Fix Your Own Aching Back!

Back pain is one of the most common ailments to affect Americans and it cost us a whopping 250 billion dollars per year. It can range from an annoyance to disabling pain requiring permanent disability.

As a doctor who treats back pain, among other conditions, I see the same things over and over so I have written this to help you prevent issues from arising now or in the future. Below are a list of things that YOU can do for free!

GET MOVING! - Whether you call yourself one or not you are an athlete! Your body was designed to run, jump, hunt, fight, play, etc. but I rarely meet anyone over the age of 15 that leads a truly active lifestyle. Like car that has not been started in years, our bodies too will get "gunked up." Being active can keep the back strong.

LOSE THE GUT! - If you are carrying excess weight, especially in the abdomen, its time to shed that spare tire. Being overweight stresses the joints of the spine particularly the ones in the low back. If you need to lose a few set a goal of losing 1 pound/week until you reach your target weight. Your spine will love you for it.

TOUCH YOUR TOES! - Stretch, stretch, streeeeeeeetch! Flexibility is essential to keeping the joints moving freely. Picture the stiff old tree or the young green sapling during a hurricane: which one is more likely to become damaged? Aim to stretch once a day for at least 10 minutes.

ATTENTION!! - Are you slouching as you read this? Sit up and stand up straight as often as possible to prevent the ligaments and discs in your spine from being damaged. Postural fatigue is one of the top causes of back pain.
As always consult your local chiropractor before making any changes to your lifestyle to make sure that your body is ready.

Dr. Russ practices in Wilmington, NC and has been freeing people from pain and other conditions since 2007. Russ Chiropractic and Wellness Center utilizes Chiropractic, Massage, Exercise, Nutrition, and Weight Loss to help others achieve their individual health goals. Visit us on the web at http://www.RussChiro.com

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Russ

Kids find a new way to adjust: Chiropractors

By Kim Painter, USA TODAY

Melanie Booth never expected to take her baby to a chiropractor. But when son Mac was 3 months old and having problems — difficulty with nursing, apparent discomfort when lying on his tummy and a tendency to turn his head only one way — his pediatrician recommended she do just that.

Booth, a university professor in Portland, Ore., found that her lactation consultant and several friends also endorsed chiropractic care for kids.

BETTER LIFE: More on parenting and kids' health

After one visit, she was a believer, too: As chiropractor Elise Hewitt worked on Mac, "he began to quiver and shake, and it kind of scared my husband and me," Booth says. "But she explained (she) was releasing energy that was stored up incorrectly in his body and particularly his spine. … And almost immediately, we saw a change in his ability to move his neck." The nursing and tummy time problems cleared up, too, Booth says, as Mac continued treatments over several months.

Stories such as Booth's help explain why nearly 3% of children in the USA were treated with chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation in 2007, making it the second-most common form of complementary or alternative medicine for children, a government report said recently. (Most common: natural products, such as fish oil and herbs.)

But stories are not studies. Even practitioners such as Hewitt, president of the American Chiropractic Association's council on pediatrics, concede their work is not backed by the kinds of studies that would be required if chiropractic care were a drug. As the government report noted, "there is insufficient proof that (alternative practices) are safe and effective." The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, which released the report, was created to fill the research gap.

Chiropractors say they welcome the scrutiny. Hewitt says: "I wish there were more high-level studies." But she also says she is comfortable treating kids based on preliminary research, 100 years of chiropractic history and her own experiences.

Harm is 'rare, but possible'

One large safety review, published in 2007, did find a few serious injuries in children, including one death from a brain bleed and one case of paralysis. But there was no proof spinal manipulation caused the injuries and no way to estimate how common such injuries might be, says Sunita Vohra of the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada.

"Serious harms may be rare but are possible," she says. She is working on further studies.

"I suspect that adverse events are very rare," says Kathi Kemper, professor of pediatrics at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C. She wouldn't refer a child to a chiropractor for non-musculoskeletal problems but wouldn't ask parents to stop visits if they perceive benefits.

Word-of-mouth, not research, brings most parents to Jeanne Ohm, a chiropractor in Media, Pa., and executive coordinator of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association. Parents "are usually referred by someone whose asthma went away or whose ear infections went away," she says.

Ohm says she does not promise to cure any ailment in a particular child. She emphasizes broader goals: "Taking stress and tension off the nervous system affects their whole physical body and their mental state. We look at the whole person."

Dr. Dave's Comments - 

As the old saying goes - an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Chiropractic has shown to be remarkably safe and effective in helping many conditions common to children such as colds, earaches, colic,  and ADD/ADHD to name a few. Just like most people make sure that they maintain their car by changing the oil and getting it tuned up, we should look to treat our children with the same care, if not better. More and more parents are taking their children to see chiropractors for preventive/ wellness check-ups than ever before. When was the last time your child's nervous system was checked?

Call 910-395-5066. to find out if Wellness Chiropractic is right for your child. Visit us at Russ Chiropractic and Wellness Center for more information.

Protect Yourself From the Flu Without Drugs?

Chiropractic corrects spinal abnormalities called vertebral subluxations that result in interference of the nervous system. Since the nervous system controls all functions of the body -- including the immune system -- chiropractic care can have a positive effect on immune function.

“Contemporary research is beginning to shed light on the neurobiological mechanisms which may explain the outstanding clinical results chiropractors have experienced when managing patients with viral and infectious diseases,” stated Dr. Christopher Kent, Co- Founder of Chiropractic Leadership Alliance.

Dr. Kent explained: “A comprehensive review of the research literature reveals the current understanding that the brain and immune system are the two major adaptive systems in the body. During an immune response, the brain and the immune system 'talk to each other' and this process is essential for maintaining homeostasis or balance in the body.”

Since its inception, chiropractic has asserted that viruses and microbes don't threaten us all equally and that a healthy immune system easily repels most invaders. The immune system protects us from the flu, as well as any other infectious disease, and strives to get us well again when we do fall ill. Our immune system, like every other system in the body, is coordinated and controlled by the nervous system.

Chiropractors are also aware of the importance of positive health life style practices (rest, drinking ample quantities of water, diet, exercise, proper diet, use of multivitamins and minerals, and stress reduction approaches) that can also positively influence the nervous system and immune response. According to a large study of the chiropractic profession recently conducted by the Institute for Social Research, Ohio Northern University (McDonald et al., 2003), chiropractors also customarily advise their patients as to the benefits of these other modalities in optimizing overall health.

Chiropractors helping patients battle the flu is not a new occurrence either. During the 1917-18 influenza epidemic, which brought death and fear to many Americans, it has been estimated that 20 million people died throughout the world, including about 500,000 Americans. It was chiropractic’s success in caring for flu victims that led to the profession’s licensure in many states.

Researchers reported that in Davenport, Iowa, out of the 93,590 patients treated by medical doctors, there were 6,116 deaths -- a loss of one patient out of every 15. Chiropractors at the Palmer School of Chiropractic adjusted 1,635 cases, with only one death. Outside Davenport, chiropractors in Iowa cared for 4,735 cases with only six deaths -- one out of 866. During the same epidemic, in Oklahoma, out of 3,490 flu patients under chiropractic care, there were only seven deaths. Furthermore, chiropractors were called in 233 cases given up as lost after medical treatment, and reportedly saved all but 25. In another report covering 4,193 cases by 213 chiropractors 4,104 showed complete recovery.

“These results are not so surprising given what we now know about the interaction between the nervous system and the immune system” stated Matthew McCoy DC, MPH, Editor of the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health – Chiropractic. “Through research we know that chiropractic has beneficial effects on immunoglobulins, B-lymphocytes (white blood cells), pulmonary function and other immune system processes.”

One such study, conducted by Patricia Brennan Ph.D and her team, found that when a chiropractic “manipulation” was applied to the middle back, the response of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (white blood cells) taken from blood collected 15 minutes after the manipulation was significantly higher than blood collected 15 minutes before and 30 and 45 minutes after the chiropractic procedure. This research demonstrated an “enhanced respiratory burst” following the chiropractic adjustment. This “burst” is needed for our immune cells to destroy invading viruses and bacteria.

Another small study of HIV positive patients was conducted to study the effects of specific chiropractic adjustments to correct vertebral subluxations in the upper neck on the immune systems of HIV positive individuals. Over the six-month period of the study, the group that did not receive chiropractic care experienced a 7.96% decrease in CD4 cell counts, while the adjusted group experienced a 48% increase in CD4 cell counts over the same period.

A large retrospective study conducted by Robert Blanks Ph.D and colleagues studied 2,818 individuals undergoing chiropractic care - these individuals reported an average overall improvement, ranging from 7-28 percent, in a battery of physical symptoms including stiffness/lack of flexibility in the spine, physical pain, fatigue, incidence of colds and flu, headaches, menstrual discomfort, gastrointestinal disorders, allergies, dizziness and falls (Blanks et al., 1997, Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research).

More importantly, the incidence of colds and flu was reduced by an average of 15 percent in this large population who were undergoing regular chiropractic care.

“In addition to the passive recommendations regarding hand washing, avoiding large gatherings, coughing and sneezing into your hands – it makes a great deal of sense to do everything you can to ensure that your immune system is functioning at its best. And that strategy should include chiropractic care,” stated Dr. McCoy.

Are you and your family ready for flu season?

If you and your family are interested in receiving a complementary state of the art nervous system scan to see how your immune system is functioning call 910-395-5066 to schedule a time just for you. You will also receive an complete wellness consultation, exam, and x-ray(if needed) valued at $210. Visit us on the web at Russ Chiropractic and Wellness Center for more information.

If you decide to purchase additional treatment, you have the legal right to change your mind within three days and receive a refund.