New Guidelines for Back Pain from the American College of Physicians.
On valentines day earlier this week, a very important evidence based clinical guideline for back pain was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine that physicians and patients should treat acute or sub acute low back pain with non-drug therapies such as superficial heat, massage, acupuncture or spinal manipulation. According the American College of Physicians, approximately 25% of american adults reported having low back pain lasting at least one day in the past three months. Dr. Nitin Damle, MD and president of the American College of Physicians is quoted as having said “physicians should avoid prescribing unnecessary tests and costly and potentially harmful drugs, especially narcotics, for these patients.” and he then goes on to say, “for the treatment of chronic low back pain, physicians should select therapies that have the fewest harms and costs…” This my friends, is chiropractic acupuncture, massage, and heat. Further evidence showed that Acetaminophen was not effective in improving pain outcomes versus placebo. Which means, for acute back pain, it’s of very little value and no better than a sugar pill. Just in case you are on the fence and need evidence that chiropractic, acupuncture, massage or heat are the first things you...
read moreCyclic Vomiting Syndrome (CVS) – A Portland, Maine, chiropractic case study.
Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome (CVS) in a young boy. Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome is a disorder that can affect people of any age. According to the CVS Association, it was discovered in in 1882 by Dr. S. Gee. CVS is distinguished by recurrent bouts of nausea, vomiting and lethargy. Vomiting can last for hours or days and then things return to normal until the next episode. Making it difficult to diagnose is the confusion with a viral bug or flu, or some kind of food poisoning. Frequency and duration of unstoppable vomiting though are curious signs and should absolutely warrant a trip to the doctor. What does chiropractic have to do with Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome? Well, CVS is, if nothing else, an issue of poor regulation and control over the upper digestive tract. All people have brains that control the regulation and function of the body. If there is interference in communication from the brain to the body (upper GI tract), then the upper GI tract won’t work properly. Interference in communication often happens in the following ways: Physical trauma leading to misaligned vertebrae or cranial position on the spine. In infants this can stem from a traumatic birth or sleep position. Mental...
read moreSki Injury? Hurt While Skiing? Don’t Wait, Get Help Now – Get Back To The Slopes Sooner.
Ski Injuries Ruin Seasons. You’ve fallen and you can’t get up. The mogul from hell landed you on your hip and head….at the same time. You caught an edge, spun around and landed on your tailbone. Ski injuries are common (watch the video). Another thing that’s common is how we “deal” with them. Whiskey and the hot tub are two of the least effective ways, albeit the most fun, to recover from an injury. If you think to yourself after the injury “That’s gonna hurt later”. It probably will. It’s also a good reason to get help. Go the hospital if you break something. Go to the chiropractor if you’ve got a typical ski injury like a bad fall, moderate collision or something that makes you feel that you’ve “thrown yourself off.” If your “back feels out” or “hips feel off”, thats a reason to call. If you are using the language in quotes as part of your post ski injury self talk, consider it the same thing as the engine light in your car lighting up red. Yes, whiskey and hot tubbing will make things feel better. The problem is that neither fix the damage done by the ski injury. Underlying joint misalignments,...
read moreCan I foam roll too much? Can I use my Theracane too much? Dr. Lou’s answers from Portland, Maine.
Can I foam roll too much? Is this too much Theracane? Foam rollers and Theracanes (Watch this Theracane video!) are fantastic for tenderizing your muscles, reducing inflammation, reducing adhesions, improving blood flow and promotion of healing. Like with many things, too much is not always a good thing. You can cause tissue damage if you over do it. Typically, there are warning signs of using a foam roller to much or over using the Theracane. Feeling bruised, seeing bruising or experiencing physical weakness in the area is a sign to take a break and give your muscles a chance to heal. Sometimes taking a break will actually speed up the process and get you where you want to be sooner. Making mistakes with foam rolling will potentially lead to more issues. It’s often a bad idea to use a foam roller directly on the injured body part. It’s a bad idea to roll too quickly! Careless rolling is more likely to cause harm. Speed and connective tissue aren’t a good mix, you should roll slowly. Fast rolling doesn’t relax tissue like foam rolling does. With a Theracane, it’s important that you not push too hard, you don’t apply pressure for...
read moreTop 3 Tools To Have At Home For Your Back Pain.
The Top 3 Tools For Your Back To Have In Your House. There are three tools that every person who has experienced back pain, shoulder pain, hip pain, sciatica and a host of other aches or acute injuries should have at home. These are the tools that I recommend people use between chiropractic visits at my office. These tools, when used properly and under the direction of your chiropractor, will help speed up healing and feeling better. These tools are not in order of importance. If I could have only one, it would be the Theracane. Heating Pad. A heating pad can make a huge difference in how you feel. It helps relax muscle, improve blood flow, reduce inflammation and may reduce pain as well. Heating pads are inexpensive and safe. Foam Roller. A foam roller allows you to perform a squeezing self massage on the muscles that ail you. Foam rollers are excellent for working on tight calves, thighs and hamstrings. The muscles of your butt (gluteal muscles) may also be worked on with a foam roller. By lying face up on a foam roller and leaning to one side as you roll up and down your back, you will...
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