Healthy News November 2022

“To Pop or Not to Pop” is of course a turn on an age-old Shakespearean quote for an age-old chiropractic spinal manipulation question. The answer today is that it’s not a required measure of back pain relief from spinal manipulation treatment (SMT), yet back pain and neck pain patients undergoing SMT want and need to know more. Present-day guidelines for managing low back pain stress patient education and exercise as important topics of discussion. Healthcare practitioners are pretty good (72% overall) at delivering information. By profession, though, chiropractors lead in providing patient education for 76% of patients with physical therapists at 74% and general practitioners at only 44%. The more emotional distress a patient exhibited or pain presented below the knee, information was shared with 78% of patients. (1) An important topic for Burlington and Hamilton back pain and neck pain patients undergoing spinal manipulation treatment (SMT) is this sometimes-audible pop. A systematic review of published studies revealed that regardless of the spinal area or follow-up time after the SMT, there was no research evidence of improved pain outcomes or success of the treatment linked to an audible pop. (2) This is good to know since some patients have it, and some don’t. Patients whose practitioners explained the audible pop to them - and others who were not spinal manipulation patients - reported interesting theories of what caused that sound and had overemphasized ideas of its importance. (3) Instead of the question “To pop or not to pop?” the better question for you and your Burlington and Hamilton chiropractor may well be “Is there pain relief or not?” With our gentle chiropractic care, there is pain relief for many Burlington and Hamilton back pain and neck pain sufferers. We look forward to talking  with you at your next chiropractic visit at Spinal Care Clinic!

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Kurt Olding on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he details the gentle spinal manipulation treatment of spinal stenosis with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.

Vitamin D enjoys a favored reputation and is well- researched beyond its earlier role of supporting phospho-calcium metabolism and skeletal bone disorders.  Today, research has well-established vitamin D as a hormone and recounted vitamin D as influential for various diseases from cancer, inflammation, and autoimmunity (Hashimoto’s, Graves’, diabetes) to adrenal gland health and disease (Cushing’s, Addison’s). (4) The adrenal gland has two main parts: (A) The adrenal cortex makes cortisol which regulates the sleep/wake cycle, body’s use of fats/proteins/carbs, inflammation, blood pressure as well as increases blood sugar and reduces bone formation. (B) The adrenal medulla makes “stress hormones” epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) in charge of the fight or flight response. (5) Adrenal gland issues keep people awake at night…for real! Although not yet conclusive, 800-2000IU a day was suggested in one recent study to support adrenal health. (6) Spinal Care Clinic is excited to discuss vitamin D and any adrenal gland issues you may be having.  

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Schedule your next Burlington and Hamilton chiropractic visit with Spinal Care Clinic soon! We have a lot to talk about!