Chiropractic Reduces Herniated Disc Pain

Back pain is one of the most common problems we see in our Las Vegas office, and one that chiropractic is great at treating. Sometimes, back pain is caused by a herniated disc. To best understand disc herniation, think of your discs like a jelly filled donut where the outer shell is dense enough and strong enough to keep the jelly (the fluid that cushions your spine) securely inside. However, when some form of pressure is placed on it, the soft, jelly-like substance leaks out into the surrounding area and disc herniation occurs. This can create a lot of pain, numbness, and weakness in your extremities, especially if it pushes into a nerve. However, according to a study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, chiropractic can offer relief in this type of situation.

Researchers studied 148 individuals (roughly 75 percent male, 25 percent female) between 18 and 65 years old who had pain in both their lower back and legs due to disc herniation in their lumbar region. They were all patients at one chiropractic office in Zurich, Switzerland, and just over half were labeled as having “acute” pain in their legs and back due to experiencing symptoms less than a month. Additionally, almost a quarter of the test subjects had what researchers defined as “chronic” pain, meaning it lasted three months or more.

Each participant engaged in chiropractic adjustments consistent with their particular disc herniation, whether it was intraforaminal or paramedian, as determined by an MRI. Data was obtained initially, at the beginning of the study, then again at two weeks, one month, three months, six months, and one year. Information collected included self-report from the patient, as well as other clinically recognized testing measures such as the Oswestry questionnaire, a 10-question tool commonly used by healthcare professionals to help determine both pain intensity and disability.

Two weeks into chiropractic treatment, almost 70 percent of the participants reported feeling “much better or better.” This rate rose to nearly 80 percent one month after treatment began, and again to just over 90 percent three months into the study. Even at the six month and one year marks, approximately 88 percent of the participants still experienced improvement.

This study suggests that chiropractic can provide valuable relief from disc herniation, both short and long term. The study’s limitations (no control group, all subjects coming from one chiropractic office, and a limited number of chronic patients) led the researchers to also suggest that more research be conducted in this area.

If you suffer from back pain or herniated disc, chiropractic can help. Dr. Ted also offers spinal flexion distraction therapy in his office, which has also been found to be beneficial for back pain. Give our office in Las Vegas a call today at (702) 277-1371 or contact us here for more information.

Leemann S, Peterson CK, Schmid C, et al. Outcomes of acute and chronic patients with magnetic resonance imaging – confirmed symptomatic lumbar disc herniations receiving high-velocity, low-amplitude, spinal manipulative therapy: a prospective observational cohort study with one-year follow-up. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2014;37(3);155-163.

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85% of Pregnant Women Get Back Pain Relief with Chiropractic

With pregnancy comes many joys as you prepare for the arrival of your newest little bundle of joy, and we love seeing our pregnant moms in ChiropracTED. However, sometimes it comes with pain as well—specifically, back pain. Fortunately, a recent study finds that chiropractic careis an excellent way to relieve back pain during pregnancy. And the positive effects occur not only during pregnancy, but long after you’ve delivered!

Researchers recruited 115 pregnant women who were (1) experiencing pain in their back or pelvic region, (2) had not engaged in chiropractic care during the previous three months, and (3) were not restricted from participation. Each woman then was given chiropractic care, with the frequency of visits and methods of manipulation solely determined based on the preference of the chiropractor for that particular expecting mother.

Data was collected at one week, one month, three months, six months, and one year past the initial chiropractic visit to determine what improvement, if any, the women noticed in regard to their back pain. What they discovered is that the level of improvement in pain increased the more time went on.

For example, when asked one week into the treatment sessions whether or not the women noticed a reduction in their level of pain, 52 percent said yes. That amount increased to 70 percent one month into treatment, then to 85 percent being happy with the results after just three months of chiropractic care. At the six month mark, 90 percent said that they noticed reduced pain in their back region, and the benefits continued with 88 percent reporting positive effects one year after the initial chiropractic treatment session.

If you’re expecting and you have back pain, natural chiropractic care can help ease your symptoms. We’re conveniently Henderson / Green Valley, and we’d love to help you have a healthy, natural pregnancy! Give our office a call today at (702) 277-1371 for an appointment.

Peterson CK, Mühlemann D, Humphreys BK. Outcomes of pregnant patients with low back pain undergoing chiropractic treatment: a prospective cohort study with short term, medium term and 1 year follow-up. Chiropractic and Manual Therapies 2014;22(1):15.

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871 CORONADO CENTER DRIVE

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(702)-277-1371

Chiropractic Care Beneficial for Seniors

We treat patients of all ages in at ChiropracTED, and our goal is to help our neighbors lead a healthy, long, and active life. As we age, some of us experience limited mobility and activity. This restricted movement can have negative effects on our health, making it more difficult to keep in shape and stay active. Countless studies have shown that activity can help us not only maintain our physical well-being, but it can also prevent against Alzheimer’s and depression. In short, staying active is good for the body and the mind!

Now, a new study from researchers at the University of Iowa have found that chiropractic care can help older people stay active and healthy.

In this report, authors looked at the data provided by the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS), a database  documenting the health records of Medicare patients. The researchers looked specifically at patient reports of function, activity levels, and self-reported health outcomes in patients who visited a chiropractor and compared them to people who did not visit a chiropractor.

The researchers found that the individuals who engaged in some form of chiropractic care had fewer functional limitations, less difficulty engaging in activities such as lifting and walking, and a lower number of doctor’s visits and hospitalizations. They concluded that chiropractic had a “protective effect,” safeguarding them against physical deterioration.

The authors concluded:

“This study provides evidence of a protective effect of chiropractic against 1-year declines in functional and [self-related health] among Medicare beneficiaries with spine conditions, and indications that chiropractic users have higher satisfaction with follow-up care and information provided about what is wrong with them.”

Chiropractic care has been shown to be beneficial for many different kinds of spinal pain and dysfunction, and this study shows that regular chiropractic care can also help keep you moving and active as you get older. If you suffer from back pain or have some other health problem that’s slowing you down, call ChiropracTED today at (702) 277-1371 for an appointment. We’ll be happy to keep you moving!

Weigel PAM, Hockenberry JM, Wolinsky FD. Chiropractic use in the Medicare Population: prevalence, patterns, and associations with 1-year changes in health and satisfaction with care. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2014;37:542-551.

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871 CORONADO CENTER DRIVE

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(702)-277-1371

Chiropractic Boosts Antioxidants

We work very hard in our Henderson, Nevada office to help our patients live a healthier, pain-free life, and we try to stay up-to-date on the latest scientific literature on the benefits of chiropractic. We were very excited when we came across a new study was recently published that shows that chiropractic adjustments can actually boost anti-oxidants!

Anti-oxidants are naturally occurring chemicals that protect the body from free radicals. Fresh fruits and vegetables are good sources of anti-oxidants, but your body also produces anti-oxidants to ward off damage.

In this new study, researchers looked at 23 people suffering from back or neck pain. Each patient received 10 chiropractic adjustments over a period of five weeks. Blood samples were taken from the test subjects before and after the study period, and the researchers noted levels of three specific anti-oxidants: superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx).

At the end of the study, there was no difference in antioxidant catalase, there was a significant increase in both SOD and GPx.

It’s important to note that this was a small study and it didn’t include a control group, so further research needs to be done to confirm these results and to determine how chiropractic works to boost anti-oxidants. However, this is study adds to our knowledge of the benefits of chiropractic. Other studies have found that chiropractic can boost immune functioning and decrease stress hormones.

Kolberg C, Horst A, Moraes MS, et al. Peripheral oxidative stress blood markers in patients with chronic back or neck pain treated with high-velocity, low-amplitude manipulation. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2014 Original source

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Doctor of Chiropractic - Very Educated Profession

Chiropractors are Well Educated

Today's chiropractic education has an emphasis on science.

Fact is, educational requirements for today’s chiropractic physician are among the most stringent of any of the health care professions.

Several decades ago the education that chiropractors received was purposely narrow. Without the interest in prescribing medicines or performing surgery, chiropractic education focused on anatomy, the philosophy of natural healing, the wisdom of the body and adjusting techniques.

Today’s chiropractor receives a much broader education. In fact, it’s quite comparable to that received by medical practitioners.

Before acceptance to a five-year chiropractic college, prospective chiropractors must complete a minimum of three years of undergraduate work with a heavy emphasis on the basic sciences.

This focus on science continues during the first two years of study, emphasizing classroom and laboratory work in anatomy, physiology, public health, microbiology, pathology and biochemistry. Later, the focus is on specialized subjects, including chiropractic philosophy and practice, along with chiropractic diagnosis and adjusting methods. Since chiropractors don’t prescribe drugs, instead of studying pharmacology and surgery, they receive an even deeper training in anatomy, physiology, rehabilitation, nutrition, diagnosis, X-ray and a variety of adjusting techniques that aren’t taught in any other health care field.

Disparaging the educational achievements of today’s chiropractor is an outdated belief from another era.

In some recent surveys it was surprising to note that some people were unaware of the educational level of a Doctor of Chiropractic. The basic question was, "Is the education of a Doctor of Chiropractic at the same level as a Medical Doctor?" The correct answer is, of course, yes. Doctors of Chiropractic undergo a rigorous and demanding professional education equivalent to any other primary care provider. To obtain a Doctor of Chiropractic degree, they must complete several years of prerequisite undergraduate education and spend nearly the same number of classroom hours at a fully-accredited chiropractic college as MDs do in medical schools. Student doctors are thoroughly trained in the appropriate use of sophisticated analytical equipment including X-rays, examination procedures, and state of the art chiropractic investigative technologies. Before they can practice, all Doctors of Chiropractic must pass a series of National Boards, as well as a licensing exam for the state in which they choose to practice. Even after all that, most states require the doctors to attend clinical continuing education programs for annual relicensure.

 What does it take to become a Chiropractor?

According to many sources Chiropractic is the second largest health care profession.  Some articles and authors have referred to chiropractic as “alternative”.  This label may not fit in the face of the growing numbers of people seeking chiropractic care.  In the 1998 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine is an article on chiropractic that makes a profound statement, 

“Even to call chiropractic alternative is problematic, in many ways it is distinctly mainstream.”

Even with all this growth and increased usage, many people are unaware of the rigors of a chiropractic education.

In order to become a “Doctor of Chiropractic” chiropractic students must go through college and a chiropractic program every bit as strenuous and in-depth as other health care practitioners.  To help demonstrate this better, the following charts are given.

Comparison of Hours of Basic Sciences Education in Medical and Chiropractic Schools

Subject	Chiropractic Schools		Medical Schools
	Hours	% of Total	Hours	% of Total
Anatomy	570	40	368	31
Biochemistry	150	11	120	10
Microbiology	120	8	120	10
Public Health	70	5	289	24
Physiology	305	21	142	12
Pathology	205	14	162	14
Total Hours	1,420	100	1,200	100

Comparisons of the Overall Curriculum Structure for Chiropractic and Medical Schools

	Chiropractic Schools		Medical Schools
	Mean	Percentage	Mean	Percentage
Basic science hours	1416	29%	1200	26%
Clinical science hours	3406	71%	3467	74%
Chiropractic science hours	1975	41%	0	0
Clerkship hours	1405	29%	3467	74%
Total Contact Hours	4822	100%	4667	100%

Source for both above charts: Center for Studies in Health Policy, Inc., Washington, DC. Personal communication of 1995 unpublished data from Meredith Gonyea, PhD.

References

John McMillam Mennell, MD, Medicine, Monopolies and Malice, 1996, Avery Publishing, Garden City, NJ pp. 121, 154-155.

Chiropractic Education, http://www.chirotips.com/chiropractic_education.htm

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OMG, you're texting your way to back pain

ByJESSICA FIRGERCBS NEWS 

November 14, 2014, 5:29 PM

Humans were designed to stand upright. And yet in this modern world, too many of us spend our days with our heads slumped over for a simple reason: we're staring at the tiny screen of a smartphone.

People spend an average of 2 to 4 hours each day with their neck bent at this unnatural angle while shooting off emails or texts. That's 700 to 1,400 hours a year. The success of social media is has led to an epidemic of bad smartphone posture.

 DR. KENNETH HANSRAJ/SURGICAL TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL

The average adult head weighs 10 to 12 pounds when it's in the upright or neutral position. However, because of that pesky thing called physics -- gravitational pull -- the cranium becomes heavier the more you bend your neck. Several times heavier, according to research from Dr. Kenneth Hansraj, chief of spine surgery at New York Spine Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, which will be published in Surgical Technology International.

His study found that bending your head at a 60 degree angle to get a better look at your selfie is putting 60 pounds' worth of pressure on your cervical spine, the portion of the spine above the shoulders. That's more than the weight of the average 7 year old.

"The weight seen by the spine dramatically increases when flexing the head forward at varying degrees," write the authors in the study. "Loss of the natural curve of the cervical spine leads to incrementally increased stresses about the cervical spine. These stresses may lead to early wear, tear, degeneration and possibly surgeries."

But it's not just the big slump that could eventually cause you to look like Lurch. Tilting your head a mere 15 degrees puts 27 pounds of pressure on your spine; a 30 degree neck tilt could equal 40 pounds of pressure; a 45 degree tilt adds the force of 49 pounds.

It's no secret that correct posture is better for your back. According to the researchers, "good posture is defined as ears aligned with the shoulders and the 'angel wings,' or the shoulder blades, retracted."

"In proper alignment, spinal stress diminished," they write in their paper. "It is the most efficient position for the spine."

Standing tall doesn't just make you look better, it optimizes your health, too. Other studies have found good posture elevates testosterone and serotonin in the body, and also reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Good posture has even been linked to personality traits such as tolerance for risk-taking.

Play VIDEO

Posture problems linked to cell phones

People who have poorer posture often have poorer physical and emotional health. The researchers define bad posture as "the head in a tilted forward position and the shoulders dropping forward in a rounded position."

Bad posture has been linked to a host of medical problems, including headaches and other neurological problems, depression, constipation, and heart disease. At a minimum, constant slouching is likely to cause a lot of chronic pain.

This is why Hansraj said it's important to be mindful of your smartphone posture.

"While it is nearly impossible to avoid the technologies that cause these issues, individuals should make an effort to look at their phones with a neutral spine and to avoid spending hours each day hunched over," the authors write in their study.

© 2014 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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OCTOBER- NATIONAL CHIROPRACTIC HEALTH MONTH

A Better Way to Approach Health Care

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) encourages all consumers to think “Conservative Care First!” when it comes to their health care, particularly when pain is the issue.

For years, many patients would find relief through conservative forms of health care such as chiropractic services only after unsuccessfully trying a range of other, more complex and riskier treatments. Today, that approach has been reversed, with more medical research and guidelines supporting the idea that patients should exhaust conservative approaches to pain management and other conditions before moving on to other treatments.

For example, a recent study based on Washington state workers found that only 1.5 percent of those who visited a doctor of chiropractic first for work-related back pain later had surgery, compared to 42.7 percent of those who saw a surgeon first. Conservative care offers safe and effective (as well as cost-effective) ways to reduce pain and muscle spasms. A 2012 study found that spinal manipulation for neck and back pain was cost-effective used either alone or combined with other therapies.

You and your body will be together for the rest of your life. That’s reason enough to seek out conservative care first.

(FROM: http://www.chirohealthy.com)

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871 CORONADO CENTER DRIVE

SUITE 200
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