Chiropractic Health & Wellness Blog

Low Back Pain, Early Intervention and Chiropractic

November 29, 2011

Acute (Severe) Low Back Pain, Early Intervention
and Chiropractic

87% of chiropractic patients showed improvement

By
Mark Studin DC, FASBE (C), DAAPM, DAAMLP
William J. Owens DC, DAAMLP

One of the most common areas of the body to be hurt while working, playing sports, cleaning out the garage or any other household or life chore is the lower back. The American Chiropractic Association has reported that 31 million Americans experience low back pain at any given time. This represents a significant health concern, especially if many of the conditions contributing to low back pain go untreated.

The cause of the pain can be injuries as simple as a strained muscle or sprained Quick read more or view full article Farabaugh, and Hawk on low back pain disorders reported, "Most acute pain, typically the result of injury (micro- or macrotrauma), responds to a short course of conservative treatment [chiropractic care]. If effectively treated at this stage, patients often recover with full resolution of pain...Delayed or inadequate early clinical management may result in increased risk of chronicity and disability"

A 2005 study by DeVocht, Pickar, & Wilder concluded through objective electrodiagnostic studies (neurological testing) that 87% of chiropractic patients exhibited decreased muscle spasms. This study validates the reasoning behind the later study that people with severe muscle spasms in the low back respond well to chiropractic care and prevents future problems and disabilities. It also dictates that care should not be delayed or ignored due to risk of complications.

Chiropractic doctors are trained to determine the cause of the injury and have the experience to formulate an accurate and effective diagnosis, prognosis and treatment plan. The cornerstone of that plan is the chiropractic adjustment. Chiropractic and lower back pain has been one of the most commonly researched topics to date. There is a large volume of research showing that the chiropractic adjustment is effective for treating lower back pain.

These studies along with many others conclude that a drug-free approach of chiropractic care is one of the best solutions for patients with low back pain. To find a qualified doctor of chiropractic near call Lyn Lake Chiropractic for a free consultation on how we can help you. Read Less

2011 first snowfall = sledding accidents

November 20, 2011

Kids injured in sledding accidents

Here we go, snow is here......

23,000 kids injured in sledding accidents, doctors urge parents to make children wear helmets

Lyn Lake Chiropractic and Dr Kevin Schreifels would like to share these articles to help protect you and your children. I live next to a park that has a big sledding hill and everyday we see a few injuries from this hill. I’m amazed that 80% of the children sledding don’t wear helmets. If you look at the hockey rink you’ll see every young person wearing a helmet.

If you or your children are flying down a hill. Why not put a helmet on them?!! You can use a hockey helmet, ski helmet or a bike helmet. Something to protect their little heads incase something Quick read more or view full article goes wrong. My children love wearing their helmets, they feel safer plus the helmet keeps their head warm.

Here’s a couple articles from the web:

Sledding season - experts are cautioning parents to take safety precautions more seriously.

A study published earlier this year showed that every kid's favorite snow day tradition could be more dangerous than parents in the past thought. In the study, published in the journal Pediatrics in September, researchers found that 230,000 sledding-related injuries were reported by emergency rooms from 1997-2007.

Analysis of the data showed that children 10 to 14 sustained 42.5% of injuries, and boys were almost 10% more likely to sustain injuries than girls.

The findings, which showed that the most frequent injuries were fractures and other injuries to the head, gave doctors more reason to push safer sledding practices.

Lara McKenzie, who led the study at Center on Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital, told MNSBC the information gives pediatricians more reason to strongly encourage parents to require their kids to wear helmets before hitting the mini-slopes.

"I want them to go sledding, I want them to have fun, but we could do a better job," McKenzie said. "Twenty thousand injuries a year for an activity you can only do a couple days a year is big."

The study recommended that parents should discourage their kids from using sledding prospects such as snow tubes that may reduce visibility.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommended that while sledding, kids should use common sense: avoid public streets, sit in a forward-facing position, and never sled headfirst.

They also advised against the cheapest version of a sled embraced by many college kids especially: plastic sheets.

Across the board though, doctors stress the importance of wearing a helmet to avoid major injuries.

And that's a lesson learned the hard way for parents across the country, including Ron Miller and his wife Holly Wastler-Miller, who lost their 12-year-old son, Ian, in a sledding accident.

They are trying to get a law passed to require kids younger than 16 to wear helmets when they go sledding in public snow parks.

"Had Ian been wearing a helmet, he would be alive today,"

One more!

Statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau were used to calculate injury estimates.
Researchers say research is needed to determine whether helmets would reduce injury rates. They also examined the types of sledding vehicles involved in injuries, from sleds and snow tubes to toboggans and snow disks.

Among other findings:

* Children aged 9 and older were more likely to be injured through collisions.
* Children aged 4 and younger were more likely to be involved in accidents with vehicles.
* One third of injuries were caused by young people being pulled by motorized vehicles. What the!!!

The use of sleds that can rotate, such as disks and snow tubes, should be discouraged.

Younger children should be supervised by parents when sledding.

From WebMD.com

If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at Lyn Lake Chiropractic.

Just because your head is protected, don’t forget your spine takes a beating, and getting adjusted on a regular basis would be another way to protect you and your children! Stay healthy and call your chiropractor!

After sledding my 5 yr old came to me and said she felt her neck and back was twisted and she felt sore! I asked her what would she like me to do, she asked me to adjust her spine to put her bones back in place so she doesn't feel twisted. I thought to myself, now that would be another reason to remind parents kids need to be adjusted too!!!

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Review for Lyn Lake Chiropractic

November 20, 2011

Stephan C.
Minneapolis, MN

Yelp.com - Pretty funny and useful review!

8/19/2011

Making regular visits to a chiropractor makes as much sense to me as going to a dentist. But just as I don't trust any ol' one to poke metal objects into my mouth, I don't trust everyone to adjust my back. In the past, I've visited a self-described witch doctor in northern California who told me my kidneys had fallen and that I should eat more Jerusalem artichokes. I don't know why I went back to him; he kept trying to push those kidneys back into place (you should've seen how red my sides got) and it was no easy task finding Jerusalem artichokes -- no, not regular artichokes -- in rural, Northern California. Another guy I saw tapped my spine so lightly Quick read more or view full article -- was he trying to communicate through Morse code? -- that he was done with my adjustment before I'd even realized he'd started. He drove away in his Porsche. A couple weeks later, I was looking for a Jerusalem artichoke.

That said, I can now count Dr. Kevin at Lyn Lake Chiropractic among the chiropractors I trust. After leaving my last doctor (in Russia), I was reluctant to search out another, the former had worked so many wonders. But after a cross-country move, I could only stand up as well as a bag of loose parts. Dr. Kevin's adjustment took a day or two to settle in, but when it had, I felt like new again. I'm a fan of his friendly, unpretentious demeanor; love the layout of his space, even if I was too shy to enjoy some of his many toys (a massage chair in the waiting room -- a first); and can only praise his friendly and competent staff as well (I don't know who massaged my back prior to the adjustment, but you have the power of a tank, without any of its destructive powers -- good stuff; I surrender unconditionally). Even if my insurance doesn't cover chiropractic care (wait and see), I'm going to try and find a way to get back to Lyn-Lake.

Thank you Stephan C. for writting this grear 5 star review!

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Mayo Clinic Researchers Link Vitamin D3

November 15, 2011

I thought this would be good to share! We seem to be having many patients asking us about Vitamin D3 - Here's some info to share from the Mayo Clinic Researchers Link.

Mayo Clinic Researchers Link Vitamin D and Chronic Pain Relief

Posted on March 20, 2009 by Bryan Anderson

Mayo Clinic research shows a correlation between inadequate vitamin D levels and the amount of narcotic medication taken by patients who have chronic pain. This correlation is an important finding as researchers discover new ways to treat chronic pain. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic pain is the leading cause of disability in the United States. These patients often end up taking narcotic-type pain medication such as morphine, fentanyl or oxycodone.
This study Quick read more or view full article found that patients who required narcotic pain medication, and who also had inadequate levels of vitamin D, were taking much higher doses of pain medication — nearly twice as much — as those who had adequate levels. Similarly, these patients self-reported worse physical functioning and worse overall health perception. In addition, a correlation was noted between increasing body mass index (a measure of obesity) and decreasing levels of vitamin D. Study results were published in a recent edition of Pain Medicine.
“This is an important finding as we continue to investigate the causes of chronic pain,” says Michael Turner, M.D., a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician at Mayo Clinic and lead author of the study. “Vitamin D is known to promote both bone and muscle strength. Conversely, deficiency is an under-recognized source of diffuse pain and impaired neuromuscular functioning. By recognizing it, physicians can significantly improve their patients’ pain, function and quality of life.”

Below is a link to an edited youtube video with Dr. Turner.

Then this is from Vitamin D3 Blog.

Do your research, use the internet and if you have any questions please call Lyn Lake Chiropractic and one of our chiropractors would be glad to help you with finding the right information your looking for.

Everything you need to know about Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol).

Seattle Residents May Be More Susceptible to Seasonal Depression

without comments

The epic winters and rains experienced by Seattle are known to cause depression in a large percent of the population. Why? Research has shown that sesonal depression, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is linked to a lack of a Vitamin D3.

Vitamin D3 – cholecalciferol – is the form of Vitamin D that is obtained through human exposure to direct sunlight. It is considered to be superior to other forms of Vitamin D such as ergocalciferol, which is better known as Vitamin D2.

Research has shown that people in cold, rainy climates, are more susceptible to Vitamin D Deficiency, which has been scientifically linked to Seasonal Affective Disorder. This means that people who live in places like Seattle, Washington, where the climate is often rainy and generally cold, are more likely to suffer from SAD, which is a type of seasonal depression that occurs primarily during the winter months.

Take this passage from an earlier post about Vitamin D Deficiency appearing on this site:

A scientific link between low Vitamin D3 levels and depression has been established following several recent studies confirming the relationship. According to one such study by scientists at Georgia State University: “The likelihood of having depression in persons with vitamin D deficiency is significantly higher compared to those with vitamin D sufficiency. Early diagnosis and intervention are paramount because coexistence of vitamin D deficiency and depression has serious negative consequences on health.” (Source)

There has been a surge of interest the medical research community concerning Vitamin D3. Dr. Michael Holick of Boston University School, one of the world’s leading experts on the topic, has been quoted as saying “You’re more likely to live longer and you’re less likely to die of serious chronic disease if you have adequate vitamin D on board. It may well be the most important nutrient of the decade.”

There is also current research being conducted on Vitamin D3 at the Mayo Clinic, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and The U.S. Institute of Medicine to name a few. Existing research has already linked Vitamin D Deficiency to at least 32 different diseases, illnesses and various other health ailments.

People who live in northern climates that are cold and/or rainy have limited opportunities to obtain Vitamin D from sunlight. It is recommended that these individuals in particular take high-quality Vitamin D3 Supplements in order to prevent Vitamin D Deficiency.

Dr. Marc Sorenson on Vitamin D Deficiency, Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder:

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Neck Pain and Chiropractic Treatment

November 13, 2011

Female patient presented with neck pain that had been present for 2 months. The pain came on gradually and without a specific cause. Her vocation is answering the phone for a busy mail order store. She works 40 hours a week, 5 days per week and never weekends. Pain worsens with work, especially by the end of the 8 hour shift. Other pain producers include driving more than 30 minutes, reading more than 30 minutes, and washing hair with the head back. Pain improves with resting the head on a chair or pillow, moving the head in circles, 600 mg of Ibuprofen (repeated 3x/day), and a hot shower. She describes the pain as an ache with intermittent sharp pain that is becoming more frequent, “…when I move the wrong way.” There is no shooting pain into the arms or hands.

Sound familiar? This is a “typical” neck pain patient that Quick read more or view full article presents to chiropractic offices around the world. What is different is that every person is unique and each case must be individually managed. For example, some patients “hate doctors” or are extremely anxious about going to any doctor. This might stem back to a prior “bad experience” with a health care provider at a very young age or perhaps even a more recent event. None-the-less, the approach used in this type of presentation may be best if it is very methodical, reassuring, and fully explained. A “low-force” type of manipulation may be best suited for this type of person as “cracking” of the neck may be too frightening for this patient. On the other hand, a different patient may not be happy unless there is a “good crack” and will not be satisfied until a chiropractic adjustment is performed.

It is equally important in both cases that a complete explanation of,

What is the condition causing the symptoms?
What can be done to treat it (that is, “what are my treatment options”)?
Will the proposed treatment “fit” into my busy schedule, financial situation, and my philosophy about health care?

Providing answers to these questions will usually end with the best results, as the patient will understand the issues most important to them and will have confidence that those issues are understood and appreciated by the doctor. In both cases, management may include

modifying the work station by switching to a head set rather than pinching a phone between the neck and shoulder;
evaluating the patient at their work station to check for proper posture at the desk, proper computer monitor positioning, etc. and making modifications as needed;
teaching the patient cervical range of motion exercises and other stretches that can be done at the work station, multiple times a day, that only take a minute or two;
cervical traction (if this “feels good” when tested during the exam);
use of a cervical or contoured pillow;
neck / upper body strengthening exercises;
the use of ice as needed;
an anti-inflammatory diet (for example, a gluten-free diet);
nutritional supplementation, as indicated. Of course, most of the time, all of these approaches do not have to be included, but are options.

Neck pain, headaches, and upper back pain are conditions are commonly treated by chiropractors. 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.

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Lyn Lake Chiropractic Receives 2011 Best of Minnea

November 8, 2011

Press Release 11/7/2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lyn Lake Chiropractic Receives 2011 Best of Minneapolis Award

U.S. Commerce Association’s Award Plaque Honors the Achievement

NEW YORK, NY, November 1, 2011 -- Lyn Lake Chiropractic has been selected for the 2011 Best of Minneapolis Award in the Chiropractic Clinics category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA).

The USCA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2011 USCA Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by Quick read more or view full article third parties.

About U.S. Commerce Association (USCA)

U.S. Commerce Association (USCA) is a New York City based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USCA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.

The USCA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.

SOURCE: U.S. Commerce Association Read Less

Care for whiplash, we sincerely appreciate

November 5, 2011

In whiplash research, many articles have been published that conflict or contradict each other. The goal of this Health Update is to report the “facts” about whiplash.

It is more common to have a delay in the onset of whiplash symptoms. Symptoms may start about two hours after the initial injury or it may take days, weeks, or months before you feel anything.
For whiplash caused by car accidents, the severity depends on the force of the impact, the way you were seated in your car, and if you were properly restrained using a shoulder and seat belt.
Tests show the soft tissues in your neck sustain injury at a threshold of 5 mph. That means if you’re rear-ended at 5 mph or slower, you have a lower chance of getting whiplash. However, most rear-end car accidents happen at speeds of 6-12 mph.
If you’ve been in a car accident, it’s a good Quick read more or view full article idea to be evaluated even if your car didn’t get damaged and you don’t feel any pain.
Although whiplash is most often associated with car accidents, you can also get whiplash from sports such as snowboarding, boxing, football and gymnastics.
The concept of “no car damage = no injury” is COMPLETELY false. Most cars can withstand collisions of up to 10 MPH and as pointed out above, only in collisions < 5 MPH are you less likely to be injured. Collisions that occur between 6-12 MPH cause the highest percentage of whiplash injuries (which is below the threshold of car damage in most cases). Also, the energy of the impact is transferred to the contents inside the car when there is no vehicular damage (that means you).
Mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) can occur in motor vehicle collisions even if the head does not hit an object inside the car, although it’s more common when there is a head strike. The symptoms associated with MTBI are often referred to as “Post Concussive Syndrome.”
Approximately 10% of whiplash injured patients become totally disabled.
Of the studies published since 1995, over 60% of whiplash patients required long-term medical care.
Risk factors for long-term symptoms associated with WAD include: rear impacts, loss of the cervical lordosis curve, pre-existing degenerative arthritis, use of seat belts & shoulder harness (low speed impacts only), poor head restraint position or shape, non-awareness of the impending collision, female (especially long slender neck), head rotation at impact.

We realize you have a choice in where you choose your healthcare services. If you, a friend or family member requires care for whiplash, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services and look forward in serving you and your family presently and, in the future.

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