“Researchers reviewed records from 1,450 patients in the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation database who had diagnoses of disc degeneration, disc herniation or radiculopathy, a nerve condition that causes tingling and weakness of the limbs. Half of the patients had surgery to fuse two or more vertebrae in hopes of curing low back pain. The other half had no surgery, even though they had comparable diagnoses.

“After two years, just 26 percent of those who had surgery returned to work. That’s compared to 67 percent of patients who didn’t have surgery. In what might be the most troubling study finding, researchers determined that there was a 41 percent increase in the use of painkillers, specifically opiates, in those who had surgery.

“The study provides clear evidence that for many patients, fusion surgeries designed to alleviate pain from degenerating discs don’t work, says the study’s lead author Dr. Trang Nguyen, a researcher at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

“Unfortunately, for most patients with bad backs, there is no easy solution, no magic bullet. Pain management experts — and some surgeons — say that patients need to scale back their expectations. With the right treatments, pain can be eased, but a complete cure is unlikely.

- Back Surgery May Backfire on Patients in Pain, MSNBC.com, October 14, 2010

To read the complete  MSNBC article describing this study click this link:    http://tinyurl.com/7gnvtqo

To look at the actual study upon which this article was written on,  click this link:  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20736894

“I feel compelled to share the prevalence in the incidence of misdiagnosis in the back pain industry, the diagnostic hurdles patients face, and the concerns about back surgery and spinal fusion in particular. And I want to provide fair information about these particular situations and issues. The DRS Protocol™ is the answer to the majority of back and neck pain conditions, and you can keep working and maintain a life.  It would be worth anyone’s time to investigate. ” – Dr. Richard Busch

Atherosclerosis is the accumulation of fatty deposits in the arteries.  These deposits may thicken and harden and eventually obstruct blood flow through the spinal arteries.  This can be bad for the intervertebral discs because they are living tissues which need oxygen and nutrients.  In fact, this principle is behind our  DRS Protocol™, which increases the  movement of oxygen and nutrients into the targeted spinal discs to promote healing.

Now the latest issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that measured levels of trans fats, once ubiquitous in packaged, baked, and fried foods,  from 2000 to 2009 have plummeted 58 percent in Americans.

Studies had linked trans fats to heart disease and obesity.  In fact, large studies had shown that even small increases in trans fat consumption could significantly elevate heart risk.

Some cities restricted their use in restaurants, and experts pushed companies to remove them from processed foods like soups, crackers, frozen foods, and cookies.

521 Americans, average age 47 years old, took part in a  National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a continuing study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Trans fats level fell 58 percent.

LDL cholesterol fell from 128 to 119 milligrams per deciliter per blood [should be lower than 100 as per American Heart Association (AHA)].

HDL cholesterol rose from 49.6 to 55.8 milligrams (should be higher than 40 in men and women as per AHA).

Triglyceride levels fell from 131 to 109 milligrams (should be 100 as per AHA).

HDL is considered the ‘beneficial’ type of cholesterol and the fact that it went up when less trans fat was consumed was to be expected given what is known about how the cardiovascular system is affected by trans fats.

The study was financed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and carried out by scientists there and at the National Institutes of Health.

Chronic pain related to conditions such as degenerative disc disease (DDD), failed back surgery, neuropathy, and thoracic outlet syndrome are among those which the  medical marijuana industry lists as using medical marijuana to treat.

The list of potentially treatable conditions is fairly extensive:

Acute Gastritis
Alzheimer’s
Amyloidosis
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Anaphylactic or Reaction
Anorexia
Arthritis
Arthropathy (Gout)
Asthma
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
Autism
Back Pain
Bell’s Palsy
Bipolar Disorder
Bruxism
Bulemia
Cachexia
Cancer
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Cerebral Aneurysm
CFS
Chronic Pain
Cluster Headaches
CMT Disease
Colitis
Colitis/Ulcerative Colitis
Colon Diverticulitis
Crohn’s disease
CVS
Cystic Fibrosis
Cystitis/Urethritis
Darier’s Disease
Depression
Diabetes
Diarrhea
Dupuytren’s Contracture
Dyspepsia
Dystonia
Eczema
Ehlers Danlos
Emphysema
Endometriosis
Epilepsy/Seizure Disorder
Felty’s syndrome
Fibromyalgia
Friedreich’s Ataxia
GastroEsophgeal Reflux Disease
Glaucoma
Graves’ disease
Hemophilia A
Henoch-Schonlein Purpura
Herpes
HIV / AIDS
Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
Hyperventilation
Hypoglycemia
Incontinence
Inflammatory Bowel
Insomnia
Interstitial Pneumonia
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Limbic Rage Syndrome
Liver Disease
Lupus
Lyme Disease
Macular Degeneration
Marfan Syndrome-
Mastocytosis
MD
Medical Marijuana as Pain Treatment for Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
Melorheostosis
Meniere’s Disease
Menopausal Syndrome
Migraines
Motion Sickness
Movement Disorders
MRSA
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Muscle Spasm
Muscle Spasms
Myofascial Pain
Nausea
Nephritis
Neurodegenerative Disorders
Neurofibromatosis
Neuropathy
Nightmares
NPS
Osgood-Schlatter
Osteogenesis imperfecta
Palmar Hyperhydrosis
Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatitis
Panic Attacks
Panic Disorder
Pectus carinatum (Pigeon breast/chest)
Pemphigus
Peptic Ulcer
Peutz-Jehgers
Polyarteritis Nodosa
Polycythemia vera
Porphyria—Alternative Symptom Treatments
Post Concussion Syndrome
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
PPS-Post Polio Syndrome
Prostate Cancer
Pruritus
Psoriasis
Pylorospasm reflux
Radiation Therapy
Raynaud’s phenomenon
Reactive Arthritis
RLS-MMj Treats Symptoms
SAD
Schizophrenia(s)
Scleroderma
Scoliosis
Selectivemutism
Shingles
Sinusitis
Sleep Apnea
Spina Bifida and Medical Marijuana
Sturge-Weber
Syringomyelia
Tenosynovitis
Testicular Cancer
Testicular Torsion
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Tic Douloureux
Tietze’s Syndrome
Tinnitus
TTM
Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome

A New York Times article  reports that there is also a financial side to this story given that in 2011 medical marijuana dispensary taxes contributed to Colorado Springs City tax revenues to the tune of more than $700,000,  Denver  more than $3.4 million, and the State of Colorado more than $5 million, Oregon raised more than $6.7 million, San Jose California collected more than $2.5 million from 100 marijuana dispensaries that have opened in the that city, Oakland California  in 2011 collected $1.4 million.

By far the largest dispensary in Oakland California is Harborside Health Center, which in 2011 collected $20 million from 104,000 customers.

We would be interested in your opinion on the wisdom of using medical marijuana.

The Japanese study, published in the December 2011 of Spine, found that 48 of 286 elderly individuals had lumbar ostephytes. Lumbar osteophyte formation was most common in males with a history of alcohol intake and were correlated with the angle of the tailbone (sacrum).

Blood levels of beta-carotene were significantly lower in subjects with the lumbar osteophytes.

Usually occurring on the front of the vertebrae osteophytes may be tiny, tapering to a point or may be large completely bridging across the intervertebral joint space.

The presence of osteophytes is strongly correlated with reduced disc height, degenerative disc disease and disc herniation and in the neck vertebral osteophytes can displace the vertebral arteries, potentially interfering with the brains blood supply.

Food is the best sources of beta-Carotene with  carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, spinach, and collards having the highest levels of beta-carotene content per serving.

Interestingly, beta-Carotene’s absorption is enhanced if eaten with fats.

To look at the National Institute of Health US National Library of Medicine website abstract of this study, go to the following link:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21673632

Following a custom nutritional protocol designed and implemented by Dr. Sinner at Sinner Chiropractic Pain Center, ”Red” as he is affectionately called, has been able to significantly reduce the amount of medication he needs to manage his diabetes resulting in praises from both his internal medicine specialist and his wife.

Red explains that, “Basically this has improved my quality of life all the way around and that by carrying as little less weight its easier to keep my muscle toned and it’s less taxing on my skeletal system.  My Glyberide doseage has all but been eliminated and my Metformin use has been reduced by at least two0-thirds.

Red explains that his treatment protocol was not difficult and that if you want to succeed you are the only one who can make that happen, with the right assistance.

Way to go Red, we’re proud of you!

The problem is that underlying physical weaknesses can make serious injury all but inevitable over time, compounded with the observation that some yoga instructors seem to push people too hard.

Most reported problems associated with yoga involve lower back injuries, followed by shoulder injuries, knee injuries, neck injuries, and stroke.

Discs, ligaments, muscles, cartilage, and joints may be over stressed or injured causing sprains, strains, disc tears and herniations, and facet syndrome.

With time degenerative joint disease, degenerative disc disease, degenerative facet disease, and spinal stenosis is thought to worsen in some individuals. Excessive extensions or rotations of the neck can be risky and cause injuries similar as occur with whiplash.

Arching the neck as far back as possible (hyperextension) with the cobra pose or flexing the neck as far forward as possible (hyperflexion) with a shoulder stand may cause tearing, blood clots, swelling and constriction of blood flow in arteries reducing blood flow to the brain, producing a stroke resulting in temporary or permanent problems with language, conscious thinking, respiration, vision, swallowing, muscle control, vision, balance, and fine movements.

A yoga headstand may also lead to compression of nerves and blood vessels within the thoracic outlet, known as thoracic outlet syndrome, causing numbness, weakness or tingling in the arms or hands.

Reported injuries include torn achilles tendons, foot drop from excessive compression on the sciatic nerve, and eye damage due to retinal tears due to increased eye pressure associated with certain yoga positions.

Especially with middle aged and older individuals caution is advised and along with expert yoga instructors, I feel that some people should avoid or give up yoga and instead practice specific range of motion stretches.

Traditionally,  Indian practitioners of yoga sat cross-legged and squatted on a daily basis, but the vast majority of Americans are not accustomed to sitting and squatting in this manner and should not expect to be able to do so as they may see certain yoga instructors demonstrate.  Very slow and gradual progress, at most, should be expected.   And finally, weight should never be put on the neck (cervical) vertebrae with any type of headstand.

Yoga is not a cure-all or panacea and may cause problems and yoga  practitioners who have needed rehabilitation following yoga injuries having lost their naïve believe that yoga was a source of only benefit and never harm.

We at Sinner Chiropractic Pain Center have treated individuals with moderate-to-severe cervical spine injuries as well hip joint injuries, directly attributable to the practice of yoga positions.

We find that almost always with customization of physical fitness endeavors, the benefit vastly outshines the risk, reducing the chanc of injury and maximizing the likely hood that individuals will be able to continue to do the things they love to do for years to come.

We would like to hear about your yoga experiences or if you would like to arrange a consultation, call us today at 253-848-3300.

If you would like to read the complete article its available at

http://tiny.cc/2aflf

Recent figures by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that 69% of  American’s are overweight.

These statistics are monitored because being overweight is known to be related to certain types of cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart diseases and many types of chronic health conditions.

Twelve years ago there were more women who were overweight than men but presently 74% of men as opposed to 64% of women are overweight.  Good job guys!

Often being overweight is a contributing factor to back problems due to the additional mechanical pressure exerted on feet, ankles, knees, hips, and spine.

Carrying significant levels of excess weight puts higher than average levels of mechanical pressure on joints, causing accelerated wear and tear, accelerating the development of certain chronic conditions.

We sometimes see how excess mechanical pressure on joints can accelerate joint degeneration in spinal imaging studies of individuals who, for a variety of reasons,  have one leg longer than the other.  Even with a leg length differential of only half an inch, over the course of years, greater severity of degenerative changes on the long leg side, which bears additional weight and pressure, are frequently seen.

Some individuals seem more resistant to degenerative joint changes.  Pain may not be noticed for years, but as joints bear higher than normal levels of  stress and strain over the course of many years, it’s reasonable to suspect that knee and hip degenerative changes may be occurring.

Spinal conditions such as osteoarthritis (OA), degenerative disc disease (DDD), spinal stenosis, degenerative facet arthritis and degenerative spondylolisthesis (forward slipping of one vertebrae upon the other) are also associated with increased weight bearing and these conditions may then necessitate intervention in attempt to maintain activity of daily living functioning to desirable levels.

Best from Sinner Chiropractic Pain Center!

Celebrate the Season!

Have a safe and happy celebration. Wishing for light snow for a white Christmas.

Sinner Chiropractic Pain Center will be closing Thursday afternoon through Monday.

Vertebral compression fractures of the spine are  frequently suffered by elderly individuals.

Despite warnings FDA and pilot studies showing the medical device companies that safety was an issue, surgeries were performed resulting in the death of patients, the third death occuring in January 2004.   These surgeries were performed despite pilot studies indicating that the bone cement caused human blood clots and that in animal research such cement-caused clots can become lodged in the lungs.

The U.S. Department of Justice release pertaining to these unfortunate deaths may be read  at

http://tiny.cc/c00om