Weekly Health Update

Mental Attitude: That's Life. Our life experiences (the ups, downs and everything in between) shape us, stay with us and influence our emotional set point as adults. By studying identical twins and monitoring them as their life paths diverged, researchers discovered life experiences are important influences on our levels of anxiety and depression. With diet, we say, "you are what you eat." This study shows "you are what you have experienced."
Virginia Commonwealth University, Oct 2011

Health Alert: Drunk Drivers! During the past year in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control estimates there were 112 million incidents of adults getting behind the wheel of their car while under the influence of alcohol. That's 300,000 a day! These people put everyone on the road at risk. 11,000 people are killed every year in crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver.
CDC, Oct 2011

Diet: Thin Children? Children with thinner parents are 3 times more likely to be thin than children whose parents are overweight. When both parents were in the thinner half of the healthy-weight range, the chance of the child being thin was 16.2%, compared with 7.8% when both parents were in the upper half of the healthy weight range, 5.3% with two overweight parents, and only 2.5% for children with two obese parents.
Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, Sept 2011

Exercise: Vigorous Exercise. Men who perform vigorous exercise 3 times a week have a 22% lower risk of heart attack. Researchers believe the vigorous exercise results in higher HDL-C ("good" cholesterol) levels, known to lower the risk of heart disease.
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

Chiropractic: Total Regeneration. According to Deepak Chopra, M.D., "98% of the atoms in your body were not there a year ago." With that concept in mind, taking care of your body is essential as it is a constant state of regeneration. Through proper diet, regular exercise, getting enough rest, maintaining low stress levels and proper chiropractic care, you can give your body the best opportunity to be healthy and stay healthy.

Wellness/Prevention: Kids, Stay Thin! If your children are overweight or obese, their risk of having high blood pressure is almost three times higher than children at normal weight.
Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association, Oct 2011

A Lot To Be Thankful For - a Message from Dr. Butler

As this year comes to an end, I'd like to use this time to thank you all for being our clients. My great staff and I want you to know how much we appreciate you CHOOSING us as your center for recovery, healing and maintaining your God-given right to live a quality life. It has been a very good year for us - filled with expected AND unexpected surprises. We have helped dozens of patients avoid surgery and countless others to get off of dangerous pain medications. We are grateful to say that, in record numbers, patients are telling us they are physically able to do things NOW that they have not been able to do in YEARS. In the office, we have also made changes - we have expanded our services and opened for more treatment hours due to demand. BUT PROBABLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHANGE I have made this year is I have STOPPED ACCEPTING EVERY PATIENT WHO COMES TO SEE ME. As you all know, what makes our office so unique is that we offer treatments and services that you cannot get anywhere else AND maintain an incredibly difficult standard of patient care - ALL WHILE OFFERING A NO-WAIT GUARANTEE. Therefore, a few months back I decided only to accept patients who where 100% committed to following my treatment program. Why? Because it's a waste of my time (and their time) if a patient is flaky and doesn't do what they need to do to get better. Those are the patients who miss appointments, don't get better and complain about it. You cannot expect to get great results without a great commitment. Our goals have to be the same. If my goals for a patient don't meet their goals - there is a conflict.

"In absence of clearly defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily acts of trivia." -Author unknown

This has prevented the office from becoming over-scheduled and allowed us to really focus on YOU!! The patients who REALLY what to get better. As a result, we have seen an interesting twist - MORE REFERRALS. As strange as it might seem our desire to see less patients (the ones who don't really care) has resulted in us seeing more patients WHO DO CARE. The best example of which happened yesterday when a patient who came in with severe neck and back pain (pain scale of 10) told us that after being in our office for the last 6 weeks she is personally bringing in her dear friend because her treatment here has been so successful (1 or 2 pain scale). She said she never recommends places (especially a doctor) until after she has experienced them. Since we have helped her so much she is confident her friend, who is in very bad shape apparently, will also love it here. We really appreciate that. There is nothing that tells us that we are doing a great job more than when our patients refer their friends and loved ones to us.

"Who aims at excellence will be above mediocrity; who aims at mediocrity will be far short of it." -Burmese saying

So, here's to an even better 2012. We thank you all for your trust and your loyalty. My staff and I hope you all have a fantastic Thanksgiving and finish out 2011 with a bang.

As always,
Dr. Brad

Weekly Health Update

Mental Attitude: When You're Hot, You're Hot!
When an athlete is doing well, commentators may describe him as being "hot" or "on fire." Scientists have generally thought such streaks were, primarily, in the eye of the beholder... until now. After an analysis of five years of NBA free throws (over 300,000), researchers believe they have observed the so-called "hot hand" phenomenon: that a streak of positive outcomes is likely to continue. This phenomenon had largely been considered a product of human perception since its coining in 1985 but it appears commentators and fans were right after all.
PLoS ONE, Sept 2011

Health Alert: Risk Of Undetected Strokes!
95% of people aged 65 and older have brain small vessel disease. 25% of healthy seniors (average age 70) have evidence of small, silent strokes. Microbleeds, another type of small vessel disease, are associated with high blood pressure and with Alzheimer's disease. Unlike major stroke events, these types of small vessel disease gradually build up and increase the risk of clinical stroke events, depression, falls and Alzheimer's dementia.
Canadian PURE MIND, Aug 2011

Diet: Get Your Vitamin D!
More than three-quarters of cancer patients have insufficient levels of vitamin D and the lowest levels are associated with more advanced cancer. The five most common primary diagnoses were breast, prostate, lung, thyroid and colorectal cancer. 77% of patients had vitamin D concentrations either deficient or sub-optimal.
American Society for Radiation Oncology, Oct 2011

Exercise: Good Reasons.
Exercise helps the body resist upper respiratory tract infections, increases your anaerobic threshold (allowing you to work or exercise longer at a higher level, before a significant amount of lactic acid builds up), helps to preserve lean body tissue, and improves ability to recover from physical exertion.
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

Chiropractic: Is Pediatric Chiropractic Care Safe?
The rate of mild adverse events (irritability or soreness lasting less than 24 hours, resolving without the need for additional care) among chiropractic pediatric patients receiving Pediatric Manipulative Therapy (PMT) is .53% -1%. The incidence rate for PMT delivered by Medical Physicians is 6%, and 9% from Osteopaths.
Clinical Chiropractic, Sept 2011

Wellness/Prevention: Men Stay Lean!
Men develop type 2 diabetes at a lower body mass index than do women (33.69 vs. 31.83).
Scottish Diabetes Research Network, Sept 2011

The Holidays Are Just Around the Corner!

We would like to help ease your pain in more ways than one this holiday season. Not only do we offer many different forms of treatment, but we will also be giving away a $500 gift card! As you know, the winner from our last give away, Dan A., won an iPad.

From now until December 19th, you will have a chance at receiving a $500 gift card just by referring a friend or family member. The holidays can be very stressful, which can lead to headaches, as well as neck, shoulder and back pain. Many of these aches and pains can be treated in just a short period of time. We all have people in our lives who are suffering with pain and these people need our help! The more friends and family members you refer, the more chances you have to win! When you refer in 1 friend you will get 1 entry card. If you refer in 2 friends you will get an additional 5 entries. If you refer in 3 or more people you will get 10 entries per person!!

The office will be closed for Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 24th and Friday, November 25th. Dr. Butler would like to remind you that keeping up with your treatment frequency is very important, therefore, we would like to make sure that all of our patients receive the proper number of treatments weekly. Since we will be closed on Thursday and Friday of next week, we will be rescheduling all Friday appointments to Tuesday, November 22. If you have not yet scheduled your appointments, please give us a call as we are happy to assist you!

We would like to wish everyone a Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving!

As always,
The Staff at Oakland Spine and Rehab

Weekly Health Update

Mental Attitude: More Vacations?
Researches claim vacations help us recharge our batteries and perform at a higher level once we return to work. However, because the after-effects are short-lived, we should take trips more frequently in order to keep our levels of health and well-being high.
The Psychologist, Aug 2011

Health Alert: Over Spending?
Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine found $6.7 billion was spent in one year for unnecessary tests or prescribing unnecessary medications, with 86% of that cost attributed to the prescription of brand-name statins to treat high cholesterol.
Archives of Internal Medicine, Oct 2011

Diet: Iron Man?
The right amount of iron is needed for proper cell function, but too much may lead to diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Men typically have more iron in their bodies than women, which may be why men develop these age-related neurodegenerative diseases at a younger age. (Younger women's iron levels are thought to be lower because of menstruation.) To reduce iron levels: decrease over-the-counter supplements that contain iron, unless doctor recommended; eat less red meat; donate blood; and take natural iron-chelating substances that bind to and remove iron (such as curcumin or green tea).
Neurobiology of Aging, Oct 2011

Exercise: Music To The Ears.
Researchers found listening to music (in this case Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons") while exercising improved participants' mental agility. The study's author, Charles Emery, believes all types of music can produce a similar effect, not just classical.
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, July 2011

Chiropractic: Brain Activity And Chronic Low Back Pain.
A new imaging technique, arterial spin labeling, shows the areas of the brain that are activated when low back pain worsens in chronic pain patients. This is a first step towards objectively describing chronic pain, normally a subjective experience. When a patient has worsening of their usual pain, there are changes in the activity of the brain in the areas that process pain and mood.
Anesthesiology, August 2011

Wellness/Prevention: Breastfed Babies.
Babies fed only breast milk up to the age of six months have a lower risk of developing asthma-related symptoms in early childhood. Compared to children who were breastfed for 6 months or more, children who had never received breast milk had an increased risk of wheezing, shortness of breath, dry cough and persistent phlegm in their first 4 years.
European Respiratory Journal, July 2011

Whiplash Facts

In whiplash research, many articles have been published that conflict or contradict each other. The goal of this Health Update is to report the "facts" about whiplash.

• It is more common to have a delay in the onset of whiplash symptoms. Symptoms may start about two hours after the initial injury or it may take days, weeks, or months before you feel anything.
• For whiplash caused by car accidents, the severity depends on the force of the impact, the way you were seated in your car, and if you were properly restrained using a shoulder and seat belt.
• Tests show the soft tissues in your neck sustain injury at a threshold of 5 mph. That means if you're rear-ended at 5 mph or slower, you have a lower chance of getting whiplash. However, most rear-end car accidents happen at speeds of 6-12 mph.
• If you've been in a car accident, it's a good idea to be evaluated even if your car didn't get damaged and you don't feel any pain.
• Although whiplash is most often associated with car accidents, you can also get whiplash from sports such as snowboarding, boxing, football and gymnastics.
• The concept of "no car damage = no injury" is COMPLETELY false. Most cars can withstand collisions of up to 10 MPH and as pointed out above, only in collisions < 5 MPH are you less likely to be injured. Collisions that occur between 6-12 MPH cause the highest percentage of whiplash injuries (which is below the threshold of car damage in most cases). Also, the energy of the impact is transferred to the contents inside the car when there is no vehicular damage (that means you).
• Mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) can occur in motor vehicle collisions even if the head does not hit an object inside the car, although it's more common when there is a head strike. The symptoms associated with MTBI are often referred to as "Post Concussive Syndrome."* Approximately 10% of whiplash injured patients become totally disabled.
• Of the studies published since 1995, over 60% of whiplash patients required long-term medical care.
• Risk factors for long-term symptoms associated with WAD include: rear impacts, loss of the cervical lordosis curve, pre-existing degenerative arthritis, use of seat belts & shoulder harness (low speed impacts only), poor head restraint position or shape, non-awareness of the impending collision, female (especially long slender neck), head rotation at impact.

We realize you have a choice in where you choose 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.

Is This a Forever Commitment?

Last week I hosted a dinner seminar for people with Stenosis, Neuropathy, Arthritis and Herniated Discs to teach them about the newest technology we have to treat these conditions WITHOUT dangerous medications and risky surgery - which far too many people become a victim of. A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine questioned why we do more spine surgeries NOT (almost 400,000) yet the success rate of these procedures is historically low (approximately 70%-90% FAIL). In the audience was a familiar face. It turned out to be a former patient of mine who I hadn't seen in many years. Her name was Cindy. At the end of the dinner workshop Cindy came up to me and said, "I have a question. If I come back in to see you - do I have to come FOREVER?" I smiled and said to Cindy, "Why would you say that?" And she responded by telling me that she always loved coming to the office, but that the reason she stopped coming is because she felt like she would need to come forever.

This is a COMMON MISCONCEPTION. Many people you will bump into will have that same concern, but it is inaccurate. The best way to answer this concern is to compare what we do here at OSR to a gym. If you've ever been to a gym there are three kinds of people who go: The first is the person who joins with 100% enthusiasm to really make a change in their life, however, when it comes to committing to going on a regular basis - they quickly realize they don't want that and drop out. The second person is the one goes for a period of time (maybe a few months) and achieves a level of success, but fades away because they achieved a result they wanted. This kind of member will usually go on this way for many years - stopping and returning. Each time they reach their goal they stop again. The third person is the person you see there every week without fail. They join the gym because they want a certain lifestyle and quality of life (looks, energy, athleticism) that only comes with long term commitment. They don't usually kill themselves when they are there - instead, they have a regular routing of 3-4 workouts per week. They like the way they feel and look so they maintain there fitness program for many years.

The same can be said of the patients we see in our office - some come in and quickly realize that they aren't interested in getting better - they are only interested in feeling better. They see that getting better and healing will take some time and commitment, but "It's not that bad," so they don't start.

The second type of patient is very interested in FIXING their problem. They see the results to their X-Rays and their examination and commit to correcting the problem. After they get the problem fixed they discharge from care and hopefully maintain their home stretching routing. This patient is LIKELY to come back in the future if and when their issues return. It takes a little while to get them back on track and when they feel better - they stop again. They achieved what they are looking for.

Finally, the last patient is the patient that uses our office to get well and STAY well. They are keen observers of where they were before they started with us and NEVER want to get back to that condition again. They see value in maintaining what they have achieved and usually stop in one or two times per month for a maintenance adjustment. They don't "have" to be here, they choose to. The good news is that NO ONE has to come forever - once we have gotten improvement it's easy to help you get better again.

Which on are you? No matter your answer - we are here to help.

The Neck and Headache Connection

When we hear the term headache, we don't usually think about the neck. Rather, we focus on the head, more specifically, "...what part of the head hurts?" But, upon careful questioning of patients, we usually find some connection or correlation between neck pain and headaches.

The key to this connection can be found in looking at the anatomy of the neck. There are 7 vertebrae that make up the cervical spine and 8 sets of nerves that exit this part of the spine and innervate various parts of the head, neck, shoulders and arms, all the way to the fingers. Think of the nerves as electric wires that stretch between a switch and a light bulb. When you flip on the switch, the light illuminates. Each nerve, as it exits the spine, is like a switch and the target it travels to represents the light bulb. So, if one were to stimulate each of the nerves as they exit the spine, we could "map" exactly where each nerve travels (of course, this has been done). When we look specifically at the upper 3 sets of nerves that exit the spine (C1, C2, and C3), we see that as soon as they exit the spine, they immediately travel upwards into the head (the scalp). Like any nerve, if enough pressure is applied to the nerve, some alteration i n nerve function occurs and usually a sensory change is noted (numbness, tingling, pain, burning, etc.). If the pressure continues, these symptoms can last for a long time. These types of headaches are often called "cervicogenic headaches" (literally meaning headaches that are caused by the neck). These can be caused by the nerves getting pinched by tight muscles through which they travel as they make their way to the scalp.

Another connection between the neck and headaches includes the relationship between 2 of the 12 cranial nerves and the first three nerves in the neck described above. These types of headaches usually only affect one half of the head - the left or right side. One of the cranial nerves is called the trigeminal nerve (cranial nerve V). Because the trigeminal nerve innervates parts of the face and head, pain can also involve the face. Another cranial nerve (spinal accessory, cranial nerve IX) can also interact with the upper 3 cervical nerve roots, resulting in cervicogenic headaches. People with cervicogenic headaches will often present with an altered neck posture, restricted neck movement, and pain when pressure is applied to the base of the skull or to the upper vertebrae. Other than a possible numbness, there are no clinical tests that we can run to "show" this condition, though some patients may report scalp numbness or, it may be found during examination.

Though medication, injections, and even surgical options exist, manipulation applied to the small joints of the neck, especially in the upper part where C1-3 exit, works really well so why not try that first as it's the least invasive and, VERY EFFECTIVE! In some cases, a combination of approaches may be needed but many times, chiropractic treatment is all the patient needs for a successful outcome.

We realize that you have a choice in where you choose 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.

Weekly Health Update

Mental Attitude: Remember Zinc.
For over 50 years, scientists have known zinc plays a vital role in the brain but were not quite sure what that role is. Now, researchers from the Duke University Medical Center and MIT have discovered that zinc regulates the communication between neurons in the hippocampus, where learning and memory processes occur.
Neuron, Aug 2011

Health Alert: Health Costs Rising!
According to experts, healthcare spending will grow 6% each year through 2020. Researchers estimate that doctor visits, clinical services and prescription drugs will be the largest growth areas.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Diet: Where to Eat?
As childhood obesity rises and the American diet shifts towards increasing consumption of foods eaten or prepared outside of the home, concerns about the nutritional quality and the total consumption of such foods are also increasing. Comparing measurements from 2006 to 1977, children now eat more calories every day (+179 kcal/day). This is associated with a major increase in calories eaten away from home (+255 kcal/day). The percentage of calories eaten away from home is now 33.9%.
Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Aug 2011

Exercise: Strong Arm Diabetes.
Building muscle can lower your insulin resistance risk, thus lowering your chance of developing Type-2 Diabetes. Scientists have known for a while that low muscle mass raises the risk of insulin resistance; however, no study had attempted to figure out whether increased muscle, regardless of obesity levels, might improve blood glucose control.
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, July 2011

Chiropractic: Hall of Fame Help.
During his playing career, NFL Hall of Fame Quarterback Joe Montana said, "I've been seeing a Chiropractor and he's really been helping me a lot. Chiropractic's a big part of my game."

Wellness/Prevention: Blueberries and Cancer.
Eating as little as a cup of blueberries every day may help prevent cell damage linked to cancer.
University of Alabama at Birmingham, Sept 2011

Fibromyalgia: What Water Exercises Can I Do?

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a condition associated with tight, sore muscles with generalized, whole body pain, which can dramatically affect a person's lifestyle. However, there are ways to fight back! Last month, we discussed the benefits of water exercises and this month, we're going to illustrate some specific exercises that can be performed in water. Remember to start slow and gradually introduce more exercises (as well as repetitions and the length of exercise time) AFTER you have proven to yourself that the previous exercises are well tolerated. MOST IMPORTANT, have fun with these, and modify them as needed to make them "yours."

Diving Forward
Prep: Arms straight, stretched out from sides, palms forward.
Action: Push hands together, then outward.

Diving Downward
Prep: Arms straight, stretched out from sides, palms down.
Action: Swing hands down and inward across front, then outward; repeat down and inward behind back, then outward.

Squats
Prep: Legs straight.
Action: Bend at knees to lower body down, then up.

High Kick
Prep: Legs straight, pointing forward
Action: Swing one leg forward to backward; repeat with other leg.

Backward Kick
Prep: Legs straight, hold onto support.
Action: Ben one knee to raise foot backward, then down; repeat with other knee.

Deep-water Walking
Prep: Start in a dog-paddling position
Action: Climbing motions with both arms and legs.

Horizontal Walking
Prep: Legs straight, floating face down holding stairs.
Action: Bend one knee forward and back, then other knee.

Of course, there are many other maneuvers that can be done in water. Simply walking in water at various depths works well. Another good/easy exercise is taking empty 1 gallon milk jugs with the caps on and squat down in the shallow end of a pool so only your neck is exposed and move your arms underwater back and forth in different directions, at different speeds, gradually increasing the speed of the movement.

If you, a friend or family member requires care for FM, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services!

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Ergonomics

The word, "Ergonomics" is thrown around a lot when it comes to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). The term ergonomics comes from the Greek ergon, meaning "work", and nomos, meaning "natural laws." By definition, ergonomics means, "...the study of efficiency in working environments." Wikipedia describes it as, "...the study of designing equipment and devices that fit the human body, and its cognitive abilities." The International Ergonomics Association offers this definition: "Ergonomics (or human factors) is the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance."

The study of ergonomics is not new as it dates back to Ancient Greece with substantial evidence that, in the 5th century BC, ergonomic principles were applied to tool design, jobs and workplaces. Examples include Hippocrates giving surgeons recommendations on how to arrange their table and tools during surgery.

Some ergonomic concepts we can employ on a daily basis include:

1. Take frequent breaks, every half-hour if possible, but at least every 60 to 90 minutes. Get up, stretch and walk around. If nothing else, perform stretches while sitting in your work chair.
2. Maintain "good posture" (tuck in the chin and hold the retracted position).
3. Evaluate your workstation: proper sitting position, how you hold the phone, keyboard/monitor positions, type & position of the mouse, reaching requirements, avoid twist/bending the wrists.
4. When grasping/gripping, use the whole hand - not just the fingers or thumb tips alone.
5. Keep cutting instruments sharp (scissors, knives, etc.) and maintain locks on hinged knives.
6. Consider modifications if tools are too heavy, buttons too high, too much required force, etc.
7. Stay in shape as obesity is a risk factor for carpal tunnel syndrome.
8. Rotate job tasks rather than continuing with one task until finished (less repetition)!
9. Communicate with your supervisor and HRO person about improving the workplace.

We realize you have a choice in who 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 require care for CTS, we would be honored to render our services.

Low Back Pain: Spondylolisthesis

Low back pain can arise from many conditions, one of which is a mouthful: spondylolisthesis. The term was coined in 1854 from the Greek words, "spondylo" for vertebrae and "olisthesis" for slip. These "slips" most commonly occur in the low back, 90% at L5 and 9% at L4. According to www.spinehealth.com and others, the most common type of spondylolisthesis is called "isthmic spondylolisthesis," which is a condition that includes a defect in the back part of the vertebra in an area called the pars interarticularis, which is the part of the vertebra that connects the front half (vertebral body) to the back half (the posterior arch). This can occur on one, or both sides, with or without a slip or shift forwards, which is then called spondylolysis. In "isthmic spondylolisthesis," the incidence rate is about 5-7% of the general population favoring men over women 3:1. Debate continues as to whether this occurs as a result genetic predisposition verses env ironmental or acquired at some point early in life as noted by the increased incidence in populations such as Eskimos (30-50%), where they traditionally carry their young in papooses, vertically loading their lower spine at a very young age. However, isthmic spondylolisthesis can occur at anytime in life if a significant backward bending force occurs resulting in a fracture but reportedly, occurs most frequently between ages 6 and 16 years old.

Often, traumatic isthmic spondylolisthesis occurs during the adolescent years and in fact, is the most common cause of low back pain at this stage of life. Sports most commonly resulting in spondylolisthesis include gymnastics, football (lineman), weightlifting (from squats or dead lifts) and diving (from over arching the back). Excessive backward bending is the force that overloads the back of the vertebra resulting in the fracture sometimes referred to as a stress fracture, which is a fracture that occurs as a result of repetitive overloading over time, usually weeks to months.

If the spondylolisthesis lesions do not heal either by cartilage or by bone replacement, the front half of the vertebra can slip or slide forwards and become unstable. Fortunately, most of these heal and become stable and don't progress. The diagnosis is a simple x-ray, but to determine the degree of stability, "stress x-rays" or x-rays taken at endpoints of bending over and backwards are needed. Sometimes, a bone scan is needed to determine if it's a new injury verses an old isthmic spondylolisthesis.

Another very common type is called degenerative spondylolisthesis and occurs in 30% of Caucasian and 60% of African-American woman (3:1 women to men). This usually occurs at L4 and is more prevalent in aging females. It is sometimes referred to as "pseudospondylolisthesis" as it does not include defects in the posterior arch but rather, results from a degeneration of the disk and facet joints. As the disk space narrows, the vertebra slides forwards. The problem here is that the spinal canal, where the spinal cord travels, gets crimped or distorted by the forward sliding vertebra and causes compression of the spinal nerve root(s), resulting pain and/or numbness in one or both legs. The good news about spondylolisthesis is that non-surgical approaches, like spinal manipulation in particular, work well and chiropractic is a logical treatment approach!

We realize you have a choice in who you choose to provide your healthcare services. If you, a friend or family member requires care for Low back 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.

Exercising Like This May Be Causing Your Back Pain

Exercising is good for back pain... right? Well, it's not as simple as that.

There are good and bad ways to exercise and when you have back pain, it can get much more complicated.

"Wear and tear on your discs is cumulative - it all adds up," says Arya Nick Shamie, M.D., a spokesperson for the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and an Associate Professor of Spine Surgery at the University of California Los Angeles.

Irregular exercise is a big contributor to back pain, and the weekend warriors, those who are sedentary during the week and push hard on the weekends, are the face of this contributor to pain. "If you take on something tough after being relatively sedentary, you can seriously hurt yourself," explains Dr. Shamie.

It's not just the risk of injury while you're doing the activity you have to worry about. "If you are doing high-impact sports without cross-training first to strengthen your core, your spine won't have strong enough muscles to support the impact," says Robert S. Bray, M.D., a neurological spine surgeon.

He recommends dedicating as little as 15 minutes three times a week to basic core exercises and stretching to help prepare your core for more intense workouts later in the week.

One of the best things you can do for exercise advice is to consult with a doctor who understands back pain, back injuries and how to treat them.

Chiropractors are specialists in treating back pain and can help develop an exercise program that is right for you.

And 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 your lifelong good health.

Weekly Health Update

Mental Attitude: Friendships & Anxiety.
Anxious, solitary kids are more emotionally sensitive and more likely to be excluded and victimized by their peers. They're also less likely to have friends, and when they do, to have fewer than their peers and to lose friendships over time.
Child Development, Sept 2011

Health Alert: Obesity Costs!
States spend up to $15 billion a year in medical expenses related to obesity. Estimates in dollars range from $203 million in Wyoming to $15.2 billion in California. National costs of obesity are $147 billion.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Sept 2011

Diet: Wine & Dementia Risk.
Moderate wine drinkers are 23% less likely to develop dementia and/or Alzheimer's disease. Resveratrol, found in fairly high levels in wine, is a naturally occurring antioxidant that decreases the stickiness of blood platelets and helps blood vessels remain open and flexible. It also inhibits enzymes that can stimulate cancer cell growth and suppress immune response.
Alzheimer's Disease Research Center

Exercise: Good Reasons.
Exercise decreases the rate of joint degeneration in people with osteoarthritis, lowers your resting heart rate, helps to boost creativity and reduces circulating levels of triglycerides.
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

Chiropractic: What Does Double Crush Mean?
If there is irritation of a nerve root at the vertebra of the neck, or at the triangle formed between the scalene muscles and the first rib, the nerve itself becomes "sick." As that nerve passes into the arm, it passes through several muscles before it enters the hand, beneath the transverse carpal ligament. If the nerve is already "sick," the "secondary stress" of compression within the arm muscles, or at the wrist, may cause regional symptoms at that location. We call that second insult to the nerve a "double crush" phenomenon.

Wellness/Prevention: Four Ways To Live Longer.
Those who practice all 4 are 66% less likely to die early from cancer, 65% less likely to die early from a major cardiovascular disease, and 57% less likely to die early from other causes. 1) Avoid Tobacco. 2) Limit Alcohol: Men should have no more than two drinks a day, women no more than one. 3) Improve Your Diet: Eat more fruits, eat more vegetables, eat more whole grains, switch to fat-free and low-fat dairy and eat more seafood. Cut down on salt and foods high in sodium, saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, added sugar, and refined grains. 4) Exercise at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise spread over at least 5 days a week - or - do a total of 75 minutes of vigorous exercise 3 days a week or more.
American Journal of Public Health, August 2011