Tebby Chiropractic and Sports Medicine Clinic

Physical Fitness Reduces Chronic Disease Risk

2010-07-15T03:09:00.000-04:00

Come join Dr. West for Neckercize and Backercize held at the clinic under her direction. Sign up in the clinic, space is limited and insurance may cover the cost of the classes!

Staying in shape may bolster the metabolic profiles of college students. In an epidemiological study, researchers found an association between physical fitness, body fat percentage and metabolic risk factors that are precursors to cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.

Researchers tracked four biomarkers of metabolic risk -- high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides and blood glucose levels.

According to Eurekalert:

“Physical fitness appeared to have a greater impact on certain metabolic risk factors than body fat. Being fit correlated with lower triglycerides and higher HDL ... healthy cholesterol in women and lower blood glucose levels in men.”

Even though more Americans are exercising, rates of obesity and smoking have not changed. A survey by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that obesity rates remained at around 28 percent of adults, the same as in 2008.

However, 34.7 percent claimed that they engaged in regular leisure physical activity, up from 31.9 percent in 2008.

Reuters reports:

“Health experts and the U.S. government both recommend getting daily exercise -- about an hour a day of moderate exercise for most adults -- to keep weight off and prevent heart disease, diabetes and cancer.”

Posted by: Dr. Mercola | July 08 2010

You Are What You Eat

2010-04-29T12:45:00.000-04:00

How to Tell Genetically-Modified Foods by the Label

For years I thought (and was told) that there is no way to tell if a piece of produce in a grocery store was genetically modified or not. In the U.S., there is no regulation specifying that food retailers disclose whether food DNA has been tampered with.

Well, I was wrong. You can tell if a piece of produce is GM by looking at the "product look-up" (PLU) code on the little label.

According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, physician and activist, you can determine the following by looking at the label:

Conventionally grown food (not GM, not organic): 4 digit PLU
Organic food: 5 digits starting with a nine
GM food: 5 digits starting with an eight

Of course, buying certified organic food means that it is, by definition, not GM. And these days, it's safe to say that if it's not organic, it is probably GM. Dr. Mercola says that 7 out of 10 items in a conventional produce department are GM.

NOTE: Whole Foods Market prides themselves on carrying *ZERO* GM foods in their entire store. They say that no ingredient in any product has a GM source. In Columbus, Ohio, we're lucky to have a Whole Foods Market very close to where we live. Yes, you could doubt Whole Foods claim, butmy previous posting on this blog explains what I think is the flaw in that logic.

If you're on the fence with GM foods, read this study or this one. Rats fed a diet of GM corn developed smaller kidneys and had blood abnormalities. The study was conducted by Monsanto, a GM food manufacturer, but when they saw the results they tried to hush the researchers. Unfortunately for Monsanto, fortunately for us, the information got out anyway.

College Students At Risk For Back Pain

2010-03-24T10:36:00.000-04:00

A recent survey involving 963 college students indicates the college lifestyle is strongly associated with back pain. Of those surveyed, 38 percent or almost 4 in 10 students reported having suffered from back pain within the previous school year. Interestingly, the strongest associations with back pain in college students were the students either feeling chronically fatigued or being in an emotionally abusive relationship. Thus, survey findings indicated psychosocial factors were highly associated with a student’s likelihood of suffering from back pain. Author: ChiroPlanet.com
Source: JMPT. Vol 33, Issue 2. February 2010.

Healthy Cooking

2010-02-18T11:18:00.000-05:00

I was asked by a patient if I would give them some advice on healthy cooking, so here is a great recipe that not only is healthy, but easy and fun to do. I first saw this on a video blog for Straits Restaurant in San Francisco, but I am using a Martha Stewart recipe. Also, rather than using Sea Bass, I chose Pacific Halibut (according to Sea Food watch by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Pacific Halibut is a more sustainable fish. You guessed it, there is an app for that at the iTunes store.)

Origami Halibut

Serves 4

24 dried longan
24 goji berries
4 pieces halibut (6 ounces each)
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded, ribs and stems removed, and julienned
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded, ribs and stems removed, and julienned
8 shittake mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed, and julienned
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and julienned
Freshly ground white pepper
Origami Sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a small bowl mix together dried longan with 1 cup water; set aside until plump. In another small bowl, mix together goji berries with 1 cup water; set aside until plump.
Place one half of each of the parchment paper boxes on a baking sheet; set aside. Place fish pieces on a cutting board with a long end facing you. Cut fish horizontally stopping about 1/2 inch before reaching the opposite side. Open cut fish like a book.
Place one piece of fish in the center of each box. Divide peppers, mushrooms, ginger, dried longan, and wolfberries evenly between each box; season with pepper. Top each with 2 tablespoons of Origami Sauce. Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon around each piece of sea bass.
Cover boxes with remaining half of parchment paper boxes. Transfer baking sheet to oven and roast until fish is cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve sea bass immediately in their boxes.

Origami Sauce
Makes enough for 4 servings

3 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

Directions

In a small bowl, mix together all ingredients with 1/4 cup water until well combined.

How to make the Origami Box, (remember you will need to make two per serving.)

What gets your heart pumping on St. Valentine's Day?

2010-02-09T06:10:00.001-05:00

By Jason Epeneter

February 7, 2010

For most of us, it's the love we share with that special someone in our lives.

I raise this question about one of the strongest, most important muscles in the body-beating roughly 2.5 billion times and pumping nearly 300 million liters of blood in an average lifetime-because we depend on its function every day of our existence for everything from oxygen and hormone delivery to tissues, as well as the removal of waste from the body.

There is nothing glamorous about this organ, except for the fact that it operates every second of every minute of every day of every month of every year for our entire life without our conscious control. Wow! How is this possible, you might ask?

The answer is in your NERVOUS SYSTEM. A division of this system called the autonomic nervous system, or ANS, is responsible for every heart rhythm in your life. I find it easiest to think of this group of nerves as those that are responsible for "automatic" functions in the body (i.e. heart rhythm, breathing, digestion, etc.)

These nerves automatically adjust to every demand placed upon the body as perceived by the brain, and they are always functioning whether you are awake or not. Isn't it great that when we exercise, for example, the heart automatically accelerates, our respirations automatically increase and waste removal of toxins in the body accelerates as well? It's truly amazing.

As chiropractors, we are naturally very concerned about the function and integrity of this group of nerves. Why? Because the largest network of nerves that feed signals to the heart are found cased inside the spine at the base of the neck. Acute or repetitive stress on the body can irritate these nerves and thus distort the signals sent to the heart, causing it to function abnormally.

The nerves at the base of the neck are subjected to tremendous pressure and irritation anytime the head drifts forward off of the shoulders.

This usually occurs while driving, reading or using the computer (it's a good thing this article is short!).

Imagine how long you could hold a 10 lb. weight by your side versus holding it straight out in front of you. Holding the weight out in front of you for a long period of time is similar to the strain that your joints and nerves experience when your head drifts forward off the shoulders.

It's easy to see when someone is experiencing chronic stress to the nerves in that part of the spine if they exhibit what is known as a Dowager's Hump, or what many refer to as a "buffalo hump."

Medical studies show that this not only has a detrimental effect on heart function, but that it will decrease the lifespan of the individual by as much as 30 percent.

If there is someone you care about that spends a substantial amount of time driving, reading and using the computer, please have them checked by a chiropractor. Their life will have more vitality, longevity and happiness because of it.

Jason Epeneter is a family chiropractor at Premier Chiropractic in SeaTac and recently returned to his roots here in South King County after practicing for 6 years in San Diego.

He loves spending time with his wife, daughter and other family and is passionate about empowering others with information for a healthier life. He can be reached at 206-878-8888 or at seatacchiro@gmail.com

http://www.highlinetimes.com/2010/02/07/opinion/what-gets-your-heart-pumping-st-valentines-day

Chiropractic and Headaches

2010-01-20T17:08:00.000-05:00

Headaches & Chiropractic

If you have a headache, you’re not alone. Nine out of ten Americans suffer from headaches. Some are occasional, some frequent, some are dull and throbbing, and some cause debilitating pain and nausea.

What do you do when you suffer from a pounding headache? Do you grit your teeth and carry on? Lie down? Pop a pill and hope the pain goes away? There is a better alternative.

Research shows that spinal manipulation – the primary form of care provided by doctors of chiropractic – may be an effective treatment option for tension headaches and headaches that originate in the neck.

A report released in 2001 by researchers at the Duke University Evidence-Based Practice Center in Durham, NC, found that spinal manipulation resulted in almost immediate improvement for those headaches that originate in the neck, and had significantly fewer side effects and longer-lasting relief of tension-type headache than a commonly prescribed medication.

Also, a 1995 study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that spinal manipulative therapy is an effective treatment for tension headaches and that those who ceased chiropractic treatment after four weeks experienced a sustained therapeutic benefit in contrast with those patients who received a commonly prescribed medication.

Headache Triggers

Headaches have many causes, or “triggers.” These may include foods, environmental stimuli (noises, lights, stress, etc.) and/or behaviors (insomnia, excessive exercise, blood sugar changes, etc.). About 5 percent of all headaches are warning signals caused by physical problems.

Ninety-five percent of headaches are primary headaches, such as tension, migraine, or cluster headaches. These types of headaches are not caused by disease. The headache itself is the primary concern.

“The greatest majority of primary headaches are associated with muscle tension in the neck,” says Dr. George B. McClelland, a doctor of chiropractic from Christiansburg, VA. “Today, Americans engage in more sedentary activities than they used to, and more hours are spent in one fixed position or posture. This can increase joint irritation and muscle tension in the neck, upper back and scalp, causing your head to ache.”

What Can You Do?

The ACA suggests the following:

If you spend a large amount of time in one fixed position, such as in front of a computer, on a sewing machine, typing or reading, take a break and stretch every 30 minutes to one hour. The stretches should take your head and neck through a comfortable range of motion.
Low-impact exercise may help relieve the pain associated with primary headaches. However, if you are prone to dull, throbbing headaches, avoid heavy exercise. Engage in such activities as walking and low-impact aerobics.
Avoid teeth clenching. The upper teeth should never touch the lowers, except when swallowing. This results in stress at the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) – the two joints that connect your jaw to your skull – leading to TMJ irritation and a form of tension headaches.
Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day to help avoid dehydration, which can lead to headaches.

What Can a Doctor of Chiropractic Do?

Dr. McClelland says your doctor of chiropractic may do one or more of the following if you suffer from a primary headache:

Perform spinal manipulation or chiropractic adjustments to improve spinal function and alleviate the stress on your system.
Provide nutritional advice, recommending a change in diet and perhaps the addition of B complex vitamins.
Offer advice on posture, ergonomics (work postures), exercises and relaxation techniques. This advice should help to relieve the recurring joint irritation and tension in the muscles of the neck and upper back.

“Doctors of chiropractic undergo extensive training to help their patients in many ways – not just back pain,” says Dr. McClelland. “They know how tension in the spine relates to problems in other parts of the body, and they can take steps to relieve those problems.”

http://www.acatoday.org/content_css.cfm?CID=2186

Pregnancy Advice on Staying Comfortable and Healthy

2009-12-18T10:21:00.001-05:00

As many new mothers can attest, the muscle strains of pregnancy are very real and can be more than just a nuisance. The average weight gain of 25 to 35 pounds, combined with the increased stress placed on the body by the baby, may result in severe discomfort. Studies have found that about half of all expectant mothers will develop low-back pain at some point during their pregnancies.^[1][2][3] This is especially true during late pregnancy, when the baby's head presses down on a woman's back, legs, and buttocks, irritating her sciatic nerve. And for those who already suffer from low-back pain, the problem can become even worse.

During pregnancy, a woman's center of gravity almost immediately begins to shift forward to the front of her pelvis. Although a woman's sacrum-or posterior section of the pelvis-has enough depth to enable her to carry a baby, the displaced weight still increases the stress on her joints. As the baby grows in size, the woman's weight is projected even farther forward, and the curvature of her lower back is increased, placing extra stress on the spinal disks. In compensation, the normal curvature of the upper spine increases, as well.
While these changes sound dramatic, pregnancy hormones help loosen the ligaments attached to the pelvic bones. But even these natural changes designed to accommodate the growing baby can result in postural imbalances, making pregnant women prone to having awkward trips and falls.

What Can You Do?

The American Chiropractic Association recommends the following tips for pregnant women:

Exercise

Safe exercise during pregnancy can help strengthen your muscles and prevent discomfort. Try exercising at least three times a week, gently stretching before and after exercise. If you weren't active before your pregnancy, check with your doctor before starting or continuing any exercise.
Walking, swimming, and stationary cycling are relatively safe cardiovascular exercises for pregnant women because they do not require jerking or bouncing movements. Jogging can be safe for women who were avid runners before becoming pregnant-if done carefully and under a doctor's supervision.
Be sure to exercise in an area with secure footing to minimize the likelihood of falls. Your heart rate should not exceed 140 beats per minute during exercise. Strenuous activity should last no more than 15 minutes at a time.
Stop your exercise routine immediately if you notice any unusual symptoms, such as vaginal bleeding, dizziness, nausea, weakness, blurred vision, increased swelling, or heart palpitations.

Health and Safety

Wear flat, sensible shoes. High or chunky heels can exacerbate postural imbalances and make you less steady on your feet, especially as your pregnancy progresses.
When picking up children, bend from the knees, not the waist. And never turn your head when you lift. Avoid picking up heavy objects, if possible.
Get plenty of rest. Pamper yourself and ask for help if you need it. Take a nap if you're tired, or lie down and elevate your feet for a few moments when you need a break.

Pregnancy Ergonomics: Your Bed and Desk

Sleep on your side with a pillow between your knees to take pressure off your lower back. Full-length "body pillows" or "pregnancy wedges" may be helpful. Lying on your left side allows unobstructed blood flow and helps your kidneys flush waste from your body.
If you have to sit at a computer for long hours, make your workstation ergonomically correct. Position the computer monitor so the top of the screen is at or below your eye level, and place your feet on a small footrest to take pressure off your legs and feet. Take periodic breaks every 30 minutes with a quick walk around the office.

Nutrition

Eat small meals or snacks every four to five hours-rather than the usual three large meals-to help keep nausea or extreme hunger at bay. Snack on crackers or yogurt-bland foods high in carbohydrates and protein. Keep saltines in your desk drawer or purse to help stave off waves of "morning sickness."
Supplementing with at least 400 micrograms of folic acid a day before and during pregnancy has been shown to decrease the risk of neural tube birth defects, such as spina bifida. Check with your doctor before taking any vitamin or herbal supplement to make sure it's safety for you and the baby.

How Can Your Doctor of Chiropractic Help?

Before you become pregnant, your doctor of chiropractic can detect any imbalances in the pelvis or elsewhere in your body that could contribute to pregnancy discomfort or possible neuromusculoskeletal problems after childbirth.
Many pregnant women have found that chiropractic adjustments provide relief from the increased low-back pain brought on by pregnancy. Chiropractic manipulation is safe for the pregnant woman and her baby and can be especially attractive to those who are trying to avoid medications in treating their back pain. Doctors of chiropractic can also offer nutrition, ergonomic, and exercise advice to help a woman enjoy a healthy pregnancy.
Chiropractic care can also help after childbirth. In the eight weeks following labor and delivery, the ligaments that loosened during pregnancy begin to tighten up again. Ideally, joint problems brought on during pregnancy from improper lifting or reaching should be treated before the ligaments return to their pre-pregnancy state-to prevent muscle tension, headaches, rib discomfort, and shoulder problems.

Editorial Provided by Alan M. Tebby, D.C of Tebby Chiropractic and Sports Medicine in South Charlotte courtesy of the ACA.

References

Östgaard HC, et al. Prevalence of Back Pain in Pregnancy. Spine 1991;16:549-52.
Berg G, et al. Low back pain during pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol 1988;71:71-5.
Mantle MJ, et al. Backache in pregnancy. Rheumatology Rehabilitation 1977;16:95-101.

2009-12-11T11:32:00.001-05:00

The 7 foods experts won't eat. http://bit.ly/7VrP3C

2009-12-10T13:32:00.001-05:00

Proper mattress can improve sleep comfort, reduce pain: http://tinyurl.com/yh3mz5w

Infant Colic and Chiropractic

2009-12-09T14:00:00.002-05:00

Results obtained from a recent study indicate chiropractic care may have a positive effect on the long-term sequelae of infantile colic. In the study, researchers evaluated the behavioral and sleep disturbances experienced by two groups of post-colicky toddlers - those who were previously treated with chiropractic care for their infantile colic (117 total) and those who had not received chiropractic as an infant while suffering from infantile colic (111 total). Those toddlers who were treated with chiropractic care for colic were twice as likely to not experience long-term sequelae of infant colic, such as temper tantrums and frequent nocturnal waking than those who were not treated with chiropractic care as colicky infants. In other words, parents of the infants treated with chiropractic care for excessive crying did not report as many difficult behavioral and sleep patterns of their toddlers.
Source: JMPT. Vol. 32, Issue 8; October 2009.

The Back Story

2009-11-18T16:42:00.002-05:00

The Back Story

By Perry Garfinkel, July & August 2009

One of every five Americans is suffering back painright now. Here are the best treatments for lasting relief

The first time I thought it was a quirk. The second time I thought it was a coincidence. The third time I would have sat up and taken notice—but I couldn't sit up. And the fourth time my back went out—leaving me supine for a week, except for when I crawled to the bathroom—I was forced to take action.

What undid me at last was the simple, perfunctory act of bending down to tie my shoe. I leaned down and wham, my whole left side crumbled like a graham cracker. I spent the next week in a fetal position on the bed, relieved only by visits to a physical therapist, a chiropractor, and an acupuncturist.

Low back pain should really be called spine pain because that's where it originates.

My story is not uncommon. Up to 85 percent of Americans will suffer back pain in their lifetime—and the number of people with chronic, debilitating low back pain is growing. The likely reason: rising rates of obesity and stress, says Timothy Carey, M.D., director of the Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the author of several recent studies on low back pain.

Despite the pervasiveness of the problem, there are few clear guidelines on how to properly diagnose and treat low back pain, leaving sufferers like me to try one therapy after another. Thankfully that disjointed approach is starting to change, as a slew of new research sheds light on what works and what doesn't. I've consolidated that research here—and consulted half a dozen experts in low back pain—to help you ease your agonizing aches.

The Anatomy of a Back

Discover the major causes of low back pain

It's often hard to pin down the exact cause of a person's back pain—unless you have pain accompanied by a red-flag symptom such as numbness or weakness of the legs or feet, changes in bladder control, fever, or night sweats, or you have a history of cancer. In such cases, health care professionals agree, get to a doctor pronto.

Technically speaking, back pain may be the wrong nomenclature. It should really be called spine pain because that complex of bones is the center beam of the system that holds us erect.

The adult spine consists of 26 bones, called vertebrae, divided into three areas—the upper (cervical), the middle (thoracic), and the lower (lumbar). Picture a stack of pancakes, with butter between each pair, all loosely held together by maple syrup. The pancakes are the vertebrae, the butter pats are the water-absorbent discs between the bones, and the syrup is an intertwining collection of ligaments, joints, and muscles, all tangled with the cables carrying nervous system signals—among them, pain.

Even if you weren't born with a musculoskeletal irregularity, such as curvature of the spine (scoliosis), your discs wear out over time: they're the shock absorbers for your body weight. As you age, your bones become weaker, and you may develop osteoporosis (which can lead to fractures) or osteoarthritis (a breakdown of cartilage that may cause bones to rub together). Add a simple misstep—like my ill-fated bend to tie my shoes—and it can topple the stack.

So what should you do if you feel low back pain? First ask yourself: is the pain acute or chronic? Here's the difference: acute pain feels like a sudden stab followed by a burning sting, so painful it can immobilize you. People often say it feels like "something snapped." That snap may be a muscle stretching so far it tears like a frayed rubber band. Acute pain ends in a day to several weeks. Chronic pain may have started as acute but never went away. If pain lasts longer than three months, it's chronic.

Treating Acute Pain

The general rule for acute pain is to ice the injured area for 20-minute intervals to reduce inflammation and swelling, says Marilyn Moffat, D.P.T., Ph.D., professor of physical therapy at New York University. After 72 hours, switch to heat, which soothes muscles. Plus, heat works well on muscle spasms, involuntary contractions that send pain signals to the brain.

After the initial pain passes (and you've made it to the couch with an ice pack), the next question is: lie still or move? Until recently, doctors advised those with acute back pain to lie in bed until the pain passed. But a 2005 study found that people on bed rest have more pain and a slower recovery than those who stay active. "Muscles lose mass remarkably quickly when you don't exercise them," says Moffat. Just when you need those muscles to work harder to hold you up, they will be weaker than ever from lack of use. To aid movement in the early days of pain, she often has patients wear a lumbosacral corset, which supports the lower back.

In recent years, as the numbers of patients with low back pain have increased, physicians have more frequently referred patients for medical imaging (MRIs, CTs, or radiography). This is troubling for several reasons, says Raj Rao, M.D., director of spine surgery in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin. For one, a study published in February in The Lancetfound that low-back-pain sufferers who underwent medical imaging did no better than those who did not get imaging, despite the hefty price tag (an MRI can cost $2,000).

Unlike many other diagnoses, the discovery of an abnormality in your spine doesn't necessarily mean you've found the cause of your pain. For instance, 5 percent of those with a herniated disc—in which the disc's gelatinous center pops out of its fibrous covering into the spinal canal—feel no pain. For other people even a slight bulging of a disc causes intense discomfort.

Rao sees this all the time. "You can look at the MRIs of two people, both showing degenerative discs, but in one case there is little to no pain, while in the other, extreme pain," he says. "On the other hand, you can see a healthy spine but the patient has severe pain."

The doctor's first job, then, is not to find the cause of your pain, but to alleviate it. "Seeing images of bone spurs or crushed discs may only add worry, as those problems may not be related to the patient's pain," Carey says.

Rao and Carey usually wait a month to six weeks after the onset of a patient's back pain before ordering an MRI, unless there are red-flag symptoms. "I think of MRIs as a preoperative study," says Carey. "When the pain is bad enough and long-term enough that an invasive treatment becomes part of the conversation, then an MRI may be called for."

Treating Chronic Pain

Part of the frustration in treating low back pain—both for the physician and for the sufferer—is that outcomes vary so dramatically from one patient to the next. Although acupuncture might offer relief to one person, it may do nothing for another. Neurologists speculate that this may be due in part to the way pain signals travel up the spine to the brain. It also may be because most people who see a doctor for low back pain actually have several things wrong with their back. (In my case, an X-ray showed how a slight case of scoliosis was aggravating degenerating discs and bone spurs that were developing.) "At this point we have no way to test for—or treat—multiple back problems in isolation, so we have to resort to hit or miss," Rao explains.

That said, emerging research suggests we're getting closer to discovering what works best. A review in the February 2009 Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons concluded that physical therapy combined with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen or naproxen) is the most effective treatment for degenerating discs. According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, 90 percent of herniated discs can be effectively treated with conservative therapies such as limited bed rest, exercise, and anti-inflammatory medications. This would be heartening but for a study in the February Arthritis Care & Research, which found that fewer than half the participants who saw a health professional for back pain in the past year had been prescribed exercise.

I personally made some groundbreaking discoveries about physical therapy not long after becoming ambulatory again: staying healthy can be hard work, and it doesn't always feel so great. "You may feel some pain when you start physical therapy, even if it's just walking," says Carey. "This is normal." If the exercise consistently causes greater pain than the initial pain in your back, stop doing it and check with your physical therapist. But if the pain seems to lessen with each workout, you're on the right track.

If physical therapy isn't doing the trick, it's time to try other approaches, says Jack Stern, M.D., Ph.D., a neurosurgeon and senior member of Brain and Spine Surgeons of New York, in White Plains. Here are a few of the most commonly prescribed therapies for chronic low back pain—and the potential benefits of each.

• Chiropractic - To clarify a common misunderstanding: chiropractors don't "crack your back." That popping sound is a gas bubble being released from between two joints that have been coaxed into alignment. A study published in 2002 found that patients with low back pain treated by chiropractors showed greater improvement after one month than those treated by physicians.

• Acupuncture - The needles used in acupuncture may work by stimulating the nerve fibers that transmit signals to the spinal cord and brain, which then release hormones that make us feel less pain.

• Medication - NSAIDs, including ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen (Aleve), help reduce swelling and inflammation. COX-2 inhibitors such as celecoxib (Celebrex) are a type of NSAID with fewer gastrointestinal side effects. Analgesics such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, Anacin Aspirin Free) are used to treat acute pain, as well as some forms of chronic pain. Opioids such as morphine and codeine can be habit forming, so they're usually prescribed only if pain is severe. Muscle relaxants such as cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril), diazepam (Valium), and carisoprodol (Soma) also are often prescribed for severe muscle spasm.

If conservative approaches do not work, many physicians refer their patients for more invasive procedures—typically injections or surgery.

• Injections - A neurologist sometimes injects anesthetics, steroids, or narcotics into the soft tissues and joints around your spine to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. One of the most commonly injected medications is a synthetic version of cortisone, which is a natural steroid released by the adrenal glands when your body is under stress. However, a review of studies found insufficient evidence that injection therapy is more effective than other treatments.

• Surgery - The most invasive approach "is the last resort—even for surgeons," says James Weinstein, D.O., chair of the Orthopaedic Surgery departments at Dartmouth Medical School and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Three of the most common operations include:

Discectomy, or surgical removal of part of the damaged disc, is most often performed on herniated discs. A 2006 study, though, found that lumbar discectomy offered only modest short-term benefits.

Laminectomy is the removal of part of a vertebra, and is used in certain cases of spinal stenosis or spondylolisthesis to decompress the nerve.

Spinal fusion is the fusing together of vertebrae using bone grafts and metal rods. In a 2001 study of patients with severe long-term back pain, pain was reduced by 33 percent after two years for those who had spinal fusion, compared with 7 percent for those who received more conservative treatment.

There's an old Zen saying: "Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water." It means no matter how much you know, you still have to take out the garbage. The difference is you take it out with more consciousness.

I feel the same way with my acquired wisdom about back pain. Even after voluminous research, I know that one false move, one stumble, and I could be flat on my back again. The difference is that I now know how to treat it. Now, I can say, I've got my own back's back.

Perry Garfinkel is the author of Buddha or Bust: In Search of Truth, Meaning, Happiness and the Man Who Found Them All (Three Rivers Press).

Headaches/Neck Pain In Children

2009-11-11T11:25:00.000-05:00

Headaches/Neck Pain In Children

If your child is suffering from headaches and/or neck pain, chiropractic is a very viable, safe and natural treatment method. According to new research, joint dysfunction in the lower cervical spine (fixations and abnormal movement in the vertebrae making up the lower neck region) was significantly associated with neck pain and/or headaches in preadolescents. Chiropractors spend years learning spinal evaluation and have a number of highly skilled techniques to identify and care for spinal abnormalities including vertebral fixations and movement abnormalities. In fact, the majority of chiropractic treatments utilize chiropractic adjustments that are forces applied to the spinal vertebrae that aim to restore normal motion and correct fixations. Another interesting finding from this study – there was a wide variation in the child's self-report of trauma history and neck pain and/or headache prevalence and their parent's reporting. Thus, many parents don't seem to be fully knowledgeable in their children's aches and pain. If you suspect your child might be suffering from neck pain, headaches, or any other spinal pain or condition, be sure to question them thoroughly. If you find your child may be suffering, please call your local chiropractor today and see if safe, effective chiropractic care can help your child to be pain-free and healthy!

JMPT. Volume 32, Issue 8; October 2009 Source: .

Tebby Clinic on You Tube

2009-11-03T16:06:00.002-05:00

2009-10-27T09:53:00.001-04:00

The Athletes Choice for Sports Care: Chiropractic
http://ping.fm/HhvVC

2009-10-21T11:31:00.001-04:00

Q: At what speed does injury occur in a car accident?
A: 2.5 mph
Q: At what speed does vehicle damage occur?
A: 8.7 mph

Is there a correlation between vehicle damage and the amount of injury ... No.

http://ping.fm/aJZj3

2009-10-21T10:37:00.001-04:00

Chiropractic manipulation with carpal tunnel syndrome.

"CONCLUSION: In this case study, chiropractic made a demonstrable difference through objective and subjective outcomes.

http://ping.fm/N1YWd

2009-10-19T19:06:00.001-04:00

Presents:
The Auto Accident Q&A Seminar
November 5, 2009
5:00 P.M.

Come and get expert advice on whiplash injuries and speak to an attorney for FREE!!!
There is no obligation to sign up with us.
Please bring all of your questions about accidents for the Doctor and the Attorney!!!

TO RSVP, call 704-541-7111
Hurry! Space is limited!!!
LOCATION: 8415 Pineville-Matthews Rd.
Charlotte, NC 28226

Chiropractic helps Tony Schumacher get back in the drivers seat after a 320 mph crash.

2009-10-16T10:50:00.004-04:00

Tony Schumacher, professional NHRA racecar driver describes his experience with chiropractic. “It was amazing. It’s one of those things were I sat up and everything was gone, no pain, color was back in my face and I thought to myself: It’s like magic!”

Tony was involved in a horrific crash at over 300mph on October 7, 2000 in Memphis Tennessee. His left leg was broken in 7 places, 6 fingers were dislocated, and he had a very serious concussion. Surgery to his leg was performed by top orthopedic trauma surgeons at the Ortho IndyCenter, a facility that specializes in the treatment of racecar drivers injuries.

After the surgery, Tony was left in a constant state of pain. He was plagued by debilitating headaches and dizziness. His medical doctors could not identify the cause of his pain. He was incapacitated. Until a friend suggested he see a chiropractor.

Dr. Marshall Dickholtz performed upper cervical specific chiropractic adjustments to Tony and after several adjustments; Tony began to feel like himself again and was on his road to recovery.

2009-10-14T10:18:00.001-04:00

Kids find a new way to adjust: Chiropractors
http://ping.fm/8HdgC

2009-10-12T17:03:00.001-04:00

Fw: Pride Magazine Pic

2009-10-12T16:55:00.001-04:00

Fw: Pride Magazine Pic

2009-10-12T14:33:00.001-04:00

Running shoes and running injuries: Do the shoes actually cause the injuries?

(One of the reasons why orthotics are so important.)

http://ping.fm/CYBXD

2009-10-11T16:32:00.001-04:00

Be a great fan and tell others about our Fan PAge on FaceBook. http://tinyurl.com/yz8aw7s

2009-10-11T16:28:00.001-04:00

Twitter anyone? Follow us! http://tinyurl.com/ygj5dqo

2009-10-10T13:04:00.001-04:00

It's a great day! Hope everyone has a great weekend! Enjoy U2
http://ping.fm/ngt27

2009-10-09T09:55:00.001-04:00

Research Shows: Chronic Migraine Helped By Chiropractic Care

A study published in the February 2000 issue of the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, (JMPT), showed that people suffering with migraine headaches were helped with chiropractic care. The study was conducted in Australia at the Chiropractic Research Center of Macquarie University. In this research 177 volunteers were studied who had migraine headaches for over 18 years on average. Many of the participants also suffered from neck pain.

The average response of the group that received chiropractic care showed a statistically significant improvement in migraine frequency, duration, and disability. The study also showed that those who received chiropractic care were able to reduce their medication use, with a significant number reducing their medication usage to zero! Additionally, 59% had no neck pain after a period of two months, and another 35% had a decrease in neck pain.

The researchers concluded this study, built on previous studies that had similar results. “There have now been several studies demonstrating significant improvement in headaches or migraines after chiropractic.” The Migraine Foundation of Australia estimates that some 12% of Australians ages 15 and over, experience migraines.

The nervous system controls and coordinates every function in the body. Subluxations, misalignments in the spine, cause interference to the nervous system and decrease the proper function of the body. Only chiropractors are trained to correct subluxations, allowing the body to restore proper function and healing.

Please watch this video from NBC NEWS about how chiropractic care can help you to achieve your health and wellness.

Health, healing and wellness comes from Inside. The best doctor is inside of you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnK2-0fCn08&feature=player_embedded#

2009-10-08T17:11:00.001-04:00

Just a little something about the clinic ...
http://ping.fm/tVIcK

Insurance Explained

2009-10-08T16:55:00.000-04:00

Insurance Explained
Traditional Insurance:

This is either a HMO, PPO or Indemnity Plan where the patient pays a co-pay, a percent of the office charge, a deductible, or a combination thereof. These must be paid at the time services are rendered in order for the insurance plan to pick up the difference. (This is a contract between the you the patient and the insurance company. The insurance company agrees to "X" dollars, provided you, the patient pay your obligation.)

It should be noted that in March 1, 2006, North Carolina mandated that Chiropractic care have the same co-pay as a Primary Care Physician and Chiropractors would not be considered as a specialist co-pay. Please check with your plan to see if you are affected.

Unfortunately, The House repealed this Co-pay law that made Chiropractic care more affordable for patients seeking to have lower health care costs.

February 07, 2009

The N.C. House of Representatives introduced a bill last week that will reenact the co-pay equity provision of 2005. House Bill 14 will again make chiropractic co-pays affordable by making them equal to the co-pays of primary care physicians.

THIS BILL WILL NOT PASS WITHOUT SUPPORT OF THE PATIENTS, SO CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES AND DEMAND THAT THEY MAKE THE COPAYS MORE AFFORDABLE.

The Current Status of House Bill 14

www.ncleg.net/gascripts/billlookup/billlookup.pl?Session=2009

Automobile Insurance:

Liability Insurance is the insurance available to pay for injuries sustained in an automobile accident which was not your fault. (This is the insurance that is on the other vehicle that hit you.)

Med Pay Insurance is the insurance on your vehicle which will pay for injuries, up to a certain amount, when you are involved in an accident. Making a claim on this does not cause your insurance rates to increase. Some policies have this, others do not, please check to see if your policy has Med Pay coverage. (This is the insurance on your vehicle.)

Worker's Compensation:

Worker's Compensation is accepted by the Clinic. This typically requires a referral if a Chiropractor is not the initial treating physician. Chiropractic care is covered under North Carolina Worker's Compensation Claims and to suggest otherwise is false. Please call the clinic for details at (704) 541-7111.

Medicare:

We are a provider for Medicare but we do not accept assignment. The patient is responsible for the charges and pays at the time of service. The only item that Medicare will reimburse for in Chiropractic offices is manipulation and any other service, therapy or devices are the patient's responsibility. The patient is reimbursed by Medicare.

Remember, there is never a reason to walk alone. We are here to help.