Where Does Back Pain Come From?

14 Mar

Most of us have suffered from back pain at one time or another. It often occurs after over-doing a physical task, like fall yard work, winter snow shoveling, working on the car, cleaning the house, and so on. But there are times when identifying the cause of back pain can be difficult or impossible. Let’s take a deeper look at where back pain can come from…

Though activity-related back pain is common, many times a direct link to over-use is not clear. Micro-traumatic events can accumulate and become painful when a certain threshold is exceeded. (Think of the old adage “The straw that broke the camel’s back.”)

There are other less well-identified causes of back pain. One is called referred pain. This can be caused by an irritated joint or soft tissue not necessarily located in the immediate area of the perceived pain. For example, pain in the leg can result from an injured facet joint, sacroiliac joint, and/or a disk tear (without nerve root pinch). This is called “sclertogenous pain.”

Internal organs can also cause back pain. This is called a “viscerosomatic response” (VSR). A classic example of this is when the right shoulder blade seems to be the source of pain when the gall bladder is inflamed. This pain can be located at or below the scapula next to the spine and the muscles in the area are in spasm and sensitive or painful to the touch. Also, VSR is often not worsened or changed by bending in different directions (unlike musculoskeletal / MSK pain). Without further testing, it’s easy to confuse this with a MSK or a “typical” back ache. Ultimately, a final diagnosis may require an abdominal ultrasound (CT, MRI scan, and other diagnostics are less frequently used).

Visceral pathology in the back pain patient presenting to chiropractors is reportedly rare, and according to one survey, only 5.3% of patients present with non-musculoskeletal complaints. Other common VSR pain patterns are as follows: Heart – left chest to left arm, mid-upper back, left jaw; Liver – right upper shoulder (front and back), right middle to low back, and just below the sternum; Appendix – right lower abdomen (may start as stomach pain); Small intestine – either side of the umbilicus and/or between it and the breast bone; Kidney – small of the back, upper tailbone, and/or groin area; Bladder – just above the pubic bone and/or bilateral buttocks; Ovaries – groin and/or umbilical area; and Colon – mid-abdominal and/or lower quadrants.

Another challenge to diagnosis is cancer in the spine, which can be primary or metastatic (from a different location). Thankfully, this is very rare. A history of unexplained weight loss, a past history of cancer, over age 50, nighttime sleep interruptions, and no response to usual back care may lead a doctor to recommend tests to determine if cancer is present in the spine.

Bottom line: When patients present with back pain, chiropractors have been trained to look for these less common but important causes of back pain. They get “suspicious” when the “usual” orthopedic tests do not convey the usual responses seen with mechanical back pain. In these cases, they work with primary care doctors to coordinate care to obtain prompt diagnostic testing and treatment.

We realize you have a choice in whom you consider for your health care provision and we sincerely appreciate your trust in choosing our service for those needs. If you, a friend, or family member requires care for back pain, we would be honored to render our services.

YOU MAY BE A CANDIDATE FOR CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR LOW BACK PAIN! FOR A FREE NO-OBLIGATION CONSULTATION CALL 717-697-1888

Are Females the Stronger Sex? One Study Shows Estrogen Protects Against the Flu!

10 Mar

The debate has raged for centuries. Which is the stronger sex? Now, science has evidence that females are tougher than males, at least when it comes to the flu virus.

When an individual comes into contact with the flu virus, whether or not they experience symptoms depends on how much the virus can replicate in they body before succumbing to the immune system. In other words, the more times it replicates itself, the more damage the virus can do. Accordingly, the less the virus replicates itself, the less damage it will do and the less it will make you sick. Less replication also means less chance of spreading from person to person.

Here’s why females seem to have protection against the flu…

A research team gathered nasal cells—the cell type that the flu virus primarily infects—from male and female donors. The researchers then exposed the cells to the virus along with estrogen, the environmental estrogen bisphenol A, or selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERM), which are compounds that act like estrogen that are used for hormone therapy.

The researchers found that estrogen, SERM compound raloxifene, and bisphenol A reduced flu virus replication in the nasal cells taken from women but not in those from men.

Dr. Sabra Klein of Johns Hopkins University writes, “Other studies have shown that estrogens have antiviral properties against HIV, Ebola, and hepatitis viruses. What makes our study unique is two-fold. First, we conducted our study using primary cells directly isolated from patients, allowing us to directly identify the sex-specific effect of estrogens. Second, this is the first study to identify the estrogen receptor responsible for the antiviral effects of estrogens, bringing us closer to understanding the mechanisms mediating this conserved antiviral effect of estrogens.”

The Benefits of Vitamin A!

8 Mar

Did you know that vitamin A (retinol) is a powerful anti-oxidant with many health benefits?

  • Vitamin A helps protect the surface of the cornea, and studies have shown it may also play a role in reducing the risk of macular degeneration. While vitamin A deficiency is rare in the developed world, it’s the leading cause of blindness among children in the developing world.
  • It also protects the skin from signs of premature aging and can be used as part of a topical treatment for damaged skin.
  • The vitamin is consumed as pre-made vitamin A (retinol) through animal sources such as beef, poultry, whole milk, and cheese. Plant-based foods like carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, and kale are rich in beta-carotene, a substance the human body can convert into vitamin A.
  • Though considered rare, consuming too much vitamin A can lead to toxicity issues, so talk with your healthcare provider before adding vitamin A supplements to your diet. Vitamin A can also interact with medications that involve the skin or liver, blood clot prevention, and antibiotics so again, speak with your doctor first.

Two Acts of Kindness That Will Change the Way You Feel About Humanity…

7 Mar

You have probably heard this old saying, “I would give you the shirt off my back.” It simply means you are a very kind and generous person who would give everything to another person. The saying is very common, but have you ever seen it done?

Putulik Qumaq is homeless. Originally from Northern Canada, Putulik has been living on the streets of Montreal for 17 years. He knows hunger, pain, and cold. So, when he saw a teenager in a t-shirt laying on the sidewalk in the freezing weather, he did something no one else would. Qumaq walked up to the boy and gave him the coat off his back. Qumaq simply told the teen, “It’s very cold” and handed him his jacket.

But this story has a twist… You see, the 14-year old boy was not homeless after all. Instead, he was shooting a video and only acting homeless just to see if anyone would help him. He said some people gave a little bit of money, but most just ignored him. It’s amazing that the one person who gave the most had the least to offer.

Qumaq said he had a feeling when he saw the boy. He said, “He’s young and I’ve been through that.”

Apparently helping people isn’t new for Qumaq. He frequents a Montreal shelter (The Open Door) and is known for his generosity. A volunteer at the shelter, Frank Paris said, “I see them helping individuals all the time. Here, showing love, brotherly love amongst each other.”

David Chapman, the Assistant Director at The Open Door, said those who have been through hardship are often the most generous. He said, “Often, those who live on the street are people with really big hearts, and this is an aspect that’s often not seen… We see a lot of it because we get to know them. We learn to know their names, we learn a little bit about their stories, and in fact, they are some of the most lovely people you’ll ever meet.”

Now, for another amazing example…

At times, New York City (and other major cities) can be a rough place. Riders on the subway tend to mind their own business and rarely may eye contact with one another. But 23-year-old Joey Resto from Brooklyn is different…

Recently, a fellow rider recorded Joey performing a rare act of altruism that has the Internet buzzing. Joey saw an elderly man shirtless and so cold he was shivering. Joey went over, took his shirt off, and gave it to the man. Lazaro Nolasco, the man who recorded the clip, shared it on Facebook and it had been viewed over nine million times as of this writing.

Resto said that after seeing the man on the train and noticing he had abrasions on his head, he realized he couldn’t sit back and do nothing. He told the New York Daily News, “It was a natural reaction to help, to do what I can. I hope they find this guy. It is not hard to spot him. It just came from the heart. I don’t know how anyone could have walked past him and had extra clothing and not given it to him. He was warm for the first time in I don’t know how long. He just curled up in a corner and went to sleep.”

But Resto didn’t stop there. After putting his shirt on the man, he went and got him a black winter hat and put it on his head. He said he wanted to take the man for a hot meal, but he had fallen asleep and was resting so peacefully that Resto did not want to disturb him.

 We love helping our patients and their friends and relatives through their tough times and getting them feeling better! We are here to help you stay feeling better and looking younger! Don’t be a stranger. You really can afford Chiropractic care! Don’t wait until you can no longer move!

Eating a Diet Rich in These Types of Foods Could Cut Your Risk for Heart Attack By Nearly a Third!

3 Mar

I’m going to tell you something very important that you should already know. Then, I am going to tell you something just as important you probably do not know. The combination of these two things could save you from developing heart disease as well as suffering a stroke!

First, here’s what you SHOULD already know…

Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is a major factor in preventing the #1 cause of death worldwide: heart disease. In fact, eating more fruits and vegetables is #2 on the Mayo Clinic’s list of “Heart-Healthy Diet: 8 steps to prevent heart disease.”

According to experts from the Harvard University School of Public Health, “A diet rich in vegetables and fruits can lower blood pressure, reduce risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent some types of cancer, lower risk of eye and digestive problems, and have a positive effect upon blood sugar which can help keep appetite in check…”

For 14 years, Harvard researchers followed 110,000 men and women as part of the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. They found compelling evidence that a fruit and vegetable-rich diet can lower an individual’s risk for heart attack and stroke.

Here’s what they wrote: “The higher the average daily intake of fruits and vegetables, the lower the chances of developing cardiovascular disease. Compared with those in the lowest category of fruit and vegetable intake (less than 1.5 servings a day), those who averaged 8 or more servings a day were 30 percent less likely to have had a heart attack or stroke.”

The research team went on to speculate that even though all fruits and vegetables may offer some heart-healthy benefits, the produce with the most impact may have been “…green leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, and mustard greens; cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, bok choy, and kale; and citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit (and their juices)…”

When they reviewed other long-term studies that looked at diet and subsequent cardiovascular disease risk, they observed similar results: “Individuals who ate more than 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day had roughly a 20 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke, compared with individuals who ate less than 3 servings per day.”

Not only is eating lots of fruits and veggies good for your heart but other research has shown a produce-rich diet can lower blood pressure, decrease cancer risk, and even lower the chances for developing type 2 diabetes.

Those are all things you should know, but it’s always great to read a little reminder about just how great fruits and vegetables are for you. Many times we need these little reminders to get us back on track!

Here’s Something You May Not Know…

As mentioned earlier in this article, heart disease is the world’s #1 killer. Stroke is also high on the list, but thanks to improvements in medicine and healthier lifestyles, stroke is on the decline among seniors. It recently dropped from the #4 most common cause of death among the elderly to #5. That’s the good news. Now for the bad news…

Stroke is quickly become a problem among younger adults in the United States. For Americans under age 44, the risk of first-time stroke has been on the rise since at least the mid-1990s.

A large-scale study called the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Stroke Study has followed an estimated 1.3 million adults for several decades. Among those of European descent aged 20-54, the risk of first-time stroke increased from 26 per 100,000 adults in 1994 to 48 per 100,000 adults in 2005. For those of African descent, the risk jumped from 83 per 100,000 in 1994 to 128 per 100,000 in 2005. Nowadays, nearly one-third of first-time strokes are experienced by middle-aged and younger adults, not the elderly!

For experts like Dr. Brett Kissela of the University of Cincinnati in Ohio, the reasons behind this dramatic increase in stroke among younger adults are pretty clear: Today’s Americans are more likely to be overweight/obese, diabetic, and hypertensive at a younger age than their parents’ generation.

In fact, when researchers looked at study participants who did have a stroke, they found those patients were more likely than the general population to be overweight, have diabetes, have high blood pressure, and smoke.

The good news is that this means most strokes can be prevented by paying early attention to risk factors. Eating a healthy diet (including lots of fruits and vegetables), getting regular exercise, maintaining a healthy body weight, and not smoking are all things you can start doing right now to not only lower your risk for a heart attack but also a stroke and several other preventable causes of death and disability.

Don’t forget, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your health, talk to us. Contact us with your questions. We’re here to help and don’t enjoy anything more than participating in providing you natural pain relief.

Two Quotes from This Icon Can Be the Catalyst That Vastly Improves Your Life…

1 Mar

Dear Patients and Friends,

Do you like quotes? If you do, then you are going to love this.

In just a moment you are going to discover two incredible quotes. Before I give them to you, you must understand this…

These two quotes cannot change your life. Words… no matter what anyone says… do not have the power to do that all by themselves. Only actions and reactions to those words actually create any type of change.

A catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change.

Another definition for a catalyst is: a person or thing that precipitates an event.

So, these two quotes can definitely be the catalyst for the changes you are looking for, and you can be the person that precipitates the events. So, you will be a catalyst too.

These two quotes were said by the late motivational speaker, Jim Rohn. If you like these quotes, you might want to look him up.

Quote #1:

“You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight.”

Quote #2:

“Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.”

These two quotes are so powerful because they give you almost all you need to be healthy or successful in almost anything you do.

Most people think success is luck or something so complicated that they can never achieve it. The truth is, success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines practiced every day.

Little hinges swing big doors. And doing a few correct things—consistently—for long periods of time leads to massive success.

Quote #1 is so important because you must understand that “overnight success” is, for the most part, a myth. Success takes time. You must accept this fact and put your time in. Don’t get discouraged from hour-to-hour or day-to-day results. Think long term. Think years. And success will be yours.

Sincerely,

Dr. Binder

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