To Your HealthTYH Archives

April 9, 2002 [Volume 3, Issue 8]

 

To Your Health is brought to you by:

ChiroFind


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:

Well-Adjusted

Studies have shown that chiropractic patients tend to be more pleased with their care than patients of medical doctors. The odds are good that you are one of the many people who are highly satisfied with their doctor of chiropractic (DC) and their level of treatment.

Yet another study points out the high level of patient approval regarding chiropractic care. In the study, published in the Journal of the Neuromusculoskeletal System, researchers examined aspects of clinical care in chiropractic practices and determined patient satisfaction with treatment. One hundred seventy-two DCs and nearly 3,000 of their adult patients who had sought treatment at least once previously completed questionnaires during a visit. The data obtained on patient satisfaction are listed below:

  • 88% of patients felt their DC always respected their opinion (9% responded "usually");


  • 85% said their DC always listened to them carefully and explained treatment clearly (12% responded "usually");


  • 82% said their DC never recommended an excessive number of visits (11% responded "sometimes"); and


  • 76% claimed their DC involved them in decisions "as much as they wanted" (19% responded "usually").

Clearly, most chiropractic patients are happy with their level of care. You have every reason to be satisfied with your DC and the treatment he or she provides. If you aren't experiencing a high level of care, be sure to seek out a DC that is right for you, and if you are happy, be sure to recommend your DC to family and friends. If you need to locate a chiropractor in your area, go to https://www.chiroweb.com/locator.

Reference: Hawk C, Long CR, Boulanger KT. Patient satisfaction with the chiropractic clinical encounter: Report from a practice-based research program. Journal of the Neuromusculoskeletal System 2001:9(4), pp. 109-117.

Smoking Increases Diabetes Risk in Offspring

A pregnant mother's diet and lifestyle wield a powerful influence over the growth of the baby inside her. Many complications and birth defects can result from poor maternal decisions during pregnancy. A mother's smoking during pregnancy is suspected to increase the odds of her child developing diabetes later in life.

The authors of a recent study in the British Medical Journal determined the number of cigarettes mothers had smoked during pregnancy. Mothers of 15,000 people were classified as nonsmokers; medium smokers (1-9 cigarettes per day); heavy smokers (10 or more cigarettes per day); or smokers varying between medium and heavy. The children were all assessed for the presence of type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes 33 years later.

Heavy maternal smoking was linked to a nearly fivefold increase in early-onset type 2 diabetes. In addition, women who smoked heavily during pregnancy were far more likely to have children who would later develop diabetes than women who smoked less. Obesity and smoking by the children themselves also increased the risk for type 2 diabetes.

Smoking during pregnancy can increase the risk for other problems, such as low birth weight, miscarriage, and sudden infant death syndrome. If you smoke, quit before deciding to have children. And if you are already a pregnant smoker, consider the risks you place on your unborn child and try to quit immediately.

Reference: Montgomery SM, Ekbom A. Smoking during pregnancy and diabetes mellitus in a British longitudinal birth cohort. British Medical Journal 2002:324, pp. 26-27.

To learn about more of the dangers of smoking, go to https://www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/general/smoking/index.html.

Eligibility for Cholesterol Drugs Skyrockets under New Guidelines

The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) reports provide recommendations for the management of LDL ("bad") cholesterol using cholesterol-lowering drugs in patients at higher risk for heart disease. The report guidelines consider factors such as cholesterol levels, age, family history, high blood pressure, and presence of diabetes. The third and most recent report by the program redefines guidelines for eligibility for cholesterol drugs based on "bad" cholesterol levels and other factors.

A study in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association determined the possible impact of the revised recommendations on Americans, using a sample of almost 14,000 people. These individuals, who all had some cardiovascular risk factors, were assessed for eligibility for cholesterol drugs under the previous program guidelines, as well as the new guidelines. The revised guidelines suggest that people with much lower LDL cholesterol levels can receive drug treatments.

Under the new guidelines, almost two-and-a-half times as many Americans are eligible for drug treatment for high cholesterol and heart-disease risk. Approximately 15 million individuals were eligible for cholesterol drugs under the previous guidelines, but 36 million will now be eligible. The estimated increases in eligibility by category include a 200% increase for all those under age 45 and a 150% increase among men.

The long-term side effects of cholesterol drugs are largely unknown, especially in younger patients. If you have high cholesterol, talk to your doctor of chiropractic about conservative treatment approaches instead of taking drugs, especially if you are younger and have only marginally high cholesterol.

Reference: Fedder DO, Koro CE, L'Italien GJ. New National Cholesterol Education Program III Guidelines for primary prevention lipid-lowering drug therapy: Projected impact on the size, sex, and age distribution of the treatment-eligible population. Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association 2002:105, pp. 152-156.

For information on the dangers of drugs, go to https://www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/general/drugs/index.html.

All in a Night's Work

It is natural to assume that physical strain will cause the most physical damage to our bodies - yet when dealing with back pain, many other social and psychological factors may influence spinal degeneration and pain more than physical forces. A recent study in the journal Spine shows that spinal disc degeneration may not be as closely related to heavy lifting and straining of the back as other factors.

The study investigated multiple predictors of disc deterioration, and a possible link between degeneration and low back pain. Twenty- to 50-year-old individuals were examined using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) initially and five years later to determine disc degeneration. People with no degeneration were used for comparison.

Regular heavy lifting was not a reliable predictor of spinal disc degeneration, as one might expect. Factors that were significantly linked to disc degeneration were as follows: night shift work (increased risk by a staggering 23 times); initial disc degeneration at the start of the study (increased risk 13 times); and lack of sports participation. Interestingly, although 41% of the people studied developed disc degeneration over the five-year period, the relation between disc degeneration and low back pain was insignificant.

No other factors were significant predictors of disc degeneration. This study suggests that environmental and psychological factors may influence disc degeneration more than occupational risk factors, such as heavy lifting and regular twisting and bending. This information also suggests that you should avoid night-shift work: It can cause multiple health problems, because it forces the body to fight its natural rhythms. To find out more about degenerated or herniated discs, go to https://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/disc.html.

Reference: Elfering A, Semmer N, Birkhofer D, et al. Young Investigator Award 2001 Winner: Risk factors for lumbar disc degeneration: A 5-year prospective MRI study in asymptomatic individuals. Spine 2002:27(2), pp. 125-134.

This edition of the To Your Health newsletter is co-sponsored by:


Thank you for subscribing to To Your Health. If you have received this newsletter in error or wish to unsubscribe, you may remove your name from our e-mail subscription list at https://www.chiroweb.com/newsletter/TYH/unsubscribe.php.

Visit Dynamic Chiropractic's "Ask a Doctor of Chiropractic" forum at https://www.chiroweb.com/find/ask.html, where 15 doctors of chiropractic are waiting to answer any of your health questions.

If you have any questions regarding your subscription, please complete this form at https://www.chiroweb.com/newsletterhelp/TYH.

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

To report inappropriate ads,