The Chiropractic Answer to Whiplash

Whiplash is an all-too-common consequence of the more than one million rear-end collisions that take place in the United States every year. Although the classic symptoms of whiplash (headache, dizziness, neck, shoulder, jaw and/or arm pain) may subside after a few weeks of appropriate care, it's estimated that nearly one in four cases will become chronic, resulting in long-term discomfort and disability.

Chiropractic may offer the best opportunity for relief from the pain of whiplash, according to a study published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Medicine. Ninety-three patients with chronic whiplash symptoms were divided into three groups based upon the nature and severity of their symptoms. All 93 patients received an average of 19.3 chiropractic adjustments over the study period (about four months).

Results showed that two of the three groups (patients with neck pain, restricted neck range of motion and/or neurological symptoms) improved under chiropractic care, with 85.5% reporting "some benefit," 33.5% improving by two symptom grades, and 31% being relieved of all symptoms.

If you or a loved one is suffering from whiplash, make an appointment with a doctor of chiropractic. As the authors of this study conclude, when it comes to treating whiplash, "chiropractic is the only proven effective treatment."

Khan S, Cook J, Gargan M, et al. Asymptomatic classification of whiplash injury and the implications for treatment. Journal of Orthopaedic Medicine 1999: Vol. 21, No. 1, pp22-25.

For more information on whiplash, go to http://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/whiplash.html -----

Watching Our Children Get Fat

At the Children's Television Conference in 1996, President Bill Clinton underscored America's obsession with television when he noted that "a typical child watches 25,000 hours of television before his or her 18th birthday. Preschoolers watch 28 hours of television a week." If you tend to shrug off this fascination with the tube as harmless, consider a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association that examined the potential connection between TV viewing and obesity.

Nearly 200 third and fourth-grade students from two public elementary schools participated in the study, in which children from one school received an 18-lesson, six-month classroom curriculum to reduce television, videotape and video game use. The intervention was based solely upon teaching the children to budget their entertainment time and did not include other lifestyle modifications such as exercise. The second school received no curriculum to modify TV viewing and was compared with the initial group after six months.

Children from the first school showed significant decreases in body-mass index, triceps skinfold thickness, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio following the six-month educational program, especially compared to the second school that received no intervention to decrease TV viewing. Children from the first school also reported significant decreases in overall television viewing and meals eaten in front of the television.

These findings add to considerable evidence suggesting that television can influence our children, and the news isn't good. As parents, let's take the opportunity to do something about it. It's time to stop watching our children get fat.

Robinson TN. Reducing children's television viewing to prevent obesity. Journal of the American Medical Association, Oct. 27, 1999: Vol. 282, No. 16, pp1561-67. -----

Maternal Drinking Might Influence Attention Deficit Disorder

Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can have problems completing tasks, staying organized and keeping track of things. Problems with hyperactivity and/or impulsivity may also surface, including fidgeting, squirming, excessive talking and frequent interrupting. Because most children display these behaviors from time to time, it's not easy to determine whether a child has ADHD or is just going through the normal adjustments of "growing up."

The problems associated with ADHD can be persistent and severe, and while it's not clear exactly what causes this condition, a recent study suggests that maternal drinking may play a role. Twenty-eight children were selected from three subject groups: children with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), a condition characterized by facial deformities due to maternal drinking; children with prenatal exposure to alcohol; and children with no prenatal exposure to alcohol. researchers evaluated all 28 children in terms of "executive functioning" (EF) -- sequencing and self-monitoring, planning, ability to engage in goal-directed behaviors, critical thinking, etc. -- and found that those children exposed to alcohol (children with FAS or prenatal exposure) performed worse on tests of EF than children without prenatal exposure to alcohol.

These findings add to the considerable evidence that drinking alcohol during pregnancy can have profound negative consequences. Consult with your doctor before, during and after pregnancy to ensure the health of your child.

Mattson SN, Goodman AM, Caine C, et al. Executive functioning in children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental research, Nov. 1999: Vol. 23, No. 11, pp1808-1815. -----

What's Causing That Headache?

We all get headaches at one time or another, but figuring out why we're suffering or how to get rid of them isn't always easy. Millions of Americans take daily or near-daily doses of pain relief medications to combat headaches, often providing only temporary relief and causing a variety of unpleasant side effects.

A number of clinical studies note the effectiveness of chiropractic manipulation in relieving headache symptoms, an observation confirmed by a recent literature review that provided evidence of a potential spinal cord connection. Specifically, the authors' search of previous research revealed that dysfunction in the upper part of the cervical spine has the potential to create cranial pain -- headaches.

Evidence points to a variety of possible causes of headache pain, including stress, muscle tension, nutritional deficiencies, and hormonal imbalances, but most headache sufferers turn to over-the-counter drugs as their only form of relief. You don't have to be one of the millions dependent on pain medications. If you suffer from headaches, schedule a comprehensive evaluation with your doctor of chiropractic. If neck and spine dysfunction is causing your pain, regular adjustments might be an effective solution.

Alix ME, Bates DK. A proposed etiology of cervicogenic headache: the neurophysiological basis and anatomic relationship between the dura mater and the rectus posterior capitis minor muscle. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, Oct. 1999: Vol. 22, No. 8, pp534-39.

If you'd like more information on headaches, go to http://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/headaches.html -----

Don't Forget about vitamin E

How important is vitamin E? It helps fight cardiovascular disease and cancer, it can improve circulation, relax leg cramps, aid normal blood clotting and healing, and it promotes healthy hair and skin. And if that isn't enough, a study published in the American Journal of suggests that vitamin E might also be able to prevent memory loss.

The authors examined the relationship between antioxidants (vitamins A,C,E, the carotenoids, and selenium) and memory performance by evaluating 4,809 seniors who visited a specific examination center over a six-year period. Memory was assessed using delayed recall of six points and three specific words from a story, and antioxidant status, including vitamin E, was measured at entrance to the study and again six years later.

Results showed a consistent association between low levels of vitamin E and poor memory, but not with the other antioxidants studied. This association was evident even after considering age, education, income, vascular risk factors, and the contribution of other vitamins and trace elements.

Good sources of vitamin E include leafy green vegetables, nuts, seeds, brown rice, eggs, soybeans and whole grains. Your doctor of chiropractic can outline nutritional guidelines specific to your needs and tell you more about how to maintain health and wellness with age.

Perkins A, Hendrie HC, Callahan CM, et al. Association of antioxidants with memory in a multiethnic elderly sample using the Third National Health and nutrition Examination Survey. American Journal of Epidemiology 1999: Vol. 150, No. 1, pp37-44.

For more information on anti-aging issues, go to http://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/aging.html -----

High Blood Pressure Linked to Bone Loss?

Recent issues of To Your Health have included several studies detailing the importance of maintaining strong, healthy bones as we age. (See "Road to Strong Bones Paved with nutrition," Aug. '99; "Maintain Strong Bones with Exercise," Sept. '99; and "Bone Loss Linked to Mental Decline," Jan. 2000.) We continue this trend in the current issue by reporting on a study that appeared in the September 18th issue of the Lancet.

The authors note that bone loss, often related to calcium deficiencies, is a primary cause of fractures in postmenopausal women and the elderly, and that problems with our ability to metabolize calcium has been linked to high blood pressure. They use this background data to explore the potential relationship between bone loss and high blood pressure in 3,676 elderly Caucasian women.

By comparing initial measurements of blood pressure and bone mineral density (BMD) with BMD measurements taken 3-5 years later, the authors discovered that rates of bone loss increased with increasing blood pressure. These findings were maintained even after taking other variables into consideration, including age, weight, smoking and regular use of hormone replacement therapy (all of which can influence bone loss).

Ask your chiropractor for more information on keeping your blood pressure low, your bone density high, and maintaining your health and wellness for a lifetime!

Cappuccio FP, Meilahn E, Zmuda JM, et al. High blood pressure and bone mineral loss in elderly white women: a prospective study. The Lancet, Sept. 18, 1999: Vol. 354, pp971-75. -----

Preventing Birth Defects with Folic Acid

Few things can cast a more frightening shadow over the joy of childbirth than finding out that your child is afflicted with a birth defect such as anencephaly or spina bifida. Babies with anencephaly never develop a brain and are stillborn or die shortly after birth; those afflicted with spina bifida have a defect in the spinal column that can lead to paralysis and/or mental retardation.

Evidence suggests that folic acid can help prevent these two major birth defects, and a recent study in The New England Journal of Medicine echoes this hypothesis. As part of a public health campaign conducted in China, birth defects were evaluated among the fetuses or infants of women who took folic acid (at any time before or during pregnancy) compared with those whose mothers did not take folic acid. Results supported a protective effect:

* Folic acid supplementation: 0.8 defects per 1,000 pregnancies;

* No folic acid supplementation: 2.9 defects per 1,000 pregnancies.

These results are especially important because, as the authors note, the baseline rate of defects in China, especially in the southern region, is similar to rates in the United States and other countries. If you're expecting the birth of a child, consult with your team of health care professionals on a comprehensive exercise and nutrition program that can help ensure a healthy, happy newborn.

Berry RJ, Zhu L, Erickson JD, et al. Prevention of neural tube defects with folic acid in China. The New England Journal of Medicine, Nov. 11, 1999: Vol. 341, No. 20, pp1485-90. -----

Missing Work Because of Back Pain

An estimated 150 million workdays are lost each year because of back pain, accounting for billions of dollars each year in lost wages and workers' compensation claims. Of course, the issue of back pain goes far beyond dollars and cents -- it's about the frustration, discomfort and disability millions of endure for months and sometimes years.

What specifically determines time loss from work following a back injury? To answer that question, the authors of a study in Spine evaluated the incidence of back injury and resultant work loss in a group of nurses employed at a large teaching hospital in Canada. Over a two-year period, 320 nurses suffered 416 documented back injuries, with the results of 218 interviews presented as follows:

* Perceived disability (i.e., thinking you were injured) contributed to time loss following the injury;

* Self-reported pain was strongly related to the length of time lost; and

* Type of injury, specifically back injury caused by lifting patients, resulted in greater time loss.

This study serves as yet another example of the magnitude of the back pain problem and the effects it can have on our physical, psychological and economic well-being. It's a reminder that prevention is the best way to avoid a back injury, and that a proven, successful way to prevent back pain (or relieve back pain after injury) is with regular adjustments from a doctor of chiropractic.

Tate RB, Yassi A, Cooper J. Predictors of time loss after back injury in nurses. Spine, Sept. 15, 1999: Vol. 24, No. 18, pp1930-36.

For more information on back pain, go to http://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/backpain.html -----