Researchers at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine reviewed records from 1,450 patients in the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation database who had diagnoses of disc degeneration, disc herniation or radiculopathy, a nerve condition that causes tingling and weakness of the limbs. Half of the patients had surgery to fuse two or more vertebrae in hopes of curing low back pain. The other half had no surgery, even though they had comparable diagnoses. After two years, just 26 percent of those who had surgery returned to work. That’s compared to 67 percent of patients who didn’t have surgery. In what might be the most troubling study finding, researchers determined that there was a 41 percent increase in the use of painkillers, specifically opiates, in those who had surgery.

Researchers reviewed records from 1,450 patients in the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation database who had diagnoses of disc degeneration, disc herniation or radiculopathy, a nerve condition that causes tingling and weakness of the limbs. Half of the patients had surgery to fuse two or more vertebrae in hopes of curing low back pain. The other half had no surgery, even though they had comparable diagnoses.

After two years, just 26 percent of those who had surgery returned to work. That’s compared to 67 percent of patients who didn’t have surgery. In what might be the most troubling study finding, researchers determined that there was a 41 percent increase in the use of painkillers, specifically opiates, in those who had surgery. The study’s lead author, Dr. Trang Nguyen, said that the study provides clear evidence that for many patients, fusion surgeries designed to alleviate pain from degenerating discs don’t work.

I have said it before (many times before), but it bears repeating: Before choosing surgery to get rid of your back pain, call your chiropractor for conservative chiropractic treatment first. Your chiropractor is a spine expert who is committed to helping back pain sufferers get out of pain through natural, non-invasive procedures. Call today. You have nothing to lose but your back pain!

Technorati Tags: back pain, chiropractic treatment, Chiropractor, failed back surgery, Where:Ventura-CA

As a Chiropractor in Ventura I know the debilitating effects of back pain. Though some people try to “ignore” their back pain in the hopes that it will go away on its own, the majority of individuals know that back pain is difficult, if not impossible, to ignore. Back pain is a constant. It interferes with a person’s ability to work and to enjoy daily life, and it makes it impossible to get a good night’s sleep. In addition, many people know that untreated back pain can cause further musculoskeletal problems. But it will, no doubt, come as a surprise to almost everyone that unaddressed back pain that lingers six months or more has been linked with a loss of brain volume that’s equivalent to 10 to 20 years of normal aging. That’s right!  According to new research at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, back pain can significantly age the brain!  A. Vania Apkarian, Ph.D. and co-author of the study, said that the decline has to do with how the brain adapts to pain, and such decline can damage a person’s ability to assess emotional cues and control emotion.

If you are someone who needed one more reason to make an appointment with your chiropractor to get the treatment you need for your back pain, the possibility of significant brain decline might just be the “inspiration” you needed! Be smart (and stay smart) by calling your Ventura Chiropractor today!

Technorati Tags: back pain, brain decline, Chiropractor, Where:Ventura-CA

We all know that dieting isn’t easy, but the advisory committee for the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans gave this clear-cut advice: “People in this country need to cut the calories they consume from added sugars and solid fats (butter, marbled meats) and start eating a more nutrient-rich, plant-based diet.”

The report called for many changes in the food environment. To read more, go to: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2010-06-15-

Technorati Tags: back pain, hip pain, knee pain, obesity, weight loss, Where:Ventura-CA

Why is posture so important? Poor posture causes headaches, neck pain, and back pain, just for openers. And, since the back bone is (eventually) connected to the hip bones and knee bones, bad posture can create a lot of painful movement from your head to your toes.

Joe Donofrio, dean of clinical services at Sherman College of chiropractic in Spartanburg, offers some great posture tips. Check them out at goupstate.com 

Technorati Tags: back pain, headaches, hip pain, knee pain, neck pain, posture, Where:Ventura-CA

Athletes are particularly at risk when it comes to functional challenges caused by dehydration. “Physiologically, their core body temperature could be higher than it should have been if they were hydrated. Their heart rate will be higher, and they’re going to perceive that they’re working harder than they actually are,” said Susan Yeargin, assistant professor of athletic training in Indiana State’s College of Nursing, Health, and Human Services. According to researchers at Indiana State University, a high percentage of collegiate and professional athletes begin the season dehydrated, putting their health at risk even before they begin strenuous workouts. In fact, Pre-season physical examinations, in fact, found that 80 percent of football players presented with.

Wondering how much water is enough water? Chiropractors, like almost all health care professionals, advise no less than eight, 8-ounce glasses of water every day for many patients, but for our patients who are athletes, or for individuals who carry around excess weight or exercise or work in a hot environment, we propose even more. How can you be sure if you, personally, are drinking an adequate amount of water? The color of your urine is a good gauge. If it is a light, pale yellow, it’s an indication that you’re well-hydrated!

Technorati Tags: back pain, chiropractors, drinking enough water, exhaustion, headaches, heartburn, hydration, hypertension

In many instances back pain is a mystery to many of the people who experience it, and chiropractors are proficient at solving the puzzle. These individuals want to know why it is that they have not experienced any trauma, accidents, or major injuries before the onset of their condition? The answer is that the cumulative effects of improper sitting posture, bad work habits, incorrect lifting, lack of regular exercise, and other unhealthy lifestyle-related determinants cause most back pain. These factors eventually add up and create stresses and imbalances on the spine producing subluxations that can lead to serious back conditions. The process is similar to the front end of your car being out of alignment. When you persist in driving anyway, there is uneven wear and tear on your tires. If you don’t get the problem fixed, the situation could worsen until a tire “blows.” When the spine is misaligned, the health of the spine is put at risk. It’s not only a problem waiting to happen, so to speak, it’s a problem waiting to get worse. And then, something as simple as bending over to pick up a piece of paper can be the “final factor” that generates back injury. When this takes place, the surrounding back muscles go into spasm to stabilize the stressed or injured tissues of the back.

When it comes to conditions of the spine, chiropractors have more education, training, and experience than medical doctors. They provide expert diagnosis and experienced treatment for all muscular-skeletal problems. In addition to giving welcomed relief to those suffering from back pain, but they are knowledgeable about what will help you to avoid further back pain. Your chiropractor not only will provide you with effectual adjustments and other productive chiropractic therapies but, in addition, will design a personal exercise plan and suggest other beneficial lifestyle changes that will help to keep you well-adjust and pain-free in the future.

Technorati Tags: back pain, chiropractic, Chiropractor, low back pain

Anatomy

If you were to look at the trunk from a side view, the spine would display four normal curves: the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral. The thoracic, in the chest area, has a natural round curve, “reversed C,” called a kyphosis, while in the lower spine there is a natural “C” curve, known as swayback or lordosis. Hyperlordosis is the term used to describe elevated swayback, while increased kyphosis in the thoracic spine is called hyperkyphosis. Diversions from normal that are visible from a side view regularly accompany scoliosis changes. Postural exercises can correct some round back deformities that are simply due to poor posture. A small percentage of people with kyphosis have more rigid deformities than the postural type, which are coincidental with vertebral deformity. This type of deformity, called Scheuermann’s kyphosis, is much more problematic to treat than postural kyphosis, and it’s cause is unknown.

Even a nonprofessional can help to identify a child or grownup with scoliosis just by looking at the person in a standing position, preferably with no shirt and in boxers, and observing the following:

• One shoulder may be more elevated than the other.

• One scapula (shoulder blade) may be more elevated or more pronounced than the other.

• There may be more area between the arm and the body on one side when the arms hang loosely at the side.

• One hip may appear to be higher or more prominent than the other.

• The head is not centered over the pelvis.

• One side of the back appears higher than the other when the individual is observed from the rear and asked to flex forward until the the spine is horizontal.

The child or adult should be sent to a healthcare professional, such as a chiropractor, for further diagnosis once scoliosis is detected. your chiropractor would be happy to help.

There are various roots and many kinds of scoliosis, nevertheless the most prevalent, by far, is Idiopathic Scoliosis, which accounts for nearly 85 % of all cases. “Idiopathic” means “no known cause” and is observed with equal prevalence in boys and girls in the mild or low curve magnitudes. This disorder can be sub-classified into infantile, juvenile and adolescent cases, depending upon the age of onset. Idiopathic Scoliosis may be linked to genetic or hereditary influences as it often runs in families. However girls, for unknown reasons are five to eight times more likely than boys to have their curves develop in size and require treatment. As the term “Idiopathic Scoliosis” implies, this class of scoliosis commonly occurs when children are ending their last major growth spurt. Unfortunately, at this age young people are hesitant to let their body to be looked at by parents and other adults, so it is smart to have this age group examined on a regular basis.

It is very important that if a scoliotic curve is discovered in a growing adolescent, the curves be monitored for any change by a periodic examination and sometimes standing x-rays. In ninety percent of conditions, the scoliosis is mild and does not require active treatment, though| increases in spinal deformity require evaluation to ascertain if a brace or other management is required. In a small number of individuals, surgical treatment may be necessary.~Surgery may be needed for a small number of people.

Brace treatment (orthosis) is recommended for both juvenile and adolescent children when an increase in their scoliosis or kyphosis is identified, or when new conditions of moderate scoliosis or abnormal kyphosis are found. There are a number of types of braces, all created to prevent curves from increasing by acting as a buttress for the spine during active skeletal growth. Bracing is effective in stopping curve progression in a significant percentage of skeletally-immature adolescents. Nevertheless, braces will not usually make the spine completely straight, and cannot always keep a curve from increasing.

There is no simple solution for scoliosis. Nearly all cases, even though regularly monitored, are not actively treated. Severe symptoms are infrequently treated surgically, but the standard medical treatment for moderate conditions is a brace. You may want to see your local chiropractor first.

Besides bracing, many other therapies have been used successfully such as specialized exercise, electric stimulation of spinal muscles, nutritional programs, and chiropractic treatments. It seems like the most beneficial results have been maintained with a multi-faceted approach to the care of this affliction.

There are chiropractors, that have expertise managing scoliosis cases.

Technorati Tags: back pain, Chiropractor, scoliosis

Many men and women who are overweight encounter moderate to severe back pain. This happens because the spine was not intended to haul anything that weighs more than the body is at its generally healthy weight.  As a human being puts on additional poundage, the spine begins to unduly stress and to compress, creating a lot of pain and discomfort.  The pelvis can conjointly be affected and become tilted forward compelling it to pinch the sciatic nerve. That is one of the main reasons why people who are overweight tend to have problems with their lower back. The pain is due to either sciatica or the distorting of the spinal column.

If you are suffering from this problem, undoubtedly the thing to do is to take off the extra weight that you are toting around, and your spine will immediately respond and reestablish its regular position.  Regrettably, weight loss isn’t easy and it can take time, even with the best of intentions. However, on a positive note you don’t have to continue to experience back pain as you lose the weight. A chiropractor can offer the pain relief you’ll need as you shed the extra pounds.

Even so, you will still need to lose the extra pounds, and not having back pain will actually help you do it. Losing the extra weight naturally and healthfully is crucial, and there are two (simple but not easy) things that will work for sure: Get some sort of exercise each day, even if it’s just a bit, and make sure that you take in fewer calories than you burn! Sure, you’ve heard about these two things before. Nonetheless, now that you know your back is depending on you, it’s the perfect time to get truly galvanized for success.

Start exercising slowly, particular if you’re having problems with back pain. And, most importantly, be sure to see a chiropractor so that you don’t go wrong the way many people do, which is to exercise into the pain. That will only make your condition worse. Exercise, though occasionally uncomfortable, should never be painful or cause pain. That’s why it’s important to see a chiropractor if you’re having difficulties with back pain.

Do basic stretching exercises and also concentrate on your core abdominal body muscles. Strong stomach muscles assisting in relieving back pain. Your chiropractor will be able to give you exercises that are best for you, personally. Within just a week or two of dedication to losing the weight that is creating your back pain and perhaps other health difficulties as well, you ought to begin to notice a dramatic difference in the way that you feel.

Technorati Tags: back pain, fat, overweight, Ventura Chiropractor

In the U.S. today there are approximately 37 million golfers. In his 1998 article “Back pain in golfers: etiology and prevention”, (Journal of Sports chiropractic & Rehabilitation) Dr. David Seaman writes:

There are an estimated 25 million golfers in the United States, and with the recent surge in the sport’s popularity, that figure should exceed 27 million by the year 2000. It is also estimated that 5-15% of touring professionals, and an even greater number of amateurs, will develop low-back problems.

This article discusses the biomechanics of the modern golf swing, its potential for placing the lower back at risk for injury, and the potentially modifiable factors that contribute to the prevalence of chronicity of golf-related injuries.

Today’s standard golf swing, imitated by millions and characterized by maximal torso rotation in the backswing and follow-through, predisposes the spine to painful injury. Golfers are often taught that maximal spinal rotation is needed to ensure maximum velocity at club/ball impact and maximum hitting distance. However, studies have demonstrated that a shorter backswing position with less torso rotation is more effective and generates far less potential for injury.

Golf injuries develop primarily because the golf swing represents a series of ineffective, injury-promoting movements. It is important that doctors of chiropractic understand the true biomechanics of the golf swing so they can recommend a more appropriate, “back friendly” swing to their patients.

Dr. Seaman is right. If your chiropractor is interested in keeping you healthy, your teaching professional should be, too.

The Golfing Machine by Homer Kelley teaches that there are four sources of power in the golf swing, known as Power Accumulators- or Power Sources-none of which are based on torso rotation.

The turning of the body, or “pivot,” should be a reaction to where the hands need to go. This is referred to as a “hand controlled pivot” in The Golfing Machine. Many teachers believe that the rotation of the body controls the hands. This is fine if you want to hit less than your maximum distance potential and create room for injury.

The geometry and physics of the golf swing, studied by all Authorized Instructors of The Golfing Machine and Medicus Certified Instructors, dictates that the hands always have a destination. Give your hands an assignment, where to go and what to do, then have them complete that assignment. The body should play a supporting role, and not vice-versa.

Educate your hands on their proper role in the golf swing. For more information contact Medicus Golf to find a Certified Instructor near you.

B. J. Hathaway is one of only 98 teachers worldwide designated to hold a “Bachelors in Golf Stroke Engineering.”

Technorati Tags: back pain, chiropractic, Golf

Back pain is commonly a mystery to most people who are afflicted by it, and chiropractors are proficient at solving that mystery. Sufferers ask: Why is it that I have not experienced any trauma, accidents, or major injuries prior to the onset of their pain? The answer is that the cumulative effects of awkward sitting posture, poor work habits, improper lifting, lack of routine exercise, and other unhealthy lifestyle-related determinants create most back pain.

These factors eventually add up and create stresses and imbalances on the spine creating subluxations that can lead to serious back conditions. The process is similar to the front end of your car being out of alignment. When you insist upon driving anyway, there is disproportionate wear and tear on your tires. If you didn’t get the problem fixed, the situation would, no doubt, get worse until you “blew” a tire. The health of the spine is threatened when your spine is misaligned. In other words, it’s not only a problem waiting to happen, it’s a problem waiting to get worse. And then, something as easy as bending over to pick up a piece of paper can be the “final factor” that generates back injury. When this takes place, the surrounding back muscles go into spasm in order to stabilize the stressed or injured tissues of the back.

Chiropractors have more education, training, and experience than medical doctors regarding dysfunctions of the spine. They provide highly qualified diagnosis and effective treatment for all muscular-skeletal problems. They not only provide welcomed relief if you are suffering from back pain, but they know what will help you to avoid further back pain. Your chiropractor will not only provide you with effectual adjustments and other productive chiropractic therapies but, additionally, will offer a personalized exercise strategy and give advice about other beneficial lifestyle changes that will help to keep you well-adjusted and pain-free in the future.

Technorati Tags: back pain, chiropractic, Chiropractor, low back pain