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How Often do you Need to be Seen

I asked Chat GTP this question and this is the answer that I got. It is a good answer and one which I tend to agree with. It is how I try to manage my patients.The frequency of chiropractic visits for simple biomechanical back pain depends on multiple factors, including the severity of the pain, the individual’s response to treatment, and specific goals of care. However, there is no universal guideline supported by definitive research that applies to every patient. Current evidence provides so...

Healthy Aging

This article highlights the importance of balance as a key indicator of overall health, especially for individuals over the age of 50. The ability to stand on one leg offers valuable insights into neuromuscular aging and can even hint at potential health risks. Here are the key takeaways:Why Balance Matters1. Neuromuscular Aging:Balance is closely tied to the health of the neuromuscular system. A decrease in balance ability often precedes declines in muscle strength and walking speed, making it ...

Activity is Better Than Exercise

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Xray Referral and Interpretation

Xray, MRI and Ultrasound Interpretation ServiceIn the past many patients have seen us for pain. They have seen other practitioners and have had Xray’s, MRI’s and/or ultrasounds done in an effort to determine the cause of their complaints. They will often have been told that they have “wear and tear” or “arthritis”, or a “sprained muscle”, but the patient is uncertain what it all means. Patients will ask, “Is that normal”? Or “Is what is seen on the imaging the cause of my p...

Walking is the Best Activity for Low Back Problems

A recent study published in The Lancet suggests that regular walking, combined with education, can be an effective strategy for preventing recurrent low back pain. Here’s a breakdown of the findings and implications:The study was published online on June 19 in The LancetKey Findings:Effectiveness: Participants in a walking program, who walked at least 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week, experienced fewer repeat episodes of low back pain compared to a control group. They also had l...

Lifestyle recommendations from Neurosurgeon

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Safety of Spinal Manual Therapy and Chiropractic Care

Much has been written about the safety of Chiropractic Care and Spinal Manual Therapy. Below is a link to the New Zealand Chiropractors Association website that discusses the safety of chiropractic care. When in doubt, contact the chiropractor or the NZCA.The-Safety-of-Chiropractic-Care-review-2020-NZCA.pdfThe Safety of Chiropractic Care(NZCA Discussion Paper - Updated June 2020)IntroductionChiropractic care has been shown to be effective1-3 and it is associated with highlevels of patient s...

Some medications are ineffective in treatment of Low Back Pain.

Acetaminophen is paracetamol. The March 2018 edition of the Lancet maintains that it is no better than a placebo....

Exercises for Low Back Pain do not work!!!!!

A recent Cochrane data base review on the use of exercises for the treatment of low back pain indicated that they were no better than a placebo or no exercise at all, but the evidence is still uncertain. Review Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2023 Aug 30;8:CD009365. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009365.pub2.Authors' conclusions: Exercise therapy compared to sham/placebo treatment may have no clinically relevant effect on pain or functional status in the short term in people w...

Lifestyle of a lucky 101-year-old neurologist

A 101-year-old neurologist who still works full time shares what he eats in a day.Dr. Howard Tucker is 101 years old and still works full-time as a neurologist.The neurologist, who was born on July 10, 1922, in Cleveland, Ohio, still works full-time and lives with his wife of 66 years.Tucker told the mindbodygreen podcast that while his genetics likely account for his sharpness, he believes maintaining an interest in the world around you through work or meaningful volunteering, having loving rel...

Exercise and Cancer Reduction

Short Bursts of Activity May Cut Your Cancer Risk People who do 4 to 5 minutes of vigorous physical activity daily can reduce their cancer risk by up to 32%, a new study published in JAMA Oncology says.Researchers at the University of Sydney, Australia, studied data from wearable fitness devices worn by more than 22,000 "non-exercisers," then examined their health records for 6 or 7 years. The scientists found that people who did 4 to 5 minutes of "vigorous intermittent lifes...

Spinal Stenosis and Manual Therapy

What you need to knowSuspect lumbar spinal stenosis in people over 50 who describe leg pain or paraesthesia on walking or prolonged standing, and who are walking reduced distances as a resultImaging is not required during initial assessment as the correlation between imaging findings and symptoms is poorConservative treatment, which includes supervised exercise and manual therapy, is advised as first line treatment; about 30-50% of patients with mild to moderate symptoms experience spontaneous i...

Artificial Sweeteners

Silver Spring, MD — A new guideline from the World Health Organization (WHO) on nonsugar sweeteners (NSSs) recommends not using them to control weight or reduce the risk for diabetes, heart disease, or cancer. These sweeteners include aspartame, acesulfame K, advantame, saccharine, sucralose, stevia, and stevia derivatives.The recommendation is based on the findings of a systematic review that collected data from 283 studies in adults, children, pregnant women, and mixed populations. ...

Five Benefits of Chiropractic Care

Top 5 Benefits of Chiropractic Care1. Pain Reduction2. Reduce Headaches3. Improved Quality of Life4. Reduced Medication Use5. PerformanceThe first benefit of chiropractic care may be the most impactful- reducing your pain. Before you are living your optimal life, youhave to be free of pain.Multiple research studies have shown that chiropractic is considered one of the most safe and effective treatments to reduce painfrom your neck, low back, and more. Even if you are suffering from spinal stenos...

Living to Old Age

Would You Like to Live to a 'Ripe Old Age'? Cite this: George D. Lundberg. Would You Like to Live to a 'Ripe Old Age'? - Medscape - Aug 31, 2022. How to live to a ripe old age: Choose ancestors that do/did not die of natural causes in young adulthood or middle age (sorry, too late to choose); Never, ever inhale tobacco smoke life-long; Maintain a body mass index within a "healthy range" using a variety of tools; Maintain a blood pressure within a "healthy rang...

New Conditions and Presentations STIDANES

Over the past few years, I have noticed a change in the types of conditions my patients are presenting with.  Whilst most conditions normally have of a biomechanical aetiology within them, including nerve irritation, muscle dysfunction and joint dysfunction, there appears to be an overriding inflammatory component as well. This is new and very rarely seen by me in the past.I have called this syndrome S.T.I.D.A.N.E.S, this stands for "Seriously Terrible Inflammatory Diet and No Exercise Synd...

Medical Support of Chiropractic Care

Top Medical Groups Are Now Supporting Chiropractic Bottom Line: The opioid epidemic has led many leading medical groups to emphasize the importance of conservative care for low back and neck pain. The world's largest medical society, the American College of Physicians, updated it's low back treatment guide in 2017 to support conservative options, such as chiropractic care. The guidelines were published in the prestigious Annals of Internal Medicine and have been adopted by many leading healthcar...

Justin's Gym, Move it to Lube it. Motion is Lotion.

Are you sick and tired of going to the gym?Are you sick and tired and of getting the same old exercises from your healthcare provider?Are you sick and tired of being in pain and continually doing your exercises that do not seem to work?Have you given up on the exercises as they make the problem worse? Your back, neck, shoulder, hip, elbow, wrist, ankle and knee pain is usually a dysfunction of the nerve-muscle-joint system. This can be by trauma (falls and accidents), disuse and overuse, stress ...

Sitting desk work dangers

The idea that sitting for extended periods of time can have negative health consequences has gained significant attention in recent years. Research has indeed suggested a link between excessive sitting and various health issues, including premature death. Here are some key points related to this topic:Health Risks of Prolonged Sitting: Numerous studies have indicated that prolonged sitting can contribute to various health problems, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and even an i...

Concussion and Post-concussion Syndrome

This information is about concussion and post-concussion syndrome, as well as the resources and recent findings related to their manifestations and management. Concussions are a significant concern, especially in sports and activities where head injuries are more common. Here are some key takeaways :The Cerebral Dysfunction Syndrome: Allan Terrett's work in the book "Foundations of Chiropractic" highlights various symptoms associated with head injuries and neck trauma, such as giddiness, dizzine...

Headaches arising from the neck

Headache is a common pain symptom, and a recent study shows that chiropractic can alleviate certain kinds of headaches. Cervicogenic headaches originate in the neck, and they often start with some kind of neck injury due to trauma or an motor vehicle accident. Researchers in this new study worked with 80 patients with chronic cervicogenic headaches. Patients received either chiropractic adjustments or light massage. Patients in the chiropractic group improved substantially more than massag...

Exercises and Activity

I often get asked about "muscle problems" and how to treat them with exercises and activity. There is a popular mis-conception that muscles are the prime cause of spinal issues. The vast majority of patients have a combination of a "nerve-muscle-joint" problem. The muscle represents no more than one third of the problem. I believe that the "nerve-joint" relationship is more important and once we restore the function of that system, then the muscles are then able to function properly. Recent re...

Your Diet, Your Health

No diet is bullet proof and each one of us must find the diets that makes us feel best and which, in our view, gives us the best shot at health and happiness. We can greatly reduce our risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancers and other ills with diet, but we can't eliminate these risks. Will we live longer if we eat better? It's impossible to know. Given these truths, here are some suggested guidelines for finding the right diet for you. Your diet is good if it is helping you achieve normal bl...

The most recent methods for treating low back pain

When I was in medical school in the early 1980s, bedrest for a week or more was often recommended for severe back pain. This sometimes included hospital admission. Then, research demonstrated that prolonged bedrest was actually a bad idea. It was no better (and often worse) than taking it easy for a day or two followed by slowly increasing activity, including stretching and strengthening the back..... Read the full article... Source: Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Faculty Editor, Harvard Hea...

Older Adults

A new literature review discussed: With aging comes a number of new aches and pains. Unfortunately, research shows that although older adults are more likely to experience back pain, they are less likely to seek care for their pain than younger adults. It's important to know that you don't have to resign yourself to a life filled with pain. Chiropractic care is a safe, effective treatment for a variety of conditions associated with aging. Research shows that chiropractic can help back, neck, ...