Monday, May 8, 2017

The Better Way to Get Back Pain Relief

Consumer Reports survey of 3,562 back-pain sufferers found that more than 80 percent of those who had tried yoga or tai chi or had seen a massage therapist or chiropractor said it had helped them.
Growing research shows that a combination of hands-on therapies and other nondrug measures can be just as effective as more traditional forms of back care, including drugs and surgery. And they’re much safer.
In February the American College of Physicians—which represents primary care doctors, the providers people consult most often for a backache—issued new guidelines for back-pain treatment, saying that the first line of defense should be nondrug measures.
Has anyone seen this Consumer Reports article?

The Better Way to Get Back Pain Relief

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

For Bad Backs, It May Be Time to Rethink Biases About Chiropractors

Here is another article based on the new guidelines from the American College of Physicians ( national organization of the medical internal medicine physicians) which recommends non drug treatments such as spinal maniplution and exercise therapy as the first options for back pain. This article written by a medical physician reviews the research showing that spinal manipulation (adjustment) is an effective and safe treatment for low back pain.
Does it seem surprising that a national medical organizaiton is recommending non drug therapies as a first step of treatment?

For Bad Backs, It May Be Time to Rethink Biases About Chiropractors

Monday, May 1, 2017

Spinal Manipulation Can Ease Your Aching Back

Consumer Reports gives information on the new study from the Journal of AMA which reviewed 26 previous studies and concluded that spinal manipulation (adjustments) is beneficial for back pain. 
Also a recent Consumer Reports survey of 3500 back pain sufferers showed that over 90% of them thought that spinal manipulation was beneficial for them.
Newer research is showing that pain medications are not nearly as beneficial as previously thought for back pain and carry more significant side effects.
Does it seem reasonable to try spinal manipulation as it is safer than drugs?

Spinal Manipulation Can Ease Your Aching Back

Thursday, April 20, 2017

JAMA Study Provides Further Support for Spinal Manipulation for Acute Low Back Pain

A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) adds to a growing body of recent research supporting the use of spinal manipulative therapy (adjustment) as a first line treatment for acute low back pain, 
The review examined 26 randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews and other published research since 2011 found that spinal manipulation was associated with statistically significant improvements in pain and function for up to six weeks with no serious adverse side effects.

JAMA Study Provides Further Support for Spinal Manipulation for Acute Low Back Pain

Friday, April 14, 2017

Stop Back Pain Without Drugs

A recent Consumer Reports survey shows 84% of people feel that spinal manipulation (adjustments) were beneficial. This article also explains the new back treatment Guidelines by the Am College of Physicians (national organization for the Internal Medicine Physicians). These new research based guidelines recommend NON-drug treatment such as spinal manipulation, tai chi, yoga, spine stabilizing exercises, progressive relaxation, stress reduction, and cognitive behavioral therapy as the first step for back pain.

Stop Back Pain Without Drugs

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

"Tech Neck": The Fix Is in the Foundation

"Tech neck" is also called "text neck". Did you know that the head weights 10-12 pounds and every 10 degrees of forward flexion puts another 10 pounds of stress on the neck? So 60 degrees of flexion increases neck stress by 60 pounds?
Here is a good article on the topic.

"Tech Neck": The Fix Is in the Foundation

The Puzzling Popularity of Back Surgery in Certain Regions

You might think that once drugs, devices and medical procedures are shown to be effective, they quickly become available. You might also think that those shown not to work as well as alternatives are immediately discarded.
Reasonable assumptions both, but you’d be wrong.
Another study has shown wide variations of up to 4 times in the rates of spinal surgery across the US. and it has not changed over time. There is no reason for this wide variation. 
 Unfortunately this shows that the decision to do spinal surgery is many times not based on science and many people are getting unnecessary spinal surgeries.

The Puzzling Popularity of Back Surgery in Certain Regions