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Researchers looking for methods to better evaluate treatment options for health conditions have developed the "Benefit-Harm Scale," and a recent study used this scale on back pain treatments to highlight which options provide the most benefit and least harm. Some health conditions have multiple treatment options that could be utilized to benefit a patient, but it's important to balance not just benefit, but also harm. A treatment that can be helpful but has high risk of harm is unlikely to be the best choice. That's why the Benefit-Harm Scale was developed as an easy way to assess the potential benefit and risk of a treatment, and compare it to other options. A recent study published in The Spine Journal, reviewed research for common back treatments, including chiropractic spinal manipulation, acupuncture, medication, injections, and surgery. The graphic below illustrates the benefit and harm of these treatment options for chronic low back pain.   Evidence Lacking for Many Back Pain Treatments
The most surprising result may be the lack of evidence to appropriately evaluate many of the treatments. The researchers found a lack of quality evidence supporting medications, injections, and surgery, and were therefore unable to evaluate the benefit of these options. Evidence evaluating harm was also lacking with most of the medications studied, while serious harms have been identified for opioids and surgery. In contrast, both spinal manipulation and acupuncture have quality evidence of benefit and low harm risk. The study authors concluded that more research is needed to further evaluate the various treatment options, but based on available evidence "acupuncture and spinal manipulation provide safer benefits than pharmacological or invasive interventions" for chronic low back pain.
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 Painkillers during pregnancy risk the health of newborns HealthDay News reports that the number of newborns treated for drug withdrawal in the United States has nearly quadrupled since 2004 - another sad result of the prescription opioid epidemic.
30% of mothers used prescription narcotic painkillers while pregnant Recent studies have found the use of prescription narcotic (opioid) painkillers during pregnancy to be surprisingly common, noting "Nearly 30 percent of the Tennessee mothers-to-be in the Pediatrics study used at least one of these drugs while pregnant, and the associated risks [of newborn drug withdrawal] went up if they also smoked or took antidepressants." Opioid painkillers include the drugs hydrocodone (Vicodin), oxycodone (Oxycontin), codeine and morphine. They were often used in women who had reported headaches, migraines or other musculoskeletal problems, as well as depression or anxiety. Along with drug withdrawal, the researchers noted that infants of mothers on prescription painkillers were "twice as likely as other newborns to be born at a low birth weight. They were also far more likely to have respiratory conditions, feeding difficulties and seizures." First an adult opioid epidemic, now drug withdrawal in newborns The opioid drug epidemic started a few years ago when experts recommended doctors treat their patients' pains more seriously. However, instead of encouraging patients to try effective conservative treatment like chiropractic or physical therapy, doctors dramatically increased their prescriptions of addictive opioid drugs. States including Ohio are now fighting to fix this drug epidemic; and now we know it's causing harm to more than just those taking the drugs. Pregnant mothers should minimize the medications they take to reduce the risk of health problems in their infants. Chiropractic treatment is proven to be an effective treatment for pregnant mothers with musculoskeletal pains and is a great way to avoid medications. Chiropractic care not only reduces the risk of injury to infants by avoiding medications, it can also provide further benefits by making labor and delivery easier.  The medical community has not always acknowledged the benefits of chiropractic treatment, but that is gradually improving. Medical institutions and organizations are increasingly recognizing the value of chiropractic. Some medical treatment guidelines even recommend trying conservative chiropractic treatment before trying more invasive medical treatments.
An online article published by Harvard's Medical School describes chiropractic treatment and its benefits: "Most research on chiropractic has focused on spinal manipulation for back pain. Chiropractic treatment for many other problems—including other musculoskeletal pain, headaches, asthma, carpal tunnel syndrome, and fibromyalgia—has also been studied. A recent review concluded that chiropractic spinal manipulation may be helpful for back pain, migraine, neck pain, and whiplash." It's good to see more positive information about conservative treatment like chiropractic that has been shown to be safe, effective, and low cost. More patients should experience the benefits of chiropractic treatment first, before trying more invasive medical care.  Reduce Injury Risk With Chiropractic Treatment Researchers looking to study the risk of injury following chiropractic treatment found a surprise.
Researchers analyzed Medicare data of patients aged 66-99 who were treated for neuromusculoskeletal complaints by their primary medical physician or chiropractic physician. They specifically looked for risk of traumatic injury to the head, neck, or trunk following an office visit for chiropractic spinal manipulation. The risk of injury after chiropractic treatment was significantly lower than risk of injury after a medical visit. Data showed only 4 injury incidents per 10,000 chiropractic visits, as compared to 15.3 incidents per 10,000 primary care medical visits. Risk of Traumatic Injury 76% Lower One Week Following Chiropractic Treatment Researchers concluded that among Medicare beneficiaries aged 66-99 with an office visit for a neuromusculoskeletal problem, risk of injury within 7 days was 76% lower among subjects with a chiropractic office visit as compared to those who saw a primary care physician. The safety of chiropractic treatment has been well documented for years. Chiropractic adjusting has also been shown to help improve balance and reduce falls in the elderly, which may play an important role in the reduction of injury following treatment.
 Acetaminophen / Tylenol don't help back pain Acetaminophen, sold as Tylenol and other brands, is commonly recommended for back pain, but until now only minimal medical research had been performed to see if it actually helps. Even back pain treatment guidelines recommend acetaminophen as a first-line treatment without any direct evidence of benefit.
To the surprise of many, a study recently found no benefit to using acetaminophen for back pain. Researchers studied over 1600 patients with back pain. The patients were given acetaminophen or placebo pills. The scientists found no significant difference between the groups in recovery time, pain, disability, function, symptom changes, sleep or quality of life. With increasing awareness of the significant risks of taking acetaminophen (causing over 50,000 liver injuries in Americans each year), this study gives further support to the recommendation of minimizing use as much as possible. Medical treatment guidelines offer a better treatment choice for back pain: chiropractic manipulation. Research has found chiropractic treatment to be one of the only options that reduces back pain, improves function, and has minimal risks. Before reaching for that bottle of Tylenol for your back pain, think twice.
As the body changes during pregnancy the head, spine and pelvis can become biomechanically stressed. Chiropractic care provides gentle and effective adjustments to relieve headaches, neck and back pain - all without medication.
This is especially important since a UCLA study found that the drug acetaminophen, if taken during pregnancy, has been associated with a higher risk in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or ADHD. A specific postural and spinal evaluation combined with appropriate treatment can establish balance within the pregnant woman's pelvis. This helps reduce unwanted stress to the uterus in the supporting ligaments. For a healthier pregnancy more women are discovering that chiropractic care delivers.  As part of National Chiropractic Health Month, we take a look at one the biggest issues affecting patient's ability to heal from injuries - delaying treatment.
The National Institute of Health notes pain affects more Americans than diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined. Why do so many Americans experience chronic pain? It's common to wait after an injury to see if it will go away on its own, but waiting too long only makes it harder to bounce back. Research confirms that waiting more than 7 days to treat an injury increases your risk of chronic problems. But why? It's all about how the body heals from an injury: Initially, inflammation increases at the site of an injury. This means swelling, redness, warmth, and PAIN. Inflammation increases over 1-3 days, which explains why pain may not be immediate but can build after a day or two. Frequently, the pain and inflammation will start to reduced after a few days - this is where you can get in trouble... Within a week of injury, the body starts repairing soft tissues with fibriotic scar tissue. Picture normal muscles and soft tissues as nicely organized fibers lined up next to each other. Now picture scar tissue as a tangled nest of fibers trying to patch up a hole. Pain may be fairly well controlled at this point, but as scar tissue builds, increased stiffness and joint restrictions can develop. If scar tissue develops enough to restrict a full range of motion in a joint, it's only a matter of time before pain and inflammation return -- because the joint can't function correctly. Moral: Don't delay treatment more than one week or the risk of chronic problems increases Chiropractic treatment is key to not only reducing pain and inflammation, but also improving scar tissue function so your joints are moving correctly again. The key is healthy movement. Chiropractic adjustments help the scar tissue align and reorganize to be more similar to your body's normal healthy soft tissues. This reorganization process can take months, but chiropractic care tends to accelerate this natural response. Don't rely on pain as your only indicator of health. If you pay attention to how well your body is moving and functioning, you may be able to avoid the pain in the first place.  As part of National Chiropractic Health Month, we take a look at recent news and research that has highlighted the growing epidemic of prescription drug problems:
CNN's story, "Let’s End the Prescription Drug Death Epidemic," reported on the increasing injury and death from prescription medication as Americans consume 80% of the world's pain medication for less than 5% of the world's population. Harvard research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association highlighted increasing medical mismanagement of back pain as doctors continue to increase narcotic pain prescriptions and ignore medical guidelines that recommend safer, more effective options like chiropractic treatment. A national report on prescription drug abuse ranked Ohio as 12th Highest Drug Overdose Mortality Rate in the US, with most deaths coming from prescription medications. "Fifty Americans die a day from prescription drug overdoses, and more than 6 million suffer from prescription drug abuse disorders. This is a very real epidemic - and warrants a strong public health response," said Andrea Gielen, ScD, Director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy. What's Going On?  October is National Chiropractic Health Month. Discover how to improve your health with chiropractic care. Joints are critical to all movement and allow us to carry out normal activities of daily living. Some 150 million to 200 million cases of back pain send people to the doctor every year—and many of those are related to joint injuries. The bones that make up the joint allow movement, but it is the muscles that pull the bones that produce the movement. Use it or Lose it The movements that you perform on a daily basis are critical to long-term joint health, as are proper nutrition, a healthy exercise regimen, and a healthy lifestyle. Moving a joint through its full range of motion serves several important purposes. Joints are not supplied directly with blood as are other organs within the body, but instead are nourished with synovial fluid that is forced into the joint cartilage through pressure resulting from body movement. So the saying, “Use it or lose it” applies to joint function.
Get Vertical
Enjoy the benefits of chiropractic care. Get vertical and get moving again!  Top athletes are currently competing in London at the Summer Olympics to be crowned the strongest, fastest, most accurate in the world, and perhaps in history. The separation between gold and empty hands is often a split second or a fraction of a point. So what are the world's best athletes doing to gain a competitive edge over their opponents? Performance Enhancers: Sports Drinks vs. Bananas We have been trained by Gatorade to believe we need their colorful sugar water to perform at our best. Commercials show their scientists working with athletes in the lab to determine the best formula to unlock the secret of record-breaking performance. Professional athletes sweat neon green, red, and blue as they accomplish feats of superhuman strength. Olympic athletes are guzzling sports drinks by the gallon, right? Probably not. What's the research say about sports drinks' performance claims? A recent study reviewed 431 performance-enhancing claims for 104 different sports drinks and other products. Half of the products referenced no research for their claims, with the rest relying on 146 referenced studies. Half of those studies could not be reviewed. Only 3 studies out of 146 were determined to be of high quality. Conclusion: proof that sports drinks or other performance-enhancing products work is sorely lacking. The battle of sports drinks vs. bananas Another recent study compared the performance of cyclists drinking a sports drink vs. eating a banana. "Trained cyclists consumed either a cup of carbohydrate drink or half a banana every 15 minutes during a 75-kilometer simulated road race lasting 2.5 to 3 hours. Blood samples taken from the cyclists before and after the exercise were analyzed..." The winner of this athletic bout was bananas. Performance levels were similar in both groups, but bananas had the advantage: Bananas win as performance enhancers! "The bananas provided the cyclists with antioxidants not found in sports drinks as well as a greater nutritional boost, including fiber, potassium and Vitamin B6, the study showed. In addition, bananas have a healthier blend of sugars than sports drinks...'This type of research shows that you can have healthier carbohydrate sources before and after exercise that will support athletic performance just as well as a sports drink.'”  Chiropractic keeps Bolt running. Usain Bolt, the World's Fastest Man's Treatment Secret
Usain Bolt hasn't become the five-time World and three-time Olympic gold medalist, world record holder in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and 4×100 meters relay without taking proper care of his health. A doctor of chiropractic from Florida has been the official Chiropractor of the Jamaican Olympic Team since 1996. One of his patients is Usain Bolt, the world's fastest man. Chiropractic care helps keep Bolt healthy and performing at his best. With stiff competition in London, he'll need every advantage he can get to extend his reign as the world's fastest man. Unfortunately, his fastest competitor is also on the Jamaican team sharing the same doctor of chiropractic, and over 50 other chiropractors are official Olympic team physicians treating athletes. Bolt better go eat some bananas. Enhance your performance and your health naturally, with chiropractic care and proper nutrition. We recommend keeping the consumption of sports drinks to a minimum. These are designed to benefit only those athletes performing at an intense level for prolonged periods of time. Even those athletes are just as likely to benefit from a healthier snack, like a banana and drink of water. You don't need sports drinks to be the healthiest man in the world; just proper nutrition and a good doctor of chiropractic. 2/6/2012 NE Patriots and NY Giants: The Essential Role of Chiropractic Care to Super Bowl XLVIRead Now CARMICHAEL, Calif. – Feb. 1, 2012 – The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the value of chiropractic care, points to the role of the team Doctors of Chiropractic (DCs) in optimizing functionality, endurance and overall conditioning. Dr. Michael Miller of the Patriots and Dr. Robert DeStefano of the Giants explain that chiropractic is fundamental to the consequences of jarring impacts, enhancing body mechanics and joint motion while improving structural balance vital to preventing and addressing many common injuries. “Professional athletes rely greatly on the coordinated efforts of the entire healthcare team, comprised of athletic trainers, rehabilitation specialists, physical therapists, orthopedists and chiropractors,” says Dr. DeStefano. “With the exception of 24/7 availability, preparing for Super Bowl is no different than the regular season. As injuries present themselves, we work systematically to provide the athlete with the care needed. In the end, we hope for quick recovery and high-level performance.” Dr. Miller adds, “Most of our players will get adjusted prior to games to adequately prepare their bodies for battle. Several times during the playoffs, incidents occurred that required chiropractic care and, subsequent to sideline treatment, players were able to return to action the following play. We expect to have the same efficiency going into and during the Super Bowl.” Viewed by both teams as a valuable healthcare component, chiropractic care is commonly used to address neuromusculoskeletal strain injuries, including neck pain, low back pain, strains to the hamstring and quadriceps, and certain whiplash injuries. Additionally, it provides treatment for other extremity problems, such as temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ), carpal and tarsal tunnel misalignments, and shoulder, elbow, knee and ankle tribulations. Being involved with the Patriots for over 30 years, Dr. Miller knows first-hand that the players appreciate the service he provides, and he is excited to enter another Super Bowl together, sharing, “As we get closer, I'm reminded of a mantra from head coach Bill Belichick who says, 'Do your job. If done well, it will reap rewards.' I wish both teams health through this next game and may the best team WIN!” The NFL has come a long way and so has their appreciation of chiropractic. Chiropractic care was once considered unusual in the NFL, but now every team has a chiropractor on staff. Why? Because it works and players demanded it to keep them healthy and help them win. The video below shows how Joe Montana and other 49ers once had to get chiropractic care on their own to help them deal with the repeated injuries sustained on the field. Now players like Jerry Rice and Aaron Rodgers regularly discuss the value of chiropractic care and how it has helped them succeed in the game. 1/17/2012 Annals of Internal Medicine: Chiropractic & Exercise Better than Meds for Neck PainRead NowA study recently published in the Annals of Internal Medicine compared the treatment of 272 adults with neck pain lasting at least 2 weeks. They were treated with chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy (SMT), home exercises, or medications (anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxers, pain killers). Improvement was periodically evaluated over 52 weeks.
The researchers found that chiropractic and exercise were significantly more beneficial than medications for patients suffering neck pain. This significant improvement was noted within 8 weeks for chiropractic treatment and within 26 weeks for home exercises. The improved benefit lasted at least 52 weeks (the length of the study). Read the neck pain study here. |
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October 2024
Information and statements made are for education purposes and are not intended to replace the advice of your treating doctor. This blog is not a doctor and will not diagnose or treat your problems.
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