Tag Archive for: neck pain

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

How a one-dollar tool can help you warm up & the One-Page Health News, from the chiropractors at Denver Chiropractic Center

Hi ~Contact.FirstName~,

Before we get started here, we want to thank all of you who have referred friends, family and colleagues to us. Referrals have always been our greatest source for new patients, and we appreciate the trust you show when you tell others about us.

Dr. Hyman will be out of the office next week (week of April 15), but Dr. Stripling will be here to help you. Dr. Stripling’s latest video will show you how to use a one-dollar tool to help you warm up and move better. The link is below.

“I didn’t touch Wally’s junky toy plane. Besides, when I threw it out the window, it didn’t even fly.”
~ Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver

Mental Attitude: Cash and Weight Loss?
Researchers found money is an effective incentive when motivating people to lose weight. 62% of participants who received financial incentives ($20 if they met their monthly goal vs. paying $20 if they fell short of their goal) met their goal, compared with 26% of the non-incentive group. In the incentive group, the participants’ mean weight loss was 9.1 lbs (~4.1 kg), and for the non-incentive group it was 2.3 lbs (~1 kg).
Mayo Clinic, March 2013

Health Alert: Get Healthier!
Epidemiologists estimate that 80% of the most common diseases are linked to obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. Obese people are at an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases, vascular diseases, hypertension, diabetes, and cancer. Regular physical activity lowers the risk of developing breast, colorectal, and cervical cancers.
National Center for Tumor Diseases, March 2013

Diet: Timing and Weight Loss.
In a study of over 400 overweight people, those who ate more of their calories earlier in the day lost more weight than those who skimped on (or skipped) breakfast or ate a later lunch.
International Journal of Obesity, January 2013

Exercise: Less Stress For Kids.
Children who exercise are less affected by stressful events than their more sedentary peers.
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, March 2013

Chiropractic: Disk Biochemistry.
Proper joint motion helps remove wastes and fluids from the disks of your spine and improves the flow of proper nutrients into the disk. It is important to understand that the disk does not have a direct blood supply, and disks only stay healthy with motion. With lack of motion (in the joints of he spine) there is decreased oxygen, glucose, sulfates, and proteoglycan content, all of which are essential for disk health.
Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 1992 Regular spinal adjustments are the best way to maintain mobility your spine. If you haven’t been adjusted in a while, call us!

Wellness/Prevention: Mental Stimulation and Alzheimer’s Disease.
Alzheimer’s disease is thought to result from the build up of amyloid beta protein in the brain. This protein can interfere with nerve cell communication, gradually eroding a person’s mental processes and memory. Regular, prolonged exposure to a mentally stimulating environment appears to prevent amyloid beta proteins from negatively affecting the brain’s inner workings.
Neuron, March 2013

Video link: Dr. Stripling shows you how a one-dollar tool can get you moving before any workout.

If someone that you know has back pain, neck pain or headaches- we can help. Call us at 303.300.0424.

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

We hope you all had a great weekend and enjoyed the great weather. For those of you race, the season is really heating up. Just remember, the sooner you get those nagging aches and pains treated, the better. Don’t let a little twinge grow into something that ruins your season. Call us!

Dr. Stripling’s popular video series is back once again (link below). This week, he shows you how to keep your Achilles tendon happy. We see lots of calf injuries and Achilles problems at our clinic. Active Release and adjusting to restore proper mechanics get great results.

“The best doctor gives the least medicines.”
~ Benjamin Franklin

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Mental Attitude: Decreasing Depression Symptoms in Adolescents.
Teenage students who received mindfulness training (a form of meditation therapy focused on exercising ‘attentiveness’) in school were almost half as likely to report depression related symptoms than their peers who received no such training. At a six month follow-up, these results held up.
Mindfullness, March 2013

Health Alert: Type 2 Diabetes Costs.
Diabetes cost the United States $245 billion in 2012. The new figure represents a 41% rise in just five years. The $245 billion includes $176 in direct medical costs (such as hospital and emergency care, visits to the doctor, and medications), and $69 billion resulting from indirect costs (such as absenteeism, reduced productivity, diabetes-related job loss, and productivity loss due to premature deaths). 26 million adults and children have type 2 diabetes, and another 79 million have pre-diabetes. Medical expenditure for people with diabetes is about 2.3 times higher than for people who don’t have the disease.
American Diabetes Association, March 2013

Diet: Phytonutrients?
“Phyto” nutrients are substances of plant origin that appears to provide added natural protection against cardiovascular disease, cancers, and degeneration. They have anti-oxidant properties, which help with immunity, inflammation, growth, repair, and overall health. Fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and nuts are rich in phytonutrients.
Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2009

Exercise: Short Bouts.
Short bouts of moderately intense exercise seem to boost self-control, possibly due to increased blood and oxygen flow to pre-frontal area of brain. This is particularly important for children and teens, because well-developed higher brain functions are important for academic achievement.
British Journal of Sports Medicine, March 2013

Chiropractic: Standard Medical Care and Chiropractic.
Compared to those who received standard medical care (SMC) alone, military personnel (ages 18-35) with back pain who received chiropractic care in addition to SMC showed significantly more improvement in both decreased pain and increased physical function.
Spine, October 2012

Wellness/Prevention: Omega-3s Reduce Cancer Risk.
According to researchers at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, a lifelong diet containing omega-3 fatty acids may reduce cancer risk by as much as 30%.
The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, February 2013

Video Link. Click here to go to Dr. Stripling’s video on how to keep your Achilles tendon happy.

If there’s someone that you know with back pain, neck pain or headaches- we can help. Call us at 303.300.0424.

Dr. Glenn Hyman, Dr. Jeff Stripling, Office Manager Natalie, & Erin Young LMT

Denver Chiropractic Center

This week’s 1-Page Health Newsletter

Dr. Stripling’s popular video series is back! This week he shows you the proper patterning for the bodyweight squat. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; if you lack the mobility to do a bodyweight squat, your back is going to get hurt. It’s never too late to start. Check out the video link below.

Speaking again about my colleague Dr. Stripling, one of Dr. Stripling’s sponsored athletes, Kyle Pietari, finished first at the Grasslands 50 Mile (!) Ultramarathon this past weekend in Decatur, Texas. After taking the lead at Mile 2, Kyle maintained the top position and won the race in a blistering 7:27. Congrats to Kyle and best of luck this season!

Here is this week’s 1-page health news…

Preventing ankle sprains.
5 minutes of standing on a stability pad 5 times weekly reduced incidence of ankle sprains (and presumably other lower leg injuries) by 77%. McHugh et al, American Journal of Sports Medicine 2007;35: 1289-94 (39). (Just go amazon and search for “Harbinger Balance Pad” to get yours for around $20. If you have an ankle sprain, call us! We get great results with Active Release!)

Mental Attitude: Happiness and Age?
Psychological well-being is linked to important life outcomes such as career success, relationship satisfaction, and health. Well-being tends to increase with age; however, when you were born can have a lasting impact on your overall sense of well-being. For example, people who grew up during the Great Depression started off with lower levels of overall well-being than their children who grew up during more prosperous times. As they aged, their overall sense of well-being increased but stayed below the following generation’s levels at similar ages. Based on this data, researchers warn that people growing up in today’s more challenging economic environment may experience similar long-lasting effects to their overall sense of well-being.
Psychological Science, February 2013

Health Alert: Alcohol On The Brain?
Excessive alcohol use accounts for 4% of the global burden of disease, and binge drinking is a growing health issue. Functional signs of brain damage from alcohol misuse in young people include deficits in visual learning, memory, and executive functions. Structural signs of alcohol misuse in young people include shrinking of the brain and significant changes to white matter tracts.
Cortex, February 2013

Diet: Obesity Causes Vitamin D Deficiency?
Researchers have observed a 4.2% drop in Vitamin D levels for each 10% increase in BMI. Vitamin D is important because it aids bone health and decreases risk of cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attack, and early death.
PLoS Medicine, February 2013

Exercise: Reduce Risk of Dementia.
People who exercise and have higher physical fitness levels during middle age have a significantly reduced risk of developing dementia later in life.
Annals of Internal Medicine, February 2013

Chiropractic: Osteoarthritis and Injuries From Early Adulthood.
Young adults who had injuries to the knee and/or hip were 3x-5x as likely to suffer from osteoarthritis in the knee and/or hip later in life than young adults who suffered no such injuries. This is why it’s so important to get regular care to keep those hips, knees, and spines moving!)
Annals of Internal Medicine, September 2000

Video Link. Click here to see how the squat can build a better you. Really! (If you have pre-existing back problems, please come to the office so we can go through this with you so you don’t get hurt).

If there’s someone that you know with back pain, neck pain or headaches- we can help. Call us at 303.300.0424. And don’t forget, we have the BEST massage therapist in the city here at Denver Chiropractic Center, Erin Young. Treat yourself to an hour, or even two. Call us to get onto Erin’s schedule.

Dr. Glenn Hyman, Dr. Jeff Stripling, Office Manager Natalie, & Erin Young LMT
Denver Chiropractic Center

denverback.com

Denver Chiropractic Center shows you some great exercises for a sprained ankle

Dr. Jeff Stripling from Denver Chiropractic Center shows you some great ankle rehab exercises.

Dr. Stripling’s 3 more for the core, Race season 2013, and this week’s 1-Page Health News.

This week, we have another video for you on core exercises. Dr. Stripling shows three basic exercises that will strengthen and condition the entire body. As simple as these movements seem, there are a few cues to keep in mind to improve both safety and performance. Check it out with the link below.
For those who race, triathlon / cycling / running season are swinging into full gear right around now. Dr. Hyman’s race schedule for 2013 is looking like this:

  • June 1, Xterra Lory, Horsetooth Reservoir
  • July 20, Xterra Beaver Creek, Avon / Beaver Creek
  • August 17, Rattlesnake Olympic, Aurora Reservoir
  • August 24, Xterra Buffalo Creek

Stay tuned for Dr. Stripling’s Event schedule, which he says will include some CrossFit Competitions and some Century rides.

Mental Attitude: Smoking and Anxiety. The belief that smoking relieves stress is pervasive, but likely wrong. Smoking is actually anxiogenic (causes anxiety) and successful quitters usually experience a drop in anxiety.
British Journal of Psychiatry, January 2013

Health Alert: Obesity and Stroke: In males and females ages 5-14, the number of ischemic stroke hospitalizations increased 31% and 36%, respectively, from 1994 to 2007. For ages 15-34 the increase was 51% for males and 17% for females. For ages 35- 44, the increase was 47% for men and 36% for females. The increase in obesity seems to be the primary cause.
CDC, February 2011

Exercise: Aerobic or Resistance Training? A study of 234 adults compared the effects of aerobic training (AT), resistance training (RT) and both aerobic training and resistance training (AT/RT). Researches found the participants in the AT/RT group both increased lean mass (muscle) and decreased body fat, while the RT group did not decrease body fat, and the AT group did not increase lean mass. Journal of Applied Physiology, December 2012

Active Release / Chiropractic: Pregnancy and Back Pain. 20% of women who suffer from severe back pain during pregnancy refrain from having more children out of fear their severe back pain would recur with another pregnancy. Just for the record, WE treat pregnant women using both Active Release and gentle adjustments. Back pain and sciatica are the most common complaints. Obstetrics & Gynecology, February 1998

Wellness/Prevention: How Are You Doing This Year? Only 8% of people succeed in achieving their top New Year’s
Resolution. Journal of Clinical Psychology, December 2012

Quote: “Leave all the afternoon for exercise and recreation, which are as necessary as reading. I will rather say more necessary because health is worth more than learning.” ~ Thomas Jefferson

More core exercises by Dr. Stripling from Denver Chiropractic Center

Dr. Stripling of Denver Chiropractic Center shows three basic exercises that will strengthen and condition the entire body. As simple as these movements seem, there are a few cues to keep in mind to improve both safety and performance.

Car accident injuries- how to avoid them, part 2

Last month, we discussed car safety features, proper headrest position, how to prepare for a crash, and to seek immediate treatment as ways to minimize the chances of suffering from whiplash in the event of an accident. Here are four more ways to avoid or minimize whiplash:

PAY ATTENTION WHILE YOU DRIVE. Too often, we get distracted while driving. Any time our eyes leave the road, the potential for an accident increases significantly. This can occur when changing the radio to a different station, eating while driving, reading while driving, talking on the phone, texting (equals the effects of 2-3 alcoholic beverages), driving under the influence of certain prescription medications (pain killers for example), driving under the influence of alcohol or other chemical agents, and turning your head during conversation. We have a responsibility when we are driving to keep our eyes on the road, as many accidents occur within split seconds of time. If we are not paying attention, we will not be able to avoid a potential collision.

THE CONCEPT OF “NO CRUSH, NO CRASH INJURY” IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE. In fact, just the opposite is true. That is, the greater the amount of crushing metal at the time of collision, the greater the amount of energy absorption that occurs, resulting in less force transferred to the contents inside the vehicle (namely you or me). This is why, many times, people are injured in low speed collisions because there is no energy absorbed by crushing metal as noted by the absence of or, minimal damage to the car.

FOLLOWING YOUR DOCTOR’S ORDERS. It is very important that we do not inadvertently hurt or harm ourselves further by NOT following the advice of our health care practitioner. This means initially using ice to reduce inflammation and swelling, possibly wearing a soft cervical collar during the first few days after the injury to “rest” the injured structures, following proper nutritional advice for optimal healing benefits, and following exercise recommendations. This last treatment approach is vital in the prevention of long term, chronic neck complaints. Other ways you can REALLY help are to follow cervical traction orders.

Cervical traction is a very effective method of reducing muscle spasm, separating the joint spaces, improving disk nutrient transfer and water content, reduce the pinching effect of the nerves, and as a result, speeding up the recovery process. Follow your treatment schedule; that is, DON’T SKIP APPOINTMENTS! During office visits, it is necessary to discuss not only what is working well, but also what may not be working so modifications to your care plan can occur on a timely basis. The primary goal of whiplash management is to prevent the condition from becoming chronic and long-term, and the first few weeks of treatment are critical!

ERGONOMIC MODIFICATIONS. An important part of managing whiplash injuries is preventing daily irritations from tasks that we have to do. Hence, we will discuss adjusting your work station for optimum positioning and avoidance of poor posture, such as using office chairs with arm rests, sitting posture modifications, and computer monitor positioning. Proper sleep positions and pillow design are also reviewed.