Atlas Un-Shrugged

Reducing Blood Pressure with Chiropractic!

2011-06-11T17:56:00.000-04:00

Many people struggle with the problem of high blood pressure. Cardiovascular disease is the greatest killer in America and high blood pressure is a major contributer. This brings me to my topic of how an upper cervical treatment may be an option to help you or a loved one control blood pressure.

*I have to caveat that in no way is there a suggestion that you should stop taking any medication, consult with your prescribing physician and monitor you blood pressure.*

There was an article that was published in the May 2007 issue of the Journal of Human Hypertension that was a significant finding. Using a double blind(neither group knew if they were getting the real thing), placebo-controlled study there were 50 people picked that had hypertension (high blood pressure) They were treated and monitored over an 8 week period and the end results were astonishing. There was an average of 17 point drop in the systolic(first number) and a 10 point drop in the diastolic(second number). This is the effect of two separate blood pressure medications. The only vertebrae that was adjusted was the first bone at the top of the spine, Atlas. There is power in chiropractic and it is not just for neck and back pain.

The technique that was used is called NUCCA, National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association, which is a low force light touch method. It is not the only techniques that can get similar results.

Here is the link to the article. I could only post the abstract. When I find the article in full form I will try to get it up so you can take a look at it.

This is a special that was on ABC, take a look.

Doctor of Chiropractic compared to Medical Doctor

2010-08-22T13:20:00.004-04:00

Many people are unaware of what it takes to be a chiropractor. There are those that belittle it and think it is a sham of a profession filled with hocus pocus, snake oil, and charlatans. Unfortunately there are dishonest people in every profession which become a stigma for the others. I wanted to put the knowledge and professionalism of a chiropractor into perspective. The best way to do this is to draw a comparison to something everyone is familiar with. The chart below is a comparison of schooling that a typical chiropractor has to complete in order for him or her to gain a license with that of the typical medical doctor. This is in no way an attempt to attack or discredit the medical profession but only a way for those of you who are skeptical or who think chiropractic is a sham to put a perspective into your opinion. My only wish is that you think and analyze the information before you jump to conclusions.

There are some areas where one profession has a greater training than the other. There is also the area of specialization. Just as there are specializations for medical doctors there are specializations for chiropractors, for example pediatrics, neurology, upper cervical, sports, and rehabilitation. These types of programs are often done after chiropractic school is completed. If you are looking for a specific type of care you can find it in chiropractic. Chiropractors are not just for low back pain.

Children and Upper Cervical Care

2010-08-19T16:15:00.001-04:00

*This is an article from www.UpperCervicalCare.com*

A frightening trend has been taking place in America for the past two to three decades. We’ve become a society on the move, over-scheduled and under-exercised, over-fed but under-nourished. Many dinners are nothing more than highly processed empty calories grabbed on the go. Unfortunately, when these bad habits catch up to us, we turn to a medicine bottle for a solution. More and more Americans are living with chronic problems and treating them with drugs rather than making positive lifestyle changes that could drastically improve their lives.

Even when faced with a life or death health crisis, many people resist change. A major study conducted by John Hopkin’s University revealed that 90% of the patients faced with life or death cardiovascular disease failed to change the very behavior that created the disease in the first place and the same can often be said for Type 2 diabetics.

The majority of people suffering from either of these diseases could have prevented an early demise if they would have made the conscious decision to change their lifestyle! These conditions along with many others are caused or complicated by FIVE avoidable human behaviors; poor diet, lack of exercise, too much alcohol, smoking and stress. In other words, these diseases could be virtually eliminated if we simply change our behaviors yet, we don’t!

It would be one thing if adults were only making decisions for themselves but the tragedy is that now, these trends are being passed down to our children. Instead of fruits/vegetables, lean proteins and exercise, kids are growing up on sugar cereals, soda, processed meats, mac and cheese and fast food. Nearly a third of our kids are considered obese while even thin kids are often lacking proper nutrition and once again, society is turning to the medicine cabinet to solve our children’s health problems.

According to the 2010 MEDCO Drug Trend Report, children who are covered by health insurance are the drug industry's fastest growing market. The growth in prescription drug use among American children was nearly four times higher than the rise seen in the overall population. In 2009, prescription drug use for U.S. children increased by 5%, while advertising for prescription drugs for children increased 10.8%.

Although there may be times when medication is necessary, the problem has become that drugs are often the FIRST intervention considered. Childhood ear infections, headaches and allergies for example have natural and safer alternatives to antibiotics, ibuprofen and decongestants. Often a trip to an experienced upper cervical doctor and lifestyle changes are much safer and better suited for kids in the long run. Because of this trend, many children in the United States have learned to ask their parents for a drug if they just don’t feel well. Now the contradiction occurs when little Johnny decides to take his own “drugs” to make him feel better and we shout…“JUST SAY NO TO DRUGS”!

Look at the facts. This month it was revealed that there is a 400% increase in prescription drug abuse by kids (often the drugs are taken from their parent’s medicine cabinet and used or sold)! Children are now the fastest growing market for prescription drugs. One-in-four American children are being prescribed adult drugs for chronic adult diseases. Utilization and costs of behavioral drug treatments continue to rise in children. The devastating consequences of this excessive medicating of our children will soon be revealed. If all these medications make us healthy then why is America one of unhealthiest nations while we consume by far the most drugs?

There are plenty of safe, effective alternatives for correcting many conditions, but it needs to be a group effort. Parents cannot expect children to change their habits on their own.

Embrace the Upper Cervical Philosophy that health comes from within and natural living.
*Prepare healthy meals together with your children and enjoy them together as a family
*Avoid processed foods, especially those containing artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives, sugars and high fructose corn syrup (despite the commercials, it really is bad for you) that contribute to ADHD, cardiac problems, respiratory and diabetes symptoms and obesity
*Replace soft drinks, fruit juices, and pasteurized milk with pure water
*Reduce or eliminate processed grains and sugars from your diet
*Balance the intake of omega-3 and omega-6 fats AND eliminate trans fats
*What’s left is beautiful fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and lean meats that will nourish the body, mind and soul
*Get moving! Try to fit 30 minutes of playtime (some call it exercise) a day
*See an upper cervical doctor to ensure you and your family are functioning at 100%

We are not just “victims” of our situations. Taking responsibility for your health and the health of your children is truly empowering. A change in attitudes and behaviors can literally transform your life and the lives of your children!

Children and Upper Cervical Care

Upper Cervical Chiropractic and the Nervous System

2010-07-25T19:16:00.003-04:00

When most people think of chiropractic they think of the twisting and the popping of joints in the neck and back, seldom do they ever think of what the is really going on. The purpose of chiropractic is to release the obstruction that is hindering nerve flow. The nervous system is the focus in upper cervical chiropractic, more importantly the brainstem.

The two bones at the top of the neck are important in that they directly attach to the sleeve that houses the brainstem and the spinal cord. Now I have to explain a little about how the nerves work. I am not trying to insult any of you or your intelligence but I want to make it simple to understand. There are two main types of nerves in the nervous system, ones that travel to the brain and ones that travel away from the brain. Think of it like a divided freeway in that each tract is only one way flow. Now the tracts traveling to the brain carry information like temperature, touch, pressure, pain, and awareness of where it is in the environment. There are also sensors that tell the brain how far you arm or leg or any other part has moved and communicates this information back to the brain in order for the body to act. These incoming fibers are only sensory fibers, millions of sensors distributed throughout the body.

So you have a signal that travels up to the brain and the brain interprets the information and sends a signal down the other side of the freeway and tells the muscle, organ or whatever is on the receiving end to act in a certain way with regards to the signal that came in. Now the brain is smart and will act properly in accordance with what the incoming nerves tells it. But if the signal that comes up is altered or limited the brain only receives some of the information and reacts to what it has and not to what was originally meant by the incoming nerve. I hope I haven't confused you at all so I will give you an example. This is an exaggerated example but it is to illustrate a point.

You bend over to pick up a 10lb weight, your muscles sense the resistance through stretch receptors, send a signal to the brain to send a signal to the muscles to act; but there is a problem along the way and the nerve has tension or pressure on it and only 80% of the signal gets to the brain so the brain says we have an 8lb weight and sends a signal to the muscle to lift the 10lb weight with only 8lbs of force. This is what is called dysafferentation. I'm going to give you some vocabulary, the nerves that travel to the brain are called AFFERENT nerves, DYS means dysfunction, so it means a dysfunction of the incoming nerves to the brain, a distortion of the signal. This prolonged dysfunction is what causes the body to malfunction and then disease sets in and then you start to feel sick.

*I am not talking about disease from bacteria or viruses this is the type of disease that is cause by malfunctions in the body. Though some argue that your vulnerability to these "BUGS" is caused by a malfunction in the immune system thus making you weaker and more susceptible to catching the BUG, and there is some reason to believe it but that is a subject for a later post. *

This basic concept of how the nervous system can influence your body and how important it is to the proper function of the body on every level helps one see how important it is to keep the freeway clear of obstructions so the traffic can travel freely at the right speeds and in the right amount.

Here is another video in the series that explains the nervous system and how Upper Cervical Chiropractic can help.

Colic, Constipation and Sleep Disturbance Helped in an Infant With Chiropractic

2010-07-14T19:19:00.002-04:00

Published on January 1, 2010 comes a case study in the scientific journal, the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal and Family Health that documents the case of a two week old male infant who was helped with chiropractic, after suffering with a number of abdominal problems, along with an inability to sleep properly.

In this case the infant was brought to the chiropractor by the mother who was under care during her pregnancy. The two week old boy was in distress and suffering from excessive crying, abdominal distension, constipation, and gas. He was unable to sleep properly and was clinching his fists in obvious pain. The mother reported that her infant son was unable to have a bowel movement or belch. He was unable to sleep during the day and was only sleeping sporadically at night.

Because of their child's inability to sleep properly the parents were also being sleep deprived. The mother's general practitioner even went so far as to recommend anti-depressants and tranquilizers, however; she tried an over the counter sleep aid instead.

The chiropractic examination showed a crying infant in apparent distress with areas of muscle spasm, tight ligaments and multiple vertebral misalignments in his spine. Chiropractic care was initiated using specific techniques designed to correct the vertebral subluxations found in this infant.

The results on this infant were immediate. During the adjustment the child belched, and immediately following the adjustment the child had a bowel movement before he even had a chance to leave the office. Within five adjustments his mother reported that her son's bowel movements had started to become more regular, and he was belching better after meals. The mother noted that in the initial part of care, if she had missed a visit that the child's distress would return, but would be corrected upon her son's next visit.

This case study reported that after 16 adjustments, his mother noted significant and longer lasting abatement of his symptoms and crying. His colicky behavior and constipation had resolved. His bowel movements had returned to normal and he only cried when he was either hungry or sleepy.

The study author wrote in his conclusion, "Resolution of all presenting symptomology was noted following the introduction of chiropractic care concomitant with a reduction in vertebral subluxation

Is Chiropractic for kids?

2010-07-12T08:13:00.007-04:00

Some of you may be wondering if chiropractic is safe or necessary for children. Some have asked at what time can I get my child adjusted? I know people who have their chiropractor come into the hospital and check their child and if needs be give the child a correction within minutes after birth.

There are some that may children don't need to be adjusted because they haven't experienced any significant trauma yet. But one thing we forget is that every child has experienced something traumatic that often causes their first subluxation, birth.

As a child is delivered vaginally they typically present face to the rear, if you are lying on your back that's face down. The doctor then rotates the head to get the body to follow so that the shoulders can be manipulated through the pelvis. This rotary force is tremendous in relation to the size of the child. The next step after the head rotation in the shoulder presentation which can be the most detrimental to a child. There is downward traction applied on the neck that has been estimated to exceed at times 90 lbs. This is on average a force that is 10X the infants body weight. Imagine a 180 lb man receiving 1800lbs of tractional force on his neck, it would probably kill him. The interesting note is that this is “far from being what most obstetricians would regard as a great force.” (Towbin, 1996) This process is on an average birth with no complication.

This trauma is magnified if the child is extracted with forceps (not used that often anymore), or suction devices. The stress that is placed on the fragile neck is enough to cause damage to not only the surrounding nerves that go to the arms but also the brain stem and spinal chord.

Some be thinking, "whew! My child was a cesarean section so I am good." There is a great deal of trauma that is associated with a child that is not allowed to travel the birth canal. First, there is degree of suction that is naturally given to the child as it travels out that helps the respiratory system function upon birth. Second, most often when a child is delivered C-section at full term the baby has a faced and is sitting on the cervix ready to travel out. When the infant is then pulled in the opposite direction via an incision there is a degree of suction that has formed around the head causing cervical, or neck traction.

I wanted to share with you a tremendous story that I ran across, it brought me to tears and was a reminder to me why I was lead to this profession.

I am not trying to scare you or make you feel like you are a bad person if your child has had any of theses procedures, in fact my third child was C-section and my fourth will be also due to complication that happened, life happens and there are things that we can't control. The point that I want to make is that children have been through a lot in there relatively short lives and don't discount their lack of age as an indicator to their need for chiropractic.

There are many success stories that are emerging from parents that bought their child in with a disease that doctors said would be permanent and upper cervical chiropractic became that treatment that gave them hope. Some of the most popular success stories are autism, ADD, and ADHD, and general behavioral disorders. I am amazed how often I hear stories of success in regards to these diseases/disorders.

If you are wondering if you should take you child to be checked ask yourself some questions. Has my child ever had a significant fall, down the stairs, from a tree, out of bed, and so on. Has my child ever had a blow to the head, ball, falling backwards and hitting it on the ground, hand upside the head. These are some of the thing that can and more often do cause a subluxation in a child. We often dismiss the even, pick up our child and brush the dirt off them and tell them to go play failing to consider what might have happened.

It is never too early to get your child checked for subluxation. Upper cervical techniques are not the "twist and pop" style that you might think of when you hear Chiropractor, they are low force, very specific, and can be used on a 1 hour old baby to a 98 year-old patient with osteoporosis. The only thing that might be a problem is that there are very few truly Upper Cervical doctors in the United States. Some states are without a single one.

If you are want to know the closest one to your area drop me a line and I will point you in the right direction or give you the closest alternative. I don't care who you go to as long as you get well and your children become well.

Works Cited
Towbin, A. (1996). Laten Spinal Chord and Brain Stem injury in Newborn Infants. Devlope Med Child Neuro , 11:54-69.

What is a Subluxation?

2010-06-27T21:42:00.010-04:00

Some of you may be wondering what this word SUBLUXATION means. Yeah it is not a word that you hear in everyday medicine because it is a term that is used in chiropractic only. There are many definitions of subluxation and how it functions in the body. Here is a general definition how B.J. defined it. "A condition of a vertebra that has lost its proper juxtaposition with the one above or the one below or both, to an extent less than a luxation, which occludes an opening, impinges nerves and interferes with the transmission of mental impulses from the brain."
Some of you are thinking, "ah a pinched nerve." But there is a lot more to it than just a simple pinched nerve or a bone that is out of place.

There are many different opinions on what a subluxation is; some chiropractors even differ on what they see subluxation as, some don't even believe it exists. This lack of continuity is what has held us back from a more unified group of practitioners. There is often more debate on why one's practice method or definition of subluxation is wrong then there is on the similarities. For the purposes of this post I will stick with the definition above in the context of upper cervical.

The physiological aspects of a subluxation deal with a bone that has lost its proper position and nerve that is being interfered with, these are core principles to subluxation. This interference is often likened unto a garden hose. As the hose is obstructed, i.e. stepped on the flow diminishes. But subluxation is not just a diminished flow of nerve impulses; there could be too much flow or an abnormal pattern of flow. It all comes down to an abnormal flow of the nerve impulses to and or from the brain.

The nerves are part of a system, there are nerves that take signals from the environment and send the signals to the brain, like the incoming mail. Then there are responses that come from the brain to the environment. Now I want to clarify something here the environment that I speak of could be the skin, the digestive system, the heart or circulatory system, and all the other parts of the body that are controlled and regulated by the nervous system. When there are problems with the flow of the signal to and from the brain the results will have problems and this is the basis for the cause of disease. It all comes together now as you process what a subluxation is and how it works.

In upper cervical it is the top two bones in the neck that are most important. All nerves in the body are associated with this area whether it is direct or indirect, this is a crucial area. They either pass through these two bones, which is every nerve minus the twelve that are called cranial nerves, or they are associated with it by connections or synapses in the area. Minor stress on the tissue can cause a malfunction and again this abnormal flow is what can cause disease.

Subluxation is not the beginning of disease it is again a result of an outside force acting on the body. I am going to talk briefly on what are the possible causes of subluxation. Some are subjective but none the less relevant. The obvious cause is a traumatic force. Slips, a blow to the body, car accident, child birth, and anything that can transfer energy into the body via motion are all things that can cause a subluxation. Now there are the more hidden causes; sleeping on your stomach or sleeping poorly, bad posture, lack of exercise, diet, stress, and many more unknown contributors. These are the root causes of subluxation that in turn can cause disease in the body.

This information is a brief overview of the term subluxation and how it can cause disease in a person. There are many causes of a subluxation and many problems associated with them, but Ihope you have a better understanding of what subluxation is and is it possible that you may have one that you have been living with for years and not known that it could be the cause of you XYZ problem.

For those of you that are visual learners here is a brief clip on what subluxation is.

Ear Infections: Another Option

2010-06-27T21:27:00.007-04:00

Many parents have experienced the late nights of a child crying because he or she has acute otitis media (AOM) or more commonly known as an ear infection. These are quite painful and very stressful on the child and the parent. The most common treatment is antibiotics then if the AOM continues to reoccur the final option that most parents are left with is a procedure called a tympanostomy; where a grommet or a tube is placed in the eardrum to relieve the pressure or myringotomy, where an incision is made in the eardrum to relieve the pressure. The effects of these procedures can create permanent hearing loss. It can leave parents scared and wondering why there isn't another option. There is an option that is extremely effective and uses no antibiotics or surgical procedures.

Chiropractic care is very effective in treating AOM. A study that was done in 1996 published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT) looked at 46 patients 5 years and younger that were treated with chiropractic in upper cervical region. The treatment created amazing results of 93% improvement, 75% in less than 10 days, and 43% with only one or two treatments. That is comforting to know that surgery or antibiotics are not options.

There is an interesting note in the study that I thought I should point out. The patients were separated into two categories; one group had no past history of antibiotic use and the other group did have a history. The interesting part is those that had previous use of antibiotics required more treatments for relief. The statistics of the groups were inversed in relation to number of treatments; those with no history of antibiotic use got well faster and with less treatment. There is no expatiation why this happened it was just an interesting part of the statistics.

Now I know there are those that are wondering how this works. One theory is that the Eustachian tube, the tube from the middle ear to the throat, somehow becomes blocked and restricts the flow of the constantly accumulating exudates or fluid of the middle ear. This backup of fluid creates a place for bacteria to start multiplying. Chiropractic treatment is based upon normalizing the Eustachian tube and allowing the middle ear to drain. The muscles that surround the ET become contracted abnormally and spasm due to interference in the nerve flow. When the nerve flow is restore to its normal state the muscles function normally and allow the drainage of the ear. This is why chiropractic is so effective in treating AOM because it goes right to the cause, the backup of fluid that creates a breeding ground for bacteria thus creating the ever painful ear ache.

There are other concerns that need to be address and that is cost, after all what good is it if you can't afford it. Let me break down the average cost. Your initial visit may cost in the area of $150. That is a lot but it is only a onetime cost because it covers the cost of initial examination and x-rays. If the doctor doesn't take x-rays he or she will have a hard time knowing exactly what is wrong and how it is wrong. I go by the phrase, "To see is to know, and I won't guess with your health." After the initial visit the average office visits are around $40 which is close to the average deductable of $35 anyways. So if you add it all up, the treatment may cost you without insurance $310 which is much less than the amount you would pay for and of the surgeries or antibiotics. If you have insurance and it covers chiropractic chances are it will be a lot less. But money aside, the one reason this is a good option is because of what risks you don't have to worry about. 1/3 of patients treated with surgery have substantial hearing loss after one month and after two months 1 out of 5 continue to have substantial hearing loss. Even if I had insurance that paid 100% of medical costs and didn't cover chiropractic I would still pony up the cash to have my child treated with chiropractic before taking my chances on hearing loss. The logical thought would be try the least evasive first.

This information is brief and to the point, but the purpose of this post is to help parents understand that chiropractic care is a viable option in treating ear infection; that you don't have to rely on antibiotics and surgery only. Seriously consider the options that you have and see if chiropractic is right for your child in treating his or her ear infection.

Reference

Froehle, R M. DC, (1996). Ear Infection: A Retrospective Study Examining Improvements from Chiropractic Care and Analyzing for Influencing Factors. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, Vol. 19, Number 3, March/April, 169-176

What is upper Cervical Care

2010-06-15T12:00:00.001-04:00

Some people may ask how Upper Cervical Chiropractic is different than regular chiropractic and it is very simple to answer. Just as there are many different variety of medical doctors that rely on different philosophy and specialization, chiropractic is similar. There are those that want to focus on children, or maybe sport injuries, or spinal decompression, nutrition,, massage therapy, physical therapy, or even personal injury patients. Some are a jack of all trades, but most of the time that means a master of none.

Upper Cervical doctors focus in one area and know it like the back of their hands. They are a master of the technique which is one of the hardest to master. In Italy where chiropractic is beggining to take root there is a distinction between Upper Cervical doctors and Chiropractors. The upper cervical doctor is accepted and works along side medical doctors in hospitals, Chiropractors are shunned and not put on equal ground. There is a difference and not just by name only.

Philosophy is what sets chiropractors apart. Whatever their specialty they need to have a personal philosophy, a reason why they do what they do. This is what sets Upper Cervical apart from your standard chiropractor that you may be use to. They see the body as a self healing machine that can heal itself, given the right amount of time and lack of interference, a term you may have herd of as subluxation. But what makes them unique is Upper Cervical sees the top two bones in the neck as the gateway to the body and when "subluxated" they are the primary cause of ailments. Do you ever wonder what is causing the symptoms that you have, XYZ disease right? But have you ever thought why you have XYZ, what caused the body to allow XYZ to happen? What bad lifestyle choices did you make that helped XYZ along its path? There is a problem with the communication from the brain to the body and or a from the body to the brain. If the body can't understand what is happening to it, then it can't respond to it properly thus causing disease. This idea is core to Upper Cervical philosophy.

This video gives a brief introduction to what Upper Cervical Chiropractic is and how it is set apart from other forms of chiropractic.

This is an introduction to the concept of Upper Cervical Health Care and how everyone can benefit from care.

A Start to a New Beggining

2010-06-13T16:13:00.005-04:00

I am opening this blog to help others see the benefits of Upper Cervical Specific Chiropractic. When most people think of Chiropractic they think of back pain, or neck problems, they rarely think of other problems like autism, colic, ear infections. The on thing about chiropractic that is misunderstood is the philosophy.

Chiropractic treatment is not a treatment for pain, though that is the main reason why people seek out a chiropractor, its purpose is to restore the body to homeostasis, or equilibrium so that the body can regulate itself.

The goal of Upper Cervical is to restore the nerve flow from the brain to the body so when the body senses something that is out of "wack" the brain can effectively respond and the body can react to that response in the appropriate manner. When there is disruption in the flow, weather from the brain out or from the out to the brain that is when you have a problem and your body experiences disease or dis-ease.

This is an educational blog and not a forum for debate. My goal is to post information that all can benefit from. Some of the topics will be on diseases that you may think are not even remotely related to chiropractic. My goal is to post articles, studies, and other information and try to relate it to the everyday person. If I can I will post the articles for personal review if you so feel inclined. I hope the information is clear and easy to understand. If you like the blog spread the word because after reading an article you may say to yourself, "I bet my friend would be interested in this." If you are skeptical ask questions. If you have a problem with it go elsewhere.

I leave this last note to those of you who have had a bad experience with a Chiropractor and think they are all the same. let me ask you one question. If you had a bad experience with a medical doctor would you stop going to all medical doctors? There are many ways a chiropractor can treat a problem and many different techniques, Upper Cervical Specific is one of those techniques.