THE ECONOMIC BURDEN OF WAD

THE ECONOMIC BURDEN OF WAD

Little is known about the individual and societal economic burden of WAD. For instance, little is known about the prevalence of long-lasting work disability due to WAD, which probably the most costly part. This burden is probably largely dependent on the legislation in different countries. In 2002, an independent and temporary Commission on whiplash-related injuries was informed in Sweden, initiated by the four largest motor vehicle insurers. The mandate of the 3-year commission was an examination of the problems of WAD from road safety, medical care, insurance and societal aspects. One of the conclusions of the final report was that the yearly cost for society and for the insurance industry was approximately SEK 1.5 billion (US$201 million), while projected costs (i.e. what new cases of WAD arising in a particular year will cost society and insurers by the time the person reaches retirement age) amounted to SEK 4.6 billion (US$648 million). These calculations were based on an annual incidence of 30,000 WAD cases (324 per 100,000 inhabitants) in the year 2002. Since the report’s publication, the number of WAD cases have decreased dramatically to about 16,000 claims in 2008 (173 per 100,000 inhabitants), which, of course, has an impact on the overall costs.

Comparable data has not been found, but there is some evidence from a study that addressed the incidence of WAD in 10 European countries. The administrative data suggests that the total claims cost in Switzerland was 500 million Swiss francs (US$467 million). Switzerland’s population is 80% that of Sweden. Expenditures in addition to the claims cost was not reported in that study. 

Stone Mountain Elementary

Stone Mountain Elementary

Core Values

Stone Mountain Elementary is a place where learning is our highest mission. We pledge to provide a respectful, caring and purposeful environment that values every child. We are committed to building character, celebrating improvement and honoring each other in our pursuit of excellence. Staying in the C.I.R.C.L.E. C-Care: compassion, empathy and understanding I-Improve: always giving our best effort, never settle for less R-Respect: treat other's how you want to be treated C-Cooperate: collaborate and work together L-Learn-personal excellence and success begins with learning E-Every day-committing to doing your best all the time

Four new meningitis cases reported at Ann Arbor hospital

Ann Arbor — Four new cases of fungal meningitis in Michigan have been confirmed at St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor, officials said Wednesday.

Lauren Smoker, a spokeswoman for the hospital, said officials have confirmed four more cases of the disease, raising the total number of cases being treated at the facility to 22.

Also Wednesday, state health officials updated the number of Michiganians sickened by the outbreak tied to tainted steroids to 28, including three deaths. Nationally, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the outbreak has now reached 137 cases, including 12 deaths.

In Michigan, Lilian Cary, 67, of Livingston County, a 78-year-old Washtenaw County woman and a 56-year-old Genesee County woman have died in the outbreak.

Other states where cases have been found include Tennessee, Virginia, Indiana and Florida. The largest concentration has been in Tennessee, which has 39 cases and six deaths. Michigan is second. Virginia was third with 24 cases and one death.

Most of those cases are believed to have resulted from steroid shots administered to alleviate back pain.

Fungal meningitis is the inflammation of the protective coverings of the brain and spinal cord. It is not contagious, but it can be fatal.

As many as 13,000 people may have received tainted injections nationwide.

In Michigan, four health facilities received shipments of the contaminated steroids.

They are:

— Michigan Neurological Institute in Grand Blanc

— Michigan Pain Specialists in Brighton

— Neuromuscular & Rehabilitation in Traverse City

— Southeast Michigan Surgical Hospital in Warren

Drug firm linked to meningitis outbreak may have misled regulators

BOSTON —

The specialty pharmacy linked to a deadly meningitis outbreak may have misled regulators and done work beyond the scope of its state license, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick said Wednesday.

Meanwhile, a second pharmacy connected to the New England Compounding Center in Framingham has shut down for state and federal inspection.

The New England Compounding Center made a steroid that was used in injections for back pain that were later found contaminated. More than 130 people in 11 states have been sickened. Twelve have died.

On Wednesday, Patrick told reporters that state and federal agencies "may have been misled by some of the information we were given" by the New England Compounding Center.

The company was licensed to fill specific prescriptions for specific patients but exceeded that, he said.

"What they were doing instead is making big batches and selling them out of state as a manufacturer would, and that is certainly outside of their state license," he said.

Massachusetts U.S. Rep. Ed Markey seized on Patrick's statement, and sent a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, asking if it believes it was misled by the company.

"This company may have disregarded federal guidelines, and we need to know from the FDA whether the company misled regulatory authorities and if sanctions against the company are available or warranted," Markey said.

A company spokesman declined comment beyond a statement that company officials are focused on cooperating with the investigation. The company has shut down operations, recalled the fungus-contaminated steroid and is cooperating with investigators.

On Wednesday afternoon, the state announced that drug provider Ameridose has agreed to temporarily shut down, pending inspection by state and federal regulators. Ameridose was founded in 2006 by Greg Conigliaro and Barry Cadden, who opened the New England Compounding Center eight years earlier.

Ameridose compounds drugs at one of its two facilities in Westborough, but also provides sterile medication in prefilled oral syringes to about 3,000 hospitals nationwide.

Dr. Madeleine Biondolillo, director of the state's Bureau of Healthcare Safety, said there's no evidence of problems at Ameridose and the state hasn't requested a recall of any Ameridose products.

A pharmacy manager at Ameridose, Sophia Pasedis, has been a member of the regulatory body, the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Pharmacy, since 2004. But the state said she has recused herself from all matters related to Ameridose and the New England Compounding Center.

Compounding pharmacies supply products that aren't commercially available, based on an individual doctor's prescription. Some have grown into larger businesses, operating across state lines and supplying drugs to thousands of hospitals, clinics and physicians.

Biondolillo said the state has reminded Massachusetts pharmacies that compounding can be done only in response to a patient-specific prescription. She said the state is now requiring all compounding pharmacies to sign an affidavit that they are following all regulations.

The state has 1,100 pharmacies that can compound drugs.

Massachusetts last inspected the New England Compounding Center in March in response to a pending complaint unrelated to the outbreak, officials have said. It also inspected the pharmacy in 2011 when it moved operations, and found no problems.

Asked if the state had tried to determine if the company was making large batches of drugs, a possible signal it was operating outside the bounds of its license, Biondolillo said, "Each time we go out and inspect, we're looking at all aspects of the operation."

She didn't give specifics about what the inspectors found in the most recent visit.

In Ohio, the state's board of pharmacy on Wednesday suspended the company's license to distribute in the state, citing evidence that the company's practices presented a danger of serious and immediate harm to others.

As many as 13,000 people received steroid shots from the New England Compounding Center, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Compounded drugs have never been reviewed for safety and effectiveness by the FDA. The outbreak has led to calls from lawmakers, including Markey and Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, to strengthen the agency's oversight over the drugs.

Meningitis cases linked to steroids increase; no California cases so far

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A meningitis outbreak linked to epidural steroid injections that so far is affecting the eastern half of the United States is continuing to grow, with health officials continuing to monitor patients in the North Coast region who received the steroids.

On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta reported that the outbreak of fungal meningitis cases linked to contaminated methylprednisolone acetate injectable steroids had grown to 105 cases across nine states, with eight deaths.

No cases have so far been reported in California, the agency said.

Affected states included Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia, according to the CDC, which is coordinating the investigation into the outbreak.

The CDC said the manufacturer of the methylprednisolone acetate injections, New England Compounding Center located in Framingham, Mass., began a voluntary recall of the drugs on Sept. 26.

State and federal officials said 75 health care facilities in 23 states received the contaminated product.

In California, four health facilities received the drug, which is used as an epidural injection for chronic pain.

Among them was Ukiah Valley Medical Center, which last week sent out letters to patients notifying them of the issues, as Lake County News has reported.

Also receiving the compound in California were the Cypress Surgery Center in Visalia, the Encino Outpatient Surgical Center and Universal Pain Management in Palmdale, the CDC reported.

To date, no patients have been admitted to UVMC with meningitis-type symptoms as a result of receiving this compound, the hospital said Monday.

Meningitis is a swelling of the meninges, the protective covering of the brain and spinal cord.

The CDC said infected patients have developed a variety of symptoms approximately one to four weeks following their injection. The symptoms include fever, new or worsening headache and nausea. Some also have suffered strokes.

The CDC investigation thus far has revealed that the meningitis linked to the steroid injections was caused by a fungus that is common in the environment but rarely causes meningitis. The source of the fungus, however, has not been identified.

Officials said the fungal meningitis in this outbreak is not contagious.

Anyone who has had one of the epidural steroid injections since May 21 should talk to their doctor immediately if they experience a worsening headache, fever, sensitivity to light, stiff neck, new weakness or numbness in any part of your body or slurred speech, according to the CDC.

In a Monday statement, UVMC said it selected the New England Compounding Center in spite of a 75 percent higher cost for the compounded medication because the center is a specialized “compounding-only pharmacy” dedicated to providing medications and services to patients and prescribers.

“The team of registered pharmacists at UVMC did not choose the product based on price,” according to Heather Van Housen, UVMC’s patient care executive.

“The product was selected because it contains no preservatives or buffers that other pharmaceutical manufacturers offer that may cause higher risk of infection or other complications,” Van Housen said.

Death toll jumps to 11 in meningitis outbreak; 119 people infected

The Atlanta-based CDC released new numbers Tuesday in the meningitis outbreak linked to injectable drugs.

The number of people sickened has now reached 119 cases, including 11 deaths.

New Jersey is the 10th state to report at least one illness. The other states involved in the outbreak so far are Tennessee, Michigan, Virginia, Indiana, Florida, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina and Ohio.

Officials have tied the outbreak of rare fungalmeningitis to steroid shots for back pain. The steroid was made by a specialty pharmacy in Massachusetts. At least one contaminated vial was found at the company.

The company recalled the steroid that was sent to clinics in 23 states, and later recalled everything it makes.

The FDA released a list of 34 different drugs Friday that included steroids, epidural anesthetics used to block pain during childbirth, and surgery and saline solutions that are compounded to make different medications. All of these recalled products were made by the New England Compound Center (NECC) in Framingham, Mass., and are administered by injection into the spine.

Health officials say people in 23 states could be affected.

The 23 affected states are: California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Texas and West Virginia.

The Atlanta-based CDC asked the clinics, doctors and hospitals in 23 states that have received shipments of medications from NECC to stop using them immediately. Anyone who has received epidural injections since July 1 should watch for symptoms of meningitis. Symptoms include worsening headache, fever, stiff neck, trouble walking or falling and progressing back pain.

To see a full list of the drugs recalled, click here.

No infections have been reported in Georgia, but at least one shipment of the drugs arrived in the state, according to Georgia Public Health Commissioner Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald.

In a letter to WXIA, Dr. Fitzgerals says, "Affected medication was delivered to a healthcare facility in the Macon area and clinicians in that area should be extra vigilant. To date, DPH is aware of no other affected shipments arriving in Georgia."

STONE MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL

STONE MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL OverviewStone Mountain High School has been serving the community for over 100 years. It became a public school around the turn of the century, and was originally called the DeKalb High School. Stone Mountain High Values Our goal is to create an environment in which every student can be successful regardless of his or her socio-economic status, culture, physical challenges, or diverse family background. We will continue to create and maintain avenues of communication and support with the community and with parents. We believe in fostering pride in one's background and heritage and that one of our tasks is to help students maintain cultural identity while acquiring skills necessary to work effectively with all segments of society. Vision BRIDGE The Gap: Building Responsible Individuals Through Discipline, Guidance, and High Expectations Mission The mission of Stone Mountain High School is to provide students with the knowledge and skills to become productive and responsible citizens fostering a partnership with home, community, and school.

School Goals Students will improve upon critical thinking and reasoning skills and be involved in the learning process. Students will demonstrate the ability to cooperate with others and display respect for cultural diversity as the school staff strengthens participation among parents and community. Use a collaborative effort in decision-making. Continue to expand multicultural educational opportunities as we meet the educational needs of our student population. Continue development of effective strategies for parental and community involvement in the education of children. Expand professional development of teachers and administrators in teacher-student, teacher-parent, and teacher-administrator human relations skills and develop alternative methods of student discipline. Expand professional development of teachers and staff in improving student achievement. Improve student achievement as measured by standardized test scores, and recognize student successes. Explore projects/initiatives that reflect School of Excellence standards. Improve daily attendance rate.

About Stone Mountain Park

Stone Mountain Park

• Stone Mountain is made of Granite and was completed around 1850
• Stone Mountain is the largest exposed mass of granite in the world.
• During the 1996 Olympics, Stone Mountain Park provided venues for the Olympic events such as tennis, archery and track cycling.
• Native Americans were the first humans to visit Stone Mountain Park
• When one visits the mountain, they can see a major carving on the North side. It is a carving of the three major Southern Civil War gentlemen and soldiers: Confederate President Jefferson Davis, General Robert, E. Lee and Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson. The carving began in 1915 and it was finally completed in 1972. The figures measure 90 by 190 feet surrounded by an area carved that equals 3 acres, which is larger than a football field. It is considered the largest relief sculpture in the world.
• At its summit, the elevation is 1,683 feet and 825 feet above the surrounding plateau.  The mountain also extends underground to several surrounding counties. The mountain is more than 5 miles in circumference at its base. The summer of the mountain can be reached by a steep walk-up trail which starts near the Confederate Hall and park entrance. The summer can also be reached by the skylift.
• There are plenty of things to do at Stone Mountain with the family, lots of kid friendly activities.
• To learn more about Stone Mountain Park visit their website at www.stonemountainpark.com

 

Natural History of Stone Mountain

Natural History of Stone Mountain

Stone Mountain sits on the western edge of a large belt of Lithonia Gneiss granite although the younger intrusive granite that comprises the mountain is entirely different from Lithonia granite. Rising to a height of 1,683 feet above sea level (roughly 650-750 feet above the surrounding Georgia Piedmont, depending on where it is measured), it is visible from Kennesaw Mountain to the west, Amicalola Falls State Park to the north and Mount Yonah to the northeast.

Technically known as a pluton, the mountain was formed during the complex folding and faulting that created the Blue Ridge Mountains, although Stone Mountain is not part of that range. The magma that created Stone Mountain was formed deep inside the earth, then forced its way out of the earth's molten center. Before the molten rock hit the air it stopped, initially forming the west side of the "pluton." Successive attempts at eruption (breaking through to the surface of the earth) also failed, but added to the size of the dome from west to east. Once the pluton was formed it began to cool. This occurred during the Alleghenian Orogeny, a massive collision of tectonic plates perhaps 350 million years ago.

Geologists, however, are stumped as to how this enormous rock (the largest known granite formation) became exposed. Some believe that the entire Georgia Piedmont region was higher than the mountain and over time, erosion simply wore the dirt and metamorphic stone surrounding the mountain away. Others believe that the area was flooded after the formation of the mountain and the water eroded the surrounding material. A third theory includes post-formation geological events (primarily earthquakes). Analysis of the rock reveals that the magma that created the pluton was comprised of quartz, feldspar, microcline and muscovite with smaller amounts of biotite and tourmaline. Embedded in the granite are pieces of biotite gneiss and amphibolite.

Chiropractic Adjustments for Newborns

Greater complications during delivery result in greater neurological insult to the newborn due to injury to the head and neck. Even after vaginal births, 4.6% of term neonates suffer unexplained brain bleeds and 10% suffer neonatal encephalopathy. Because so many children had been injured with forceps deliveries, (facial nerve palsy, tearing of cervical spine musculature) vacuum extraction was developed. Suction cups are placed on the newborn's head, and the baby is literally sucked out of the mother.

When utilized, 120 pounds of pressure goes through the baby's head and neck. Decapitation occurs at 140 pounds of pressure, to give you an idea of the high forces involved. Remember when you were a little girl or boy and there was a new baby you were being introduced to? Our parents always said, "Watch his head-you don't want to hurt him." We're careful because the fontanel's of the skull are so pliable, and the neck and brain are fragile and unprotected. This is why so many babies sustain injuries to their heads and neck during vacuum extraction-the force is far greater than their little bodies can tolerate.

Adjustments to newborns contain only ounces of force. But that force is directed into the spine to facilitate health and remove subluxations. We adjust babies as soon after birth as possible, to alleviate subluxations caused by in-utero constraint and the journey down through the birth canal. There has been a lot in the media lately about children not needing Chiropractic care, but there is no better way to get a head start in life. As you all know, Chiropractic care is not a cure for anything-it is a system of wellness to help us be who we're supposed to be. It is not a cure for ear infections, for colic, for allergies, for asthma, for frequent colds, nor for ADD/ADHD.

When we listen to mothers' stories of their pregnancy, labor and delivery, the children who suffer the most from the above complaints, are the ones who've had the greatest trouble with their births. Even relatively easy deliveries can result in subluxations. That's why every child should be checked, before problems with their health even develop. That's preventive care in the truest sense-preventing subluxations in mothers to prevent subluxations in their babies during childbirth. This is why every woman needs Chiropractic through pregnancy-so that the arrival of their baby is a wonderful experience. 

Is Chiropractic Safe During Pregnancy?

Not only is it safe to visit a chiropractor during your pregnancy, it’s also highly beneficial. All chiropractors are specially trained to treat pregnant women, but you may want to do a little research and find one who specializes in prenatal or perinatal care. Getting regularly adjusted while pregnant is a great way to relieve the added stress on your spine that comes along with the weight gain. It can also prevent sciatica, the inflammation of the sciatic nerve that runs from your lower back down through your legs and to your feet. It’s also important to maintain pelvic balance, which is oftentimes thrown off as your belly grows and your posture changes.

Besides making you feel better during pregnancy, getting regular chiropractic adjustments can also help control nausea, prevent a potential C-section, and has even been linked to reducing the amount of time some women spend in labor.  www.thebump.com

Chiropractic care through pregnancy is not only safe, it is essential. We can look at the implications of subluxation from a bio mechanical, hormonal and neurological standpoint. It is easy for all of us to see postural changes through pregnancy-the centre of gravity changes, the weight of the baby places increased pressure on the spine and pelvis, and towards the end of the pregnancy, changes are seen in gait pattern-the "waddle." What we can't see, are the millions of different hormonal changes and chemical reactions occurring both in the mother and the developing baby--all of which are controlled and coordinated through the nervous system.

Adjustments result in easier pregnancy, significantly decreased mean labor time, and assists new mothers back to prepartum health. In one study, women receiving Chiropractic care through their first pregnancy had 24% shorter labor times than the group not receiving Chiropractic, and multiparous subjects reported 39% shorter labor times. Thirty-nine percent-that's a massive difference. In addition, 84% of women report relief of back pain during pregnancy with Chiropractic care. Because the sacroiliac joints of the pelvis function better, there is significant less likelihood of back labor when receiving Chiropractic care through pregnancy.

Body position during delivery is also critical. Any late second stage labor position that denies postural sacral rotation denies the mother and the baby critical pelvic outlet diameter and jams the tip of the sacrum up to 4cm into the pelvic outlet. In other words, the popular semi-recumbent position places the laboring woman on her back onto the apex of the sacrum, which closes off the vital space needed for the baby to get through the pelvic outlet.

Tips to Improving Sleep

The condition of your bedroom really matters, for the quality of your sleep as well as your intimate life and your health. Here are my tips for keeping your bedroom in good shape -- or shaping it up, if it's been neglected:

•Invest in your sleep equipment. A good mattress and quality pillows are important investments in your sleep and health. Replace your pillows every year, and invest in a new mattress at least every seven years -- or whenever your body tells you it's time.

•Go cool and dark. Your bedroom climate is important. Most of us sleep better in a cool room. And we all benefit from darkness for sleep. Try an electronic curfew about an hour before bed. Disengage from email, phone, and texting. There's plenty of research that shows how disruptive these devices are for sleep. Better yet, keep them out of the bedroom altogether. If you fall asleep to the TV, use your TV timer so it turns off after you have fallen asleep.

•Fresh sheets are an easy indulgence. Keep fresh sheets on your bed, wash them often, and invest in an extra set so you can change them frequently. As this survey indicates, fresh sheets are a big draw -- they can entice you to bed earlier and help you sleep better once you're there.

•Pamper. Give yourself a sleep vacation at home! Those sleep spa getaways are increasingly popular, but you don't have to leave home to reap the benefits of some sleep-focused down time. Unplug from your regular responsibilities -- and your PDA. Sign up for a yoga class or a local spa visit. Follow up these relaxing activities with an afternoon nap and a quiet evening before bed. And think about adding some of these "indulgences" into your regular routine!

The Importance of Omega-3

People who eat a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids may significantly lower their risk of developing memory problems and Alzheimer’s disease, a new study has found.

Researchers recruited 1,219 people over age 65, and followed their dietary habits for more than a year.  Then they tested the subjects' blood for a protein called beta-amyloid, a protein is associated with memory problems and Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, plaques and tangles which are found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients are actually clumps of this substance.

“We know that the amyloid mechanisms are out of control in a person with Alzeimer’s disease,” said the study's lead author, Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas, associate professor of clinical neurology at New York's Columbia University Medical Center.

“We wanted to see if different nutrients influenced those levels.”

Interestingly, the people in the study who consumed omega-3 had significantly lower levels of amyloid in their blood.

The effects are continuous researchers say.  The levels decreased by 20-to 30% for each gram of omega-3 fatty acid added to their diet.  One gram is equivalent to a handful of walnuts, or half a piece of salmon.

“The more you eat, the lower the amyloid level will be,” said Scarmeas.

The study – published in the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology - also evaluated beta-carotene, vitamin D, vitamin B12, vitamin E, omega-6, saturated fatty acids, and non-unsaturated fatty acids in the participants diets.

Omega-3 was the only nutrient that showed an association with lower amyloid levels.

A 2010 study found that people who ate food high in omega-3 acids had a nearly 40% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s compared to people who didn’t.  However, the reason why couldn’t be determined.  Researchers believe this new study may help explain the connection.

Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids are often the crux of a Mediterranean diet. Choose fatty fish like mackerel, trout, herring, tuna or salmon.  Non-fish options include kale, tofu, soybeans, walnuts and flaxseed.

Although it is best to get nutrients from natural resources, omega-3 supplements can also be effective.  Consult with your doctor before adding fish oil supplements to your diet because they may interact with other medications.

Chiropractic Care for Children

Chiropractic is not only safe for children, it’s wise. Chiropractic care can help alleviate the aches and pains that result form a misalignment of the vertebrae. Children also suffer from many types of illnesses, from allergies to injuries, that can cause pain and discomfort. Good chiropractic care for children means a practitioner that has experience working with young spines, adapting their training and chiropractic techniques to allow for examinations and adjustments that are gentle and non-intimidating.

Extremely gentle pressure (applied with fingertips or soft hand thrusts) is the most effective method of chiropractic care for children. By examining the spine, and using gentle, yet targeted pressure, cavitation of the joints eases the tension in the joint and releases pressure in the surrounding tissue. Children respond amazingly fast so those pesky aches and pains will be gone in no time.

What's That Popping Sound?

The sound of relief in a chiropractic adjustment. Pop Pop. Who knew the sounds of relief from back and neck pain could sound so good?

Those that are new to chiropractic treatment may find the sounds of an adjustment to be nerve wracking when actually the cause of the popping sounds is quite simple. Known as a cavitation event, the small popping and cracking you hear is the sound of bubbles in fluid surrounding the joint in the cavity popping. This is normal. In fact, some people’s joints crack when they simply move about. However, when joints don’t move, or don’t move well, a chiropractic adjustment can can restore proper alignment and give the joint better motion. This popping noise should actually be music to your ears if you suffer from back, joint, or neck pain of stiffness. When you receive a chiropractic treatment from Dr. Steven Schram you can relax because the pain in your joints from a misalignment is about to be relieved.

In simple terms, the sound of cavitation means that the vertebrae are being gently and properly realigned. The sound of dissolved air bubbles in the fluid around the vertebrae releasing is what makes the pop. The end result is less pressure, less pain and more importantly, allowing the nerve energy to flow more freely. This allows the area, including the joint and the muscle and tissue surrounding it to heal.

Numbness and Tingling in Arms or Legs

Arm or Leg Pain, Numbness or Tingling 

Pain and/or numbness and tingling in the arms or legs may directly involve the spine. The nerves that exit the neck and travel down the arms are known as the brachial plexus. The nerves that exit the low back and travel down the legs are known as the lumbosacral plexus. These nerves exit through openings of the spinal column called an IVF (intervertebral foramina) if there is interference with theses nerves it may be the direct cause of the problem. This is usually true when the pain travels down the arm or leg. Any time you have a radiating pain and/or numbness and tingling down the arm or leg, you should be checked by your chiropractor immediately.

The Doctor Says I Have a Subluxation?

Vertebral Subluxation: Spinal bone stuck out of alignment causing interference with nerve messages between your brain and your body. The result of this interference is dis-ease (lack of ease, which can lead to disease).


Vertebral Subluxation Effects
For ease of understanding and communication, subluxation damage is defined by the following five components:

• Joint damage (kinesiopathology) - (ki-ne"se-o-pah-thol'o-je) Your spine is misaligned. It's often painless but you may not be able to turn your head, hips or other body parts around equally well or as far as possible (reduced range of motion). You may have "noisy joints".
• Nerve damage (neuropathology) - (nu"ro-path"ol'o-je) Your nerves and related structures are impinged, compressed or otherwise irritated. Chemicals and impulses that flow over the nerves may be blocked. You may feel nothing or there may be pain and other symptoms.
• Muscle damage (myopathology) - (mi-o-pah-thol'o-je) Your muscles are tight, in spasm, weak, overly sensitive and/or sore. Your posture is unbalanced, resulting in fatigue and increased joint wear and tear.
• Tissue damage (histopathology) - (his'to-pah-thol'o-je) You have tender "trigger points" or painful spots. Ligaments, cartilage, discs, tendons and internal organs may be affected resulting in osteoarthritis or spinal degeneration.
• Overall body malfunction (pathophysiology) - (path"o-fiz"e-ol'o-je) Chronic subluxation stress causes your muscles, joints, ligaments and organs to show signs of wear and tear, premature aging, fatigue, less resistance to disease and lack of physical and mental vitality. Internal organ disease, spinal degeneration and disc herniation may occur after years of VSC damage.

The Role of the Patient

No matter what else you do for yourself—diet, exercise, meditation, etc.—your body and mind can function more effectively when there is less distortion and less tension in your spine.

There is no substitute for the Chiropractic adjustment. With precise adjustments, it is possible to restore this softness and breadth to persons of any age or condition. All bodies naturally return to a state of more ease when the blockages are removed. Healthy people have spines that are softer, supple, and have more breadth than people who are experiencing more dis-ease.

As a Chiropractic patient, your awareness of healthy choices and practicing these will create a successful balance in your life. Wellness is a choice and the process of seeking more information on how to improve your physical, emotional, spiritual, social, and environmental well-being.

Reports from diverse spiritual traditions suggest the contemplation of subtle energies accelerate one’s development, especially along the spiritual and subtle cognitive lines. There is an innate intelligence organizing the body, and it is superior to the conscious thinking mind, Chiropractic care helps you to align with the flow of this inner intelligence and ideally with the infinite wisdom infusing all matter.

The central focus of the doctor of Chiropractic is to optimize patient health by correcting, managing, or minimizing vertebral subluxation through the Chiropractic spinal adjustment. Included in the Chiropractic philosophy is the notion that the least invasive form of treatment should be utilized before more invasive forms of treatment. The body should be given a chance to heal from the natural innate processes prior to provocation from more dangerous and harmful therapies. This can ONLY be accomplished if there is an intact structural environment housing the nervous system, allowing for proper communication between organ systems. If all else fails, then allopathic remedies are justified.

All of creation is emerging from the same source; everything is interconnected and affects everything else. Healing is a process of reintegrating mind, body, and spirit. To measure whether the healing is progressing, ask: “Are you finding out more about yourself?”

Why You Should Not "Pop" Your Own Neck

 The bad news for "self-manipulators." If you are a chronic neck-popper, you are very likely stretching the ligaments which support and stabilize your neck joints. Stretched ligaments result in a condition called hypermobility in which the joints lose their natural springy end play. To someone skilled at feeling joint motion, like a chiropractor, this loss of springiness can be detected. It is sometimes jokingly referred to as “floppy disc syndrome,” although the discs in the neck are not directly affected. As the ligaments become more lax, the small muscles that connect one vertebra to the next become tight. They have to work harder to make up for the loss of stability due to the lax ligaments. This makes your neck feel tight. As the muscle tension builds and your neck becomes more and more uncomfortable, you feel the urge to manipulate your neck. CRACK! The muscles are stretched, they relax, and you feel some relief. Of course, this manipulation also stretched those already loose ligaments, and the vicious cycle starts over again.

Hypermobility can be congenital (i.e., hereditary) or acquired. Teens tend to have hypermobile spinal joints. This is normal and will usually resolve as the skeleton and supporting tissues finish growing. However, if neck cracking becomes a habit, then the problem can continue into adulthood. Clinical evidence suggests that hypermobile spinal joints become arthritic at a faster rate than normal joints. Hypermobility can also result from injuries such as whiplash, or it can be self-inflicted. Some popping in the back or neck occurs spontaneously with movement and may be normal.

Treatment: Chiropractors treat hypermobility with strengthening exercises. If the ligaments are weak and the muscles have to work harder, they will be less tense if they are stronger. Strong muscles don’t have to work as hard as weak muscles, so there is less tension. Hypermobility is also treated with spinal adjustments, a form of manipulation. Although this would seem to be contradictory, sometimes hypermobility can be a compensation for restricted or fixated joints elsewhere in the spine. The adjustments are given only to these joints, not the hypermobile ones.

Of course, the best thing to do is to STOP POPPING YOUR NECK. That’s it. Just don’t do it. Most people who “go cold turkey” will feel worse for a time. But even if no other treatment is given, you will probably feel much better after two or three weeks.

For the Busy Mom's Out There

Sometimes moms think sacrificing their own time and health for their family is just what needs to be done, when really their families would work much better with a healthier, happier mom. Plus they’ll be around longer to enjoy their family!

1. Fit in 10 minutes of exercise where you can. Park far from the store and walk quickly. If you watch TV at night, there are many strengthening exercises you can do that are really easy, including writing the alphabet with your big toe. Do it with both feet and strengthen your ankles and calves.
2. Schedule in your exercise as an appointment that cannot be rescheduled. Workout for something such as your first race or your first triathlon. Find something that interests you a few months away and start to train for it! It commits you, and makes exercising have a GOAL. You never know, you might just find a new joy!
3. Get over needing to look put together to go anywhere. If you get to work out in the morning, then have errands to run and can’t fit in a shower until later…oh well! Decide not to let your hair and makeup get in the way of what you need to do for yourself.
4. Prepare big batches of food! If you don’t like eating the same thing for a few days, freeze the portions needed for your family in your freezer during the week and use them the following week.
5. Use time management that works for you. Schedule your week so you can stay organized. Start by making a list of all the recurring tasks that happen each week like laundry, cooking, shopping, errands, exercise and bill-paying.  Those can be on set times and days, then add in the one-time tasks or events for the week. Don’t overbook and don’t take out your self -care time! Look at your week on Sundays, make sure you have everything scheduled that you need to get done-including YOUR time for exercise and self-care.