Category: <span>Chiropractic News</span>

The Chiropractic Lifestyle

Chiropractors are experts in the care of the bones, nerves, muscles and connective tissues that make up about 60% of your body. All of the joints in your body are part of this musculo-skeletal system and its optimal function is necessary for overall good health. Ask your Doctor of Chiropractic for more information about a care program that may include nutritional advice or other conservative methods of care based on your health history, age, current condition and lifestyle.

Chiropractic Corrective Care vs Pain Relief Care

There are many different ways of practicing chiropractic. Vast majority of chiropractors mimic mainstream medical model today for many different reasons. Unfortunately health insurance companies play a huge roll in our health care today. Many chiropractors are participating in many health insurance companies. When patient comes in for chiropractic care, unfortunately they get insurance’s recommendation for care instead of doctor’s, just because insurance does not pay for correction of the cause of the symptom that the patient came in initially.

Very important to understand that pain is only a symptom, there is always a cause. Using pain killers for pain relief is nothing but covering up the symptoms and not correcting the true cause. It’s like diving a car and your check engine light comes on, and you would just cover with piece of tape over it and continue to drive. You may be able to drive a little longer, but eventually the car will break down.

What is Corrective Chiropractic Care? Those chiropractors that utilize corrective spinal techniques will have office filled with high tech corrective equipment. Most importantly corrective care office will do pre and post x-rays, which will show and monitor correction during chiropractic care. Most patients will spend between 45-60 mins in the office while getting corrective chiropractic therapy. Depending on each individual case, corrective care is combination of therapeutic exercises to strengthen the muscles to hold an adjustment, traction the spine to position the spine in proper alignment. If you are having neck, back, and/or low back pain and you have not had your spine checked in the last six months click HERE to be checked on us.

WHAT IS SCIATICA?

Many people are having pain that starts in low back and shoots down the leg, which is called sciatica. The word sciatica comes from the name of a big fat nerve that runs down behind a leg, which is being formed from low part of the spine’s nerve roots. Most often the interference of sciatic nerve starts in the spine, due to herniated disc or misalignment of the lumbar vertebra, which can put tremendous amount of pressure follows by inflammation that starts sever acute pain. In many cases sciatic nerve can all also be trapped between some very strong muscles like piriformis and gluteal muscles, due to pelvic misalignment.

A non-surgical or invasive treatment: ATM2 (Active Therapeutic Movement) incorporated with Chiropractic adjustment has been very effective and promising in eliminating 50% – 100% of sciatic pain and/or increasing in pain-free Range Of Motion immediately after a first treatment.  For more info please visit http://nektalovhealth.com/active-therapeutic-movement/

Spinal Decompression for Herniated Disc, Jamaica Estates Queens, NY

Herniated Disc Queens, New York (NY)

An Intervertebral Disc, or Spinal Disc, has two main components. The first, the annulus fibrosis, is the outer layer. This can be likened to the dough part of a jelly doughnut. The second, inner layer, comparable to the jelly portion of a jelly doughnut is known as the nucleus polposus. The inner nucleus portion functions primarily as a fulcrum for movement and as a shock absorber to handle the impacts of movement.

To better understand how a disc functions we often compare it to a jelly doughnut. If you put pressure on one end, say the front end, of a doughnut you could imagine that the jelly would migrate towards the back. If you put pressure on the back end, the opposite would occur, and the jelly would migrate towards the front. The same holds true for your intervertebral disc since it functions as a fulcrum. When the jelly starts to protrude from the confines of the annular fibers this is known as a prolapse. This can cause symptoms of sciatica or radiculopathy such as numbness and tingling down an extremity.

Herniated and Degenerative Disc Disease

As people age, the nucleus pulposus begins to dehydrate, which limits its ability to absorb shock. The annulus fibrosus gets weaker with age and begins to tear as a result of repetitive stress as well as the aging process. This doesn’t always cause pain for all people although it can for some.

In Medicine one generally refers to the gradual dehydration of the nucleus pulposus as degenerative disc disease or if accompanied by bony changes; spondylosis.

Once a tear has arisen within the annular fibers it is highly likely that the inner nuclear material will begin to make it’s way through that tear. This is termed a herniation. All along the sides of the spine are nerve roots and spinal nerves that make their way to organs, tissues and other body parts and they are at high risk of being infringed upon by herniated disc material. A pinched nerve is when this herniated disc material begins to make contact with one or more affected nerve roots and may cause severe radiating pain, numbness, tingling and reduced ranges of motion. One can also suffer pain as a result of a ‘leaky’ disc where the jelly simply oozes out of the tear and begins to cause inflammation in the adjacent soft tissues. If the pain is nerve related it’s usually deemed a radiculopathy.

Disc can become slipped, ruptured, or bulged. However, in medical terms it is more commonly referred to as:
1. Protrustion
2. Extruded Disc
3. Sequesteration

Up until a few years ago surgery was the only option for those who failed therapy. A gap between these two groups left no other options for those who failed therapy. Soon you will learn about a new option that bridges the gap between failed therapy and surgery.

Surgery should be considered if a patient has a significant neurological deficit, or if they fail non-surgical therapy. The presence of cauda equina syndrome (in which there is incontinence, weakness and genital numbness) is considered a medical emergency requiring immediate attention and possibly surgical decompression.

Regarding the role of surgery for failed medical therapy in patients without a significant neurological deficit, a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials by the Cochrane Collaboration concluded that “limited evidence is now available to support some aspects of surgical practice”. More recent randomized controlled trials refine indications for surgery.

Surgical intervention should only be considered after all other forms of non-surgical intervention have been exhausted.

The Role of the Chiropractic Adjustment in the Care and Treatment of 332 Children with Otitis Media

From the abstract: This pilot study included children from 27 days old to five-years-old, was on the effects of chiropractic adjustments on children with otitis media used tympanography as an objective measure.

Results: the average number of adjustments administered by types of otitis media were as follows: acute otitis media (127 children) 4 adjustments; chronic/serous otitis media (104 children) 5 adjustments; for mixed type of bilateral otitis media (10 children) 5.3 adjustments; where no otitis was initially detected (74 children) 5.88 adjustments. The number of days it took to normalize the otoscopic examination was for acute 6.67, chronic/serous 8.57 and mixed 8.3. the number of days it took to normalize the tympanographic examination was acute: 8.35, chronic/serous 10.18 and mixed 10.9 days. The overall recurrence rate over a six month period from initial presentation in the office was for acute 11.02%, chronic/serous 16.34%, for mixed 30% and for none present 17.56%.

Conclusion: The results indicate that there is a strong correlation between the chiropractic adjustment and the resolution of otitis media for the children in this study. Note: 311 of the 332 had a history of prior antibiotic use. 53.7% of the children had their first bout of otitis media between the ages of 6 months and 1 year and a total of 69.9% of the subjects in the study had their first bout of OM under a year of age. This is consistent with the findings of others.

Fallon, JM. Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics Vol 2, No. 2 1997 p.167-183.

The Effect of Spinal Manipulation in the Treatment of Cervicogenic Headache

This is a randomized controlled trial performed at the University of Odense, Denmark by chiropractors and medical doctors.

From the abstract: Fifty-three [patients] suffering from frequent headaches who fulfilled the International Headache Society criteria for cervicogenic headache.were recruited from 450 headache sufferers from responded to the newspaper advertisements. .28 of the group received high-velocity, low-amplitude cervical manipulation twice a week for three wk. The remaining 25 received low-level laser in the upper cervical region and deep friction massage in the lower cervical/upper thoracic region, also twice a week for three weeks.

Results: The use of analgesics decreased by 36% in the manipulation group, but was unchanged in the soft-tissue group; this difference was statistically significant. The number of headache hours per day decreased by 69% in the manipulation group compared with 37% in the soft-tissue group; this was significant. Finally, the headache intensity per episode decreased by 36% in the manipulation group, compared with 17% in the soft-tissue group; this was significant. At a four-week follow-up, she remained pain free.

Nilsson N, Christensen HW, Hartvigsen J. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1997 (Jun); 20 (5): 326-330

Successful Resolution of Chronic Constipation in Pediatric Patients With Adjustments to Sites of Vertebral Subluxation

Abstract

Background: Chronic constipation is a common condition as reflected in the $800 million yearly spent on laxatives in the United States. Constipation is such a common problem in the pediatric population that it is the second most referred problem to the pediatric gastroenterologist and accounts for 25% of all visits. Between 5-28% of all children experience great difficulty with elimination of food waste, which is often accompanied with pain, fear, and avoidance. The symptoms of constipation are defined as infrequent or difficult evacuation of the feces.

The ever increasing use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in adults is accompanied by children. Parent CAM users are three-times more likely to use CAM for their children compared to non-CAM users. Chiropractic stands as the most popular type of CAM therapy for children and yet not reflected in the scientific literature. We describe the successful outcome of chiropractic care in pediatric patients with chronic constipation.

Clinical Features: All three patients were under the age of 2 years with bowel movements ranging from once per week to every 3-4 days. This was accompanied with straining, pain and rectal bleeding. Previous unsuccessful care involved medical advice with dietary changes (i.e., increase fiber and fluid intake) and the use of cod liver oil or mineral oil.

Intervention and Outcome: Following a trial of chiropractic care using a combination of high velocity low amplitude thrust type care and Activator Methods to sites of vertebral subluxations. The patients’ constipation resolved as demonstrated by an increased frequency in bowel movements once every 1-2 days without straining and pain.

Conclusion: This cased series provides supporting evidence on the effectiveness of chiropractic care in children with chronic constipation. We advocate for further investigations in this field.
Diane M Meyer, BSc, DC 1 and Joel Alcantara, BSc, DC 2

1. Private Practice of Chiropractic, Oakville, Ontario, Canada
2. Research Director, International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, Media, PA, USA and Private Practice of Chiropractic, San Jose, CA, USA

This study was funded by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, Media, PA, USA

Corresponding Author:
Joel Alcantara, BSc, DC

Have you heard of Spine Transplant?

If your teeth rot you can have them made for you. If your liver or kidneys fail, you can wait in line for a new one. If your hip or knee degenerates, you can replace it.

Can you get a spine transplant? How about your spinal cord and nerves?

There is no such a thing as a spine transplant and spinal cord with nerves, they don’t generally re-grow or transplant well. You only get one in a life time, better make sure to take very good care of it. It is critically important to understand that your nervous system the only organ system that is being surrounded and protected by bone. The skull protects the brain, and the spinal cord is protected by the vertebral column. The nervous system is made up of the brain, the spinal cord, and millions upon millions of miles of fine nerve fibers, a thousand times thinner than a human hair that go to every organ, tissue, and cell.

Your nervous system is vital for every single function in your body. Your brain is the center where all decisions are being made and send down the spinal cord for action. This communication system is a more sophisticated than any computer system that ever was designed and yet the brain is about the size of two fists held together. These messages that are being sent from the brain have to travel throughout the body without any interruption.

When the bones of the vertebral column become misaligned or subluxated, they interfere with the function of the Nervous System. The objective of the chiropractor is to adjust the vertebrae into their proper position, taking the pressure off the nerves and allowing the life force to flow once again so that each part of the body can begin to work properly. The body has the capacity to heal itself and maintain itself in a healthy state. Click HERE to get checked on us.