General Halstead mentions how chiropractic care has helped her with her fibromyalgia and how chiropractic care can help soldiers with their physical health and wellness.

Soldiers have to carry a lot of heavy gear, and chiropractic care helps to restore and maintain a soldier’s physical condition.

Todd Lloyd, DC
Sonoma Chiropractor

I came across an old article talking about and giving tips for worker’s safety for those workers working in vineyards. I was impressed with the way this article tackled the scope of all of the ways that workers could potentially get injured while on the job.

Pruning Without Pain

Hand pruning is the most expensive part of wine production, according to the article, and workers have a lot of pressure to produce. This can cause fatigue in the muscles in various parts of the body.  Particularly, this occurs frequently in the back, but workers are accustomed to just work through the fatigue, placing their backs at risk. 

The article suggest that workers take microbreaks every 30 minutes to pause and stretch.  This helps the muscles to recover from the repetitive strain, it helps the muscles move through their entire contractile length, and it helps to bathe the muscle tissue with nutrients while expelling wastes.  This is similar to a recent OSHA manual that I have that suggests the same thing for office workers.  OSHA suggests that office workers take microbreaks to avoid fatigue and repetitive strain injuries.

Since these workers are a big part of a wine production’s investment, they ought to be cared for properly.  Chiropractic care can help the workers maintain their physical form for efficient work. 

Chiropractic care identifies imbalances in the skeleton and joints, and the muscles pulling on and controlling the skeleton.  Chiropractic care helps to relax tight muscles, which also helps with the speedy recovery of a week’s worth of work.  Just like athletes benefit greatly from chiropractic care, so too can “industrial athletes” perform better when cared for.

These guys usually don’t take the initiative to seek out chiropractic care for themselves, so it would make good economic and steward sense for employers to send them to a chiropractor. Supportive chiropractic care for vineyard workers can help reduce worker’s compensation claims by preventing injuries.  It can be surprisingly affordable too.  For cash services rendered in a typical chiropractic office, it can be $40 to $50 a visit. 

Employers can negotiate their own terms with chiropractors to make the fee less as long as it means a steady stream of patients coming through the chiropractor’s door. If a crew of workers for a vineyard is 40 men, and the men get supportive care once per week, this comes to $6,400 a month that the employer would pay.  I don’t know what vineyard managers typically pay out in worker’s compensation claims, but I’m told it is pretty expensive. I would be interested in seeing those numbers to see if preventing several new claims per year would balance out that expense. 

Of course, this would also potentially cut down on manforce lost to injury, and it would lead to greater satisfaction among workers.  Most people enjoy chiropractic care, and this extra benefit could really raise employee’s satisfaction. 

Most people in Sonoma love to see the economy run along smoothly, and the wine industry here is a great part of that.  We all want workers to be as healthy as possible for the overall well-being of the community.  Chiropractic care can be a valuable partner in that quest for better health, improved efficiency, and job satisfaction.

Todd Lloyd, DC
Sonoma Chiropractor

Depression Can Make Pain Worse

Brain imaging shows healthy people who feel sad find pain more unpleasant, researchers say

Since pain starts at the painful area of the body, but then travels to the brain to be felt, it makes sense that a brain that is also depressed will also interact with the pain to make it feel like its much worse than it is.

Depression makes pain worse.

THURSDAY, June 10 (HealthDay News) — Being depressed can make real physical pain feel worse, British researchers have found.

Noting that pain and depression often occur at the same time, the current observation blends two competing schools of thought, in which some believe that pain is "all in the head" while others contend that pain is "all in the body."

Pain starts in the body, of course, but the pain neurons travel up to the brain where that signal is processed.  There are some pain-gates along the way that could potentially block the pain, so it gets complicated once the signals enter the spinal cord.

To see how pain and depression might intersect, the research team — led by the University of Oxford’s Dr. Chantal Berna — used brain imaging to conduct pain tests on healthy participants who were induced to feel sad.

A depressed mood appeared to affect brain nerve circuitry responsible for emotion, resulting in a stronger perception of pain, according to the report published in the June 1 issue of Biological Psychiatry.

"When the healthy people were made sad by negative thoughts and depressing music, we found that their brains processed pain more emotionally, which lead to them finding the pain more unpleasant," Berna said in a news release from the journal’s publisher.

Berna’s team theorized that one’s ability to control the negative emotions linked to pain are short-circuited by depression, leading to a bigger punch when pain hits. In other words, depression may not only be a consequence of being in pain. It might actually exacerbate pain, making it worse than it would be for those in a positive frame of mind.

It looks like depression makes the suffering part of pain to be worse, rather than the actual pain itself.  There is a nuanced difference between pain and suffering.

"Our research suggests depressed mood leads to maladaptive changes in brain function associated with pain, and that depressed mood itself could be a target for treatment by medicines or psychotherapy in this context," Berna explained in the news release.

Following this line of research, the next step would be to study patients with chronic pain, because they often also suffer from depression, the researchers noted. The goal would be to find ways to more effectively treat the millions of people worldwide who experience chronic pain and depression, the authors explained.

In our overmedicated society, I suggest that conservative treatments for pain, like spinal manipulation and chiropractic care be studied in conjunction to the effect on pain and depression to see if that makes any difference.  We’re confident that chiropractic care is an effective treatment for pain, but will it also affect the way depression affects pain?

Todd Lloyd, DC
Sonoma Chiropractor

From http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_99833.html

Todd Lloyd, DC
Sonoma Chiropractor

Also interesting is the comments section of the story where the mother who was highlighted in the story talked about the care from her point of view:

I am the mom in the segment featured here. In the segment Dr. Greg clearly states "Chiropractic does not treat that allergy”, and he truly means that. Chiropractic doesn’t TREAT anything, and the notion that chiropractors are purely “back doctors” is a myth.

What chiropractic care does do is remove nerve interference in the spine so that the body can do what it already innately knows how to do – heal itself – or in the case of wellness care, keep itself well and functioning at an optimal level. Babies are not born drug deficient and chiropractic supports the body and the immune system naturally, without drugs.

It is also stated in the segment that Dr. Greg does agree that some people do require medical intervention and he doesn’t discourage that. I agree with him 100%, and have used traditional medical interventions myself when needed for my son. Andrew has very severe allergies that can trigger anaphylaxis.

Allergies are not trivial matters in our lives.

However, if I can avoid a trip to the ER/hospital with a simple chiropractic adjustment, I am going to do that. Chiropractic is always my first line of defense (and offense), barring a true life-or-death emergency. More than 99% of the time it works well for my son.

My statements in this segment are just that – my statements. BUT they are also fact in my life, because I have seen the results with my own eyes. A child that is one day old, five weeks old or two years old does not know the term "bunk". They do not know what a "subluxation" is, nor do they care. They don’t make up symptoms or aches and pains. What they do know is how they feel, and it is blatantly obvious that chiropractic care is beneficial to my babies. It makes them feel better and they are always quick to let me know their adjustments make them feel good.

Chiropractic care has kept my son out of the hospital many times – as recently as this last Monday. I was on the verge of taking him in to the ER because […]

My statements in this segment are just that – my statements. BUT they are also fact in my life, because I have seen the results with my own eyes. A child that is one day old, five weeks old or two years old does not know the term "bunk". They do not know what a "subluxation" is, nor do they care. They don’t make up symptoms or aches and pains. What they do know is how they feel, and it is blatantly obvious that chiropractic care is beneficial to my babies. It makes them feel better and they are always quick to let me know their adjustments make them feel good.

Chiropractic care has kept my son out of the hospital many times – as recently as this last Monday. I was on the verge of taking him in to the ER because he couldn’t breathe, but was able to get Andrew in to Dr. Greg right away, and the adjustment cleared him up so he could breathe. By the time we left the office Andrew had stated “All better!”, and was laughing and starting to play again. By the end of the night you never would have known he’d been close to hospitalization just a few prior.

I truly and wholeheartedly believe that every child and adult should have regular quality chiropractic care as a part of their wellness regimen.

For more information on the benefits of chiropractic care for children and babies, please see the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association’s website at:http://icpa4kids.com/index.php

Sincerely,
Erika Roberg

Todd Lloyd, DC
Sonoma Chiropractor

The classes are held at the Sonoma Community Center, and consists of four different evenings in April.  They start on April 1st.  The cost is only $49. 

I was impressed by the structure of the technique when I sat down with Peter to learn more about it. I knew nothing about EFT before talking to Peter, even though I’ve heard of some chiropractors doing it (it’s not a chiropractic technique.)  To me it looks like it is a blend of NeuroLinguistic Programming (NLP) and Acupressure/Acupuncture (using the meridian system.)  In NLP, you use anchors to remind yourself of a particular feeling or emotion, but with EFT, it takes that concept a step further by tapping on meridian points.  Interesting, and it looks like anyone can learn it to use on themselves.

Date: Thurs, April 1st, 8th, 22nd & 29th

Time:  7 to 9 pm

Location:

Sonoma Community Center
276 East Napa Street
Sonoma, CA 95476

Cost: $49.00

Check out www.eftsetmefree.com for more details.

Todd Lloyd, DC
Sonoma Chiropractic care

Dr. Perry shows you how to tone the core, stretch the hip flexors and tighten your butt all in one move. It’s all in how you move.

Using the neurological principle of “reciprocal inhibition”, Dr. Nickelston shows us how to relax the hip flexors to prepare for core exercise.

The article applies this to girls, but it’s clear that the data shows that it applies to boys and girls.  It’s easy to see the changes in girls, though, because girl’s team sports participation has increased a lot over the past 50 years.

“It’s not just that the people who are going to do well in life play sports, but that sports help people do better in life,” she [Betsey Stevenson, an economist at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania] said, adding, “While I only show this for girls, it’s reasonable to believe it’s true for boys as well.”

 

From the New York Times

The body, and especially the spine, yearns to be in alignment.  When it is in proper alignment with good posture, things work more efficiently.  The muscles are under less stress.  The cartilage surfaces on the joints have less surface stress. 

Because the body is made to be moving, there is no one good posture to have for very long.  But if you have to be sitting or standing for an extended period of time, you need to be aware of where your body is in space.

Here is a popular internet article that puts it all succinctly: 

Good Posture – More Than Sitting Up Straight

and: Keeping Your Muscles in Balance

If you are concerned that your posture isn’t quite what it should be, give our office a call.  We can help guide you through the steps needed to make your posture the best that it can be.  With improving their posture, patients often have more energy, are less fatigued throughout the day, and look and feel better about themselves. 

Todd Lloyd, DC
Chiropractor in Sonoma

In the olden days of medicine, like in the early 1900’s, the art of the medical history was practiced with pride and empathy for the patient. Physicians built their private practice and their reputations based upon their bedside manner, including their ability to listen to and understand their patients.  It use to be that 90% of the diagnosis came from the medical history, and 10% of the diagnosis was gained from a thorough, hands-on examination.

No longer.

Unfortunately, the medical history is now a lost art.  Doctors are substituting lab results for medical history and radiographic reports for the exam.  A summary of the records in our digital age has allowed doctors to cut short the questions for the patients.

Doctors are now starting to re-discover the importance of getting a complete narrative from their patients.  This leads to greater satisfaction of the patients, and a better relationship between doctor and patient.  The author William DeMyer (above) already has some excellent text books, including one of my favorite neurology texts, but now has a well-written book for doctors on the clinical history.

One of things patients can do to make their experience better at the doctor’s office is to get themselves organized with their medical story. Learn how to describe your pain that you experience.  Is it deep pain or superficial pain?  Is it one area of the back, or does it radiate to the back of the thigh, leg, or foot?  Is it worse in the morning, or at night?  What does it feel like? Burning pain? Dull ache?  Does it feel like an ice-pick is stuck in your rib cage?  How long have you had it, and is it getting worse?

Hopefully you can find a doctor who will listen to you.  Hopefully, if you end up talking to a nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant, that there is good communication in the office. The AMA has recognized the importance of the medical history:

To alter this approach, those who work on patient-physician communication are teaching and writing journal articles on “narrative medicine” and strategies to allow patients to tell their stories without being interrupted. Anecdotal evidence suggests a growing number of medical schools are adopting this tactic with the goal of making the clinical interview more patient-centered.

In our chiropractic office in Sonoma, we make it a point to sit down with new patients and let them tell us their story.  We want to understand what you are going through, and what your goals are for getting better.  We take in a lot of information from you about how your back feels, and from this information, we can better guide the physical examination or outside referrals. It’s very important to us because it is very important for you.

Todd Lloyd, DC
Chiropractor in Santa Rosa, CA

From the American Medical Association