Disc Problems, Back Surgery and Chiropractic

As we all age, our discs may lose fluid and small cracks or lesions may form in the outer walls.  Spinal discs are the flexible, gel-like pads between your spinal bones (vertebrae) that give your spine it’s curves and flexibility.  Discs affect your height too – you are about 1/4″ – 1/2″ taller when you wake up than when you go to sleep due to the effects gravity has your spine.

This damage may be caused or accelerated by the vertebral subluxation complex, a spinal distortion chiropractors correct.  Your disc may bulge, irritate nerves and cause a lot of pain and discomfort.  In severe cases disc damage may affect sitting, standing, walking or lifting and cause pain when urinating, defecating, sneezing and coughing.

Is Back Surgery Effective?

Back surgery for herniation should only be attempted as a last resort.  Back surgery is a dangerous procedure with a high failure rate.  In many people the disc is not causing the pain; many people have disc degeneration with no symptoms.

The Chiropractic Record

For many years chiropractic has been able to save people from spinal surgery.  There are reports of an MRI or other imaging device revealing a disc herniation or protrusion in the neck or low back which has been reduced or completely reabsorbed under chiropractic care.  Had they not sought out chiropractic, many of these individuals undoubtedly would have had surgery.

How To Prevent Disc Problems

Why wait until a disc becomes “hot” before exploring chiropractic care?  Chiropractic has been a blessing to many sufferers of spine and disc problems, however it’s not a “treatment” for conditions, however it is care for your entire body.  Chiropractic care may help prevent your spine from deterioration and herniation.

Let Dr. Dreessen or Dr. Gilmore of Back To Action Chiropractic perform a simple chiropractic spinal checkup that may discover problems and prevent future operations.  You get your eyes, teeth and blood pressure checked, why not your spine?

November is American Diabetes Month

November is American Diabetes Month, a time to communicate the seriousness of diabetes and the importance of diabetes prevention and control.  For years, the American Diabetes Association has used this month as an opportunity to raise awareness of the disease and its serious complications.

With nearly 24 million children and adults in the United States living with diabetes, and an additional 57 million Americans at risk, simple awareness will no longer suffice.  One out of every three children born today will face a future with diabetes if current trends continue  Diabetes is not merely a condition.  It is an epidemic disease.

The Toll on Health

- The death rate from diabetes continues to climb.  Since 1987, the death rate due to diabetes has increased by 45%, while the death rates due to cancer, heart disease, and stroke have declined.

- About 60-70% of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of nerve damage that could result in pain in the feet or hands, slowed digestion, sexual dysfunction, and other nerve problems.

- The rate of amputation for people with diabetes is 10 times higher than for people without diabetes.

- Two out of three people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke.

- Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults.

- Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure.

Cost of Diabetes

– The total national cost of diagnosed diabetes in the US is $174 billion.  Direct medical costs reach $116 billion, and the average medical expenditure among people with diabetes is 2.3 times higher than those without disease.  Indirect costs amount to $58 billion (disability, work loss, premature mortality).

- The cost of caring for someone with diabetes is $1 out of every $5 in total healthcare costs.

For more information visit:  www.diabetes.org

Also, please follow on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/AmericanDiabetesAssociation

www.backtoaction.com

Sports and Chiropractic

Chiropractic can give your athletic endeavors an edge, improve your athletic ability by helping to keep you healthy and in top form and by keeping minor injuries from becoming major ones.

That’s why chiropractic has been used by champions:  LaDamian Tomlinson and Jerry Rice of the NFL, Tiger Woods of the PGA,  Lance Armstrong – world class cyclist, Ken Norton and Evander Holyfield of boxing and John McEnroe and Martina Navrratilova of tennis.  In all of these sports, chiropractors help keep the athlete on the field and help stop minor injuries without the use of drugs and surgery.

Better Reaction Time & Co-ordination

Athletes under chiropractic care were compared with a control group that received no care for agility, balance, power, speed reaction and hand reaction time.

After six weeks, the chiropractic group had a 10.7% improvement while the control group had a 4.5% improvement.  After 12 weeks, the chiropractic group’s improvement was 16.7%!  “The chiropractic athlete reacts faster, coordinates better, executes fine movements with improved accuracy and precision, amounting to an overall better athlete.”

Many amateur and professional athletes wouldn’t dream of competing without first getting a chiropractic spinal checkup.

Severe Trauma?
Athletes who are in trauma need chiropractic.  The orthodox medical profession specializes int eh management of fractures, torn flesh, ripped tendons, dislocations, blood and fluid loss, and other emergency attention.  However, victims of trauma leave the hospital with serious spinal subluxations from their accidents because M.D.’s are not trained to locate and correct this form of spinal damage.  This is the real of chiropractic care.

What Chiropractic Does

At Back To Action Chiropractic, Drs. Dreessen and Gilmore balance your spinal column and relieve stress on your muscles, ligaments, tendons and nerves.  Sports injuries nearly always jar and misalign your spine and structures near it.  A trauma to anywhere in the body can damage your spine – a blow to the ribs, legs, feet, head, shoulder or torso can radiate to it.  If you play any sport you should receive a chiropractic spinal check-up to ensure that your spine is balanced and free from misaligned vertetrae causing “pinched” nerves (spinal subluxations).

To schedule an appointment for you free chiropractic check-up, call (425) 670-2600 or schedule online here.

Car accident season is here…Chiropractic is the solution!

It’s officially fall in the Pacific Northwest, which means rain, wind and increased darkness.  All of these factors can make driving more difficult and challenging and accidents unavoidable.  Much of the pain and suffering resulting from traumatic injuries may, in many cases, be avoided with chiropractic care.

Every trauma has the potential to cause vertebral subluxations – an area of abnormal stress in your spine that upsets body balance, impinges, “pinches”, stretches or compresses your nerves, and affects the health of your muscles, internal organs, discs, bones and brain.  A subluxation can cause pain, organ or system malfunction.

Chiropractic is a system of healthcare that specializes in correcting vertebral subluxations.  At Back To Action, Drs. Dreessen and Gilmore, correct the subluxations using safe, gentle, spinal “adjustment” techniques.

There may have been no broken bones or serious bleeding, but there was spinal damage.  The medical doctors may have said you were fine, but MD’s do not know how to analyze the spinal column for subluxations nor do they know how to correct them.  Millions of people leave emergency rooms unaware that they are carrying around hidden spinal distortions that can cause severe health problems at a later date.  Many people leave the emergency room with as much spinal damage as when they entered it.  For that reason chiropractors belong in every emergency room in the country.

Anyone who has either been in an accident or suffered trauma, whether mild or serious and no matter how long ago, should see a chiropractor to have their spinal column checked for nerve pressure caused by vertebral subluxations.  A chiropractic adjustment given by either Dr. Dreessen or Dr. Gilmore can make the difference between life and death, between life with pain, disability and sickness and life with full recovery, activity and health.

To schedule a consultation with the Doctors of Back To Action Chiropractic, please call (425) 670-2600 or schedule here.

Shocking flu facts…

It’s that time of the year again – Flu season. As we stuff our faces and enjoy the holiday parties, an estimated 15 million people will get the flu this month. Below are some intriguing Flu Facts that I bet you didn’t know until you read them here…

• The annual flu season actually begins in October and continues until May. Every year, between 5 percent and 20 percent of the U.S. population gets the flu. That means as many as 60 million get sick from the flu every year. Seasonal flu results in more than 200,000 hospitalizations and about 36,000 deaths annually.
• The media and some medical organizations recommend the flu vaccine for children under two years old and all adults over 50. However some health experts are screaming, “Don’t fall for it!” There are lingering questions about the effectiveness of the flu vaccination such as…

Those most at risk of flu complications probably share a higher risk of adverse reactions to the flu vaccine as well.

Flu vaccine is relatively ineffective in those patients most at risk of flu complications.

The vaccine has caused Guillan Barre Syndrome in recipients during several different flu seasons.

How can I fight the flu with nutritional supplements? The following supplements have the most research to back up their effectiveness in fighting the flu: Vitamin C, Zinc, and Selenium. The white blood cells are your immune system’s first line of defense against viruses, bacteria and other harmful organisms. These three supplements can aid in white cell production and activation. Finally, I read that one expert believes that sugar suppresses the function of these cells by 50% for several hours. Carefully limiting your sugar intake during the holidays could be very beneficial. If you have any questions, just ask! And don’t forget the power of chiropractic so boost your immune system during flu season.

The danger of “empty calories”

The term “empty calories” refers to a group of foods that provide little to no nutritional value, yet still have calories in them.  That makes the term a bit deceiving, because the calories in these types of foods are actually anything but “empty”.  A typical selection of empty-calorie foods includes cakes, pies, beer, soft drinks, candy, french fries and many processed snacks.

Since you must get the 40 essential nutrients to maintain optimal health, your body needs you to take in a certain amount of calories each day.  However, if you eat more calories than your body can use, you will gain weight and may inherit all the well-known consequences that go along with obesity.

How to Eliminate Empty Calories From Your Diet :

1)  Go slow – slowly switch from consumption of empty calories to eating more nutrient-dense foods.

2)  Be smart when it comes to the food you eat – gradually eliminate all foods made from high levels of sugar and white flower.

3)  Your best friends are fruits are vegetables – fruits and vegetables are true miracle foods. Buy pre-cut fruits and vegetables.  Eat fruits and vegetables at every meal.  Keep fruits and vegetables at eye level in the refrigerator or on the counter.  Skip the potatoes.

4)  Replace soft drinks with water.

5)  Read all food labels very carefully.

6)  Breakfast calories are the most important – research shows that eating breakfast, particularly if it contains some protein, can hold off hunger for hours.

Top 8 Healthy Foods – Salmon, Blueberries, Broccoli, Red Beans, Almonds, Spinach, Apples and Sweet Potatoes.

A great way to supplement your fruit and vegetable intake is by using our product GreensFirst available on our website or at our clinic.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

While October is recognized as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the
www.NBCAM.org Web site is a year-round resource for breast cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and the general public. We encourage you to visit our site in October and regularly throughout the year as we add updated breast cancer information and resources.

Q: What is breast cancer?
A: Breast cancer is cancer that forms in tissues of the breast, usually the ducts (tubes that
carry milk to the nipple) and lobules (glands that make milk). It occurs in both men and
women, although male breast cancer is rare.

Q: How many new cases of breast cancer were estimated in the United States in
2008?
A: According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), an estimated 182,460 new cases of
invasive breast cancer were expected to be diagnosed among women in the United States
last year. Approximately 1,990 new cases were expected in men. The ACS also reports
that an estimated 40,930 breast cancer deaths were expected in 2008 (40,480 women, 450
men).

Q: How common is breast cancer in the United States?
A: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, aside from skin cancer.

Q: Is mammography reliable as a screening tool for breast cancer?
A: Mammography screening remains the best available method to detect breast cancer
early. In 1992, the U.S. Congress passed the Mammography Quality Standards Act to
ensure that mammography facilities throughout the country are of high quality and reliable.
To lawfully perform mammography, each facility must prominently display a certificate
issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  For more information about mammography screening, please refer to the American Cancer Society’s website at:  www.cancer.org

Of course, employing chiropractic in your wellness regiment will help promote health and well being.

October is National Chiropractic Month

National Chiropractic Month is a nationwide campaign held each October.  This year’s activities will focus on headache treatment.  Nine out of ten Americans suffer from headaches.  Some are occasional, some frequent, some are dull and throbbing and some cause debilitating pain and nausea.  Chiropractic has been proven to be an effective treatment for several types of headaches including tension headaches and headaches that originate in the neck.

A report released in 2001 by researchers at the Duke University Evidence-Based Practice Center in Durham, NC, found that spinal manipulation resulted in almost immediate improvement for those headaches that originate in the neck, and had significantly fewer side effects and longer-lasting relief of tension-type headache than a commonly prescribed medication.

“The greatest majority of primary headaches are associated with muscle tension in the neck,” says Dr. Jerry Dreessen, DC, from Back To Action.  “Today, Americans engage in more sedentary activities than they used to, and more hours are spent in one fixed position or posture.  This can increase joint irritation and muscle tension in the neck, upper back and scalp, causing your head to ache.”

What You Can Do?

1)  If you spend a large amount of time in one fixed position, such as in front of a computer, on a sewing machine, typing or reading, take a break every 30 minutes to one hour.  The stretches should take your head and neck through comfortable range of motion.

2)  Low-impact exercise may help relieve the pain associated with primary headaches.  However, if you are prone to dull, throbbing headaches, avoid heavy exercise.  Engage in such activities as walking and low-impact aerobics.

3)  Avoid teeth clenching.  The upper teeth should never touch the lowers, except when swallowing.  The results in stress at the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) – the two joints that connect your jaw to your skull – leading to TMJ irritation and a form of tension headaches.

4)  Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day to help avoid dehydration, which lead to headaches.

What Can a Doctor Of Chiropractic Do?

Dr. Jerry Dreessen and Dr. Jason Gilmore of Back To Action can do one or more of the following if you suffer from a primary headache:

- Perform spinal manipulation or chiropractic adjustments to improve spinal function and alleviate the stress on your system.

-  Provide nutritional advice, recommending a change in diet and perhaps the addition of B complex vitamins.

-  Offer advice on posture, ergonomics (work postures), exercises and relaxation techniques.  This advice should help to relieve the recurring joint irritation and tension in the muscles of the neck and upper back.

Doctors of chiropractic are trained and licensed to examine and treat the entire body with specific emphasis on the nervous and musculoskeletal systems.  They can also help people lead healthier lives focusing on wellness and prevention.  Feel free to talk or schedule an appointment with the Doctors of Back To Action today.

Sports injury prevention tips

Whether you’re a professional athlete or a weekend warrior, the goal is the same: You undoubtedly want to lower your chances of incurring an injury while participating in your favorite sport; like hockey. Fortunately, there are some general rules for injury prevention that all apply to all sports, which is important because sports scientists suggest injury rates could be reduced by 25 percent if athletes too appropriate preventative action.

Here are some injury prevention tips you can use to stay healthy:

1. Avoid training when you are tired; you should be strong and ready to exercise.

2. Increase the amount of carbohydrates you consume during heavy training.

3. Match increases in training intensity or frequency with increases in resting. (Rest is how the body regenerates.)

4. Precede any increase in training load with an increase in strengthening.

5. Treat even seemingly minor injuries very carefully to prevent them from becoming a big problem. This is where chiropractic can become key.

6. If you experience pain when training, stop your training session immediately.

7. Never train hard if you are stiff from the previous training session.

8. Pay attention to hydration and nutrition (water before exercise, electrolyte drink during exercise and water after exercise).

9. Use appropriate training surfaces.

10. Check the training and competition areas are clear of hazards.

Chiropractic care is not only exceptional in the treatment of acute and chronic injuries, but is equally successful in preventing future injuries when regular care is received. Simply, chiropractic focuses on the cause of the deficiency or injury and not just the symptoms.

For a free chiropractic consultation with Dr. Gilmore, either call (425) 670-2600 or schedule here.

September is National Cholesterol Awareness Month

Cholesterol—you hear the word all the time! But what does it really mean, and why should you care? Well, it is National Cholesterol Education Month for one (and no, I didn’t almost forget because cholesterol is boring). If that’s not a good enough reason, then maybe you should care because HIGH CHOLESTEROL CAN KILL YOU. (Read it again, but pretend Darth Vader is saying it!)
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in the bloodstream and in cells throughout the body. Cholesterol is not inherently “bad,” and plays a critical role in the formation of cell membranes and hormones. But you only need a small amount of cholesterol to carry out these functions, so when too much cholesterol is present in your body, it becomes a health risk.
To understand this more fully, let’s look at how cholesterol works. Cholesterol doesn’t dissolve in the blood stream. Instead, it is transported in and out of cells by carriers called low-density lipoproteins, or LDL, and high-density lipoproteins, or HDL. When the amount of cholesterol in the blood stream increases, the body needs to create additional lipoproteins to transport them.
LDL is known as “bad” cholesterol, because too much of it results in plaque build-up on the arterial walls. This condition, known as atherosclerosis, hardens and clogs the arteries, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke. HDL, on the other hand, has been dubbed “good cholesterol,” because it aids in removing cholesterol from the body.
Determining your cholesterol level can be done with a simple blood test. The “normal level” of cholesterol for any individual varies depending upon their age, weight, and sex. Typically, though, an LDL level above 160 is considered high. Similarly an HDL level below 40 is usually too low. Both high LDL levels and low HDL levels can put you at risk for plaque buildup.
About 75 percent of the cholesterol in the blood is made by your liver and other cells in your body. The other 25 percent comes from the food you eat. Cholesterol is found in animal products like meat, eggs, poultry, and liver, which is a particularly high source. This is why eating less saturated fat from animals is a good first step toward lowering your cholesterol to a healthy level. Because high cholesterol can be a big risk factor for both heart disease and stroke, managing your levels is important.
Dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids include fish oil and certain plant/nut oils. Fish oil contains both docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), while some nuts (e.g., English walnuts) and vegetable oils (e.g., canola, soybean, flaxseed/linseed, and olive oil) contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
Evidence from several studies has suggested that amounts of DHA and EPA in the form of fish or fish oil supplements lowers triglycerides, slows the buildup of atherosclerotic plaques (“hardening of the arteries”), lowers blood pressure slightly, as well as reduces the risk of death, heart attack, dangerous abnormal heart rhythms, and strokes in people with known heart disease. However, high doses may have harmful effects, such as an increased risk of bleeding. Allar benefits are proposed for alpha-linolenic acibenefits are proposed for alpha-linolenic acid, scientific evidence is less compelling, and beneficial effects may be less pronounced.