New study: 74 percent of back surgeries fail

A stunning new study reveals that back surgery, in many cases, is not effective — and could lead to an increase in the use of painkillers.

Researchers reviewed records from 1,450 patients in the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation database who had diagnoses of disc degeneration, disc herniation or radiculopathy, a nerve condition that causes tingling and weakness of the limbs. Half of the patients had surgery to fuse two or more vertebrae in hopes of curing low back pain. The other half had no surgery, even though they had comparable diagnoses.

After two years, just 26 percent of those who had surgery had actually returned to work. That’s compared to 67 percent of patients who didn’t have surgery. In what might be the most troubling study finding, researchers determined that there was a 41 percent increase in the use of painkillers, specifically opiates, in those who had surgery.

“The study [1] provides clear evidence that for many patients, fusion surgeries designed to alleviate pain from degenerating discs don’t work”, says the study’s lead author Dr. Trang Nguyen, a researcher at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. [2] (Read the full article here.)

If you are experiencing back pain, you have every reason to try chiropractic first — before surgery. Make an appointment with Real Chiropractic and Wellness of Myrtle Beach today!

Your office might be giving you a headache

The source of your suffering at work might not be your co-workers.

Your headaches might come from your posture and your workspace.

Most of us slouch in our chairs at some time or another. Many of us crane our necks at the computer screens on our desks.

After a while, these unnatural tensions add up — small misalignments develop in backs and necks, sending pressure up spines and into heads.

If you live and work in Myrtle Beach, the best way to address these misalignments is to visit Real Chiropractic and Wellness. Dr. Zack Causey will assess your aches and pains and set a treatment plan tailored to you. Click here to make an appointment.

Chiropractic care for children: fewer colds and other illnesses

Check out this article from the Ahwatukee Foothills News in Phoenix, Arizona.

With the new school year in full swing, the last thing Ahwatukee Foothills residents Larry and Michelle Mushkin are worried about is their kids missing school because of a cold.

For the past two years, both of their sons, Darren, 7, and Andrew, 5, have been under the care of Dr. Aaron Kovac at Back in Line Family Chiropractic in Ahwatukee Foothills. Although they were hesitant at first about introducing their children to chiropractic care, Larry and Michelle are happy with their decision as both Darren and Andrew have suffered far fewer colds and illnesses than they used to, ultimately resulting in fewer missed days from school.

“Even when they do get sick, it seems as though the illness is generally milder and lasts for a lot less time,” Michelle said. “Additionally, neither has had an ear infection since they started receiving care, and both had suffered from intermittent ear infections in the past.”

For years there have been many studies and debates on the benefits of chiropractic care for children. In a recent study of 781 patients younger than 3 years of age, 85 percent of parents reported improvement. And 73.5 percent of the patients were 12 weeks of age or younger when they began care. Studies have also shown pediatric chiropractic treatment to help not only with back and neck pain, but with colic, bedwetting and asthma.

Read the full article here.

National Institutes of Health center studies chiropractic adjustments as a cure for headaches

The National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine recently released a study of the value of spinal care for headache prevention.

Here’s a summary from the Chiropractic Resource Organization:

Previous research suggests that spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) may be helpful for various types of chronic headaches, including cervicogenic headache (CGH), which is associated with neck pain and dysfunction. In a recent randomized controlled trial, NCCAM-funded researchers from Western States Chiropractic College and other institutions evaluated the dose (number of treatments) and relative efficacy of SMT in a group of 80 patients with chronic CGH.

The study participants were assigned to an SMT group or a control group, which received light massage. Participants in both groups received treatments from chiropractors in 10-minute sessions either once or twice a week for 8 weeks, for a total of 8 or 16 treatments. Participants who were treated only once a week also had weekly examination visits, which included a discussion of the patient’s condition followed by a manual examination, as a control for provider contact/attention. Researchers used pain and disability scales to evaluate the participants’ response to treatment once every 4 weeks for 24 weeks. They also asked subjects about the number of headaches experienced.

Compared with massage, participants receiving SMT had greater improvements in CGH-related pain and disability, lasting to 24 weeks. These differences were clinically important and statistically significant. The dose effects of SMT treatments (i.e., differences between 8 and 16 treatments) were small but significant. The mean number of headaches reported by SMT subjects decreased by more than half during the study.

The researchers concluded that their findings support SMT as a viable option for treating CGH, but also point out that these findings should be considered preliminary. They suggest additional research to determine whether SMT results for patients with CGH are affected by treatment intensity and duration, use of other therapies, lifestyle changes, and an integrative care approach.

Before back surgery, call the chiropractor: more good press for chiropractic care

From this article in the Asheville Citizen-Times:

In a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Surgery Journal volume 50, it is recommended that patients with acute lumbar (low back) painful disc herniations should consider chiropractic treatment.

The study demonstrated that patients suffering with sciatica that failed other medical management benefited from chiropractic to the same degree as if they underwent surgical intervention. Those who did not respond to chiropractic went on to have surgery and had good outcomes.

Trying a conservative four-week clinical trial of chiropractic treatment before deciding to have surgery is something to consider….

And if you live in the Myrtle Beach area, get started at Real Chiropractic and Wellness.

Chiropractic versus Conventional Medicine

Dr. Ben Anderson offers a 9-minute video explaining the difference between conventional medicine and the chiropractic approach. Watch it here, then contact Real Chiropractic and Wellness for an appointment. Don’t wait for an evaluation of your muscle and joint problems!

U.S. military turning to chiropractors

“The military is increasingly enlisting chiropractors to provide alternative pain management treatment,” reports David Allen in Stars & Stripes.

Allen quotes Reggie Clifton, who joined the U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa last month, making him the first military chiropractor in the Pacific.

“It’s just another tool in the toolbox for medical care,” Clifton said of chiropractic care.

Read the full article in Stars & Stripes here.

And if you live in the Myrtle Beach area, take your aches and pains to Real Chiropractic and Wellness.

NFL star Jerry Rice praises chiropractic care — for football, and ‘Dancing with the Stars’

Check out this news release:

On August 7, 2010, Jerry Rice and six other National Football League (NFL) icons will be honored in Canton, Ohio, as they become the latest members to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (HOF). While Rice’s 13 trips to the Pro Bowl and 38 career records helped the San Francisco 49er great gain entry to the HOF, according to the three-time Super Bowl champion, it also takes a chiropractor.

“I had aches and pains that I never had before. Again, chiropractic care made the difference – and kept me dancing and in the competition.”

“Chiropractic care helped me stay healthy and succeed in the league for as long as I did,” explains the legendary wide receiver.

Rice’s first experience with chiropractic care took place during Super Bowl XXIII, where he witnessed first-hand how the conservative treatment helped injured 49er teammates perform, resulting in a win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Since then, Rice has included chiropractic care in his training throughout his 21 seasons in the NFL, in which he was able to amass 22,895 receiving yards and 208 receiving touchdowns.

After his retirement from the NFL in 2005, Rice once again turned to chiropractic, but this time, instead of shaking defensive players and avoiding vicious tackles, he was shaking his hips while competing on the popular TV show, “Dancing with the Stars.”

Read the full release here, and then contact Real Chiropractic and Wellness today!

How safe it chiropractic?

It’s very safe.

“Records from insurance and court cases have constantly shown that chiropractic is the safest portal of entry health care available to the public today. Although no healthcare procedures are 100% safe, chiropractic stands on its record of safety and effectiveness unmatched in healthcare,” according to the International Chiropractors Association, or ICA.

The association operates a website on the safety of chiropractic medicine: http://www.chiropracticissafe.org/. Visit it to learn more.

Connect with Real Chiropractic and Wellness of Myrtle Beach

Real Chiropractic and Wellness of Myrtle Beach is more than chiropractic care. Dr. Causey specializes in several areas of holistic therapy and alternative medicine.

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