licensed and insured Bona-certifi ed craftsman

KnoxvilleHardwoodRefi nishing.com | EuropeanHardwoodFloors@yahoo.com | 865-640-3680

The Best of Two Seasons

FOR THOSE who are new to this gorgeous East Tennessee Valley, welcome to our distinct change of seasons, which may be part of why you’ve chosen to join us! You’ll hear a sound when you’re outside in the late evenings that’s very recognizable and familiar to those who were fortunate enough to be born here… the cicada, or the “Katy-dids” as we East Tennesseans prefer to call them! It’s a sound that, to us, signals the ending of summer and the transitioning into autumn or “Indian Summer.”

Just as the seasons change wonderfully four times a year, so do our wardrobes, leaving us no time to become bored with the weather or our own closet. You’ll still want to enjoy many of your summer pieces as you begin the transition, and with The Lily Pad’s selections, you’ll find cottons and linens are the perfect wardrobe extenders.

Many of the fabrications available today are seasonless, especially in our area. We have no need for wool sweaters and coats; only lightweight blends are important. Remember, last winter was extremely mild; not until after the holidays was there a need at all for a coat!

The focus for fall will be strongly on a brown color palette; however, we’ll never be giving up black as THE staple in women’s apparel. Grey is coming on strong again also, so you know whichever color you choose there will be many color combinations for your skin tones and hair color.

Browns are extremely striking on redheads, brunettes, and blondes when used with the right accent pieces; grey works well with any skin tone when the right color is paired with it, nearer the face.

Blacks, as we all know, just work! If you don’t have at least one great pair of black pants as a staple in your wardrobe, let us help you select them. They are absolutely a must when you purchase for any season, and we have many great styles to choose from. Remember our complimentary alterations; a big plus, as many times a simple adjustment of the hemline makes a tremendous difference in the fit.

Enjoy this time of year! There’s a calming and slowing down of all of nature, a beautiful season to behold, and a valley that’s about to be painted with the colors of fall both in nature and in your wardrobe.

The Lily Pad Boutique

209 N. Main Street Sweetwater, TN 37874 423.337.5537 LilyPadBoutiqueOnline.com

INSIGHTS&HIGHLIGHTS

COOKS ON THE CURB

Authentic southern pimento cheese hand-crafted right here in Knoxville! Available in Classic and 3 Alarm Spicy. Perfect as an appetizer, recipe ingredient, topping for your burger, or straight from the container. Pick up a delicious tub (or two!) at Euphoric Cheese Shop, Butler & Bailey Market, Simpson’s Meats and Farm Grub Delivery Service, as well as Dixie Lee, Market Square, Ebenezer Road & Historic Oak Ridge Farmers’ Markets. CooksontheCurb.com NOUVEAU CLASSICS

A uniquely adjustable table that takes your work surface to new heights. Adjusting effortlessly on a smooth pneumatic cylinder, a simple push or pull on the Serif tabletop glides it to the perfect height. The table’s slim and sturdy base slides easily under a sofa or chair, always keeping the versatile surface close at hand for work or play. Available at Nouveau Classics Contemporary Furniture & Interior Design, 101 S Gay Street in Knoxville, 865.525.4755, NouveauClassics.com.

THE TOWN FRAMERY & GIFTS

Making room for fall arrivals, select Michel Design Works products are 25% off! While supplies last at The Town Framery & Gifts, 12814 Kingston Pike in Farragut, 865.671.6627, TheTownFramery.com. SOUTHEASTERN DERMATOLOGY

Women’s Health Best of Skincare Awards 2021 winner Sunforgettable Total Protection Face Shield Flex SPF 50 for “Best SPF for Sensitive Skin.” A lightweight mineral sunscreen with tinted color coverage immediately evens skin tone for a flawless look - advanced antioxidants, hydrating ingredients, and tone-adapting buildable color coverage. Available at Southeastern Dermatology, 1930 Pinnacle Pointe Way in Knoxville, 865.474.8800, DrDoppelt.com.

MEADOW VIEW GREENHOUSES & GARDEN CENTER

Accent your home with charming tabletop décor featuring cheerful sentiments in a variety of free standing shapes and pedestal options. Available at Meadow View Greenhouses & Garden Center, 9885 Highway 11E in Lenoir City, 865.986.7229, MeadowViewGreenhouse.com. DECORATING DEN INTERIORS

These oversized ceramic jars are a vibrant orange glaze, watertight, and made in Portugal. Available at Decorating Den Interiors | Kozar Design Team, 521 Lovell Road, Suite 205 in Knoxville, 865.392.6222, SandyKozar. DecoratingDen.com.

BLUE RIDGE REFLECTIONS BY KRISTI PARSONS

You’ve seen Kristi’s beautiful photography featured with her travel articles. Add some peace and tranquility to your décor with lush nature photographs - mountains, streams, flowers, seashore, and more! Large prints for framing that also make the perfect gift. Available at BlueRidgeRefections on Etsy.com.

Autumn is coming... and with it, so much new merchandise to pick up.

12814 Kingston Pike ~ Farragut ~ 671-6627

Tues-Fri: 10-6 ~ Sat: 10-4 www.thetownframery.com Located one block west of Renaissance Center/Farragut

Village Green Shopping Center August 12-14

THIS WILL be a 3 day festival of fun, food, shopping and competition! SHOP FARRAGUT and the Town of Farragut have teamed up with Smoky Mountain Dock Dogs and Ricki’s Pet Depot to bring a nationally sanctioned regional canine aquatics competition by DOCK DOGS INTERNATIONAL. The festivities take place in the Village Green Shopping Center parking lot, just south of Planet Fitness, Friday, August 12, through Sunday the 14th.

DockDogs® was established in 2000; its first event was at the ESPN 2000 Great Outdoor Games competition. This competition will attract dog owners from across the Southeast. Smoky Mountain DockDogs is the local club that will be supporting this event. Last year there were more than 30 competitors and more than 5,000 visitors during the sophomore effort of this soon-to-be annual Farragut event. Registrants will be able to gain qualifying points toward attendance at the World Championships in October. If you have never witnessed this - expect the unexpected! First Utility District is a major sponsor, supplying more than 27,000 gallons of fresh Tennessee River water to fill the pool for the weekend.

Competitors love coming to the Dog Daze at Village Green event because of the atmosphere of the crowd, the local food trucks, and the level of competition this event brings. There will be more than 400 jumps with 150 competitors.

Between qualifying rounds, spectators can shop the Village Green Shopping Center, visit the many merchant booths on-site, mingle with pet food suppliers, plus get food and drinks at the Festival Tent while visiting pet related vendor booths, local merchant showcases, and displays. The festivities will start on Friday afternoon with local dogs taking a “Pooch Plunge!” Area dog owners have the opportunity for their “puppy” to try a Dock-Dive! The SMDD Club has organized this activity, allowing non-competitors to try the DockDog experience free of charge from 4 to 7 pm as an introduction to the sport.

For more information, visit DockDogs.com or FarragutBusiness.com.