Chiropractic and Young Athletes

Chiropractic is safe and effective approach to improving and maintaining your well being.  Chiropractic is particularly helpful in helping young people maintain and improve athletic performance.

Pregnancy and Acetaminophen (Tylenol)

Public health advice(from MDs and hospitals) currently considers Tylenol use safe during pregnancy.

It is also know that about half of all pregnant women consume Tylenol as a solution for their pain and discomfort. 

A study just published out of the Journal of American Pediatrics
 in August of 2016 showed that Tylenol consumption by pregnant
women increased the baby having emotional symptoms by 
29%, hyperactivity by 31%, and total difficulties by 46%. 

This is a problem…and one that few doctors, let alone women and future mothers know about. 


So what if these mothers knew there was a
different solution that did not put their 
unborn baby at risk of having emotional, hyperactive, or neurodevelopmental problems? 

This brings us to a study from the Journal of Spine published in 2003. (references below)

Three groups of patients who were in pain were split up and treated
One group got drugs(vioxx and celebrex), one group 
received acupuncture, and one group received chiropractic. 

The results showed that Chiropractic was 5 times better than the drugs and 3 times more effective than the acupuncture!

And…the patients in the Chiropractic group were considered the worst because they had been in chronic pain for the longest compared to the other 2 groups. 

Think about that, what if pregnant women knew about the effectiveness of Chiropractic and its low-risk no side-effects benefits for her or her growing baby! 

Once again, what the public doesn’t know can and will hurt them. 

Explore and experience the possibilities of chiropractic!

For your better health,

Dr. Heller


References

1) Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics. August 15, 2016
Evie Stergiakouli, PhD; Anita Thapar, FRC, PhD; George Davey Smith, MD, DSc

2) Journal of Spine 2003 Jul 15;28(14):1490-502 “Chronic pain: a randomized clinical trial comparing medication, acupuncture, and spinal manipulation” 
Giles LG, Muller R.

Chiropractic and Limited Antibiotics for Childhood Ear Infections

Chiropractic has been used for decades by 100's of thousands of people for addressing many common ailments.  One such ailment is childhood ear infections.  The question has always been; is it effective?

One of the biggest problems of childhood ear infections is the use and repeated use of antibiotic therapy.  Antibiotics can help knock out an infection, unfortunately they can also wreak havoc on the the good bacteria which helps buffer the digestive tract which possesses about 70-80% of the body's immune system tissues; thereby making the individual more susceptible to reinfection after a bout of antibiotics.  This is the reason we recommend that parents feed their child "active culture" yogurt while on antibiotics and for one week after, to replace the healthy bacteria that are killed off, if they decide to go the antibiotic route with ear infections

A new study with children 5 years of age and younger, found chiropractic care for childhood ear infections was extremely effective, recommending utilizing chiropractic care and limiting medical intervention.

"93% of all episodes improved, 75% in 10 days or fewer and 43% with only one or two treatments. Young age, no history on antibiotic use, initial episode (vs. recurrent) and designation of an episode as discomfort rather than ear infection were factors associated with improvement with the fewest treatments."

Keep your child's body as healthy as possible by including chiropractic into their well child schedule.

For your better health,

Dr. Heller

Children, Car Seats and Spinal Health

Parents often ask Chiropractors when car seats should be turned to face forward. Remarkable research on this issue helps parents make an informed decision that will best serve their family. Safety concerns led to the evolution of rear-facing car seats. Motor vehicle collisions typically take place withthe vehicle moving forward. The mechanism of this type of accident forces the head and neck of all passengers forward toward the windshield of the vehicle in a quick, jerking movement. The majority of injuries occur as the neck snaps backwards after the initial jolt toward the windshield. Any precaution that minimizes the forward-back jerking motion of the neck as a result of the collision will help lower the severity or prevent any significant bone and soft tissue injuries.

Research shows that the strength and stability of neck alignment and soft tissue will determine the extent of injury. Rear-facing car seats provide stability for an infant’s neck and soft tissue when the muscles and ligaments are not yet fully developed. An infant’s neck, spine, and muscles eventually develop to the point of being able to withstand the majority of trauma from a motor vehicle accident.

Research done in 2007 showed the inaccuracy of previous standards that allowed infants to be turned towards the front of a car after one year of age and a weight of at least 20 pounds. The study states that children up to 23 months old are almost 75 percent less likely to die or sustain serious injury in a rear-facing car seat than a forward-facing one. A rear-facing seat spreads the force exerted on a child's body during a crash more evenly across the entire body, limiting the motion of the head and reducing the potential for neck injury. The protective car seat also keeps the child more contained within the shell of the child restraint than a forward-facing seat. The benefits of a rear-facing car seat rated particularly high in side impact crashes as well.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and many child-passenger safety advocates expanded their recommendations to suggest that infants and young children should remain rear-facing until at least 23 months of age and a weight of at least 35 pounds. Infants and children routinely experience significant stress without ever experiencing a motor vehicle accident. Traumas from birth, falls, accidents, and learning to walk produce enough stress on the spine and nervous system to require regular Chiropractic spinal evaluations for all children. Chiropractors focus on caring for the spine and central nervous system through spinal adjustments and education. Proper car seat safety continues to be one of many important topics that help prevent unwanted spine and nervous system problems for infants and toddlers. Regular Chiropractic care helps infants and children achieve and maintain proper spine and nervous system health throughout life. Waiting to use a front-facing car seat protects the safety and well-being of a child, but not waiting to begin Chiropractic care ensures that every child will be given optimal chance to grow and develop a healthy brain, spine, and body.

Journal of Injury Prevention
2007 Dec; 13(6): 398–402
"Car safety seats for children: rear facing for best protection"
B Henary, C P Sherwood, J R Crandall, R W Kent, F E Vaca, K B Arbogast, and M J Bull

 

Chiropractic: Health and Wellness

Enjoy this brief video with some very interesting information regarding the studies done which found Chiropractic care to beneficial in so many ways other than back and neck pain.

Wishing you great health,
Dr. Heller

Are Vaccinations Healthy?

Many reports in the media are focusing on the number of children behind on their "scheduled" vaccinations or unvaccinated all together and the "potential dangers" posed to society.

JAMA Pediatrics published a new study looking at vaccination rates. They found that children who were undervaccinated because of parental choice had significantly lower utilization rates of the ED (emergency department visits) and outpatient settings—both overall and for specific acute illnesses—than children who were vaccinated on time.

The study indicates that many vaccinations are foregone due to parental concerns about vaccine linked autism and goes on to down play any possible connection. What the study does fail to site is the fact that the federal Vaccine Injury Compensation Program has already awarded millions of dollars to families of children with autism where the court has verified that they were harmed by vaccines.

Once again I cannot stress strong enough, if you are truly concerned about health; know what you are putting into your and your children's bodies and potential effects.  Being healthy involves living a lifestyle of eating right, exercise, rest, proper spinal mechanics and mental relaxation, it does not come from a pill or a needle.

Just because it is backed by the Federal government, the Health Department and the pharmaceutical company does not mean it is safe or good for you. It seems that these entities may be the dangers to our society.

Yours for better health,
Dr. Heller

Chiropractic Care During the Cold and Flu Season

Health authorities have declared 2012-2013 to be one of the worst flu seasons on modern record.  Even though they encourage everyone to get flu shots, news reports indicate that the vaccines are less than 2% effective.  So, what does that leave a person to do to ward off the flu?  

Well, of course we all know about washing our hands regularly, Vitamin C and other nutrients to help the immune system along with adequate rest.  Have you considered chiropractic care to support your health and fortify your immune system?  

 According to a previous press release from the World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA):

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Spinal adjustments can have a positive effect on immune function, citing a growing number of researchers who are exploring the common denominators in disease processes, and the role of the nervous, immune, and hormonal systems in development of immune related illnesses.

Chiropractic corrects spinal abnormalities called vertebral subluxations that result in interference of the nervous system by placing pressure on nerves. Since the nervous system controls all functions of the body -- including the immune system -- chiropractic care can have a positive effect on immune function, WCA officials note.

“Contemporary research is beginning to shed light on the neurobiological mechanisms which may explain the outstanding clinical results chiropractors have experienced when managing patients with viral and infectious diseases,” stated Dr. Christopher Kent, WCA Vice President.
Dr. Kent explained: “A comprehensive review of the research literature reveals the current understanding that the brain and immune system are the two major adaptive systems in the body. During an immune response, the brain and the immune system 'talk to each other' and this process is essential for maintaining homeostasis or balance in the body."

Since its inception, chiropractic has asserted that viruses and microbes don't threaten us all equally and that a healthy immune system easily repels most invaders. The immune system protects us from the flu, as well as any other infectious disease, and strives to get us well again when we do fall ill. Our immune system, like every other system in the body, is coordinated and controlled by the nervous system.

Chiropractors are also aware of the importance of positive health life style practices (rest, drinking ample quantities of water, diet, exercise, proper food choices, use of high potency multivitamins and minerals, and stress reduction approaches) that can also positively influence the nervous system and immune response. According to a large study of the chiropractic profession recently conducted by the Institute for Social Research, Ohio Northern University (McDonald et al., 2003), chiropractors also customarily advise their patients as to the benefits of these other modalities in optimizing overall body function.

Chiropractors helping patients battle the flu is not a new occurrence either. During the 1917-18 influenza epidemic, which brought death and fear to many Americans, it has been estimated that 20 million people died throughout the world, including about 500,000 Americans. It was chiropractic’s success in caring for flu victims that led to the profession’s licensure in many states.

Researchers reported that in Davenport, Iowa, out of the 93,590 patients treated by medical doctors, there were 6,116 deaths -- a loss of one patient out of every 15. Chiropractors at the Palmer School of Chiropractic adjusted 1,635 cases, with only one death. Outside Davenport, chiropractors in Iowa cared for 4,735 cases with only six deaths -- one out of 866. During the same epidemic, in Oklahoma, out of 3,490 flu patients under chiropractic care, there were only seven deaths. Furthermore, chiropractors were called in 233 cases given up as lost after medical treatment, and reportedly saved all but 25. In another report covering 4,193 cases by 213 chiropractors 4,104 showed complete recovery. 

“These results are not so surprising given what we now know about the interaction between the nervous system and the immune system” stated Dr. Matthew McCoy, WCA Board member and Editor of the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research. “Through research we know that chiropractic has beneficial effects on immunoglobulins, B-lymphocytes (white blood cells), pulmonary function and other immune system processes.”

One such study, conducted by Patricia Brennan Ph.D and her team, found that when a chiropractic “manipulation” was applied to the middle back, the response of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (white blood cells) taken from blood collected 15 minutes after the manipulation was significantly higher than blood collected 15 minutes before and 30 and 45 minutes after the chiropractic procedure. This research demonstrated an “enhanced respiratory burst” following the chiropractic adjustment. This “burst” is needed for our immune cells to destroy invading viruses and bacteria.

Another small study of HIV positive patients was conducted to study the effects of specific chiropractic adjustments to correct vertebral subluxations in the upper neck on the immune systems of HIV positive individuals. Over the six-month period of the study, the group that did not receive chiropractic care experienced a 7.96% decrease in CD4 cell counts, while the adjusted group experienced a 48% increase in CD4 cell counts over the same period.
A large retrospective study conducted by Dr. Robert Blanks and colleagues studied 2,818 individuals undergoing chiropractic care - these individuals reported an average overall improvement, ranging from 7-28%, in a battery of physical symptoms including stiffness/lack of flexibility in the spine, physical pain, fatigue, incidence of colds and flu, headaches, menstrual discomfort, gastrointestinal disorders, allergies, dizziness and falls (Blanks et al., 1997, Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research).

More importantly, the incidence of colds and flu was reduced by an average of 15% in this large population who were undergoing regular chiropractic care.

According to Dr. Terry Rondberg, president of the World Chiropractic Alliance, “While we would love to say we (chiropractors) figured this out, the truth is we didn’t. We simply take advantage of it to help our patients.”

He added that, “In many ways this is old news since the relationship between the nervous system and the immune system was reported by the New York Times in 1993. According to that article ‘Scientists have found the first evidence of an anatomical connection between the nervous system and the immune system. Nerve cell endings in the skin and white blood cells of the immune system are in intimate contact, and chemicals secreted by the nerves can shut down immune system cells nearby.’ Our health care system needs to catch up with the research.”

“I would recommend to any person concerned about the upcoming flu season to add chiropractic to their list of things to do to remove interference to their nervous system, enhance their immune function and give their body every extra bit of security it needs” stated Dr. Rondberg.

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 Include chiropractic care in your efforts to keep you and your family healthy.   You could be surprised and I'm confident you'll be pleased.

Yours for better health,
Dr. Heller

<<Release Citations>>

New Year's Help For Smokers

Did you, a friend or family member make a New Year's resolution to improve your health?  Was one of those resolutions to quit smoking?  Well I want to pass along an interesting and hopefully helpful aid that I stumbled across. If this sounds of interest to you, keep reading.

Dr. Carolyn M. Clancy, director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said quitting smoking is one of the best things anyone can do to improve health.  

• Cigarette smoking causes an estimated 443,000 deaths each year, including approximately 49,400 deaths due to exposure to secondhand smoke.
• 8.6 million people live with a serious illness caused by smoking.
• On average, smokers die 13 to 14 years earlier than nonsmokers.
• Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women in the United States, and 90% of lung cancer deaths among men and approximately 80% of lung cancer deaths among women are due to smoking.
• Smoking causes many other types of cancer, including cancers of the throat, mouth, nasal cavity, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, kidney, bladder, and cervix, as well as acute myeloid leukemia.
• People who smoke are up to two to four times more likely to suffer a heart attack than nonsmokers, and the risk increases with the number of cigarettes smoked. Smoking also causes most cases of chronic obstructive lung disease.
• Among youth who persist in smoking, a third will die prematurely from smoking.

Dr. Clancy noted that a new, comprehensive website available, gives one-stop access to the latest evidence-based methods on how to quit smoking.

The website — BeTobaccoFree.gov — has interactive features, mobile apps, tools and resources designed specifically for parents, educators and teens.

The site offers facts on smoking and second hand smoke, smokeless tobacco, educational/informational videos with former smokers and numerous tools under the "Quit Now" tab to help you or those you love;  all for FREE.       Click on this link to be taken to the website.

Best of luck on your New Year's health endeavors!

For your health,

Dr. Heller

Multiple Vaccines Per Visit Increases Risk

A new study, published in Human and Experimental Toxicology analyzed more than 38,000 reports of infant hospitalizations and deaths following vaccinations. Researchers have found statistically significant correlations between the number of vaccine doses administered to infants and infant hospitalization and mortality rates: babies who receive the most vaccines tend to have higher (worse) hospitalization and death rates.


While each childhood vaccine has individually undergone clinical trials to assess safety, studies have not been conducted to determine the safety (or efficacy) of combining vaccines during a single physician visit as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) guidelines.

<< Read Full Story>>

Combating Colds and Flu

Beware of Soda Consumption

According to the National Soft Drink Association (NSDA), consumption of soft drinks is now over 600 12-ounce servings (12 oz.) per person per year. Since the late 1970`s the soft drink consumption in the United States has doubled for females and tripled for males. The group with highest consumption is males between the ages of 12 - 29; they average 1/2 gallon a day or 160 gallons a year.

 Doctors, nutritionists and health clinics urge us to take control of our soft drink consumption to improve our health. It is highly recommended that each of us drink 6-8 glasses of water each day to keep your body well hydrated. Proper hydration of internal organs enables them to function properly, removing waste and toxins from the body. Hydration of the skin keeps it with good elasticity and will help keep you looking younger longer. Water is the best way to quench your thirst and keeping your body healthy.

 The graphic below shows the numerous negative impacts of soft drinks on the body.  If you have difficulty reading the graphic simply hold down the "ctrl" key and tap the "+" key" to zoom in.

Acetaminophen Now #1 Cause of Liver Failure

Acetaminophen is a readily available over the counter (OTC) drug that has been recommended regularly for pain relief and fever reduction. It is the most common drug ingredient in America.  It has been shown that it can be used fairly safely, when taken at the recommended dosage.  For adults and children 12 years of age and older, the recommended dose of acetaminophen is 650 to 1000 mg every 4 to 6 hours, not to exceed 4000 mg in 24 hours.  For children under 12 years of age, the recommended dose of acetaminophen is 10 to 15 mg/kg every 4 to 6 hours, not to exceed five doses (50-75 mg/kg) in 24 hours.  If you start to take more than one product for pain and/or fever, you may want to read the labels.


Acetaminophen is marketed under the brand names: Acephen, Actamin, Feverall, Q-Pap, Tactinal, Tempra, Tylenol, Uniserts, Vitapap, as well as being found in more than 600 different over-the-counter and prescription medicines.  You may also find it listed under other generic names such as APAP, N-acetyl-para-aminophenol, Paracetamol.
 
Acetaminophen is found in so many pain relieving formulas.  Combining those products can lead to over dose which can lead to liver damage and liver failure. 

Be safe, be healthy and see you chiropractor for those aches and pains to avoid inadvertently injuring yourself with unnecessary medications.

For Your Health,
    Dr. Heller

It's Getting To Be That Time Again

This time of the year I get asked quite frequently, during my patient's visits, my thoughts about getting "flu shots".  I always respond that whether to get one or not is a personal decision but that I will give them my personal opinion.

Personally, my wife and I have never taken a "flu shot" simply because I have never seen convincing evidence that the benefits out weight the potential side effects.  It now seems that The Cochrane Collaboration, an international network of people from over 100 countries that reveiw studies and public policies to help healthcare providers, policy-makers, patients, their advocates and carers, make well-informed decisions about health care, may have taken a similar view.

An online summary published in July of 2010 reviewed 40 influenza vaccine trials of over 70,000 people and found that they are statistically much less effective than we are generally told.  Their findings indicate that in ideal situations (where the vaccine exactly matches the infecting viral strain) that 33 healthy adults would need to be vaccinated to see a prevention of 1 case of influenza.   More typically, in average conditions (only a partial match of virus and vaccine) 100 healthy adults would need to be vaccinated to see a prevention of 1 case of influenza.  The summary also reported that immunization did not affect the number of people hospitalized or working days lost.  The summary did find that there was about 1 in 1 million doses occurrence of Guillian-Barré syndrome (a major neurological condition leading to paralysis).  Is that an acceptable trade off?   

The problem with flu vaccine effectiveness is that there are over 200 viruses that can cause influenza and influenza-like illness.  At best, vaccines might be effective against only influenza A and B, which represent only about 10% of all circulating viruses. Each year, the World Health Organization, out of a shear guesstimation,  recommends which viral strains should be included in vaccinations for the forthcoming season.

 The summary notes that the reported "results may be an optimistic estimate because company-sponsored influenza vaccines trials tend to produce results favorable to their products and some of the evidence comes from trials carried out in ideal viral circulation and matching conditions and because the harms (adverse reaction) evidence base is limited."  It also stated that studies funded from public sources were significantly less likely to report conclusions favorable to the vaccines.   From my point of view the ineffectiveness of vaccines is a small concern.  The majority of my objection is the unknown, long term effects of introducing all the foreign, often otherwise toxic chemicals and particulates into the body by way of the vaccine.  One of my favorite, satirical videos on the subject is this one.

So, what does all this mean?  What should a person do if they want to avoid unnecessary vaccines?  We recommend to our patients that they do what they can to destress the systems and enhance the functions of the body.  By utilizing chiropractic adjustments, healthy eating, and sufficient rest you can help fortify the body's immune response to help ward off viral and bacterial infections and if you do develop symptoms typically they will tend to be shorter lived in a well adjusted individual.   If you should develop a full blown episode of flu-like symptoms my family and many of our patients utilize natural homeopathic formulas, nutritional and herbal preparations to build up the body's immune response.

Interested in improving your health status?  Contact our office at drheller@dcbetterhealth.com.

For your better health,

Dr. Heller

Fluoride....Not So Intelligent!

For those of you who know me or I have had the opportunity to speak in some detail with about health issues you probably know the stance that my wife and I have on fluoride and fluoridation of drinking water.  We have in the past taken a public stand against our communities efforts to implement fluoridation of the drinking water.  This is a subject close to my heart.

Every year more and more studies come out intimating fluoride with health problems and concerns.  Dr. Joseph Mercola does a great job in a recent newsletter article summarizing some of the studies and the issues behind fluoridation.  In his article, he specifically addresses the effect of fluoride on brain function and I.Q. 

Here is the entire article!

Dr. Heller

Children and Chiropractic Care: Birth to 18 Years

Chiropractic has been successfully caring for children for various conditions for over a millennium. The main issues are what conditions are cared for by chiropractors, what is the reported success rate and what is the incidence of side effects. Over time, research has started to catch up on what individual chiropractors have been realizing in their private practices and this article will outline the current state of the literature.

Conditions Cared For and Side Effects 2012 Report

The pediatric related conditions that were reported to be cared for by chiropractors were the following:

1. Musculoskeletal
   1. Joint pain
   2. Walking/crawling
   3. Neck pain
   4. Mid back pain
   5. Low back pain
2. Neurological
   1. Headaches
   2. Autism
   3. Balance
   4. Cerebral Palsy
   5. Movement Disorders
   6. ADD/ADHD
   7. Behavioral
   8. Crying/Irritability/Sleep
   9. Developmental
   10. Growing
   11. Cognitive
3. Gastrointestinal
   
   1. Colic
   2. Constipation
   3. Digestive
   4. Eating
   5. Drinking
   6. Reflux
   7. Hiatus hernia
   8. Bowel problems
4. Genitourinary
   1. Menstrual cramps
   2. Bed wetting
5. Immune
   1. Allergies
   2. Asthma
   3. Food intolerance
   4. Respiratory
   5. Eczema
   6. Skin rashes
6. Infections
   1. Ear infections
   2. Ear-nose-throat problems
   3. Common cold
   4. Flu     

As for side effects, "there was less than 1% of patients experiencing negative side effects and all of these adverse reactions to care were mild in nature; transient and required no medical care with serious complications. The typical reaction was transient crying."

"The incidence of adverse drug reactions among hospitalized children in the United States has not been well studied.....On the basis of [review] of 17 prospective studies conducted in the United States and Europe, the incidence of adverse drug reactions among hospitalized children was 9.5%, with severe reactions accounting for 12% of the total."    Comparatively speaking, chiropractic is a much safer choice than most alternative options.

The entire article can be found here.