Don't Let The Labor Day Holiday Weekend Spoil Your Results!

Our office will be closing at 4pm on Friday, Aug. 31st and will be closed all day on Monday, Sept. 3rd in observance of the Labor Day holiday weekend.

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 reschedule appointments from Monday, Sept. 3rd to Tuesday, Sept. 4th.

Craig Justin will be available on Tuesday, Sept. 4th, from 8am to 12:30pm, to accommodate patients missing their Monday acupuncture sessions.

Wishing you a safe and healthy holiday!

As always,
The Staff at Oakland Spine

Weekly Health Update

Mental Attitude: Fatty Food Pictures?
Looking at images of high-calorie foods stimulates the brain's appetite control center, which leads to an elevated desire for food. This stimulation of the brain's reward areas may contribute to overeating and obesity. This is a striking finding because the current environment is inundated with advertisements showing images of high-calorie foods.
Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting, June 2012

Health Alert: GlaxoSmithKline Pleads Guilty!
GlaxoSmithKline, the world's 4th largest company, pled guilty to fraud and agreed to pay $3 billion dollars to resolve criminal and civil charges against the company. The matter relates to failure to report the safety data of certain prescription drugs, as well as false price reporting. It is the largest payout by a drug company over fraud, and the largest healthcare fraud case to date. James M. Cole, Deputy Attorney General said, "Today's multi-billion dollar settlement is unprecedented in both size and scope. We are determined to stop practices that jeopardize patients' health, harm taxpayers, and violate the public trust and this historic action is a clear warning to any company that chooses to break the law."
Medical News Today, June 2012

Diet: Muscle Power and Caffeine.
As we age, our muscles naturally change and weaken. A study found caffeine boosts power in older muscles, suggesting the stimulant could aid elderly people to both maintain their strength and reduce their risk for falls and injuries. With the importance of maintaining a physically active lifestyle to preserve health and functional capacity, caffeine could prove beneficial to the aging population.
Society for Experimental Biology, June 2012

Exercise: Good Reasons.
Exercise increases your stroke volume (the amount of blood the heart pumps with each beat), improves your self-esteem, and reduces your susceptibility for coronary thrombosis (a clot in an artery that supplies the heart with blood).
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

Chiropractic: A Recommendation By A Prominent Physician.
"[The] best people to manage back pain are osteopathic and chiropractic physicians. Why? Because they are specially trained in the mechanical abnormalities which cause 95% of back pain and they know how to correct these defects manually."
~ Paul Hemenway Altrocchi, MD, MPH - former Professor of Neurology at Stanford Medical School

Wellness/Prevention: Leave Your Car At Home?
People who walked 150 minutes per week had lower health care costs and mortality rates.
European Journal of Public Health, June 2012

Keep Hydrated During Our Water Bottle Give-Away

When you visit the office this week for treatment, you will receive a FREE WATER BOTTLE during our Water Bottle Give-Away!

This Friday, August 31st is also FAN FRIDAY!! We would love for you to join us and to share your personal success stories about our office. Whether taping your story or simply writing it down, let us know how we have succeeded in helping you to achieve a healthier and happier life.

Those who wish to share a video testimonial will be entered into our iMac raffle as well! Remember, there are only THREE WEEKS left in our iMac Give-Away.

There are three ways you can earn a chance to win an iMac just in time for the new school year:

1. Refer a friend or family member to the office
2. Bring a friend or family member to one of our PAIN FREE Dinner Seminars
3. Share your personal success story with us on FAN FRIDAY

Weekly Health Update

Mental Attitude: Feeling Sleepy?
One third of all workers sleep less than six hours each day, instead of the recommended 7-9 hours. People especially at risk of not getting enough sleep include those in the health care, social assistance, and transportation fields.
CDC, June 2012

Health Alert: Cancer and Aging.
Why does our risk of developing cancer increase as we age? By the time we stop growing in our teens, we accumulate a large percentage of the mutations we will have during our lifetime. There's a mismatch between the mutation curve and the cancer curve, meaning that if cancer is caused by reaching a tipping point of mutations, then we should see higher cancer rates in 20-year-olds, as this is when the mutation rate is highest. The body's healthy cells function best in healthy, younger tissue; however, in older tissue, cancerous cells may adapt better in that environment than healthy cells and more easily propagate.
Oncogene, June 2012

Diet: Food Industry Should Be Regulated?
"The obesity crisis is made worse by the way industry formulates and markets its products, and so must be regulated to prevent excesses and to protect the public good," writes Kelly Brownell, a leading food expert. He argues that left to regulate itself, the food industry has the opportunity, if not the mandate from shareholders, to sell more products irrespective of their impact on consumers. Thus, government, foundations, and other powerful institutions should push for regulation of, and not collaboration with, the food industry.
PLoS Medicine, July 2012

Exercise: Good Reasons.
Exercise reduces your risk of developing Type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes, reduces the risk of developing breast cancer and improves mental cognition (a short-term effect only)
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

Chiropractic: Joint Friction?
The supplement chondroitin sulfate significantly reduces the friction coefficient of articular cartilage, which, in turn, leads to a decreased risk of joint degeneration.
Journal of Biomechanics, 2007

Wellness/Prevention: Vitamin D and Fractures.
Taking 800-2,000 IUs of vitamin D per day significantly reduces the risk of most fractures in men and women age 65 and older. In a study, the top 25% of Vitamin D consumers sustained 30% fewer hip fractures and 14% fewer fractures of other bones. There was no benefit to taking Vitamin D supplements in doses below 800 IUs. The cost of treating a hip fracture is $26,912.!
New England Journal of Medicine, June 2012

Weekly Health Update

Mental Attitude: Catching Colds?
The risk of contracting a cold, regardless of pre-existing immunity, after being exposed to cold viruses is 52% less in parents compared with those who have no children. The finding may be expected considering that when children get colds, the parents may develop protective antibodies against the specific viruses that cause these colds. However, the findings revealed that based on levels of antibodies to the study viruses, the lower risk of colds in parents could not be explained by pre-existing immunity. Volunteers who were parents tended to develop fewer colds irrespective of whether or not they had protective levels of antibodies. One possible explanation may be that being a parent improves regulation of immune factors (cytokines) that are triggered in response to infection. According to earlier research, cytokine responses explain the protective effects of psychological factors, such as lower stress or a positive attitude against the risk of colds.
American Psychosomatic Society, July 2012

Health Alert: Cortisone.
Injections of corticoid preparations can have severe side effects. In 278 cases of complications after corticoid injections, medical errors were found to have been committed in 40% of cases. Typical errors include faulty asepsis, treatment without indication, and injections that were too closely spaced in time or in excessive doses.
Deutsches Arzteblatt International, July 2012

Diet: The Not So Small Intestine.
Have you ever wondered how your body gets nutrients out of your food? Your small intestine absorbs most of your food; however, the small intestine is not that small. The average surface of the human small intestine is about the size of a tennis court!
Gray's Anatomy

Exercise: Good Reasons.
Exercise improves respiratory muscle strength and muscle endurance (particularly important for asthmatics), reduces your risk of having a stroke and helps you to burn excess calories.
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

Chiropractic: Move Your Joints!
Range-of-motion exercises can help maintain normal joint function by increasing and preserving joint mobility and flexibility.
The Cleveland Clinic, 2007

Wellness/Prevention: Constant Change.
A big reason to stay healthy is that the cells of your body are constantly replaced. Eating right and exercising will give the new cells the best chance to become healthy cells. For example, did you know that humans shed and re-grow outer skin cells about every 27 days? That's almost 1,000 new skins in a lifetime!
Gray's Anatomy

FREE Dinner Talk at Portobello Banquets for You and Your Loved Ones!

Dr. Butler will be hosting a "Pain Free" dinner seminar on Wednesday, August 15th, for your friends and family members. This seminar will allow them 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 lunch seminar 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 at 6:00pm on Wednesday, Aug. 15th. Please let all of your friends and family, who are suffering from stenosis, herniated discs, or neuropathy, know that help is on the way!

These seminars fill up quickly, so have your loved ones reserve their spot today by calling us at (862) 226-0928.

Low Back and Obesity

Losing weight can dramatically reduce Low back pain (LBP). For the next 2 months, we will look at easy ways to lose weight without the need for fancy, hard to follow diets. As the saying goes, this is a “no-brainer.”

1. Time your meals. Set a timer for 20 minutes and “pace yourself” so that you eat slower. This is one of the most effective ways to reduce weight without a complicated diet plan. Make each bite “count” and enjoy the food’s flavor! This tricks your brain into thinking you’re more full while wolfing down your food in a hurry blocks those brain signals, resulting in over-eating.
2. Sleep an extra hour. This can result in a drop of 14 pounds a year according to University of Michigan research.
3. Serve three vegetables and/or fruit vs. one in your evening meal. You can eat more and STILL reduce weight!
4. Add a broth-based soup to your day. It fills you up without adding calories. Avoid creamy soups as they can be high in fat and calories.
5. Eat more whole grains. Add brown rice, barley, oats, buckwheat and/or whole wheat when consuming waffles, pizza crust, English muffins, and pasta. If you are gluten sensitive, look for alternatives like quinoa.
6. Visualize your favorite “skinny clothes.” Think about, or literally take out, a favorite dress or pair of pants that you no longer fit into and use it as a target or goal to wear them again.
7. Skip the bacon! If you avoid that 2 strips of bacon at breakfast or on your sandwich at lunch, you’ll save about 100 calories / day, about 10 pounds per year! Instead add tomato slices, banana peppers, roasted red bell peppers, grainy mustard, or a light spread of herbed goat cheese.
8. Pizza perfect! Choose a veggie topping vs. meat and shave 100 calories from your meal. Consider going light on the cheese, use reduced fat cheese and choose a thin, bread-like crust made with olive oil.
9. Drink “smart!” Trade that soda in for water or zero-calorie seltzer and you’ll avoid about 10 teaspoons of sugar! Add a lemon, mint or frozen strawberries for a much more satisfying beverage.

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.

We would like to welcome Giovanna Vitamia, CMT, to our office!

Giovanna graduated from the Academy of Massage Therapy in 2009 having received her certification in Clinical Massage Therapy. She specializes in several different massage therapies such as Swedish, Deep Tissue, Medical, Pre & Post Sport, Trigger Point Therapy, Prenatal and Reflexology.

She has tended to a wide range of patients, from pediatrics to geriatrics, as well as providing patient care to professional athletes. Giovanna currently resides in Saddle Brook, New Jersey. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends and staying active.

If you are interested in setting up an appointment with Giovanna, please contact the girls at the front desk.

As always,
The Staff at Oakland Spine

Whiplash and Side Collisions

Whiplash is most commonly studied when it is a result of a rear collision where the occupant of the vehicle is injured from a flexion (forwards) and extension (backwards) whip-like mechanism of injury, but what happens when a T-bone type of impact occurs?

The answer to this question is quite similar to many of the factors associated with any collision: the size of the bullet vs. target vehicle, the speed at which the collision occurs, the deployment or lack thereof of the airbag(s), the position of the neck at the time of impact, the “build” of the patient (skinny/tall vs. muscular), the road conditions, the “springiness” and angle of the seat back, and so forth. Unique to side impacts is the location of the strike to the target vehicle (front, middle, rear) and perhaps more importantly, the lack of space between the occupant and the point of the strike as there is a relatively shallow “crumple zone” between the occupant and the side of the vehicle.

Probably one of the best examples of how side impacts from different angles can be appreciated is to think about what happens to a person when they ride the “Bumper Cars” at the local fair. Though many fairs have now banned that “ride,” you may recall participating or watching those kids who were “having fun.” When a bumper car is struck in a classic “T-Bone” manner in the front end, the target car is spun around and the occupant hangs on for dear life. Similarly, a side strike from to the rear of the bumper car spins the back end around. When the occupant is aware of the impending crash, they grip the wheel, tuck their head by shrugging their shoulders and make their body rigid and typically, do not get “whipped around” as much as those that don’t anticipate the impact. Because the bumper cars don’t dent or crush (that is, there is no plastic deformity where damage occurs, only elastic deformity where there is no damage or, no energy absorption by crushing of the car), ALL of the crash energy is transferred to the occupant or the contents. If a person has a purse lying on the floor of the bumper car, it can go flying out and spill all over. Similarly, the person who is unaware of the impending collision will “go flying,” giving great satisfaction to the driver of the bullet bumper car.

When considering factors such as plastic vs. elastic deformity, side air bags, and the shallow crumple zone on the sides of motor vehicles, some manufactures stand out in their ability to protect the occupants in side impact collisions. Generally, those vehicles with a stiff side and roof structure have been found to be the best in protecting the occupant from injury by maintaining the survival space and dissipating the energy, or force, of the impact away from the occupant. Manufactures that stand out include Volvo, Mercedes, and Subaru. They have had the best design for decades and remain at the forefront for occupant protection in side impact collisions. The combination of energy absorbing side structure design and the side airbag has proven to be one of the most important factors in improving the crashworthiness in side impact collisions. Side air bags became popular in the 1990s. In 2012, more than 95% of all passenger cars sold in the US are equipped with side impact airbags as standard equipment.

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.

Neck Pain and Our Pillow!

The relationship between neck pain and our pillow is more important than most of us realize! Though we all may have at one time or another slept on a variety of surfaces, and used any number of pillows (flat, medium, bulky) made of different materials (foam, feather, air, water, or memory foam), it’s usually not until neck pain and/or headaches start to become an issue that we start to think, “…how important is my pillow?” Thankfully, the question has been addressed in a randomized peer-reviewed study. So, what did they find out?

The goal of a pillow is to support the neck more so than the head. In a study headed by Dr. Liselott Persson, MD, of the department of neurosurgery at the University of Lund in Sweden, researchers tested whether specific neck pillows have any effect on neck pain, headache and sleep quality in people suffering with chronic (>3months), non-specific neck pain. They also researched whether there was an optimum or “best” type of pillow that was preferred by their 52 patient group. They used 4 different pillows, 1 “normal” pillow and 3 of which were specially designed, each having a different shape and consistency. Over a 4-10 week time frame, the pillows were randomly distributed to the neck pain group who then graded them according to comfort, the effects on neck pain, sleep quality and headache using a questionnaire, and also described the characteristics of an “ideal pillow.” Researchers and participants concluded the “ideal pillow” (for reducing neck pain and headaches and improving quality of sleep) includes a soft pillow with good support under the neck’s curve (lordosis).

There are many styles of contoured cervical or neck pillows that vary considerably. This study supports the use of a specially designed style over a normal pillow. So what are some of the things to look for? First, consider your neck’s length and girth. When you look in a mirror, do you have a neck that is short vs. long or, narrow vs. wide? This will direct you to a pillow that has a larger “hump” for your neck to be cradled in if it’s a long neck and, the height of the hump – taller for the slender neck or, shorter for the wide neck. Some pillows have 2 options of “hump” sizes (located on the long edges of the pillow) – one short and flat and the other side taller and wider. Others recommend lying in the middle of the pillow if you’re a back sleeper vs. lying on the edge of pillow when sleeping on your sides. A measurement taken from the neck to the point of the shoulder determines if the pillow should be a small, medium, or large. Water filled and/or air filled pillows can be varied by the amount of water or air added. The bottom line of which is “best” is based on comfort and support. Regardless of which you choose, it can take several days to get used to the new pillow, so we recommend using the pillow for at least 1 week. By then, you’ll know if you chose the right style.

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.

Fibromyalgia and Foot Orthotics

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a condition that (typically) evolves slowly over time and often occurs for no apparent reason. The diagnosis is usually made by excluding other conditions leaving you with a diagnosis that in the absence of anything else, “….must be fibromyalgia.” Of course, the problem with that approach is that we all want to know, “…what caused this problem to start with?” In the end, we typically have to accept the fact that, “…it just did,” and move on to, “…now what are we going to do about it?”

A multi-disciplinary (involving several different types of doctors and approaches) treatment approach has been found to work well with Fibromyalgia patients. This approach may include medications from a primary care doctor who is aware and sensitive to this potentially disabling condition, massage therapy from a muscle relaxation point of view, clinical psychology when the stresses associated with FM become overwhelming and out of control, and chiropractic to quarterback joint mobility, diet management, exercise training, modality use, as well as offering foot orthotics. Coordinated care effort utilizing several disciplines is what is reported to be the most successful approach.

Because chiropractic embraces the concept of treating the whole person, this premise fits perfectly in the treatment plan for the FM patient since the entire body is considered, not just a specific area or system. In this approach, we assess posture, movement, alignment, and function and implement treatments to improve each of those areas.

During the postural assessment, because we are a 2-legged species, the feet must be carefully assessed for function and alignment. If you watch people walk, you will often see their ankles roll in with each step and for some, this can be quite dramatic where the ankle rolls in almost hitting the floor. What’s interesting is that most people don’t even know they are doing it! The truth is, most people with flat feet (technically called pes planus) and rolling-in ankles (or, ankle pronation) don’t have any foot pain or symptoms associated with the altered function. In fact, people with very high arches (pes cavus) usually have more foot pain than the flat footed person. If you look at shoes of those of us who pronate (which is about 80% of us), the wear pattern is usually quite excessive on the outer corner of the heel. Sound familiar? It is very common! So, why bother “fixing” ankle pronation if it doesn’t hurt? The answer is that biomechanical function is altered and it negatively affects the rest of the body quite significantly. Here’s what happens. When the ankle rolls in, the knee has to “knock” inwards, the hip has to impinge inwards, the pelvis on that side drops and the spine has to compensate for the pelvic drop and bend away from that side. Watch the shoulders and head sway back and forth as the pronated/flat footed person walks the next time you’re walking at the grocery store, mall, or airport.

So, how does the use of foot orthotics help the FM patient? It has been reported that it takes up to seven times more energy to walk when the ankles pronate excessively. Chronic fatigue is a frequent complaint in the FM patient, and the less energy expended from walking, the more energy will be left over for other daily tasks. Also, the biomechanical stresses on the ankle, knee, hip, and spine will be smaller from wearing foot orthotics, correcting the excessive side-to-side strain on the various joints. The journal Clinical Rheumatology recently reported a significant benefit when foot orthotics were used in the treatment of FM. The bottom line is that this is a VERY SIMPLE FIX and when so much of FM is so difficult to treat, this a no brainer!

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

Weekly Health Update

Mental Attitude: Stress and Violence.
Children exposed to community violence exhibit a physical stress response for up to a year, suggesting that exposure to violence may have negative long-term health consequences. In the short-term, violence is linked with aggression, depression, post-traumatic stress symptoms and academic and cognitive difficulties.
Journal of Adolescent Health, July 2012

Health Alert: Health Care Costs For Kids.
In 2010, per capita spending on children's health care increased to $2,123 (an 18.6% increase from 2007), with spending on health care for infants and toddlers being noted as disproportionately high. Even though children below the age of 3 made up 17% of the covered child population, they cost the 31.4% of the total amount for children's health care, with per capita spending reaching $3,896 in 2010.
Health Care Cost Institute, July 2012

Diet: Eating Fish!
Regular fish consumption can decrease colorectal cancer risk by 12%.
American Journal of Medicine, June 2012

Exercise: Eat Less, Move More, and Live Longer.
In a study on dietary restriction (DR) involving fruit flies, the flies that were also physically active experienced longer lives. This study establishes a link between DR-mediated metabolic activity in muscle, increased movement and the benefits derived from restricting nutrients. Flies on DR who could not move or had inhibited fat metabolism in their muscle did not exhibit an extended lifespan. If this finding extends to humans, then simply restricting nutrients without physical activity may not increase longevity.
Cell Metabolism, July 2012

Chiropractic: Good Vibrations.
The health of your joint cartilage is improved with vibratory motion. Vibrations allow the hyaluronic acid to be directed evenly among chondrocytes and the extracellular matrix, thus improving delivery of nutrients to chondrocytes in deeper layers and improving transportation of waste products. The average 70 kg (154 lbs) person has roughly 15 grams of hyaluronan in the body, one-third of which is turned over (degraded and synthesized) every day.
Arthritis & Rheumatism, 2006

Wellness/Prevention: No Warning!
Heart disease is the #1 killer today, and 60% of the time there are no warning signals!
American Heart Association

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: More Facts!

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a condition where a nerve in the wrist gets pinched resulting in numbness, tingling and sometimes grip strength loss. One of the first symptoms of CTS involves waking up at night due to the numb, tingly sensations. This initially occurs once in a while but eventually becomes more frequent, leading to very un-restful, sleepless nights. Most people do not initially attribute this sleep interruption to CTS but rather report, “…it’s coming from sleeping on my arm or lying in a funny position.” Because restful sleep is a very important health issue, this early CTS symptom should prompt the person to investigate the problem, but usually they wait, sometimes for months or even years, making treatment more challenging.

Other symptoms may include waking up in the morning with wrist and/or hand pain, difficulty buttoning a shirt or threading a needle, radiating arm symptoms into the forearm, shoulder and/or neck, dropping silverware, pens, coffee cups, and, a specific pattern of numbness such as the index, middle, and part of the ring finger. The degree of functional loss varies from none to total disability, not being able to work or carry out many home activities. Some people notice the symptoms during the day while performing fast, repetitive movements such as playing piano, typing, using a computer mouse, crocheting/knitting, writing, assembly work, and more. Some of the most frustrating complaints from CTS patients are lost work time (due to both CTS symptoms and fatigue from not sleeping at night), a loss in earnings, lack of dexterity (buttons, tying shoes, turning a key in a door or car, fixing hair, applying make-up), daytime grogginess, and irritability that can impact their quality of life, including their relationships.

A question that often arises is, what is carpal tunnel syndrome? A simple answer is “tendonitis” or, inflammation of the tendons that connect the muscles on the palm side of the forearm (flexor muscles) to their respective tendons that attach in the hand and fingers. Digging a little deeper, there are nine of these tendons that travel through the tunnel, rubbing together as we move our fingers and all is usually well unless there is too much friction resulting in swelling in this confined space. In fact, CTS remains silent until the swelling starts pushing or compressing the median nerve at which point the numbness, tingling, pain, etc., are noticed.

So, the next question is, what can be done to stop the inflammation from compressing the nerve? A very common treatment approach is the use of a cock-up splint at night, which stops us from bending the wrist in our sleep. In a normal, non-CTS wrist, the pressure in the carpal tunnel increases 2-fold when we bend our wrist; however, if inflammation already exists inside the carpal tunnel, the pressure increases by many multiples. This is why sleep interruption is so common in CTS as we just can’t control our wrist position at night. Another common anti-inflammatory approach is cortisone shots into the carpal tunnel and/or taking an anti-inflammatory drug like ibuprofen. The chiropractic answer to anti-inflammation is ice (preferably ice massage over the palm side wrist) and anti-inflammatory nutrients such as ginger, tumeric, boswellia, and others. What gives chiropractic the “edge” over non-surgical medical care is the addition of joint and soft tissue manipulation of the hand, wrist, forearm, elbow and when needed, the shoulder and neck. The latter improves circulation, reduces fixation or adhesion between tissues and allows the tendons to slide with less friction resulting in better function as noted by longer ability to play piano, type, write, etc.

Another “key” item to CTS treatment is identifying and finding a solution to a poorly designed workstation so the wrist/hand does not have to work in an awkward manner. Here, the position of a computer screen, how a tool is held, and how long repetitive work is allowed are modified.

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.