Chiropractic and the Immune System

Are you interested in decreasing you asthma and allergy symptoms?  Do you want to boost your immune system and decrease your odds of getting sick this year.  The following study may be of interest to you.

In 2004, a research article* was published that observed the relationship between allergic diseases and thoracic spinal misalignments.  Researchers studies 3,013 allergic disease patients who suffered with dermatitis, asthma, pollinosis, hay fever, allergic coryza, etc.  They discovered that 2,733 of these patients had chronic vertebral misalignments in their thoracic spine.  These patients were treated with spinal manipulations that focused on correcting these spinal misalignments.  As a result of the treatment, 70% of the patients reported an improvement in their allergy symptoms.  These results suggest the possibility that nerve compression secondary to vertebral misalignment in the thoracic spine had a negative effect on human immune function leading to symptoms of allergies.  It also suggests that removing nerve compression by restoring proper vertebral misalignment has a positive effect on the immune system, leading to decreased allergy symptoms and increased health.

For more information about chiropractic, please visit our website at www.valleychiroassoc.com.

*Yasuhiko Takeda, Shouji Arai: Relationship Between Vertebral Deformities And Allergic Diseases. The Internet Journal of Orthopedic Surgery. 2004. Volume 2 Number 1.

Cutting Health Care Costs With Chiropractic

Health care costs have been rising for several years. Expenditures in the United States on health care surpassed $2.3 trillion in 2008, more than three times the $714 billion spent in 1990, and over eight times the $253 billion spent in 1980. Controling this growth has become a major policy priority, as the government, employers, and consumers increasingly struggle to keep up with health care costs.  In 2008, U.S. health care spending was about $7,681 per resident and accounted for 16.2% of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP); this is among the highest of all industrialized countries.  Clearly, something needs to change.

One viable option to decrease health care costs is chiropractic.  Blue Cross/Blue Shield conducted a study from 1999 to 2005 that analyzed clinical and cost utilization data between primary health care physicians.  They studied 70,274 patients over a seven year period.  Those that exclusively used doctors of chiropractic as their primary health care physician demonstrated decreases of 60.2% in-hospital admissions, 59.0% hospital days, 62.0% outpatient surgeries and procedures and 85% pharmaceutical costs when compared with conventional medicine health care providers for the same health product in the same geography and time frame.

For more information on how chiropractic can minimize the need for medications and surgeries, visit our website at www.valleychiroassoc.com.

Are Statin Medications Causing My Pain?

Statins are a class of drugs used to lower cholesterol levels by inhibiting the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, which plays a central role in the production of cholesterol in our body's liver.  The most commonly known statin is Lipitor, manufactured by Pfizer.  Statins are one of the most widely prescribed medication in the United States and globally.  In 2003-4, it was estimated that 24 million individuals in the United States alone took statins.  A common adverse effect of statins is musculoskeletal symptoms, including muscle aches, pain, weakness and cramps. 

In February of 2012 a study was published in American Journal of Medicine that looked at the relationship between statin drug use and musculoskeletal pain in adults with and without arthritis.  Researchers assessed 8,228 subjects over 40 years of age, 5,170 of whom arthritis had not been diagnosed.  They discovered that among those participants without arthritis, statin use was associated with a significantly higher prevalence of musculoskeletal pain, as follows:

• pain in any region was increased by 33%
• pain in the lower back was increased by 47%
• pain in the lower extremities was increased by 59%

According to the study, 1 out of every 17 people taking statin drugs developed musculoskeletal pain symptoms.  Like thousands of studies before it, this study suggests that the best way to improve your health is not by turning to the pill bottle for answers, but by improving your lifestyle.

Adolescent Back Pain and Headaches

 

Many parents have a tendency to dismiss back pain as “growing pains” or headaches as something their children may “grow out of.”  Unfortunately, these two issues have become common, but they are definitely not normal. As adults, we have become accustomed to taking an aspirin or Ibuprofen to relieve aches and pains but are resistant, with good reason, to give it to our children.

Today’s children have many stressors on their body.  One of these stressors is the excess load that a backpack places on a child’s spine. The repetitive stress of walking in this posture causes the joints of the spine to misalign, which affects the nerves and can causes pain.

Another stressor on our children’s spines is poor posture.  While at school, children sit for many hours of the day, often in a slouched position.  Children are also sitting while using the computer, playing video games, and watching television.  Sitting to their spine is like sugar to their teeth: it literally rots it.  Our bodies are designed to move, not to sit for long periods of time. (How often do you see deer, squirrels, and other animals sitting in the wild?) This sitting and poor posture can cause your child to develop a postural deformity know as forward head posture (FHP).  This posture puts a tremendous amount of pressure at the base of the neck, where the neck meets the shoulder.  FHP may be source of many headaches and pain that make it difficult for your child to pay attention at school or complete tasks at home. The test to determine if your child has FHP is easy - look at your child from the side.  The ear and the shoulder should line up vertically. If the ear is in front of the shoulder then you child has forward head posture. 

If you suspect forward head posture in your child, consider a chiropractic evaluation for him or her. It is far better to catch the problem early and steer clear of a lifetime pattern of neck pain, headaches, and other preventable health concerns than suffer the consequences later on in life.  Proper posture can also be taught to ensure habits that will encourage a healthy spine and a pain-free life.

“An ounce of prevention is worth move than a pound of cure”-Dr. B.J. Palmer

High Heels: Not So Good

Are you among the millions of women who wear high heels day after day?  For years, experts have known about the detrimental consequences of high heels on the health and function of the human body.  They can cause the formation of bunions, corns, neuromas and hammertoes in feet as well as knee, hip and lower back pain.

Now, a team of scientists from Australia have identified yet another concern of high heels.  In a research article published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, they discovered that women who habitually wear high heels tend to walk differently.  They place more strain on their calf muscles and increase their risk of injury.  These scientists studied nine women who use high heels at least 40 hours per week and ten women who wear high heels less than 10 hours per week.   After observing and analyzing the women's gait patterns, they discovered that the heel wearers tended to walk with shorter, more forceful strides compared to those that did not wear high heels.  These women also held their feet in a flexed, hammertoe position even when walking barefoot.  In addition, the researchers suggested that this altered walking style may increase muscle fatigue.

To combat this concern, try wear flats most of time and only switch into heels sparingly. If you're going to buy heels, avoid those with pointy tips and opt for a pair with a wide toe box. Once you reach your destination,  give your feet a breather under the desk or table, and especially take them off if you plan on dancing.  Alternating with flats for part of the day is also beneficial.

Gonstead Chiropractic and Pregnancy

Most women that are pregnant are aware of the benefits of avoiding smoking, alcohol and medications, exercising, and maintaining a nourishing diet for her and her developing baby's health.  Many, however, are unaware of the benefits that Gonstead chiropractic care can provide.  Numerous chiropractic patients report healthier pregnancies as well as more comfortable deliveries.  One study revealed that first time mothers under chiropractic care had 24% shorter labor times versus women who were not.  In addition, chiropractic patients who have had prior deliveries enjoyed 39% shorter labor times than those not under care.  The Gonstead approach is a specific time-proven technique to check for proper spinal and pelvic structural alignment.  Dysfunction in the lumbar spine and pelvic joints has been shown to cause back pain during pregnancy.  Research has shown that as many as 56% of pregnant women experience back pain.  A properly aligned lumbar spine and pelvis not only ensures a reduction of pain, but allows for sufficient space for the developing baby, leading to a quicker and easier delivery.
Gonstead chiropractic uses great care to ensure the most accurate, painless, and safe adjustment possible.  It is so safe that care can continue until the day of delivery.  The Gonstead system employs special adjusting tables with the necessary modifications for each stage of pregnancy.  Gonstead chiropractic care, in combination with other healthy lifestyle habits, provides the best opportunity for a healthy and happy baby.

Overmedicated America

Almost half of the prescription drugs taken in our world today are consumed in the United States.  Americans take an average of 25 million pills an hour! Many Americans over 65 years old take between 12-18 different medications per day. Twenty-five tons of aspirin are consumed daily in the U.S.  As a result, our “health care system” is the third leading cause of death in our country, a situation that is unheard of in the rest of the world.

Every drug taken is a stressor to the body and its detoxification system.  Because of this, side effects are a common occurance.  For example, an average of 1,600 children die from aspirin each year.  Adverse reactions to prescribed drugs kill more than 100,000 people per year according to a recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Association.  By contrast, illegal drugs (cocaine, crack, etc.) kill 6,000 to 10,000 people per year.

Your body has the natural and amazing ability to heal.  One way to ensure this is by keeping your spine aligned with Chiropractic care.  The Chiropractic adjustment removes interference from the control system of your body, the nervous system.  With chiropractic care, many of our patients have found that the need for prescription drugs naturally disappears.