Recent Medical News

As a chiropractor who believes in using the latest medical evidence to make decisions about patient care, it is essential to stay up-to-date with newest research. In doing so, often times, interesting articles are passed along through this blog. Here are a few of the most recent examples.

Acupuncture has been shown to effectively
treat a number of conditions.

- Acupuncture is a centuries-old form of treatment by which needles are inserted into the dermis to stimulate a response. Often times it is used as a pain control mechanism. A recent study found that acupuncture can help in the treatment of Bell's Palsy. Bell's Palsy is paralysis of one of the nerves of the face that controls a large number of motor functions. According to the research, as the level of acupuncture intensity, whether via depth of needles or stimulation of needles, increases so does the efficacy of treatment. 

Grapes have a chemical called
Resveratrol which can help fight
against inflammation.

- More research is confirming that red wine can be an elixir for a number of degenerative or inflammatory processes including, as it turns out, protecting your ability to hear effectively. The powerhouse chemical found in red wine, and specifically in the skin of the red grapes is a molecule called resveratrol which, "is a very powerful chemical that seems to protect against the body's inflammatory process as it relates to aging, cognition and hearing loss," states Michael D. Seidman MD of Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. Rats treated with the chemical were found to have significantly lower noise-induced COX-2 expression when compared with untreated animals after 24 hours of continuous exposure to loud noises.

Omega-3 Fatty acids are beneficial
for everyone to use.

- Lastly, as if we needed more evidence that taking an omega-3 supplement can have wonderful benefits on degenerative and inflammatory processes, a recent study found that administering an emulsion containing an omega-3 fatty acid within hours of an ischemic (oxygen-deprived) stroke "reduced brain tissue damage in mice by half." While taking an omega-3 supplement daily has been demonstrated to induce wonderful health benefits, it is essential to note that now there are therapeutic benefits to its administration as well. At RASC Rockford, we advise the use of USANA brand Omega-3 - mention this blog and receive 25% off your next bottle of USANA BiOmega Supplements. 

Is Vitamin D For Me?

Of the vitamins that are needed by the body for any number of physiological processes, vitamin D, also known as cholecalciferol, has generated a lot of buzz lately. As a chiropractor who utilizes blood testing and phlebotomy to assess and diagnose musculoskeletal pain, vitamin D, and testing for serum levels of this vitamin, is a topic that is of particular importance. 

Cholecalciferol is a fat-soluable substance, meaning that it is stored within the adipose tissue or fat, and has many uses within the human body, most notably in the development and strengthening of adolescent bones. Dietary vitamin D is provided primarily by foods of animal origin, especially beef, veal, liver, eggs and in dairy products. 

Most famously, however, vitamin D is synthesized through exposure to sunlight and UV rays. A form of cholesterol is stored within glands in the skin and when UV rays are exposed to that reservoir, a previtamin to active vitamin D is created. A few days following that process, active vitamin D is produced. The process by which vitamin D is created through supplemental or dietary process differs from the sunlight exposure route, but by far and away the predominant way that humans obtain vitamin D is through UV exposure. 

For you, the patient, speaking generally, baseline levels of vitamin D should be between 30-50 ng/dl, with optimal levels above 50 ng/dl. Suboptimal levels of this essential nutrient can manifest in many different illnesses and conditions, but often times can be linked with generalized musculoskeletal pain. Additionally, a review article in the New England Journal of Medicine, noted that "observational studies in large cohorts have shown significant associations between low levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and an increased risk of metabolic, neoplastic and immune disorders such as type 1 diabetes mellitus and multiple sclerosis."

In order to optimize levels of vitamin D to combat the aforementioned conditions, you have to ensure the quality of the product. Unfortunately, vitamin D content in over-the-counter supplements is both low and unpredictable. A study presented at the meeting of the Joint Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers noted, "the mean vitamin D content from 10 OTC brands was only 33% of what the label claimed, with the actual content ranging from less than 1% to 82% of the advertised level." 

At RASC Rockford, we use two forms of vitamin D, one in tablet form and one in liquid drop form. Both are quality controlled and have had wonderful success in increasing the vitamin D levels in all patients. 

The Nightmare Injury For The Tennis Player

For those of us who play tennis, the dreaded tennis elbow is an injury that has caused much consternation and many days, weeks and months of lost activity time. The repetitive twisting, or appropriately termed, supination and pronation of the forearm at the elbow joint leads to chronic inflammation of the tendons that attach the forearm to the upper arm.

The extensor tendons of the forearm are affected with tennis elbow

As seen in the picture of the forearm below, the extensor tendons are the primary tissues affected with this overuse injury. Tennis elbow may be more commonly referred to as lateral epicondylitis. 

In a recent study found in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), it was found that "Corticosteroid injections and physical therapy, either individually or in combination, failed to help patients with "tennis elbow" except for a short-term benefit seen with the steroids, a randomized trial showed.

Additionally, it was noted in the journal article, that follow-ups one (1) year later found worse outcomes for patients who sought cortisone shots (steroid injections) as compared with those who received a placebo. So the steroid shots only provided short-term relief and did not solve the problem.

Overuse injuries such as this, and its counterpart, golfer's elbow are effectively treated at Rehabilitation & Spinal Care of Rockford without the use of steroids. Treatments are focused on restoring full, painless, range-of-motion and correcting the biomechanics that ultimately caused the condition to flare up.

Unfortunately, this and other chronic conditions are not self-limiting and tend to persist without corrective care, so don't live your life in pain and unable to perform the activities that you enjoy. Call the office today at (815) 394 0309 to schedule your initial appointment.