Healthy News November 2022

“To Pop or Not to Pop” is understandably a turn on an age-old Shakespearean quote for an age-old chiropractic spinal manipulation discussion point. The answer today is that it’s not a necessary measure of back pain relief via spinal manipulation treatment (SMT), but back pain and neck pain patients undergoing SMT want and need to know all they can. Present-day guidelines for managing low back pain highlight patient education and exercise as important topics of discussion. Healthcare practitioners are pretty good (72% overall) at delivering information. By profession, though, chiropractors lead in sharing patient education for 76% of patients with physical therapists at 74% and general practitioners at only 44%. The more emotional distress a patient showed or pain presented below the knee, information was shared with 78% of patients. (1) An important topic for Vancouver back pain and neck pain patients undergoing spinal manipulation treatment (SMT) is this sometimes-audible pop. A systematic review of published studies revealed that regardless of the spinal area or follow-up time after the SMT, nothing was found that showed evidence of improved pain outcomes or treatment success linked to an audible pop. (2) This is good to know since some patients have it, and some don’t. Patients whose practitioners told them about the audible pop - and others who weren’t spinal manipulation patients - reported interesting theories of what caused that sound and had overemphasized ideas of its importance. (3) Rather than the question “To pop or not to pop?” the more appropriate question for you and your Vancouver chiropractor might “Is there pain relief or not?” With our gentle chiropractic care, there is pain relief for many Vancouver back pain and neck pain sufferers. Let’s talk about all of this at your next chiropractic visit at Vancouver Disc Centers!

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Kurt Olding on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he details the gentle spinal manipulation treatment of spinal stenosis with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.

Vitamin D enjoys a favored reputation and is well- researched beyond its longer term reputation in supporting phospho-calcium metabolism and skeletal bone disorders.  Today, research has well-established vitamin D as a hormone and described vitamin D as influential for various diseases from cancer, inflammation, and autoimmunity (Hashimoto’s, Graves’, diabetes) to adrenal gland health and disease (Cushing’s, Addison’s). (4) The adrenal gland has two main parts: (A) The adrenal cortex produces cortisol which regulates the sleep/wake cycle, body’s utilization of fats/proteins/carbs, inflammation, blood pressure as well as raises blood sugar and reduces bone formation. (B) The adrenal medulla produces “stress hormones” epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) in charge of the fight or flight response. (5) Adrenal gland issues keep people awake at night…for real! Although not yet conclusive, 800-2000IU a day was proposed in one new study to support adrenal health. (6) Vancouver Disc Centers is ready to discuss vitamin D and any adrenal gland issues you may be having.  

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Make your next Vancouver chiropractic visit with Vancouver Disc Centers soon! We have so much to talk about!