Spinal Manipulation Better Than Medication for Neck Pain Relief, Study Shows

Spinal manipulation, a common therapy used by chiropractic doctors, is more efficient than medication for offering acute neck pain relief, a recent study by researchers from Northwestern Health Sciences University and the Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation shows.

Study: Spinal Manipulation, Medication, or Home Exercise With Advice for Acute and Subacute Neck Pain

Funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine (January 3, 2012), the controlled study randomly assigned either spinal manipulation therapy, medication, or home exercise instruction to 272 participants, aged 18 to 65 years, who had nonspecific neck pain for 2 to 12 weeks.

The trial showed that both spinal manipulation therapy (SMT) and “home exercise with advice” (HEA) led to greater pain relief than medication for up to 1 year after treatment. Also, in both the short and long term, SMT was determined to be more effective than medication for treating acute and subacute neck pain.

Other findings of the study pinpointed the time at which these two therapies surpassed medication for pain relief: “SMT had a statistically significant advantage over medication after 8, 12, 26, and 52 weeks (P _ 0.010), and HEA was superior to medication at 26 weeks (P _ 0.02).”

Considering that neck pain is a common condition affecting an estimated 70% of persons at some point in their lives, this study offers much-needed insight to help identify preferred therapies for treating acute and subacute neck pain.

At Backfire Chiropractic, we understand that patients come to our chiropractic clinic seeking the best, most effective way to relieve their pain, and we are pleased, though not surprised, that this recent study confirms what we’ve always known and practiced: spinal manipulation is an effective, natural way to relieve pain.

Be healthy, naturally,

Dr. Kerry O’Neill & Backfire Chiropractic

Backfire Chiropractic provides natural, effective health care services in a comfortable, relaxing environment. Whether you’re coming in to see our expert chiropractors, licensed massage therapists or professional acupuncturist, our goal is to make you feel right at home.

Reference:

Bronfort G, Evans R, Anderson AV, et al. Spinal manipulation, medication, or home exercise with advice for acute and subacute neck pain. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2012;156(1):1–10.

Sugar-Blocking Tips to Better Health for Carbohydrate Lovers

Sugar spike got you (up and) down? Here are a few ways to ease yourself off the insulin roller coaster without giving up all the foods you love, as recommended by Dr. Robert Thompson in a February 16 article (“Block sugar from your body in 7 easy ways, ” Health on Today) and adapted from his recent book.* 

We thought that a spotlight on sugar and how to break sugar “addiction” would be a good follow-up to our recent blog on inhalable caffeine and avoiding caffeine dependency. At Backfire Chiropractic, we believe that good nutrition, coupled with chiropractic care and immune system support, is the best way to optimal health.

The Sugar Spike

When you consume sugar, both refined sugar and sugar derived from carbohydrates, you get a rush of energy when it enters your bloodstream. Your pancreas produces insulin to push sugar out of the blood and into cells to be used as fuel.  But too much sugar can take a toll on your body, and extremely high levels of blood sugar (glucose) can contribute to major health problems, such as type-2 diabetes and heart disease, in some people.

But through simple changes in diet, you can reduce blood sugar peaks and valleys without eliminating all the carbohydrates and starches you may like to eat.

“You can blunt the blood sugar-raising effects by taking advantage of natural substances in foods that slow carbohydrate digestion and entry into the bloodstream. No matter what kind of sugar blocker you use, your waistline (and health) will win in the end,” writes Thompson.

Here are our 5 favorite sugar-blocking tips from Thompson:

Sugar Blocker 1: Have a fatty snack 10 to 30 minutes before your meals.
Reason: You remain fuller longer.

Sugar Blocker 2: Start your meal with a salad.
Reason: It soaks up starch and sugar.

Sugar Blocker 3: Have some vinegar.
Reason: It slows the breakdown of starch into sugar.

Sugar Blocker 4: Include protein with your meal.
Reason: You won’t secrete as much insulin.

Sugar Blocker 5: Eat lightly cooked vegetables.
Reason: You digest them more slowly.

Enjoy your healthy day,

Dr. Kerry O’Neill & Backfire Chiropractic

Backfire Chiropractic provides natural, effective health care services in a comfortable, relaxing environment. Whether you’re coming in to see our expert chiropractors, licensed massage therapists or professional acupuncturist, our goal is to make you feel right at home.

*Reference:

Thompson, Rob. The Sugar Blockers Diet: Eat Great, Lose Weight – A Doctor’s 3-Step Plan to Lose Weight, Lower Blood Sugar, and Beat Diabetes – While Eating the Carbs You Love.  (Rodale, 2012).

Are They Serious – New Inhalable Caffeine? Try a Natural Energy Boost Instead.

Drinking a cup of coffee or can of Red Bull takes too long for some to get their caffeine fix—or so the makers of AeroShots are banking on. Their new pick-me-up product lets the energy-deficient among us inhale 100 milligrams of caffeine powder—the equivalent of a large cup of coffee, plus B vitamins—from a lipstick-sized tube that costs $2.99.

According to a February 9, 2012 article in the Huffington Post,* the new product is raising some concerns in the U.S. Senate, where Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, fearing that it will be abused as a “club drug,” is asking the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to review AeroShot.

One problem voiced by critics like Schumer and Dr. Lisa Ganijh, a gastroenterologist and internal medicine doctor at New York-based St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital, is the ease in which one can ingest massive amounts of caffeine in a single setting—even the equivalent of 10 cups of coffee: “…so you just puff away and you could be getting all of that within the hour,” said Ganjhu.

Perhaps the question for the health-conscious among us should not be whether this product is likely to be abused, but whether there’s a better, natural alternative to boosting one’s energy. Do people with active lifestyles really need a “caffeine fix,” or is there something keeping their bodies from functioning optimally and maintaining a healthy energy level?

At Backfire Chiropractic, we believe that while there’s nothing wrong with a cup of coffee in the morning, caffeine dependency shouldn’t take the place of a natural approach to boosting energy—one that helps the body heal itself and supports proper nervous system function. The chiropractic method of spinal manipulation focuses on eliminating subluxations that can block the communication between the brain and vital organs, as well as helping to restore the musculoskeletal systems of the body. Along with chiropractic, massage therapy can help reduce stress and pain, as well as improve circulation and increase range of motion, all of which can lead you to feel more energized.

Chiropractic therapy and massage therapy offer natural ways to help your body sustain a healthy energy level, without the adrenaline rush of a so-called caffeine “high,” which inevitably brings your body down to a “low.”

Of course, you can always shoot a puff of caffeinated lemon-lime powder into your mouth, as the makers of AeroShots suggest. But we think we’ll pass on that one.

Be healthy, naturally,

Dr. Kerry O’Neill & Backfire Chiropractic

Backfire Chiropractic provides natural, effective health care services in a comfortable, relaxing environment. Whether you’re coming in to see our expert chiropractors, licensed massage therapists or professional acupuncturist, our goal is to make you feel right at home.

*Reference:

Ngowi, Rodrique. ”AeroShots: Inhalable Caffeine Lets You Bypass Coffee, Red Bull With Bitter Powder.” Huff Post Food, Huffington Post, 9 February 2012. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/08/aeroshots-inhalable-caffeine_n_1262544.html>

6 Ways to Love Your Health This Valentine’s Day

Hallmark cards aside, when February 14th approaches, we tend to  lead with our hearts. For some, that means making special plans with loved ones; for others, it’s about taking time to do what you love.

At Backfire Chiropractic, we think that Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to celebrate health and well-being–what’s not to love about that?

Here are 6 ideas for celebrating a healthy Valentine’s Day in Seattle:

1. Give (or receive) the gift of a relaxing massage.

Say goodbye to stress and sore muscles, and hello (finally!) to relaxation. With three amazing in-house massage therapists, Backfire Chiropractic knows how great the gift of massage can be.

2. Take a friend or loved one to yoga class (or try partner yoga).

If you love your yoga class, why not invite a loved one or friend to join you this week? Or try out a partner yoga workshop, such as the one being offered at 8 Limbs Phinney Ridge this Sunday, February 12, 2 – 4:00pm.

3. Sign up for a cooking class.

Put a little love into your food, and share it with others. A cooking class is a fun way to bond with your favorite people. Hipcooks in Seattle offers “A Romantic Dinner for 2″ class on Sunday, February 12, 1-4pm. Or  sign up for one of their other cuisine-themed classes, from the likes of “Ragin’ Cajun” to “Dim Sum and Then Some.”

4. Join the Valentine Day’s Dash (5K run or walk).

Bring love to the streets of Seattle. The fourth-annual Valentine’s Day Dash through Green Lake Park will get your heart racing and your legs pumping. The race starts at the Green Lake Crew House on Saturday, February 11, 9:30am.

5. For the more adventurous runners: Cupid’s Undie Run.

It may be too late to sign up for 1.5-mile Cupid’s Undie Run through the heart of Seattle’s Fremont district (since the race has already sold out), but it’s sure to be a thrilling spectacle. And, more importantly, it benefits the Children’s Tumor Foundation. The run begins at 2pm, with pre- and post-run festivities held at the Ballroom.

6. And for overall balance and good health…

…a spinal adjustment by your neighborhood chiropractor is always a great way to love your body.

Have a fun, healthy Valentine’s Day!

Dr. Kerry O’Neill & Backfire Chiropractic

Backfire Chiropractic provides natural, effective health care services in a comfortable, relaxing environment. Whether you’re coming in to see our expert chiropractors, licensed massage therapists or professional acupuncturist, our goal is to make you feel right at home.

The Law of Inertia

The Law of Inertia, as derived from Sir Isaac Newton, states: any object at rest, or in motion, will resist from changing its current state.  This is a simple law that may be applied to our everyday life.

One of my dear friends is an avid triathlete who continually loves to push herself to that next level.  If you know much about triathletes then you may have a few preconceived thoughts that come to mind about these individuals.

1. My goodness, how on earth do they subject themselves to such torture
2. Definitely need to give some respect for the dedication it takes to train and perform day in and day out
3. These athletes are relatively intelligent

The first two statements are commonplace, but intelligence??  It takes extensive effort and research to train and perform effectively for success.  Tenths of seconds seperate you and the other opponents at the finish line.  So when they train, the following must be considered: oxygen consumption through proper breathing, swimming/ biking/ running techniques must be broken down and refined, equipment should be state of the art, training schedules must be able to break down progress, and books must be read to utilize the proven and up-and-coming techniques to keep you ahead of the rest of the pack .  I mean, not too many people can jump out of bed and say “I’m going to do a 3.8 km swim, 180 km ride, and a 42.2 km run today”.  And actually do it, forget about competing!!

About half a year ago, Kate sprained her right ankle.  She sidelined herself for more than 6 months.  Obviously, much longer rest than what a grade 2 sprain should be.  Her training fell to the wayside, her family and friend relationships weren’t going so great, and her home business started to falter a bit as well.  I met for a full bodied coffee at our favorite local shop and she described how she couldn’t understand what was going on.  ”The Law of Inertia” I said.  She looked at me puzzled for a second.  When we allow ourselves to slow down, our bodies control center adapts and slows as well, but if we keep moving steadily forward, then our bodies inevitably do the same.  Kate decided to jump back to her previous mind set of being proactive.  She began training again, with more dedication than ever.  After 2 months of treatment, our office discharged her.

I met her again a few months later.  Job was on fire, found an amazing partner, and has never performed better for her triathlons then she does now.  You know what she said to me with a funny smirk.. “Law of Inertia”!

Our bodies feed on healthy living.  Being aligned for full body optimal functioning , eating well, thinking positively, having a great support around you, and exercising- All these factors play a vital role in us being that object that stays in motion.  Help yourself to stay in motion today!!

Check Out Our New Fall Office Hours – We’re Open Saturdays, Too!

Backfire Chiropractic is now open on Saturdays!

In addition to our weekday schedule, we will now be assisting patients on Saturdays from 10:00am-noon.

For your convenience, here are our new office hours for fall, so you can best prepare for your chiropractic visits:

Monday: 9am-12:30pm & 2:30-6:00
Tuesday: 2:30-6:00pm
Wednesday: 9am-12:30pm & 2:30-6:00pm
Thursday: 2:30-6:00pm
Friday: 9:00am-12:30pm & 2:30-5:00pm
Saturday: 10:00am-noon

These office hours are also posted on the Backfire Chiropractic website.

Yours in health,

Backfire Chiropractic

Free iPad 2 Raffle !!

Win an iPad2!!  Backfire Chiropractic’s

Here’s how you can earn tickets for chances to win an iPad 2:

• “Like” us on Facebook                           = 1 ticket/raffle entry*
• Check in to Backfire on FB Places       = 1 ticket each check-in
• Sign up for our free e-newsletter        = 2 tickets
• Refer a friend                                             = 3 tickets
• Write a Yelp review                                  = 5 tickets

The raffle drawing will be held on Wednesday, November 16th at 6:00pm.

Ask at the front desk for further details. Don’t miss your chance to enter!

*While anyone can “Like” us on Facebook, for all other chances to win, participants must be clients of Backfire Chiropractic.