Near the end of an excellent article about physicians and pain management by Dr. Joseph Mercola, MD, are these excellent nuggets, tips, and advice. If you have chronic pain or chronic inflammation (which can manifest as back pain, neck pain, fibromyalgia, and many other conditions), it's well worth your time to scan through these tidbits. Every Physician Should Have an Arsenal of Non-Toxic Options for Treating Chronic Pain
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It has known for some time that antibiotic-resistant bacteria exist, and can actually communicate their resistance to each other. The rate and transmission of the resistance is reaching new highs, however, and our antibiotic weapons in the fight against bacteria are becoming less and less effective. Some foresee a day when antibiotics will actually be completely ineffective. One man says that they already are. Dr. Arjun Srinivasan, an associate director at the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, paints a startling picture of modern medicine. He says, "We know that there’s a lot of overuse, of misuse of antibiotics, and what’s discouraging about that is it’s been an issue for a very long time." His entire interview, which is well worth your time, can be found here. He says that it is time to take action, both in hospitals and in the community. He says: So we’ve recommended ways to prevent the spread of these bacteria. Antibiotics are generally used to combat an infection. Infections occur when bacteria overwhelm the body's natural immune systems, both the physical immune system (like your skin) or the cellular immune system (like your immunoglobulin response).
Beyond using antibiotics better and more effectively, it is likely that public health officials will begin looking for ways to prevent infections in the first place. Most of these ways involve creating the strongest natural immunity possible for each individual, including washing and cleaning wounds immediately, proper dietary considerations, reducing stress, etc. Chiropractic care is considered a way to naturally help the neuroimmune system to function properly and reduce stress. Antibiotics also should not be overused. Many doctors have begun adopting the practice of "watchful waiting" when it comes to relatively common conditions such as sinus or ear infections. Chiropractic care has also been suggested as a positive and non-invasive way to help the body resolve these types of infections. As the world begins to move towards better husbandry of antibiotics and their use, I believe it will also look for better ways to promote healthy immune systems and prevent infection in the first place. I believe that chiropractic care will continue care have an essential role in health care of the future. The Peoria Journal-Star reports that both OSF and Methodist hospital systems will be offering FREE lung cancer screening tests in the month of November for high-risk patients. November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, and, if you qualify for the free test, you should certainly take part! Knowledge is the first step in fighting cancer.
To qualify for the free lung cancer screenings, you must be: -- Between the ages of 55 and 80 -- Have no current symptoms of lung cancer -- And either a current smoker with a significant history of smoking (30 pack-years, which can be defined as variously as a pack a day for 30 years or three packs a day for 10 years) -- or a former smoker who quit within the last 15 years and also had a prior 30 pack-year smoking history If you think you qualify for a free test, the Peoria Journal-Star gives the contact information as "contact Methodist at 671-8296 or St. Francis at 624-5864." The human body is a constantly amazing place!
For the best news of the weekend, we have to look no further than Chicago, where University of Illinois senior Tatyana McFadden made history on Sunday by being the first person ever to win three major marathons in a single season. Tatyana cannot use her legs. She was born with a condition called spina bifida, and has been paralyzed from the waist down since birth. However, she has not let this medical condition stop her, and has trained the rest of her body so thoroughly that she has become a dominant athlete. In addition to her amazing record set yesterday, she also has multiple Paralymic medals to her name. To learn more about her incredible journey, visit her website. The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP) calls for chiropractic care as the first approach for addressing low-back pain and many common conditions before the utilization of drugs-OTC or prescription. According to a CNN report, "Let’s End the Prescription Drug Death Epidemic," a significant danger of prescription medication is overdoses which have become a primary cause of unintentional deaths in the U.S. — surpassing car crashes — with claims of one death every 19 minutes.
“Chiropractic care offers an evidence-based, non-drug approach to effectively addressing many common conditions, and should be the first option of care,” states Gerard W. Clum, DC, spokesperson, F4CP. “Doctors of chiropractic have the diagnostic skills and training to evaluate and provide appropriate care and rehabilitation, including counseling on nutrition, ergonomics, and lifestyle. Evidence confirms that the care provided by a DC is linked with better clinical outcomes, greater patient satisfaction, and noteworthy cost savings.” Clum points out that while there is wide availability of effective non-invasive approaches for managing low-back pain, the first approaches often used are epidural spinal injections and prescription drugs. Reports state that utilization of these usual care methods, which are associated with high costs and unpredictable outcomes, continues to rise. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the distribution of morphine, the main ingredient in prescription painkillers, increased 600 percent between 1997 and 2007. “Ironically, a study published in Anesthesiology found little difference between the amount of relief provided by steroidal and non-steroidal epidural injections,” says Clum. “But the incidence of back pain and its mismanagement continues to rise,” he says, echoing the findings of Worsening Trends in the Management and Treatment of Back Pain. “The risks associated with usual care need to be acknowledged and conservative alternatives explored as a primary option.” This press release provided by the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress. A not-for-profit organization, the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress aims to inform and educate the general public about the many benefits associated with chiropractic care. To learn more about the Foundation, please visit them on the web at www.f4cp.com or call 866-901-F4CP (3427). |
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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. |