May 16, 2006 [Volume 7, Issue 11]

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In this issue of To Your Health:

• Relieving Back Pain the Natural Way
• Low-Intensity Exercises = More Weight Loss
• More Evidence Why You Should Buckle Up

Back pain is the leading reason people seek out the services of a doctor of chiropractic for care. While spinal adjustments are the most popular method chiropractors use to treat back pain, they are by no means the only method. A review published by The Cochrane Collaboration has found that three herbs - devil's claw, white willow bark and cayenne - also are effective in treating low back pain, and that in some instances, they work just as well as prescription drugs.

In the review, scientists examined 10 other studies involving more than 1,500 people who suffered from acute, subacute or chronic low back pain. The review showed "strong evidence" that a 60 milligram daily dose of devil's claw was more effective than a placebo in the relief of back pain, and appeared to reduce back pain as much as a 12.5-milligram dose of Vioxx, a painkiller that was recently taken off of the market due to a number of adverse side-effects. A 240 milligram daily dose of white willow bark also had the same effect as a 12.5 milligram dose of Vioxx. Cayenne, which was tested as a type of plaster applied to the skin, reduced pain more than a placebo, and was just as effective as Spiroflor, a popular homeopathic gel.

Of course, it's important to note that while these herbs appear to be effective in treating back pain, they are not entirely without some side-effects of their own, at least in certain circumstances. Devil's claw, for instance, may cause an upset stomach, while white willow bark can reduce the effectiveness of blood-thinning medications. As such, people who are taking blood thinners or are sensitive to certain herbs may want to seek out other natural forms of back pain relief -- such as an adjustment from their chiropractor! For more information on what your chiropractor can do to help relieve back pain, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/tellmeabout/backpain.html.

Gagnier JJ, van Tulder M, Berman B, et al. Herbal medicine for low back pain. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2006, Issue 2. Article #CD004504. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004504.pub3.

Despite what those late-night infomercial gurus might tell you, there's no magic formula to losing weight; essentially, it comes down to burning more calories each day than you take in. One of the easiest ways to burn calories is to participate in regular exercise. What hasn't been entirely figured out, though, is the role the intensity of exercise plays in weight loss. If exercise for short (but intense) periods of time, will you lose more weight than people who work out longer, but not as hard?

To try and answer this question, researchers assigned 14 women to participate in a three-month exercise program. One group exercised on a treadmill four times per week at a moderate pace, while a second group also exercised on a treadmill four times per week, but at a more vigorous pace. The researchers set the duration of the workouts so that each woman would burn a total of 370 calories each exercise session, regardless of group assignment.

After three months, women in both groups had lost weight, but the women in the lower-intensity group lost more weight (about 7 pounds per person) compared to women in the high-intensity group (4 pounds per person). Another interesting finding was that while the amount of fat-free mass in the low-intensity exercise group decreased slightly (approximately 0.5 pounds per person), it increased by nearly 1 pound per person in the high-intensity group. According to the researchers, this indicates that while high-intensity exercise may not necessarily aid in weight loss, it may cause muscle fibers to grow.

The bottom line? If you want to receive the greatest benefits of health and fitness, you need to mix up your exercise routines - endurance exercises one day, cardiovascular exercises another day, and strength training the next. Talk to your chiropractor about creating an exercise plan that you're comfortable with; one that will help provide the health benefits you're looking for. For more information, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/sports.

Mougios V, Kazaki M, Christoulas K, et al. Does the intensity of an exercise programme modulate body composition changes? International Journal of Sports Medicine March 2006;27(3):178-181.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people between the ages of 2 and 33. Despite the risks involved with driving, many people continue to drive without wearing a seatbelt or other type of restraint. A new study presents some frightening statistics on what could happen if you're not wearing a seatbelt when an accident occurs.

The authors looked at data on more than 23,000 car accident patients (all age 16 or older) from the state of Wisconsin who were brought to the emergency room for care in 2002, including approximately 5,300 people who were not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident. Review of all of the patient records found that, compared to passengers and drivers who had their seatbelt fastened, unbelted occupants:

• were three times more likely to die in the hospital as a result of their injuries;
• accounted for 68 percent of all car accident victims who died in the ER;
• were up to 3.9 times more likely to suffer a severe injury to the head, face, thorax, abdomen or lower extremities;
• were more than four times as likely to have been drinking before the accident.

As the results of this study show, wearing a seatbelt is one of the easiest things you can do to avoid being severely injured or killed in an automobile accident. In addition, while it's not mandatory in every state, 21 states already have what are called "primary enforcement" seatbelt laws on the books, meaning that the police can pull a driver over simply for not wearing a seatbelt. So, buckle up and drive safe! For more information, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/general/consumer.

Allen S, Zhu S, Sauter C, et al. A comprehensive statewide analysis of seatbelt non-use with injury and hospital admissions: new data, old problem. Academic Emergency Medicine March 2006;13(3):427-434.

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