Volume 18 No.2

Volume 17 No.6

Volume 17 No.3

Volume 16 No.5

Volume 16 No.3

Spinal Health

C O L U M N

A Newsletter Promoting the Healing Power of Chiropractic Care.

Volume 18 No.2

AUTOMOBILE CRASH MYTHS

There are thousands of accidents each year and many of these accidents require your insurance companies to get involved. Unfortunately, there seems to be a large amount of misinformation out there about what should be done after an accident. The police should be contacted immediately and a report filed. If an emergency room is needed, the quicker you go the better. Secondly, contact your insurance company and follow their directions to get the claims process stated. Be careful of quick settlements from an insurance company. Quick settlements often eliminate your chances to have your medical bills covered by your automobile insurance. Thirdly make sure to contact your chiropractor; they are specially trained with the healing of soft issue and spinal injuries. Your chiropractic physician will not release you from care until your body has reached maximum medical improvement and will supply the proper documentation to help settle your case efficiently.

The largest myth in the public's eye is most injuries occur at higher speeds and when a vehicle sustains a large amount of structural damage. In fact, most accidents occur at less than 12 mph with little to no structural damage. There is little correlation between vehicle damage and bodily injury. Other crash myths include assumptions that low speed accidents do not cause injuries, that injuries heal completely within 6 to 12 weeks and most of all if there is no damage there is no injury. Many people are injured in accidents as low as 5mph and take up to six months to one year to fully heal. The absence of damage does not mean there is no injury-- contrary to what the mainstream insurance companies tell us.

Make sure if you, a friend or family member are involved in a motor vehicle accident that they know most injuries occur at low speeds with little to no damage to the vehicle. Your chiropractor will examine their spine and work to assist your body's natural healing process. The quicker you see your doctor the more likely your injuries are to heal sooner.

WHAT DOES A WELL BALANCED DIET MEAN?

Variety is the spice of life with regards to a well balanced diet. Proper food intake will allow vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins to enter our metabolic system and allow our body to function properly. The absence of one or more of these will hinder the metabolic process and cause a cascade of detrimental effects. A well balanced diet consists of four major food groups. Proteins should make up approximately 10-20% of your daily caloric intake. Protein can be found in milk, yogurt, poultry, fish meat, beans, and eggs. Complex carbohydrates should comprise approximately 55-65% of your caloric intake. Complex carbs can be found in cereal, bread, pasta, fruits and vegetables. Fats are important for cell membranes, but they naturally occur in many foods we already eat, so limiting excess fat in foods is a must. Vitamins and minerals are imperative in the absorption in carbohydrates, proteins, and fats and are often lost in normal food processing. Organic vegetables free of pesticides and supplementation are needed to supplement these lost essential ingredients.

When and how to eat is just as important as what you eat. Calories are most effectively used if the largest meal is in the morning, while reducing the quantity of food later in the day for lunch and dinner. Snacks between meals are an effective way of sustaining metabolic output. Make sure to eat meals slowly and chew food in excess. This allows your digestive system to absorb nutrients easier. There are many fad diets out there that are effective in losing weight, but proper feed intake distribution along with regular exercise, is the key to sustained health. Remember what the turtle says, "slow and steady wins the race". Your chiropractor is well trained in nutrition and will guide you in the pros and cons to eating properly. Ask them today to start the spring off right.

PANCREATIC CANCER LINKED TO ASPIRIN USE

A recent study reviewed during a medical conference this past fall revealed that there is an increased risk of pancreatic cancer with increased aspirin use. Data was derived from 88,000 nurses over an 18 year period. Of these women 161 developed pancreatic cancer, which is typically lethal within five years. Although this is a small percentage, it does reveal that women who take higher quantities of tablets (325 mg) for longer than 20 years have an increased risk compared to those who did not take aspirin. For example, women who used 1-3 tablets per week had an increased risk of only 11%, whereas women who took14 or more tablets per week had an increased risk of 86%.

These findings should be taken with a grain of salt because the benefits far outweigh the risks. Aspirin has been shown to decrease the risk of heart disease and colon cancer. There are better ways to reduce your chance of developing pancreatic cancer such as quitting smoking, reducing body weight and decreasing intake of foods with a high glycemic index. Make sure to talk to your M.D. to determine if the benefits outweigh the risks for your particular situation.

SPRING CLEANUP HAZARDS

Springtime is a wonderful time. The flowers are blooming, the leaves are forming, and the grass is growing and growing. It is time to start the annual yard maintenance and that means legwork. Annual office visits this time a year tend to rise because people forget their back needs just as much care as their yard. The spine system is a complex system of bones, ligaments, discs, nerves, blood vessels, and muscles--- all working together to complete simple mechanical and vital tasks. When one of these components is overworked for a prolonged period of time, repetitive motion injuries develop and severe pain results. Following a few simple tips in the same manner you follow the directions on the outside of your fertilizer bag will prevent a world of hurt.

1) 1-2 weeks prior to beginning yard work, take a 30 minute walk every

other day in order to allow the body to adjust to the muscle movement

and to lubricate your stiff joints.

2) At the same time, begin some light body stretches; make sure to stretch

before and after the yard work. Consult your doctor about specific

stretches that will not interfere with your present phase of chiropractic care.

3) When lifting, bend with the knees while bringing the load close to the

body and holding it tightly.

4) Utilize good posture by holding shoulders back while tightening the

stomach and buttock muscles, keeping head high, chin tucked inward

and toes pointing straight ahead.

5) Take frequent breaks. Your body will appreciate the rejuvenation.

6) Make sure to inhale and exhale regularly during all yard work activities.

Many people present our office with back pain as a result of holding

their breath while bending forward to lift something.

7) Try to switch hands when using tools.

8) Knee pads and comfortable shoes are a must.

9) Water intake will hydrate every cell in the body and will help against injury.

10) If you are prone to a weak back, ask your doctor about a lumbar support to use during gardening while your back is being treated.

Remember an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If discomfort occurs, do not hesitate to contact your chiropractor immediately to prevent long term pain.

NEW STUDY: WORK PRODUCTIVITY LOST DUE TO BACK PAIN

The Journal of the American Medical Association released a study in November 2003 on productivity time lost in the workplace due to pain. A telephone survey of employed American adults revealed that job productivity has largely declined because of various pain conditions including headaches, arthritis, and musculoskeletal pain. The average time lost for most pain conditions was 4.6 hours per week. The study concluded that this loss in productivity cost employers 61.2 million dollars annually. So in conclusion, treatment of those nagging pain syndromes will not only help you feel better but will allow you to be more effective in your job. Food for thought!

SUBLUXATIONS CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH

A Spinal Subluxation can be the cause of many common ailments from headaches to indigestion. Subluxation interfere with the flow of nerve energy from the brain to the organs and tissues of the body. Subluxations can be excruciatingly painful or not painful at all. An example would be having a wooden clothespin or a rubber band on your little finger. At first, there may not be any discomfort, but if left on the finger very long, it would get very uncomfortable and cause symptoms.

TYPES OF CAUSES OF SUBLUXATIONS

Physical Causes - Accident, injury, repetitive motion or other trauma

Emotional Causes - Stress, anger or fear

Chemical Causes - Diet, drugs or alcohol

WHAT TO DO?

First, we begin reducing or removing the subluxations, restoring normal nerve energy flow from the brain to the organs involved.

Next, we may make recommendations concerning Nutrition, Exercise and Rest. These areas are almost always involved in human illness. Tired of treating aches and pains with just "temporary relief", call us -- we want to help.

SHOULD I HAVE MY CHILD SEEN BY A CHIROPRACTOR?

Absolutely. Many chiropractic practices see a large number of children and some doctors specialize in children's chiropractic care.

Early examination of a child's spinal alignment can uncover damage caused by a difficult birth, improper handling of accident. A big part of a child's weight, especially a baby's, is the weight of the head. The fragile combination of a small neck and relatively heavy head can lead to situations that over-stress the neck and possibly cause some of the tiny neck vertebrae to misalign.

Being aware of what can cause problems to our children's spines will help keep them healthy. There are many situations that can cause mini-traumas to occur. Falling off bikes, sudden braking in an automobile and tossing a child in the air are potential causes of spinal trauma that can create a cascade of damage within your precious child. Certainly, it is very important that you have your children's spines checked for misaligned vertebra.