Acetaminophen is a popular and common painkiller. So common, in fact, that people often don't read label instructions, assuming that acetaminophen products are safe to consume at will. However, acetaminophen causes very serious and life-threatening liver disease if taken in large doses, and is the leading cause of liver failure in the US (affecting more than twice as many individuals as alcohol-related liver disease). There are also reports that acetaminophen can cause stomach bleeding, can affect a baby's future fertility if taken by a pregnant mother, leads to a higher risk of blood cancer, and can cause kidney damage.
Since the side effects of acetaminophen are more dangerous than most people realize, the drug manufacturer Johnson & Johnson has taken an unusual step. They have reduced the recommended daily dose of their popular drug Tylenol, in the hopes that people will reduce their intake of the pain medication and spare themselves the dangerous side effects. From USA Today: Starting sometime this fall, labels on Extra Strength Tylenol packages will now list the maximum daily dose as six pills, or a total of 3,000 milligrams, down from eight pills a day, or 4,000 milligrams. Beginning next year, McNeil will also reduce the maximum daily dose for its Regular Strength Tylenol and other adult pain relievers containing acetaminophen, the most widely used pain killer in the country. Besides Tylenol, acetaminophen is the active ingredient in the prescription painkillers Percocet and Vicodin and in some nonprescription pain relievers, including NyQuil and some Sudafed products. It's found in thousands of medicines taken for headaches, fever, sore throats and chronic pain. But people taking multiple medicines at once don't always realize how much acetaminophen they are ingesting, partly because prescription drug labels often list it under the abbreviation "APAP." Two years ago, a panel of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration called for sweeping restrictions to prevent accidental fatal overdoses of acetaminophen. Click here to read more. It is always important to bear in mind that there are other methods to relieve pain than using drugs. If it is important to you to achieve pain relief without side effects, consider the use of cold packs, hot packs, exercise, analgesic gels, aromatherapy, sleep therapy, physical therapy, and chiropractic adjustments. There are many other pain relief strategies worth trying, and most of them come with few or no side effects.
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How many healthy meals does it take to lose 20 lbs? Or how many miles on the treadmill does it take to shed 5 inches? It obviously takes more than just one, and you've got to stick with it to maintain the results. Well, the same goes for your chiropractic care.
It takes more than one adjustment to change your state of health. It's true the body has a greater potential to improve even after just one adjustment. But like eating well and exercising, you achieve lasting results only with repetition and consistency. So how long should you stick with your new diet regimen, exercise routine or spinal maintenance plan? The answer is, as long as you want to be healthy… and hopefully that's for the rest of your life. In the world of fitness, healthy eating and chiropractic, there's no such thing as 'one and done.' You've got to stick with it to reap the rewards. Content provided by Principle33. In perfect coordination with last week's post on chiropractic and pregnancy, a medical journal called Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice released the results of a survey of certified nurse-midwives. The survey intended to find out the attitudes and views of the midwives regarding chiropractic.
As a group, the midwives were aware that chiropractors work with patients who have health issues other than classical musculoskeletal problems. They were also aware that chiropractors work with birthing professionals. Importantly, "a vast majority indicated a positive personal and professional clinical experience with chiropractic and that chiropractic was safe for pregnant patients and children." HT: Chiro.org Dr. Jan Roberts, a long-time Activator doctor, passes along this unique success story:
I had a very interesting morning recently at my practice. I have been working with a young mother throughout her third pregnancy. She progressed well until two weeks before her due date. She became more spinally unstable for that two weeks and she was seen more often. As her due date neared, talk of inducing was increased by her OB. She was adjusted with the Activator Methods protocol from the second edition textbook using a pregnancy pillow which allowed her to lay prone comfortably. She was adjusted on a Friday and had a beautiful 9 pound, 5 ounce baby later that day. That day, as a result of her positive experience with the Activator Method, she brought her three children as new patients. The middle child had fallen off a bed and injured herself, and the oldest had only minor pelvic subluxations. The new baby, whose birth was difficult, was also seen. While with the family, my CA asked if it was alright for me to step out between exams for a few minutes to see a patient in the waiting room. The mom said, “Sure, take your time.” In the waiting room sat a new mother who, late in her pregnancy and anticipating being induced, had also seen me for an adjustment. She was there with a big smile, her new baby and a plant as thanks for “getting the process in gear.” This was the second time she had avoided labor being artificially induced thanks to an Activator adjustment. She was here to make an appointment for her child who could not lie down to sleep and always slept sitting up. Click here to read more. Although 8 out of 10 people will experience low back pain at some point in their lives (and many will experience low back pain over and over again), not all experiences of low back pain are the same. Some people feel a dull ache across the low back. Some people feel a sharp stabbing pain in one location. Some people feel a burning sensation that starts in the low back and travels down the leg. Some people feel a locking sensation in their hips.
Low back pain manifests in different ways because it can result from so many different causes. Some causes are simple, but some are life-threatening. If you have low back pain, especially a new kind of low back pain, contact Dr. Johnson for an examination right away. Here are some of the possible causes of low back pain: - a muscle strain or ligament sprain in the lumbar spine or sacroiliac joints - sacroiliac joint dysfunction - nerve root irritation or compression from a herniated disc - narrowing of the spinal canal by bone overgrowth or degenerative disc disease - an abnormal curvature such as scoliosis, kyphosis, or hyperlordosis - spondylolisthesis - a dislocated or fractured floating rib - aortic aneurysm - compression fracture of a vertebra - fracture to the transverse process of a vertebra, usually from some blunt trauma - kidney stones or urinary tract infections - failed back surgery causing FBSS (failed back surgery syndrome) - pregnancy - an inflammatory arthritis such as ankylosing spondylitis - bacterial infection - bone diseases such as tumors, Paget's Disease, or multiple myeloma - women's issues such as pelvic inflammatory disease, menstrual cramping, ectopic pregnancy, or endometriosis - men's issues such as prostate disease - metastasizing cancers such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, and lung cancer - digestive tract issues such as ulcers, pancreatitis, or gallbladder disease - obesity (although this may not be a direct cause) Can you think of any other causes of low back pain? |
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DisclaimerUnless otherwise attributed, all content is written by Kyle Johnson, DC, of Johnson Family Chiropractic of Peoria.
All images used are under Creative Commons license. Although every effort has been made to provide an accurate description of our chiropractic care and its benefits, the information given on this website and blog is not intended to be, nor should it be interpreted as, medical advice for any condition. If you have any questions regarding your condition, you should seek the help of Dr. Johnson in person, so that he may properly assess your condition. This blog is provided by Johnson Family Chiropractic of Peoria, S.C., proudly located in Peoria, IL. |