If sciatica were getting graded on gender parity, it would fail to meet the marks on every test. Recent research reveals that women are more likely to suffer from chronic sciatica than men -- and it doesn't stop there.

Neurosurgeons at the Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands tracked the progress of 283 patients with severe sciatica as they received treatment (including surgery, conservative care, or both). By the end of the study, the majority of patients recovered, but 17% still reported significant pain. The majority of those patients with lingering symptoms were women. Overall, 28% of females  had unsatisfactory outcomes after one year of treatment, compared to just 11% of males. Gender differences in recovery rates were not affected by the type of treatment provided.

So where does this "gender bias" in chronic pain come from? While the issue continues to be debated and researched, a 2006 review of the literature suggests that a variety of social and biological factors are play. The findings suggest that higher rates of anxiety among women, gender expectations, physical fitness, and family history may all contribute.

Of course, this doesn't mean that being a woman condemns you to chronic pain. What is does mean is that women with severe pain --who also have anxiety, low physical activity levels or family members suffering from similar conditions -- need to take extra precautions. A chiropractor can offer a holistic solution for managing pain, providing spinal adjustments to ease pinched nerves while giving you tips on better nutrition and exercise to enhance treatment outcomes. And thankfully, the effectiveness of chiropractic truly is free of gender bias.
 
Reference:
Peul W, Brand R, Thomeer R, and Koes B. Influence of gender and other prognostic factors on outcome of sciatica. Pain 2008;138: 180-191.
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What's more unhealthy: carrying a few extra pounds or lighting up a cigarette? It's turns out that both may be equally hazardous for your health, suggests to the results of a new study from the National Cancer Institute in Maryland.

For many years, excessive weight was considered to be a concern of vanity rather than health, until scientists started discovering that the fat cells were not cells that did nothing; instead they were performing functions in the body. Specifically, the fat cells were releasing hormones that were interfering with the immune system's ability to fight against foreign invaders, including cancer cells. And the negative effects don't stop there.

The scientists calculated the number of years lost from a person's life from the morbid obesity based on the BMI, or basal metabolic index.  For example, those who had a BMI between 40 and 44.9 would potentially lose 6.5 years of life. A BMI of 45 to 49.9 meant the loss of 8.9 years; someone with a BMI of 50 to 54.9 could potentially lose 9.8 years, and more than a decade 13.7 years could potentially be lost in someone with a BMI of 55 to 59.9.

Men who were extremely obese had a higher death rate than women who were extremely obese, (856 deaths versus 663, measured in deaths per 100,000 per year). Comparing this to those of normal weight, there were only 347 deaths in men and 281 deaths in women among people of normal weight compared to obese people; quite a significant finding.

"Importantly, the number of years of life lost continues to increase for BMI values above 50 kg/m, and beyond this point, the loss of life expectancy exceeds that associated with smoking among normal-weight people," wrote the editors of the journal that published the study, PLoS One Medicine.

The findings were based on a pooled analysis of 20 prospective studies from the U.S., Australia, and Sweden.Researchers also found that once someone with the excessive weight passes the age of 40, there's a much greater threat of dying from cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

 Age Group 1:
Height            BMI                Weight                       Years Lost BMI  Weight                    Years Lost
5'0"     40-44.9           200-235 lbs     6.5       45-49.9    230-255 lbs             8.9
5'3"     40-44.9           225-255 lbs     6.5       45-49.9    254-262 lbs             8.9
5'5"     40-44.9           250-280 lbs     6.5       45-49.9    270-300 lbs             8.9
5'7"     40-44.9           255-295 lbs     6.5       45-49.9    277-319 lbs             8.9
5'10"   40-44.9           280-315 lbs     6.5       45-49.9    313-348 lbs             8.9
6'         40-44.9           295-335 lbs     6.5       45-49.9    331-368 lbs             8.9

Age Group 2:
5'0"     50-54.9            255-285 lbs     9.8       55+          285+                        13.7
5'3"     50-54.9            267-297 lbs     9.8       55+          297+                        13.7
5'5"     50-54.9            300-330 lbs     9.8       55+          330+                        13.7
5'7"     50-54.9            319-349 lbs     9.8       55+          349+                        13.7
5'10"   50-54.9            348-368 lbs     9.8       55+          368+                        13.7
6'         50-54.9            368-398 lbs     9.8       55+          398+                        13.7
(Values estimated for 54.9 BMI and above.)

Is there a solution?

What's interesting is that studies like this one are continually pointing to the correlation between certain habits and early death rates. Yet, it's as if many people are not listening or there are other causes of disease and death that traditional medicine is not taking into consideration.

One of the major changes in society has been in the area of food supply. Medical doctor William Davis, a cardiologist and author of the best selling book, Wheat Belly, explains in his book that genetically-modified wheat ends up causing addiction-like substances that are active in the brain, and this is related to the desire to continue eating more and more wheat. Can this contribute to morbid obesity? Absolutely, especially since the glycemic index of wheat is high and the food contributes to higher than usual release of insulin each time the food is eaten. This release of excess insulin in turn, may result in diabetes.

How can you stay on top of some of these latest changes that are occurring in society that are impacting your health? Work with your chiropractor. He or she has an extensive background in many aspects of health, likely attends regular conferences, and would love to share information with you on how you can stay healthy and do it naturally.

Ask us about starting our Whole Body Purification today!  Click here for more information.

Sources:
Kitahara, C.M., et al. Association between Class III Obesity (BMI of 40-59 kg/m2) and Mortality: A Pooled Analysis of 20 Prospective Studies. PLoS Med 2014 Jul 8; 11 (7): e1001673.
http://towncenterwellness.com/resources-products/gluten-free/what-is-gluten-sensitivityintoleranceceliac-disease/

Sciatica pain is often so debilitating that it forces people to miss work and other normal activities.  Of all patients with low-back pain, sciatica patients have the highest level of disability (1).  In fact, patients with sciatica are disabled for an average of 72 days according to Norwegian public-health records.

Fortunately, a recent study offers hope to sciatica patients: chiropractic care can speed the recovery from sciatica flare ups and allow patients to return to work sooner (2). The study evaluated 44 Norwegian workers after they came to the hospital with severe sciatica pain. Most of those patients had been experiencing pain for three or more weeks prior to their hospital visit.

The hospital chiropractor examined each patient to evaluate his/her posture and gait, range of motion, and palpation of the lumbar spine. The chiropractic then performed various joint adjustments to the spine and other limbs that had been injured through patients compensating for pain. Ice treatment was also used to relieve soft tissue soreness.Patients were treated daily in the hospital and later three times a week for the first two weeks. Some patients needed additional follow-up treatment but typically did not exceed 14 treatments.

In matter of 21 days, 91% of patients returned to work full-time. Two patients returned to work part time. Researchers concluded this study demonstrates the potent benefits of collaboration between chiropractors and orthopedic surgeons. Chiropractic care can put an end to your sciatica pain so you can begin living your life fully again.

1. Arana E, Marti-Bonmati L, Vega M, et al. Relationship between low back pain, disability, MR imaging findings and health care provider. Skeletal Radiology 2006;35(9):641-7.
2. Orlin JR, Didriksen A. Results of chiropractic treatment of lumbopelvic fixation in 44 patients admitted to an orthopedic department. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2007;30:135-139.

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It seems as if you can't check the news without finding at least one story of a life being lost to drugs. What is perhaps most concerning is that, all too often, the person who succumbed tragically for drug-related reasons is fairly young. And, a study released in the journal Addiction found that opioids -- or narcotic painkillers like Vicadin, oxycodone, codeine, and morphine -- are largely to blame.

The study shows that there were almost 6,000 opioid-related deaths in Onatario, Canada alone,  between 1991 to the end in 2010.  That represented a 242% increase from the beginning of the study. Overall, 25-34 year olds accounted for one in eight deaths. But it's not just Ontario that has this problem: The CDCsays that opioid-related deaths have more than tripled in the US since 1990, and younger patients aren't immune.


What Is Causing This Trend?
Certainly, the issue of drug use is multi-faceted and cannot be isolated to just one cause, but it would be remiss to not consider that one possible contributor is the rise in the number of prescriptions being given to our youth. For instance, a previous study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health highlights the fact that out of 8,000 adolescents who sought medical treatment for headaches, opioid prescriptions were given approximately 46% of the time. That's not the worst of it.

In 48% of the cases, the teens who presented with head-related pain were given two different opioids to manage their pain and 29% of the adolescents got three prescriptions or more. Rather than prescribe these highly-addictive painkillers, why not treat teens with a drug-free solution first?

Chiropractic is a great natural remedy for headache,  back, neck, and leg pain, amongst the several other benefits it offers. Not only does it actually take care of the problem, but it also reduces exposure to drugs at an early age.
References

Gomes T, et al. The burden of premature opioid-related mortality. Addiction. July 7, 2014.
DeVries A, et al. Opioid Use Among Adolescent Patients Treated for Headache. Journal of Adolescent Health. February 26, 2014.

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Pick up most any weight loss book and one of the first things the authors usually address is scaling back on portion sizes and reducing your calorie intake. However, Medical News Todayreports that a study just published by theAmerican Journal of Medicine now points to lack of exercise as the biggest culprit in the growing obesity crisis, potentially changing the focal point behind what it takes to get thin.

Researchers from Stanford University analyzed data from 22 years of eating, exercise, and obesity among participants involved in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Between 1988 and 2010, some interesting trends developed:

• A yearly rise in body-mass index (BMI) for both males and females, approximately 37% annually for each
• Growing waistlines for women at the rate of 0.37% and for men at the slightly lower rate of 0.27%

According to conventional weight loss wisdom, one may attribute these increases to the prevalence of fast food, super-sizing, and more emotional eating to deal with the stressors so common today, but the researchers found that daily caloric intake didn't really change all that much in this two-decade time span. What did change, though, is the amount of exercise people were getting (or, actually, the amount that they were not getting).

When the data was examined, researchers discovered that the number of sedentary people went from just over 19% to over 50%, or, more than double. If this trend continues, by the end of the century, hardly anyone will be exercising and obesity will be almost unstoppable, raising mortality rates through the roof and depriving our children and grandchildren from living long and healthy lives. This adds to research published last year showing that 80% of Americans fail to meet the recommended guidelines for physical activity.

Certainly, eating nutritious foods is still part of a healthy lifestyle, as is engaging in regular chiropractic care, but so too is getting physically active. It's not just your health that depends on it. It's your life.

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Reference
Uri Ladabaum, et al. Obesity, abdominal obesity, physical activity, and caloric intake in US adults: 1988-2010. The American Journal of Medicine 2014.

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Have you ever postponed getting medical care because you needed to wait for a "just a little more cash" or "just a little more time"? Well, you don't have to wait and neglect your health any longer. A recent study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeuticsshowed that manual therapies like chiropractic care are more cost-effective than standard medical treatments for back, neck, and shoulder pain.

Researcher Alexander Tsertsvadze, M.D., joined efforts with five other top medical professionals who studied more than half-a-dozen publications to determine which treatment regimens were the most cost effective. They looked at manual therapy techniques (osteopathic, physiotherapy, and chiropractic manipulation) and compared them to other health care remedies, such as seeing a general practitioner, to see which ones saved patients the most money. Chiropractic won hands down.

All of the manual therapy techniques were deemed more cost effective than care under a medical doctor for low back pain as well as pain in the shoulder area, and chiropractic took top honors in regard to obtaining relief of neck pain at a lower cost. This was even after the researchers took into consideration additional free "perks" offered by general practitioners, such as encouragement to exercise, to rest the affected area, and other treatment-based advice.

So, how much more cost effective was chiropractic?

In a study from the Archives of Internal Medicine included in the review found a 12% decrease in annual medical costs, which they equated to roughly $208 per person. Another study cited in theJournal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found a range much higher than that, stating savings of $291 to $1,722 over a two-year time period.

What Does This Mean?
First and foremost, this study shows that if you're going to seek treatment for back, neck, or shoulder pain, seeing a chiropractor as opposed to a medical doctor will likely save you money. This economic advantage means more cash in your wallet to cover your necessities and less going out in medical care for you and your loved ones.

Perhaps law makers and insurance companies will begin to take note and offer more chiropractic coverage to the very people they are there to protect. When all of the other medical costs seem to be rising, this is definitely good news; for you and the health care industry.
 
References
Tsertsvadze A, et al. Cost-effectiveness of manual therapy for the management of musculoskeletal conditions: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of evidence from randomized controlled trials. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2014.
Legorreta A, et al. Comparative analysis of individuals with and without chiropractic coverage: patient characteristics, utilization, and costs. Archives of Internal Medicine 2004.
Stano M. Further analysis of health care costs for chiropractic and medical patients. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics.1994 Sep;17(7):442-6.
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"Click it or ticket" is a common public safety slogan, but is wearing a seat belt enough to ward off major injuries in auto collisions? A new study from the Medical College of Wisconsin suggests that certain seat belts may actually influence your risk of spinal injuries.

Researchers used data collected between 1996 and 2011 through the Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network database. They evaluated the records of 4,572 auto injury patients who were moderately to severely injured in an auto accident.

Their analysis showed there was a difference between those who used a two-point seat belt versus a three-point  seat belt. The three-point restraints protected against neurological injury, fatality, and worse injuries.

However, in the auto accident, those who were wearing the three-point belts were three times more likely to have spinal fractures compared to those with the two-point belts. At the same time, two-point restraints were associated with a greater risk of flexion-distraction injuries. Passengers with no seat belts had the highest risk of  spinal fractures in the thoracic and lumbar areas as well as dislocations.

This tells us that in an auto accident, using belts will reduce injury severity and mortality. At the same time, it will increase the likelihood of a vertebral fracture in the thoracic and lumbar spine. The doctors also discovered that if the auto accident damaged the thoracic and lumbar spine, the patients' injuries worse. This was because they usually affected the abdomen and pelvis.

Another finding of the study was that age affected the nature of the spinal injury. Flexion-distraction injuries occur when the head moves towards the knees in the auto accident, typically harming the upper body. Extension injuries occur when the body bends backward. If the auto accident caused a flexion-distraction injury, the victim was usually a child or young adult. Those suffering from extension injuries were usually older adults with an average age of 65 years old, and were overweight. The auto accidents that caused extension injuries were the worst, as the fatality rate was almost 24%. Other auto accidents had a fatality rate of about 11%.

That means that older and overweight passengers had the highest risk of getting some of the worst spinal injuries in an auto accident. This adds to recent research showing that not only are overweight adults more likely to die in auto collisions,if they survive with an injury,they take longer to heal compared to adults with a healthy weight.

If you have been injured in an auto accident, seek proper medical and chiropractic care. Utilizing both together will help speed your recovery.

Photo courtesy of State Farm.
Reference
 Rao, R.D., et al. Occupant and crash characteristics in the thoracic and lumbar spine injuries resulting from motor vehicle collisions. Spine Journal 2014.
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Aging inhibits healing from countless conditions, including spinal chord injury. A new study from Ohio State University helps to explain why. For the first time researchers have shown that a spinal cord injury is more severe in elderly mice than mice of other ages, and posited potential reasons that could account for the differences. Their findings substantiate what is seen in clinics across the world when treating humans with spinal cord injuries.

The Study
After a spinal cord injury, an important part of recovery is related to what happens to the immune cells in the central nervous system called microglia. Within the microglia, a specific receptor helps to determine how many interleukin- 4 are located at the site of the injury. Interleukin-4 helps to stop inflammation and to recruit white blood cells and monocytes located outside the nervous system to the site of the injury for healing.

However, in elderly mice, not enough signals were sent out from the injury site, so the microglia were not reprogrammed to repair the cells through the interleukin-4 mechanism.

Interleukin-4 also spurs the production of an enzyme called arginase, that indicates the injury is in the process of repair. In the older mice, less arginase was found, adding another clue that the interleukin-4 alpha receptor was not working properly.Without smooth communication and a functioning interleukin- 4 mechanism, the immune system is dramatically less responsive to injury.

Researchers suggested that in the future, a drug could stimulate the interleukin-4 alpha receptor to perhaps enhance communication between the nervous and immune systems for better chances of recovery among elderly patients with spinal chord injury.

The Big Picture
The more we know about the body, the more we find it to be immensely intricate. Scientists have known for at least a decade that there is an intimate relationship between the nervous system and the immune system.

However, most medical doctors are missing the big picture in this area: Chiropractic treatments with spinal manipulation begin to restore the connection between the nervous system and the other parts of the body with every adjustment. Perhaps by combining forces with the chiropractic profession and allowing chiropractors to be part of the medical care team, no one would have to wait decades for a new drug to help spinal cord injury patients.
 
Reference
Fenn, A.M., et al. IL-4 signaling drives a unique arginase+/IL-1B+ microglia phenotype and recruits macrophages to the inflammatory CNS: consequences of age-related deficits in IL-4Ra after traumatic spinal cord injury. Journal of Neuroscience 2014 Jun 25; 34 (26): 8904-17.

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Every year millions of patients are injected with epidural steroids to treat back pain, but now, new research suggests that many of those injections are completely unnecessary. In a studyreleased Wednesday from The New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found that epidural steroid injections failed to produce any measurable benefits compared to lidocaine injections for spinal stenosis.

This isn't the first study to question the effectiveness of epidural steroid injections for back pain. What makes this research unique is that it is the largest randomized trial conducted yet on the effects of the injections for spinal stenosis. This condition refers to a narrowing of the spine that causes sciatica as well as pain in the back and legs.

The study included 400 patients with spinal stenosis who received injections of either steroids or an anesthetic (lidocaine). After six weeks, both groups showed similar rates of improvements, leading researchers to conclude that steroid injections "offered minimal or no short-term benefit."

The FDA has not approved these injections for the treatment of back pain, yet doctors routinely perform the procedure in everyday practice. Why? Because some patients report improvements and many insurance companies require patients to get the injections prior to receiving surgery.

One orthopedic surgeon at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Dr. Gunnar Andersson told  The New York Times, "It's sort of become the thing you do. You see this abnormality on the M.R.I. and the patient complains, and immediately you send the patient for an epidural injection." Dr. Andersson said the latest study will likely cause more physicians and patients to ask, "Should I really do this?'"
In answering that question, patients should consider the risks. Although the injections are generally considered safe, the FDA warned in April that in rare cases the treatment may cause blindness, stroke, paralysis, and even death. In 2012, contaminated steroid injections were linked to an outbreak of fungal meningitis with 751 cases, including 64 deaths. Many of those infected had received the injections for spinal stenosis and back pain.

The treatment also carry additional risks for the elderly: A study of patients over 50 years old found that every new injection of epidural steroids resulted in a 21% increase in a patient's risk of vertebral fractures.

For seniors who don't want to take those chances (however rare), chiropractic care can alleviate symptoms of spinal stenosis in many patients, research suggests. In fact, when it comes to disc herniation, one trial found that chiropractic was just as effective as epidural steroid injections in easing back pain, but without the costs or risks.

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