May 31, 2005 [Volume 6, Issue 12]

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In this issue of To Your Health:

• Back Surgery May Be Worse Than No Surgery
• Warning: Acetaminophen May Cause Respiratory Problems
• Soft Drinks Increase Weight, Linked to Type 2 Diabetes

Are you considering surgery for your back pain? Before you do, consider this: Research shows that many patients who undergo surgery for lower back pain often have subsequent surgeries for the same condition due to the failure of the initial procedure, which can contribute to further patient disability. Researchers sought to examine whether such patients had poorer general health than those with no history of spine surgery.

The study examined more than 18,000 patients with back pain enrolled at first visit in the National Spine Network (NSN) database from January 1998 through April 2000. Of those patients, 3,632 had a history of low back surgery. Data were derived from a first-visit questionnaire and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), both of which were completed by all patients when first evaluated for back pain.

Results showed that patients with a history of lumbar spine surgery fared significantly worse on areas such as physical functioning, general health and mental health compared to those patients with no prior history of spine surgery. "Previous back surgery is associated with significantly worse general health status than those without surgery among patients with low back pain..." the researchers wrote, further noting that "active rehabilitation intervention strategies designed to improve physical and mental well-being should be promoted, as they could have an impact on enhancing positive health outcomes."

If you suffer from low back pain -- or any kind of pain, for that matter -- think twice before considering surgery. Instead, consult your doctor of chiropractic for a treatment plan that will not only help reduce your pain but preserve your general health for the long term. To learn more about the benefits of chiropractic, visit www.chiroweb.com/find.

Hee HT, Whitecloud III TS, Myers L. The effect of previous low back surgery on general health status. Spine, Sept. 1, 2004;29(17):1931-7.

Acetaminophen is a common pain reliever found in many popular over-the-counter drugs, including Tylenol, Anacin-3, and many popular children's cold and flu medications. Previous studies have shown a correlation between acetaminophen intake and an increase in asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Researchers investigated the relationship between analgesic use (i.e., acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen) and the prevalence of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung functioning in adults, via a cross-sectional analysis.

Study participants were divided into categories based on their self-reported smoking history, classified as never smokers, ex-smokers and current smokers; lifetime cigarette consumption was quantified in pack-years. Then, participants were classified based on their analgesic use as never users; occasional users (1-5 times in the past month); regular users (6-29 times in the past month); and daily users (more than 29 times in the past month).

Results: Among the participants, 6.9% had asthma, 11.8% had COPD, and 2.8% had both diseases. Ultimately, researchers concluded that the "study results are consistent with previous research demonstrating a positive association between acetaminophen use and prevalence of asthma. We also investigated the relation of acetaminophen with the prevalence of COPD and found a significant dose-response relation, which was of about the same magnitude as the association for asthma. Increased use of acetaminophen also was associated with decreased lung function, although this effect was seen only in participants reporting daily (or greater) use of acetaminophen."

If nothing else, this study should serve as a warning to limit your use of acetaminophen and other over-the-counter analgesics containing acetaminophen. If you currently take analgesics for pain relief, remember that regular chiropractic care is a noninvasive, healthy alternative to drugs. For more information on general health, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/general.

McKeever TM, Lewis SA, Smit HA, et al. The association of acetaminophen, aspirin, and ibuprofen with respiratory disease and lung function. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 2005;171:966-971.

The incidence of diabetes has risen sharply in the past several decades, paralleling the obesity epidemic. At the same time, soft drink consumption has seen a 61 percent increase in adults from 1977-97, and a 100 percent increase in children from 1977-78 to 1994-98. Researchers believe that in addition to contributing to obesity, sugar-sweetened soft drinks may increase diabetes risk by raising blood glucose levels due to their high concentration of high-fructose corn syrup.

Researchers performed separate analyses of diabetes and weight change on women participating in the Nurses’ Health Study II between 1991-1999. Women in the diabetes analysis were free of diabetes and other major chronic diseases at baseline. Anyone reporting a diagnosis of diabetes on a biennial questionnaire was sent a second questionnaire asking about diagnosis and treatment for the condition, and to distinguish between type 1 and type 2. Women in the weight change analysis were evaluated at baseline and in 1995 and 1999, providing complete dietary information, including soft drink consumption and weight.

Results: Women who reported an increased intake of sugar-sweetened soft drinks between 1991 and 1999 had significantly larger increases in weight and body mass index (BMI) than women who maintained their intake or who substantially decreased their intake. Greater soft drink consumption over that time period was also strongly associated with a progressively higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The association of soft-drink consumption to diabetes was significant even when weight gain and increases in BMI were taken into account.

According to the authors, higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages may increase the risk for type 2 diabetes by providing excessive calories and large amounts of rapidly absorbable sugars. The researchers also recommend that "public health strategies to prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes should focus on reducing sugar-sweetened beverage consumption."

Ditch the soda pop! To quench your thirst, try a glass of iced water with a slice of lemon or lime instead. And for more nutrition information, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/nutrition.

Schulze MB, Manson JE, Ludwig DS, et al. Sugar-sweetened beverages, weight gain, and incidence of type 2 diabetes in young and middle-aged women. Journal of the American Medical Association, Aug. 25, 2004;292(8):927-34.

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