December 2010 | Henderson NV Chiropractor

December 27, 2010November 8, 2016

The Importance of Carbohydrates

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Do you notice symptoms of:

Sore throat
Speech impediment
Difficulty swallowing
Difficulty opening the jaw

Or do any of these sound like you?

Dry, itchy eyes or dry mouth
Poor memory
Unable to relax, become serene, or meditate
History of diabetes in family
Blood sugar problems, either hypoglycemia or diabetes
Uncontrollable appetite (i.e., eating when not hungry)
Desire to lose weight
In need of a meal replacement

There is often a stress point involves the tongue, muscles of deglutination, and the posterior and lateral muscles of the neck. These muscles are involved with tongue movement, swallowing and the hyoid bone. When they are weak and contracted, hence the previous mentioned complaints.

#6/SvG – T1 to T3 – Stress Point Palpation

Other tissues that may be involved with this stress point are:

Retina
Muscles and tissues of the face and nose
Teeth

Effect of Carbohydrate Reduction in the Diet

The tissues prefer to use carbohydrate for energy over both protein and fat. The quantity of carbohydrate stores in the body is only a few hundred grams (glycogen in the liver and muscles.) This can supply energy needed for the body for about half a day. Therefore, after a few hours of carbohydrate deprivation the body resorts to converting protein and fat to glucose (in Stress Mode). Fat will be the primary source of energy production and depletion of its stores will continue unabated until depleted.

A very good product is SVG. It is essential to delivering the lacking carbohydrates.

Stretch Exercise
Practice the “tongue in cheek” movement. Hold for a count of five. Do each side at least three times several times daily.

December 21, 2010November 8, 2016

Forward Head Posture and TMJ

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Forward head posture creates a domino effect in the body:

Moving forward, the head shifts the center of gravity.

To compensate, the upper body drifts backward.

To compensate for the upper body shift, the hips tilt forward.

So, the forward head position can be the cause of not only the head, neck and TMJ problems, but also mid back and low back problems. We can gain a better understanding of the interaction between the mouth opening and closing, TMJ bio-mechanics, and neck function with an overview of the structures involved.

According to Rene Cailliet, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Director at U.S.C. states: “It’s an axiom … that the body follows the head … You can realign your entire body by moving your head … your head held in a forward position can pull your entire body out of line.” He goes on to explain that the vital lung capacity is reduced as much as 30%. The gastrointestinal system is affected, particularly the large intestine. When a hunched position is assumed, the body becomes rigid, and range of motion is affected. Since endorphin production is reduced, an increase in pain and discomfort results.

Another researcher Kapandji, in his classic text on spinal function states, “The anterior muscles of the neck … act as the long arm of a lever … they are powerful flexors of the head and cervical column … flattening the cervical column.”

Additionally, numerous investigators describe the effect of altered jaw position on head posture. Forward and side to side head position changes the jaw, throat, and tongue. It compresses the neck joints causing muscular nerve entrapments. Nerve root compression or posterior neck vertebral joint irritation or restriction result in peripheral entrapment neuropathies. One common entrapment is the greater or lesser suboccipital nerves that pass between the occiput and atlas. This may cause headaches or refer pain to the facial region.

General Symptoms by Head Forward Posture problems
A. Chronically tired (lowered hemoglobin, immature cells) 89%
B. Increased nervous tension 86%
C. Malaise 61%
D. Restless sleep (awaken tired) 78%
E. Numbness in hands (awaken with arm or leg asleep) 32%
F. Cold hands and feet (poor circulation) 67%
G. Back aches and leg aches (tired, ache-all-over feeling) 47%
H. Thirsty (much water doesn’t satisfy) 43%
I. Restless nibbling at food (never satisfied)
J. Blood (variations in count and quality; many irregularly formed cells; cell walls even thickness one week after treatment)
K. Lowered hemoglobin
L. Lower thyroid activity (an almost constant finding)
M. Facial pallor
N. Dull, non-sparkling eyes

Forward head posture is an enormous problem of our society. Nearly 100% of new patients presenting in my office have it. If you have it and don’t correct it, it will lead to neck arthritis and damaged discs.

If you are interested in being checked for forward head posture or want more information visit www.nevadachiro.com.

December 20, 2010November 8, 2016

FETAL ORIGINS: HOW LIFE IN THE WOMB SHAPES THE REST OF OUR LIVES

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The connection between life in the womb and what happens later in life has been of great interest to mankind throughout history. But scientific evidence of any real connection was scarce until 1989, when a study found that low birth weight was a positive indicator for heart disease later in life. That was just the beginning.

Initial skepticism of the birth weight studies has given way to widespread acceptance, as newer studies confirmed the original. But new studies have also discovered exceptionally strong evidence that a stressful and/or toxic uterine environment directly affects not only the mental and physical health of babies, but can lead to a whole range of mental and physical problems that can crop up later in life.

These discoveries have spawned a whole new field of study, called “fetal origins”, which has convinced respected scientists, writers and environmentalists to call for serious changes in how we view – and care for – those critical nine months in everyone’s life called pregnancy.

Two recent books on the subject are getting a lot of favorable attention, and are definitely recommended reading for anyone considering pregnancy.

Science writer Annie Murphy Paul’s new 2010 book, Origins: How the Nine Months Before Birth Shape the Rest of Our Lives, was prompted by her personal decision to have a baby. The publisher says that Ms. Paul “interviews experts from around the world; discovers how individuals gestated during the Nazi siege of Holland in World War II were still feeling its consequences decades later; how pregnant women who experienced the 9/11 attacks passed their trauma on to their offspring in the womb; how a lab accident led to the discovery of a common household chemical that can harm the developing fetus; how the study of a century-old flu pandemic reveals the high personal and societal costs of poor prenatal experience.”

Another 2009 landmark book also discusses the same theme. More than Genes: What Science Can Tell Us About Toxic Chemicals, Development, and the Risk to Our Children. The author, Professor Dan Agin, a neuroscientist and molecular geneticist at the University of Chicago, lays out a powerful array of convincing evidence. Publisher’s Weekly says Agin’s book describes “a silent pandemic…causing untold damage to babies while they are in the womb. Toxic chemicals in the environment are assaulting developing fetuses, as are substances (such as alcohol and nicotine) ingested by pregnant women and are capable of dramatically altering developmental pathways. According to Agin, the role of the intrauterine environment has largely been ignored by scientists who look to genes and a child’s post-birth environment to explain behavior issues, mental illness and IQ.”

Fetal origins as a science may still be in its infancy, but we should not wait for more studies to “prove” what is already evident — pregnant women must be protected from trauma, stress, illness and known toxins like lead, dioxins, PCBs, radiation and pesticides. And we should regulate the tens of thousands of widely used chemicals that have never been tested for safety.

As New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristof said in a recent article on the subject, “…we have learned that a uterus is not a diving bell that insulates its occupant from the world’s perils.”

SOURCE: Simon & Schuster, 2010, http://books.simonandschuster.com/Origins/Annie-Murphy-Paul/9780743296625 Oxford University Press, 2009, http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/Medicine/Genetics/?view=usa&ci=9780195381504 New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/03/opinion/03kristof.html

If you would like more information visit www.nevadachiro.com or call us at 565-7474.

December 13, 2010November 8, 2016

Why Health Care Costs for LBP Are So High

Initiating care with an MD for back pain results in much higher health care costs than going to a DC, says study.

By Peter W. Crownfield

With the much-touted Choudhry/Milstein study already putting insurers and other health care stakeholders on notice that chiropractic care for back pain “is highly cost-effective [and] represents a good value in comparison to medical physician care and to widely accepted cost-effectiveness thresholds,” along comes “Cost of Care for Common Back Pain Conditions Initiated With Chiropractic Doctor vs. Medical Doctor / Doctor of Osteopathy as First Physician.”

Published in the December 2010 issue of JMPT, the study, a retrospective claims analysis of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee’s intermediate and large group fully insured population, determined that paid costs for episodes of care were 40 percent lower when care was initiated with a doctor of chiropractic compared to an allopathic provider. Even when risk-adjusting each patient’s costs to account for severity, paid costs for chiropractic patients were 20 percent lower than medical patients treated for low back pain.

“Our results support a growing body of evidence that chiropractic treatment of low back pain is less expensive than traditional medical care,” stated the study authors in their conclusion. “We found that episode cost of care for LBP initiated with a DC is less expensive than care initiated through an MD. … Our results suggest that insurance companies that restrict access to chiropractic care for LBP may, inadvertently, be paying more for care than they would if they removed these restrictions.”

Health Care Cost In their study, the researchers identified Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee members with an LBP claim based on the presence of any of the following ICD-9 codes on a paid claim: 722 Intervertebral disk disorders, 724 Other and unspecified disorders of back, 729 Other disorders of soft tissues, 739 Nonallopathic lesions not elsewhere classified, 846 Sprains and strains of sacroiliac region, and 847 Sprains and strains of other and unspecified parts of back. Of more than 650,000 members during the two-year period analyzed (Oct. 1, 2004 – Sept. 30, 2006), 85,402 had been diagnosed using one of the above codes.

Plan members had open access to MDs and DCs through self-referral (ER visits were categorized as MD-initiated care), without any limit to the number of visits. Co-pays did not vary between provider type.

Total episode costs for each episode of LBP were determined by calculating the cost paid by the insurer for all services provided during the episode by the same and other providers. Costs per episode were $452.33 (paid) for patients initiating care with a chiropractor and $1,037.04 for patients initiating care with a medical provider; risk-adjusted paid costs were $532.54 (DC) vs. $661.10 (MD).

“As doctors of chiropractic, we know firsthand that our care often helps patients avoid or reduce more costly interventions such as drugs and surgery. This study supports what we see in our practices every day,” said ACA President Rick McMichael, DC, in an ACA release reporting on the study findings. “It also demonstrates the value of chiropractic care at a critical time, when our nation is attempting to reform its health care system and contain runaway costs.”

December 6, 2010November 8, 2016

Dizziness in Older Adults and Chiropractic Care

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I found this information by Mark Studin DC, FASBE(C), DAAPM, DAAMLP
83% of Dizziness sufferes showed improvement or eradication of under chiropractic care

According to Maarsingh and co-researchers as reported in BMC Family Practice in 2010, A Bio Medical Research organization, dizziness in older patients is a very common occurrence as reported by family medical practitioners. They reported that an 8.3% prevalence of dizziness was reported with females having a higher incidence. It was also reported that the number could be higher as this is a symptom reported by the patient.

According to Web MD in 2010 “ Dizziness is a word that is often used to describe two different feelings. It is important to know exactly what you mean when you say “I feel dizzy” because it can help you and your doctor narrow down the list of possible problems.

 Lightheadedness is a feeling that you are about to faint or “pass out.” Although you may feel dizzy, you do not feel as though you or your surroundings are moving. Lightheadedness often goes away or improves when you lie down. If lightheadedness gets worse, it can lead to a feeling of almost fainting or a fainting spell (syncope). You may sometimes feel nauseated or vomit when you are lightheaded.

 Vertigo is a feeling that you or your surroundings are moving when there is no actual movement. You may feel as though you are spinning, whirling, falling, or tilting. When you have severe vertigo, you may feel very nauseated or vomit. You may have trouble walking or standing, and you may lose your balance and fall.

Although dizziness can occur in people of any age, it is more common among older adults. A fear of dizziness can cause older adults to limit their physical and social activities. Dizziness can also lead to falls and other injuries.”

As reported in Hearing Review (2003) dizziness has become such a prevalent problem, that in spite of rising health care costs, Medicare introduced in 2003 that routine screenings for hearing loss, balance disorders and dizziness will be a covered item. The reason is that the government is looking long-term to save money; something that rarely happens, but in this case is the best solution.

The Center for Medicare Services create “RUG,” a classification of patients in nursing facilities by disability and other care needs, for the purpose of determining coverage and rates in the Medicare system and dizziness is one of the prime criteria in determining the reimbursement rates for skilled nursing facilities. According to the text “Improving Care for the End of Life” the costs for a skilled nursing home depending upon the RUG Score ranges from $424.97 to $156.66 per day and the variable is the documented impairment of the resident and the amount of care needed to support that population of residents.

From a financial perspective the Federal Governmental and Medicare have a very high stake in ensuring that hearing and dizziness is cared for and corrected at as early an age as possible to save the system large significant money.

In 2009 Hawk and Cambron studied the relationship between chiropractic care and dizziness over an 8 week course of manipulative (chiropractic spinal adjustments) care. The patients having a “Dizziness Handicap Inventory” baseline score indicating significant dizziness reported an 83% improvement or eradication of the dizziness as a direct result of chiropractic care. Hawk and Cambron did report that more research is needed, but their findings give solutions to a growing problem among older adults in American and can positively impact both the lives of Americans and the financial burden of our economy.

References:

1. Dizziness reported by elderly patients in family practice: prevalence, incidence, and clinical characteristics, Otto R Maarsingh, Jacquelien Dros, François G Schellevis, Henk C van Weert,Patrick J Bindels, and Henriette E van der Horst, BMC Family Practice. 2010; 11: 2. Also Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2817676/

2. Dizziness: Lightheadedness and Vertigo-Topic Overview, Retrieved from: http://www.webmd.com/brain/tc/dizziness-lightheadedness-and-vertigo-topic-overview

3. New Medicare Benefit Includes Screening for Hearing Loss and Dizziness, Retrieved from: http://www.hearingreview.com/issues/articles/2005-03_07.asp

4. 9.1 Medicare Payments for Fee-for-Service Programs : 9.1.2 Skilled Nursing Facilities, Retrieved from: http://www.mywhatever.com/cifwriter/content/66/4332.html

5. Cheryl　Hawk, DC, PhDa, Jerrilyn　Cambron, DC, PhD, Chiropractic Care for Older Adults: Effects on Balance, Dizziness, and Chronic Pain, Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, (32 ) (6) Pgs. 431-437 (July 2009)