by Chris Schlenger | Jan 17, 2017 | Blog and Events, chiropractic research
The flu season in the US is upon us. Our major news media organizations will start to inform the population that we are in imminent danger. The newest season of virus will bring a deadlier strain of virus that will cause severe respiratory issues that will bring us swiftly to the hospital. This will be followed up with the friendly advice to visit your local pharmacist or physician to get a flu shot (flu vaccine). I have heard that the effectiveness rate exceeds 50% for those that receive it early enough. The only problem is that is from one study and not from several sources. The journal The Lancet decided to do their own research and review all the articles published on the vaccine effectiveness and find out if that was true. The researchers concluded that it can provide moderate protection in some year but can be completely worthless in other years. The worst part is the evidence wasn’t there to tell us that is works in those over the age of 65. There was strong evidence for children in the ages ranges of 6 months to 7 years old. [1] There is some new evidence that Vitamin D can improve the health of the immune system which can reduce the amount of upper respiratory infections. [2] This means that you can take a vitamin D supplement that will decrease your chances of getting sick from the flu virus as well as other types of viruses that can do the same thing. The current theory why we have a flu season in the winter in North America is because...
by Chris Schlenger | Jan 10, 2017 | Blog and Events
Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine that affects millions of people worldwide. This condition can have a huge impact on the lives of those with the condition. It can be the start of a life long struggle with pain and complications from the effects on the spinal joints, the nervous system and their organs. The current medical model for treatment is to identify the problem at an early age and try to treat the severe case with a hard brace technique. The process of putting a brace on the person for several years can be very frustrating and an uncomfortable process. The results of bracing can mixed as well. The extreme case of scoliosis can lead to spinal surgery where metal rods are installed into the spine to maintain the alignment an offer some correction. Those surgeries are very complicated and can leave the patient with many long term issues such as pain. A study was published in 2016 that was able to show there are is another way. The study took several elementary school children with scoliosis and game them chiropractic adjustments for 4 weeks. The researchers then took another x-ray of them to see if there was a measureable change. They found that all of the children showed change after 4 weeks. Some of them returned to normal alignment. One of the key points of the study was the early age of diagnosis and treatment. It is much easier to work on spines that are not done growing yet. The problem is that a lot of these cases slip by their pediatricians and go...
by Chris Schlenger | Jan 12, 2016 | Blog and Events
The biggest fear for many patients seeking treatment for spinal problems was the possibility of more injury to spine caused by treatments from chiropractors. For years many medical physicians had been reluctant to refer their patients to the chiropractor out of fears that chiropractor might injure them. One of the big myths was that chiropractors might be able injury an artery in the neck causing a stroke. There was very little evidence other than anecdotal accounts that patients with stokes may have recently been seen by a chiropractor. Recent research published in 2015 finally answers the question. There is no connection between chiropractic manipulative therapy, also known as adjustments and stroke.1 This study was the first population-based study in the United States. They found that there was even a slightly lower chance of having a stroke in the chiropractic office on the same day as the visit was even lower than that of the medical office. They came to the conclusion because patients would likely receive medication such as ibuprofen which would like make the stroke worse and the adjustment would not. The researchers should be commended for busting this myth while outlining that not only can chiropractors not injure you but it is probably safer than a trip to the MD for your neck pain and headaches. Make sure you talk to your local chiropractor about the concerns you may have about your care. Feel free to contact Dr. Christopher Schlenger, DC, your chiropractor for the Stockton, CA area for more information. 1.Risk of Stroke After Chiropractic Spinal Manipulation in Medicare B Beneficiaries Aged 66 to 99 Years...
