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A Word From The News...
People consult health care professionals for many different reasons. Some want to be free of a particular illness or set of symptoms. Others want to prevent an illness from occurring. Still others, already feeling quite healthy, want to maintain their health by ensuring they are the best they can be. Generally, people consult a health care practitioner because they want to improve their health. When choosing which type of health care professional to consult it is often helpful to consider whether their emphasis is focused upon “healing” or “curing.”
“Curing” involves removing symptoms, treating a part of the body, or controlling a process. “Healing” involves helping people to become more whole and function at a higher level of health whether it be at work, school, or recreational activities.
Curing professions, whether orthodox medicine or natural/alternative, tend to focus on symptoms and abnormal pathological tests such as blood tests. Their emphasis is upon removing these symptoms and “normalizing” the results of laboratory tests, seeking to return you to the state you were in before you became aware of an illness.
Healing professions, including Chiropractic, are based upon the knowledge that you have an innate intelligence and natural healing ability. Your innate knows far more about your needs than any other person, pill, or potion and all you need to realize.
Stress Management
Do you suffer from stress?A high stress lifestyle may weaken the immune system, increase your blood pressure, and cause muscle soreness and pain. Everybody’s body copes with stresses differently. Many healthy stress coping strategies can be done with little to no instruction. Here are some examples of some that have proven to relieve stress naturally:
· Writing. Evidence shows that writing for 10-15 minutes a day about stressful events and how you felt can help relieve stress and improve diseases linked to stress.
· Expressing your feelings. Discussing how you feel can help you cope with stress. Laughing and crying are natural ways to relieve tension and are normal emotional healing processes. Have you ever seen anyone laugh who has a mental disorder?
· Mindful activities. These help to relax your mind. They include meditation, guided imagery (visualization), music therapy, and humor therapy. Laughing also naturally boosts the immune system.
· Physical activity. Aerobic exercise, such as walking, running, bicycling, or swimming can reduce stress and the stress response.
· Doing something you enjoy. Meaningful activities including gardening, hiking, fishing, writing, crafting, caring for pets, or even volunteer work are some examples of this great way to cope with stress
· Body centered relaxation. These are especially helpful for people who experience physical symptoms of stress. These include breathing techniques, aromatherapy, yoga, and massage.
Chiropractic for Chronic Spinal Pain
Gary Peters, D. C.
Latest Research Shows Chiropractic Is The "Only" Care Providing "Broad-Based, Long-Term Benefit"
In 2003, a randomized clinical trial published in the research journal Spine demonstrated that chiropractic manipulation is superior to needle acupuncture and "medication."(1,2) The results of a follow-up study were recently released in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT), generating data on patient improvement over one year after care was initially provided.(3)
The Original Study
Initially, the patients were randomly divided into three groups: acupuncture, chiropractic manipulation, and medication. Those in the acupuncture and chiropractic manipulation groups were given "two treatments per week."
The medication group was given one of three drugs, based upon what other drugs they may have already tried. Patients in the medication group were given Celebrex (200-400 mg/day), unless it had previously been tried. The next drug of choice was Vioxx (12.5-25 mg/day), followed by paracetamol (up to 4 g/day).
The results of the 2003 study found that the "highest proportion of early (asymptomatic status) recovery was found for manipulation (27.3%), followed by acupuncture (9.4%) and medication (5%)." The chiropractic manipulation group achieved the best overall results.
The Follow-Up Study
The follow-up study3 reapplied the same measurement instruments to the patients after more than a year. The results of this follow-up study demonstrated that: "Comparisons of initial and extended follow-up questionnaires to assess absolute efficacy showed that only the application of spinal manipulation revealed broad-based, long-term benefit."
"Overall, patients who have chronic mechanical spinal pain syndromes and received spinal manipulation gained significant broad-based beneficial short-term and long-term outcomes. In patients with chronic spinal pain syndromes, spinal manipulation, if not contraindicated, may be the only treatment modality of the assessed regimens that provides broad and significant long-term benefit."
References
1.Giles LGF, Muller R. Chronic spinal pain: a randomized clinical trial comparing medication, acupuncture, and spinal manipulation. Spine 2003;28:1490-1503.
2.Chiropractic best for chronic spine pain: new research shows manipulation superior to acupuncture, drugs. Dynamic Chiropractic, Sept. 1, 2003: www.chiroweb.com/archives/21/18/18.html.
3.Muller R, Giles LGF. Long-term follow-up of a randomized clinical trial assessing the efficacy of medication, acupuncture, and spinal manipulation for chronic mechanical spinal pain syndromes. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2005;28:3-11.
Chronic Migraines Helped by Chiropractic, Study Shows
Dr. John Zimmerman
A study published in the February 2000 issue of the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, (JMPT), showed that people suffering with migraine headaches were helped with chiropractic care. The study was conducted in Australia at the Chiropractic Research Center of Macquarie University. In this research 177 volunteers were studied who had migraine headaches for over 18 years on average. Many of the participants also suffered from neck pain.
The average response of the group that received chiropractic care showed a statistically significant improvement in migraine frequency, duration, and disability. The study also showed that those who received chiropractic care were able to reduce their medication use, with a significant number reducing their medication usage to zero! Additionally, 59% had no neck pain after a period of two months, and another 35% had a decrease in neck pain.
The researchers concluded this study, built on previous studies that had similar results. "There have now been several studies demonstrating significant improvement in headaches or migraines after chiropractic.”
Chronic Migraines Helped by Chiropractic, Study Shows
A study published in the February 2000 issue of the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, (JMPT), showed that people suffering with migraine headaches were helped with chiropractic care. The study was conducted in Australia at the Chiropractic Research Center of Macquarie University. In this research 177 volunteers were studied who had migraine headaches for over 18 years on average. Many of the participants also suffered from neck pain. The average response of the group that received chiropractic care showed a statistically significant improvement in migraine frequency, duration, and disability. The study also showed that those who received chiropractic care were able to reduce their medication use, with a significant number reducing their medication usage to zero! Additionally, 59% had no neck pain after a period of two months, and another 35% had a decrease in neck pain. The researchers concluded this study, built on previous studies that had similar results. "There have now been several studies demonstrating significant improvement in headaches or migraines after chiropractic.”
Did you know...
Research has shown Chiropractic not only helps reduce symptoms but also increases quality of life.Chiropractic patients report changes in physical well-being, adaptation to stress, emotional and psychological well-being, life enjoyment, life-style changes and overall quality of life.
Did you know...
Prevalence and Most Common Causes of Disability Among Adults --- United States, 2005
A recent ongoing study by the CDC found that the number one cause of disability among US adults was Arthritis (24%). The number two was back or spine problems (17%)! Number three is heart trouble (5%).
By 2030, 65+ adults will double from their current 71 million. This will put added stress on public health and the nation’s health-care system.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5816a2.htm
Chiropractic Is Recommended Treatment According To AARP Magazine.
“Up to 85 percent of Americans will suffer back pain in their lifetime—and the number of people with chronic, debilitating low back pain is growing. The likely reason: rising rates of obesity and stress, says Timothy Carey, M.D., director of the Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the author of several recent studies on low back pain. A study published in 2002 found that patients with low back pain treated by chiropractors showed greater improvement after one month than those treated by physicians.”
http://www.aarpmagazine.org/health/the_back_story.html
Check Yourself – Are your headaches coming from your neck?
Check the Three P's of Neck-Related Headaches to find out if your headaches are related to dysfunction in your upper neck:
1) Posture – Your ear should be lined up with the tip of your shoulder when viewed from the side. Have someone check your standing posture. If your ear is far in front of the tip of your shoulder, your neck muscles are working harder than they should be all the time. If headaches get worse after driving or working in front of the computer, posture is probably a factor.
2) Position – When you have a headache, bend your head forward and backward slowly. Rotate your head to the right and left slowly. Bend your head side to side slowly. Increased headache pain on slow movement or at the end of the range of motion indicates that neck
joint or muscle dysfunction is affecting your head.
3) Painful Points – When you have a headache, poke around your upper neck with your fingers. Are there tender areas that make your headache worse when you press on them? These painful points indicate that neck dysfunction is related to the pain in your head.
At Snake River Chiropractic, we will take a comprehensive history and perform a thorough examination to determine the source of your pain. A plan will be formed specifically for you which may include spinal adjustments, Massage on tight muscles in the neck and at the base of the head, and exercises and stretches to restore neck muscle function and posture. We may also ask you about your pillow to see if improper neck support while sleeping is a source of your pain. v
Remember, a person with any health problem needs chiropractic. Feel free to forward these studies to others.
Spinal balance equals better health. The more balanced your spine, the healthier you are; the more unbalanced your spine, the sicker you are. This was the finding in a study of 752 patients who were evaluated for spinal balance and health status. The authors of the study found that health status was significantly poorer as spinal deviation off-center increased and the severity of symptoms increased as spinal imbalance increased. Chiropractic's goal is to correct or adjust your subluxations, releasing deep stress and bringing you back to balance. (Glassman S, Bridwell K, Dimar J. The impact of positive sagittal balance in adult spinal deformity. Spine. 2005;30(18):2024-2029.)
Maintenance Care for the Spine Reduces Low Back Pain, Disability Levels. 30 patients with chronic low back pain lasting 6 months or more were separated into two groups. The first group received 12 chiropractic adjustments over a one-month period, but no care for the subsequent 9 months. The 2nd group also received 12 adjustments over a one-month period, along with "maintenance" adjustments every 3 weeks for the following 9 months. Patients in both groups experienced significant decreases in low back pain scores after the initial care. However the "maintenance" patients' disability scores were significantly lower after the 10-month period than before the initial care - an average of 16.6 points lower per patient. In the other group, "the mean disability scores went back to their pretreatment level."
Descarreaux M, Blouin JS, Drolet M et al. Efficacy of preventive spinal manipulation for chronic low-back pain and related disabilities: a preliminary study. JMPT. 2004;27(8):509-514
Pain Relief Could Be Only Two Feet Away
Even if your feet don't hurt, they may be a major factor contributing to your health problems. Spinal-pelvic misalignment is the culprit. Pain in various parts of your body may be traced directly to your feet! You may not be as fortunate as you think. A foot problem may be the cause of discomfort or pain in your leg/hip, back, arm/shoulder or even your neck
Take This Test
1. Do you stand or walk on hard surfaces for more than 4 hours daily?
2. Do you participate regularly in any physical sport (basketball, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, etc.)?
3. Are you age 40 or over?
4. Have you had a prior knee injury, back injury, or neck injury?
5. Do your shoes wear unevenly?
6. Do you have joint pain while standing, walking, or running?
7. Is one of your legs shorter than the other?
8. Do you have knock knees or bow legs?
9. Do you have obvious foot problems (bunions, corns, flat feet, etc.)?
10. Do your feet "toe out" when you're walking?
Custom-made, flexible orthotics, Shoethotics®, or Sandalthotics® may be part of the solution to your health problems. If you have any questions or would like to order custom-made orthotics please give us a call (208) 524-4228. We will scan your feet at no charge to see if orthotics are an option for you.
Chiropractic is the largest natural primary health care profession in the world. It’s one of the most praised yet most misunderstood of all the health care disciplines, despite the fact that more than 25 million Americans utilize it each year. Chiropractic is practiced by 50,000 doctors around the world and is licensed in every single state. In accredited colleges in America, Japan, England, Australia, Canada, France and South Africa more than 7500 students are studying the discipline.