Concern over children and their backpacks continues to grow. An article appearing in the September 8, 2003 issue of The Times Herald features this problem by noting "Trudging their way around the school campus or to the bus stop, hunched-over kids could be dealing themselves a lifetime of back pain, experts warn."
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that 6,512 emergency room visits each year result from injuries related to book bags. CPSC also cites the statistic that backpack-related injuries are up 256 percent since 1996. The issue has become so widespread, that the California State Assembly passed legislation that forces school districts to develop ways of reducing the weight of students' backpacks. Other states are also considering similar legislation.
In an online survey conducted last year of more than 200 chiropractors responding from across North America at www.backpacksafe.com, it was learned that:
NOT Like This
* 89 percent of chiropractors surveyed responded that they have seen patients (ages 5-18) reporting back, neck or shoulder pain caused by heavy backpacks.
* 71 percent of chiropractors presently seeing such patients responded that they are currently seeing one to four patients (ages 5-18) reporting back, neck or shoulder pain caused by heavy backpacks.
* 20 percent of chiropractors presently seeing such patients responded that they are currently seeing five to nine patients (ages 5-18) reporting back, neck or shoulder pain caused by heavy backpacks.
* 9 percent of chiropractors presently seeing such patients responded that they are currently seeing 10 or more patients (ages 5-18) due to back, neck or shoulder caused by heavy backpacks.
The American Chiropractic Association has offered the following tips to help prevent backpack problems in school children. Those tips include:
* Make sure your child's backpack weighs no more than 5 to 10 percent of his or her body weight.
* The backpack should never hang more than four inches below the waistline.
* Urge your child to wear both shoulder straps, and wide, padded straps are very important.
* The shoulder straps should be adjustable so the backpack can be fitted to your child's body.
The over-packing of backpacks was featured in a recent study conducted in Italy. In this study it was found that the average child carries a backpack that would be the equivalent of a 39-pound burden for a 176-pound man, or a 29-pound load for a 132-pound woman.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Friday, October 5, 2007
Spinal Manipulation May Benefit Asthma Patients
This section is compiled by Frank M. Painter, D.C.
Send all comments or additions to:
FROM: Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research (FCER)
October 24, 2002 Des Moines, Iowa— Patients afflicted with asthma may benefit from spinal manipulation in terms of symptoms, immunological capacity, and endocrine effects, an audience was told on October 5 at the 9th International Conference on Spinal Manipulation in Toronto. The investigative team, headed by Ray Hayek, Ph.D., has been conducting a trial at 16 treatment centers in Australia involving 420 patients with an average age of 46 in an effort to find out what effects spinal manipulation has on symptoms, depression and anxiety, general health status, and the levels of immunity as reflected by the concentrations of both an immunoglobulin (IgA) and an immunosuppressant (cortisol). This investigation draws from several references in the scientific literature which suggest that different forms of manual therapy (including massage) improve the symptomatology and lower cortisol levels in asthma patients.
Dr. Hayek reported that only the patient group which underwent spinal manipulation (by any of four commonly used manipulative treatment protocols) displayed significant improvement in asthma symptoms and depression and anxiety scores. Simply experiencing structured interviews at the treatment centers or being monitored at home did not yield these improvements. In addition, patients actually undergoing spinal manipulation displayed dramatic increases of IgA and decreases of cortisol through the posttreatment period, suggesting that there were physiological consequences to their manipulative treatments reflecting increased immunological capacities which would be expected to ward off subsequent asthmatic attacks.
These biochemical changes not only suggest that the effects of spinal manipulation are more far-reaching than commonly believed, but that they may be more long-term as well. The gain in immunological capacity achieved with the simultaneous loss of the immunosuppressant cortisol and the increase of the immunoglobulin IgA following spinal manipulation would be expected to reduce the incidence and severity of pathogenic invasion of the airways. There would be less of a risk under these circumstances of compounding the symptoms of asthma.
The immunosuppressing mechanism of glucocorticoids is believed to occur by their reducing the permeability of capillaries, decreasing the migration of white blood cells in inflamed areas, suppressing the release of interleukins, and inhibiting the production of proteolytic enzymes by stabilizing the lysosomal membranes which release them.
This followed contacts that the Director of Research at FCER was able to make with the Australian research community in 1995, taking into consideration the expertise of the investigative team as well as the fact that Australia's 2 million asthma sufferers have given the Island Continent the dubious distinction of being the asthma capital of the world. It has been carried out with the support of research grants exceeding a quarter of a million dollars from both the Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research (FCER) and the National Chiropractic Mutual Insurance Company (NCMIC). This research, which may be highly influential on the future of the chiropractic profession, is still in need of funding. To contribute to this important project, please call FCER at 800-637-6244, or donate via the Foundation's secure website at: https://www.fcer.org:448/html/asthma_donate.asp
This research represents one of approximately 50 projects administered by FCER since 1990 in the effort to document both the theory and practice of chiropractic to increase its effective integration into healthcare systems worldwide. The conference at which these results were presented is an international forum which FCER has sponsored at different locations worldwide for the past 14 years.
Send all comments or additions to:
FROM: Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research (FCER)
October 24, 2002 Des Moines, Iowa— Patients afflicted with asthma may benefit from spinal manipulation in terms of symptoms, immunological capacity, and endocrine effects, an audience was told on October 5 at the 9th International Conference on Spinal Manipulation in Toronto. The investigative team, headed by Ray Hayek, Ph.D., has been conducting a trial at 16 treatment centers in Australia involving 420 patients with an average age of 46 in an effort to find out what effects spinal manipulation has on symptoms, depression and anxiety, general health status, and the levels of immunity as reflected by the concentrations of both an immunoglobulin (IgA) and an immunosuppressant (cortisol). This investigation draws from several references in the scientific literature which suggest that different forms of manual therapy (including massage) improve the symptomatology and lower cortisol levels in asthma patients.
Dr. Hayek reported that only the patient group which underwent spinal manipulation (by any of four commonly used manipulative treatment protocols) displayed significant improvement in asthma symptoms and depression and anxiety scores. Simply experiencing structured interviews at the treatment centers or being monitored at home did not yield these improvements. In addition, patients actually undergoing spinal manipulation displayed dramatic increases of IgA and decreases of cortisol through the posttreatment period, suggesting that there were physiological consequences to their manipulative treatments reflecting increased immunological capacities which would be expected to ward off subsequent asthmatic attacks.
These biochemical changes not only suggest that the effects of spinal manipulation are more far-reaching than commonly believed, but that they may be more long-term as well. The gain in immunological capacity achieved with the simultaneous loss of the immunosuppressant cortisol and the increase of the immunoglobulin IgA following spinal manipulation would be expected to reduce the incidence and severity of pathogenic invasion of the airways. There would be less of a risk under these circumstances of compounding the symptoms of asthma.
The immunosuppressing mechanism of glucocorticoids is believed to occur by their reducing the permeability of capillaries, decreasing the migration of white blood cells in inflamed areas, suppressing the release of interleukins, and inhibiting the production of proteolytic enzymes by stabilizing the lysosomal membranes which release them.
This followed contacts that the Director of Research at FCER was able to make with the Australian research community in 1995, taking into consideration the expertise of the investigative team as well as the fact that Australia's 2 million asthma sufferers have given the Island Continent the dubious distinction of being the asthma capital of the world. It has been carried out with the support of research grants exceeding a quarter of a million dollars from both the Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research (FCER) and the National Chiropractic Mutual Insurance Company (NCMIC). This research, which may be highly influential on the future of the chiropractic profession, is still in need of funding. To contribute to this important project, please call FCER at 800-637-6244, or donate via the Foundation's secure website at: https://www.fcer.org:448/html/asthma_donate.asp
This research represents one of approximately 50 projects administered by FCER since 1990 in the effort to document both the theory and practice of chiropractic to increase its effective integration into healthcare systems worldwide. The conference at which these results were presented is an international forum which FCER has sponsored at different locations worldwide for the past 14 years.
Garlic -not just fighting off Vampires
NO other herb has such a rich history of use in every single culture on this planet than garlic. The ancient civilisations of Rome, Greece, China and Egypt devised stellar stories about its origin. Ayurveda, the oldest medical system of the world, relates its own: garlic grew as an offshoot of drops of amrita which fell on the earth during the epic battle between gods and demons. Surrounded by an aura of magical and medicinal mysteries, the charm of garlic has remained undiminished over the centuries of its use.
Garlic’s Sanskrit name rasona literally means lacking one taste; it contains all the six tastes except sour. Ayurveda has described it as hot in potency and pungent in post-digestive effect. It is unctuous, sharp and heavy. It pacifies kapha and vata but aggravates pitta. Modern analyses of garlic show that it contains water, protein, carbohydrates and other substances like calcium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B complex, besides traces of iodine. It also contains volatile oils and sulphur compounds of which some are responsible for its sharp odour.
Though in recent times garlic has acquired a reputation as an effective immunostimulant, anti-viral, anti-cholesterol, cardio-vascular tonic (and also as a tumour inhibiting medicine), ancient ayurvedic texts have eulogised it for its extraordinary healing properties and called it maha aushadhi (great medicine).
Garlic has been described as a stimulant, carminative, digestive, metabolic corrector and killer of intestinal worms. It also has laxative, diuretic, expectorant, anti-inflammatory, aphrodisiac and rejuvenative properties. Given in low doses, it helps in hypertension, raises the body’s immunity, fights viral and bacterial afflictions, keeps cholesterol and tryglycerides level under control and acts as an anti-oxidant substance.
As a home remedy, it is used both externally and internally to combat many diseases. A few cloves of garlic are added to hot oil used for body massage and oleation. Frying five to six cloves of garlic in desi ghee and taking it before lunch provides an adjuvant effect for controlling the flare-up phase of rheumatoid arthritis. The medicated milk of garlic (kshirapaka) works well in many vata diseases like sciatica, lumbago and paralysis whereas the consumption of garlic in one’s daily diet reduces body toxins besides controlling the lipid profile.
However, one fails to understand why such a useful herb didn’t get religious sanction despite its “divine” origin and is rather feared as being tamasika Ayurvedic texts describe a method to lessen its strong ordour. Put a few peeled off cloves of garlic in buttermilk or diluted curd overnight. If used next day, the garlic will lose much of its sharpness and offensive odour. Those who want to use raw garlic, and also to whom its suitability is in doubt, can try this method. Cooking it in ghee too reduces its pungency.
There are many ayurvedic classic medicines containing garlic — Rason Vati, Lashunadya ghrit and Rason Ghrit. Kashyap Samhita, while describing the famous Rason Kalpa, is more explicit in telling that garlic should be used sparingly by persons of pitta prakriti. In kapha and vata diseases it should be used with honey and ghee respectively. The maximum dose of raw garlic cloves is up to six pieces and to counter its unsavoury effect the powder of coriander seeds should be used.
Garlic’s Sanskrit name rasona literally means lacking one taste; it contains all the six tastes except sour. Ayurveda has described it as hot in potency and pungent in post-digestive effect. It is unctuous, sharp and heavy. It pacifies kapha and vata but aggravates pitta. Modern analyses of garlic show that it contains water, protein, carbohydrates and other substances like calcium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B complex, besides traces of iodine. It also contains volatile oils and sulphur compounds of which some are responsible for its sharp odour.
Though in recent times garlic has acquired a reputation as an effective immunostimulant, anti-viral, anti-cholesterol, cardio-vascular tonic (and also as a tumour inhibiting medicine), ancient ayurvedic texts have eulogised it for its extraordinary healing properties and called it maha aushadhi (great medicine).
Garlic has been described as a stimulant, carminative, digestive, metabolic corrector and killer of intestinal worms. It also has laxative, diuretic, expectorant, anti-inflammatory, aphrodisiac and rejuvenative properties. Given in low doses, it helps in hypertension, raises the body’s immunity, fights viral and bacterial afflictions, keeps cholesterol and tryglycerides level under control and acts as an anti-oxidant substance.
As a home remedy, it is used both externally and internally to combat many diseases. A few cloves of garlic are added to hot oil used for body massage and oleation. Frying five to six cloves of garlic in desi ghee and taking it before lunch provides an adjuvant effect for controlling the flare-up phase of rheumatoid arthritis. The medicated milk of garlic (kshirapaka) works well in many vata diseases like sciatica, lumbago and paralysis whereas the consumption of garlic in one’s daily diet reduces body toxins besides controlling the lipid profile.
However, one fails to understand why such a useful herb didn’t get religious sanction despite its “divine” origin and is rather feared as being tamasika Ayurvedic texts describe a method to lessen its strong ordour. Put a few peeled off cloves of garlic in buttermilk or diluted curd overnight. If used next day, the garlic will lose much of its sharpness and offensive odour. Those who want to use raw garlic, and also to whom its suitability is in doubt, can try this method. Cooking it in ghee too reduces its pungency.
There are many ayurvedic classic medicines containing garlic — Rason Vati, Lashunadya ghrit and Rason Ghrit. Kashyap Samhita, while describing the famous Rason Kalpa, is more explicit in telling that garlic should be used sparingly by persons of pitta prakriti. In kapha and vata diseases it should be used with honey and ghee respectively. The maximum dose of raw garlic cloves is up to six pieces and to counter its unsavoury effect the powder of coriander seeds should be used.
Fighting Colds with Chiropractic by Drs Jason and Danella Whitaker
Chiropractic for Colds and Flu
Chiropractic for colds and flu? But isn't chiropractic just for back pain? Not at all. Many people who initially visit chiropractors for aches and pains discover to their surprise an improvement in their general health, including no or fewer (and less severe) colds, flu and other respiratory problems.
The Chiropractic Approach
Chiropractic doesn't "treat" cold or flu; chiropractic promotes improved body function which creates high natural resistance. Natural resistance is the only reason why your cold "goes away" rather than lasting for weeks, months or your entire lifetime!
How do chiropractors help raise your natural resistance to disease? By removing a serious interference to your proper body function: vertebral subluxations.
What Are Vertebral Subluxations?
Vertebral subluxations (VS) are misaligned vertebrae in your spine that interfere with your nerves and the flow of information and energy between your brain and the rest of your body. VS lowers your natural resistance to disease by unbalancing your nervous system. You may have a subluxation and never know it.
Chiropractors Adjust Subluxations
Chiropractors perform spinal examinations to detect and locate vertebral subluxations in your body, then correct them by giving chiropractic spinal adjustments. This reduces or relieves your spinal nerve stress and helps restore optimal body functioning for higher resistance to disease, which, we cannot overstate, is the best defense against the common cold.
Chiropractic for colds and flu? But isn't chiropractic just for back pain? Not at all. Many people who initially visit chiropractors for aches and pains discover to their surprise an improvement in their general health, including no or fewer (and less severe) colds, flu and other respiratory problems.
The Chiropractic Approach
Chiropractic doesn't "treat" cold or flu; chiropractic promotes improved body function which creates high natural resistance. Natural resistance is the only reason why your cold "goes away" rather than lasting for weeks, months or your entire lifetime!
How do chiropractors help raise your natural resistance to disease? By removing a serious interference to your proper body function: vertebral subluxations.
What Are Vertebral Subluxations?
Vertebral subluxations (VS) are misaligned vertebrae in your spine that interfere with your nerves and the flow of information and energy between your brain and the rest of your body. VS lowers your natural resistance to disease by unbalancing your nervous system. You may have a subluxation and never know it.
Chiropractors Adjust Subluxations
Chiropractors perform spinal examinations to detect and locate vertebral subluxations in your body, then correct them by giving chiropractic spinal adjustments. This reduces or relieves your spinal nerve stress and helps restore optimal body functioning for higher resistance to disease, which, we cannot overstate, is the best defense against the common cold.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Flu Vaccine and Elderly
Effectiveness of Influenza Vaccine in the Community-Dwelling Elderly
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/357/14/1373?query=TOC
ABSTRACT
Background Reliable estimates of the effectiveness of influenza vaccine among persons 65 years of age and older are important for informed vaccination policies and programs. Short-term studies may provide misleading pictures of long-term benefits, and residual confounding may have biased past results. This study examined the effectiveness of influenza vaccine in seniors over the long term while addressing potential bias and residual confounding in the results.
Methods Data were pooled from 18 cohorts of community-dwelling elderly members of one U.S. health maintenance organization (HMO) for 1990–1991 through 1999–2000 and of two other HMOs for 1996–1997 through 1999–2000. Logistic regression was used to estimate the effectiveness of the vaccine for the prevention of hospitalization for pneumonia or influenza and death after adjustment for important covariates. Additional analyses explored for evidence of bias and the potential effect of residual confounding.
Results There were 713,872 person-seasons of observation. Most high-risk medical conditions that were measured were more prevalent among vaccinated than among unvaccinated persons. Vaccination was associated with a 27% reduction in the risk of hospitalization for pneumonia or influenza (adjusted odds ratio, 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.68 to 0.77) and a 48% reduction in the risk of death (adjusted odds ratio, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.50 to 0.55). Estimates were generally stable across age and risk subgroups. In the sensitivity analyses, we modeled the effect of a hypothetical unmeasured confounder that would have caused overestimation of vaccine effectiveness in the main analysis; vaccination was still associated with statistically significant — though lower — reductions in the risks of both hospitalization and death.
Conclusions During 10 seasons, influenza vaccination was associated with significant reductions in the risk of hospitalization for pneumonia or influenza and in the risk of death among community-dwelling elderly persons. Vaccine delivery to this high-priority group should be improved.
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/357/14/1373?query=TOC
ABSTRACT
Background Reliable estimates of the effectiveness of influenza vaccine among persons 65 years of age and older are important for informed vaccination policies and programs. Short-term studies may provide misleading pictures of long-term benefits, and residual confounding may have biased past results. This study examined the effectiveness of influenza vaccine in seniors over the long term while addressing potential bias and residual confounding in the results.
Methods Data were pooled from 18 cohorts of community-dwelling elderly members of one U.S. health maintenance organization (HMO) for 1990–1991 through 1999–2000 and of two other HMOs for 1996–1997 through 1999–2000. Logistic regression was used to estimate the effectiveness of the vaccine for the prevention of hospitalization for pneumonia or influenza and death after adjustment for important covariates. Additional analyses explored for evidence of bias and the potential effect of residual confounding.
Results There were 713,872 person-seasons of observation. Most high-risk medical conditions that were measured were more prevalent among vaccinated than among unvaccinated persons. Vaccination was associated with a 27% reduction in the risk of hospitalization for pneumonia or influenza (adjusted odds ratio, 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.68 to 0.77) and a 48% reduction in the risk of death (adjusted odds ratio, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.50 to 0.55). Estimates were generally stable across age and risk subgroups. In the sensitivity analyses, we modeled the effect of a hypothetical unmeasured confounder that would have caused overestimation of vaccine effectiveness in the main analysis; vaccination was still associated with statistically significant — though lower — reductions in the risks of both hospitalization and death.
Conclusions During 10 seasons, influenza vaccination was associated with significant reductions in the risk of hospitalization for pneumonia or influenza and in the risk of death among community-dwelling elderly persons. Vaccine delivery to this high-priority group should be improved.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
New Study on Panic
Panic Attacks Associated With Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Events and Death in Older Women
CHICAGO -- Older women who experience at least one full-blown panic attack may have an increased risk of having a heart attack or stroke and an increased risk of death in the next five years, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Panic attacks involve the sudden development of fear, anxiety or extreme discomfort accompanied by four or more additional symptoms, according to background information in the article. They may occur sporadically or as part of an anxiety disorder, such as panic disorder, social anxiety disorder or phobias.
Jordan W. Smoller, M.D., Sc.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, and colleagues studied 3,369 healthy postmenopausal women (age 51 to 83, average age 65.9). When they entered the study between 1997 and 2000, the women filled out a questionnaire about the occurrence of panic attacks in the previous six months. They were then followed for an average of 5.3 years to see whether they had a heart attack or stroke or died from any cause.
CHICAGO -- Older women who experience at least one full-blown panic attack may have an increased risk of having a heart attack or stroke and an increased risk of death in the next five years, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Panic attacks involve the sudden development of fear, anxiety or extreme discomfort accompanied by four or more additional symptoms, according to background information in the article. They may occur sporadically or as part of an anxiety disorder, such as panic disorder, social anxiety disorder or phobias.
Jordan W. Smoller, M.D., Sc.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, and colleagues studied 3,369 healthy postmenopausal women (age 51 to 83, average age 65.9). When they entered the study between 1997 and 2000, the women filled out a questionnaire about the occurrence of panic attacks in the previous six months. They were then followed for an average of 5.3 years to see whether they had a heart attack or stroke or died from any cause.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Keep Adjustments to the Chiropractors
Spinal manipulation, as practiced by US-trained osteopathic physicians, is a safe and effective method of resolving patient pain and encouraging desirable physiologic improvement— often without pharmacologic intervention. Though novices, laypeople, and other clinicians also use manual techniques with similar goals in mind, their results are varied and sometimes dangerous to those they would help. The authors describe a case in which a layperson attempted spinal manipulation on a 20-year-old woman who later required a chest tube thoracostomy and hospitalization as a result of a pneumothorax. Osteopathic physicians are encouraged to consider patient risk factors for pneumothorax as a contraindication for the use of thoracic thrust techniques.
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