Dr. Glenn Hyman’s Blog

Chiropractic and Active Release: Ulnar Nerve Compression.

A 41-year-old woman with ulnar tunnel compression complained of poor grip strength and numbness in her right forearm and middle fingers. She was treated with chiropractic care including manipulative therapy, Active Release Techniques, and elastic therapeutic taping. Home exercises and improvements to her workstation ergonomics were also implemented. After her first treatment, immediate improvements were noted regarding weakness and numbness. The patient’s symptoms resolved completely after 11 treatments.
Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, June 2013

Broccoli again? This Week’s 1-Page Health News

We hope you have a great Thanksgiving this year! We are here today and tomorrow, with Dr. Hyman’s schedule completely full. Dr. Stripling has availability if you need us.

Should you happen to hurt yourself really badly after tomorrow (be careful!), either contact us through our website- it goes directly to Dr. Hyman- or call the office to get the on-call doctor’s cell phone # from the voicemail.

We’ll be back in the office for a full week next week.

Mental Attitude: Einstein’s Brain.
The left and right hemispheres of Albert Einstein’s brain were unusually well connected to one another, which may have contributed to his brilliance. This study is the first to detail Einstein’s corpus callosum, the brain’s largest bundle of fibers that connects the two cerebral hemispheres and facilitates interhemispheric communication.
Brain, October 2013

Diet: More Reasons to Eat Broccoli and Cauliflower!
Sulforaphane (found in cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and collards) may help reduce the risk of respiratory inflammation that leads to chronic diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In a study setting, researchers found that those who consumed 200 grams of broccoli had nearly three times as many antioxidant enzymes in their upper airway cells compared to baseline measurements. These protective antioxidant enzymes help fight against common environmental pollutants.
Clinical Immunology, March 2009

Exercise: Better Math, English, and Science Grades!
Research on British school children has found a link between academic performance and daily exercise. English, math, and science scores went up as the number of minutes per day of exercise increased with the greatest gains in female science scores. With boys and girls only exercising 18-29 minutes per day on average, how much could grades improve if physical education hours were increased instead of cut back to save money?
British Journal of Sports Medicine, October 2013

Chiropractic: Decrease Childhood Asthma.
A past study found that 3.5% of children raised under chiropractic care developed asthma, whereas 5% of children raised under medical care developed asthma. The authors of the paper concluded that the immune systems of children receiving chiropractic care may be better able to handle allergens which cause asthmatic conditions.
Journal of Chiropractic Research, May 1989

Wellness/Prevention: Kids Need Regular Bedtimes.
A study of 10,000 children in the United Kingdom found that children with inconsistent bedtimes are more likely to suffer from behavioral and emotional problems than their peers who go to sleep at the same time every night. The good news is that the effects are reversible once children settle into a regular bedtime.
Pediatrics, October 2013

Chiropractic care: Lack of Spinal Motion and the Nervous System.

The negative effects of immobilization (lack of proper motion) in the spine begin as soon as four hours after injury! The direct effects of deconditioning on the nervous system include decreased proprioception (ultimately affecting balance and joint coordination) and a decrease in central neuromotor control of movement and posture. Chiropractic adjustments to restore mobility and alignment of the spine help keep the nervous system functioning properly.
Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 1992

Brought to you by the Denver chiropractors at Dr. Glenn Hyman’s Denver Chiropractic Center

The United States Government Supports Chiropractic Care.

“The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research—a federal government research organization—recommended that low back pain sufferers choose the most conservative care first. It recommended spinal manipulation (chiropractic) as the only safe and effective, drugless form of initial professional treatment for acute low back problems in adults.”
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, December 1994

“Orthopedics Today” says chiropractic is an excellent choice

“Chiropractic spinal manipulation is a safe and effective spine pain treatment. It reduces pain, decreases medication, rapidly advances physical therapy, and requires very few passive forms of treatment, such as bed rest.”
Orthopedics Today, February 2003

This Week’s 1-Page Health News from the chiropractors at Denver Chiropractic Center

Diet: Beans!
People who eat beans have healthier diets overall, lower body weight, and a reduced risk for obesity. A study found bean-consumers between the ages of 12-19 weighed 7 lbs (~3 kg) less and had nearly an inch (~2.5 cm) smaller waist circumference than their non-bean consuming peers. Those who ate beans frequently had a 22% reduced risk of being obese. (So take that all you anti-legume hard-core paleo people.)
The Experimental Biology Conference, 2006

Exercise: More Reasons.
Exercise increases the diffusion capacity of the lungs, which enhances the exchange of oxygen from your lungs to your blood.
Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

Chiropractic: The Benefits of Adjustments.
Besides pain relief, what are the benefits of getting adjusted? 1. Adjustments restore joint motion, both symmetry and range of motion. 2. Adjustments normalize the biomechanics and load distribution of the spine, bone, joints, and disks. 3. Adjustments pump out metabolic waste products from soft tissue cells. 4. Adjustments improve nutrition to disks and cartilage. 5. Adjustments relax tight muscles. 6. Adjustments accelerate healing as movement increases the metabolic rate, and increases collagen and protein production.
Malik Slosberg, D.C.

Wellness/Prevention: Mushrooms & Cancer Risk?
Eating fresh mushrooms (greater than or equal to 10 grams per day) and dried mushrooms (greater than or equal to four grams per day) may decrease your cancer risk by 64% and 47%, respectively. The most commonly consumed mushroom in this study was the white button mushroom (one small white button mushroom weighs 10 grams). An additional protective effect was seen when mushrooms and green tea were both consumed on a daily basis.
International Journal of Cancer, 2009

Chiropractic Adjustments Decrease Pain Associated with Scoliosis.

A case study involving two individuals with scoliosis and back pain were treated with chiropractic manipulation. One patient received routine care one to two times per month while the other received care as-needed. The patient treated as-needed continued to have curve progression while the patient who was treated routinely did not. Both individuals reported improvements to their back pain.
Journal Of Manipulative Physiologic Therapeutics, May 1994

This Week’s Denver Chiropractic Center 1- Page Health News

This is too cool to not share, but my wife Meredith and our baby sitter Meaghan worked hard to make our Lego costumes for Halloween. I am Lego Captain America. Meredith is Lego Ironman. And Meaghan is Lego Spider Man. A safe and happy Halloween to all!

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Health Alert: Evidence Shows Steroids in Waterways.
Recent research has discovered that common livestock steroids do not fully break down in water as previously believed. Researchers are working to understand the environmental effect of this class of drugs on species that rely on rivers and streams near cattle ranches.
University of Iowa, September 2013

Diet: The Effects of Soy and Whey Protein Consumption on Resistance Training.
A small study looked at the effects of consuming either soy or whey protein prior to resistance training. For fourteen days, male participants consumed either 20g of whey protein, soy protein, or a placebo and then performed six sets of squats at ten reps per set using 80% of their maximum lifting weight. Blood tests showed soy protein appeared to lower serum testosterone levels and whey protein appeared to blunt the effect of the stress hormone cortisol in the body.
Journal of the American College of Nutrition, October 2013

Exercise: When Soccer Injuries Occur…
Researchers have found that soccer injuries are more likely to occur if a player’s team is winning, if the player is a forward (an attacking player), after a yellow or red card is issued against the other team, or as the number of free kicks (a kick right after a foul) increases. According to the study’s co-author, Dr. Jaakko Ryynänen, “The ability to recognize periods of matches (games) when the injury incidence is high may be important in terms of preventive measures.”
University of Gothenburg, October 2013

Chiropractic: Heads Up!
If your head is in a forward posture, it can add up to 30 lbs (~13 kg) of abnormal leverage on the cervical spine (neck). In time, this can pull the entire spine out of alignment. Forward head posture may even result in the loss of up to 30% of vital lung capacity. These breath-related effects are primarily due to the loss of the cervical lordosis (the inward curve of the cervical spine), which blocks the action of the inferior hyoid muscle responsible for helping lift the first rib during inhalation.
Rene Cailliet, M.D., January 1996

Chiropractic again: Adjustments Effective After Low Back Surgery.
A review of 32 patients who received chiropractic care after lumbar spine surgery revealed improvements in pain levels with no adverse effects.
Journal Of Manipulative Physiological Therapy, July 2011

Chiropractic outperforms drugs (NSAIDs) and Acupuncture.

A pilot study involving 77 patient with chronic spinal pain received either nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), acupuncture, or spinal manipulation. After 30 days, spinal manipulation was the only intervention that achieved statistically significant improvements according to outcome assessments.
Journal of Manipulative Physiologic Therapeutics, July 1999

Spinal Fixations May Affect the Immune System.

T lymphocytes, part of the adaptive immune system, can be stimulated and inhibited by the nervous system. It’s theorized that spinal fixations may hinder the T lymphocytes’ relationship with the nervous system, possibly affecting the body’s immune response. Correcting these spinal fixations through spinal manipulation may benefit the immune system.
Journal Of Manipulative Physiologic Therapeutics, August 1989