September 12, 2001[Volume 2, Issue 19]

"To Your Health" is brought to you by:

This issue features a number of articles you will want to share with your family, friends and co-workers. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to them via e-mail. If you have received this e-mail newsletter from someone else, you may subscribe free of charge and begin receiving your own copy by going to:

https://www.chiroweb.com/newsletter/TYH/subscribe.php

In this issue of To Your Health:

• Helping Teens Avoid Back Pain
• Tranquilizer Users: Watch Your Step!
• Never Too Early to Check Blood Pressure
• The Power of Positive Thinking

Smoking can more than double an adolescent's risk of developing long-term low back pain, according to a recent study in the American Journal of Epidemiology. Previous research has linked chronic back pain in adults with an early onset and previous history of the problem, so preventing symptoms during the teenage years may reduce pain later.

Researchers investigated the influence of various risk factors on development of pain: high growth spurt; poor flexibility; poor abdominal strength; physical activity; work; mental health; and smoking. Five hundred and two high school students were studied over one year, and data were gathered from student questionnaires and physical measurements.

Overall, 17 percent of adolescents reported low back pain. A major growth spurt (more than two inches in six months) was the most noticeable risk factor - it tripled the odds of developing pain. But the other major contributors to developing pain were all preventable: smoking, working out, and poor flexibility in the major upper-leg muscles.

Education is a good first step to keep your teenagers from developing low back pain. Warn them about the risk factors for developing a problem, and the consequences they will face later in life. In addition, be sure they follow a few simple rules:

• Avoid smoking.
• Stretch leg muscles adequately, especially prior to working out.
• If weightlifting, be sure to follow proper techniques and don't overdo it.

Reference: Feldman DE, Shrier I, Rossignol M, et al. Risk factors for the development of low back pain in adolescence. American Journal of Epidemiology 2001: 154(1), pp. 30-36.

Additional information on back pain can be accessed on line at https://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/backpain.html.

Tranquilizer Users: Watch Your Step!

Many seniors take tranquilizers like Valium and Xanax to treat agitation and insomnia. Older patients, although making up only 13% of the population, consume about half of all prescriptions for these drugs. Despite their benefits, these drugs have been blamed for dangerous side effects, including addiction, confusion, dizziness, and hip fracture.

The authors of a study in The American Journal of Psychiatry, June 2001, sought to determine which characteristics of these drugs, also called benzodiazepines, were most likely to cause negative side effects. They examined characteristics including dosage and duration of use for over 1,200 hip fracture patients, all of whom were at least 65 years old.

Any dosage of benzodiazepines, even the modest prescription dosages suggested for older patients, increased hip fracture risk by 50%. Usage of the drugs increased hip fracture risk even more during the first two weeks of use (60% increase) and after more than one month of continued use (80% increase).

If you currently take medication for insomnia or agitation, you may want to consider alternative forms of therapy. Regular exercise - even daily walking - and good nutrition can help you stay calm and sleep better. Avoid stimulants like caffeine, sugars, and tobacco, which can make you more excitable.

Reference: Wang PS, Bohn RL, Glynn RJ, et al. Hazardous benzodiazepine regimens in the elderly: Effects of half-life, dosage, and duration on risk of hip fracture. The American Journal of Psychiatry June 2001: 158, pp. 892-898.

You can find more information about senior health issues on line at https://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/senior.html.

Never Too Early to Check Blood Pressure

We've known for years that high blood pressure, or hypertension, increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart disease and stroke. It is the most common cardiovascular condition in middle-aged and older individuals. But what are the effects of high blood pressure on young adults? A recent study in the Archives of Internal Medicine assessed the relationship between blood pressure and long-term deaths from heart and artery disease.

Researchers monitored almost 11,000 young men from age 18 to 39. Subjects with higher systolic blood pressure increased their risk of heart disease later in life by 26%; subjects with higher diastolic blood pressure showed a 17% risk increase. Higher-than-normal blood pressure was related to an increase in the death rate from cardiovascular disease as well. Some information on blood pressure:

• Systolic blood pressure (the pressure on the arteries as blood leaves the heart) is the higher number in a blood pressure reading.
• Diastolic pressure (the arterial pressure between beats, when the heart is at rest) is the lower number in a reading.
• Optimal blood pressure is less than 120/80. Borderline blood pressure is considered 130-139/ 85-89.

Exercising, not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, following a low-sodium diet, and not drinking alcohol excessively are the keys to keeping your blood pressure down at safe levels. Have your doctor monitor your blood pressure regularly. Additional information on health concerns can be accessed on line at https://www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/general.

Reference: Miura K, Daviglus ML, Dyer AR, et al. Relationship of blood pressure to 25-year mortality due to coronary heart disease, cardiovascular diseases, and all causes in young adult men. Archives of Internal Medicine, June 25, 2001: 161(12), pp. 1501-1508.

The Power of Positive Thinking

For years, we've heard that psychological factors may profoundly affect the results of treatment for an illness. Consider the stories of "miracle cures" by terminal cancer patients who kept their spirits up and maintained that "never say die" attitude throughout treatment.

A recent study in the journal Spine suggests that pessimistic thinkers may have trouble recovering from low back pain. The authors examined the relationship between patient expectations of treatment benefits and treatment outcomes. One hundred thirty-five patients with chronic LBP were divided into either a massage or an acupuncture treatment group. Prior to the study, patients rated how helpful they expected their treatment to be on a scale from 0-10 (10 being extremely helpful). Following 10 weeks of treatment, the functional ability of each patient was determined using a disability scale.

Participants with higher expectations for their treatment experienced less pain in 86 % of cases, while patients with low expectations only improved in 68 % of cases. Odds of improvement were five times greater for the high-expectation group than the low-expectation group after adjusting for other factors, such as physical health, age, education, etc. Patients who expected benefit from one treatment, as opposed to the other, improved more from that particular treatment.

Don't let an illness or health concern get you down! As this evidence suggests, attitude may influence your recovery as much as the actual treatment you receive. Try to be optimistic the next time you receive treatment for any illness, and talk to your doctor about the best way to stay healthy and happy for a lifetime.

Reference: Kalauokalani D, Cherkin DC, Sherman KJ, et al. Lessons from a trial of acupuncture and massage for low back pain: Patient expectations and treatment effects. Spine, July 1, 2001:26(13), pp. 1418-1424

This newsletter conforms to the requirements set by Bill S 1618 Title III, passed by the 105th U.S. Congress.

If you wish to unsubscribe from this newsletter, you may remove your name from our e-mail subscription list by sending a message to: NewsletterAdmin@MPAmedia.com. Please include the word remove in the subject, your email address, your name, and the newsletter you no longer wish to receive.