Healthy Life Newsletter, December 2019
5 Common Causes of Neck Pain (and How Chiropractic Can Help)
Neck pain can be acute (short term) or chronic (recurring or persisting for months and even years), but regardless, when you’re in pain, relief is the first thing on your mind. Just as important as relief, of course, is finding the cause and ensuring you avoid the behavior / action that brought the pain on in the first place.
Here are five common causes of neck pain – and why doctors of chiropractic are well-suited to relieve the pain and determine the underlying cause.
\1. Poor Posture: Leaning over a desk all day or slouching in your office chair? You’re bound to develop neck pain eventually, if you haven’t already. Do this quick test: In an upright or seated position, round your shoulders and back (poor posture). Does it impact your neck as well? Exactly!
\2. Monitor Madness: Staring at the computer screen for hours at a time? That’s not good for your health (or sanity), but from a neck pain perspective, it’s madness, particularly if the screen height forces you to crane your neck up (too high) or extend it down (too low).
\3. Sleep Issues: Ideally, we spend a third of our day sleeping, so your sleep habits – for better or worse – can have a dramatic effect on your health. With regard to neck pain, anytime you sleep in an uncomfortable position, particularly one that stresses your neck musculature (think about side-sleeping while grabbing your pillow tightly, sleeping on your stomach with your arms out in front of you, or even sleeping on your back, but with a pillow that doesn’t adequately support your neck), you risk neck pain.
\4. Technology Overload: We may spend a third of our day sleeping, but we increasingly spend the other 16 hours typing, texting, tapping and otherwise interacting with our smartphones, tablets, etc. Bottom line: bad for your neck. One doctor has even coined the phrase, “text neck,” to describe the neck pain that can result from this constant technology interaction.
\5. The Wrong Movement: Twisting, turning, stretching and stressing your neck is an easy way to cause neck pain. While the muscles in the neck are strong, they can be strained, sprained and even torn, just like any other muscle.
It’s important to note that beyond these common causes, various other health issues can also contribute to or directly cause neck pain, including fibromyalgia, cervical arthritis or spondylosis (essentially spinal arthritis), spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal), infection of the spine, and even cancer. The good news is that a doctor of chiropractic can help identify which of these or the above causes is to blame.
When neck pain strikes, most people turn to a temporary solution first: pain-relieving medication. But that’s not a permanent solution, of course, and it doesn’t address the cause of the pain at all, which could be something relatively minor – or more serious. What’s more, research suggests chiropractic spinal manipulation is actually more effective than over-the-counter and prescription medication for relieving both acute and subacute neck pain.
Suffering from neck pain? Then give your doctor of chiropractic a call. They’ll help you relieve your pain and determine the cause so it doesn’t return.
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Vitamin D Levels of Both Partners Influence Conception Success Rate
There are many published benefits of vitamin D for a healthy pregnancy and infant development, beginning in the preconception phase and continuing through pregnancy and early childhood. A recent post recent post highlighted a study which found that a higher vitamin D level of the woman was related to an increased chance of conception within a 6 month period.
What about the role of vitamin D in male fertility, pregnancy and delivery rates?
A study by Tartagni et al., published in the journal Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, observed the pregnancy, delivery, and miscarriage rates of 102 couples who underwent infertility treatment of induced ovulation and timed intercourse over a 3 cycle period. All female partners were 23-35 years old and had experienced infertility for a period of 12 to 36 months.
A total of 90 couples completed the study with couples split into two groups - 54 couples whose male partners had a vitamin D level below 30 ng/ml (75 nmol/L) and 36 couples whose male partner had a vitamin D level of at least 30 ng/ml. The female partners of both groups had similar age, duration of infertility, BMI, and pregnancy hormone levels.
What did this study find?
The pregnancy rate per patient and per cycle as well as delivery rate per patient and per cycle were all significantly higher among the couples whose male partner had a higher vitamin D level compared to the lower vitamin D. There was also a tendency towards a higher rate of miscarriage in the group with lower male vitamin D levels, although this particular finding was not statistically significant.
Treatment of Persistent Vertigo with Ginkgo Biloba vs Commonly Prescribed Medication
A study published in the International Journal of Otolaryngology compared treatment of vertigo with Betahistine, the most commonly prescribed drug for this condition, with the herb Ginkgo biloba. The double blind study found that 79% of the Ginkgo patients reported significant improvement compared to 70% of Betahistine patients, and the folks taking the herb experienced less side effects.
Downside of Cortisone Injections for Joint Pain
Corticosteroid injections remain a popular choice among medical providers for patients suffering from osteoarthritis (OA). The problem, according to new research: such injections may actually escalate the progression of OA and increase the likelihood that the patient will require joint replacement surgery at some point.
Published in Radiology, “Intra-articular Corticosteroid Injections in the Hip and Knee: Perhaps Not as Safe as We Thought?” by A.J. Kompel, et al., found a significant rate of complications among osteoarthritis patients who received intra-articular corticosteroid injections to the hips or knees. Complications appeared two to 15 months following the injections.
Findings came courtesy of analysis of two sources: the existing literature database on corticosteroid injections for OA and data on 459 patients at Boston Medical Center who received 1-3 injections for hip or knee OA in 2018.The clinical takeaway, according to the study: “In patients with no OA or only mild OA on a radiograph who are referred for IACS injection to treat joint pain, the indication for IACS injection should be closely scrutinized. Case series and retrospective reviews have shown that some patients who develop rapid progressive joint space loss or destructive OA tend to have no OA or only mild OA at initial presentation.”
This study appears to show that cortisone injections can make osteoarthritis much worse and lead to the need for joint replacement surgery.
(Note from Dr. Mha Atma: An anti-inflammation diet combined with anti-inflammation supplements and an exercise regimin to strengthen muscles to support the involved joint is often the best approach…and although it take much more persistence and patience than a cortisone shot it can lead to better overall health with many positive side effects!)
Eating the Colors of the Rainbow by JEFFREY GREEN
Starting at a young age, many people turn their noses up when it comes to eating vegetables. Perhaps it’s the memory of being fed the dull, unseasoned and unappetizing meal. Even when “open up, here comes the choo-choo train” is used, getting children to eat their vegetables is a chore. Maybe it’s the texture, smell, appearance and color of baby food that’s the reason why so many dislike eating vegetables.
Some vegetables are better than others, although they’re all good for the body in some way. Besides being the most vibrant of vegetables, red, purple, blue and orange earth-grown food is the best source of powerful body-healing compounds.
Colorful fruits and vegetables are packed full of different chemical compounds and pigments that make the edibles so bright. All natural foods with hues of red, orange, yellow, blue and purple contain anthocyanins, which have been touted as perhaps the strongest of all antioxidants.
The pigment in anthocyanins gives food its purple and blue hues. Lycopene, also an anthocyanin, is a carotenoid pigment that gives food a red color, and beta carotene is responsible for giving yellow and orange colors to foods. If fruits and vegetables have one of these vibrant colors, it is certain that they are not to be overlooked. Foods packed full of antioxidants are the best for the body. Breaking the word down, “anti” means against and “oxidants” means any substance that initiates oxidation.
The process of oxidation is necessary in the body. Glucose is oxidized into carbon dioxide, which creates the energy needed to function. Oxidation, however, also causes serious damage to the body and is the culprit in the aging of vital organs. The more antioxidants in our system, the more help our body is getting to stay healthy, slowing the aging process. In some cases, antioxidants can actually reverse the damage caused by free radicals—the cause of numerous damaging diseases, conditions and compromised health.
Antioxidants are most beneficial because they combat free radicals throughout the body. These pesky radicals are molecules that are unstable because of a gain or loss of an electron. Oxidation is a normal process of any living thing. The use of oxygen in our body creates free radicals, so is a normal occurrence. Having an abundance of free radicals in the system can cause advanced aging and is responsible for initiating disease and illness in the body.
So it does make sense that we should listen to the mantra of millions of parents throughout time: “You’re not leaving the table until you eat your vegetables.” Because the most colorful vegetables are best for the body, they can be consumed in so many different ways. They make a beautiful addition to any plate, offsetting the bland color of meats and most starchy foods.
Try cooking vegetables in a different way. Add seasonings that haven’t been tried, or combine a rainbow of vegetables together to create an inviting side dish. With the ever-growing interest in juicing and making smoothies, try a few of the most vibrant foods in with homemade drinkables. They will probably not be recognized as a superfood but as a colorful addition.
No matter the manner of consumption, it is vital that these foods become a part of a regular diet. It makes sense that the more good food in the body means a happier and healthier one. Nature is medicine, so pick up some carrots, beets or whatever colored vegetable catches the eye.
An A+ for Movement
Desk confinement is pretty much the standard for students once they hit first grade, all the way through college. (By the way, it doesn’t get any better if you take a desk job after completing your education.) Beyond the health issues being illuminated on a near-daily basis regarding the toll constant sitting can exert on the body, research also suggests the mind can suffer from too much sitting.
For example, according to research involving more than 12,000 schoolchildren in grade school or preschool, a little movement can be a very good thing when it comes to academic performance. Analysis of previous studies conducted in the U.S. and nine other countries revealed that “physically active lessons” that include periodic physical activities such as jogging in place or doing squats, results in superior lesson-time and test performance outcomes compared to inactive lessons.
Published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine , the research review suggests these findings should encourage policy changes to help students. As the researchers stated: “In elementary and preschool settings, when physically active lessons were added into the curriculum they had positive impact on both physical activity and educational outcomes. These findings support policy initiatives encouraging the incorporation of physically active lessons into teaching in elementary and preschool settings.”
Protect Against Pancreatic Cancer
Any type of cancer is a major health concern, but pancreatic cancer is one of the most frightening, with a five-year survival rate of less than 10 percent. The disease is rarely detected until it has progressed, and current treatment options often are not enough to ward off the advancing disease.
Let’s take a step back for a moment and, instead of worrying about what happens once you’re suffering from pancreatic cancer, think about what you might be able to do to reduce your risk of developing this deadly disease in the first place. It could be as simple as a few lifestyle changes.
Researchers analyzed data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort, which has tracked more than 500,000 participants from 10 European countries (for 15 years and counting) to investigate how diet, nutritional status, lifestyle and environmental factors, and other variables affect the incidence of cancer and other chronic diseases. Published in the European Journal of Epidemiology, the study on pancreatic cancer risk found that nearly 15 percent of pancreatic cancer cases could have been avoided by making four simple lifestyle changes:
Limiting alcohol consumption
Adopting a healthy diet
Increasing physical activity
Maintaining a healthy weight
What’s more, almost 20 percent of cases could have been avoided if, in addition to adopting the above habits, participants also refrained from smoking. That’s five simple lifestyle choices to prevent a deadly disease. Sounds worth it, doesn’t it? So, how many of the above habits do you pursue? One, a few, all five … or none? Talk to your doctor about how to make all five the backbone of your health, wellness and yes, disease prevention routine.
Medicare Action Alert for chiropractic patients and supporters! Take action at: cqrcengage.com
If you’ve been watching the early Presidential race, you’ve heard about the proposals for expanding Medicare to Medicare For All. Whether or not that happens, the current version of Medicare covers but discriminates against chiropractic, and now there is a bi-partisan bill in Congress to change that!
Currently Medicare covers chiropractic adjustments for acute conditions, but unlike almost all other insurance does not cover all the other things chiropractors are licensed and trained to do, including examinations, x-rays, physical therapy, and rehabilitation. Please take just a minute to read the following alert from the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) and use the link to send an email to your Congressperson. For extra credit, you can also call them and express your views. Thanks!!
–Dr. Mha Atma Khalsa
The Time for Medicare Parity Is NOW!
America’s seniors deserve full access to chiropractic care.
On Tuesday, July 9, Reps. Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.) and Tom Reed (R-N.Y.) introduced H.R. 3654, The Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act of 2019. This ACA-backed bipartisan legislation provides patient access to all Medicare-covered benefits allowable under a chiropractor’s state licensure. For doctors of chiropractic, the bill would fully recognize DCs as “physicians” in the Medicare program, acknowledging the level of education and care they provide and also bringing coverage of their services in line with how other physicians in the Medicare program are treated.
Success in the quest for Medicare modernization and parity in respect to chiropractic services is not possible without your support! Please take a moment today to visit the ACA Legislative Action Center and send a message to your federal representative urging them to co-sponsor HR. 3654.
SUPPORT MEDICARE PARITY
H.R. 3654 is the result of many years of work by the ACA (American Chiropractic Association). Thank you for your vital support!