Health Update: Chronic Whiplash

“The Only Proven Effective Treatment” for Chronic Whiplash?

You may have wondered, “If I get hurt in a car accident, who should I go to for treatment of my whiplash problem?” This can be quite a challenge as you have many choices available in the healthcare system ranging from drug-related approaches from anti-inflammatory over-the-counter types all the way to potentially addicting narcotic medications. On the other side of the fence, there are nutritional based products such as vitamins and herbs as well as “alternative” or “complementary” forms of treatment such as chiropractic, exercise, and meditation, with many others in between. Trying to figure out which approach or perhaps combined approaches would best serve your needs is truly challenging. To help answer this question, one study reported the superiority of chiropractic management for patients with chronic whiplash, as well as which type of chronic whiplash patients responded best to the care. The research paper begins with the comment from a leading orthopedic medical journal stating, “Conventional [meaning medical] treatment of patients with whiplash symptoms is disappointing.”

In the study, 93 patients were divided into three groups consisting of:

Group 1: Patients with a “coat-hanger” pain distribution (neck and upper shoulders) and loss of neck range of motion (ROM), but no neurological deficits;
Group 2: Patients with neurological problems (arm/hand numbness and/or weakness) plus neck pain and ROM loss); and,
Group 3: Patients who reported severe neck pain but had normal neck ROM and no neurological losses.

The average time from injury to first treatment was 12 months and an average of 19 treatments over a 4 month time frame was utilized. The patients were graded on a 4-point scale that described their symptoms before and after treatment.

Grade A patients were pain free;
Grade B patients reported their pain as a “nuisance;”
Grade C patients had partial activity limitations due to pain; and
Grade D patients were disabled.

Here are the results:

Group 1: 72% reported improvement as follows: 24% were asymptomatic, 24% improved by 2 grades, 24% by 1 grade, and 28% reported no improvement.
Group 2: 94% reported improvement as follows: 38% were asymptomatic, 43% improved by 2 grades, 13% by 1 grade, and 6% had no improvement.
Group 3: 27% reported improvement as follows: 0% were asymptomatic, 9% improved by 2 grades, 18% by 1 grade, 64% showed no improvement, and 9% got worse.

This study is very important as it illustrates how effective chiropractic care is for patients who have sustained a motor vehicle crash with a resulting whiplash injury. It’s important to note the type of patient presentation that responded best to care had neurological complaints and associated abnormal neck range of motion. This differs from other non-chiropractic studies where it is reported that patients with neurological dysfunction responded poorly when compared to a group similar to the Group A patient here (neck/shoulder pain, reduced neck ROM, and with normal neurological function). We realize you have a choice in where you go for your health care needs and we truly appreciate your consideration in allowing us to help you through this potentially difficult process.

YOU MAY BE A CANDIDATE FOR CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR WHIPLASH!
FOR A FREE NO-OBLIGATION CONSULTATION CALL 732-984-9597

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE: Dr. Joseph Cilea

Courtesy of:
Advanced Wellness in Marlboro, New Jersey
(732)984-9597

Mental Attitude: Alcohol and Depression. One third of people with major depression also have an alcohol problem. In many cases, depression may be the first to occur. Children who are depressed are more prone to develop alcohol problems once they reach adolescence. Teens who've had an episode of major depression are twice as likely start drinking alcohol than those who have not had an episode of major depression. Depression may be a particularly significant trigger for alcohol use in women as women are more than twice as likely to start drinking heavily if they have a history of depression.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Health Alert: Calcium And Risk Of Osteoporosis And Hypertension In Postmenopausal Women. Postmenopausal women who have a low calcium intake show a higher risk of developing both osteoporosis and hypertension than those who consume higher levels of calcium.
European League Against Rheumatism, June 2010

Diet: Mayonnaise Alternatives. A 1/4 cup serving of Mayonnaise can include up 360 calories and 40 grams of fat. Try using a lower-calorie condiment instead (mustard, BBQ sauce, salsa chili or taco sauce) or switch to a light mayonnaise (35 calories and 3.5 grams of fat per tablespoon) or pare down the portion of real mayonnaise to a couple of teaspoons (60 calories and 6.7 grams of fat). Elaine Magee, MPH, RD Exercise: Ride Your Bike! Exercise is important for older adults. It keeps you strong, burns calories, helps maintain a lower weight, improves flexibility, contributes to balance and maintains bone strength. The best exercise builds lean muscle and promotes endurance, flexibility and maintains stability. Exercise declines with age, yet cyclists show a smaller decline than those involved in gym activities. Cycling is safe, with fewer risks of more strenuous exercises.
To Your Health, July 2009

Chiropractic: Circulate Your Blood! Your body has 60,000 miles of blood vessels! Adjustments help maintain your flexibility and joint mobility, which in turn allows for better blood flow. Blood flow is important as it delivers vital nutrients (oxygen, water and food) to all of your cells.


Wellness/Prevention: Tea's Role In Oral Health. Flavonoids in tea may inhibit the plaque-forming ability of oral bacteria and the fluoride in tea may support healthy tooth enamel. In a study, hamsters were fed water with Black Tea extract developed up to 63.7% fewer dental caries (also known as tooth decay or cavity) than hamsters fed just water.
Journal of Indian Society of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, 2000
International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 2003

Quote: “Holding on to anger is like holding on to a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” ~ Buddha

Health Update: Headaches

Headaches: Causes and Treatment

       Few conditions leave their victims as miserable and agitated as headaches.  There are many causes of headaches including stress, odors, bright lights, noise, fatigue, certain foods, hormonal shifts, allergies, as well as genetic predisposition.  With all the possible causes of headaches, it’s not surprising many people seek help from many different approaches such as conventional medical therapies like pharmaceuticals and injections.  Others prefer a non-drug treatment approach such as chiropractic, massage therapy, acupuncture, and nutritional counseling.

Usually, there is not one specific cause of headaches so treatment can focus on various areas.  For example, muscles that attach to the base of the skull in the neck and upper back are often very short and tight, resulting in pressure or a squeezing effect on the surrounding nerves and blood vessels -- resulting in headaches.  Chiropractic treatment includes methods aimed at reducing the tightness found in the joints and muscles. One of these approaches is called spinal manipulation or “adjustments” where the joints in the neck are moved to restore motion and reduce joint fixations. By relaxing the muscles and tension between the joints, the nerves in the neck are less pressured which, in turn, can reduce headaches.  The top three nerves that exit the upper neck travel into the head and are often the culprit behind the onset of headaches.  The second nerve from the top is the one responsible for causing radiating pain over the top of the skull which communicates with other nerves sometimes causing the pain behind the eye.

Another chiropractic approach in the management of headaches includes soft tissue therapy where trigger points found in tight muscles are addressed through various forms of massage and mobilization methods.  Manual traction of the head and neck can also be highly effective in reducing the tension found in headache sufferers.  Exercises are often taught to the headache patient with significant benefits reported.  Some of these, such as range of motion exercises with and without resistance (example: pushing your head into your hand during neck movements) and posture re-training (chin tucks – reducing the forward head position), help address the limited motion problems of the neck. Cervical (neck) traction performed by placing a rolled up towel placed behind the neck while lying on the back so that the head can hang off the side of the bed can also be very helpful.  Another neck traction approach is the use of a unit that hangs off a door where water is placed in a plastic bag calibrated for weight for 15 minutes at a maximum tolerated weight. This can be of great benefit as it can be performed at home at your convenience multiple times a day or, as needed.

Other treatment approaches that chiropractic utilizes include stress management (such as biofeedback, relaxation instructions, meditation, visualization and others), diet modifications (as certain foods can trigger headaches), nutritional supplementation (such as fish oil, Vit. D, feverfew and others), and sleep restoration.

If you, a family member or a friend require care, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our service.  We are proud that chiropractic care has consistently scored the highest level of satisfaction when compared to other forms of health care provision and we look forward in serving you and your family presently and in the future.

YOU MAY BE A CANDIDATE FOR CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR HEADACHES!
FOR A FREE NO-OBLIGATION CONSULTATION CALL (732)984-9597

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE: Dr. Joseph Cilea

Courtesy of:
Advanced Wellness in Marlboro, New Jersey
(732)984-9597

Mental Attitude: Multivitamins Can Add Sparkle. Non-elderly adults who took multivitamins and minerals had significantly improved mental health, reduced subjective stress and increased 'vigor', with a strong trend towards an overall improvement in mood. According to David Kennedy, PhD of Northumbria University, "There is a wealth of evidence that suggests a relationship between micro-nutrients and psychological functioning. Vitamin C, for example, is the brain's most prevalent antioxidant and is found at its greatest concentrations in neuron-rich areas."
Northumbria University, May 2010

Health Alert: Got Health Insurance? Many non-elderly adults in the US lack health insurance. 20% of men ages 18-64 (21.2 million) are uninsured, compared with 17.2 million women in the same age group. Those most likely to lack health insurance are younger, unmarried men. Men are less likely to have health insurance than women at every age range. Married men lack health insurance in greater numbers than married women before the age of 65, with 18.4% of married men from the age of 26-34 lacking insurance.
Center for Economic and Policy Research, Institute for Women's Policy Research, June 2010

Diet: Cheese Found To Improve The Immune Response Of The Elderly. Cheese can help preserve and enhance the immune system of the elderly persons by acting as a carrier of probiotic bacteria. Daily intake of probiotic cheese can slow the age-related deterioration of the immune system known as immunosenescene. This deterioration means the body is unable to kill tumor cells and reduces the immune response to infections. Infectious diseases, chronic inflammation disorders and cancer are hallmarks of immunosenescene.
FEMS Immunology & Medical Microbiology, May 2010


Exercise: Stretching Exercises At Your Desk For The Shoulders And Upper Back. Extend one arm out straight in front of you. Grab the elbow of the outstretched arm and pull it across your chest, stretching your shoulder and upper back muscles. Hold. Release. Stretch out the other arm in front of you -- repeat.


Chiropractic: How Important Is An Adjustment? “90% of the stimulation and nutrition to the brain is generated by the movement of the spine” 
~ Dr. Roger Sperry (Nobel Prize, Brain Research, 1981)

Wellness/Prevention: The Fear Of Falling. One in four people over age 70 suffer from gait disturbance. Gait disturbance is defined as unsteadiness during walking that is worse than the normal slowing of old age. Fear is often a precipitating or aggravating factor. A vicious cycle often arises in which fear of falling leads to avoidance of movement. This can result in reduced fitness, lower confidence in one's own balance, increased fear, and increased danger of a fall. Depression and a markedly impaired quality of life can result.
Deutsches Aerzteblatt International, May 2010


Quote: "No Illness which can be treated by diet should be treated by any other means."
~ Moses Maimonides (1135-1204)