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Chiropractors Featured as U.S. Olympic Doctors

By On · Add Comment · In chiropractic, chiropractic sports physician, chiropractors, DC, Mike Reed, Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU), U.S. Olympic Medical Team
Here’s a shout to the five chiropractic doctors serving on the 2010 U.S. Olympic Medical Team, one a former teacher of mine and standout sports chiropractor. BOOYAH!!!

Three of the five doctors of chiropractic are alumni of Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU), Mike Reed, DC [my former instructor in the post-graduate chiropractic sports physician program (CCSP) at SCU], who is also serving as the team medical director, Eric St. Pierre, DC and Tetsuya Hasegawa, DC. The other two chiropractors are Dr. Josh Sandell, a chiropractor and certified athletic trainer from Maple Grove, Minn.; and Dr. Blase Soto, a chiropractor from East Brunswick, N.J.

Imagine that–a chiropractor as medical director of the 2010 U.S. Olympic team. Can I repeat: BOOYAH!!! Dr. Reed is Medical Director of the Sports Performance Division for the United States Olympic Committee at the Headquarters in Colorado Springs, CO. He has been teaching in the Post-Graduate Division of SCU [formerly Los Angeles Chiropractic college (LACC)] since 1984 and developed the Sports Medicine Residency program at SCU, where he served as its first Director.

Dr. St. Pierre is serving on the US Olympic Medical Staff for the short track speedskating team. Additionally, his duties include caring for athletes in the Olympic Village in Vancouver.

Dr. Hasegawa is serving on the US Olympic Medical Staff for the Bobsled and Skeleton teams and is providing care for the athletes housed in the Whistler Olympic Village.

Well, what can I say? I’m proud of my distinguished colleagues and my country’s Olympic Team. Making chiropractic an integral part of Winter Olympic training and health care is smart, sophisticated and cutting-edge. We certainly do lead the world in innovation, here–no doubt about it. And adopting chiropractic as a routine part of professional and world athletics proves it. No surprise that as of today the U.S. leads the medal count with 36*. Booyah!


*A new record!!!

Thanks for Getting On-Board

By On · Add Comment · In chiropractors, chronic pain, drugs, elderly, falls, neurological

In 1992 when I was in college, the Catholic Church finally acknowledged Galileo’s findings on planetary motion, and publicly cleared him of any wrongdoing. Evolution is still foolishly rejected by some. But what really makes me feel good is when an idea known as true for so long by some gets picked up by the mainstream.

Take pain for instance; chiropractors have known for over a century how wide ranging its effects are. But not the medical industry. Noooo. Pain is a part of getting old. There are some medications we can give you to ward off the pain, but…I’m sorry Missus Jones, you’ll just have to live with the pain.

But, as they say, the times they are a changin’. And there is now acknowledgment that pain can wreak havoc on human operation that goes well beyond the obvious. A new study out of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and the University of Massachusetts shows that chronic pain actually increases the probability of seniors falling. Since falls are a significant cause of death for the elderly, uncovering its predisposing factors are vital.

According to the study, published in the Nov. 25 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, people who had pain in more than one joint were more likely to fall, compared with people who reported no pain or minimal pain. Severe pain and pain that affected participants’ ability to do daily activities also made falls more likely, researchers found. In addition, having pain in one month made falling in the next month likely. People who reported severe pain in one month had a 77 percent increased risk of falling the next month. Even people reporting very mild pain were more likely to fall the following month, the group found.

So this is nothing new to chiropractors. We know precisely how much pain interupts neurological functioning of the human body; we know that the elderly are particularly susceptible to pain-induced biomechanical dysfunction (but don’t get false security young-folk, you, too, are susceptible); and we know that helping people become pain-free through chiropractic care helps them maintain their function, their balance and their dignity.

But here’s the problem: Medical science does not fully recognize it, yet. Damn shame I tell you. The current medical answer to pain in the elderly is pharmaceutical therapy, or in other words, drugs. Not only is this solution a non-solution since it never really removes or corrects the pain, but it can also add to the feelings of imbalance which then lead to further…you guessed it, falls.

Did the researchers mention pain-relieving chiropractic care as an answer? Well, they did mention fitness and wellness professionals, and since chiropractors are that, then…I guess they did. Thank you, thank you medical science–it’s about time. Like Galileo before him, D.D. Palmer will appreciate the acknowledgment.

Got MRI? Get Surgery

By On · Add Comment · In chiropractic, chiropractors, disc herniation, low back pain, MRI, surgery

Listen up: Get an MRI, get a surgery–that’s the way it works. According to a new study published in the journal Health Affairs, researchers found that the greater the accessibility to MRI machines, the more likely a low back pain sufferer would receive one. And here’s the kicker: Those people getting MRIs were more likely to be recommended and receive low back surgery. Nice.

For the layman, let it be known that low back surgeries are notorious for not doing diddly squat. That’s right, they are useless in a large number of low back pain cases. As I point out in my book, The Six Keys to Optimal Health, low back surgeries are one of the two most unnecessary surgical procedures prescribed today (the other one is hysterectomies). You should also know that MRIs are waaaay overused by medicos. MRIs are not definitive: plenty of asymptomatic people (no pain) have disc bulges showing on MRI, while plenty of people with low back pain (symptomatic) have normal MRIs. What can we conclude? Bulges are not the end-all-be-all of low back pain causes; or in other words, that $5000 (I’m probably under-estimating here) scan your ortho is sending you for might be rather useless within the big picture.

I don’t think this is merely a money game, not at all. What I really think this is a case of is modern medicine’s having a severely limited arsenal when it comes to treating low back pain. When it come to the lumbago, your medical options are:

  • the drug triad: pain killers, anti-inflammatories, and muscle relaxants.
  • physical therapy
  • low back surgery

The biggest problem in this whole mess is not the exhorbitant cost of this most-prdominant treatment protocol (these are the treatment options of choice for the majority of Americans), but instead how it’s crippling people. I speak from experience as my father has had two failed low back surgeries. I say failed because, after two times under the knife, guess what he still has? You’ve got it–low back pain! Oh he can walk alright, but we paid for that–you and me, suckers–because it also put him on early retirement and permanent disability. The surgeries…not the low back pain…just want to make that clear.

Notice you don’t see chiropractic referrals on that list of treatment options. That’s right, because god-forbid you should take that MRI $5000 and put it toward something useful. No, no, harumpfff, never. Good word, son…chiropractors hurt people. We’re better off maiming the poor bloke, wouldn’t you say? Keep it all in the family, you know.

Yes, we know.

Voodoo Doctor

By On · Add Comment · In American Chiropractic Association (ACA), chiropractic, chiropractors, doctor, libel, voodoo

Well it’s official–I’m a voodoo doctor. Just saw my name on a chiropractic web listing that had me categorized as “Voodoo Doctor.” I love it!

I received the news from one of our national chiropractic organizations, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), of which I am a member. They sent a news update alerting chiropractors to the malicious web site, and promise they are investigating the matter. They seem pissed.

But I’m not. I think it’s funny. I guess it’s only because I wasn’t insulted too badly. Some of the other categorizations were, “wannabe MD” and “couldn’t get into medical school.” I wonder how I was given the voodoo categorization. Well, I’m grateful–the other two are real insults.

Hey, listen, if people want to write ignorant things on the web, it’s their time. But watch out! www.neighborhood-chiropractors.com, you just might get sued for libel.

Barack Obama Supports Chiropractic

By On · Add Comment · In Barack Obama, chiropractic, chiropractors, doctors, health care, insurance, Medicare, preventive care, quacks, Uniformed Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service, wellness
Earlier in the year I wrote a post titled, Are Chiropractors Real Doctors? It has been, by far, my most popular post. The responses were overwhelmingly negative. Aside from the “quack” comments, much was written that I couldn’t keep up–it was nasty, vulgar, insulting, and worst of all, posted entirely by Mr. and Ms. “Anonymous”. That led me to write this post. I, frankly, would have been happy to leave up the nasty comments, and would have loved to respond to them had any author claimed them with a name; but I wasn’t going to get into a debate with a hidden identity–not interested in that.

So what was all the hullabaloo about? The main gist was that chiropractors are NOT real doctors! “Quacks, that’s all,” according to one poster. Well, I think I made my points rather concisely in the blog post, and especially in the concurrent podcast [The Dr. Nick Show (Episode 5)]. But to put a little more weight behind my argument, why not listen to what President-elect Barack Obama has to say on the subject.

In his position statement to the chiropractic profession, he stated:

  • As you know, chiropractic care is low-cost, drug-free, noninvasive, and has been shown to have a positive impact on patients’ health.
  • I believe steps should be taken to acknowledge the important care chiropractors provide, and knock down unreasonable barriers of access and discriminatory insurance coverage that stand between so many patients and the care they need.
  • I have a plan to support doctors of chiropractic. I support expanding the range of chiropractic services covered by Medicare.
  • I support commissioning doctors of chiropractic as officers in the Uniformed Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service…to deliver the nation’s public health promotion and disease prevention programs and advancing public health science.
  • My health care plan also prioritizes preventive care, and chiropractors play a significant role in this effort. As we shift our health care delivery system towards a culture of wellness and disease prevention, I believe that chiropractors must play an integral role in expanding access to preventive care and strengthening our public health system.

Booyah! There you have it…from the President-elect. To honor this great health-promoting statement by what’s promising to be a great leader, I will leave all comments up on this one, so fire away, Anonymous.

Unnecessary Knee Surgeries

By On · Add Comment · In arthritis, arthroscopic, chiropractors, knee, MRI, orthopedic, pain, rehabilitation, surgery

Did you know that arthroscopic knee surgery is one of the most common operations carried out in the U.S. today? Now why do you suppose that? How about it’s quick, it’s easy and–cha-ching!–it pays. Well, the latest reports show that arthroscopic surgery for arthritis of the knee is no better than rehabilitation and medication. Hmm…can’t say I’m surprised by that.

Timing is impeccable as I’ve just written an article on the same subject, but the details are this: When it comes to relieving the pain and stiffness of moderate to severe knee arthritis, surgery is no better than physical therapy and medication. Further, that holy grail of orthopedic diagnostics–the MRI–is not the end all, be all when it comes to predicting surgical necessity. What this means–and something we know quite well in chiropractic–is that many MRIs show tears (and disc bulges) in non-symptomatic people while many with symptoms have no tears (or bulges) at all. What does this mean on a practical level? MRI results may be over-predicting the necessity of what are now routine orthopedic surgeries. And we now have the studies to prove it.

As musculoskeletal clinicians, chiropractors know quite well of this misdiagnostic and mismanagement practice. Practically every patient of mine who has walked into an orthopedists office with knee pain has been recommended a knee surgery, despite the fact that they were prime candidates for conservative rehabilitative care. The same is true for the low back pain patient with radiating pain into the leg. Many things cause radiation, but walk into an orthopods office and expect a surgical recommendation. Damn shame, considering many people still take the M.D.’s word as law. Guess what people? Arthroscopic knee surgery was a low risk money maker for your doctor. Cha-ching.

Here’s the bottom line: If you are having knee pain, stiffness and other symptoms, read this article before you make a treatment decision. It could save you an unnecessary trip to the surgeon. Many knee problems can be fixed through conservative rehabilitative care. You’ve got nothing to lose, and the surgery will always be there if you need it later.

Chronic Pain Hurts Everything

By On · Add Comment · In brain scan, chiropractic, chiropractors, chronic pain, default mode, frontal cortex, functional MRI, low back pain, pain
Every chiropractor knows how much pain can disrupt the life of the person suffering from it. “Hurting” is just the tip of the iceberg. Truth is that when pain sits around for a long time, it disrupts all processes, especially mental ones. These facts have now been disclosed by a new study out of Northwestern University in Chicago.

The study looked at 30 people–15 with chronic low back pain and 15 that were pain-free. Each person was hooked up to a brain scan, a functional MRI, and was asked to perform a simple mental task–tracking a moving bar on a computer screen. The idea was to study a brain process called the default mode, an automatic setting of the brain of healthy people that controls functions when the brain is at rest–that is, when it is not actively processing information.

In healthy people performing a mental task, the default mode quiets down. But not in people suffering from chronic pain (lasting longer than six months was considered chronic in this study); in these people a region of the frontal cortex associated with emotion was constantly active, even during a routine mental task (check out the cool video, here). This constant cortical activity of the brain actually disrupted the normal brain equilibrium. Whoa!

Again, no surprise to chiropractors. But I’ll bet it’s no surprise to anyone who’s ever been in chronic pain, either. I’ve personally experienced it on both ends; as a doctor of chiropractic, I see the effects of chronic pain on people on a daily basis; as someone who has had my fair share, I know how difficult it is to do anything when in constant pain. Heck, I could barely make simple decisions when my tooth cracked. And with appendicitis–forget it! All I could do was moan.

Researchers of this latest pain study say that disruptions in the default network might explain why pain patients have problems with attention, sleep disturbances and even depression. Yeah, that sounds right. And according to the study authors, “These findings suggest that the brain of a chronic pain patient is not simply a healthy brain processing pain information but rather it is altered by the persistent pain in a manner reminiscent of other neurological conditions associated with cognitive impairments.”

The take home lesson here: Don’t let pain sit–get it taken care of right away. Go see a chiropractor, an acupuncturist, a massage therapist, or any practitioner that can help you. Perhaps you need to exercise, perhaps you need eye glasses–find out the cause of your pain and do something about it. Don’t just accept it as “getting older” or the unfortunate reality of any particular illness–even cancer patients can find some relief in alternative health methods like meditation, yoga, chiropractic and massage. So don’t give up, and don’t let it wait to go away on its own–take care of your body and address your pain today; and get back to living the life you love to live.

I Think I’ve Got It

By On · Add Comment · In ache, chiropractic, chiropractors, discomfort, neck, neck muscles, neck pain

O.k. my neck started bothering me again this morning. If you’ve read my entry from last month, Even Chiropractors Need Chiropractic, then you’ll remember that I’ve been having neck pain on and off for about a month and a half.

What gives? You’re a chiropractor Campos.

I’ve told you, chiropractors need chiropractic the most.

Anyway, I’ve been noticing that the discomfort would begin after a leisurely night in front of the T.V. on my…seven year old couch. Aha! It all makes sense now. My couch is so worn that I sink into it, which forces the muscles in the back of my neck to contract. Do this for and hour, two hours…o.k., o.k., SIX HOURS, I admit it…your neck is going to ache. Try holding a baseball bat out at arm’s length for 60 seconds and see what happens. This happens to the neck muscles too, just not as quickly, or as dramatically.

So, duh, I hadn’t considered that before: a couch – like a bed – needs to be replaced, and probably within around the same amount of time. If you’re not sure when to replace your bed, then please read my article How Sweet the Sleep 2. Now, for some people, the couch sees more action than the bed. If that the case, you’ll need to replace the couch sooner. Clearly, my couch has seen a lot of action.

For you do it yourselfers – check out this cool page on replacing the cushions of your sofa.

And another all about cushions.

Even Chiropractors Need Chiropractic

By On · Add Comment · In adjustment, allergies, cervical vertebra, chiropractic, chiropractors, muscle spasms, neck, pain, sleep, subluxation

Yes, that’s right, even chiropractors need a good adjustment some times. In fact, they probably need it more than the average Joe.

I tweaked my neck ten days ago while drying my hair after a shower. Oh, it was bad – I could barely move my head without excruciating pain. I toughed it out at work, but…it wasn’t good.

I had a subluxation of my first cervical vertebra (the atlas); it was rotated and wedged to the right. Aside from the pain, I had severe muscle spasms of the upper trapezius muscle (upper back and shoulder) on the left, which meant…more pain. I was having trouble sleeping. Every night, I woke up several times throughout my sleep despite the fact that I’m usually a very sound sleeper. And on several occasions, I woke up at 4 or 5 am and couldn’t fall back to sleep – a definite anomaly for me.

I also noticed an increase in symptoms related to allergies. Now, granted it’s been windy here in L.A., I guess I am connecting the allergy symptoms to my subluxation, because the second after I was adjusted today, the symptoms cleared up.

I feel better now, but I know that I’ll have to be adjusted again in a couple of days. I generally try to get adjusted once a week, but in these types of situations I need more. All in all, I’ve been adjusted three times since developing the tweak, each time I felt better than the last. That’s how it works – sometimes it only takes one adjustment, other times, more.

Hey, I’m just happy I’m feeling better. I accept pain an an occasional part of life, but like most people, I don’t love it. I take the presence of pain as a sign that something is not right, and I’ve got to get it checked out and corrected. BINGO – that’s the way the body works.

So, if you’re feeling pain – go visit your chiropractor – don’t wait for it to “go away on its own”, because, the fact is, it probably won’t.

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