Tag Archive for: Jeff Stripling

Save your hands (video); after 6 months, I’m ready to go (pic), & the 1-Page Health News….

After 6 months of training (off and on) Dr. Hyman is getting ready for Xterra Beaver Creek this Saturday. Meanwhile, Dr. Stripling is conquering the kettlebell world one swing at a time. And lots of you are doing lots of races. It’s a busy time of year here at Denver Chiropractic Center! We’ll get right to the 1-Page Health News…

Hard to believe, but this is where this season started- on the trainer in the basement in January!

Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, July 15th, 2013

“He who has health, has hope; and he who has hope, has everything.”
~ Thomas Carlyle

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Mental Attitude: Brain Health.
A recent study recommends that doctors treating patients for type 2 diabetes also take cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors into consideration. The combination of type 2 diabetes and CVD can put patients at a higher risk for long-term cognitive dysfunction, even with CVD at subclinical levels.
Journal of Diabetes and Its Complications, June 2013

Health Alert: Summer Heat!
Extreme heat causes 658 deaths a year in the United States. That’s more than tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and lightning combined. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges Americans to take measures to stay cool, remain hydrated, and to keep informed. When the weather gets extremely hot, body temperatures can rise, causing brain damage, organ damage, and even death. When the human body cannot compensate and cool itself properly, it is more susceptible to heat-related illness. 69% of deaths from heat exposure occur at home, and in 91% of these homes there is no air-conditioning. Most of the victims live alone or are unmarried and 72% of them are male.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, June 2013

Diet: Cholesterol-Lowering Diet.
People who ate a Nordic diet had lower levels of harmful LDL cholesterol, higher levels of “good” HDL cholesterol, fewer fat particles in the blood, and therefore, had a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. The healthy ‘Nordic diet’ contains berries, root vegetables, legumes, cabbage, nuts, game, poultry, fish, rapeseed oil, and low-fat dairy products.
Lund University, June 2013

Exercise: Only 12 Measly Minutes?
Only 20% of American adults get enough exercise and just 12 minutes of exercise each week is enough to stay fit! (95% of you who read this email exceed that greatly). Four minute bursts of vigorous physical activity three times each week can elevate oxygen intake levels, lower blood pressure, and decrease glucose levels.
PLOS One, June 2013

Chiropractic: Neck Pain Relief.
Three groups received either spinal manipulative therapy from a chiropractor, pain medication (over-the-counter pain relievers, narcotics and muscle relaxants), or exercise recommendations. After 12 weeks, 57% of those who met with a chiropractor and 48% who exercised reported at least a 75% reduction in pain, compared to 33% of the people in the medication group.
Annals of Internal Medicine, January 2012

Wellness/Prevention: Lifestyle Changes.
The four lifestyle factors that lead to a healthy heart are regular exercise, eating a Mediterranean-style diet, maintaining a normal weight, and not smoking. Adopting these four lifestyle behaviors protected against coronary heart disease as well as the early buildup of calcium deposits in heart arteries, and reduced the chance of death from all causes by 80 percent over an eight-year period.
American Journal of Epidemiology, June 2013
Video link: Dr. Stripling shows you how to protect your hands during the long work day. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome will be September’s Condition of the Month in our office. So here’s a little preview …

 

Common Questions about Cervical Disk Herniations

Last month, we discussed the topic of neck pain arising from cervical disk herniations. The focus of this month’s Health Update is common questions that arise from patients suffering from cervical disk derangement.

1. “What can I do to help myself for my herniated disk in my neck?” The mnemonic device “PRICE” stands for Protect, Rest, Ice Compress, and Elevate is a good tool to use in the acute stage of many musculoskeletal conditions.

  • Protect your health by NOT placing yourself in an environment that is likely to harm you, such as playing sports or doing heavy yard work. That is, think about what you do BEFORE you do it and if sharp, radiating pain occurs, STOP and assess the importance of what you are doing. Use the concept, “…don’t pick at your cut.” This means if you want the injury to heal, don’t keep irritating it!
  • Rest is similar. Limit your activities to those that can be done without increasing symptoms, especially radiating pain.
  • Ice – The use of ice reduces swelling/inflammation, which reduces pain and promotes healing. Alternate it every 15-20 minutes (on/off/on/off/on) several times a day. You can also use contrast therapy (Ice/heat/ice/heat/ice) at 10/5/10/5/10 minute intervals to “pump” out the swelling.
  • Compress – The use of a collar worn backwards, if it’s more comfortable that way, can literally “take the load off.” the neck and disks. There are even inflatable collars which are pumped up with air to traction the neck. Other forms of traction will be discussed further.
  • Elevate – The concept of raising the ankle to the height of the heart so swelling can drain out of the ankle is the classic example of “elevation.” In the neck, the traction concept may apply once again.

2. “I don’t want to have surgery if I can help it. What can you do as a chiropractor to help me?” This is one of our primary goals, and in fact, the goal of ALL health care providers, even surgeons! Chiropractic offers anti-inflammatory measures: ice, herbal anti-inflammatory agents (ginger, turmeric, bioflavonoid, curcumin, bromelain, Rosemary extract, Boswellia Extract, and more), digestive enzymes taken between meals, muscle relaxant nutrients (valerian root, vitamin D, a B complex, chamomile, magnesium, and others) as well as other non-pharmaceutical options. Treatments consist of manual manipulation, mobilization, traction (for home and office), modalities such as laser and low-level laser, electrical stimulation, magnetic field, ultrasound, and others.

Most important is having a “coach” guide you through the stages of healing by first addressing the acute inflammatory stage (first 72 hrs), the proliferative or reparative phase (up to 6-8 weeks), followed by the remodeling phase (8 weeks to 1 or 2 years) and finally, the contraction phase (lifetime – includes the natural shortening of scar tissue). If manual traction reduces neck and arm pain, the use of home traction is very effective. Options include sitting over-the-door traction, laying down versions, and mobile traction collars (discussed previously).

Exercises to stretch and strengthen the neck are also very important in reducing neck pain as well as preventing recurrences. If in spite of all the best efforts of this non-surgical care approach should ongoing neurological loss and relentless symptoms continue, we will coordinate care with physiatrists for possible injection therapy and pharmaceuticals, with neurology for further testing (such as EMG/NCV – a nerve test), and/or neuro- or orthopedic surgery – THE LAST RESORT!

We realize that you have a choice in where you receive your healthcare services.  If you, a friend or family member requires care for neck pain, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services and look forward in serving you and your family presently and, in the future. 303.300.0424 office@denverback.com

 

Car Accidents and neck pain (a.k.a. Whiplash)

Whiplash refers to an injury to the neck resulting from a rapid movement, usually associated with a motor vehicle collision (MVC). However, it can occur with a slip and fall injury, a bar room brawl, during a sports event like being tackled in football, among other things. For the sake of this discussion, we will stick with the classic example of a rear-end MVC.

 Mechanism of injury: So what really happens during the MVC that causes injury? The answer centers around movement of the neck which exceeds the normal tissue’s stretch limits, sometimes referred to as “the elastic barrier.” When the MVC occurs, during the first 100-200 milliseconds the trunk supported by the back of the car seat rapidly moves forwards leaving the head unprotected in its original position resulting in a backward glide or motion of the head and neck. Next, the head (which weighs about 12-15 pounds) drops back (HOPEFULLY) into the headrest stopping the motion, but if the head rest is too far back (>1/2 inch) or too low, then the head keeps going backwards until the tissues in the front of the neck stretch to the point of either stopping the motion or tearing (or both).

Next, the highly stretched front of the neck muscles, ligaments, disks, and tendons (in a “crack the whip” like manner) propel the head forwards to the point of over stretching the tissues in the back of the neck, which similarly stops the movement &/or tears. The degree of injury depends on many things, but is notably worse in the long-necked, skinny female where the “crack the whip” reaction is the greatest. Several factors determine the degree of injury, including the “G-Force,” or the amount of energy produced during the impact. The greater the G-force applied to the head/neck, the greater the potential for injury.

The G-force affecting the occupants inside the vehicle is related to many things: the speed of the crash, the size of the two vehicles (worse if a large automobile hits your smaller car), the angle and springiness of the seat back, the amount of energy absorbed by crushing metal vs. no damage to the vehicles (worse when there is no damage as all the energy is transfer to the occupants), whether the head was rotated or looking straight at impact, and more. The KEY to all of this is that we cannot voluntarily contract our muscles quicker than 800-1000 msec and the whiplash process is over after about 500 msec, so we can’t effectively “guard” or protect ourselves against injury even if we try by bracing ourselves before the MVC!

            Type of injury: The classic injury is called a sprain (ligament tear) and strain (muscle and/or muscle tendon tear) to either or both the front of the neck and/or back of the neck. Sprains and strains come in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree tears, getting progressively worse as more tissue is torn. Please refer to previous issues of the Whiplash Health Update where the anatomy is reviewed so you can “picture” this properly.

            Prognosis: The length of time to recovery or maximum improvement varies by the amount of tissue damage. A “prognosis scale,” first introduced in 1995 and validated by 2001, showed that in Type 1 injuries pain without loss of neck motion healed the quickest. Type 2 injuries where neck movement was reduced after the MVC (but no neurological findings occurred) healed next quickest. Type 3 injuries, which included BOTH motion and neurological loss, healed the slowest and had the worst long-term outcomes. Other factors enter into this, of course.

We will continue this “Whiplash 101” discussion next month…

We realize you have a choice in where you receive your healthcare services.  If you, a friend or family member requires care for whiplash, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services and look forward in serving you and your family presently and, in the future.

Our most watched video ever: Dr. Glenn & the bear, 4th of July week, and the 1-Page Health News

It was last year, 4th of July week up at Beaver Creek when I, Dr. Glenn Hyman, encountered my first bear. Having grown up in New Jersey it was a big deal to me. The video I shared reigns as our most watched video ever, and the link is below. The panicky guy who sounds an awful lot like me was some other person.

Next week, I’ll be back up in Beaver Creek for 4th of July week. This will be my second annual personal Xterra Beaver Creek training camp. If you’re up in the Vail / Beaver Creek area and want to ride the course next week, shoot me an email.

If you need to get in to see me here at Denver Chiropractic Center, call today 303.300.0424. I’m in all this week and out all next week.

Dr. Stripling will be in next Monday and Tuesday, and half of Wednesday before we close for the long 4th of July weekend.

Here is the 1-Page Health News:

Mental Health: Depression and Stroke Risk in Middle-Aged Women.
A 12-year study of over 10,000 middle-aged Australian women found that those who suffered from depression had nearly double the risk of stroke compared to non-depressed women in their same age group. The American Heart Association encourages everyone to learn how to recognize a stroke. Think F.A.S.T: F-Face Drooping. A-Arm Weakness. S-Speech Difficulty. T-Time To Call 9-1-1 (or the appropriate emergency services number if you’re outside the United States).
American Heart Association, May 2013

Diet: Brain Rewards.
Restricting food intake increases the reward value of food, particularly high-calorie and appetizing food. The more successful people are at caloric-restriction dieting, the greater difficulty they will face in maintaining the restriction. Dieting by skipping meals and fasting is less successful than weight loss efforts characterized by intake of low energy, dense, healthy foods. If people want to lose excess weight, it would be more effective to consume healthy, low-sugar foods during regular meals, rather than go for long periods of time without eating.
NeuroImage, May 2013

Exercise: It’s Not Too Late To Cut Heart Failure Risk!
In an eight year study, middle-aged participants drastically reduced their risk of heart failure up to 40% by increasing their cardiovascular fitness level.
American Heart Association, May 2013

Chiropractic: No Headaches!
Spinal manipulative therapy (aka adjustments) is an effective treatment for tension headaches. In a study, patients who received adjustments continued to benefit from care even four weeks after treatment concluded. This is in contrast to patients who received pharmaceutical therapy; they reverted to baseline values when checked a month after treatment ended.
Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 1995

Wellness/Prevention: Fish Oil, Your Heart, and Stress.
A new study finds that regular consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids (most commonly found in cold water fish like Salmon) improves cardiovascular health by dulling the connection between mentally stressful events and cardiovascular functions like heart rate, blood pressure, the fight-or-flight response, and blood flow. Those who frequently find themselves in stressful situations may benefit from adding Omega-3s to their diet.
American Physiological Society, May 2013
Video link: Dr. Glenn and the bear!

Video- if you can’t do this, you may have a problem, your odds needing back surgery, and this week’s 1-Page Health News

Hi Glenn,

Happy Monday! Well, the heat is back. And for most of us active people, that’s kind of a good thing. Maybe I’m odd, but I enjoy riding my bike on a really hot day.

There’s an interesting study from the journal Spine showing that back pain patients who started with a chiropractor were 28 times less likely to end up having surgery than patients who started by seeing a surgeon. (see below).

This week, Dr. Stripling has a great video for you on the chair squat. I know, you’re thinking, “The squat again?” Here’s the truth: there are a few basic movements that add up over time. If you can’t get yourself closer to the ground correctly, you wear out your spine. Then, one day, you go to tie a shoe, or pick up a bag of dog food, or sneeze – and blow your back out. We see it day in and day out in our office. So, after reading this week’s 1-Page Health News, I strongly suggest taking a look at this week’s video. Of course, if you have a bad back already, you should learn this under our supervision (call us). Proceed wisely!

Health Alert: What Concussion?
Many United States high school football players think it’s okay to play with a concussion even though they know they are at risk of serious injury. Over 90% of players polled recognized a risk of serious injury if they returned to play too quickly, but only 54% would always or sometimes report their concussion symptoms to their coach. Pediatric Academic Society, May 2013

Diet: Fight Inflammation!
Chronic inflammation is a condition that can be triggered by obesity and can ultimately lead to both cardiovascular and metabolic disease. Some foods that are known to combat unhealthy inflammation are citrus fruits, leafy greens, tomatoes, wild salmon, and whole foods high in fiber. University of Alabama at Birmingham, March 2013

Exercise: ‘Walkable’ Neighborhoods.
Preschool children are less likely to be obese if they live in a neighborhood that is safe and within walking distance of parks and retail services. Pediatric Academic Society, May 2013

Chiropractic: I Like Those Odds!
Patients who went to a chiropractor first had were less likely to undergo surgery than those who went to a surgeon first. 42.7% of workers with back injuries who first saw a surgeon had surgery, in contrast to only 1.5% of those who initially saw a chiropractor.  Spine, December 2012

Wellness/Prevention: Brain Power Boost.
Regularly consuming the healthy fats found in fish, extra virgin olive oil, and nuts may assist in maintaining cognitive functions in older individuals. British Medical.
Journal, May 2013.
Video link: Dr. Stripling shows you the chair squat. You really should be able to do this pain free.

Awesome Dog finds a great home:

I’m happy to report that Rooster has found a home. My good friend Dave Kupernick adopted Rooster from my other good friend Andrew Stone. Most of you know that Mr. Stone is the canine behaviorist who trained our 1-year old chocolate lab when she was a pup. If have a dog that has behavioral problems, I strongly recommend you have Mr. Stone help you get your dog “reprogrammed” and behaving in a more civilized manner. Call Andrew Stone directly at 720-366-2238

Hippocrates and chiropractic care

Chiropractic may only be 114 years old, but spinal manipulation has been around for thousands of years. Massage and manipulation are two of the oldest remedies known to man. In fact, the first pictures depicting spinal manipulation were discovered in prehistoric caves in Point Le Merd in southwestern France. These drawings depicted crude, non-specific attempts to manipulate the spine that date back to 17,500 bc. The ancient Chinese were using manipulation in 2700 bc. and James Cyriax, in his Textbook of Orthopedic Medicine, included a picture of a Buddhist temple with a statue over 2,000 years old showing manipulation of the lumbar spine.

More recently, Hippocrates (460-377 bc), the father of Greek medicine said, “Get knowledge of the spine, for this is the requisite for many diseases.” He wrote over seventy books on healing and was a proponent of spinal manipulation. This great physician was also the first to deal with the anatomy and the pathology of human spine. In his books, he provides a precise description of the segments and the normal curves of the spine, the structure of the vertebrae, the tendons attached to them, the blood supply to the spine, and even its anatomic relations to adjacent vessels. Hippocrates devised two apparatuses, known as the Hippocratic ladder and the Hippocratic board, to reduce displaced vertebrae.

Hippocrates believed only nature could heal and it was the duty of a physician to remove any interference preventing the body from healing. Hippocrates taught that the essence of life and the ability of the body to heal was the result of a vital spirit.

How and why to avoid knee replacement surgery and this week’s !-Page Health News

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
~ Hippocrates

Health Alert: Hip/Knee Replacement?
Joint damage from osteoarthritis is responsible for 80% of hip replacements and 90% of knee surgeries. Only 50% of individuals with arthritis who had a hip or knee replacement reported a significant improvement in pain and mobility after surgery. 25% of patients who get a single joint replacement will have another within two years.
Arthritis & Rheumatism, April 2013

“Did you know that if your spine is not moving well or is not aligned (known as subluxation of the spine), you could easily get an injury in your hips, knees, calves or ankles? This is because spinal subluxations inhibit the nervous system, leading to poor motor control. Reference- Seaman et al, JMPT; 18;21(4): 267-280.

Getting your spine adjusted regularly is the best way to keep your body moving well and keep those muscles firing. Our athletes who get adjusted regularly hold up better than the ones who wait for the pain to set it. Call us – 303.300.0424 – or just reply to this email.

Diet: Unleaded Please!
Levels of lead in rice imported into the United States (US) ranged from 6-12 mg/kg. For adults, the daily exposure levels from eating imported rice are 20-40 times higher than the Food and Drug Administration’s accepted levels. For infants and children, the daily exposure levels are 30-60 times higher. Lead is a neurotoxin that can damage the brain, and in young children whose brains are still growing, it can seriously diminish their capacity to learn and develop. It can disrupt children’s behavior, such as make them more aggressive, impulsive, and hyperactive. Lead increases blood pressure and causes cardiovascular diseases in adults.
American Chemical Society, April 2013

Exercise: Walking vs. Running.
Brisk walking can reduce a person’s risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol just as much as running can. The risk for first-time hypertension was notably reduced 4.2% by running and 7.2% by walking. The risk for first-time high cholesterol was reduced 4.3% by running and 7% by walking. The risk for first-time diabetes was lowered 12.1% by running and 12.3% by walking. The risk for coronary heart disease was lowered 4.5% by running and 9.3% by walking.
Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, April 2013

Chiropractic: Lowering Blood Pressure.
Chiropractic adjustments to the upper neck were shown to lower high blood pressure. Researchers found a 14 mm Hg greater drop in systolic blood pressure, and 8 mm Hg greater drop in diastolic blood pressure following a cervical adjustment. This effect was greater than would result from two blood pressure medications given in combination, and it was adverse-event free.
Journal of Human Hypertension, March 2007

Wellness/Prevention: Vitamin D.
A hormone produced in the skin with exposure to sunlight, Vitamin D is also found in fish, fish liver oils, and egg yolks. Muscle function and recovery from fatigue has been shown to improve with Vitamin D supplementation, which is thought to enhance the activity of the mitochondria – the power plants of the cell.
Newcastle University, April 2013

How to get rid of elbow pain

Denver Chiropractic Center Weekly Health Update

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
If you want to be happy, practice compassion”
~ Unknown
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Mental Attitude: The Elderly and Facebook.
Elderly adults who learned to use Facebook on a daily basis scored 25% better on tests measuring their cognitive abilities than their peers who did not.
University of Arizona, February 2013

Health Alert: Baby Boomers Vs. Preceding Generation!
As each generation grows older, they believe they are healthier than the previous generation. However, the baby boomers are unable to make this claim. Compared to the preceding generation at the same stage of their lives, fewer have “excellent” health (13% vs. 32%), more have high blood pressure (75% vs. 35%), and more are obese (36% vs. 25%).
JAMA Internal Medicine, February 2013

Diet: The Southern Diet and Stroke.
People from the American South are 20% more likely to have a stroke than those from other parts of the country, and the Southern diet may be to blame. People who eat Southern style food high in fat, sugar, and salt at least 6 times a week were at 41% higher risk for a stoke. People whose diets consisted of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains at least 5 times a week were 29% less likely to have a stroke.
American Stroke Association, February 2013

Exercise: Tai Chi?
Tai Chi may reduce falls among adult stroke survivors. Tai Chi is a martial art dating back to ancient China that includes physical movements, mental concentration, and relaxed breathing.
American Stroke Association, February 2013

Chiropractic: Recommended For Back Pain.
The Royal College of General Practitoners’ 2009 recommendation for treating non-specific low back pain advises doctors to advocate exercise and manipulation (such as chiropractic care) before pharmacological (drug) therapies and more invasive treatments (like surgery).
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellences, 2009

Wellness/Prevention: Sunshine and Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Routine exposure to the sun, especially ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, may decrease the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Those with the most elevated rates of exposure were 21% less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than who had less exposure.
Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, February 2013

Who replaced Miss Keri, Denver Chiropractic Center shows you how to help your own ankle sprain, and the one-page health news.

This week we welcome our new office manager Natalie who is taking the reins from Keri. We look forward to working with Natalie for a long time. This week, as we’re all digging out from the snow, we have another video from Dr. Stripling. He’s covering ankle sprains. We treat lots of ankle sprains at Denver Chiropractic Center. As scar tissue affects the injured ankle, it’s left stiff and painful. By using Active Release Techniques to break up the scar tissue, and using some appropriate re-training techniques, we can usually dramatically shorten the time it takes for sprained ankles to heal.

 

Mental Attitude: No Interruptions Please. Short interruptions (such as the few seconds it takes to silence that buzzing smart phone) have a surprisingly large effect on one’s ability to accurately complete a task. Interruptions of just three seconds can double your chances for making errors. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, January 2013

Health Alert: American Health. Americans have shorter life expectancy and higher rates of injury and disease than citizens of other industrialized countries. A 2011 report showed that the US ranked 50th in life expectancy. In most health issues (infant mortality, teenage pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, heart disease, chronic lung disease, disability, obesity, diabetes, drug-related deaths, homicides, injuries, and HIV/AIDS), the US is either at the bottom or near the bottom of the list of industrialized nations. Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council, January 2013

Exercise: Not At School! In the 1920s, 97% of US college students were required to take Physical Education (PE); today, that number is at an all-time low of 39%. 34% of adolescents and teens ages 12-19 are overweight and 17% are obese. These rates have roughly doubled since 1980. The median PE budget for schools in the US is $764 per school year in K-12 and 61% of PE teachers report an annual budget of less than $1,000. Obesity will cost the US $344 billion in medical- related expenses by 2018, about 21% of the nation’s total health-care spending. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, January 2013

Chiropractic: Inflammation! Inflammation is your body’s natural response to injury and is part of the healing process. However, if proper care is not received, inflammation can hinder the healing process and may lead to scarring, improper motion, and additional pain. Signs of inflammation include: pain, heat, redness, swelling, and loss of function. Chiropractic adjustments and care can reduce inflammation and pain naturally!

Quote: “A healthy attitude is contagious but don’t wait to catch it from others. Be a carrier.” ~ Tom Stoppard

Video: Dr. Stripling’s Ankle sprain video can be found on our blog by clicking here.