Low Back Pain: Getting Back Your Balance
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Clear Lake Chiropractor comments: Our sense of balance comes from a few different areas of the body. The inner ear gives us input on the position of our head and whether we are moving. This is combined with input from the eyes, which gives similar information. Most people think this is where it ends, but the spine is also integral to maintaining proper balance.
Tiny nerve endings in the spinal column send information about position and movement up the spinal cord, and into our brains where it is integrated with information from the ears and eyes. A person can become imbalanced through disease in any of these areas: eyes, ears, and spine. Inner ear infections, but also head and neck trauma can dislodge tiny particles in the inner ear that give us balance feedback. The spine can also be primarily injured through traumas to ligaments and muscles. In addition to neck trauma, patients with low back trauma can also have their balance affected.
Patients with chronic low back pain tend to have more sway to their posture, which means there is less margin for error if one trips or misses a step. There is also reduced response time, which is needed for unexpected events. Part of the rehabilitation of chronic low back pain involves getting back the sense of balance if it has been affected.
You may find when your postural muscles are strengthened, back pain is reduced. Even more important than this, strengthened postural muscles can help prevent falls, which occur more frequently when your sense of balance is affected by disease.
Can you stand on one leg for five seconds or twenty? Have you fallen or had a few near misses in the past month? Have you broken a bone due to a fall?
We can diagnose why you may be suffering from balance problems and low back pain. A home exercise and balance program can be prescribed to make sure your spinal muscles and joints give proper input into the brain. You’ll probably start by standing on one leg, if you can do that, and then progress slowly through more challenging postures, such as bending your knee, or moving one leg around. It’s important that a doctor evaluate you before commencing with balance treatments. You do not want to fall during your exercises.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
Low Back Pain & Work Injuries
To download a copy of this newsletter, please click here.
Nasa Area Chiropractor comments: About 1/3 of patients with low back pain will consult a doctor of chiropractic. People who injure their low back on the job also often consult a chiropractor. One study (J Occup Environ med 2007;49:1124;Wasiak R, Kim J, Pransky GS) looked at these on-the-job injuries and how chiropractic care was used. In this report from Massachusetts, about 89% of workers initiated chiropractic care within 30 days of the injury and about half (48%) were done with their care in the same time frame.
At work and during lifting the lower spine and disks are especially vulnerable to injury. Heavy loads or simply awkward or stooped positions can be risks and should be avoided. Of interest, more people tend to injure their back in the first two hours of a work shift. This may be because the disks swell up with water during sleep and are more 
pressurized first thing in the morning. Or perhaps we’re not as attentive to lifting with good form, first thing in the morning.
If you’ve suffered a back injury it’s important to get checked soon so that you have the best chance for getting back on
the job quickly. Bed rest and staying inactive are usually not healthy options for treating the low back. Inactivity can make back sprains worse by causing the muscles to weaken. Walking keeps pressure off of the disks and keeps the muscles engaged. If walking aggravates your pain, then it has to be avoided in the short term. Of course lifting following a back injury has to be limited. It’s important to lift with your legs and to avoid twisting motions.
Chiropractic adjustments are designed to improve the mobility of the spinal joints, improve posture and decrease tension on the delicate ligaments and nerves. In many studies chiropractic care has exceeded the results seen with conventional medical treatments such as medications or surgery.
When a back injury occurs, commonly the vertebrae move out of their normal position from the stretch of the supporting ligaments. Simply leaving the ligaments in this stretched-out position may not be healthful in the long run. Since the ligaments are injured, the vertebral joints tend to move abnormally. This is called a mechanical back problem and is one of the most common diseases of the lumbar spine.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
Dr Beecher’s April 2015 Monthly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Monthly Newsletter, please click here!
“Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value.” ~ Albert Einstein
New Research Claims Treating Back Pain Quickly and Effectively May Help Reduce
Future Pain, Suffering, and Even Disability.
Also this month:
- Does eating organic make a difference? A new study compared insecticide exposure among organic and non-organic produce consumers. The results might surprise you.
- Another study shows meditation helps brain function: Brain function starts to decrease in individuals in their mid-to-late 20s… meditation may dramatically slow this aging process.
- Man Walks 21 Miles Every Day to and from Work for 12 Years… But What Happened Next Is the Best Part of the Story!
Houston – If you have ever had low back pain, then you will find this information very useful… especially if you do not want your back pain to come back!
New research published in the Journal of Pain (a peer-reviewed publication of the American Pain Society) indicates that pain severity during an episode of back pain is correlated with future pain and disability.
The authors of the study write, “After six months, the results showed that baseline pain intensity was associated with a 12 percent higher risk for developing chronic low back pain and patient beliefs that pain would persist conveyed a 4 percent risk increase. After five years, baseline pain intensity yielded a 9 percent increased risk for chronic pain, while believing that pain would persist had increased the risk by 6 percent.”
According to Science Daily: “The authors noted that their research confirms previous studies concluding that baseline pain intensity is a key predictor of future pain and disability.
“Clinically, the study confirms that effective pain relief in the initial management of low-back pain has implications for long-term improvement.”
Based on this research, it is clear that all back pain should be taken seriously and treated appropriately because treating back pain quickly and effectively may help reduce future pain, suffering, and even disability.
What About Preventing Back Pain?
If you want to prevent low back pain, then you must first understand its cause. A 2008 study found that the majority of low back pain (97%) is mechanical in nature. Mechanical low back pain is the general term that refers to any type of back pain caused by injury to the spinal structures (bones, ligaments, and disks, for example).
In other words, if you have low back pain, the odds are the cause is NOT a tumor or anything life-threatening. But… and this is a very big BUT… every case of low back pain should be evaluated by an appropriate physician to rule out non-mechanical causes. This is why chiropractors are trained in differential diagnosis to determine when low back pain is mechanical and when it is something more serious.
What Treatments Help
Mechanical Low Back Pain?
Chiropractic has been shown to be both safe and effective for the treatment of mechanical low back pain. For example, a study published back in 1990 in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) compared Chiropractic care to hospital outpatient treatment and found: “Chiropractic treatment was more effective than hospital outpatient management, mainly for patients with chronic or severe back pain. A benefit of about 7% points on the Oswestry scale was seen at two years. The benefit of chiropractic treatment became more evident throughout the follow-up period. Secondary outcome measures also showed that chiropractic was more beneficial.”
The study concluded, “For patients with low back pain in whom manipulation is not contraindicated, chiropractic almost certainly confers worthwhile, long-term benefit in comparison with hospital outpatient management. The benefit is seen mainly in those with chronic or severe pain.”
It is great that Chiropractic care can help low back pain, but the main goal of any treatment should be to get you out of pain AND prevent your pain from coming back.
New research published in Arthritis Care & Research, the journal of the American College of Rheumatology, shows that being engaged in manual tasks involving awkward positions can increase an individual’s risk for a low back injury by up to 800%. Researchers also found that those who are distracted or fatigued while performing physical tasks are also at significantly higher risk for a low back injury.
What’s the Take-Home Message Here?
First, the majority of low back pain is mechanical and can be treated with chiropractic care. Second, many cases of low back pain can be prevented in the first place by avoiding awkward positions, distractions, and fatigue while performing physical activities.
Learning proper posture while sitting can help prevent the abnormal stress and strain that lead to low back pain over time. If you develop low back pain, seek the proper treatment, one that has a proven track record. Getting the best care to get out of pain as fast as possible is extremely important. Also, make sure your treatment plan includes information on how you can prevent your low back pain from coming back (such as learning proper lifting technique) because relapses are often worse than the original injury.
Study Shows Meditation Helps Brain Function!
A new study by UCLA researchers found that meditation appears to help preserve the brain’s gray matter, the tissue that contains neurons. This is extremely important because at some time in the mid-to-late 20s, the brain begins to decrease in size and can often lose some function.
According to the study, the effects of meditation were greater than expected. Study co-author Dr. Florian Kurth writes, “We expected rather small and distinct effects located in some of the regions that had previously been associated with meditating… Instead, what we actually observed was a widespread effect of meditation that encompassed regions throughout the entire brain.”
Dr. Kurth warns that this study does not “prove” meditation preserved gray matter in the brain. There are many other factors such as lifestyle and genetics that can have an effect, but the results are promising and hopefully more research will give more definitive answers.
Don’t forget, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your health, talk to us. Contact us with your questions. We’re here to help and don’t enjoy anything more than participating in providing you natural pain relief.
Inspirational Story Of The Month
(Names And Details May Have Been Changed To Protect Privacy)
Man Walks 21 Miles Every Day
to and from Work for 12 Years!
But What Happened Next Is the Best Part of the Story…
James Robertson is a 56-year-old man who ran into a little problem twelve years ago when his 1988 Honda Accord stopped working. He lived 23 miles from the factory he worked at and could not afford another car. For most people, this would be enough for them to quit, roll over, and play dead, but not James Robertson.
He decided to do whatever it took to get to work and “whatever it took” turned out to be quite shocking.
Every workday, Robertson would walk most of an astounding 21-mile round trip from home to work and back to home.
Here is another amazing fact about this: Robertson made this journey every day for a $10.55 an hour job. Since this is barely enough to pay for rent and food, he continued this for twelve years because he was unable to buy another car.
What does Robertson’s boss have to say about him? “I set our attendance standard by this man,” says Todd Wilson, Plant Manager at Schain Mold & Engineering. “I say, if this man can get here, walking all those miles through snow and rain, well I’ll tell you, I have people in Pontiac 10 minutes away and they say they can’t get here – bull!”
Wilson also said that Robertson comes in his office every morning to talk sports, and Wilson’s wife makes dinner for Robertson every night.
Here’s where the story gets good… One day, a banker by the name of Blake Pollock saw Robertson making his daily journey and offered him a ride. The two traveled together for work for a few months until Pollock shared Robertson’s amazing story with the Free Press. Then, Robertson’s story went viral. That’s when a 19-year-old college student, Evan Leedy, changed the 56-year-old factory worker’s life forever.
Leedy started a GoFundMe drive for Robertson that raised over $300,000 from 11,400 donors in just four days! At the time of this writing, the campaign has raised over $350,000! So much for living in a cruel world filled with people who only care about themselves!
But it gets even better… A local car dealership, Suburban Ford of Sterling Heights, gave Robertson a fully loaded 2015 Ford Taurus.
According to USA Today, the dealership’s manager, Jim Elder, said getting his own employees to work on time is often difficult, and they live in the same town as the dealership. Then there’s Robertson, who lives miles from work and hasn’t been late in a decade.
While Robertson’s dedication to his job and the work of Leedy and Pollock to help him could cause one to label them as heroes, so are the 11,400 people who donated money to a man they have never met. Here is something to think about: 11,400 people donated to reach $300,000. That means the average donation was just $26.32. It’s amazing how a seemingly insignificant act and amount of money can have such a massive impact on someone’s life.
Just imagine what kind of impact we could make on the world if everyone gave just a little time, energy, or money to help someone they didn’t know each and every day!
We love helping our patients and their friends and relatives through their tough times and
getting them feeling better! We are here to help you stay feeling better and looking younger!
Don’t be a stranger. You really can afford Chiropractic care! Don’t wait until you can no longer move!
Did You Know?…
5 Ways Exercise Can Enhance Your Brainpower and Mood!
- Exercise reverses the detrimental effects of stress. Exercise boosts levels of soothing brain chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. On a cellular level, exercise may even reverse some of the damage caused by stress that can accelerate the aging process.
- Exercise lifts depression. Sustained, sweat-inducing activity can reduce symptoms of depression about as effectively as antidepressants, according to a recent study.
- Exercise improves learning. Exercise increases the level of the chemicals in the brain — called growth factors — that help make new brain cells.
- Exercise builds self-esteem and improves body image. Even simply seeing fitness improvements, like running a faster mile or lifting more weight, can improve your self-esteem and body image.
- Exercise leaves you feeling euphoric. High-intensity exercise can leave you with a feeling of euphoria. Try running, biking, or swimming as fast as you can for 30 to 40 seconds and then reduce your speed to a gentle pace for five minutes before sprinting again.
Tip Of The Month
Does Eating Organic Food Make a Difference?
Eating organic food is a very hot topic. It seems like everyone is talking about it, and everyone has a strong opinion one way or the other. Some swear by it and say you are poisoning yourself if you do not eat organic foods. Others say eating organic is nothing more than a waste of money. Is there really a benefit to eating organic food over non-organic food in regards to actual pesticide levels in the body?
A study published in Environmental Health Perspectives analyzed the dietary exposure of nearly 4,500 people from six cities across the United States to organophosphates (OPs), the most common insecticides used on conventionally grown produce in the country. OPs are linked to a number of detrimental health effects, particularly among agricultural workers who are regularly exposed to this class of chemicals. The results of the study showed that among individuals eating similar amounts of fruits and vegetables, those who reported eating organic produce had significantly lower OP pesticide exposures than those consuming conventionally grown produce. In addition, consuming conventionally grown foods typically treated with greater amounts of pesticides during production (such as apples, nectarines, and peaches) was associated with significantly higher levels of exposure.
Lead author Dr. Cynthia Curl adds, “For most Americans, diet is the primary source of OP pesticide exposure… The study suggests that by eating organically grown versions of those foods highest in pesticide residues, we can make a measurable difference in the levels of pesticides in our bodies.”
According to this research, it seems like eating organic fruits and vegetables is not a waste of money. As always, more research needs to be done to determine how much OP exposure may be bad for you and if there are ways to mitigate exposure if you do purchase non-organic produce. But, when in doubt, organic might be the way to go, at least when it comes to apples, nectarines, and peaches.
Remember, we’re always here to help your body heal
and maintain the pain free body you deserve.
This information should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all health care concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a health care professional who is familiar with your updated medical history.
Dr Beecher’s January 5 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Weekly Newsletter , please click here!
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, January 5th, 2015
Mental Attitude: Full-Day Preschool Increases Readiness for Kindergarten. Children who attend preschool full-time score better in areas such as language, math, socio-emotional development, physical health, literacy, and cognitive development when compared with kids who attend preschool for half the day. Lead author Dr. Arthur J. Reynolds writes, “Full-day preschool appears to be a promising strategy for school readiness… In addition to increased educational enrichment, full-day preschool benefits parents by providing children with a continually enriched environment throughout the day, thereby freeing parental time to pursue career and educational opportunities.” JAMA, November 2014
Health Alert: ER Visits on the Rise in the US. The number of emergency room visits in the United States (US) has risen from approximately 130 million in 2010 to an estimated 140 million in 2014, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Nearly 30% of visits were for injuries, with the highest rates among individuals 75 years of age and older. Dr. Michael Gerardi, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians, adds, “Given that our nation’s population is aging, and emergency departments have a critical role as the front line of responding to disasters and infectious disease outbreaks in America… we need to prepare for increased numbers of patients.” American College of Emergency Physicians, November 2014
Diet: Get Kids Cooking to Promote Healthy Eating. According to a new report, getting kids involved in cooking may make them more likely to choose healthier foods. The study found that cooking programs and classes for children seem to positively influence children’s food preferences and behaviors. Cooking education programs teach children about healthy foods and how to prepare them. These programs also stress the importance of eating five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. If parents are unable to enroll their kids in a cooking class, then they can achieve similar benefits by simply having their children help them while they prepare meals at home in their own kitchen. Preventing Chronic Disease: Public Health Research, Practice and Policy, November 2014
Exercise: Lowers Hypertension Risk. Using data from treadmill stress tests and blood pressure measurements from over 57,000 older men and women, researchers determined that individuals who are in good physical shape have at least a 20% lower risk for hypertension than those who are out of shape. JAMA, December 2014
Chiropractic: Why Does Your Back Hurt? The American Chiropractic Association offers the following explanation on what causes back pain: “The back is a complicated structure of bones, joints, ligaments, and muscles. You can sprain ligaments, strain muscles, rupture disks, and irritate joints, all of which can lead to back pain. While sports injuries or accidents can cause back pain, sometimes the simplest of movements—for example, picking up a pencil from the floor— can have painful results. In addition, arthritis, poor posture, obesity, and psychological stress can cause or complicate back pain. Back pain can also directly result from disease of the internal organs, such as kidney stones, kidney infections, blood clots, or bone loss.” ACA, December 2014
Wellness/Prevention: Simple Breath Test May Help Detect Type 1 Diabetes Earlier in Children. Researchers claim to have identified a chemical marker for type 1 diabetes that could pave the way for early diagnosis in children by using a simple breath test. Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) occurs when a severe lack of insulin causes the body to break down fats for energy. This process leads to an elevation of ketones in the blood, which can lead to diabetic coma or even death. In the study, researchers found the sweet smelling ketones disposed of through the breath may be used as an early indicator of ketone build-up in the blood. Researcher Dr. Gus Hancock adds, “After clinical trials, we hope that this will be used by people with type 1 diabetes to test whether or not they are heading for DKA when they are not feeling well.” Journal of Breath Research, November 2014
Quote: “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” ~ Ernest Hemingway
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or BeecherChiropractic.com .
Dr Beecher’s November 3 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Weekly Newsletter , please click here!
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, November 3rd, 2014
Mental Attitude: Anxiety, Jealousy, & Moodiness May Increase Alzheimer’s Risk in Women. A woman’s risk for Alzheimer’s disease may be higher if she is anxious, jealous, or moody during middle-age. Over a 38-year period, researchers followed nearly 800 women who completed on-going personality tests regarding neuroticism, extraversion, and introversion. The study’s results show that women with the highest scores for neuroticism were twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s as those with lower neuroticism scores. However, this association appeared to be greater among participants who had experienced long periods of stress. They also found that women who scored high on both neuroticism and introversion were at the highest risk for developing Alzheimer’s. Researcher Dr. Lena Johannsson writes, “Personality may influence the individual’s risk for dementia through its effect on behavior, lifestyle, or reactions to stress.” Neurology, September 2014
Health Alert: Living Near Major Roads a Risk Factor for Cardiac Death in Women. According to the American Heart
Association, living within 50 meters (~164 feet) of a major road increases a woman’s risk of dying from a sudden cardiac death by 38%. Lead researcher Dr. Jaime E. Hart notes, “It’s important for healthcare providers to recognize that environmental exposures may be under-appreciated risk factors for diseases such as sudden cardiac death and fatal coronary heart disease.” Circulation, October 2014
Diet: Family Meals During Childhood May Prevent Obesity. Family meals could protect children against obesity, as such meals tend to include fruits, vegetables, calcium, and whole grains. A new study indicates that even having as few as one to two family meals a week during adolescence significantly reduces the odds of an individual being overweight or obese ten years later when compared with those who reported never having family meals during their teen years. Journal of Pediatrics, October 2014
Exercise: Genes May Affect Exercise’s Ability to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes. Most agree on the benefits of exercise in its role for weight management and the prevention of type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, a new study claims that some may have a tougher time than others due to their genes. In the study, researchers examined interactions between physical activity, genetics, and diabetes risk in more than 8,100 Americans. They found that exercise provided less protection against diabetes in individuals with a high genetic risk for insulin resistance. However, the lead author of the study stresses that this finding is no reason for people battling obesity to stop exercising. Diabetologia, September 2014
Chiropractic: Low Back Pain and Pregnancy. Questionnaires completed by a sample of 105 women who recently gave birth indicate that low back pain is a sizeable problem for expectant mothers. Of the 105 women surveyed, 67.6% suffered from low back pain during pregnancy. More than half (57.7%) reported that back pain prevented them from performing their daily activities with 77.5% of those women claiming their back pain increased as their pregnancy advanced. Because 93% of these women received no back pain-related treatment, the authors of the study advise health care professionals to be proactive in asking expectant mothers about their back pain. Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, September 2014
Wellness/Prevention: Atopic Dermatitis in Children Improved with Vitamin D Supplements. A small study involving 100 school children in Mongolia has found that daily treatment with 1000 IU of a vitamin D supplement significantly reduced the symptoms of winter-related atopic dermatitis. Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the skin, which is uncomfortable and makes patients more vulnerable to bacterial infection. The condition is most commonly seen in children and more so during the winter. The study’s author recommends that parents of children with symptoms that worsen in the winter try a vitamin D supplement for a few weeks when such symptoms flare-up, after first discussing the study and their plan with their pediatrician. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, October 2014
Quote: “I believe that we form our own lives, that we create our own reality, and that everything works out for the best.”
~ Jim Henson
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or BeecherChiropractic.com .
Dr Beecher’s September 2014 Monthly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Monthly Newsletter, please click here!
“The hardest thing to learn in life is which bridge to cross and which to burn.” ~ David Russell
Has Science Fiction Become Science Fact?
Small Study Shows
You Can Influence Your Immune System with Just Your Mind!
Also this month:
- Does weather cause low back pain? For decades, many believed that some types of weather could bring on back pain, now science has finally put this theory to the test.
- Which is better, natural birth or C-Section? Study shows natural birth may be better for a baby’s immune system.
- Do you get enough sleep? Even if you get eight hours, you may not even be coming close…
- Want to get better grades in college? Here’s what students with higher GPAs had in common…
- The best story from the World Cup you probably missed! How a player for team Ghana used his talent to change lives…
Houston – Have you ever wished you could control your immune system or other parts of your body with just your thoughts? If so, then you will love this story…
Wim Hoff is a 55-year-old man from the Netherlands who — at the time of this writing — holds 21 Guinness World Records for some pretty amazing physical feats, including:
- Running a full marathon above the Arctic circle wearing only a pair of shorts.
- Running a full marathon in the Namibian desert without drinking water.
- Taking the longest ice bath (1 hour 52 minutes and 42 seconds) submerged up to his neck in ice.
In 2007, he even tried to climb Mt. Everest in just a pair of shorts. He reached 24,000 feet (~7,300 meters) but was forced to stop due to a foot injury, just 5,000 feet (~1,500 meters) short of reaching the summit.
Wim, also known as “The Iceman,” says he can literally control the temperature of his body, similar to the way you can control the temperature of your house by adjusting the thermostat.
Not only that, Wim says he can teach people how to control their autonomic nervous system to:
- Influence the immune system.
- Influence the mind.
- Improve blood circulation.
- Improve concentration and targeting.
- Increase self-confidence.
These claims are nothing new. Similar claims have been made by “experts” selling all types of self-help programs for decades.
But is it true?
Can all this really be done simply by altering the way you think? New research shows that the answer might be, “YES.”
A team of scientists led by Dr. Matthijs Kox of the Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen, the Netherlands studied his method.
Twelve people were trained in Wim Hof’s method and 12 were not. Then, all 24 were injected with a strain of bacteria that causes flu-like symptoms.
Results: Dr. Cox writes, “Volunteers who underwent training with the Hof method reported fewer and less intense flu-like symptoms than those who did not. At the same time, [they] produced smaller amounts of proteins related to inflammation, and higher levels of interleukin-10, an inflammation-fighting protein.”
According to the journal PNAS, where the study was published, “Hitherto, both the autonomic nervous system and innate immune system were regarded as systems that cannot be voluntarily influenced. The present study demonstrates that, through practicing techniques learned in a short-term training program, the sympathetic nervous system and immune system can indeed be voluntarily influenced.”
This study shows that, to some degree, the immune system can be affected by your thoughts.
The extent that the mind can control your immune system is still unknown. Considering that not too long ago, this “mind-immune system body-health” connection was viewed as witchcraft by most doctors and scientists, who knows what impact this could eventually have on medicine and the health of the public at large.
Like everything else in medicine and science, more research needs to be done. But, it probably would not hurt to look into meditation or relaxation techniques that are quick and easy to learn and only take a few minutes a day to accomplish.
Do Certain Weather Conditions
Cause Low Back Pain?
For many years, there has been a commonly held belief that changes in weather – or certain weather – can cause back pain.
In the case of cold weather, it certainly seems plausible since the cold may cause tighter muscles that could create low back pain, or at least exacerbate pre-existing low back pain.
“Many patients believe that weather impacts their pain symptoms,” explains Dr. Daniel Steffens with the George Institute for Global Health at the University of Sydney, Australia. “However, there are few robust studies investigating weather and pain, specifically research that does not rely on patient recall of the weather.”
Moreso, Dr. Steffens’ team found that “sudden, acute episodes of low back pain are not linked to weather conditions such as temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind direction, and precipitation.” Their findings, published in the journal Arthritis Care & Research, indicate that the risk of low back pain slightly increases with higher wind speed or wind gusts, but the change was not clinically significant.
Want Better Grades? Join a Gym…
A study from Michigan State University indicates that students with gym memberships during their freshman and sophomore years had higher GPAs and stayed in school longer than those who did not. The question is: Do gyms create higher GPAs or are students who are disciplined enough to stick to a workout routine more likely to do better in school because of their existing habits?
Do You Get Enough Sleep?
A new study by researchers at Israel’s Tel Aviv University paints a pretty grim picture for most people when it comes to sleep. The study found that interrupted sleep can be as physically detrimental as no sleep at all. The researchers found a link between interrupted sleep and compromised cognitive abilities, shortened attention spans, and negative moods. They also note that interrupted sleep is equivalent to no more than four consecutive hours of sleep. One researcher adds, “These night wakings could be relatively short – only five to ten minutes – but they disrupt the natural sleep rhythm. The impact of such night wakings on an individual’s daytime alertness, mood, and cognitive abilities had never been studied. Our study is the first to demonstrate seriously deleterious cognitive and emotional effects.”
The study only shows the effect interrupted sleep has after only one night. The cumulative effect of days, months, and years can obviously be great. Care should be taken to get a good, uninterrupted night’s sleep whenever possible. Sleeping in a dark, quiet, and cool room without distractions — like television — often help sleep patterns.
Don’t forget, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your health, talk to us. Contact us with your questions. We’re here to help and don’t enjoy anything more than participating in providing you natural pain relief.
Inspirational Story Of The Month
(Names And Details May Have Been Changed To Protect Privacy)
The Best Story From the
World Cup You Probably Missed!
How a player for team Ghana used his talent to change lives…
The FIFA World Cup started in 1930 and is now one of the biggest single-event sporting competitions in the world. It is also is one of the world’s most widely viewed sporting events. An estimated 715.1 million people watched the final match of the 2006 World Cup held in Germany, and the 2010 event in South Africa was broadcast to 204 countries on 245 different channels. In 2010, a total of 3,170,856 spectators attended the 64 matches, with an average attendance of 49,670 per match.
In 2014, the tournament’s popularity exploded. Perhaps due to the viral nature of social media, even countries that weren’t previously smitten by football caught World Cup fever.
The matches not only lived up to expectations, they exceeded them. Excitement was everywhere, and teams scored goals in large numbers.
But football and goals were not the biggest and most important story from the 2014 World Cup. Here’s a much more important story that you probably missed…
Sulley Muntari is a 29-year-old Ghanaian who plays professional soccer in Italy for Milan, and internationally for his home country of Ghana. During the recent World Cup, Muntari did something incredible that no other players thought of or dared to do.
Muntari got special permission and went into the streets of a poor neighborhood in Brazil and just started handing out money. He continued to hand out money until the police made him stop because a large crowd had gathered and the officers had safety concerns.
One of the recipients of money named Edivaldo said, “I’ve lived in this poor community behind the Rei Pele Stadium for 40 years but have never seen anything like this before. Not once has a soccer player come here. Brazil never gave me anything, but Ghana did. I will support them up to the end.”
“My 80-year-old mother and I received R$350 [Brazilian reals],” said local resident Inês Corrêa, who went to check out the commotion when police surrounded Muntari. “I believe that he had R$5,000, but unfortunately the police put an end to his good work. In this area, we only see politicians at election time.”
Who knows how much money Muntari actually gave away, but that is not important. What’s important is the lives he changed by showing the people that he cares. That someone cares. He showed them that someone who made it big in sports did not forget about the many who did not.
It does not matter that the people he gave his gifts to were not from his homeland. People in Brazil are made of the same flesh and blood as those in Ghana. They have the same joys and sorrows, feel the same pains, and are lifted by the same message of hope.
What’s really special about Muntari’s actions is he did not hold a press conference to brag. He did not want anyone to know. He did it to help people, not for his glory.
One thing is for sure, Muntari certainly gained fans while teaching anyone paying attention a great lesson about altruism.
We love helping our patients and their friends and relatives through their tough times and
getting them feeling better! We are here to help you stay feeling better and looking younger!
Don’t be a stranger. You really can afford Chiropractic care! Don’t wait until you can no longer move!
Did You Know?…
The Importance of Strength Training!
Strength training is an integral part of a well-rounded exercise program, and it is recommended for both sexes of all ages, including children and seniors. The intensity of your workout can achieve a number of beneficial changes on the molecular, enzymatic, hormonal, and chemical level in your body, which will also help slow down (and in many cases stop) many of the diseases caused by a sedentary lifestyle.
The term “biomarkers of aging” refers to measurements related to aging that you are capable of controlling. They’re things that tell you how old you would be if you didn’t know how old you were. These include the following measurements that strength training has a beneficial impact on: strength and muscle mass, body composition, blood lipids, bone density, cardiorespiratory fitness, and gene expression. Research has shown that strength training by elderly participants reversed oxidative stress and returned gene expression in 179 genes to a more youthful level, making participants 10 years “younger”.
Ideally, you’ll want to include a variety of exercises for a well-rounded fitness regimen, but strength training is an important component, as it’s the number one way for you to remain strong, young, and independent well into old-age.
Tip Of The Month
Which is Better, Natural Birth or C-Section?
Many debate this topic: Which is better, natural birth or cesarian section (c-section)? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that in 2012, there were 2,650,744 vaginal births and 1,296,070 cesarean deliveries in the United States. The percentage of ALL deliveries by cesarean was 32.8%. According to Childbirth Connection, “More recent studies reaffirm earlier World Health Organization recommendations about optimal rates of cesarean section. The best outcome for women and babies appear to occur with cesarean section rates of 5% to 10%. Rates above 15% seem to do more harm than good.”
Moreover, the national cesarean section rate was 4.5% as recently as 1965. Why there has been such a huge increase in the number of c-sections is just as hotly debated as which method of child delivery is better. A new study done on mice conducted by scientists from the University of Copenhagen appears to point out a new benefit in favor of natural childbirth. As reported on Science Daily, “Newborns delivered by natural birth are exposed to more bacteria from the mother. The newborn baby’s immune system in this way learns to distinguish between its own harmless molecules and foreign molecules. In the experiment, pups delivered by cesarean section showed a lower number of cells of a type that plays an important role in preventing reactive immune cells from responding to molecules from the body itself, from the diet, and from harmless intestinal bacteria.”
More research needs to be done with humans before any definitive conclusions can be made. Until then, the debate will rage on… but Mother Nature seems to be building a stronger case.
Remember, we’re always here to help your body heal
and maintain the pain free body you deserve.
This information should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all health care concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a health care professional who is familiar with your updated medical history. Please call us at 281-286-1300 or e-mail at [email protected].
Dr Beecher’s August 25 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Weekly Newsletter, please click here!
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, August 25th, 2014
Mental Attitude: Ultrasounds May Detect Autism in Utero. A newly published study using ultrasound scans to check for fetal defects found that children who went on to develop autism spectrum disorder (ASD) had a greater head and abdominal size at 20 weeks in the womb compared with children who did not develop ASD. This discovery could offer a small window into fetal development that could help doctors diagnose and treat ASD earlier. However, these findings were presented at a medical conference and are considered preliminary since they have not yet undergone a peer review process. International Congress of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, June 2014
Health Alert: Pavement Sealer Ban Linked to Cleaner Lake Water. A ban of certain types of pavement sealants made from coal tar has led to lower levels of cancer-causing compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in an Austin, Texas lake. In 2006, Austin was the first city in the United States to ban these types of pavement sealants. Past studies have shown that PAHs cause cancer in animals, and there are concerns that these compounds could be harmful to human health as well. Environmental Science & Technology, June 2014
Diet: Treat High Blood Pressure with Vitamin D? An analysis of more than 146,500 individuals revealed that for every 10% increase in vitamin D blood levels, researchers found a corresponding 8% decreased risk for developing high blood pressure. According to study leader Dr. Elina Hypponen, “In view of the costs and side effects associated with antihypertensive drugs, the potential to prevent or reduce blood pressure and therefore the risk of hypertension with vitamin D is very attractive.” The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, June 2014
Exercise: Sports During Adolescence Has Mental Health Benefits During Young Adulthood. Participating in school sports during adolescence appears to have a protective effect on mental health in young adulthood. Researchers surveyed 850 students for five years about their participation in school sports such as basketball, soccer, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics. Three years following graduation, the researchers followed up with these former students to find out how often they experienced depressive symptoms, how much stress they experienced, and how they rated their mental health on a scale of 1 to 5. Those who participated in sports were less likely to be depressed, were better able to handle stress, and were more likely to rate their mental health as excellent. Journal of Adolescent Health, June 2014
Chiropractic: How Chronic Back Pain Can Affect Quality of Life. Nearly a third (32.9%) of patients receiving pharmaceutical treatment for chronic low back pain report that their current medication does not improve their pain, according to a study of over 3,000 chronic low back pain patients in South Korea. Among the patients surveyed, 67% classified their pain as moderate to severe, 43.5% had been in pain for more than two years, 32.4% had trouble sleeping because of their pain. Asian Spine Journal, June 2014
Wellness/Prevention: Men Who Have Smoked Should Be Screened for Aneurysms. A panel of American health experts recommends that older men who smoke or who are ex-smokers should be screened for an abdominal aortic aneurysm. An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a weak spot in the main blood vessel that takes blood from the heart and can be fatal if it bursts without warning. The risk for an abdominal aneurysm in men who have smoked is approximately 7% compared to just 2% for men who have never smoked. Because the risk for women who have smoked is less than 1%, screening for females is not recommended. Annals of Internal Medicine, June 2014
Quote: “Ordinary riches can be stolen; real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you.”~ Oscar Wilde
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or BeecherChiropractic.com .
Dr Beecher’s July 14 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Weekly Newsletter, please click here!
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, July 14th, 2014
Mental Attitude: Cynics at Higher Risk for Dementia. Cynical, distrustful people may be at a higher risk of dementia, according to a new Finnish study. Researchers found that people with high levels of cynical distrust were three times more likely to develop dementia compared to people with low levels of cynicism. One possible explanation could be that individuals who are more wary of others may also be less socially active, which can increase their dementia risk. Neurology, May 2014
Health Alert: Over 1 in 10 Elderly Injured by Outpatient Care. According to new research, nearly 11% of Medicare patients are victims of medical injuries during outpatient care. The primary causes include receiving the wrong medication, an allergic reaction to a prescribed medication, or complications resulting from treatment. Injury Prevention, May 2014
Diet: Mediterranean Diet May Prevent Childhood Obesity. A new report finds that children who closely follow a diet rich in fish, nuts, grains, fruits, and vegetables are 15% less likely to be overweight or obese in comparison with their peers who do not. European Congress on Obesity, May 2014
Exercise: Bicycling Leads to Good Feelings. Compared with all modes of transportation, people who ride their bicycles are the happiest, followed by automobile passengers and drivers. Transportation, May 2014
Chiropractic: Heavy Physical Work and Low Back Pain. Among Brazil’s urban cleaning workers (drivers, trash collectors, maintenance workers, etc.), musculoskeletal pain — and low back pain in particular — is a major public health issue. Researchers interviewed 657 workers and found that 37% have experienced back pain lasting more than one week during the previous year, and of that group, 62.8% experienced back pain within the last seven days. Workers who described bending over and twisting as part of their job functions were much more likely to experience pain in one or more anatomical regions, as were workers who frequently worked overtime. Of note, workers who performed more dynamic and fewer repetitive movements on the job were less likely to experience back pain. Brazilian Journal of Epidemiology, March 2014
Wellness/Prevention: Elevated Blood Pressure Number Determines Risks. New research points to the type of heart risk individuals face based on which number of their blood pressure reading is high. Researchers found that an elevated systolic blood pressure (top number) was associated with an increased risk of bleeding strokes and stable angina while those with a higher diastolic blood pressure (bottom number) were more likely to be diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Lead investigator Dr. Eleni Rapsomaniki writes, “Our estimates provide vital new information that can be used to improve patient counseling and decision-making for people with hypertension, which are currently based mainly on the risks of heart attack and stroke, and will help to focus guidelines and doctors to the cardiovascular conditions that might
be more common, and in which screening and treatments are more likely to have an effect.” The Lancet, May 2014
Quote: “When we are no longer able to change a situation – we are challenged to change ourselves.” ~ Viktor E. Frankl
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or BeecherChiropractic.com .
Dr Beecher’s March 31 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Weekly Newsletter, please click here!
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, March 31st, 2014
Mental Attitude: Is Stress Contagious? A new report finds that not only do babies pick up on their mother’s stress but their bodies will also mimic physiological changes. Researchers found that when mothers were stressed and then reunited with their infant, the child quickly adopted his/her mother’s stress response, including a corresponding change in heart rate. Lead author Dr. Sara Waters writes, “Before infants are verbal and able to express themselves fully, we can overlook how exquisitely attuned they are to the emotional tenor of their caregivers… Your infant may not be able to tell you that you seem stressed or ask you what is wrong, but our work shows that, as soon as she is in your arms, she is picking up on the bodily responses accompanying your emotional state and immediately begins to feel in her own body your own negative emotion.” Psychological Science, February 2014
Health Alert: Buckle Your Children Up! Although child deaths resulting from motor vehicle crashes fell 43% in the United States between 2002 and 2011, car accidents still claim the lives of over 9,000 American children each year. Researchers working for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) believe that nearly a third of these deaths can be prevented if parents simply secured their children in age/size appropriate car seats. They point out that in states where car seats are required until ages 7-8, more children are put into car and booster seats and serious injury rates are 17% lower than in states without such laws. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, February 2014
Diet: No More Than 2-3 Cups Per Day… Using current research on the over-consumption of caffeine as a guide, Dr. Laura Juliano, co-author of “Caffeine Use Disorder: A Comprehensive Review and Research Agenda,” recommends healthy adults limit caffeine consumption to no more than two to three cups of coffee per day (about 400 mg/day) and pregnant women to no more than half that amount. She also recommends people with health problems such as anxiety, insomnia, heart problems, or urinary incontinence limit or even eliminate caffeine consumption. Journal of Caffeine Research, February 2014
Exercise: Sitting and Disability. For the first time, a study has labeled sedentary activity as a risk factor for disability for people over age 60. Using data on over 2,000 adults over 60 years of age, researchers were shocked to discover that being sedentary is just as large a risk factor for disability as not exercising, and the risk of disability dramatically increases for each additional hour spent sitting at a computer or on the couch watching TV. Journal of Physical Activity & Health, February 2014
Chiropractic: Acute Low Back Pain Treatment Comparison. In this study, researchers compared the efficacy of spinal manipulation to diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), for the treatment of acute low back pain. Based on outcomes including self-rated physical disability, function, time missed from work, and rescue medication use during the following 12 weeks, spinal manipulation proved to be a significantly better treatment. Spine, April 2013
Wellness/Prevention: Mammography Recommended for Women in Their 40s. While the United States Preventive Services Task Force’s 2009 guidelines recommend against routine mammograms for women in their 40s, new research shows that regular screenings would benefit this age group by helping doctors catch the disease when it can still be treated without extensive surgery or chemotherapy. Current statistics show that one in eight women will develop breast cancer, and if the disease is caught early enough, the five-year survival rate is 97%. American Journal of Roentgenology, February 2014
Quote: “To know that we know what we know, and to know that we do not know what we do not know, that is true knowledge.” ~ Nicolaus Copernicus
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or BeecherChiropractic.com .
Can Chiropractic Help the Post-Surgical Patient?
Clear Lake Chiropractor Comments: Low back pain (LBP) accounts for over 3 million emergency department visits per year in the United States alone. Worldwide, LBP affects approximately 84% of the general population, so eventually almost EVERYONE will have lower back pain that requires treatment! There is evidence dating back to the early Roman and Greek era that indicates back pain was also very prevalent, and that really hasn’t changed. Some feel it’s because we are bipedal (walk on two legs) rather than quadrupedal (walk on four limbs). When comparing the two, degenerative disk disease and spinal osteoarthritis are postponed in the four-legged species by approximately two (equivalent) decades. But regardless of the reason, back pain is “the rule,” NOT the exception when it comes to patient visits to chiropractors and medical doctors. Previously, we looked at the surgical rate of low back pain by comparing patients who initially went to spinal surgeons vs. to chiropractors, and we were amazed! Remember? Approximately 43% of workers who first saw a surgeon had surgery compared to ONLY 1.5% of those who first saw a chiropractor! So, the questions this month are, how successful IS spinal surgery, and what about all those patients who have had surgery but still have problems – can chiropractic still help them?
A review of the literature published in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons showed that in most cases of degenerative disk disease (DDD), non-surgical approaches are the most effective treatment choice (that includes chiropractic!). They report the success rate of spinal fusions for DDD has been only 50-60%. The advent of artificial disks, which originally proposed to be a “cure” for symptomatic disk disease, has fared no better with possible worse long-term problems that are not yet fully understood. They state, “Surgery should be the last option, but too often patients think of surgery as a cure-all and are eager to embark on it.” They go on to write, “Also, surgeons should pay close attention to the list of contraindications, and recommend surgery only for those patients who are truly likely to benefit from it.” Another study reported that, when followed for 10 years after artificial disk surgery, a similar 40% of the patients treated failed and had a second surgery within three years after the first! Similar findings are reported for post-surgical spinal stenosis as well as other spinal conditions.
So what about the success rate of chiropractic management for patients who have had low back surgery? In a 2012 article, three patients who had prior lumbar spinal fusions at least two years previous were treated with spinal manipulation (three treatments over three consecutive days) followed by rehabilitation for eight weeks. At the completion of care, all three (100%) had clinical improvement that were still maintained a year later. Another study reported 32 cases of post-surgical low back pain patients undergoing chiropractic care resulted in an average drop in pain from 6.4/10 to 2.3/10 (that means pain was reduced by 4.1 points out of 10 or, 64%). An even larger drop was reported when dividing up those who had a combination of spinal surgeries (diskectomy, fusion, and/or laminectomy) with a pain drop of 5.7 out of 10 points!
Typically, spinal surgery SHOULD be the last resort, but we now know that is not always practiced. IF a patient has had more than one surgery and still has pain, the term “failed back syndrome” is applied and carries many symptoms and disability. Again, to NOT utilize chiropractic post-surgically seems almost as foolish as not utilizing it pre-surgically! GIVE US A CALL!!!
We realize you have a choice in whom you consider for your health care provision and we sincerely appreciate your trust in choosing our service for those needs. If you, a friend, or family member requires care for back pain, we would be honored to render our services. . Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please e-mail them to [email protected]
