chiropractic

Running Injury Prevention

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Jogging is one of the simplest and cheapest ways to accomplish great health. It provides a quick and effective aerobic workout. Unfortunately, runners often encounter injuries that can keep them off the pavement and treadmills. It is a very high impact activity that puts a lot of stress on the bodies joints and muscles making them susceptible to injury.

However, training errors account for 70% of all running injuries. If we can correct these training errors, we can significantly reduce the injury rate.

Overuse injuries are the most common type of injury seen in runners. These can be broken up into two categories, excessive mileage and inappropriate progression of distance or intensity. Runners should limit their weekly distance to 45 miles or 70 km. Increasing the weekly mileage above that will not be any more beneficial to your health or your race times and will increase your risk of an overuse injury. The body needs time between workouts to recover and rebuild. If you are new to running, getting back into shape or looking to increase your mileage, it should be increased by no more than ten percent per week. Trying to do too much too quickly only leads to injuries that will set you back and keep you from achieving your fitness goals.

Besides a well designed training regime an appropriate pair of running shoes designed for your type of foot (flat, wide, rigid, etc) is your next best bet for preventing an injury. Every step you take while running creates a force ten times your body weight that travels through your foot into your ankle, knees, hips and back. A good shoe can help absorb some of that force and help to position and stabilize your foot so it can better absorb the impact. Be sure to shop at a shoe store that has knowledgeable employees who are capable of analyzing your foot type so they can make well informed recommendations. PRI clinic offers a variety of shoes that are specifically designed for running.

Even a well fit shoe can cause problems. Running shoes become worn and need replacing well before the tread wears out. Shoes that have logged 400 miles or 640 km need to be replaced. For example, runners averaging 15 miles (or 25 km) a week should replace their shoes every 6 months. A good way to remember when your shoes need replacing is by writing the purchase date on them. By knowing your weekly mileage you can figure out when you’ll need new ones. That way you can plan ahead, buy your next pair and gradually break them in before the old ones wear out.

If foot, leg or back problems have bothered you in the past, custom orthotics could help to alleviate them and prevent them from recurring. See an orthotics specialist such as a chiropractor at PRI clinic to see if you’re a good candidate.

The take home point is listen to your body, limit your weekly mileage and build up your endurance slowly. Don’t let an injury keep you from keeping your running resolutions.

 

Age Gracefully

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You know the stereotypes of growing old. They include waning health, lack of energy, a near-zero libido, and countless hours watching television during your last days. The get-older narrative says your knees should ache, your memory and concentration should decline, and you should creak and groan getting out of bed in the morning. Well that does not necessarily need to be the case with you.

12 Stress Management Tips to Age Gracefully

A key component of growing old gracefully is learning stress management. How to deal with and relieve stress plays a significant role in healthy aging.

“The key point is that the right food, sleep, exercise, and detoxification can reverse many hormone problems associated with aging,” says Gottfried in Younger. Here are 12 ways to manage stress and age gracefully.

1. Eat more fruits and vegetables

One Australian study with over 60,000 adults over 45 found increasing fruits and vegetables might help reduce psychological distress in middle-aged and older adults. Among their benefits, a wide array of antioxidant-rich, colorful produce including leafy green vegetables and berries can reduce the oxidative stress that Bowden says accelerates aging.

2. Drink more green tea

Green tea might be the perfect way to reduce stress and age well. Among its benefits, researchers show the polyphenols in green tea can protect your skin against premature aging, and the L-theanine can lower stress levels. Look for organic green tea, and if you’re caffeine-sensitive opt for decaffeinated varieties.

3. Get the right nutrients

Researchers find foods rich in polyphenols can protect against age-related diseases including atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and dementia. Resveratrol, a polyphenol found in grape and blueberries, has beneficial effects as anti-aging compounds through modulating oxidative damage, inflammation, telomere attrition, and other hallmarks of aging. To get therapeutic amounts of resveratrol and other potentially anti-aging nutrients, you’ll probably want to supplement. Talk with your chiropractor or other healthcare professional to incorporate the correct doses of resveratrol and other anti-aging, stress-lowering nutrients into your diet.

4. Nix the sugar

Sugar should be avoided for stress management and healthy aging. Blood sugar spikes and crashes, which causes mood swings and low energy levels — but that’s only part of the problem. Glycation, which Bowden says contributes to aging, occurs when excess sugar “gums up” up your proteins, making them sticky and ineffective to do their jobs. Glycation creates advanced glycation end products, appropriately called AGEs, that contributes to many conditions including skin aging. Sugar comes in sneaky forms — even in healthy foods including almond milk — so read labels and ingredients. If it has more than five grams of sugar per serving, put it back.

5. Lower inflammation

Research shows many Canadians eat 20 times or more inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids than anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. The results appear around our waistline and overall health. Studies link inflammation to many diseases, including obesity. Inflammatory foods include potential food sensitivities —like dairy and gluten — as well as foods heavy in omega-6 fatty acids, like vegetable oil. Instead, focus on anti-inflammatory, nutrient-rich foods including wild-caught seafood, freshly ground flaxseed, chia seeds, berries, and leafy and cruciferous non-starchy vegetables.

6. Try meditation

One of the benefits of meditation is stress reduction. A study among 40 secondary school teachers who taught children with behavioral problems found that Transcendental Meditation helped reduce psychological distress in teachers and support staff.

7. Stay flexible with yoga

Among its benefits, research shows yoga can enhance muscular strength and body flexibility, promote and improve respiratory and cardiovascular function, reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, improve sleep patterns, and enhance overall well-being and quality of life. Like with meditation, many forms of yoga exist, including gentle yoga, Vinyasa flow, and hot yoga. Finding the style that works for you might include sampling a few classes or trying out some workouts online. A key component of yoga is breathing, which also reduces stress and helps you age gracefully.

8. Lift weights

“As we grow older, we lose muscle—it just disappears,” says Hyman in Food: What the Heck Should I Eat?“ It happens because our bodies produce less testosterone and growth hormone, and higher levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.” Weight resistance becomes an excellent way to counter muscle loss, reduce stress, and get (and stay) lean into midlife and beyond. You don’t need much time to get these benefits. Even 15–20 minutes a few times a week can produce stellar results. Form is important, so please work with a personal trainer especially if you’re new with weight lifting. Injuring yourself will only create more stress!

9. Get more sleep

Growth hormone is primarily released during the deepest sleep levels. If you’re not regularly getting deep, replenishing sleep, you may not be making enough of this hormone. Additionally, sleep loss can keep cortisol levels high the following evening and affect the resiliency of your stress response. Getting sufficient sleep — around eight hours of deep, uninterrupted sleep — requires solid sleep hygiene. This includes turning off electronics an hour or two before bed and eliminating anything stimulating that could interfere with sleep.

10. Try intermittent fasting

You can effectively raise growth hormone without a potentially dangerous hormone replacement. “The most potent natural stimulus to growth hormone secretion is fasting,” says Fung. “In one study, over a five-day fasting period, growth hormone secretion more than doubled.” If you’re a new to fasting, try intermittent fasting a few times every week. Have dinner, close up the kitchen for the night, and push breakfast as late as possible the next morning. You’ll get a 14-hour or longer fasting window that will naturally boost growth hormone and can help you lose weight.

11. Eat more quality protein

“Protein is required to maintain and build muscle, and with loss of muscle (sarcopenia) come age-related hormonal changes, higher levels of stress hormones like cortisol, and lower levels of anti-aging hormones like growth hormone and testosterone,” says Hyman in Food. “That’s why studies show that as you age you need more protein to prevent disease and death.” Smart protein sources include free-range poultry, grass-fed beef, and wild-caught seafood. Vegans and vegetarians can get good amounts of quality protein from foods like legumes, nuts, and seeds.

12. Visit your chiropractor

One of the best ways to lower stress and reduce or reverse many components of aging — including inflammation, oxidative stress, pain relief, and a strong immune system — is to visit your chiropractor. Chiropractic care provides an optimal way to age gracefully and reduce stress. Along with addressing vertebral misalignments, your chiropractor can develop an individualized protocol that helps you stay healthy, lean, and vibrant as you grow older.

Chronic stress can sabotage your life in so many ways, including aging you faster. Self-care including learning how to handle stress is not a luxury if you want to age gracefully. With these 12 key strategies, you’ll have everything you need to grow older feeling like your best self.

Also, seeing a Chiropractor regularly during the summer months can also help boost your immune system.

 

Chiropractic approach to ear infections

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Ear problems can be excruciatingly painful, especially in children. With 10 million new cases every year, ear infections (otitis media) are the most common illness affecting babies and young children and the number one reason for visits to the pediatrician—accounting for more than 35 percent of all pediatric visits.

Almost half of all children will have at least one middle ear infection before they’re a year old, and two-thirds of them will have had at least one such infection by age 3. The symptoms can include ear pain, fever, and irritability. Otitis media can be either bacterial or viral in origin, and frequently results from another illness such as a cold. For many children, it can become a chronic problem, requiring treatment year after year, and putting the child at risk of permanent hearing damage and associated speech and developmental problems.

Standard treatment for most cases of otitis media is with antibiotics, which can be effective if the culprit is bacterial (antibiotics, of course, do nothing to fight off viruses). But, according to many research studies, antibiotics are often not much more effective than the body’s own immune system. And repeated doses of antibiotics can lead to drug-resistant bacteria that scoff at the drugs, while leaving the child screaming in pain.

Frequent ear infections are also the second most common reason for surgery in children under 2 (with circumcision being the first). In severe cases—for example, when fluids from an ear infection haven’t cleared from the ear after several months, and hearing is affected—specialists sometimes prescribe myringotomy and tympanostomy, more commonly known as “ear tubes.” During the surgical procedure, a small opening is made in the eardrum to place a tube inside. The tube relieves pressure in the ear and prevents repeated fluid buildup with the continuous venting of fresh air. In most cases, the membrane pushes the tube out after a couple of months and the hole in the eardrum closes. Although the treatment is effective, it has to be repeated in some 20 to 30 percent of cases. And this kind of surgery requires general anesthesia, never a minor thing in a small child. If the infection persists even after tube placement and removal, children sometimes undergo adenoidectomy (surgical removal of the adenoids)—an option that is effective mostly through the first year after surgery.

Before yet another round of “maybe-they’ll-work-and-maybe-they-won’t” antibiotics or the drastic step of surgery, more parents are considering chiropractic to help children with chronic ear infections. Dr. Joan Fallon, a chiropractor who practices in Yonkers, New York, has published research showing that, after receiving a series of chiropractic adjustments, nearly 80 percent of the children treated were free of ear infections for at least the six-month period following their initial visits (a period that also included maintenance treatments every four to six weeks).

“Chiropractic mobilizes drainage of the ear in children, and if they can continue to drain without a buildup of fluid and subsequent infection, they build up their own antibodies and recover more quickly,” explains Dr. Fallon. She’d like to see her pilot study used as a basis for larger-scale trials of chiropractic as a therapeutic modality for otitis media.

Dr. Fallon used primarily upper-cervical manipulation on children with otitis media, focusing particularly on the occiput, or back of the skull, and atlas, or the first vertebra in the neck. “Adjusting the occiput, in particular, will get the middle ear to drain. Depending on how chronic it’s been and on where they are in their cycle of antibiotics, children generally need to get through one bout of fluid and fight it off themselves.” That means, for the average child, between six and eight treatments. If a child’s case is acute, Dr. Fallon will check the ear every day, using a tympanogram to measure the ear and track the movement of the eardrum to make sure that it’s draining. “I’ll do adjustments every day or every other day for a couple of days if they’re acute, and then decrease frequency over time.”

Dr. Fallon, whose research garnered her acclaim of childrearing magazines like Parenting and Baby Talk, often sees great success when she treats a child for otitis media. “Once they fight it themselves, my kids tend to do very well and stay away from ear infections completely. Unless there are environmental factors like smoking in the house, an abnormally shaped Eustachian tube, or something like that, they do very well,” she says.

“I have two large pediatric groups that refer to me on a regular basis. In the winter, when otitis is most prevalent, I see five or six new children each week from each group,” says Dr. Fallon. “It’s safe and effective and something that parents should try, certainly before inserting tubes in their children’s ears.”

Chiropractic Care Can Help…

Talk to your doctor of chiropractic about your child’s ear infections. Doctors of chiropractic are licensed and trained to diagnose and treat patients of all ages and will use a gentler type of treatment for children.

Hey Desk Jockeys: Get Vertical!

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This month’s theme — “Get Vertical” — focuses on getting off the couch or out of the office chair, and standing or moving more each day.

Most people nowadays know someone with joint pain, and joint replacement surgery—particularly involving hips and knees—is commonplace. What many do not know is that simple lifestyle changes can in some cases help prevent the need for this type of surgery and keep joints healthier longer.

“Remaining physically active and pain-free is an important measure of the quality of someone’s life, and chiropractic physicians can help by providing exercise and lifestyle recommendations, nutritional advice, and natural approaches to managing aches and pains,” said ACA President Keith Overland, DC. “Just a few healthy lifestyle changes, over time, can potentially mean the difference between being scheduled for joint replacement surgery or remaining active and pain-free well into one’s golden years.”

American Chiropractic Association offers these tips to help you get vertical and stay pain-free:

• Stand up: Office dwellers can look into using standing desks or treadmill desks; but if you’re stuck sitting all day, you can still stretch your legs with a short walk about every 20 to 30 minutes.

• Take micro-breaks: Frequently stretch your neck, arms and wrists, back, and legs. Simple stretches include neck rotations, fist clenches, arm dangles, and shoulder shrugs. One of the things we teach at PRI office, are McGill’s micro-breaks, which help you achieve this efficiently.

• Get moving: You don’t have to work out like a pro-athlete, just aim for a minimum of 20 to 30 minutes of exercise three to five days a week.

• Eat right: A healthy diet—rich in fruits, vegetables and healthy fats—can help reduce inflammation and joint pain. Also limit red meat, refined sugar and white flour. Just a few simple changes can help maintain a healthy weight and have a positive impact on your overall health.

NHL players rely on chiropractic

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The Leafs exciting run for the Stanley Cup, the coveted trophy may have been cut short by the Bruins, yet we still love them, support them all the way and appreciate all of the exciting moments they have given us in 2017/2018 season.

To get to the NHL level, professional hockey players must have incredible hand-eye coordination, have strength one would expect of a NFL linebacker and still be agile enough to not only keep their balance on a thin metal blade, but also change directions at incredible speeds. The combination makes them extremely tough, talented athletes.

The game is rough and injuries are not uncommon. Dr. Ted Carrick, a Chiropractic Neurologist who treats a number of NHL and NFL players says, “In professional hockey alone, there are more than 50,000 hits annually, and far too many of these are serious injuries to the head.” In the course of the game, players will collide with each other, be hit by skates, sticks and even pucks (which can travel up to 100mph) and be slammed against the wall. This makes concussion risk for players exceedingly high. Another common injury is knee sprain.

Gary Roberts was playing with the Calgary Flames when he suffered a major neck injury. With nerve damage and tingling in his arms that numerous surgeries and rehab did not improve, he thought his hockey days were over. “I couldn’t hold a steak knife to cut my food,” he recalls. “My career was over. I was a pretty lost soul.” Roberts then began receiving treatment from a sports chiropractor. He not only experienced relief from his symptoms, but also regained enough strength and mobility to return to the ice. He went on to play professional hockey for 13 more years!

Chiropractic has been used in professional sports, including hockey for years. Many teams, including the Predators, have a team chiropractor and some teams have multiple doctors of chiropractic (DCs) on staff. Chiropractors are included in the multi-disciplinary approach to help players heal faster, reduce repetitive use injuries and continue playing at optimal levels.

Chiropractic physicians are extensively trained in their minimum of seven years higher education, focus on conservative care and understand the biomechanics of the musculoskeletal system as well as how the movements of various sports affect the body. Chiropractic adjustments (spinal manipulation) and other modalities are used to reduce pain and improve flexibility.

Dr. John Theodoropoulos, an orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, states: “When athletes refer to their doctor, their doctor is usually a doctor of chiropractic.” The input of chiropractors and the services they provide to athletes can have a significant impact on the number of games lost to injury.

Professional athletes are not the only ones who benefit from chiropractic. Whether you are a professional athlete, an amateur athlete, or a weekend warrior, your doctor of chiropractic can assist you in healing from injuries, as well as help prevent future injuries.

Even if you are a “couch potato,” your doctor can provide you with stretches, exercise recommendations and nutritional information to help realign your health status and goals and then achieve them.

Opioid Epidemic Continues

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Opioid medications were designed for extreme pain relief and are beneficial to some patients with extreme health issues such as end stage cancer. However, for the average population needing short term relief after an injury or surgery, they can have disastrous consequences which have been resulted in “widespread addiction, lower productivity, fewer workers in the labor market and a number of poor health outcomes.” The most tragic result is the unprecedented loss of life due to opioid-involved overdose.

Researchers are examining the various aspects of the opioid epidemic in hopes of finding a way to both treat pain while avoiding the added risk associated with opioids. Statistics suggest that the growth in access to prescription opioids was the beginning of opioid addiction. As the heart-breaking outcomes were recognized, numerous actions were initiated to reduce the usage of these medications. Educational awareness campaigns for both the public and medical professionals have brought the dangers of misusing prescription opioids to the forefront. Many states and provinces have initiated drug monitoring programs.

Officials began compiling overdose fatality data in 1999. The statistics paint a sobering picture of the opioid epidemic. From 1999-2010, opioid-involved overdose fatalities rose an average of 9.1% annually. From 2010-2016, opioid-involved overdose fatalities rose an average of 12.3% per year. Breaking it down by year, we see that the rate is actually increasing much more rapidly in recent years from a 15.5% increase in 2015 to a 27.7% increase in 2016. Moreover, in 2016, roughly 2/3 of all overdose deaths involved opioids.

Sadly, recent research shows that these statistics may actually be underestimating the number of opioid related fatalities. A report issued by the Society for the Study of Addiction found that opioid-related deaths may be as much as 20-35% higher than the CDC estimates.

Some point to economic reasons for the rise in opioid related deaths. However, research shows economics to be a minor factor. The more likely causes are related to availability and cost of the drugs themselves.

Around 2010, numerous efforts were initiated to reduce prescription opioids. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) began more aggressive investigations targeting wholesale companies that supplied “unlawful doctors and pharmacies that gave out pills in exchange for cash.” Prescription drug monitoring was a major factor in these investigations. The Ryan Haight Act of 2009 made online distribution illegal and established the requirement for doctors to see the patient in person prior to writing the prescription. Additionally, guidelines were issued by the American Pain Society, Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense among others, urging doctors to prescribe fewer opioids.

The decline in prescription related opioid deaths was a short-lived victory. The total number of opioid fatalities continued to increase. The rise of heroin and synthetic opioids during the time of the prescription opioid decline suggests that the absence of sufficient affordable, effective addiction treatment led users to turn to “cheaper and more potent illicit opioids as a substitute.”

This is supported by data showing a rapid rise in overdose fatalities linked with heroin and synthetic opioids since 2010. “A 2013 study found that four out of five new heroin users started by misusing prescription opioids.” The transition to heroin occurred very quickly. In 2010, when prescription opioid deaths began to decline, heroin-involved overdose fatalities began to grow as much as 31.2% a year. In 2015, heroin related deaths surpassed prescription opioid deaths. By 2016, only a little over 1/3 of all opioid-involved fatalities were comprised of prescription opioids. There were nearly 1,000 more heroin-involved overdose fatalities than prescription-involved overdose fatalities that year.

As prescription opioid supply decreased, some users have turned to synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and carfentanil. It has become very evident that the synthetics are even more deadly than either prescription opioids or heroin. “Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin,” and carfentanil is 100 times more potent than that making these 2 drugs very dangerous. As with prescription opioids, they do have legitimate uses. Carfentanil was designed to be a tranquilizer for large animals. It was never intended for humans. Fentanyl is used in the medical field in restricted amounts and closely monitored as a mere 2 mg is enough to cause death in an adult.

It is the illegally-made pure fentanyl that is being used and abused so widely. As fast as heroin-related opioid fatality rates rose, the rate for fatalities involving synthetic opioids rose even faster. From 2013-2016 the rate skyrocketed to 84.2% per year and by 2016, synthetic opioid related deaths outnumbered those of heroin and prescription opioids.

There are a number of factors that contribute to this staggering increase. First, they are often mixed in with heroin or formed into pills so that users do not realize what they are taking. Users and dealers are now mixing synthetics with other drugs, such as cocaine, as well.

Secondly, is the potency. They tend to be so strong that anti-overdose medications are not able to counteract the effects. So, while the advancements in overdose treatment can save many from a prescription opioid or heroin overdose, the same treatments have only “limited success” in treating synthetic opioid overdose.

With increased demand for heroin and synthetic opioids, TCOs have responded by providing an increased supply on the black market. It is so profitable that even cartels that had not previously dealt with these drugs are now transporting heroin into the US. Since synthetics are so potent, 1kg that costs between $3,000 and $5,000 to produce, can yield over $1.5 million for the cartels.

While efforts initiated in the last decade to reduce prescription opioids appear to have had a positive impact, the opioid epidemic is still going strong. Stopping it “requires a comprehensive approach.” Chiropractors across Canada are ready to assist in the efforts.

Don’t risk addiction! Realign your thinking! If you are in pain, chiropractic can offer pain relief without the risk associated with opioids or other invasive procedures. For those who are dealing with chronic pain, chiropractic can offer alternative pain relief to reduce or even eliminate the need for opioid medications. Chiropractic can even provide relief for unresolved pain after surgery. Chiropractors are also a valuable part of health care for those in addiction recovery as they offer safe pain relief during and/or after addiction treatment.

As always, prevention is the best medicine. Chiropractic care focuses on healthy lifestyle recommendations to stay pain free, stay healthy and reduce your risk of injury such as proper posture, nutrition, and wellness. Your chiropractor can also provide treatment and/or referral to another health care provider as is needed.

Chiropractic Helps Athletes Recover from Ankle Injury

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Many professional and amateur athletes depend on chiropractic care to improve performance and assist in recovery. For instance, all 31 NHL teams and all 32 NFL teams have chiropractors on staff to help their players perform at their best, and over 150 chiropractors were at the recent Olympic games in PyeongChang to work with US and Canadian athletes. Professionals know that chiropractic works, and we see that every day in our Prescott clinic.

A small trial study from Sweden confirmed this by working with 19 female handball players who were recovering from an ankle injury. The athletes were randomly assigned to receive either chiropractic adjustments or a sham treatment for three weeks. By the end of treatment, the chiropractic patients had significantly better improvements in vertical jumping height.

In recently published research case studies, a 13-year-old, female, avid recreational soccer player presented to a clinic with ankles that would spontaneously invert during various inconsistent points in the weight bearing gait cycle, sometimes with acute pain or sprain to the ankle. No intervention was attempted prior to her entry to the chiropractic office. A 17-year-old male avid skate- boarder and snowboarder whose left ankle routinely “gave out” into inversion upon mundane weight bearing activity, usually with pain and with dependence on wearing an ankle support when skateboarding to lessen ankle pain. The patient had used an ankle support prior to seeking chiropractic care.

In both cases, high velocity, low amplitude chiropractic manipulative therapy was applied to the spine, pelvis and extremity joints was the primary intervention in both cases, with particular focus on the ankle. Other procedures used included taping and orthotics, but not before the manipulation effect was noted. In both cases, subjective and objective improvements were noted in ankle stability and sports performance.

Conclusion

High velocity, low amplitude chiropractic manipulative therapy to the spine, pelvis, and extremities, particularly at the ankle, should be considered when managing young recreational and professional athletes with functional chronic, recurrent, ankle inversion sprains.

Although further research is warranted to expand on these findings, these results show that chiropractic plays a role in recovering from ankle injuries.

Chiropractic is beneficial for Senior Citizens

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Neck pain is one of the most common symptoms we see in Polyclinic Rehabilitation Institute. Often, neck pain results from auto injuries, but sometimes the origins of the neck symptoms might not be related to trauma. No matter what the cause, we find that our chiropractic approach really works for our patients and they agree!

A recent study from Spine Journal confirms what we’ve seen in our office: chiropractic works for treating neck pain.

In this study, researchers looked at 241 patients who were over 65 years old and who suffered from chronic neck pain. The patients were divided into three groups: one group received chiropractic adjustments with home exercises, another group received supervised exercises with additional home exercises, and the third group just did home exercises.

After 12 weeks of treatment, over 60% of chiropractic patients had at least a 75% improvement in pain, compared to approximately 25% of the patients in the supervised exercise group, and nearly 20% of the home exercise-only group.

This study was very important, because it showed that staying active as we get older is so important for our physical and mental health. And it showed that chiropractic provides a way to keep your spine healthy and flexible.

Another recent study found that chiropractic care is great at helping us keep moving as we get older. In this study, researchers set out to discover the difference in outcome for seniors who engaged solely in medical treatments versus those who received chiropractic care over a year’s time. Their participants were 65+ year old Medicare recipients with at least one claim resulting in a diagnosis of a musculoskeletal disease, dislocation, sprain, or strain.

Each participant’s functional outcomes were measured according their ability to bathe, sit in or get up from a chair, dress, eat, and walk across a room. They were also asked to assess their level of difficulty with specific activities such as lifting, reaching, stooping, and walking.

Individuals were also assessed regarding their self-reported health status on a scale of one to five, as well as their level of satisfaction with the care that they received (with included happiness with both treatment and cost). Once all of this information was obtained, the study participants were differentiated between those who had used any chiropractic services during the course of the year and those who did not and opted strictly for medical care instead.

What researchers found is 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 MD doctor’s visits and hospitalizations. They concluded that chiropractic had a sort of a “protective effect,” safeguarding them against physical deterioration.

Furthermore, patients of chiropractic were also more satisfied with their care during initial treatment as well as follow-up, the cost out-of-pocket, and the information provided to them about their condition. Therefore, this study suggests that engaging in chiropractic care, offers many benefits to seniors with spinal conditions, allowing them greater function and happiness as a result.

Chiropractic for Fibromyalgia

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Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic disorder involving widespread pain and sensitivity in the entire musculoskeletal system. To be diagnosed with FM, a patient will typically possess a minimum of 11 out of 18 specific tender points on the body. In addition to pain, patients will also report long-term fatigue, and/or disturbed sleep and mood. Other disorders commonly associated with FM may include: irritable bowel syndrome, TMJ pain and dysfunction, psychological conditions and some autoimmune diseases.

What Causes Fibromyalgia?
Medical science is yet to discover the cause for this condition. Because there are so many different symptoms associated with fibromyalgia, there are just as many theories for what causes it. Since those with FM often experience an altered mood, such as depression, many medical experts focus on the psychological aspect of the disease. Others feel that FM is more a physiological entity, and has its origins in physical trauma or chronic postural alterations. Some suggest that FM is a central nervous system disorder, with imbalances in neurochemicals, since those with FM are hypersensitive to even the slightest stimuli. They often have a pain response to normally non-painful pressure or activity. It’s not out of the question that a combination of psychological and physical triggers can result in the onset of many of FM symptoms.

Chiropractors often offer their skills to FM patients, hoping to relieve some of their symptoms. In fact, evidence suggests that those with FM consult with chiropractors quite regularly. According to a study conducted at a tertiary Mayo Clinic, 37% of the 300+ FM patients surveyed had visited a chiropractor in the previous 6 months.

But does chiropractic work for them? Some recent studies indicate it does. In one example, chiropractors surveyed FM patients before, during and after a series of treatments to see if they responded favorably to chiropractic adjustments combined with a specific soft tissue technique known as ischemic compression. In this preliminary study, 60% of the subjects who were treated with this protocol experienced a significant improvement with respect to pain reduction, improved sleep and decreased fatigue. What was especially encouraging was the improvements were reported to be maintained in a 1-month follow up. Chiropractors are trained as neuromusculoskeletal specialists, and one of the main focuses of chiropractic care is the positive effects it can have on a person’s nervous system. Since all information from the outside world is collected and analyzed by the nervous system, it’s logical to assume that if a person with FM is sensitive to a stimulus that others are not, there may be something wrong with this system.

More studies are needed to show the positive effects that chiropractors can have with FM patients. However, some studies already indicate that having chiropractic care alongside other traditional treatment methods including exercise, massage techniques and cognitive behavioral therapy is likely to give these patients a better chance for recovery.

It is also important to note that not all chiropractors are the same and treatment can be quite varied. This is the same with medical doctors to some extent. To put it in the proper context, if you tried one medical doctor and you didn’t like them or what they did would you never go back to another medical doctor again? Most would say no to that. However, many people try chiropractic, not chiropractors. So, if you have gone to only one or a few chiropractors and he or she didn’t help you, consider trying PRI Clinic. This is especially true with Fibromyalgia.

I have done extensive research with Fibromyalgia and one of the main things to consider in treating a patient is their capacity to accept treatment. If you do too much with a Fibromyalgia patient, either later that day or the next day they will feel like they have been run over by a truck. However, if you treat them within their capacity they will show continual improvement. Often I will have a patient come back in after their first treatment stating that they slept extremely well the night after their treatment. This is exciting to the patient because they are finally getting the rest they need and it is exciting to me because I know that their body is finally beginning to heal. At PRI clinic, we have chiropractors, massage therapists and psychologists that are specifically trained to offer you the techniques that will help your fibromyalgia condition that is individually tailored to your needs.

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