September 2011

“Much of your pain is the bitter potion by which the physician within you heals your sick self.”
–-Kahlil Gibran

Back to the Routine...

Happy September!

As school starts again and many of us return to the routine of life, stress can really set in. There are always opportunities to feel stressed, but when we suddenly go from the relaxed mode of Summer into the grind of a schedule that others set for us it becomes even more important to take care of ourselves. It is one of the ironies of human nature that the periods when we feel like we have the least time for self-care are the periods when it's the most important. You're more exhausted, right? So you need to take extra-good care of your machine. It is a service action, not a selfish action. If you are strung out and stressed and tired and eating junk, you can't really take loving care of your loved ones.

So ask yourself, "What simple but nurturing thing can I do for myself today?" Returning a letter or email? Reading a book? Taking a bath? Going for a run? You're worth it.

With blessings and gratitude,
Dr. Matthew

West Nile virus has been identified in a number of dead birds and trapped mosquitoes in Harris Township (Boalsburg), which means it is likely in surrounding areas too. It is not something to be freaked out about, but I'd still advise you to learn a bit about it, especially if you have older friends or relatives in your care.

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Is Maintenance Care Really Important?

Recently I was out to lunch and ran into a couple of friends, who are also clients. One I haven't seen in a few years, and one of the things she said was, "I haven't been in for a long time – that must make you really happy!" Of course I understood what she meant, which was that although she was a mess when she first came to see me, she had experienced such relief that she hadn't needed to come back for more than two years. When I walked away from the conversation, I realized that I had done her a disservice by not saying, "If I only cared about your symptoms, and not about your health, I'd be ecstatic."

Whether you are a regular chiropractic client or someone who uses it as a symptom management tool, you have probably asked yourself this question about maintenance at some point. Hopefully it's a question you have answered through investigating research, asking a doctor, or evaluating your personal experience or the experience of a friend who gets adjusted regularly (after all, research aside, the proof is in the pudding). The details of the answer may vary from person to person, but in general the objective answer is the same for everyone: maintenance is essential.

Within the mainstream, chiropractic has one remaining negative association: the idea that once you go to see a chiropractor, "you have to go forever." This is a misconception. You certainly don't have to go forever, but as I can guarantee you, and as the research supports, if you do you will feel better and function better - in other words, you'll be healthier. My regular clients know that my suggestion with regards to maintenance is that you listen to what your body is telling you and listen to that, provided you don't get caught up in the illusion that a lack of symptoms means you are in good health... even cancer cells are present and developing for years before they are detectable. In my clinic there is no pressure to get adjusted weekly or monthly or with any other regularity, even if you ask for a clinical opinion. While many chiropractors do insist that people make frequent visits, in my opinion this is not appropriate: to doctor actually means to teach, and clients should be given enough information to make informed decisions that partner with the client's values and health priorities.

However what many people overlook is a thoughtful evaluation of what "going forever" means. If you compare pharmaceuticals to adjustments, for example, you will get a perspective on what I mean. Anyone reading this who has taken a drug for anything knows that the drug is taken at least once a day, if not two to three times a day, for weeks on end (if not forever). That drug is in your system 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for who knows how long. So by comparison, chiropractic - a much safer and more conservative treatment - is with you far less and is far more powerful. I would wager that if the average chiropractic client (who wants to come in and get adjusted with as little small talk as possible) were to compare their time in the DCs office to the amount of time in line at the pharmacy each year, they would find they spend far less, and far more enjoyable, time at the chiropractor's clinic. Or compare the amount of time spent for maintenance at the dentist's office annually with that spent at the chiropractor's office annually - and the health of your spine and nervous system is arguably far more important and far-reaching than your oral health. Or compare the money spent on Advil to alleviate symptoms versus on a copayment to actually fix the problem….

One other factor that is rarely considered about chiropractic maintenance care is that it is not just a question of relaxed muscles, good range of motion, and trying to avoid arthritis, it's a matter of the longevity of all your organs and tissues. One rarely cited medical study communicates this in detail: Henry Winsor, an MD from Philadelphia, was intrigued by the consistency with which his patients, suffering from all types of illnesses, returned to health after seeing chiropractors or osteopaths who adjusted the spine. He designed a study involving human and animal cadavers to see if there was a relationship between abnormal curvatures of the spine and disease in the internal organs. Dr. Winsor gained permission form the University of Pennsylvania to conduct this research, and in a series of three studies he found almost a 100% correlation between minor curvatures of the spine and diseases of the internal organs. He dissected a total of 75 human cadavers and 22 cat cadavers, and found 221 diseased organs. Of the 221 diseased organs, 212 had direct nerve supply from vertebrae where abnormal curves existed. While this research has been largely ignored my most physicians, researchers in many disciplines have expanded on his study in search of a better understanding of the complex relationship between subluxations (spinal misalignments causing nerve pressure) and disease, one of the most exciting and faster growing areas in health care research.

Unfortunately this research went largely unnoticed by most of the medical community, for at least two reasons. First, only chiropractors and osteopaths are spinal mechanical specialists, so only we have any idea how to correct these spinal misalignments. Second, much of the medical profession doesn't see the sense in referring patients to a chiropractor because they don't understand what we do. The fact remains that even medical research recognizes the reality of nerve pressure and the importance of getting care to reduce abnormal curvatures and eliminating interference with the nervous system. After all, many orthopedic surgeries are designed to eliminate pressure on nerves: any lumbar or cervical spinal surgery that spaces the vertebrae apart where disks have herniated or degenerated is performed to eliminate the crushing pressures that blood vessels and nerves suffer when the normal space between bones decreases. Anyone who has had one of these operations for sciatica, stenosis, tennis elbow or carpal tunnel - and most of us know someone who has - might have avoided the pain, the surgery, the cost and the recovery process if they had been being regularly adjusted.

A common-sense point I often make to clients when I am speaking in support of some frequency of maintenance care is that going through an intensive rehab process (or even just a few visits to try and alleviate debilitating pain but stopping before the problem is corrected) is a lot like going to the dentist for a root canal and then never brushing your teeth again.

Many countries in the world still have only a few chiropractors, and people have to travel for a day or more to see them, not to mention they don't have insurance to pay for the care - we often take for granted the opportunities we have here in America. So is it really true that you "have to go forever?" Or is it more accurate to say that having the chance to care for your body and your health, to potentially extend your life by years in addition to feeling better, is a case of, "I get to go forever?"

Medicare Prescription Drug Bill a Major Victory for Lobbying and a Major Loss for Americans

"If you have ever wondered why the cost of prescription drugs in the United States are the highest in the world or why it's illegal to import cheaper drugs from Canada or Mexico, you need look no further than the pharmaceutical lobby and its influence in Washington, D.C."

This aired 4 years ago, but most people I talked to missed it - unfortunately it will probably make you angry, so make a nice cup of tea before watching it! Read the article...

New Research

Research Debunks Rumored Association Between Cervical Adjustments and Stroke

While most people don't have real concerns about this, especially in our office where almost no cervical rotation is used to adjust the neck, this was a landmark study which actually found people were statistically more likely to have a stroke after visiting their medical doctor than they were after seeing a chiropractor. Of course the researchers don't think seeing your MD causes strokes, but this revelation brought forward an important reality; strokes cause the kinds of symptoms that lead them to go see their doctors, so in cases where there has been any connection, it was most likely a stroke that was already in progress. Read the article...

Food Addictions Scientifically Similar to Drug Addictions

Recent psychiatric research shows the same areas of the brain active with drug and alcohol addiction are active and triggered in people with food addictions (there are political ads on this page, sorry). Read the article...

Strong Research Link Between Pitocin and Depression, Anxiety, Drug Addiction

This article reports on new concerns presented by Michael Odent, MD, and his research team about the effect of Pitocin on fetuses. Pitocin is a drug used widely and liberally during labor to facilitate delivery. Thanks to our friend Jennifer Carr for getting this to us.

Featured Practitioner—Christopher Schmidt, DC

Early in the year I was contacted by a chiropractor named Chris whose fiancée had started a six-year PhD in chemistry at the University. He was looking for a place to practice, and while I had no real interest in having an associate in the office, after several great emails, and then phone calls, I had lunch with Chris. I was moved by his "story," and it was obvious he had become a chiropractor to help people, not to get rich. It was clear he would be a great addition to the practice, and in July he moved in as an independent contractor. Chris will be seeing his own clients out of our office, and he might provide vacation coverage for me at some point – yay! I spoke with Chris about his take on chiropractic.

Dr. Chris, what is chiropractic and why is it important?

Chiropractic care is important because it has so many benefits. Not only does it help relieve pain, but it also helps people maintain overall health. People who receive long term chiropractic care typically do not get sick as often as those who do not receive regular care. This is due to the decrease in abnormal stimulus in the body. The body is able to move with proper mechanics, which results in a decreased likelihood that injury will occur. Chiropractic care is targeted at removing harmful stimulus and allowing the body to heal naturally without the use of pharmaceuticals. Chiropractic care is an un-invasive procedure. We do not operate and do not prescribe pharmaceuticals. Studies have shown that people who have surgeries often have adverse effects due to the resulting scar tissue. Chiropractic care offers an alternative for surgery candidates. Care is often able to decrease the pain to a manageable level, or to remove pain completely. As chiropractors, we hope that people try the least invasive procedure first because many people might not need surgery to resolve their pain. If after a few treatments progress is not achieved then they are referred back to their primary care physician.

How would I know if I needed chiropractic care?

Everyone can benefit from chiropractic care. Everyone puts their body through stress during the day. People often place themselves in awkward positions to work on a task. People who have experienced traumatic events such as a car accident or recent slip or fall often need chiropractic care. Chiropractic care isn't limited to severe cases; for example, a runner stepping in a hole often causes a misalignment in the pelvis, causing pain when going up or down stairs or getting up from a seated position. Often when a misalignment occurs the entire body compensates for this alteration. These compensations can lead to even more problems that can arise due to the one original structural imbalance.

Does it hurt? What is it like to experience?

Chiropractic care is not intended to be painful; however it is not uncommon for a person to become sore later in the day after an adjustment. This is often due to the lactic acid that is released from the muscles after they are worked on. The soreness is often very similar to the soreness you might feel after working out in the gym or after getting a massage. The adjustment itself is often audible, and is louder when work is done on the neck, simply because of being closer to the ears. The sound is very similar to people who "crack" their knuckles. People often notice an improvement once they stand up and start to move around or when driving their vehicle home.

What happens on the first few visits?

The first visit is typically the longest required. This is due to the paperwork and patient history required for new patients. It is important for us to gather as much information as we can about an individual to get a firm understanding of what is occurring with them. Often people do not understand why we go so in depth or ask certain questions, but the fact is we have the same training as MDs, and that we primary care physicians. After the history is taken we perform some orthopedic exams. These exams are not only helpful to identifying where the problem is but can also help to determine if we are able to help with the condition. If any of the tests suggest additional medical attention is needed prior to manipulation then the proper referrals are made. Typically, I prefer to try to adjust on the first visit if time permits and all exam findings indicate it is safe to do so. After the first visit most visits are approximately 15 minutes long. Also, depending upon how severe the condition is it is not uncommon to be seen more frequently in the beginning of treatment. The greater frequency is necessary not only to determine if the procedure is providing relief, but to also help get the body out of the "pain cycle" faster. We strive to eventually get everyone to either maintenance care or to discharge them by providing them with stretches and exercises that they can perform at home.

What kinds of changes can I expect?

Changes that can be expected after treatment include an improved range of motion through the area that was adjusted, and a decrease in pain - on rare occasions there might be mild stiffness. Chiropractic care is targeted towards pain management and to restore the body's natural mechanics. Chiropractic care can indirectly help with a wide variety of conditions. Some people notice the drive home to be easier due to an improved ability to rotate their heads and check for cars in their blind spot.

What type of training do chiropractors have?

Chiropractors have a very extensive training. Our overall training consists of over 4,000 core hours. Among these hours we are trained not only in the basic sciences but also neurology, pathology, microbiology, and very heavily in diagnostic studies. As a chiropractor we are also trained in how to take and examine x-rays. We have the same training as most medical doctors. The only difference is we focus more on anatomy and physiology and adjusting joints versus how to prescribe pharmaceuticals. As a chiropractor we try to focus more on the root of the problem rather than trying to treat the symptoms. At New York Chiropractic College (NYCC) we do an internship for the last year of schooling. It is required that we treat over 250 patients before graduation. At NYCC we start manipulation in our second trimester. In school our practice of manipulations began on our classmates before we practice on patients. In my opinion, this depth of education shows how safe chiropractic care is.

What other services do you offer clients?

In the office we offer x-rays to people for whom it is medically necessary. If someone comes in after a car accident, or just slipped and fell we might take an x-ray. We also offer the use of ultrasound, electrical stimulation (to relieve muscle spasm) as well as soft tissue techniques. Again all these procedures are not performed on every individual, but I typically perform soft tissue work for each patient. The soft tissue work is not to be confused with a massage. The soft tissue I perform is to remove tight trigger points found within the musculature to restore proper function in the muscle. Once the soft tissues are assisted, the adjustment typically holds longer. This is because the muscles and ligaments attach to the bones, and therefore if the muscles are tight they can pull the segments out of alignment.

Schmidt Chiropractic at Centre Chiropractic
Dr. Christopher Schmidt
128 East Boal Avenue, Boalsburg 16827
(814) 466-2000
www.centrechiro.com
dr.christopher@centrechiro.com

Powerful Revelations Emerge from Study of Earth's Magnetic Field

A number of researchers, many associated with the Institute of Noetic Sciences, have been studying fluctuations and other changes in the magnetic field of Earth, and have found that these changes typically precede earthquakes and volcanic eruptions by a few weeks, which could allow the development of an early-warning system that could save millions of lives. More interestingly to me, the team is finding dozens of correlations between the geomagnetic field and our brain waves, biochemistry and heart rhythms, the implications of which are pretty staggering. So not only do we each have a Mindbody, we each have a Planetbody! Read the article...

Inspiring

I love to bookmark these great, short clips on YouTube and elsewhere, for those mornings when by my second cup of coffee I still feel like I haven't had any. Enjoy.

Just Fun, Just in Case You Missed It

Let's be clear, as your doctor I am not recommending that you do this.
In fact, if you have vertigo, you probably shouldn't even watch this full-screen....

Gay and Kathlyn Hendricks, Conscious Loving

The Hendricks walk in the same circles as Deepak Chopra, Bernie Siegel, Joan Borysenko, Gary Zukav and all those in the first generation of the "consciousness movement." Most of you know I am a relationship-driven person, so you can take this with a grain of salt, but this is one of my top three favorite books ever, and is a great resource whether you are in a relationship or want to manifest or prepare for one.
All grains of salt aside, this is the "most commonly not-returned book" in our lending library at the office, which should tell you something!

Farewell

Thanks for your participation, and thanks for your feedback. In addition to linking to my website in order to keep the newsletter concise, these will all be archived on the website so you can always go back later to read, research or forward content.

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© 2011 Centre Chiropractic. All rights reserved.

Dr. Matthew Hertert, Centre Chiropractic & Centred on Health
128 East Boal Avenue
P.O. Box 680
Boalsburg PA 16827
(814) 466-2000
info@centrechiro.com