-
Chiropractic Care May Reduce Anxiety
-
Prescribed
Drugs Top Abuse List
-
Chiropractic More Cost Effective
Than Medical Care For Workers Compensation Cases
-
Hepatitis B Vaccine Linked to
Multiple Sclerosis
-
Walking May Ward Off Alzheimer's
-
October is
Spinal Health Month
Chiropractic Care May Reduce Anxiety
The above
headline appeared on the October 1, 2004, "Newswise", and the October 6,
2004, "News-Medical.net". These news stories stemmed from a published
report appearing in
the September 20, 2004, issue of the peer-reviewed periodical, "Journal
of Vertebral Subluxation Research" (JVSR). The report was a case study of a
19-year old female diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) who
suffered from psychiatric symptoms as well as other problems for two
years.
This case
study noted that this patient’s previous medical treatment had included
multiple emergency room visits; private specialists; and a rotation of
drug therapies including Paxil, Xanax, and Celexa all of which had
failed to help her. The patient’s history also included at least three
motor vehicle accidents between 1995 and 1997, including one where her
head shattered the windshield.
The
articles note that according to the National Institute of Mental Health,
anxiety is the most common mental health illness. It affects more than
19 million Americans ages 18-54. Patients suffering from General
Anxiety Disorder make three to five times more visits to doctors’
offices and emergency rooms and the Anxiety Disorders Association of
America reports that direct healthcare costs and lost productivity of
these conditions cost more than $42 billion per year.
In
December, 2001, the patient started chiropractic care for correction of
nerve interference called "subluxations". This patient's results were
then documented over a four month course of care. It was observed that
medication was discontinued successfully. Additionally, the articles
noted that after a four-month course of chiropractic care, the young
woman reported an 80% reduction in her anxiety symptoms, including a 90%
decrease in her headaches. The patient was able to resume a normal
lifestyle without resorting to prescription or over-the-counter drugs.
The
research was co-authored by Dr. Madeline Behrendt, Associate Editor of
JVSR, and Dr. Nathan Olsen, a chiropractor in private practice in Boise,
Idaho. They noted in their conclusion that, "These improvements suggest
positive changes in mental health function may be associated with
subluxation correction from the application of chiropractic care."
Dr.
Behrendt additionally commented, "This young woman spent two years in
crisis, going from emergency room to private specialist, spending
thousands of dollars for tests and drug therapy, without any resolution
of her problems. A simple, non-invasive spinal screening ultimately
provided the findings that made the difference: her spine was
subluxated, impinging on nerves, and altering the proper function of her
nervous system.” Behrendt continued by asking, “How many other people
are suffering unnecessarily because they are missing the proper
screening?”
Prescribed Drugs
Top Abuse List
On
September 9, 2004, a startling report titled, "2003 National Survey on
Drug Use and Health" was issued by the US Department of Health and Human
Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration. The study
was a good-news, bad-news scenario in that it showed that fewer American
youths are using marijuana, LSD and Ecstasy, but more are abusing
prescription drugs.
The
report noted that more people had tried prescription pain relievers who
did not need them for medical reasons. The most striking increase was a
15 percent rise in prescription drug abuse by people 18 to 25. In the
broader population of 12 and over, the study showed that 5 percent more
people took those drugs recreationally. There were 6.3 million people
using prescription medications non-medically in 2003, about 2.7 percent
of the population ages 12 or older. Of these, an estimated 4.7 million
used prescription pain relievers; 1.8 million used tranquilizers; 1.2
million used stimulants, including methamphetamine; and 0.3 million used
sedatives.
The study
found that young people who were exposed to anti-drug messages outside
school took notice -- with rates of current pot use 25 percent lower
than those who did not get those messages. Health and Human Services
Secretary Tommy Thompson highlighted the good news by saying, "It is
encouraging news that more American youths are getting the message that
drugs are dangerous, including marijuana."
The study
also noted that fewer youths were using marijuana, but alcohol abuse
remains steady with no noticeable increase or decrease.
Chiropractic More Cost Effective Than
Medical Care For Workers Compensation Cases
A study
published in the September 2004 issue of the peer-reviewed scientific
journal, "Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics" showed
that chiropractic care was more cost effective than medical care for
many workers compensation injuries.
The study
was a retrospective review of 96,627 closed injury claims between 1975
and 1994 that had been archived by the North Carolina Industrial
Commission. The Office of Technology Services of the North Carolina
Department of Commerce extracted the raw data for this study.
The
results showed that the average cost of treatment, hospitalization, and
compensation payments were higher for patients treated by Medical
Doctors than for patients treated by Doctors of Chiropractic. The
results further showed that average number of lost workdays for patients
treated by Medical Doctors was higher than for those treated by
Chiropractors. However, it was noted that when patients were treated by
both Medical doctors and Chiropractors the costs generated were higher
than patients treated by either MDs or DCs only.
The
conclusion
indicates lower treatment costs, less workdays lost, lower
compensation payments, and lower utilization of ancillary medical
services for patients treated by
Chiropractors than for those treated by
Medical Doctors. The implications are clear and can have far reaching
effects. Many state governments are grappling with the concept of how
to lower claims by injured workers in the workers compensation systems.
Some lawmakers have suggested that the reduction, or elimination of
chiropractic care will help reduce the financial costs. This study
clearly shows that those efforts are not supported by the evidence, and
that steps in that direction would actually raise the overall costs in
workers compensations claims.
Hepatitis B Vaccine Linked to
Multiple Sclerosis
The BBC
news reported on September 14, 2004, on a study done at the Harvard
School of Public Health, that showed a three-fold increase in the
incidence of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) associated with Immunization by the
vaccine used for hepatitis B. The BBC article starts off by plainly
stating, "People who are vaccinated against hepatitis B are at increased
risk of multiple sclerosis, a study shows."
The
study looked at hepatitis B immunization patterns among 163 patients
with MS and compared it to 1604 control patients without MS from the
same database. The results clearly showed a link between the vaccine
and MS.
The
article notes that the Harvard researchers do not know why there is an
apparent statistical link. They note that the Harvard researchers can
not determine whether the vaccine causes MS in those prone to the
disease or speeds up MS in those destined to have it.
One of
the researchers, Dr Miguel Hernŕn stated, "We estimated that
immunization against hepatitis B was associated with a three-fold
increase in the incidence of MS within three years following
vaccination."
The
conclusion of the study sates, "These findings are consistent with the
hypothesis that immunization with the recombinant hepatitis B vaccine is
associated with an increased risk of MS, and challenge the idea that the
relation between hepatitis B vaccination and risk of MS is well
understood."
Walking May Ward Off Alzheimer's
From
the September 22/29, 2004 issue of the Journal of the American Medical
Association (JAMA) comes a study that shows that walking may help
prevent mental decline and Alzheimer`s disease. The study looked at
2257 physically capable men aged 71 to 93 years. In this study the
amount of walking that these men did was tracked against their mental
health over several years.
The study
showed that those men who walked less than a quarter-mile a day were
almost twice as likely to develop Alzheimer`s or other forms of dementia
as men who walked more than two miles daily. University of Virginia
biotstatistician Robert Abbott, the lead author concluded, "Findings
suggest that walking is associated with a reduced risk of dementia.
Promoting active lifestyles in physically capable men could help
late-life cognitive function."
In a
similar study involving 16,466 female nurses ages 70 to 81, found that
even women who walked a leisurely 1-1/2 hours a week did better on tests
of mental function than less active women. Jennifer Weuve, a Harvard
School of Public Health researcher and author of that study noted, "We
were a bit surprised that something so modest as walking would be
associated with apparent cognitive benefits."
October is Spinal
Health Month
The
American Chiropractic Association (ACA), is sponsoring Spinal Health
Month in October. During that month people are urged to talk to your
local doctor of chiropractic about the
natural ways you can improve your spinal health and enhance your overall
well being.
A
national spokesperson from the ACA noted, "The goal of a doctor of
chiropractic is to offer the highest-quality, professional health care,
while teaching patients how to maintain their physical well being and a
healthful lifestyle. Spinal Health Month is the perfect time to take
control of your health by discovering this natural approach to
wellness."
The
article published on Wednesday October 6, 2004 in Yahoo Finance, also
notes that over 30 million Americans sought chiropractic care last year
alone, and recent studies show that patient satisfaction is extremely
high for those who seek care from a doctor of chiropractic.
The
article lists several recommendations by the ACA. They are:
-
Don't
lift by bending over. Instead, bend your hips and knees and then
squat to pick up the object. Keep your back straight, and hold the
object close to your body.
-
Don't
twist your body while lifting.
-
Push,
rather than pull, when you must move heavy objects.
-
If
you must sit for long periods, take frequent breaks and stretch.
-
Wear
flat shoes or shoes with low heels.
-
Exercise regularly. An inactive lifestyle contributes to lower-back
pain.
___________________________________________________________________
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