Weekly Health Update

Mental Attitude: Bad Obligation?
Ever stay on a job longer than you wanted because you felt obligated? Staying in an organization out of a sense of obligation or for lack of alternatives can lead to emotional exhaustion, a chronic state of physical and mental depletion resulting from continuous stress and excessive job demands.
Human Relations, April 2012

Health Alert: Chronic Stress!
Psychological stress is associated with greater risk for depression, heart disease and infectious diseases. Until now, it has not been clear exactly how stress influences disease and health. Chronic psychological stress is associated with the body losing its ability to regulate the inflammatory response. Inflammation is partly regulated by the hormone cortisol and when cortisol is not allowed to serve this function, inflammation can get out of control. Prolonged stress alters the effectiveness of cortisol to regulate the inflammatory response because it decreases tissue sensitivity to the hormone. Specifically, immune cells become insensitive to cortisol's regulatory effect. In turn, runaway inflammation is thought to promote the development and progression of many diseases.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, April 2012

Diet: Your Knees!
The supplement glucosamine sulfate taken at oral doses of 1500 mg a day is more effective than a placebo in treating symptoms for patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.
Arthritis & Rheumatism, 2007

Exercise: Exercise Your Arthritis Away!
Subjects with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis who participated in aerobic conditioning exercise showed significant improvement over control subjects who participated in only range of motion exercises.
Arthritis & Rheumatism, 1984

Chiropractic: Another Reason To Maintain Spinal Health!
Whatever the cause, by age 50, 85-90% of adults show evidence of degenerative disk disease at autopsy.
Arthritis & Rheumatism, 1979

Wellness/Prevention: What's For Breakfast?
Eating foods at breakfast that have a low glycemic index may help prevent a spike in blood sugar throughout the morning and after the next meal of the day. These breakfast foods can also increase feelings of satiety and fullness and may make people less likely to overeat throughout the day. The glycemic index ranks foods on the extent to which they raise blood sugar levels after eating. Foods with a high index are rapidly digested and result in high fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Foods with a low glycemic index produce gradual rises in blood sugar and insulin levels and are considered healthier, especially for people with diabetes. Low glycemic foods include rolled oats and groats, whole grains, nuts and seeds, sweet potato, barley b-glucan, yam flour, glucomannan, durum pasta, vegetable flours, chia/flax seed and resistant starch.
Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, April 2012

We are PROUD to welcome Dr. Michael Aldi to Oakland Spine and Rehab!

Dr. Michael Aldi is a New Jersey licensed and Board Certified chiropractic physician credentialed by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners. He completed his studies at Palmer College of Chiropractic-West. He also is an alumnus of Bloomfield College where he received his bachelor degree in Biology and actively serves on the chiropractic advisory board of Bloomfield College. He is currently an active member of the Association of New Jersey Chiropractors.

Dr. Aldi's area of expertise is conservative, non-surgical treatment of acute and chronic spinal and extremity disorders, with a clinical focus on herniated discs, spinal rehabilitation and sports injuries. He has attended post-graduate seminars in, Activator, Gonstead, Sacral Occipital Technique, Cox Flexion Distraction and Applied Kinesiology. He was recently selected as one of America's top Chiropractic Physicians by his peers for 2006, 2007 and 2008. He had been in private family practice since 1999.

Dr. Aldi is married with one child and resides in Wayne, NJ. During his free time he enjoys spending time with his family.

As always,
The Staff at Oakland Spine and Rehab

Don't Let The Holiday Weekend Spoil Your Results!

Our office will be closed on Monday, May 28th in observance of Memorial Day.

Often, patients fall behind in their treatment because they miss appointments and do not make them up. This may cause the symptoms or pain to require more time to get better. In order to avoid this mistake, please call our front desk to make up any appointment that may be missed on Monday, May 28th due to our closing or any other missed appointments.

Wishing you a safe and healthy holiday!

The Staff at Oakland Spine and Rehab

Weekly Health Update

Mental Attitude: Dementia!
The number of people globally with dementia is set to rise from its current 35.6 million, to 65 million by 2030 and 115 million by 2050. Currently, $604 billion are spent each year worldwide on treating and caring for individuals with dementia. This toll includes the provision of health and social care, as well as loss of income of the dementia patients and their caregivers, as many caregivers have to give up their jobs to look after a person with dementia.
World Health Organization, April 2012

Health Alert: America's Obesity Epidemic.
The scope of the obesity epidemic in the US has been greatly underestimated. Researchers found that the Body Mass Index (BMI) substantially under-diagnoses obesity when compared to the Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) scan, a direct simultaneous measure of body fat, muscle mass, and bone density. The study found 39% of Americans who are classified as overweight based on BMI are actually obese as measured by DXA. The BMI is an insensitive measure of obesity, prone to under-diagnosis, while direct fat measurements are superior because they show distribution of body fat.
PLoS One, April 2012

Diet: How Should You Take It?
For reversing damage and promoting repair to cartilage, the supplements Chondroitin Sulfate and Glucosamine have been shown to be more effective if taken together, as the mixture of the two allows them to act synergistically.
Osteoarthritis Cartilage, 2006

Exercise: Caffeine & Exercise?
According to a 14-week study conducted on mice, caffeine and exercise may cut the risk of developing skin cancers caused by sun exposure. Researchers found 62% fewer non-melanoma skin tumors and the size of tumors reduced by 85% in the caffeine and exercise group when compared to the control group (no caffeine, no exercise). The results of the caffeine and exercise group also exceeded the other two groups in the study (caffeine, no exercise and exercise, no caffeine).
American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting, April 2012

Chiropractic: Another Endorsement For Chiropractic!
"I found the best way is to use Chiropractors, not only after injury, but also before injury."
Arnold Schwarzenegger - Actor, Retired Body Builder and Former Governor

Wellness/Prevention: Still Smoke?
7,000 chemicals and chemical compounds are present in tobacco and tobacco smoke, including 93 HPHCs (harmful and potentially harmful constituents).
Food and Drug Administration, April 2012

This Wednesday -Free Dinner at Portobello for You and Your Friends

Dr. Butler will be hosting a "Pain Free" dinner seminar this Wednesday, May 16. This dinner is the ideal setting for your friends, family members or co-workers, who are suffering from stenosis, herniated discs, neuropathy or severe spinal arthritis, to learn about the Butler Spine Program - a revolutionary new treatment that has a 90% success rate. Also, a special offer will be made at the dinner to save them thousands of dollars on the cost of the program.

The free gourmet dinner and "Pain Free" presentation will be held at Portobello's Banquets this Wednesday, May 16 at 6:00pm. Please let all of your friends and family, who are suffering from any of these conditions, know that help is on the way! Seating is limited, so have them reserve their spot today by calling us at (862) 226-0928.

Testimonials

When I first came to Dr. Butler's office, I had been to several specialists. I had undergone MRI and it was determined I had three herniated discs. One in particular was causing all the pain I have had. It was constant in the back of my right thigh and numbness in my right foot. The pain would shift depending if I was sitting or standing rapidly becoming unbearable. I had gone to doctors for consultation and epidural shots none of which worked. I was also prescribed celebrex which also was ineffective. After my last consultation I was told surgery was my only option. While searching through my medical plan website looking for doctors for surgery I saw one of Dr. Butler I also saw an ad for him in The Bergen Record Sports section. I called the office and setup an appointment. Dr. Butler explained to me how the pain was happening and what could be done to correct it. I was a bit skeptical at first but did the two complimentary treatments. After the second one, I felt a lot better the next day, I was able to move around pain free under no medication what so ever. Additionally the staff at the Oakland Spine Center is extremely friendly, especially (Jen, Kirstin). I highly recommend Dr. Brad Butler and Dr. Jeff Wells to anyone that has any neck and back pain. Donald H. Ringwood, NJ

I became Dr. Butler's patient in August 2010. Before my first visit to his office, in July 2010, I was in the emergency room with herniated cervical disc, and received two epidurals: first one in the E.R., second one as a follow-up with pain management. Both times, I was told surgery, surgery, surgery. But my preferred option was a non-invasive, more natural type of treatment. I found that in Oakland Spine & Rehabilitation Center with Dr. Butler. When Dr. Butler saw me in his office for the first time I was still in pain (on the pain scale 1-10, my pain level was about 7-8) and very limited movement of my arm and my neck. Dr. Butler is very knowledgeable and a very good listener. He listened and he heard what I was saying, he explained how, what and why I was having severe pain and discomfort; he came up with the treatment plan that was appropriate for me. As of mid September 2010, I received about 12-14 treatments of laser, chiropractic adjustment, spinal decompression. I noticed end of my fourth treatment, I was moving my arm, my neck more comfortably with less pain; end of my sixth treatment I was in the plane going on vacation. After eight hours of flight, my eight-year-old neice and I were in Paris, walking, shopping, enjoying the view of Paris from the Eiffel Tower. All these could not be possible if it was not for Dr. Butler and his entire staff in Oakland Spine & Rehabilitation Center. I am very, very grateful to Dr. Butler, Dr. Wells, and the entire staff for their knowledge, their care, their help with everything and giving me my preferred option of non-invasive, natural healing type treatment. Thank you. Ayse S. Pequannock, NJ

Weekly Health Update

Mental Attitude: Less Distress If Active!
Researchers found that older adults who experienced any level of psychological distress were more likely to experience physical functional limitations than those who did not. Psychological distress scores indicated that 8.4% of all older adult participants experienced some level of psychological distress and older adults who experienced even a moderate level of psychological distress were the most likely group to experience a functional limitation -- almost seven times more likely than those who did not report any psychological distress!
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, April 2012

Health Alert: Super Markets and Waist Size.
People who shop at discount supermarkets or in supermarkets in areas with poorly educated consumers have higher than normal body mass indices (BMI) and waist circumferences. According to the study's author, Basile Chaix, "A public health strategy to reduce excess weight may be to intervene on specific supermarkets to change food purchasing behavior, as supermarkets are where dietary preferences are materialized into definite purchased foods."
PLoS One, April 2012

Diet: Red Wine & Fruit For Fat.
Piceatannol is a compound found in red wine, grapes, blueberries and passion fruit. It's able to block cellular processes that allow fat cells to develop, opening a door to a potential method to control obesity.
Journal of Biological Chemistry, April 2012

Exercise: Regular Walking Regimen.
Cancer patients can literally take a step-by-step approach to combat fatigue following surgical treatment. This fatigue doesn't go away with sleep, affects daily activities (doing your personal hygiene in the morning, getting up and getting dressed, going from the bedroom to breakfast, etc.) and can also lead to anxiety and depression. Patients who underwent an operation as part of their cancer treatment and then started a regular walking regimen experienced less fatigue than cancer survivors who did not do the walking program.
Journal of the American College of Surgeons, April 2012

Chiropractic: Keep Your Blood Flowing.
Patients with atherosclerosis are associated with increased disk degeneration and subjective low back pain. Atherosclerosis slows blood flow to the disk complex, which, in turn, leads to degeneration.
Spine, 1997

Wellness/Prevention: Cancer Is A Preventable Disease!
Only 5-10% of cancer cases are due to genetic defects. The other 90-95% of cancer cases are due to environmental and lifestyle factors including smoking, alcohol consumption, poor diet, obesity, infectious agents, environmental pollution and radiation.
Pharmaceutical Research, September 2008

Low Back and Leg Pain – Is it Sciatica?

Low back pain (LBP) can be localized and contained to only the low back area or, it can radiate pain down the leg. This distinction is important as the former, LBP only, is often less complicated and carries a more favorable prognosis for complete recovery. In fact, a large part of our history and examination is focused at this differentiation. This month’s Health Update is going to look at the different types of leg pain that can occur with different LBP conditions.

We’ve all heard of the word “sciatica” and it (usually) is loosely used to describe everything from LBP arising from the joints in the back, the sacroiliac joint, from the muscles of the low back as well as a pinched nerve from a ruptured disk. Strictly speaking, the term “sciatica” should ONLY be used when the sciatic nerve is pinched. The sciatic nerve is made up of five smaller nerves (L4, 5, S1, 2, 3) that arise from the spine and join together to form one large nerve (about the size of our pinky) called the sciatic nerve – like five small rivers merging into one BIG river. Sciatica occurs when any one of the small nerves (L4-S3) or, when the sciatic nerve itself, gets compressed or irritated.

This can be, and often is caused from a lumbar disk herniation (the “ruptured disk”), a mis-positioned vertebra (such as a forward slip of the vertebra called “spondylolisthesis”), pressure from an arthritic spur off the spine where the nerve exits (“spinal stenosis”), or, from a tumor near or around the nerve. A term called “pseudosciatica” (a non-disk cause) includes a pinch from the piriformis muscle where the nerve passes through the pelvis (in the “cheek” or, the buttocks), which has been commonly referred to as “wallet sciatica” as sitting on the wallet in the back pocket is often the cause. When this occurs, the term “peripheral neuropathy” is the most accurate term to use. Other “pseudosciatic” causes include referred pain from the facet joints which is described by the patient as a “deep ache” inside the leg, or from a metabolic condition where the nerve is affected such as diabetes and other conditions. Here again, the term, “neuropathy” is the better label when diabetes, hypothyroid, lead poisoning, alcohol toxicity and/or others is the culprit. Direct trauma like a bruise to the buttocks from falling or hitting the nerve during an injection into the buttocks can also trigger “sciatica.”

The symptoms of sciatica include low back pain, buttocks pain, back of the thigh, calf and/or foot pain and/or numbness-tingling. If the nerve is compressed hard enough, muscle weakness can occur making it hard to stand up on the tip toes creating a limp when walking. In the clinic, we will raise the straight leg and if pinched, sharp pain can occur with as little as 20-30° due to the nerve being stretched as the leg is raised. If pain occurs anywhere between 30 and 70° of elevation of either the same side leg and/or the opposite leg, this constitutes a positive test for sciatica (better termed, “nerve root tension”). When a disk is herniated into the nerve, bending the spine backwards can move the disk away and off the nerve resulting in relief, which is very diagnostic of a herniated disk. Having a patient walk on their toes and then heels and watching for foot drop as well as testing the reflexes, the sensation with a sharp object, and testing the reflexes at the knee and Achilles tendon can give us clues if there is nerve damage. The GOOD NEWS is that chiropractic methods can resolve this problem FREQUENTLY, thus avoiding unnecessary surgery! So, check with us FIRST, before electing for surgery!!!

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.

Neck Pain: Manipulation vs. Mobilization – What’s Better?

Does mobilization (MOB) get less, the same, or better results when compared to spinal manipulative therapy (SMT)? To answer this question, let’s first discuss the difference between the two treatment approaches.

Mobilization (MOB) of the spine can be “technically” defined as a “low velocity, low amplitude” force applied to the tissues of the cervical spine (or any joint of the body, but we’ll focus on the cervical region). This means a slow, rhythmic movement is applied to a joint using various methods such as figure 8, side to side, front to back and /or combinations of any of these movements. In the neck, gentle to firm manual traction or pulling, when applied to the cervical spine, stretches the joint and disk spaces and can be included during MOB.

Spinal Manipulative Therapy (SMT) can be defined as a “high velocity, low amplitude” type of force applied to joint which is often accompanied by a audible release or “crack,” which is the release of gas (nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide). Some joints “cavitate” or “crack” while others are less likely to release the gas. Studies that date back to the 1940s report an immediate improvement in a joint’s range of motion occurs when the joint cavitates. Many people instinctively stretch their own neck to the point of gas release, which typically, “…feels good.” This can become a habit and usually is not a big problem. However, in some cases, it can lead to joint hypermobility and ligament laxity. As a rule, if only a gentle stretch is required to produce the cavitation/crack, it’s typically “safe” verses the person who uses higher levels of force by grabbing their own head and twisting it beyond the normal tissue stretch boundaries. The later is more likely to result in damage to the ligaments (tissue that strongly holds bone to bone) and therefore, should be avoided. Since SMT is usually applied in a very specific location (where the joint is fixated or “stuck”, or, partially displaced), it’s obviously BEST to utilize chiropractic, as we chiropractors do this many times a day (for years or even decades) and we know where to apply it and can judge the amount of force to utilize, especially the neck where there are many delicate structures.

Back to the question: Which is better, MOB or SMT? Or, are they equals in the quest of rid of neck pain? A recent study of over 100 patients with “mechanical neck pain” (strain/sprain) showed that those who received SMT had a significantly better response than the MOB group as measured by a pain scale, a disability scale and 2 tests that measure function! So, the next time you ask the question, “….do you have to crack my neck?,” the answer should be “yes, if you want to achieve the quickest response.” However, if there is sharp pain during the “set-up” of the manipulation or adjustment, modifications in the technique are appropriate or, a different method should be considered.

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.

What Causes Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic condition that impacts every aspect of life for those who harbor it. The diagnosis is often made on individuals with chronic widespread bodily pain in the absence of any specific condition and when no specific cause such as tissue inflammation or damage can be identified. Hence, the cause of FM remains illusive and confusing, resulting in beliefs that range from it being a purely a psychological condition to an entirely physical condition, while others simply do not feel it’s a “real” condition at all. This begs the question: What causes fibromyalgia?

Thankfully, there is currently enough research published to confidently say that FM is at least partly (possibly mostly) due to a disorder of “central pain processing” (that is, how the brain “feels” pain), where a higher than normal pain response occurs to a normal, not-too-painful stimulus (technically called “hyperalgesia”), as well as a pain response that occurs to a non-painful or, shouldn’t hurt at all, stimulus (technically called “allodynia”). There are several other conditions that include central or brain processing problems that include both genetic as well as environmental factors. Some of these include irritable bowel syndrome, TMJ or jaw dysfunction, chronic low back pain, and others.

This central or brain problem may be caused by chemical changes in the brain which have been clearly identified in FM sufferers. Some of these include a deficiency (too little) of serotonin and noradrenergic substances, as well as too much or, an excess amount of glutamate and substance P (chemicals that help transmit movement information from our feet and arms to the brain). In some cases, there are also psychological and behavioral issues that play a role in the cause of FM. Another study reported the cause of FM as being a “neurologic disease.” They found that interactions of environmental stressors (financial, marital, etc.) PLUS “neuroendocrine dysfunction” (that is, hormonal and neurotransmitter issues) in people who are genetically predisposed to be the cause of FM.

So, it appears the cause of FM is not one thing but rather, the presence of environmental issues like stress AND chemical imbalances in our endocrine (hormone) and nervous (brain) systems that team up to clobber those of us who may be genetically geared towards having FM. This explanation of causation is important as there are both outside/environmental and inside/chemical issues that MUST be addressed in the treatment or management program of FM. This is why a “multidisciplinary approach” or a “team” of health care providers works so well in the management process. Because there are biological, psychological, and social issues that require management, the team may consist of primary care (by a medical doctor who is willing to work in a team approach and “believes” FM is real), counseling, and chiropractic.

Chiropractic is an integral, important service to include as the primary complaint of FM is “widespread musculoskeletal pain” and NO OTHER profession focuses more on that system than chiropractic. Patients with FM frequently report that a regimented treatment plan that includes regular chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue therapies, often different forms of physical therapy modalities such as electrical stimulation, ultrasound, pulsed magnetic field, laser and/or light therapy, as well as nutritional counseling and exercise guidance are HUGE in the management process – ALL of which can be quarterbacked by your chiropractor. We pride ourselves in managing complex problems such as FM and are proud to be part of the team!

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

Education Alert!

In honor of Teacher's Appreciation Week, May 7-11, Oakland Spine and Rehab will be honoring the wonderful members of our school system throughout the ENTIRE MONTH of May! As a thank you to the wonderful teachers, administrators and staff members in our local schools, we will be offering them either one free acupuncture treatment or one deep tissue laser massage.

Every day, not only do teachers work with students in order to prepare them for a successful future, many teachers go above and beyond by listening to, supporting, encouraging, and mentoring their students. Most importantly, a teachers' influence continues throughout the child's life. Dr. Butler is the perfect example of this. His life was greatly influenced by his High School Math teacher, Betty, who helped to shape his decision to become a doctor. Since there is no charge for this service to anyone in the school system, this is the perfect way to thank the special people in your child's life.

This is where we need your help! We would like to extend this offer to all of the schools in our area to show our appreciation for all of their hard work and dedication. If you have any connection with administrators at any of these schools, please contact our office. Anyone who is instrumental in helping us to reach out to to the schools or refers a teacher in during this time will be entered into the iPad 3 raffle as well!

As always,
The Staff at Oakland Spine

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Chiropractic

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a very common problem. The American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) reported that in 2007, there were 330,000 carpal tunnel release surgeries performed. The main reason to have the surgery is to “open up” the tunnel. That is, the transverse carpal ligament or “floor” of the tunnel is released so the contents inside the tunnel are able to move more freely, reducing the pressure inside the tunnel. Essentially, this is the goal of any treatment (surgical or not): improving the depth of the tunnel, thus reducing the pressure from inside the tunnel allowing the tendons to slide better as the muscles on the palm-side forearm contract to move the nine tendons that pass through the tunnel and attach to the fingers and thumb. However, there are non-surgical methods for reducing the pressure within the tunnel that should be first attempted as surgery is always reported to be the “…last resort” for good reason. There can be surgical complications, the effects may be only partial, and there is an average of 30% grip strength loss following the transverse ligament surgical release. So, the question is, how can chiropractic approaches reduce the pressure inside the carpal tunnel without somehow changing the length of the transverse carpal ligament?

The roof of the tunnel is made up of two rows of four bones for a total of eight carpal bones that arch over the nine tendons that pass through the tunnel. The height of the tunnel is dependant on the position of those eight bones, especially three of the eight bones that make up the proximal row at the top of the cave. These are technically the lunate (located at the peak of the roof which tends to drop down lowering the roof of the tunnel), the scaphoid (located on the thumb side of the roof), and the triquetrum (located on the pinky side of the roof). The latter two bones tend to shift up and out and when the middle bone drops down, the tunnel flattens making the space tighter or smaller. This is how chiropractic adjustments of the wrist help. There are specific techniques we use to reposition the lunate and outer two bones that shift up and out. In addition, we can either tape or use an elastic wristband to hold the tunnel “open” after the adjustment.

The use of a night splint to keep the wrist in a straight or slightly “cocked-up” position is also highly beneficial as the pressure inside the tunnel goes up as much as 6-8x when CTS is present when the wrist bends to the end points of upward or downward bending. Also, we will treat all the possible points of possible compression including the neck, shoulder, elbow, forearm and wrist which ALWAYS gets better results than treating only the carpal tunnel.

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.

Weekly Health Update

Mental Attitude: Berry Good News.
Men who regularly consume foods rich in flavonoids (such as berries, apples, certain vegetables, tea and red wine) may significantly reduce their risk for developing Parkinson's disease. Flavonoids are naturally occurring, bioactive compounds present in many plant-based foods and drinks.
Neurology, April 2012

Health Alert: Stressed?
The risk for coronary heart disease and stroke increases by 30% in a person whose partner has cancer. The cause is probably the negative stress to which the cancer patient's partner is exposed. Previous studies show that stress can affect the nervous system, blood pressure, and inflammation, increasing the risk of developing coronary heart disease and stroke.
Centre for Primary Healthcare Research in Malmö, April 2012

Diet: Pain Relief.
The supplement Methylsulfonylmethane gave osteoarthritis patients relief from symptoms of pain and physical dysfunction.
Osteoarthritis Cartilage, 2008

Exercise: Being Fit.
Improving or maintaining physical fitness appears to help obese and overweight children reach a healthy weight. During a four-year study, obese and overweight girls and boys who achieved fitness were 2.5 to 5 times more likely to reach a healthy weight than those who stayed underfit.
Obesity, April 2012

Chiropractic: Slowing Degeneration?
Morphologic changes in the endplate that occur with advancing age or degeneration can interfere with normal disk nutrition and further the spinal degenerative process. Degeneration decreases the ability of the spine to move through a full range of motion, which alters the integrity of the proteoglycans and water concentration, reducing the number of viable cells with decreased movement of solutes in and out of the disk.
Pain, 2004

Wellness/Prevention: Unhealthy Snacks, Sodas and Watching TV.
In a study of obesity among European children, Dr. Yannis Manios, Assistant Professor at Harokopio University in Athens, writes, "We found that many countries are lacking clear guidelines on healthy eating and active play. However, there is good evidence linking sedentary behavior (like TV watching) with subsequent obesity. Therefore, TV-watching in kindergartens should be replaced by more active, non-competitive, fun activities which will promote the participation of the whole class and help children to achieve optimal growth, health and well-being. Similarly at home, TVs in the bedroom and unhealthy snacks in the kitchen cupboard are a bad idea. Parents should also remember that their role is not only to provide healthy food and drink options but to act as a role model themselves, since kids are copying their behaviors."
Obesity Reviews, March 2012

New Research Shows An Individual Approach To Back Pain May Be Best

Back pain is very common. In fact, it has been estimated that up to 80% of people will suffer from back pain in their lifetime. It is easy to search for that stat on the web but finding a solution for back pain has proven much more difficult.

For a long time, rest was the "treatment" of choice. In many cases, bed rest. In recent years, experts have prescribed a more active approach.

Physical therapy and specific therapeutic exercises came to the forefront of many back pain treatments. Now, results from new research are hinting at a different approach, an approach where both (rest and exercise) are right… and wrong.

Here's what this is all about: A study published February 29, 2012 in BMC Medicine compared rest vs. active treatment with low back patients with modic changes (MC). Modic changes have been described as early disk degenerative changes only seen on an MRI.

Results: In total, 100 patients were included in the study. Data was available on 87 patients at 10 weeks and 96 patients at one-year follow-up and used in the intention-to-treat analysis.

Conclusions: No statistically significant differences were found between the two treatment approaches (rest vs. active treatment) in patients with persistent LBP and modic changes.

What does all this mean? According to the study's lead author, Rikke K. Jensen, MSc, "The results do not suggest that patients with MCs should not exercise... But I think clinicians should be careful; when patients come back and say this treatment didn't work, it's not because they did it the wrong way or they didn't do it enough. It's very possible that this treatment is just not very effective for this group of patients."

In other words – THERE IS NO ONE APPROACH THAT WORKS BEST FOR ALL PATIENTS WITH LOW BACK PAIN.

It is estimated that 40% of low back pain sufferers have modic changes. This means exercise may not be the best treatment protocol for 4 out of 10 sufferers.

The cause of modic changes is unknown. Jensen said, "We know that they are part of the degeneration process but we still don't know what causes them."

It is theorized they may be caused by mechanical stress. Mechanical stress can cause excessive loading, micro fractures and inflammation of the vertebral endplate and bone marrow.

"When you're jumping up and down on micro fractures, they tend not to get better," said Jensen. "It was important for us to test the hypothesis that people don't improve with exercise if they have these MCs, and there are other treatment options that could prove to be more effective."

Here's something interesting: One Chiropractic theory is that malfunctioning spinal joints cause abnormal mechanical stress. Over time, this can cause degenerative changes.

So, is it possible that exercising on a spine with malfunctioning joints is doing more harm than good?

Some Chiropractors have theorized that these spinal malfunctions should be corrected BEFORE an exercise program is started.

More research needs to be done but it seems like there is no one answer when it comes to helping back pain sufferers. Every case is individual and no one way is the ultimate solution.

Is the best way to treat back pain to first correct the mechanical malfunctions of the spine and then use exercise to regain strength and flexibility?

This and other questions still need to be answered. Up-to-date doctors will see each case of low back pain as individual and devise a unique treatment plan. They will also know when to adjust the treatment plan if it is not working.

WARNING: FDA Links Pain
Drug To Joint Failure

Pharmaceutical company Pfizer thought they had a great new painkiller. As it turns out, The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says there is a clear association between the nerve-blocking medication and incidences of joint failure that led the agency to halt studies.

According to USA Today, "Problems with the [drug] began to emerge in the summer of 2010. Beginning in June, Pfizer halted studies of its experimental injection tanezumab in patients with osteoarthritis, low back pain and diabetic nerve pain. The action was requested by the Food and Drug Administration, after researchers reported that osteoarthritis actually worsened in some patients, causing joint failure in some cases."

TV doctor gets "schooled" about Chiropractors.

Chiropractic has been through a lot. Its founder, Daniel D. Palmer, was put in jail for practicing medicine without a license. Many other Chiropractors were jailed for the same offense.

Times have changed. Chiropractic has been licensed in every state for many decades and is accepted by mainstream medicine. In fact, chiropractors and medical doctors work together every day in clinics around the world.

But, some ignorance still exists, such as this example taken from an ABCNews4 story:

It's Wellness Wednesday and that means our very own back expert, Dr. Ellen Rhame of the Southeastern Spine Institute, stopped by to answer today's viewer question.

Anita from West Ashley wrote in, "I have chronic back pain. Should I be seen at Southeastern Spine prior to getting regular adjustments from a chiropractor?"

Dr. Ellen says there is nothing wrong with chiropractors. The only issue is she wants to make sure that people are getting evaluated properly before they look for alternate means of medicine. At the Institute, they can show you what's wrong with your back and give you some ideas on what your next steps should be. Dr. Ellen says that she is just concerned that some people will go without being treated properly and do more harm than good.

Here is a comment posted by a reader on the program's website: "Dr. Ellen is not well-versed about chiropractic physicians. By law, they are required to be able to differentially diagnose conditions that could mask as back pain. For example, chiropractors must take multiple tests at the state and federal levels to show proficiency in the ability to diagnose neurological, urinary, gynecological, intestinal, hormonal, cardiovascular, pediatric and other non-musculoskeletal conditions. You can be confident your chiropractic physician has the training to send you to the proper medical provider if your back pain is caused from some other condition."

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 providing you natural pain relief.

TWO Chances to Win the NEW iPad!

There are only 11 days left in the iPad 3 Referral Give-Away, and we have added a fun, new way for you to earn an entry into the "Change the World" Drum.

Tomorrow, Friday, May 4th, we will be hosting FAN FRIDAY. We would love for you to join us and to share your personal success stories about how we have succeeded in helping you to achieve a healthier and happier life. Those who wish to share a video testimonial will receive 2 entries for our iPad3 raffle!

You can also refer someone you know to Oakland Spine and Rehab so that they can get the pain relief they are searching for. They can be suffering from headaches, neck and back pain, stenosis, neuropothy, allergies, or a number of other conditions.

Remember, the more friends and family members you refer, the more entries you receive! 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!!

As always,
The Staff at Oakland Spine