Spinal stenosis is narrowing inside the spine and is a common reason for spinal surgery. Spinal fusion surgery is increasingly be added to the standard decompression surgery, but does not have any evidence of adding benefit to the procedure. At the same time adding the fusion increases the cost, increased recovery time, and increases the rate of infections and complications.
Does this practice sound rational to you?
Benefit of lumbar fusion for spinal stenosis found to be small to nonexistent

Teens who get opioids after wisdom tooth extraction may be at risk for addiction, study finds

Dentists are the providers that prescribes the most opiods for children. A new study from JAMA showed that 6% of children from 10 to 19 who were precribed opiods after wisdom tooth extraction went on to be diagosed with opiod abuse within one year. This only occured with .4% in the control group.
Do you see this as an important issue to address?
Teens who get opioids after wisdom tooth extraction may be at risk for addiction, study finds

A fitness instructor from Aurora has set 2 world records for planking

60 year old ex-marine George Hood has recently broke the world plank record again doing 10 hours and 10 minutes and created a new world record category by planking 18 hours 10 minutes over 24 hours! 
He also holds the world record for stationary biking at 111 hours! 
Do you find this as amazing and inspiring as I do?
A fitness instructor from Aurora has set 2 world records for planking

Senate Introduces Bill to Expand Chiropractic Access to Military Retirees, National Guard

Senate Introduces Bill to Expand Chiropractic Access to Military Retirees, National Guard

New Physical Activity Guidelines Urge Americans: Move More, Sit Less

New federal exercise guidelines have changed the needed exercise duration from 10 minutes to a couple minutes. New research has shown that it is the total exercise volume and not the length of exercise bouts that is important. Also we have learned of many more benefits of exercise since the first guidelines were released 10 years ago.
Are you getting your recommended amount of exercise?
New Physical Activity Guidelines Urge Americans: Move More, Sit Less

Maintaining Mobility as we Age A Key to Aging Successfully

I have been talking to patients about the importance of mobility for the last 28 years. Glad to see it getting to the mainstream. Here is an animated presentation by a chiropractic professor on the importance of mobility as we age.
Are you staying mobile?
Maintaining Mobility as we Age A Key to Aging Successfully

3 Times a Chiropractor Can Make You Feel Better—and 9 Things They Cannot Help

Article from Men's Health on chiropractic treatment helping many back conditions, sports injuries, and migraines. No compelling evidence that it helps with non-musculoskeletal conditions. 
Would you agree?
3 Times a Chiropractor Can Make You Feel Better—and 9 Things He Should Never Even Attempt

A New Prescription for Back Pain

Chiropractic is a profession, not a treatment. Although it is most known for spinal manipulation (adjustments), most doctors of chiropractic (DC's) use a variety of treatments including soft tissue manipulation, mobilization, exercise therapy, and sometimes multidisiplinary rehabiliation.

A New Prescription for Back Pain

Preventing Muscle Loss Among the Elderly

Sarcopenia is the fancy medical name for loss of muscle fibers. Sarcopenia is one of the most important causes of functional decline and loss of independence in older adults.The good news from current research is that the loss of strength can be greatly slowed down or reversed by increasing the size of the individual muscle fibers by exersice! I am board certified in rehabilitation and show exercises to many of my patients. 
Has anyone gained back lost muscle strength?
Preventing Muscle Loss Among the Elderly

Spinal Manipulation Plus Exercise Effective for Teen Low Back Pain

A new study published in the July issue of the PAIN Journal showed that twelve weeks of spinal manipulative therapy (adjustments) combined with exercise therapy is more effective than exercise therapy alone over a one-year period for adolescents with chronic low back pain. 
Does this surpise anyone?
Spinal Manipulation Plus Exercise Effective for Teen Low Back Pain

Do I Have To Keep Going To The Chiropractor?

One of the complaints you will often hear about chiropractors sounds like this, “Once you go, you always have to go.” The ironic thing is that it’s more common to hear that complaint from someone who has never actually gone to a chiropractor instead of someone who has.
If you talk to someone who goes to or has gone to a chiropractor, they will tell you the statement “Once you go, you always have to go” is simply untrue.
Have you ever heard this urban legend?
Do I Have To Keep Going To The Chiropractor?

Productive on six hours of sleep? You’re deluding yourself, expert says

I recently watched a two hour interview of Dr. Matthew Walker, a neuroscientist and sleep researcher, and was so impressed by the information that I read his book. I had known there were detrimental effects of sleep, but I like many was unaware of how profoundly these could effect our physical, mental, and emotional well being. I can now see that decreaed quantity and quality of sleep is a large public health issue.
Has anyone suffered detrimental effects from poor sleep?
Productive on six hours of sleep? You’re deluding yourself, expert says

The Illness Is Bad Enough. The Hospital May Be Even Worse

The elderly are particularly vulnerable to “post-hospital syndrome,” in which areas of their health deteriorate after the inactivity and stress of hospital stays. One of the benefits of chiropractic care, as shown in several studies, is its ability to keep some patients form hospital stays, thus reducing the amount of post-hospital syndrome. 
Has anyone experienced any adverse effects from a hospital stay?
The Illness Is Bad Enough. The Hospital May Be Even Worse

Do Epidural Steroid Injections Help Lower Back Pain?

This is a recent review study from the Annals of Internal Medicine of 30 previous epidural steroid injection studies. It showed only mild temporay benefit overall and no benefit for spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spine).“ESIs are high cost, low value health care,” said Terri Lewis, Ph.D, who is an expert of rehabilitation medicine.
Do you think it would be rational to use more conservative treatments for these patients such as chiropractic and/or physical therapy?

http://nationalpainreport.com/do-epidural-steroid-injections-help-lower-back-pain-8827256.html

Alternative treatments for chronic pain without opioids

Missouri Governor Mike Parson recently signed a bill allowing chiropractic care to be covered under Medicaid. Research shows that the Medicaid population is prescribed opioids at a disproportionately high rate compared to the general population and those areas where patients have access to chiropractic have decreased opioid prescription rates.
Do you think it would be beneficial for Illiinois to again cover chiropractic care under Medicaid?Alternative treatments for chronic pain without opioids

http://www.momtastic.com/pregnancy/741011-how-to-get-relief-from-sciatic-pain-in-pregnancy-without-using-medications/

Yes, chiropractors and physical therapists treat pregnant woman...for sciatica and many other lumbar and spine disorders. Chiropractic care is especially valuable in this setting as the desire to limit the mother and child from x-ray radiation exposure, drugs, injections, and other dangerous treatment options is shared by all providers.
Many women who are referred to me by obstreticians are surprised that chiropractors treat pregnant woman. 
Have you heard of this?
http://www.momtastic.com/pregnancy/741011-how-to-get-relief-from-sciatic-pain-in-pregnancy-without-using-medications/

Muscle Loss from Inactivity: 34 Percent in Just Two Weeks

A study from the University of Copenhagen and published in the Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine showed that wearing an immobilizing knee brace for just two weeks caused men to lose between 20-34% of leg muscle strength! This is one of the reasons I am continually encouraging my patients to stay as active as possible even when they have more severe injuries. 
Were you aware that significant muscle loss could occur this fast?

Muscle Loss from Inactivity: 34 Percent in Just Two Weeks

Lower Back Pain Relief: Treatments That Really Work

A new article in Readers Digest entitled "Lower Back 
Relief Treatments That Really Work" recommends chiropractic care, physical therapy and several other conservative professions and treatments.
Do you think these are good recommendations?
Lower Back Pain Relief: Treatments That Really Work

5 Common Causes of Neck Pain (and How Chiropractic Can Help)

The neck is the second most common area that I treat. I have recently had two patients that could hardly rotate their necks. Makes driving rather difficult.
Hear is an article on 5 common causes and predisposing factors.
His anyone had severe neck pain?
5 Common Causes of Neck Pain (and How Chiropractic Can Help)

What Does Research Reveal About Chiropractic Costs?

To date approximately 30 studies have looked at the cost of including chiropractic care and/or spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) within workers’ compensation, other healthcare delivery systems or multi-disciplinary clinics. The available evidence consistently shows that patients with low back and neck pain who are treated by chiropractors have either similar or lower costs than those seeking care from other providers.
Does this surprise anyone?
What Does Research Reveal About Chiropractic Costs?

Doctors botch blood pressure readings more often than you think

I am a certified medical examiner for the Dept of Transportation to perform medical safety exams on truck drivers. Blood pressure measurement is part of the exam. I have provided a link to an article that discusses that the measurement is performed incorrectly in many medical offices, and also lists the current recommendations for proper measurement. 
Has anyone had their pressure taken incorrectly?
Doctors botch blood pressure readings more often than you think

New report warns of widespread ineffectiveness of lower back pain treatments

Good Morning America recently ran a segment concerning the 3 papers just published in the Lancet medical journal. These papers state that much of the treatment of low back pain is not based on current research and is ineffective. The papers analyzed the evidence and recommends as a first line activity, superficial heat, spinal manipulation (94% of which is performed by chiropractors), massage, and acupuncture. 
Does this sound like good recommendations to you?

New report warns of widespread ineffectiveness of lower back pain treatments

VA Pain Conference: Manipulation Among 9 Nondrug Therapies Recommended

Spinal manipulation is one of nine nondrug therapies VA pain experts recommend for implementation across the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) for treatment of chronic pain. Authors say integration of the nondrug approaches in primary care, pain care and mental health settings should be a priority and could potentially make VHA a model for improving treatment of chronic pain nationwide. 
Do you think this is good policy to implement?
VA Pain Conference: Manipulation Among 9 Nondrug Therapies Recommended

Congress Passes Legislation Expanding Veteran Access to Nondrug Chiropractic Services

Congress has approved a plan to expand access to chiropractic’s nondrug approach to pain relief to veterans. This will expand chiropractic services to even more of the VA hospitals to reduce surgeries and opioid prescribing.
Do you think this will be beneficial for veterans?
Congress Passes Legislation Expanding Veteran Access to Nondrug Chiropractic Services

CHIROPRACTIC CARE & THE OLYMPICS: HOW DCS HELP OLYMPIC ATHLETES REACH PEAK PERFORMANCE

Doctors of chiropractic have been working on US Olympic teams since 1980.
CHIROPRACTIC CARE & THE OLYMPICS: HOW DCS HELP OLYMPIC ATHLETES REACH PEAK PERFORMANCE

House Introduces Bill to Expand Chiropractic Access to Military Retirees, Families

A bill introduced last week in the House of Representatives and would expand access to chiropractic services to military retirees, dependents and survivors through the Department of Defense TRICARE health program.
It would also establish, in the wake of the nationwide opioid crisis, an important non-drug option for pain management in the program.
Do you think this would be beneficial for the military and their families?
House Introduces Bill to Expand Chiropractic Access to Military Retirees, Families

doctors of chiropractic provide qualified, effective care to some 35.5 million American adults,

As primary care professionals for spinal health and well-being, doctors of chiropractic provide qualified, effective care to some 35.5 million American adults, who seek chiropractic care each year to promote health, alleviate pain and improve quality of life.

Smoking Leads to Spine Surgery

Many of my patients are surprised when I inform them that smoking is a risk factor for spinal disorders and back pain because it restricts blood flow and promotes inflammation in the spine. A recent study in the Spine Journal found that smokers are up to 46% more likely to get surgery for spinal stenosis.
Does this surprise anyone?
Smoking Leads to Spine Surgery

He tried to hold in a sneeze and ended up in the hospital on a feeding tube

I frequently tell patients that coughing and sneezing is a very powerful action. I have seen many patients injury their backs and necks and even cause disc herniations from these actions. 
Had a patient bring me this article about a person who recently tried to hold in a sneeze and ruptured his throat!
Has anyone injured themselves coughing or sneezing?
He tried to hold in a sneeze and ended up in the hospital on a feeding tube

President Signs Bill Expanding Chiropractic Role in VA

I am a certified medical examiner for the DOT and it was good to see that the president just signed a bill allowing doctors of chiropractic in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to perform physical exams on veterans needing a medical certificate necessary to operate a commercial motor vehicle. 
Did you know that DC's perform DOT trucker safety examinations?
President Signs Bill Expanding Chiropractic Role in VA

Commonly prescribed drugs for back pain often ineffective, review says

Now that opioid (narcotic) prescribing is coming under more scrutiny, many medical physicians are starting to prescribe drugs known as gabapentinoids for back pain. These are drugs that were approved for seizures and nerve pain. There is no research showing they are efffective for back disorders and they can have negative side effects. 
Why are these being prescribed off label for back pain?
Commonly prescribed drugs for back pain often ineffective, review says

7 Ways To Prevent Lower Back Pain