May 20, 2003 [Volume 4, Issue 11]
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In this issue of To Your Health:
Take a Crack at Chiropractic
The
spine and adjacent tissues are pivotal in nearly all major bodily movements.
So when back or neck pain strike the one-third of adults who suffer from
one or both condition(s) every year, the impact can be enormous. In fact,
back pain is the second most common reason people visit physicians in
the U.S., with neck pain close behind.
Because of the blossoming use of complementary and alternative therapies, a study appearing recently in the journal Spine assessed the prevalence of use of different forms of therapy for back and neck pain. The national telephone survey of over 2,000 randomly selected Americans asked a series of questions on whether or not each respondent suffered from any forms of back or neck pain the previous year, and if so, what type of treatment he or she sought.
Chiropractic was the most-used complementary therapy in this study, with 20% of back or neck pain sufferers seeking chiropractic care; Overall, complementary medicine was used far more than conventional medicine (54% vs. 37%, respectively). Perhaps more importantly, chiropractic was considered more helpful than conventional medicine. Over 60% of sufferers considered chiropractic "very helpful" for treating back and neck pain, compared to 27% for conventional providers.
The authors of this study estimate that 628 million visits were made to complementary therapy providers in 1997, a number that increases every year, and that a third of these visits were specifically for back or neck pain. A multitude of studies have shown that chiropractic and other so-called alternative therapies, such as massage, are highly effective for musculoskeletal pain. Isn't it time you gave them a try?
Reference: Wolsko PM, Eisenberg DM, et al. Patterns and perceptions of care for treatment of back and neck pain: Results of a national survey. Spine 2003:28(3), pp. 292-298.
Check out https://www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/musculoskeletal for more studies on back and neck pain.
To Eat or Not to Eat?
Mercury is a dangerous heavy metal that can damage the brain and kidneys if ingested. Women who are or may become pregnant are especially encouraged to avoid eating foods that may contain mercury, namely larger fishes. Recent evidence in The New England Journal of Medicine suggests that people in general should avoid some fishes high in mercury, because they may also increase the risk for cardiovascular disease, thus eliminating the protective effects of the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish.
A study conducted in eight European nations and Israel was designed to find out how mercury levels in the body affect risk for cardiovascular disease and to see if high mercury levels can eliminate the heart-protective effect of eating fish. Researchers measured toenail mercury levels in approximately 700 men who had suffered a heart attack, and another 700 who had not. They also measured levels of the healthy omega-3 acid DHA, provided by fish and fish oil, in these men.
Mercury levels in men who had suffered heart attacks were 15% higher than in men who had not; the odds for a heart attack were twice as high in men with the highest mercury levels as in men with the lowest levels. Conversely, higher DHA levels were linked to a reduced risk for a heart attack, as previous studies have shown.
So, the question regarding fish consumption is, to eat or not to eat? If you are eating fishes high in mercury, you are probably negating the positive effects that could otherwise be obtained from them. Fish to be avoided, in order of higher to lower mercury levels, include tilefish, swordfish, mackerel and shark. Most smaller fishes and shellfish have low mercury concentrations, and are safe to eat.
Reference: Guallar E, Sanz-Gallardo MI, et al. Mercury, fish oils, and the risk of myocardial infarction. The New England Journal of Medicine 2002:347(22), pp. 1747-1754.
Interested in nutrition? Go to https://www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/nutrition.
On the Lookout for Strokes
The primary reason most stroke victims receive inadequate immediate treatment is the inability of the sufferer or bystanders to recognize the symptoms of a stroke in progress. Public knowledge of stroke warning signs has traditionally been poor, with only about half of all people able to name even one stroke warning sign correctly. How many can you name?
A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association assessed public knowledge of stroke warning signs and preventable risk factors in 2000, and compared it with figures compiled from the same area around Cincinnati, Ohio, recorded five years earlier. Nearly 2,200 individuals completed the survey.
The good news first: The number of people who could correctly name at least one stroke warning sign increased significantly between 1995 and 2000, from 57% to 70%. About the same percentage correctly identified one or more risk factors in both surveys, although there was a slight increase (68% to 72%) over five years.
Now the bad news: 30% of people still can't identify even one stroke warning sign. Also, individuals with the highest risk of stroke (those over age 75, blacks and men) appear to be the least likely to know the warning signs or risk factors for one. After reading this, you'll have no excuse: Other risk factors that increase your chances for a stroke include high blood pressure; smoking; diabetes; heart disease; and heavy alcohol consumption. Also, below is a list of warning signs that, if occurring suddenly, may indicate a stroke in progress:
- numbness or weakness in the arms, legs or face, especially on one side of the body;
- confusion or trouble speaking;
- difficulty seeing;
- problems with walking or balance due to dizziness or sudden loss of coordination; or
- severe headache.
Reference: Schneider AT, Pancioli AM, et al. Trends in community knowledge of the warning signs and risk factors for stroke. Journal of the American Medical Association 2003:289(3), pp. 343-346.
For more on senior health, go to https://www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/senior.
Stressed to Death?
Stressed out at work? Many of us are, but did you know that besides raw nerves, stress can lead to cardiovascular disease? A recent study in the British Medical Journal highlighted the importance of being relaxed at, and satisfied with, your work environment.
To determine the possible link between work stress and risk of death from cardiovascular disease, approximately 800 employees at factories in Finland were evaluated for job strains, salaries and job demands in 1973, and followed for the next 25 years to record deaths from cardiovascular disease. Participants' jobs ranged from heavy foundry work and precision engineering positions to clerical and administrative jobs.
Employees with high job strain, based on responses to a questionnaire designed to evaluate job pressures, were more than twice as likely to die from cardiovascular disease as those with low job strain. Also, employees who felt they had a lower salary or fewer career opportunities relative to the amount of effort they put into their work were approximately 2.5 times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease. Those with high job strain had significantly increased blood cholesterol levels as well.
Cardiovascular disease is the number-one cause of death today. This study shows that having a low-stress job is one way to help prevent it. In addition to promoting your cardiovascular health through not smoking; drinking alcohol only in moderation; eating a low-fat diet; and exercising, tackling other major sources of stress in your life may also need to be addressed. Talk to your doctor of chiropractic about various forms of stress reduction.
Reference: Kivimäki M, Leino-Arjas P, et al. Work stress and risk of cardiovascular mortality: Prospective cohort study of industrial employees. British Medical Journal 2002:325, pp. 857-861.
General health information like this is available at https://www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/general.
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