Golf Cart Injuries on the Rise

Golf cart injuries have more than doubled over the last 17 years.

Since 1996 there have been an estimated 150,000 such injuries treated in hospital emergency rooms, one third were children. This represents a 130% increase over the last 17 years.

Golf carts can move at quite a clip once they get going and the occupants are relatively unprotected in the case of a crash or if the cart flips over. They are also becoming more commonly used in a wide variety of settings, not just on the golf course.

So what is the answer to golf related injuries? Well, if you're a golfer, try walking instead. Walking is fantastic exercise and golf is a great way to get those life-giving steps in.

Source: AJPM

UHC Accused of Biggest Insurance Scam Ever Seen

Government officials are calling it the worst health insurance scam they have ever seen. The victims may be in the millions.

Investigation reveals that United Health Care owns the "third party" group who reviews and denies your claims.

I have chronicled United Health Cares exploits in another post.
Read that post at: United Healthcare Fined $800,000 by North Carolina

Watch this amazing video from MSNBC.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Clash Founder Now a Chiropractor

So, what do you do next after you've been in one of the most celebrated bands on the planet? Become a chiropractor, of course!

Terry Chimes, drummer with the Clash, played all of the biggest stadiums. He has had Bob Dylan, Jack Nicholson and Eddie Murphy coming backstage to pay him tribute. Rolling Stone magazine places his records in the top 10 of all time.

But now, Terry has become a chiropractor in Essex, England and his stage appearances are now limited to motivational seminars for doctors.

"I felt it was time to completely change - and over the time I'd been a musician, I'd already become a non-drinking, non-smoking, non-drug-taking vegetarian who does yoga."

And that's not mentioning the triathlons.

"People say how can you prefer treating patients to being on stage in front of 100,000 people? But if you can get someone healthy, there's a satisfaction in that which is much more profound."

Source: BBC News

A long time ago I collected a list of celebrity quotes about Chiropractic care. This list could be a lot longer nowadays. But if you ever wanted to know what people like Andy Griffith, Arnold Schwarzenegger or Mel Gibson say about Chiropractic Care, find out by Clicking Here!

Chiropractors Unite to Help One of Their Own

When Asheville Chiropractor Dr. Dru Aguilar suffered a serious injury to his right hand, chiropractors all across the region united to help him and his patients.

It is a chiropractors worst fear to lose the use of his or her hands. Last November,Dr. Dru Aguilar of Asheville was doing some work around the house when a stubborn board became caught in a table saw. When Dr. Dru attempted to nudge the board free, his hand landed on the spinning blade, severing tendons, nerves and amputating several fingers.

Many hours of painstaking surgery ensued in an attempt to save Dr. Dru's fingers and spare the use of his hand. Though parts of two fingers were lost, all the nerves and tendons were reattached and the difficult rehabilitation ensued.

Dr. Dru is known and respected by many local chiropractors. Those of us who don't know him personally, do know his reputation as a great doctor. Doctors often know each other through their patients. I have met many of Dr. Dru's patients during my years of practice in WNC and have come to respect his excellent reputation through their reports of his care.

As Dr. Dru convalesced, he and his wife thought first of the needs of his patients. Jasmine, Dr. Dru's wife began making arrangements for the patients to keep receiving their much needed care. Chiropractors all across the western part of the state closed their own offices for a day or shift at a time and volunteered to take up shifts at Dr. Dru's office ensuring that their care continued.

Dr. Dru is a fighter, and he is making a strong recovery. But can a chiropractor continue delivering quality care after such an injury? You might be surprised by my answer!

Many years ago, Dr. Clarence Selmer Gonstead was one of our professions most influential contributors. He was the founder of an adjusting technique as well as numerous X-Ray innovations still taught in every major chiropractic college. 40 years ago, Dr. Gonstead's practice was the largest chiropractic office in the world (see picture on the right). So large in fact that it required its own air strip and hotel for the patients who wished to be treated by him. They came from all over the world. But what many don't know is that Dr. Gonstead had long been afflicted by severe rheumatoid arthritis which some report had nearly crippled both of his hands. It was his effort to overcome this disability that led him to the discovery of the Gonstead technique and is ultimately the reason for his phenomenal professional success. Sometimes what man perceives as an obstacle is God's way of providing an opportunity.

My heart and my prayers go out to Dr. Dru and his family. I look forward to hearing of his continued successful recovery, and I am proud of my chiropractic colleagues who have given selflessly to come to the aid of Dr. Dru's patients and family.

Dr. Dru should be able to begin adjusting patients in February.

A benefit will be held for Dr. Dru on January 28th at the Grey Eagle tavern.
View Benefit Brochure
Learn more at: www.DrDruAguilar.blogspot.com
Dr. Dru's office website: www.visitdrdru.com

Dr. Richards Re-Elected President NCCA-WD

Dr. Richards was re-elected to a second term as President of the North Carolina Chiropractic Association's western district, a region which represents approximately 20% of the practicing chiropractors in this state.

The North Carolina Chiropractic Association serves as the official voice for chiropractic in the state of North Carolina -- a collective voice of and for its members -- a voice that will promote chiropractic today and into the future.

The NCCA is the only statewide professional chiropractic organization dedicated to promoting chiropractic through education and public awareness, securing equal access for doctors of chiropractic, and improving the overall wellness of North Carolina citizens through chiropractic care. The NCCA has been active for over 90 years.

40 Year Old Olympian Credits Chiropractic

The following is reprinted from Forbes.com

At age 40, Jeff Hartwig goes on record as the oldest member of the 2008 Olympic U.S. Track and Field team, competing in the pole vault event. A two time Olympian and four-time national champion, Hartwig holds the American indoor pole vaulting record and attributes much of his athletic success to chiropractic care.

"The first time I was treated by a chiropractor was akin to a miracle -- a much better option than simply using conventional medicine because my injuries healed faster and my whole body felt better," said Hartwig during an interview conducted a week prior to the Olympic events.

Just shy of his 41st birthday, Jeff is one of the three U.S. pole vault athletes competing in Beijing. He vaulted 18 feet, eight inches to become the oldest American to qualify for the Olympic team in his event. Hartwig finished 11th at the 1996 Games in Atlanta and went on to set the American record in 1998 at 19 feet, 9 1/4 inches.

"Without chiropractic care, I doubt that I would ever have been able to reach these levels or be able to train at such an intense level," said Hartwig.

Jeff is treated by U.S. Olympic Committee team chiropractor Ted Forcum, D.C. of Tigard, Ore., one of four doctors of chiropractic joining the 62-member U.S. Olympic healthcare team for the 2008 Olympic Games.

"Chiropractic fulfills a niche need, not only by treating injuries but also by aiding in recovery and positively impacting athletic performance," said Forcum. "Chiropractors promote active care and treatment with a commitment to healthy progression and rehabilitation."

Since the 1980 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, New York, chiropractors have provided healthcare services to elite performers, and this year chiropractors will assume an even greater role in the integrated healthcare team, which includes medical doctors, massage therapists, and certified athletic trainers.
Click to Read Full Story

Watch Jeff Hartwig in action in Monaco. Absolutely Amazing!
It's not in English, but it is very impressive to watch.

United Healthcare Fined $800,000 by North Carolina

After receiving a $2.2 million dollar fine in 2004, the highest ever issued by the North Carolina Dept. of Insurance, UHC has agree to pay nearly $800,000 to the state in order to resolve allegations that it violated North Carolina law.

The DOI began an investigation in 2003 after consumers and doctors filed complaints about the insurance company. The investigation discovered numerous problems with the companies' claims handling process.

United Healthcare, often accused of over-aggressive benefit slashing, continues to be bogged down with legal battles. The following articles chronicle some of their legal woes:

• New York Attorney General threatens UHC with Injunction

• Washington Insurance Commissioner Orders UHC to Pay Fine Following Investigation
• ACN (UHC Affiliate) Accused of "systematically and illegally denying, delaying, and diminishing payments", Nebraska Chiropractic Association Files Suit
• ACN (UHC Affiliate) Accused of Harming Consumers by Inappropriately Limiting Care
• "UHC/ACN created a way to cut healthcare costs that affects the quality of healthcare available to patients" According to Missouri Lawsuit
• Miami judge dismissed lawsuit against UHC brought by 700,000 medical doctors who claimed the insurers had conspired to arbitrarily deny or reduce claims. Despite this setback, Chiropractic Association continues its lawsuit

• ACN (UHC Affiliatee) is Among Insurers Who Recieve the Most Complaints for Routinely Denying Treatment, Reimbursement, and Putting Patients at Risk

• Class Action Lawsuit Against UHC to be Filed in Pinellas County, Florida

• UHC Agrees to Pay $3.5 Million to Settle Suit that Alledged The Company Systematically Defrauded Medicare

• Arizona Dept of Insurance ordered UHC to pay the largest fine in the department's history for violations of state insurance laws.

Chiropractic Helps Tony Schumacher After 320 MPH Crash - Watch Amazing Video

World champion drag racer, Tony Schumacher was at the peak of his career when his car disintegrated at 320 mph. His wife Cara watched from the stands in horror.

Tony's 8000 horse power engine propelled him from 0 to over 300 mph in 4 seconds until he reached about 1000 feet down the track. Then tragedy struck. The rear wing, which prevents the car from becoming airborne, broke off. The car disintegrated.

When Tony's unconscious body was cut from the roll cage he was unresponsive and he was not breathing. Cara yelled out that she loved him as he was rushed to a waiting helicopter.

Watch the Discovery Health video below:
(Note: The chiropractic portion occurs about 5:30 into the video.)


Tony had suffered numerous injuries and received excellent medical care. Though his injuries were healing well, he was suffering debilitating headaches and dizziness that could end his career and no one knew why. At the recommendation of a friend, Cara took Tony to a chiropractor.

Tony described the result of his chiropractic care this way: "It was amazing, I sat up, every thing was gone, no pain, the color came back to my face and I thought to myself, that is like magic."Soon Tony was back at it and feeling better than ever.

Immune Function Helped by Chiropractic - Study Says

A recent study found that a chiropractic adjustment immediately improved immune function and enables a patient to better fight infection for at least 2 hours, but potentially for much longer, by increasing certain biochemicals at the cellular level.

This study was designed to see if certain blood cells would produce more of a substance called Interleukin-2 (IL-2) after chiropractic adjustments. IL-2 is produced by blood cells and is instrumental in the body's natural response to infection. If blood cells produce IL-2, the body can fight infections more readily. IL-2 also helps the body to know the difference between a foreign threat of infection, and what is naturally inside the body.

In this study, blood samples were taken from 76 individuals. The blood samples were tested to see if they produced IL-2 when exposed to a bacteria. Then the participants were separated into 3 groups. One group was used as the control and received no adjustments. The other two groups both received adjustments, but one group received an adjustment that included joint cavitation (the familiar "popping" sound) and the other group receiving adjustments that made no sound at all.

Four blood samples were taken from the group. The first was prior to the chiropractic adjustment, the second was immediately after the adjustment, the third was taken 20 minutes after the adjustment and the final sample was taken 2 hours after the adjustment. Each sample was then tested to see how much IL-2 they produced when exposed to a bacteria.

The results documented that both groups that had some form of adjustment showed an increase of IL-2 at both the 20 minute and 2 hour times. The group that was tested at those same time intervals but had not received a chiropractic adjustment did not have a rise in IL-2 levels and therefore would not have been as receptive to fighting an infection. The researchers were therefore able to conclude that one single manipulation to the thoracic (mid-back) spine of asymptomatic subjects causes a significant enhancement in IL-2 production by blood cells when tested in a culture dish. Additionally, adjustments associated with joint cavitation demonstrated slightly better immune improvement at 2 hours than the adjustments that did not elicit a "popping" sound.

The study was published on May 28, 2008 in the scientific journal, Chiropractic & Osteopathy, by the Chiropractic & Osteopathic College of Australasia.

Reference:
Chiropractic and Osteopathy

Dr. Richards Comments:
This study demonstrates another reason why chiropractic care is good for your overall health. Occasionally patients will cancel appointments because they "don't feel well", instead of canceling, they should keep the appointment so that their immune system can benefit.

10 Reasons to Quit Drinking Soda

1. Phosphorus contributes to bone loss by inhibiting the absorption of calcium.
2. High fructose corn syrup is linked to high blood sugar and diabetes.
3. The sugar and acid in soda cause tooth decay. Kids who drink soda on average have more cavities than kids who do not drink soda.
4. Drinking either regular or diet soda is linked to obesity.
5. There are so many better (and tastier) things to drink than soda!
6. The average soda has no nutritional value.
7. According to Harvard researchers, the risk of childhood obesity increases 1.6 times with each additional daily serving of soda consumed.
8. High fructose corn syrup is processed through the liver and is the sugar that is most easily converted to fat.
9. A can of soda contains up to 13 teaspoons of sugar.
10. Carbonated drinks are linked to acid reflux, and esophageal cancer.

And "diet" soda may be worse:

1. Aspartame causes nerve damage, headaches, and blurred vision.
2. Studies have shown that replacing regular soda with diet soda does not improve weight loss.
3. New studies link Aspartame in diet soda to sugar cravings.
   
4. Experts believe that tricking your palate with artificial sweetener can cause the body to want the sugar in another form.

Read: Is That Diet Soda Really Working?

Chuck Hill of WHKP Adjusted on Live Radio

Chuck Hill, Host of Hendersonville's "Chuck in the Afternoon Show"
Click Play Button to Listen to Chuck's Adjustment on WHKP! (3:50)

A funny thing happened one Friday morning at the office!
Dr. Richards was finishing up a treatment with a patient and exited the adjusting room to discover Chuck Hill, broadcasting live on WHKP right from the waiting room. All of a sudden Dr. Richards, his assistant Wendy, and his patient were all being interviewed on the radio - Live. What a surprise!

First Chuck asked the patient "So, how do you feel after a treatment from Dr. Richards?" The patient answered "Oh! I feel soooo much better!". Then Chuck turned to Dr. Richards for a brief interview.

Later that afternoon, Chuck returned to be adjusted on live radio by Dr. Richards. After a brief off-air consult and exam, Dr. Richards shirked the pressure of performing before an audience of thousands of listeners and gave Chuck his cervical spine adjustment with a microphone in the air, live on WHKP! It was great fun and really helped launch our open house event... and Chuck had some instant relief of his neck pain.

A special thanks goes out to Pain Solutions for inviting WHKP to come to our office in the midst of their grand opening event. Thanks also to Chuck Hill and WHKP for all the fun and cheer they brought to our clinic.

By the way, in addition to being Hendersonville's most recognizable radio personality, Chuck is also an accomplished professional photographer. Take a look at his webpage: www.ChuckHillPhotography.com

Wendy Completes CA Certification

Very few Chiropractic Assistants go the extra mile to become officially certified by the North Carolina Chiropractic Association. Wendy has done just that.

Just as we celebrated her 4th year at Richards Family Chiropractic, she completed her course work and passed her final exams. She is now a Certified Chiropractic Assistant.

We are proud of her and grateful to have her with us!

Gov. Palin (Alaska) Sees 'Perfection' in Child with Down Syndrome

Republican Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska was shocked to learn that she was carrying a child with Down Syndrome.

"I've never had problems with my other pregnancies, so I was shocked," said Palin, a mother of four other children.

"It took a while to open up the book that the doctor gave me about children with Down syndrome, and a while to log on to the Web site and start reading facts about the situation."

Once her husband got the news, he told her: "We shouldn't be asking, 'Why us?' We should be saying, 'Well, why not us?'"

"It's in human nature to focus on the negative, on what the person can't do. In our mind, we are focused on what he can do, what he will be able to do and do very well."

It's not unlike how Palin sees her child.

"I'm looking at him right now, and I see perfection," Palin said. "Yeah, he has an extra chromosome. I keep thinking, in our world, what is normal and what is perfect?"

Read full article at: www.breitbart.com

Dr. Richards Comments:
As a father of a son with Down Syndrome, articles like this touch my heart. We have been blessed to have Benjamin. I post articles like this on my site in the hope of easing the fear of mothers who discover themselves to be pregnant with a child with Downs, and also to educate the public that people with DS are treasured members of the community.

Links:
Benjamin's Picture in Times Square NY!
Down Syndrome on RichardsChiropractic.com

Adjustments Impact Brain Function

Have you ever noticed improved clarity of thought or improved bodily coordination after your chiropractic adjustment? Researchers may have discovered why.

Using EEG (a brain-wave test), researchers in New Zealand found significant changes in brain function after patients receive chiropractic adjustments.

"This is the first time that anyone has used EEG's to prove that there are definite changes to the way the brain processes information after chiropractic care." said Dr. Heidi Haavik-Taylor, director of research at New Zealand College of Chiropractic.

"The process of a spinal adjustment is like rebooting a computer. The signals that these adjustments send to the brain, via the nervous system, reset muscle behavior patterns."

"By stimulating the nervous system we can improve the function of the whole body. this is something that chiropractors and their patients have known for years; and now we have some scientific evidence to prove it."

The researchers found that the adjustment instantly caused changes in the signals that the brain sent to muscles. This may change posture and coordination and help explain the improved function and pain releif that patients experience.

The adjustments did not simply cause muscles to relax either. The adjustment may improve complex firing patterns sent from the brain to the muscles. Most body movements require the integrated action of many muscles, sometimes hundreds (as in walking) and this integration and coordination is accomplished by the brain.

"[Dr. Haavik-Taylor's] work is groundbreaking on an international level by proving that chiropractic adjustments do alter and benefit the nervous system" said Dr. James Burt, president of the New Zealand Chiropractors Association.

References:
JMPT
The Chiropractic Journal

Dr. Richards Speaks to Surgical Group in Asheville

Dr. Richards was invited to speak to a group of surgeons in Asheville. Rep. Bruce Goforth was also in attendance.

Mountain Neurology and Spine Center hosted a meeting of the North Carolina Chiropractic Association last Thursday (3/14/08). Approximately 40 doctors were present to enjoy a presentation by Dr. Jon Sherman about the latest technology used in Neurosurgery today and a presentation by NCCA-western district president, Dr. David Richards, about commonly used chiropractic techniques. Rep. Bruce Goforth also addressed the group to discuss political issues of importance to the patients we see.

Meetings of this nature are always exciting. After so many decades of consternation between the chiropractic and medical profession, this kind of inter-professional engagement is historic and encouraging. There is a developing spirit of cooperation between the chiropractic and medical professions. Imagine, only a few decades ago, chiropractors were being imprisoned for practicing their art. Now, just a few years later, the most prestigious medical centers are exploring its benefits and encouraging patients to utilize chiropractic care.

Dr. Richards has been committed to creating this kind of inter-professional dialog and helping to create a better medical climate for chiropractic patients, both now and in the future. Dr. Richards has also spoken at Pardee Health Center, Sisters of Mercy Urgent Care, Mountain Area Health Education Center, Blue Ridge Community College, and more.

TV Celeb: chiropractic is "amazing!"

The following article is reprinted from: http://www.worldchiropracticalliance.org/tcj/2008/mar/a.htm
Emmy Award‑winning talk show host Montel Williams, gave an enthusiastic endorsement of chiropractic on the Dec. 18th episode of his television show, saying, "It's the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me!"

Williams, who was diagnosed in 1999 with multiple sclerosis, told the audience that after suffering from pain 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, he experienced almost instantaneous relief from pain with his first chiropractic adjustment. "There's not a person who knows me who will not confirm this," he said. "...I am walking differently, my pain is less, I've already regained strength in my left leg. Williams added that he could stand up straight without pain for the first time in more than five years.

The broadcast included a filmed segment with Williams' chiropractor, Patrick Kerr, DC, who uses Atlas Orthogonal upper cervical techniques. Dr. Kerr, using a model of the upper spine, explained the basic workings of the spine, noting that misalignment of the spine, particularly at C1 and C2, causes mechanical compression of the nerve roots that exit the spine, causing dysfunction.

Kerr also appeared as a guest on the show, which was recently canceled after 17 years on the air. After introducing his chiropractor, Williams jokingly said, "Everyone knows my head is screwed on wrong ... basically, you screwed it on right!" Later, he expressed amazement that the cervical adjustment gave him "almost instantaneous" relief of much of his lower body pain, that he "felt weird" afterwards and that "it was almost as if for the first time I could stand straight in the last five years."

The chiropractic portion of the show was quickly circulated across the Internet, as doctors and chiropractic supporters placed a popular YouTube video of the program on their own sites. That video can be seen at www.worldchiropracticalliance.org .

How to Feel 14 Years Younger

Would you like to live longer and feel 14 years younger? Recent studies have shown that 4 health habits can add from 10 to 14 years to your life!

These healthy habits include:

No smoking
At least half an hour of daily exercise
Drinking alcohol in moderation
Eating at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day

According to researchers, having all four of those healthy habits “was equivalent to being 14 years younger”.

One study followed 15,000 United States veterans, aged 58-60, for 7.5 years. The fittest men were the least likely to die during the study. Fitness was tested by exercising to exhaustion and measuring age, blood pressure, BMI, as well as other factors. Compared to men with a low fitness level, death rates were 50%-70% lower for fit men.

Two British studies show similar results. One followed 20,200 British men and women for 11 years. They reported health history, drinking, smoking, and exercise habits. The death rate during the study was 4 times lower for people with healthy habits. .

What we’ve been told all of our lives is still true: Eat right, exercise, quit smoking, and drink alcohol only in moderation. But now research has shown us that these healthy habits will give us an extra 14 years!

References:
WebMD Article 1
WebMD Article 2
WebMD Article 3

Is that Diet Soda Really Working?

Are you trying to lose weight? Consuming artificial sweeteners may actually be making it harder to control your weight according to researchers.

According to new research by psychologists at Purdue University’s Ingestive Behavior Research Center, rats that were given yogurt with saccharin (Sweet & Low) consumed more calories, put on more body fat, and gained more weight than rats given yogurt sweetened with simple sugar.

It seems that when you eat something sweet, your body and core temperature rev up to prepare for high calorie intake. When the high calories don’t follow the sweet sensation, the body can compensate by consuming more calories to feel the same sense of satisfaction.

Other artificial sweeteners may not be worth it either. Splenda (sucralose) has been blamed for headaches, bloating, diarrhea, vomiting, rash, and panic attacks just to name a few. Nutrasweet (aspartame) has been blamed for, among other symptoms, decreased vision, hearing loss, gastrointestinal difficulties, and depression.

Depending upon low-calorie foods made with artificial sweeteners may not be the short-cut many people are looking for. But the good news is that with a little discipline and moderation, you can still consume natural sugar and prevent the weight gain.

Further study is required as these results were based on laboratory rats, but the Center believes studies in humans will find the results to be very similar.

Reference:
Eurekalert

Migraines, Sleep Habits and Melatonin

Another new study has linked Migraine headaches and sleep disturbances.

When hyperactive nerve cells send impulses to blood vessels, Migraines can be the result. This is accompanied by the release of brain chemicals and inflammatory substances that cause the pulsations to be painful.

Research recently published in the journal Headache demonstrated a link between migraines and sleep disturbance. Researchers conducted a detailed sleep interview with 147 women with migraines. When asked whether they were refreshed or tired upon waking, none reported feeling refreshed, and more than 80% said they were tired when they woke.

In a second study on sleep habits and migraines, also published in Headache, researchers provided stronger evidence that good sleep habits reduce both the number and intensity of migraine headaches. In these findings, 43 women with transformed migraines received behavioral sleep instructions or placebo instructions in addition to usual medical care. The women recorded their migraine headaches in diaries. At the end of the study, the women who received behavioral sleep instructions reported a significant reduction in migraine headache frequency and intensity.

Taking melatonin 30 minutes before bedtime can help curb migraine headaches, according to a small study by Brazilian scientists.

Melatonin is a hormone produced in the brain's pineal gland; it helps regulate sleep-wake cycles. Imbalances in the level of melatonin in the body may be related to headaches like migraines and cluster headaches.

The findings, which come from a team of researchers led by Mario F.P. Peres, MD, PhD, of Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein in Sao Paolo, Brazil, show that melatonin may be used as a preventive therapy for frequent migraine sufferers.

During the study's last three months, participants took 3 milligrams of melatonin 30 minutes before bedtime.

Sources:
Peres, M. Neurology, August 2004; vol 63: p 757
American Headache Society: "Headache Hygiene Tips." The International Headache Society: "Epidemiology of Headache." WebMD Medical Reference: "Women and Headache: Migraine." The Women's Guide to Ending Pain by Howard S. Smith, MD, and Debra Fulghum Bruce, PhD. Calhoun AH. Ford S. Finkel AG. Kahn KA. Mann JD. Neurology. 2006; vol 46: p 1039. Calhoun AH. Ford S. Headache, 2007; vol 47: pp 1178-83. Vincent Fortanasce, MD, neurologist, psychiatrist; author, Anti-Alzheimer's Prescription. Ronald Fieve, MD, professor of clinical psychiatry, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center; author, Bipolar II. The Fibromyalgia Handbook, Harris H. McIlwain, MD, and Debra Fulghum Bruce, PhD. Medicinenet, "Migraine Headache."

The Secret to Long Life

Former assistant surgeon general Dr. Douglas Kamerow tells us what is the most significant factor for longevity.

Hint: It's not what you eat or how much you exercise.

Click Here to Listen


Source:
All Things Considered, January 1, 2008

Exercise as Good as Surgery for Knee Pain

An exercise regime is as effective as surgery for people with a chronic pain in the front part of their knee, known as chronic patellofemoral syndrome (PFPS).

PFPS is often treated with arthroscopic surgery, in which equipment is inserted through small incisions in your knee to diagnose and fix the problem. However, there is little evidence that this treatment is the best option.

The study, conducted by researchers at The ORTON Research Institute in Helsinki, Finland, compared arthroscopy with exercise in 56 patients with PFPS.

One group of participants was treated with knee arthroscopy and an eight-week home exercise program, while a second group received only the exercise program.

After nine months, patients in both groups experienced similar reductions in pain and improvements in knee mobility. A follow-up conducted two years later still found no differences in outcomes between the two groups.

The only difference discovered was in cost: those who had received the surgery had to pay over $1,300 more than the exercise-only group.

The researchers concluded that arthroscopy is not a cost-effective treatment for PFPS.

Sources:

Science Daily December 13, 2007
BMC Medicine December 13, 2007, 5:38

Faith Can Heal Say Medical Researchers

This is a time of year that many of us are thinking about Faith. You should be pleased to know that your faith and your health work together! There are hundreds of studies that document a link between faith and health. Here are just a few of those findings:

Longevity
A nationwide study of 21,000 people found that those who regularly attend religious services (more than once a week) live on average 7 years longer than those who never attend.

Blood Pressure
Duke University found a significant protective effect against high blood pressure among Caucasian males who considered religion very important and who attended church regularly.

Recovery From Surgery
A Dartmouth Medical School study found that patients who are comforted by their faith were 3 times more likely to be alive 6 months after open heart surgery than those who found no comfort in religion.

Heart Health
A study in India found that those who prayed regularly were 70% less likely to have coronary heart disease.

Why the relationship between faith and health? That is obviously the subject of much debate. Dr. Herbert Benson of Harvard Medical School explains that humans under psychological stress experience raised blood pressure, raised heart rates and lowered immunity. He finds that the opposite response can be elicited by combining two steps: repeating a prayer, a word, a sound, a phrase or movement, and disregarding all other thoughts. Meditation, prayer, tai chi and yoga all provoke this healthful state.

Generally the health benefits described above are not attributable to any one particular religion. These positive effects have been noted in observers of many faiths.


Source:
The above is based on the article titled "Heaven Can Wait", by Elena Serocki and published in Readers Digest, May 2001

Chiropractic Adjusments Helping Kids With ADHD

When school became difficult and concentration became strained, Sofie began taking medicine. But the medication had its side effects.

Watch this inspiring story originally reported on WBZ BOSTON to see how Sofie's mother turned to a chiropractor for a solution to her daughter's ADHD.

Click here to watch the video

Source:
wbzTV.com Special Reports

Choosing a Mattress

A mattress should provide uniform support from head to toe. If there are gaps between your body and your mattress (such as at the waist), you’re not getting the full support you need.

Be aware that changes in your life can signal the need for a new mattress. For example, if you’ve lost or gained a lot of weight, if a medical condition has changed the way you sleep, or even if you have changed partners.

Every few months, turn your mattress clockwise so that body indentations are kept to a minimum. Generally, your mattress should be replaced every 5 to 8 years to ensure proper support and comfort. If you’re waking up uncomfortable, it may be time for a new mattress.

A 2003 study published in The Lancet found that people who slept on mattresses of medium firmness were twice as likely to report improvement in lowback pain symptoms than those who slept on firm mattresses.

When selecting a mattress, look for one that is:

• Designed to conform to the spine’s natural curves and to keep the spine in alignment when you lie down.
• Designed to distribute pressure evenly across the body to help circulation, decrease body movement and enhance sleep quality.
• Designed to minimize the transfer of movement from one sleeping partner to the other.

When mattress shopping, give each option a good trial run before you buy; lie down on a mattress for a minimum of five minutes to get a good feel of its firmness – sitting on it simply won’t do. Also, don’t hesitate to toss and turn.

Reprinted from the American Chiropractic Association

Wendy's Son Brandon - Player of The Week

Many of you know my assistant Wendy. She handles our insurance billing and is a friendly smiling face around the office. But there is a side of Wendy that you may not yet know: the wrestling-mom, who cheers herself hoarse in the bleachers for her son and wrestling champ, Brandon!

Due to Brandon's phenomenal performance in last weeks Falcon Frenzy tournament Brandon was chosen this week as the Edward Jones/Times-News Prep Player of the Week!

According to West coach Jeff Smith, "Brandon's best attribute is that he is absolutely relentless for six minutes on the mat. He only has one gear: wide open. Other guys have pauses and that's where he catches people".

Brandon gets a chiropractic adjustment before his matches to make sure that his nervous system is operating at its peak and his body is in optimum balance. Like many great athletes, Brandon has found that Chiropractic care can give an athlete an edge over the competition.

He has racked up quite a record of success and we are all very proud to see him achieve!


Related Articles

Read the Times-News Online Article

Read Brandon's July article in Spine~Mail

Read what celebrities and athletes say about Chiropractic

Make a Note of These Changes To Our Practice

2007 has been a great year. We have made a number of improvements to our practice.
Here are a few things that have changed or are changing:

New Hours:
We have expanded our hours a bit. We have added an additional hour for patients who wish to come during the lunch hour. We have had to cut a half hour from our early morning hours to do this.

Our new hours are
Mon -Thurs 9-1 and 3-6
Friday 9-1

New Digital Foot Scanner:
Due to the increasing popularity of custom made shoe orthotics we added some new technology to the practice earlier this year. In previous years we were making molds of patients feet and mailing the molds to our custom orthotics center (Foot Levelers). We are now able to make a digital foot scan instead. This scan is sent electronically and the creation of your custom orthotic begins within minutes. This has dramatically reduced the amount of time it takes for us to receive your custom orthotics in the mail. Additionally the scan is fascinating to see. If you haven't had your feet scanned and wish to, ask our front desk to schedule a scan at no charge!



New Website:
The new website has really taken off. It is now averaging about 685 hits per day. In the last month the site has had visitors from 17 countries!

New Email Newsletter:
Our email newsletter has been a huge success. You may be surprised to know that every time you see one of our email news updates, that same update is being read by subscribers on 4 continents! All of our newsletters are written for the benefit of our patients and the majority of our subscribers are right here in Western North Carolina. But many non-patients have subscribed through the website. We now have subscribers in places like Russia, China and Iran!

New Remodeling:
We are almost finished with our renovation of the back room. We have patched holes, painted walls, replaced blinds, tore out the old cabinets and put in a new floor. Soon we will have our new cabinets. This will give us more space for new patients as it will function as an extra exam room.

New Maintenance Plans:
This one is still in the works. We are currently developing several maintenance "packages" that will provide significant discounts to patients who wish to maintain their spinal health through periodic maintenance adjustments. These will become available in January. We will keep you posted!

Of course, amidst all these changes there are some things that we'll never change:
We will always put our patients first. We'll always give our patients all the attention and care they need and deserve! We love helping you and we hope to one day be able to do the same for all of your friends and family!

The Key to Better Aging is Mobility Says New Study

In a paper published in the September issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers closely examined the factors that affected Health-Related Quality-of-Life for a group of older Americans. The study revealed that mobility is a key factor impacting quality of life for older adults.

The researchers concluded that "Taken together with past research, which has demonstrated that loss of mobility predicts loss of independence, mortality, and nursing home admission, it is clear that interventions that can preserve or improve mobility in older adults could produce increases in both quantity and quality of life."

As a chiropractor I have always taught my patients that when it comes to their physical health, they must "use it or lose it". Mild stretching along with moderate exercise are a great start for most patients. Add to this a daily 30 minute walk during which you focus your mind in meditation, re-affirm your daily decisions and pray and you have a recipe for a long, happy, healthy life! Chiropractic adjustments are designed not only to improve nerve flow and relieve pain, but to restore your range of motion and balance.

The New Year is right around the corner. Maintain your mobility with stretching, exercise, regular adjustments and a hearty daily walk! Thus you will add "Years to Your Life and Life to Your Years!"

Reference:
Science Daily
American Journal of Preventive Medicine

Chiropractic Side Effects Evaluated by New Study

A new study published in October sought to evaluate the risks of serious adverse side effects following neck adjustments. The findings were surprising and may change the way physicians view chiropractic care.

The researchers collected data from over 50,000 cervical spine (neck) adjustments. Though they did find minor side effects (like light-headedness, headaches or numbness), they found no serious adverse side effects. That is right, not a single serious adverse side effect in over 50,000 neck adjustments!

Chiropractic remains one of the safest, cheapest and most effect treatments available and certainly a preferred treatment for spine related disorders like neck pain and headaches.

References:
Spine
Mercola

13 Scary Tips For Trick-Or-Treating on Halloween!

We wish you you a happy, healthy Halloween! Here are some great tips to keep it fun:

1. Children should never trick-or-treat alone. They should always be accompanied by an adult.

2. Costumes should be flame retardant.

3. Wear reflective markings or tape on your costume or clothing.

4. Costumes should not drag on the ground and should not restrict eyesight.

5. Carry a flashlight.

6. Map out your trick-or-treat route and make sure the whole family knows what it is.

7. Hairspray and candles don't mix!

8. Walk, do not run.

9. Only trick-or-treat at houses with lights on.

10. NEVER go inside a strangers house while trick-or-treating.

11. Parents should let their child use their cell phone if possible and remind them to call home or 911 if an emergency arises.

12. Children should not touch any pets. Animals are not used to costumes and can be easily frightened.

13. Parents should check all candy before allowing children to eat.

Halloween Jokes

Kids love these!

Where do baby ghosts go during the day?

Dayscare centers

Who did Frankenstein take to the prom?

His ghoul friend

What's a monster's favorite play?

Romeo and Ghouliet

What do witches put on their hair?

Scare spray

What do you get when you cross Bambi with a ghost?

Bamboo

What kind of mistakes do spooks make?

Boo boos

What does Tweety Bird say on Halloween?

Twick or Tweet

What happened to the guy who didn't pay his exorcist?

He was repossessed!

Where do mummies go for a swim?

To the dead sea

What's the ratio of a pumpkin's circumference to its diameter?

Pumpkin Pi

How do you mend a broken Jack-o-lantern?

With a pumpkin patch

What is a ghost's favorite party game?

Hide-and-go-shriek

When does a ghost have breakfast?

In the moaning.

Why do girl ghosts go on diets?

So they can keep their ghoulish figures.

Why was the ghost such a messy eater?

Because he was always a goblin.

Nurses Give Chiropractic High Marks

A survey of 1000 nurses showed that even though they consider themselves poorly trained in non-medical care, they gave chiropractic high marks. The survey was published in the June 2001 issue of the Journal of Community Health. The survey asked a variety of questions on a number of health care procedures termed by the study as "Complementary Alternative Medicine" (CAM). Chiropractic was included in this survey and received some of the best reviews from the nurses surveyed.

The Journal article starts by stating, "In 1997, 42 percent of the American adult population made 629 million visits to alternative health care practitioners and spent $27 billion out-of-pocket for these services. It has been estimated that in the year 2000, Americans will spend $60 billion on complementary and alternative medical therapies." The Journal uses these figures as a basis for wanting to understand how the nurses view these types of procedures.

The survey to the nurses covered areas including, perceived effectiveness; perceived safety; recommendations made to friends, clients and associates; and personal use. An interesting finding of the study was that the nurses felt that they themselves were poorly trained in understanding CAM procedures as only 21% of the respondents considered themselves to have received "good" or "excellent" professional preparation in dealing with these types of care, which include chiropractic. Conversely, the vast majority (79%) of nurses perceived their professional preparation in the area of alternative and complementary medical therapies to be fair or poor.

In the area of effectiveness, the nurses ranked chiropractic first, in a tie with biofeedback. They overwhelmingly rejected the idea that chiropractic or the other CAM procedures were only effective because of the placebo effect. According to the nurses chiropractic ranked second in safety behind hypnotherapy.

The study also showed that approximately 14% of the nurses surveyed had used chiropractic themselves. Even more surprising is that the study revealed that nearly one quarter (23%) of the nurses said they "periodically" or "regularly" recommend chiropractic care to their friends, patients and associates, while another 27% said they recommend it occasionally. Apparently, as the survey results suggest, the more knowledge of CAM procedures such as chiropractic the nurses had, the more likely they were to use them themselves and refer others to them.

Reprinted from: www.chiropracticresearch.com

Walgreens Reaps Benefits of "Disabled" Workforce

This video will truly make your day. A Walgreen's factory distribution center located in Anderson, South Carolina is making waves and making news. What is the secret behind the Walgreen's distribution center?




So what is so unusual about Walgreen's most efficient distribution center?

Over 40% of the Anderson factories employees are disabled, and yet the facility is 20% more efficient than any other in the country!

Walgreen's Senior Vice President Randy Lewis has discovered that tapping into the abilities of the disabled can be good business and rewarding for the disabled.

Source: MSNBC

Choosing a Handbag: Oprah Asks a Chiropractor for Advice

Find out if you suffer from "Big Bag Syndrome". Neck pain, headaches and back pain may be the result!

Oprah Winfrey asked chiropractor Isis M. Medina to weigh in on hundreds of handbags and assess the potential damages for the October 2007 issue of "O - The Oprah Magazine".

Dr. Isis M. Medina's rule is that you should tote no more than 10 percent of your body weight—so a bag that's more than five pounds when empty is a bad start. If your load is excessive, your head and neck jut forward rather than staying over your shoulders, which can lead to headaches, neck tension, and back pain.

Additionally she stresses the importance of posture, strength and straps, and adds lots of valuable tips for women trying to choose the right purse.

Read the original article by clicking here.

Additional Reading: My Bag Is Killing Me

Magnets Not Helpful For Pain Researchers Say

Considering magnets for pain? According to research published last month in the Canadian Medical Association Journal: They are probably not helpful.

The study addressed a common patient question, namely "Would magnets help me?" I have generally replied, "Maybe. Maybe not." Though I have never used magnets to treat patients, many of my patients have anecdotally reported improvements with magnets. The researchers point out that this improvement is matched by the placebo (fake magnets) used in the studies. The researchers concluded "magnets cannot be recommended as an effective treatment".

But perhaps we shouldn't be too quick to draw conclusions. Seven years ago I attended a medical conference. It was the 19th Annual Geriatric Research Symposium. The keynote speaker was the world famous opiate researcher, and author of the book "Molecules of Emotion", Candice Pert, Ph.D. One of the memorable speakers attending the symposium was Beverly Rubik, Ph.D., an internationally known researcher. Dr. Rubik, who served as a member of the Advisory Panel to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has focused her career on exploring the strange corners of unconventional medicine. At the conference, she discussed magnets and electrical fields in general. She pointed out that the way lizards regenerate their tails (after researchers cut them off) is by altering the magnetic polarity of the injury site. She illustrated to the group that magnetic fields are almost definitely involved in our healing process as well. The question to her was not IF magnets could work, but rather, what strength of magnet, what polarity, what shape, what placement, and for how long? These questions have never been adequately explored.

In the future, when my patients ask me, "Would magnets help me?" I will still reply, "Maybe. Maybe not." I don't believe we have heard the final word in the magnetic debate yet.

Sources : WebMD, CMAJ

Adverse Drug Reactions Have Doubled

Over the last decade, reports of adverse drug reactions, including death, have doubled, according to a report published on September 10th in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

"We are losing substantial amounts of ground in protecting people against serious injury and death from prescription drugs," said Thomas J. Moore, senior scientist, drug safety and policy, for the Institute for Safe Medication Practices and the lead author of the study.

Tylenol, a commonly used over-the-counter pain killer, is the 5th deadliest drug in America. "Painkillers have always been a problem, especially the opioids, but it seems to be getting worse," Moore says. "They are being used more." Fentanyl patches, for instance, made the list of common offenders, and Moore say they are "hugely powerful and very addictive."

The “Hit List”:

On the list of drugs most commonly identified in fatal events:

1. Oxycodone (OxyContin and others)
2. Fentanyl (Duragesic and others)
3. Clozapine (Clozaril)
4. Morphine
5. Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
6. Methadone
7. Infliximab (Remicade)
8. Interferon beta (Rebif, Betaseron, Avonex)
9. Risperidone (Risperdal)
10. Etanercept (Enbrel)
11. Paclitaxel (Taxol)
12. Acetaminophen-hydrocodone (Vicodin, Lortab, and others)
13. Olanzapine (Zyprexa)
14. Rofecoxib (Vioxx)
15. Paroxetine (Paxil)

Drugs on the list of those most commonly identified in disability or serious outcomes:

1. Estrogens
2. Insulin
3. Infliximab (Remicade)
4. Interferon beta (Rebif, Betaseron, Avonex)
5. Paroxetine (Paxil)
6. Rofecoxib (Vioxx)
7. Warfarin (Coumadin)
8. Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
9. Etanercept (Enbrel)
10. Celecoxib (Celebrex)
11. Phentermine (Pro-Fast)
12. Clozapine (Clozaril)
13. Interferon alfa (Alferon N, Infergen, Intron A, Roferon-A)
14. Simvastatin (Zocor)
15. Venlafaxine (Effexor)

These data are based on serious adverse drug events voluntarily reported to the FDA though the Adverse Events Reporting System (AERS), known as the "MedWatch" reports, from 1998 to 2005. A serious adverse drug event is defined as one that results in death, a birth defect, disability, hospitalization, was life-threatening, or needed intervention to avoid harm.

Experts caution that the data may only represent the “tip of the iceberg” as patients and doctors often fail to report adverse events to the FDA and many drug related injuries and deaths may not have been recognized as such.

Source: WebMD

The Web is Changing the Doctor-Patient Relationship

A new Harris Poll finds that more adults than ever before are searching the Internet for health information and using this information when they visit their doctors.

Over the last 2 years the number of people using the Internet to find health information has increased from 53% to 71%, and the majority of these people state that they have searched for health information within the last month. 160 million people have searched the Internet for health information. The majority of people who have searched for health information online feel that were able to find what they were looking for and that the information was reliable. Additionally the majority of them state that they used this information to assist them in their conversations with their doctors. 55% state that they have searched for health information based on discussions with their doctor.

The researchers concluded that the internet "had a big impact on the knowledge of patients, the questions they ask their doctors and is therefore changing the doctor-patient relationship and the practice of medicine. There is every reason to believe the impact of the Internet on medical practice will continue to grow."

Source: Harris Interactive

"Spinal Decompression", Good or Bad?

You may have seen the ads in the papers or even on TV. Just what is "spinal decompression therapy" and is it worth considering? Let's take a look at the facts.
(Note: Spinal Decompression therapy is often referred to as SD therapy or IDD therapy)

SD therapy is typically described as a "safe, painless, comfortable, non-surgical, non-invasive" alternative to spine surgery. It involves traction of the lumbar vertebrae. Costs typically range from $3000 to $7000 for a full treatment regimen. Most insurance plans pay little if any of the bill. The majority of this cost is typically paid by the patient.

Recently published research stated that at this point "Only one small randomized controlled trial and several lower level efficacy studies have been performed on spinal decompression therapy. In general the quality of these studies is questionable." The researchers concluded that "Only limited evidence is available to warrant the routine use of non-surgical spinal decompression, particularly when many other well investigated, less expensive alternatives are available."

So, can "Spinal Decompression" help? I am certain that it can. Health practitioners have been using various forms of traction therapy for literally thousands of years, and with good results. However, traction therapies generally cost around $25 per treatment and are covered by insurance while SD therapy often costs as much as $250 or more per treatment and is not generally covered by insurance.

Is SD therapy just a fancy traction table with computer screen and a high price tag? The jury is still out on this one, but so far the corporations who brought it to market are still placing their bets on high dollar advertising and not on real research. At least one major manufacturer of SD therapy equipment has been in serious trouble over their unsubstantiated claims. For now, I believe the wise old saying should apply: Buyer Beware.

Source: Chiropractic & Osteopathy

Green Tea May Prevent Cancer Research Shows

Green tea boosts production of detox enzymes, rendering cancerous chemicals harmless, according to new research.

Green tea has long been of interest to researchers given studies that have shown populations in which it is often consumed, such as the Chinese and Japanese, generally have lower rates of cancer.

The researchers discovered that green tea boosts the bodies natural production of crucial cancer fighting enzymes as much as 80%. "[The enzymes] actually convert known carcinogens to non-toxic chemicals, and studies have shown a correlation between deficient expression of these enzymes and increased risk of developing some cancers,” according to the study’s lead investigator, H.-H. Sherry Chow, Ph.D., a research associate professor at the University of Arizona.

“This is the first clinical study to show proof that chemicals in green tea can increase detoxification enzymes in humans,” Chow said. “There may be other mechanism in play by which green tea may protect against cancer development, but this is a good place to start.”

These findings are published in the August issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Source: Eurekalert

Dr. Richards Elected to Serve as President in 2008

On August 2nd, Dr. Richards was elected President of the North Carolina Chiropractic Association's Western District by the chiropractors of Western North Carolina.

The NCCA is the organization that represents the interests of chiropractic patients and chiropractors in the state of North Carolina. Dr. Richards has served the association as treasurer for 2 consecutive terms and will begin his term as president this fall.

Dr. Richards said "I am excited about the opportunity to make North Carolina a healthier state and a better place for chiropractic patients. Also, I sincerely appreciate all of the doctors who practice in WNC for their vote of confidence in me."

Soldiers Report Less Back Pain After 9-11 Attacks

Our soldiers have impressed the pain researchers! It is generally accepted that stress tends to increase reports of back pain. Despite this, our soldiers reports of back pain decreased significantly after 9-11 as they moved from peace-time to war-time status.

Before the attacks of September 11th, 2001, the percentage of soldiers reporting "no back problems and full fitness to deployment" was between 28-31%. By October, 2001, one month following the attacks, this figure rose to 48%. By November it increased further to 57% and finally, by December the figure rose to 71% reporting "no back problems and full fitness to deployment".

Researchers concluded: "While most previous data would suggest an increase in low back pain complaints with increased psychosocial stressors, this study found that most soldiers transitioning to war-time duties minimized back pain complaints, which ensured fitness for overseas duty. Only a small number of soldiers, not previously reporting disabling back pain began to do so as the time to deployment neared."

Source: Spine Meeting Abstracts

Surgeons Under-Report Complications

Researchers found that after back surgery, patients report their own complication rates from surgery as much as 10 times higher than their surgeons do.

In the past, surgical outcomes have been assessed by the surgeon only, with success being judged from a predominantly surgical or technical perspective. Nowadays, it is generally accepted that the patient should be the main judge of outcome. Unfortunately, the assessment of complications after surgery has not enjoyed this same enlightened approach.

Researchers gave questionnaires to both patients and surgeons one year after back surgery. In the patient questionnaire, the patient was asked “did any complications arise as a consequence of your operation 1 year ago (e.g. problems with wound healing, paralysis, sensory disturbances, etc.)?” Patients answered "yes" at a rate of 29% while their surgeons reported complications in as few as 3-10% of cases.

This gap in reporting illustrates the need to more adequately consider the perceptions of the patients in defining the complication rate related to back surgery.

Source: Spine Meeting Abstracts

Disrupted Sleep Makes Pain Worse

A new study indicates that frequently interrupted sleep can make one more susceptible to pain by altering the body’s natural systems that regulate and control pain and can even lead to spontaneous painful symptoms.

The study included 32 healthy women who were studied for seven nights. The women were assigned to one of three groups: a control group that slept undisturbed; a group that was woken up eight times during the night;and a third group that went to bed later than usual. On the sixth night, the women in the latter two groups underwent 36 hours of total sleep deprivation, followed by an 11-hour recovery sleep.

During the study, researchers tested the women’s pain thresholds and pain inhibition. The women in the group that had been woken up eight times during the night showed an increase in spontaneous pain, while those in the other two groups did not, showing that disrupted sleep impairs natural pain control mechanisms that are thought to play a key role in the development, maintenance, and exacerbation of chronic pain.

Conclusion: For those with chronic pain, getting continuous, undisturbed sleep is key to controlling the pain.

Sources: American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Reprinted from Spine-Health.com

Dr. Richards Comment:

Back pain and sleep quality is a two way street. It is hard to sleep when you hurt and hard to heal when you can not sleep. Patients under chiropractic care often note improved sleep soon after beginning treatment.

Click here to read stories from patients about improved sleep after chiropractic treatment.

Honey I Shrunk the Kids with Ritalin

Researchers report that Ritalin stunts the growth of children. After 3 years on the drug they are a full inch shorter and almost 5 pounds lighter than their peers. The research was published in the August, 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Methylphenidate , marketed under the name "Ritalin", is the controversial amphetamine drug used to treat ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Over the years, many voices have been raised accusing the pharmaceutical industry of conducting mass experimentation on children as the dangers of long term use have never been adequately determined. The industry has allowed the drug to be prescribed to millions of children and is only now discovering the effects of long term use by tracking the drugs effects on the children who have taken it.

Ritalin may be destined to follow in the foot steps of so many popular drugs of the past which have been recalled, banned, faced an onslaught of lawsuits only to be replaced by the next "miracle drug".

The following text is reprinted from the National Institute of Health:

Methylphenidate [Ritalin] may cause sudden death in children and teenagers with heart defects or serious heart problems. This medication also may cause sudden death, heart attack or stroke in adults, especially adults with heart defects or serious heart problems. Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking this medication.

Methylphenidate [Ritalin] may slow children's growth or weight gain. Your child's doctor will watch his or her
growth carefully. Talk to your child's doctor if you have concerns about your child's growth or weight gain while he or she is taking this medication. Talk to your child's doctor about the risks of giving methylphenidate [Ritalin] to your child.

Methylphenidate [Ritalin] may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

nervousness
difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
dizziness
nausea
vomiting
loss of appetite
stomach pain
diarrhea
headache
painful menstruation

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:

fast, pounding, or irregular
heartbeat
chest pain
shortness of breath
excessive tiredness
slow or difficult speech
dizziness or faintness
weakness or numbness
of an arm or leg
seizures
changes in vision or blurred vision
agitation
abnormal thoughts
hallucinating (seeing things or hearing
voices that do not exist)
motor tics or verbal tics
depression
mood
changes
fever
sore throat
unusual bleeding or bruising
muscle or
joint pain
hives
rash
itching
difficulty breathing or
swallowing

Sources:
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
National Institute of Health - Medline
News Target

Assistant Wendy's son in Times-News

Congratulations to Wendy's son Brandon!

He has achieved so much so quickly. Brandon has used chiropractic care as his "secret weapon" to keep himself in better balance than the competition. He was recently featured in the Hendersonville Times News, read their story below:

---

Harrison finishes fourth in the nation

By Jeremy Darnell Times-News
Staff Writer
Published Wednesday, July 4, 2007

Harrison finishes fourth in the nation
By Jeremy Darnell Times-News Staff Writer

Brandon Harrison lives to wrestle.

If his performance June 16-19 at the National High School Coaches Association Open in Myrtle Beach, S.C., is any indication, then life is pretty good.

The 15-year-old Harrison finished fourth in a 44-person bracket in the 119-pound classification to earn All-American honors. He also claimed All-American honors last year.

"I didn't expect to do as well as I did," Harrison said. "It was a goal to be an All-American and finish in the top eight, though."

Harrison put together a 37-7 record as a freshman this past season while at East Henderson. He was the Western Athletic Conference champion, finished second in the 112-pound division at the 1-A/2-A Western Regionals and finished seventh at the state tournament.

Harrison plans on attending West Henderson in 2007-08 as a sophomore, adding another outstanding wrestler to the defending WAC champions' fold.
Harrison, who wrestles with the Strong and Courageous club team, captured his first national championship in April of 2006 at the AAU Youth Nationals.

He credits his club coach, Norman Osteen, for much of his success. Harrison says he leans on Osteen to maximize his accomplishments.

"My coach has always been such a big help," he said.
Osteen himself credits Harrison with a newly acquired fire that has transformed him into a formidable competitor.

"Lately he has really got serious about the sport," Osteen said.

"He has improved more in the last three months than he had in the last two years."
And how far can Harrison's career go?

"I think he can wrestle in college as long as he continues his maturity both physically and mentally," Osteen said. "If he stays humble and hungry, he can wrestle and be successful in college."

reprinted from: http://www.hendersonvillenews.com/article/20070704/NEWS/707040349&SearchID=73287038847540

A Very Special Wedding

As a parent of a child with Down Syndrome, stories like this touch my heart. The pure love story between these two is inspiring to all married couples. My hat goes off to these two wonderful people and to the parents who raised them! I also send them my greatest hopes and prayers for a happy, healthy life!

Congratulations Taylor and Tiffany!

And thanks also to KUSA for reporting the story!


Watch the video on KUSA.
Read the story on KUSA.

Chiropractic is Better and Cheaper- Study Suggests

A study published this May shows that chiropractic patients have lower costs and higher patient satisfaction levels than patients treated by conventional medical doctors!

Researchers found that over the course of the seven-year study, patients visiting chiropractors (and other alternative health care physicians) had 60 percent fewer hospitalizations, 62 percent fewer outpatient surgical cases, and 85 percent lower drug costs when compared with total network HMO utilization rates and costs.

Lastly, the study found that patients seeing chiropractors (and other alternative health care physicians) consistently rated higher levels of patient satisfaction than patients who saw conventional medical doctors.

Study published in the May edition of the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics.


JMPT

ACA

What's Really in a Twinkie Anyway!?

From a Chinese oil refinery to your Twinkie?

Food makers don't often know where the chemicals in their products come from.
When I began researching the ingredients for Twinkies, I naively thought that their raw materials were extracted from nuts, beans, fruit, seeds or leaves, and that they came from the United States. I was looking to link places with foods — along the lines of California wine or Maine lobster, but for thiamine mononitrate. It turned out that I was way off.

Although eight of the ingredients in the beloved little snack cake come from domestic corn and three from soybeans, there are others — including thiamine mononitrate — that come from petroleum. Chinese petroleum. Chinese refineries and Chinese factories. And there are other unexpected ingredients that are much harder to trace. So much for the great "All-American" snack food.

When you bite into a Twinkie, you are chewing on an international nexus of suppliers. Most of our processed foods — salad dressing, ice cream, meal-replacement drinks — are processed with foreign additives: essential ones, like B vitamins for fortifying flour and the preservative sorbic acid, as well as Malaysian or Indonesian palm oil products, European wheat gluten, Peruvian colorants, Chadian gums and Swiss niacin, made from Swiss water, Swiss air (nitrogen) and North Atlantic or Middle Eastern oil. It's a nice contrast to recall that Champagne comes only from Champagne, France.

Like many other industries, food additives have been off-shored. No major domestic vitamin or sorbic acid manufacturers remain in the U.S. Our last vitamin C plant closed in 2005 — in fact, it closed as I was speaking to an employee about a tour — and most of our artificial colors and flavors come from abroad as well. Our chemical industry is rapidly dismantling its expensive domestic plants and either forming joint ventures with Chinese companies or simply buying chemicals from them. This leads to lower food and pharmaceutical prices, but perhaps at the cost of quality control.

How can you have quality control when you don't even know where the ingredient is coming from? During my Twinkie research, I was particularly surprised that many American food additive "manufacturers" buy chemicals, especially vitamins, from distributors and do not know, or don't ask, where they come from. The distributors usually sing the same song, as they often buy from importers, and the importers buy from exporters who — no surprise — are often not able or willing to identify all of their sources.

Now that the tainted pet food scandal has made us more aware that many additives come from overseas, and China in particular — and that some unscrupulous or, at the very least, unprofessional Chinese manufacturers mix cheaper and poisonous adulterants into some food or pharmaceutical products — most of us would like to see some action...

If you want to have your snack cake and eat it too, you have to remember: You are what you eat.

Reprtinted from the LA Times. To read the rest of this article use the following link:
L.A.Times
By Steve Ettlinger, STEVE ETTLINGER is the author of, most recently, "Twinkie, Deconstructed."May 29, 2007

Minor Nerve Pressure Causes Big Problems, Research Shows

Chiropractors have historically maintained that even small amounts of pressure on the nerves that exit the spine can cause health problems. They have even stated that such pressure can go undetected for years and lead to long-term difficulties. A review of literature published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research (JVSR) adds further evidence to this contention.

The study, "The Effects of Mild Compression on Spinal Nerve Roots With Implications for Models of Vertebral Subluxation and the Clinical Effects of Chiropractic Adjustment: A Review of the Literature," was authored by Scott Alderson D.C., a private practitioner and George Muhs, D.C., Assistant Professor of Clinical Services at the University of Bridgeport College of Chiropractic.

Chiropractic theory maintains that the bones that make up the spinal column -- known as vertebrae -- can become misaligned and/or not move properly, which could place abnormal pressure on nerves and cause interference with how those nerves work. Chiropractors call these misalignments and neurological alterations vertebral subluxations.

According to the authors, research shows that "these alterations would therefore alter the quality and/or quantity of the message sent. At the tissue and cellular level, the message received would not be adequate for the function the body demands. The entire body could then theoretically be affected."

The authors also discussed the possibility that subluxations can go unnoticed for long periods of time since they may not be severe enough in the beginning stages to create outward signs and symptoms. In their view, this makes both age and degree of subluxation factors in the healing process. "One must consider the age of the person with a vertebral subluxation," the researchers explained. "The younger they are, the better the chance for a complete correction."

Matthew McCoy, D.C., editor of the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research noted: "This review of literature is extremely comprehensive in nature and adds significant evidence to some of the fundamental positions chiropractors have long maintained -- namely, that subluxations don't always cause symptoms and that the longer a patient goes without correcting them, the worse they become and the more difficult they are to correct. This is another strong argument for having children checked by chiropractors at a young age for vertebral subluxation."

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Reprinted from EurekAlert

JVSR

Chiropractic Helps Neck Pain, Review Suggests

Chronic neck pain sufferers showed significant improvement with chiropractic care suggests a recent literature review published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT).

Dr. Howard Vernon, DC, PhD, the review's chief author, and his colleagues reviewed nine previously published trials and found "high-quality evidence" that patients with chronic neck pain showed significant improvements in pain-level following spinal manipulation (the form of treatment used by chiropractors). No trial group was reported to remain unchanged, and all groups showed positive changes up to 12 weeks post treatment. No trial reported any serious adverse effects.

Additionally, the reviewers found that mobilization therapy (a physical therapy technique) was beneficial with many patients gaining a full recovery within six to seven weeks; the current evidence did not support a similar level of benefit from massage therapy.

Chiropractors practice a hands-on, drug-free approach to health care that includes patient examination, diagnosis and treatment. Chiropractic is widely recognized as one of the safest non-invasive therapies available for the treatment of back pain, neck pain, headaches and other neuromusculoskeletal complaints. In addition, a significant amount of evidence shows that the use of chiropractic care for certain conditions can be more effective and less costly than traditional medical care.

EurekAlert

JMPT

Chiropractic Plus Exercise for Low Back Pain

A study published by the British Medical Journal (2004) finds that spinal manipulation plus exercise offers effective treatment for those suffering from back pain. The Journal concluded that this collective approach to back pain treatment provided "significant relief of symptoms and improvements in general health."

Specifically, the study found that the greatest reduction of pain and the greatest improvement in back function was experienced by patients who received a treatment approach consisting of spinal manipulation and exercise in addition to care from their general practitioner.

"The costs of back pain and other musculoskeletal conditions on the country's economy and workforce productivity are staggering - conservatively estimated at about $50 billion per year," commented American Chiropractic Association President Donald J. Krippendorf, DC. "The ACA is pleased that research such as this is being conducted and brought to the attention of the public through journals such as the British Medical Journal. With reports such as these, we can offer our patients the best care possible."

The MRC trial included more than 1,300 patients from across the United Kingdom, whose back pain had not improved after receiving care from a general practitioner.

According to the ACA, the MRC study is one of a number of recent studies regarding chiropractic's effectiveness for back pain over traditional medical care

EurekAlert

British Medical Journal

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Dr. Richards' Comments:
I came across this article, now 3 years old, and felt it was worth posting anew. The study offered something that isn't considered frequently enough. The patients who had the best results were co-managed by their Chiropractor and their General Practitioner. I love this spirit of co-operation and have been able to work together with members of Hendersonville's medical community to help many patients . I find that with every passing year Chiropractic becomes more accepted by mainstream medical practitioners - not only for their patients, but for themselves. I have had the opportunity to help a number doctors, surgeons, dentists, physical therapists, psychologists, nurses and massage therapists to improve their own spinal alignment.