OK, I'm ticked off. Normally I try to bring something that you can use to help make you more healthy, especially naturally and with chiropractic care. But ,I got my fill of negative chiropractic propaganda on a TV show this week. I'll unload more on that later.
This information is from the Journal of the American Medical Association, an article entitled Biogenic Medicine by Dr. Barbara Starfield talks about deaths from iatrogenic causes. Iatrogenic is defined as "induced in a patient by a physician's activity, manner or therapy (especially a complication of treatment).
Deaths per year:
12,000 due to unnecessary surgery,
7,000 due to medical errors in hospitals,
20,000 due to other errors in hospitals,
80,000 due to infections in hospitals,
106,000 due to non error negative effects of drugs.
In a study dating from 1934 through 1999 there were ONLY 19 ( that's nineteen!!) TOTAL deaths due to chiropractic treatment. So, nearly 225,000 deaths every year due to some form of medical care as opposed 19 deaths in a 65 years period of time.
Why is it important to tell you this? One reason is to help you understand that chiropractic is safe. Another reason is to let you make your own decision as to who you want to believe.
TV shows have a tremendous impact on what people think and believe. Many years ago there was a TV show called LA Law. A very popular show about the glamorous side of being a lawyer. The year before it premiered the University of Georgia law school did not have enough applications to fill the 250 seats available for that years class. The year after the law shows first season the the UGA law school had 3000 applications for the 250 seats. TV has an impact. This past week there was a show on called "Bones". This is a forensic show solving murders. This particular episode had the murderer being a chiropractor. The murder weapon was an activator instrument. Just in the way the actors played out the plot was enough to scare an unsuspecting person to have concern of going to a chiropractor. I could picture a new patient in my office freaking out when I brought the activator instument to adjust them. Another show called "Two and A Half Men" has one of its main characters as being a chiropractor. Sadly he's a doofus. On one show his brother in the show uses his chiropractic office as a brothel stating that's all his chiropractic office is is a massage parlor. On ER a few years ago a statement was made by a doctor concerning a diagnosis made by a chiropractor of this particular patient. The patient had stated the chiropractor told her she had a scoliosis, the ER doctor sarcastically said "they tell everybody that". All of these disparaging comments and depictions of chiropractic is the tip of an iceberg. These show have to be sanctioned by someone with plenty of money. There are 700,000 md's in the US and only 60,000 chiropractors. 7 of the top 10 lobbyists in the US are medically oriented. They got money. These shows aren't slapping on chiropractic just for drama or laughs. This is all part of the old AMA guideline to "contain and eliminate the chiropractic profession". In other word they're doing it on purpose. Bill Cosby did have a great scene on his show one time when he, his wife and two friends were talking about going to the chiropractor. It was all positive. I have always felt that if a TV show such as a soap opera or a sitcom (like Bill Cosby) had a major character be a chiropractor, be the nice guy, family guy, the community leader, the great father and husband, we would see chiropractic offices fill up just like the UGA law school did. We don't need the ignorance of these writers and producers making chiropractic look bad for no good reason. Let the American Chiropractic Association or a chiropractor in practice have a say so of what is portrayed as chiropractic in thes shows. BE fair. Be honest. Hey!! I'm available.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
50 Million North Americans Affected
This little known syndrome affects nearly 50 million folks in North America. It's called metabolic syndrome. Having it increases your chances of developing coronary heart disease, stroke, or diabetes. It is not a disease itself but can trigger these other diseases. Some common traits include excess abdominal fat(40 inches-men and 35 inches for women), high blood pressure, high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and elevated blood sugar. Those folks with African, Pacific Island, Hispanic, South Asian, or Aboriginal decent have a greater risk of developing this syndrome. Although this is true other factors play a bigger role. Not enough exercise, large and unhealthy food portions all play a role. Another kick in the fanny is stress. Hey, which one of us does not have stress on our jobs, our families and our finances? As a matter of fact research has shown that those with chronic stress are twice as likely to develop metabolic syndrome.
Remember that metabolism is responsible for processing the nutrients we consume by breaking them down into proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Then the body uses these for normal bodily functions, repair and energy. Hormones and other health conditions affect metabolism. Insulin is the key tie in. Insulin assists the body in regulating the glucose(sugar) in the blood that is created when we eat foods that have sugar or starch. If you have insulin resistance your blood sugar spikes leading to possibly developing diabetes and a host of other ailments like heart problem and stokes.
You already know the fix but will you do what is needed.
1) Exercise two and a half hours per week. A 30 minute walk a day would be great.
2) Consume a low calorie and low fat diet.
3) Eat lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
4) Eat foods high in magnesium such as halibut, almonds and spinach. Mineral supplements with magnesium is also good.
5) Try to do things that lower your stress level such as exercise, teas and take regular time off to rejuvenate. Keep family and friends close. Use a counselor if needed.
As always keep up with regular chiropractic care!!
Remember that metabolism is responsible for processing the nutrients we consume by breaking them down into proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Then the body uses these for normal bodily functions, repair and energy. Hormones and other health conditions affect metabolism. Insulin is the key tie in. Insulin assists the body in regulating the glucose(sugar) in the blood that is created when we eat foods that have sugar or starch. If you have insulin resistance your blood sugar spikes leading to possibly developing diabetes and a host of other ailments like heart problem and stokes.
You already know the fix but will you do what is needed.
1) Exercise two and a half hours per week. A 30 minute walk a day would be great.
2) Consume a low calorie and low fat diet.
3) Eat lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
4) Eat foods high in magnesium such as halibut, almonds and spinach. Mineral supplements with magnesium is also good.
5) Try to do things that lower your stress level such as exercise, teas and take regular time off to rejuvenate. Keep family and friends close. Use a counselor if needed.
As always keep up with regular chiropractic care!!
Sunday, March 8, 2009
AM I JUST TIRED?
Not sleeping well? Feel tired all the time? Do your joints hurt even though you're not injured, not ill or haven't really exercised? You may be suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). It's believed that over 1 million Americans suffer from chronic fatigue. So, what is it? Dictionary.com defines a syndrome as "a group of symptoms that collectively indicate or characterize a disease, psychological disorder, or other abnormal condition." Our office's Topic of the Week by Brican quotes a study in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry finding 5 categories of symptoms. Here they are: 1. At least six months of unexplained fatigue, 2. trouble concentrating and thinking straight, 3. joint pain with or without redness and swelling, 4. sleeping problems, 6. disturbed mood. CFS can mimic other common health problems such as thyroid conditions, cancer, viral infection, anemia and depression. What this is really saying is to check with your physician and have what ever tests that are needed done.
The CDC states there is no single factor to explain how someone develops CFS. Here are some likely possibilities: a) infections, b) immune dysfunction, c) physical response to emotional stress, d) an autonomic nervous system disorder called NMH or neurally mediated hypotension, e) allergies and nutritional food sensitivities.
How can chiropractic help? Well, there is no cure. But, chiropractic adjustments can help increase immune system function, can increase energy by reducing the stress on joints and the advice of the chiropractor can help you with your nutritional goals. As always, chiropractic treatment helps to reduce spasm, swelling, increase joint motion and reduce nerve pressure. Always try chiropractic; if you haven't tried chiropractic you haven't "tried everything".
The CDC states there is no single factor to explain how someone develops CFS. Here are some likely possibilities: a) infections, b) immune dysfunction, c) physical response to emotional stress, d) an autonomic nervous system disorder called NMH or neurally mediated hypotension, e) allergies and nutritional food sensitivities.
How can chiropractic help? Well, there is no cure. But, chiropractic adjustments can help increase immune system function, can increase energy by reducing the stress on joints and the advice of the chiropractor can help you with your nutritional goals. As always, chiropractic treatment helps to reduce spasm, swelling, increase joint motion and reduce nerve pressure. Always try chiropractic; if you haven't tried chiropractic you haven't "tried everything".
Sunday, March 1, 2009
AUTO ACCIDENTS AND BAD WEATHER
This weekend in Atlanta, GA has been one of the nastiest in awhile. It started raining on Friday, it rained nearly all day Saturday and today it has snowed most of the afternoon. It's supposed to go into the 20's tonight. The roads will probably be treacherous in the morning. Slick wet roads and driving don't mix very well. There will be hundreds of accidents this weekend. Many people will have both minor and very serious injuries. Chiropractors can't help fractured bones or severe lacerations but we are the best at soft tissue injuries.
It does not matter the direction of the collision. A rear end, side impact, front impact or even a rollover collision can create enough impact through the vehicle that anyone in the vehicle can receive soft tissue damage. When muscles and ligaments get stretched farther than their normal ability small fibers are torn. Picture a paper cut, you can't even see but it hurts like the devil. There is swelling due to the injury and bleeding into the tissue. This is what's happening to the fibers of the muscles and ligaments. The muscles around the injured area will go into spasm to protect themselves. This is called splinting or guarding, the body is doing this on purpose. When the spine is involved, the joints of the spine can go out of alignment and pinch nerves. These pinched nerves can cause radiating pain into the head, upper back, mid back and extremities. The misaligned vertebra will become restricted in their movement and affect the overall range of motion of the spine. All of these cause pain---pinched nerves, swelling, spasm, and restricted joint motion. Simple huh? "Take a muscle relaxer, an anti-inflammatory and a pain killer. That'll fix it, right?" Wrong!!!
Medication may be necessary to get you through the tough times but CANNOT correct the problem. Chiropractic may be the answer. A thorough spinal, orthopedic and neurological examination along with the necessary x-ray can determine if their is a mechanical or structural problem that was created by the accident. Through a series of treatments these injuries can be stabilized and rehabilitated, hopefully back to "pre-injury state". Treatment includes spinal adjustments, ice and moist heat, electrical muscle stimulation, inter segmental traction as well as rest and exercise.
Spinal adjustments help correct the spinal misalignment's. Ice helps to reduce the swelling. Heat soothes the muscles and helps to promote the healing process. Electrical muscle stimulation reduces muscle spasm, pain and swelling. Inter segmental traction helps to increase mobility and promote the healing process. Through my nearly 30 years of practice I have found that 85 to 90% of all the people I accept for treatment get better. That means 10 to 15% don't see the response that I or them would have liked to have seen. I refer these people for further medical evaluation as necessary.
I can't help everybody. Chiropractic gets better results with these type injuries than any other type of care. I don't want people to get injured but if they do I want them to give me a chance. CHIROPRACTIC WORKS!!
It does not matter the direction of the collision. A rear end, side impact, front impact or even a rollover collision can create enough impact through the vehicle that anyone in the vehicle can receive soft tissue damage. When muscles and ligaments get stretched farther than their normal ability small fibers are torn. Picture a paper cut, you can't even see but it hurts like the devil. There is swelling due to the injury and bleeding into the tissue. This is what's happening to the fibers of the muscles and ligaments. The muscles around the injured area will go into spasm to protect themselves. This is called splinting or guarding, the body is doing this on purpose. When the spine is involved, the joints of the spine can go out of alignment and pinch nerves. These pinched nerves can cause radiating pain into the head, upper back, mid back and extremities. The misaligned vertebra will become restricted in their movement and affect the overall range of motion of the spine. All of these cause pain---pinched nerves, swelling, spasm, and restricted joint motion. Simple huh? "Take a muscle relaxer, an anti-inflammatory and a pain killer. That'll fix it, right?" Wrong!!!
Medication may be necessary to get you through the tough times but CANNOT correct the problem. Chiropractic may be the answer. A thorough spinal, orthopedic and neurological examination along with the necessary x-ray can determine if their is a mechanical or structural problem that was created by the accident. Through a series of treatments these injuries can be stabilized and rehabilitated, hopefully back to "pre-injury state". Treatment includes spinal adjustments, ice and moist heat, electrical muscle stimulation, inter segmental traction as well as rest and exercise.
Spinal adjustments help correct the spinal misalignment's. Ice helps to reduce the swelling. Heat soothes the muscles and helps to promote the healing process. Electrical muscle stimulation reduces muscle spasm, pain and swelling. Inter segmental traction helps to increase mobility and promote the healing process. Through my nearly 30 years of practice I have found that 85 to 90% of all the people I accept for treatment get better. That means 10 to 15% don't see the response that I or them would have liked to have seen. I refer these people for further medical evaluation as necessary.
I can't help everybody. Chiropractic gets better results with these type injuries than any other type of care. I don't want people to get injured but if they do I want them to give me a chance. CHIROPRACTIC WORKS!!
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