Brean Alger, Author at Chiropractic Essence

Why Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections Have Been Nicknamed the “Accelerator” in the Healing Process

Brean Alger — Wed, 08 Sep 2021 21:15:07 +0000

PRP new medical treatment option for Osteoarthritis

What is PRP?

Platelet Rich Plasma. Plasma is the body’s regeneration powerhouse, packing a punch in your body’s natural ability to heal. It is the liquid part of your blood, mostly made of water and protein. It lets red and white blood cells and platelets move through your bloodstream. Platelets are a type of blood cell that makes your blood clot. They also play a major role in healing. You may have heard about athletes like Tiger Woods getting platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections to help heal an injury. It is becoming more and more common as a leading natural option to repair and put the healing process into hyperdrive. Which is why it has been labeled the “accelerator” for recovery treatment programs. Doctors may use platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on injuries or damage to tendons, ligaments, muscles, joints, and skin.

How much does PRP cost? Will my insurance cover PRP?

PRP injections are a newer treatment that have been tested extensively in large-scale trials, especially for osteoarthritis. These trials demonstrate both the safety and the efficacy of PRP for knee arthritis and arthritis symptoms occurring in other joints throughout the body. PRP can also be beneficial in treating certain tendon injuries including partial tears of the patellar tendon, plantar fasciitis, and elbow tendinitis. However, insurance plans will not yet cover this type of new treatment. We provide affordable PRP injections, averaging $400 per treatment at Essence Med in Council Bluffs.

What should I expect at my PRP appointment?

To collect plasma, our medical team draws blood from your body and uses a machine to separate the platelet-rich plasma from the rest of the blood. The platelets are known to contain anti-inflammatory and growth or healing factors. PRP has anti-inflammatory capacity, which makes it good for arthritis management. The centrifuge process of concentrating the plasma and platelets is performed right in our office at your appointment. The area of your body being treated (the site of pain, injury or osteoarthritis) is numbed with a local anesthetic. Once you’re numb, a small needle is used to inject your plasma into the area of your body being treated

Once platelets are in the area that is being treated, they break down and release growth factors, which are compounds that help cells repair and renew. This is thought to trigger your body’s healing process.

At Essence Med we use live video fluoroscopy during injections to ensure we are getting into the precise location to maximize results of your treatment program. Many providers do not use anything to navigate the needle or use ultrasound to help them guide the needle for treatment. PRP injections can be done this way, but we have a saying in our office, “to see is to know, and to not see is to guess”, and we want to make sure every drop is going into the exact location that will benefit your treatment area the most. We use leading medical technology to pinpoint the most ideal needle endpoint to release the plasma using clear x-ray imagery. PRP injections usually take about 30-45 minutes, though it depends on the area you’re targeting.

Is there downtime with PRP treatment?

There is no downtime for PRP treatments. The injections may cause a temporary local irritation for up to 30 minutes following treatment. Ice packs or over-the-counter pain medication should suffice for treating any irritation. Arthritis pain improvement occurs typically within a few days. It is not necessary to stop aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines before or after PRP injections. It is recommended to wait 2 weeks between PRP treatments and 3 weeks before starting any additional injections such as viscosupplementation.

For more information, visit: www.ChiropracticEssence.com/MED

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What is the Best Injection for Joint Pain?

Brean Alger — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 22:37:45 +0000

So many suffering from Osteoarthritis pain are looking for a solution, but what will help with the pain and improve the state of the joint?

The answer could be viscosupplementation and here’s why…

Many are trying to stay out of the surgery room while maintaining the most natural state of the joint. Those who have explored these alternatives have most likely landed on joint injections. But, not all joint injections are created equal. Steroids help reduce pain and inflammation, but do not treat the cause of the issue. They are a great first line of defense, but they simply help make life more bearable as the cartilage breaks down. Other injections like Synvisc or other thicker gels are often administered in lower series of treatments and are dense gels that can help provide cushion for a short period of time, but are a much more foreign feeling substance for your body to react to. These do not mirror the body’s natural synovial fluid close enough to help stimulate regeneration. Viscosupplementation is called just that because it mimics the viscosity of your body’s naturally occurring synovial fluid, that gets depleted over your lifetime.

The viscosupplementation treatments offered at Essence Med Joint Injection Clinic in Council Bluffs are focused on long term results by leveraging medical advancements to optimize the results. It involves injecting that natural gel-like fluid into your knee joint via a precise process utilizing a fluoroscope, a live video x-ray device. Because this gel is much like the naturally occurring hyaluronic acid found in the synovial fluid that normally surrounds your joints, it is important to have exact placement into the space it once was. Joint injections that are done without this technology are not getting to the exact location necessary for treatment.

The Hyaluronan in the injections acts like a shock absorber and lubricant. This lubricant can help make painful joints move more smoothly, reducing discomfort and helping improve function. It has been shown after a series of five or more injections, this type of injection can stimulate the natural production of fluid in the body. With proper bracing, allowing space for the injection to settle, the program is further optimized for successful outcomes.

Read on to learn if this is a treatment you should talk to us about trying.

“HA is a cushion or a buffer against inflammatory cells in the joint,” Caitlin Carlson, NP, says. “In some cases, it can stimulate the knee to start producing more natural HA.” Some physicians also believe that HA helps reduce pain by coating nerve endings within the joint.

A single treatment program, which may consist of up to five injections, usually offers relief for five to six months, but sometimes up to one year or longer and have seen greater success by building on eachother. However, pain and stiffness will return as the fluid breaks down and gets metabolized by the body. It should be done on a very specific schedule within a period of a few weeks and more than one injection is usually required to improve efficacy of the medication. Most insurance companies approve viscosupplementation injections every six months.

Essence Med, Council Bluffs’ Premier Joint Injection Clinic, offers a risk-free consultation. If you have not had a total knee or shoulder replacement and are suffering from osteoarthritis pain or stiffness, you could be a prime candidate for viscosupplementation.thi

For more information, visit: www.ChiropracticEssence.com/MED

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New Knee Injection Clinic Comes to Council Bluffs

Brean Alger — Fri, 30 Jul 2021 02:55:05 +0000

Viscosupplementation joint therapy will be readily available to the Council Bluffs Metro with the opening of Essence Med.

Essence Med is opening it’s doors and welcoming the community of Council Bluffs and Omaha to begin scheduling appointments for joint injection consultations. This treatment program targets those suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee and shoulder. The treatment series, known as viscosupplementation, is covered by Medicare and many other insurance providers. In addition to viscosupplementation, Essence Med will be offering PRP treatments for further joint therapy options. They have invested in Genvisc, a type of hyaluronic acid medication that is intended to directly replicate the viscosity of your naturally occurring synovial fluid, resulting in optimal outcomes for this advanced arthritis treatment program.

This is the first clinic of it’s kind to come to the Council Bluffs Metro. Essence Med will be operating out of the existing Chiropractic Essence location at 3424 W Broadway. The owners, Dr. TJ Alger and Brean Alger started their neurologically-based chiropractic clinic two and a half years ago and since, have decided to expand on their mission to keep people out of the surgery room, by adding a second business focused on deteriorating cartilage in the joints.

“We’ve always had a mission to focus on whole-body health and wellness. Specifically in a way that helps reduce the amount of surgery and medications needed to maintain our lifestyles as we age,” said, Brean Alger, Owner and Operator of Essence Med. “It’s about more than just reducing or masking the symptoms for Dr.TJ and I, we look at the body as a whole and focus on the overall function in a way that gets your body back to operating at it’s most natural and optimal state. This is why we’ve decided on viscosupplementation to assist the patients we see that cannot be helped by chiropractic alone. We’re a better option for those currently seeking out steroid shots, joint replacement or other surgeries to get some sort of relief. Dr. TJ sees knee issues almost daily in our office. When we learned hyaluronic acid and PRP treatments could help your body not only naturally regain lubrication, but build back some of the cartilage it has lost over time, we were on board and had to bring this to our community.”

Essence Med had a soft open in September 2021 and will be officially opening its doors to the public starting April 4th. With the addition of a Physician Assistant to their team to help administer the treatments, Essence Med will also offer free consultations along with x-ray services on site. The joint injections themselves will be done using a fluoroscopy device to ensure proper placement of the medicine in the affected joint. Treatments are expected to take approximately 20 minutes in length and are generally done in a series of weekly treatments, once prescribed by the medical team at Essence.

More information, visit: www.ChiropracticEssence.com/MED

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Patients Seeking Out Knee Replacement Alternatives

Brean Alger — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 18:24:12 +0000

Osteoarthritis is one of the ten most disabling diseases in developed countries. Worldwide estimates are that 10% of men and 18% of women aged over 60 years have symptomatic osteoarthritis, including moderate and severe forms. It is estimated by the year 2030, 72 million Americans will be at high risk for osteoarthritis.

As the general population ages, more and more baby boomers are opting for knee replacement surgery earlier in life. The reason being that boomers are more active than any previous generation. They want to continue playing their favorite sports, run and dance with the same level of intensity as they are used to. Previously, knee replacement surgeries were only performed on very old patients who were crippled with osteoarthritis and severely hindering their daily activities. “Now patients in their 40’s and 50’s are experiencing an earlier onset of osteoarthritis that affects their daily lives,” says J. David Blaha, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at the University of Michigan Health System. In fact, the number of boomers opting to go under the knife for early knee replacement is growing at an alarming rate.

One major concern for orthopedic surgeons is the longevity of the knee implant. Due to the fact that most joint replacement have been performed primarily on older patients, there isn’t a lot of data to show how these implants hold up in younger people, who will engage in more activities and have them over longer periods of time. Younger knee replacement patients may need to get a new replacement in as little as 5 to 10 years, which is a concern. “It gets more complicated with each revision,” says Michael R. Baumgaertner, M.D., professor of orthopedic surgery at Yale University School of Medicine. “Every time it has to be redone, there is more bone loss.”

What are the alternatives to the surgery room for people suffering from OA of the knee? Viscosupplementation is a clinically proven option to help the health of the joint and is a minimally invasive solution. How does it work? Our bodies naturally create a solution to keep our knees and other joint lubricated. Osteoarthritis reduces the ability of this natural lubricant to protect your knees. Consequently, you may experience reduced mobility and increased pain. Our injections use the FDA approved solution comprised of highly purified sodium hyaluronate. When injected into the knee, the Viscosupplementation solution help to cushion and lubricate the knee joint, nourishing knee cartilage for natural pain management. The solution helps to restore normal function to the joint, including its natural lubrication. Patients experience less pain and are able to enjoy a more active lifestyle. In addition, this treatment is covered by most insurances.

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Whiplash

Brean Alger — Wed, 26 Jun 2019 00:21:09 +0000

Chiropractic Research from the Chiropractic Essence Health Library

Research Shows That Whiplash Can Be Improved By Chiropractic

Dr. TJ Alger, Chiropractor and Owner of Chiropractic Essence in Council Bluffs, IA brings you the latest research about the benefits, cost-effectiveness and safety of chiropractic care on a range of health concerns. As always, feel free to discuss this material, along with any other topics with Dr. Alger and his chiropractic team.

Long term damage to the spine and head is especially common in auto accidents. Doctors of chiropractic have for years recognized the need for neuro-structural integrity in these areas and that most victims of automobile injuries do not fully recover under medical care; they may continue to have problems for years after the accident. This is especially the case of those who have whiplash and concussion injuries. This of course underscores the need for chiropractic care for accident victims. New medical terms acknowledging the chronicity and incomplete healing of accident victims have recently arisen. The terms used are: Postconcussion Syndrome (PCS), Whiplash Syndrome (WS), Post Whiplash Syndrome (PWS), Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries (MTBI), and mild head injury (MHI).

The chiropractic profession owes a debt to Arthur Croft, DC of San Diego, California who taught of, and researched the need for the caring of patients who had the above conditions years before these conditions were acknowledged in the medical literature.

The detection and management of pediatric whiplash injuries. Ben Eliyahhu, DJ Proceedings of the National Conference on Chiropractic & Pediatrics, Oct. 1993, Palm Springs, CA, November 1993, Palm Beach, Florida.

This paper presents case studies on the detection and management of pediatric whiplash injuries.

Case study one.

A six-year-old female was involved in a rear end collision while sitting in the front seat. She and her mother were taken to the hospital where the mother was examined, x-rayed, collared and released. The child was briefly examined, the mother was told that the child was okay and was discharged. The child complained to the mother of headaches and neck stiffness, was taken to the pediatrician who said the child was fine. The complaints persisted and the mother brought the child to the chiropractor. Infrared thermography scans disclosed abnormalities of the head, neck and upper extremities. Radiographs revealed ligamentous instability, cervical subluxations and myospasm. The mother said that the child began to experience “black-outs” and a neurologist diagnosed Petit Mal seizures. The child improved under medical and chiropractic care and often said that the adjustment gave her the greatest relief and she would often ask her mother to bring her to the chiropractor.

Case study two

An eight year-old boy was involved in an auto accident and complained that his leg and head hurt. Doctors in the emergency room said he was fine. Infrared thermography scans of the child revealed abnormalities due to vertebral subluxations and spinal biomechanical insult. Post adjustment scans showed a return to normal and correlated to the child’s symptomatic improvement.

A symptomatic classification of whiplash injury and the implications for treatment. Khan S, Cook J, Gargan M. Bannister G The Journal of Orthopaedic Medicine 21[1] 1999.

The goal of this paper was “to determine which patients with chronic whiplash will benefit from chiropractic treatment.” 93 patients were interviewed in “structured telephone interviews.”

From the conclusion: “Whiplash injuries are common. Chiropractic is the only proven effective treatment in chronic cases.”

A multiple parameter assessment of whiplash injury patients undergoing subluxation based chiropractic care: a retrospective study. McCoy HG and McCoy M. Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research Vol 1, No 3, 1997 Pp. 51-61.

From the Abstract:

A retrospective study was conducted of 57 subjects who had experienced an acceleration/deceleration (whiplash) injury.. With subluxation-based chiropractic care, the subject population showed significant increases in cervical flexion and extension, muscle strength, and a decrease in the neck pain disability index. Atlas/axis and Jackson’s angles varied inversely from presentation to MCI (maximum chiropractic improvement). Longer durations of care were correlated with the lower ratios (fewer adjustments/week), while shorter durations of care to reach MCI were correlated to higher ratios (average adjustments/week).

Post whiplash syndrome. Bogduk, N. Australian Family Physician Vol. 23, No. 12 December 1994 Pp. 2303-2307.

This article, from one of the world’s leading anatomists and cervical spine researchers is an excellent paper for the study of whiplash. His observation of the limitations of the medical approach to whiplash: “The treatment of whiplash is based on fashion and faith” (p.2306) underlies the importance of using chiropractic first before resorting to drugs and surgery. In discussing the “core of patients who do not recover”, Professor Bogduk describes medicine’s failure to help these people as the fault of a “system that denies the problem discourages research and puts the blame for the problem on the patients.” (P. 2307).

From the introduction:

Whiplash is a poorly understood problem that attracts accusations of malingering and compensation neurosis. Recent research has revealed a variety of occult lesions that can be responsible for the chronic pain and suffering after whiplash; however, appropriate diagnostic techniques are still either lacking or not widely used. While there are reasonable options for acute management there is no proven therapy for the chronic situation.

Course of attention and memory after common whiplash: a two-year prospective study with age, education and gender pair-matched patients. Di Stefano G and Radanov BP Acta Neurol Scand 1995; 91: 346-352).

Comment: Some studies have documented attention deficits in symptomatic whiplash patients as well as memory loss while other studies have not. This paper reviews the value of the studies done by others in this field and found them to have designs that were “insufficient.” The chiropractic interest in this subject is more than that of the neuromusculoskeletal condition of whiplash, but of the brain function that is affected by presumed subluxations of the cervical spine. This work should be read in concert with Gorman’s and Zhang’s papers in the Improved Brain Function section of this report.

From the abstract:

Attentional functional and memory of common whiplash patients were evaluated during the first two years after experiencing injury….All (117) patients had a similar socioeconomic background, all being injured in automobile accidents and fully covered by insurance plans. Two years following initial trauma, 21 patients remained symptomatic.

When compared with matched controls, the 21 symptomatic patients had no memory impairment but did have attention functional (difficult of follow-up of tasks with divided attention).

Late outcome of mild head injury: results from a controlled postal survey. Bohnen N, Vanzutphen W, Twijnstra A et al. Brain Injury 8(8): 701-708, 1994.

In this study, a postal questionnaire was sent to a population of (mild head injury) MHI patients 1 to 5 years post accident and a control group to measure subjective and psychological complaints, distresses and discomforts often mentioned by MHI patients. Interestingly, the distresses and symptoms of the MHI group were indistinguishable from the non-MHI, however the MHI group’s symptoms were significantly more severe.

The conclusion from the abstract was interesting: “The results support the hypothesis that MHI may not ever be completely reversible.”

Post-traumatic headache. Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinica. Neuroscience 6(3): 229-236, 1994.

From the abstract:

The authors review post-traumatic headache (PTH). The most common symptom following head injury, PTH is paradoxically most severe after mild head injury. Although most cases resolve within 6-12 months, many patients have protracted or even permanent headache. Because PTH generally has no objective findings, it is often controversial whether the symptom is “real,” “psychogenic,” or “fabricated.” Despite persisting beliefs by physicians, attorneys, and insurers that PTH resolves upon legal settlement, recent studies have shown that “permanent” PTH is usually present several years after a legal settlement. Often PTH affects family life, recreation, and employment. Patients require education and support as well as appropriate evaluation and treatment.

Visceral diseases as a sequela of brain damages. Vestnik Rossiiskoi Akademii Meditsinskikh Nauk (1): 12-15, 1994.

From the abstract:

In the period following mild closed brain injury, diseases of the viscera and the body’s systems develop as a result of diffuse lesions in the brain regions. Experimental studies have shown that this is associated with impaired self-regulatory mechanisms responsible for energy metabolic processes in the brain.

The relationship between whiplash injury and subsequent lower back complications. Neel SS et al. Chiropractic Oct 1988;1(3):86-88.

It has been observed that people who suffer from whiplash injuries develop low back pain. This study interviewed 52 patients who had been involved in a whiplash type injury and found that 85% of them reported lower back pain after the whiplash.

The patients in this study had no previous motor vehicle accidents, were wearing lap and harness seat belts and had no previous low back pain.

Relationship between early somatic, radiological, cognitive and psychosocial findings and outcome during a one-year follow-up in 117 patients suffering from common whiplash. Br J Rheumatol 1994; 33:442-8.

Initial examinations of 117 whiplash patients were performed a few days after the accident, and 3, 6 and 12 months afterwards. After one year, 28 patients (24% of total) were symptomatic. Poor improvements were associated with severity of injury, previous history of head trauma and headache, sleep disturbance immediately after accident, nervousness and reduced speed of information processing.

Considerations in the rehabilitation of cervical myofascial injury, Canadian Family Physician, Vol. 32, Sept. 1986.

About 10-15% of motor vehicle cervical injuries fail to achieve a functional recovery 2-3 years after the accident.

Whiplash injuries: their long-term prognosis and its relationship to compensation Hodgson, S.P., Neuro-Orthopedics 7, 1989.

62% of the people injured in a whiplash soft-tissue trauma will have continued complaints between 10 and 15 years after the date of the accident..

PET and SPECT in whiplash syndrome: a new approach to a forgotten brain? Otte A, Ettlin TM, Nitzsche EU, Wachter K, Hoegerle S, Simon GH, Fierz L, Moser E, Mueller-Brand J. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1997; 63:368-372.

From the abstract:

Whiplash associated disorders are a medicolegally controversial condition becoming increasingly worrisome to the western world. This study was designed to evaluate perfusion and glucose metabolism in [the] whiplash brain.

The study involved six patients suffering from whiplash syndrome and 12 normal controls. They gave everyone chemicals that reveal brain function when viewed by specialized equipment (PET and SPECT) that is similar to a CAT scan for the brain. In the patient group, there was “significant hypometabolism” or decreased brain function and hypoperfusion or decreased blood in the parieto-occipital regions on the right and left side compared to the control group.

But most revealing was the authors’ statement as to the possible cause of the brain changes after they ruled out direct injury to the brain and brain structures: “It is hypothesized that parieto-occipital hypometabolism may be caused by activation of nociceptive afferent nerves from the upper cervical spine.”

Chronic cervical zygopophysial joint pain after whiplash: a placebo-controlled prevalence study. Lord, WM, Barnsley L. Wallis BJ, Bogduk N. Spine. 1996;21:1737-45.

This double-blind placebo-controlled trial implicates the facet joints as the most common pain source from whiplash type injury. It builds on other research pointing to the same source of whiplash pain.

Do You Have Questions About Chiropractic? Ask Dr. TJ Alger

We invite the Council Bluffs community to learn more about the benefits of chiropractic and the impact it can have on your health. Feel free to reach out to Dr. TJ Alger during his health talks, screenings and other community events with any questions you may have.

TJ Alger, DC
Chiropractic Essence
3424 W Broadway
Council Bluffs, IA 51501

Take Action Now For The Health Of You And Your Family

Dr. TJ Alger and his team at Chiropractic Essence will show you how, through a low-cost, no-obligation chiropractic evaluation, you can determine how well your nervous system is functioning. This could be the key to unlocking your health and wellness. Make an appointment today!

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Stress

Brean Alger — Wed, 26 Jun 2019 00:03:09 +0000

Chiropractic Research from the Chiropractic Essence Health Library

Research Shows That Stress Can Be Improved By Chiropractic

How Big of a Role Does Stress Play in Your Overall Level of Health?

Chiropractic understands that stress, whether it be physical, chemical or emotional in nature. Stress affects the body’s ability to properly function and leads to poor health from the affects of subluxation. More and more research keeps piling up to support this concept, but the short and long-term effects of stress and subluxation are hardly ever addressed by the modern medical system. The medical community is not about to accept the theory that there is one cause for all disease (i.e. stress and subluxation). This is contrary to every major medical premise. Yet this is exactly what happened in 1964 when Hans Selye, M.D. was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine!

In the 1950’s, Dr. Selye studied the effect of stress on the human body and presented his work to the world in the concept of the “General Adaptation Syndrome,” for which he won the 1964 Nobel Prize. This was a revolutionary concept of mental and physical illness and it was, at the time, acclaimed as the most important and far-reaching idea in the history of medicine…that STRESS is the cause of all disease.

In his book, “The Stress of Life,” Selye described how, as a medical student, he first noticed that the early signs of many illnesses were identical—loss of energy and appetite, generalized aches and pains, and so on. He wondered why these vague symptoms were taken for granted by his instructors. Years of research gradually led him to realize that these commonly related symptoms were actually part of a pattern, the arousing of the body’s resistance to a stress-causing agent. It did not matter whether the stressor came from a mechanical, chemical, nutritional, biological, or even emotional source. The body always reacted in an identical manner.

According to Selye, the body produces an alarm reaction to any form of stress that threatens its well-being. Unless the stress is unusually strong, we are not even aware of the body’s response. This initial alarm reaction is followed by a period of adaptation to the stress, or compensation, if the stress continues unabated. This process will continue until the body’s vital energy is exhausted and symptoms become apparent. It is at this point that the patient usually seeks help but usually from an over-the-counter remedy at the pharmacy, not in a doctor’s office. If the symptoms continue and the body’s ability to maintain normal function becomes more exhausted, professional help must be sought. For most problems, the process is a slow and a gradual slide into a disease that can be measured and eventually named. The diseased person then becomes, we are told, the exclusive property of the medical and insurance communities.

I do not have a problem with disease and degeneration coming under the medical umbrella. That is what medical professionals are trained to deal with. I do have difficulty with the concept of their ability to recognize disease before a pathological process can be identified. The truth is, the patient must be diseased (quantified and qualified) before medicine can hope to be effective. Otherwise, it is just guesswork. Chiropractic can be applied to anyone to improve the overall health of the individual, regardless if symptoms are present or not. In this respect, chiropractic is a universal health care option, whereas medicine is limited to treating disease rather than restoring health. There is a HUGE difference.

Every diseased patient has already gone through the periods of stress, alarm, reaction, adaptation or compensation, and exhaustion BEFORE the disease was named and specific therapy begun. During this period of time, whether a specific disease has been identified or not – a chiropractor using a careful case history and examination can identify the stress, assist in its removal, and correct the most damaging effect of stress on the bodies normal function – the subluxation. In this way, disease can be prevented and an enormous service rendered to humanity, through a service no medicine is able to provide – the adjustment.

Dr. Selye’s book says, “Apparently, disease is not just suffering, but a fight to maintain the homeostatic balance of our tissues, despite damage. Could all of this vagueness be translated into the precise terms of modern medical science? Could it point a way to explore whether or not there is some non-specific defence system built into our body, a mechanism to fight any kind of disease?”

Chiropractic deals with this inborn defence system, and complements the body’s inherent ability to heal itself when there is no interference to the function of the nervous system.

Duke University Releases Headache Evidence Report

Substantial Evidence Shows Efficacy of Chiropractic for Tension and Cervicogenic Headaches

In 1996, the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) was scheduled to produce a set of clinical practice guidelines on available treatment alternatives for headaches. Previously the agency utilized the same historic clinical guidelines for, Acute Low Back Problems in Adults, released late in December 1994. This headache project was based on the systematic evaluation of the literature by a multidisciplinary panel of experts. Due to largely political circumstances, however, their efforts never came to fruition. The work was never released as guidelines, but was instead transformed with modifications and budget cuts into a set of evidence reports on only migraine headaches by the staff at the Center for Clinical Health Policy Research at Duke University.

The Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research (FCER) is proud to announce that with its efforts and funding from the National Chiropractic Mutual Insurance Company (NCMIC), evidence reports have now been updated on both cervicogenic and tension-type headaches. This new report, Evidence Report: Behavioral and Physical Treatments for Tension-type and Cervicogenic Headache, essentially updates and releases much of the information on treatment alternatives for tension and cervicogenic headaches that had been suppressed earlier.

Among the many treatment alternatives supported by evidence, chiropractic is buoyed by substantial evidence in this report as to its efficacy in the management of both tension-type and cervicogenic headaches:

Compared to amitriptyline use, chiropractic is shown to produce slightly lesser effects during the treatment period, but markedly superior results afterward in the treatment of a tension-type headache.

Compared to various soft tissue procedures, a course of chiropractic treatments is shown to produce sustained improvement in headache frequency and severity in the treatment of cervicogenic headache.

Compared to various soft tissue procedures, there was evidence to indicate that a course of chiropractic treatments produced further improvement in headache frequency and severity in the treatment of an episodic tension-type headache.

This particular study’s findings have important implications in choosing alternatives in procedures for managing different types of headaches. This new undertaking mandated the staff at the Duke Center to screen citations from the literature, abstract the data into evidence tables, analyze the quality and magnitude of results from these studies, and draft an evidence report with peer review from a panel of 25 reviewers, including researchers and clinicians in chiropractic.

Starting with over 2,500 citations from such online sources as MEDLINE, MANTIS, CRAC, CINAHL, PsychoINFO, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, and additional articles obtained by referral, the panel obtained bibliographies of both physical and behavioral options for treating headache that were prospective, controlled trials aimed at either relief from or prevention of attacks of tension-type or cervicogenic headache.

Among the physical interventions reviewed in this report:

acupuncture
cervical spinal manipulation
low-force techniques such as cranial sacral therapy
massage (including trigger point releases)
mobilization
stretching
heat therapy
ultrasound
transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)
exercise (including postural exercises)
Among the behavioural interventions reviewed are:
relaxation
biofeedback
cognitive-behavioural (stress management) therapy
hypnosis
This report clearly positions Chiropractic as the most viable treatment and notes that Chiropractic lacks the detrimental and sometimes fatal side effects of conventional treatment options for managing tension and cervicogenic headache patients.. Compared to other physical treatment methods (including physiotherapy, acupuncture, and electrical stimulation), the evidence overwhelmingly supports Chiropractic as having the most statistically significant benefits.

Do You Have Questions About Chiropractic? Ask Dr. TJ Alger

TJ Alger, DC
Chiropractic Essence
3424 W Broadway
Council Bluffs, IA 51501

Take Action Now For The Health Of You And Your Family

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Sciatica

Brean Alger — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 23:10:50 +0000

Chiropractic Research from the Chiropractic Essence Health Library

Research Shows That Sciatica Can Be Improved By Chiropractic

Non-operative treatments for sciatica: a pilot study for a randomized clinical trial. Bronfort G, Evans RL, Anderson AV et al. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics October 2000, Vol. 23 No. 8.

This is a prospective, observer-blinded, pilot randomized clinical trial of 20 patients aged 20-65 with low back-related leg pain. Patients were divided into three groups. One group was given medical care, one group chiropractic care and one group steroid injections. All groups showed substantial improvement at the end of the 12 week study.

Lack of effectiveness of bed rest for sciatica. Patrick CAJ, Vroomen MD, Marc CTFM, et al. The New England Journal of Medicine. 1999;340:418-423.

Many medical doctors prescribe bed rest for sciatica, yet according to the authors: “For low back pain, bed rest has traditionally been considered effective, although there is little objective data to support this view. In recent years evidence of the ineffectiveness of bed rest for low back pain has accumulated, but bed rest continues to still be widely used for treatment of sciatica.”

From the conclusion: “Among patients with symptoms and signs of a lumbosacral radicular syndrome, bed rest is not a more effective therapy than watchful waiting.”

From Mobilization of the Spine (1984) by Grieve GP Churchill Livingston, London/New York, 4th edition, 22-23.

“All those experienced in manipulation can report numerous examples of migrainous headaches, disequilibrium (vertigo), subjective visual disturbances, feelings of retro-orbital pressure, dysphagia, dysphonia, heaviness of a limb, extra segmental paraesthesia, restriction of respiratory excursion, abdominal nausea and the cold sciatic leg being relieved by manual or mechanical treatment of the vertebral column.”

Low force chiropractic care of two patients with sciatic neuropathy and lumbar disc herniation. Richards GL et al. Am J Chiro Med Mar 1990;3(1):25-32.

From the abstract:

Two patients with sciatic neuropathy and confirmed disc herniation were treated with low force treatment regimen consisting of Activator instrument adjusting, pelvic blocking, high voltage galvanic current and exercises. Follow-up CAT scans in the first case (revealed) complete absence of disc herniation. The second case follow up scan revealed the continued presence of a silent disc bulge at the L3-4 level and partial decrease in a herniation at the L4-5 level. The bulge appeared to have shifted away from the nerve root. Both patients’ pain levels decreased from severe to minimal. The patients regained the ability to stand, sit and walk for longer periods without discomfort; lifting tasks also became easier. The patients were able to return to full work capacity at three and nine months respectively.

Do You Have Questions About Chiropractic? Ask Dr. TJ Alger

TJ Alger, DC
Chiropractic Essence
3424 W Broadway
Council Bluffs, IA 51501

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Neck Pain

Brean Alger — Sun, 23 Jun 2019 22:43:59 +0000

Chiropractic Research from the Chiropractic Essence Health Library

Research Shows That Neck Pain Can Be Improved By Chiropractic

Cervical mobilization: concurrent effects on pain, sympathetic nervous system activity and motor activity. Sterling M, Jull G, Wright A. Man Ther (Manual Medicine) 2001;6(2):72-81.

In this paper, 30 patients with middle or lower neck (cervical) pain had “spinal manipulative therapy” (SMT) and their pain reduced after care.

Spinal care was found to have a pain fighting effect (“a hypoalgesic effect) as pain thresholds increased. It was also found that the sympathetic nervous system, which affects the functions of the internal organs, was affected: The authors wrote: “The treatment technique also produced a sympathoexcitatory effect with an increase in skin conductance and a decrease in skin temperature.”

Chiropractic treatment of post surgical neck syndrome utilizing mechanical force manually assisted short-lever spinal adjustments. Polkinghorn B and Colloca CJ Manipulative Physiol Ther November/December 2001. Vol 24 No. 9.

This is the case of a 35-year-old female who, after having neck surgery two separate times (a discectomy at C3/4 and a fusion at C5/6) suffered from chronic neck pain for over 5 years.

She had originally undergone the surgeries to resolve neck pain. Her surgeon suggested a third surgery but she decided on chiropractic care. Within 30 days of chiropractic care all her chronic pain and muscle spasm resolved. A follow-up two years later revealed no recurrences of her previous chronic problem.

Chronic spinal pain syndromes: a clinical pilot trial comparing acupuncture, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), and spinal manipulation. Giles LG, Muller R. J Manipulative Physiol Ther July/August 1999:22(6), pp.376-81.

Seventy seven patients were divided into three groups. One group received needle acupuncture, one group an NSAID and one group chiropractic care.

They were followed up after 30 days. Spinal care was the only intervention to achieve a statistically significant improvement. Patients receiving chiropractic care demonstrated a 30.7% reduction in Oswestry scores and a 25% reduction in neck disability index scores, a 50% reduction for low back pain, 46% reduction for upper back pain and 33% reduction for neck pain. Acupuncture and NSAIDS provided no significant improvement.

Manipulation and mobilization of the cervical spine. Hurwitz EL, Aker PD et al. Spine, 1996;21(15):1746-1760.

In this review of research, the authors concluded that for those suffering from chronic neck pain, chiropractic adjustments are more effective than any other approach.

Chiropractic treatment of cervical radiculopathy caused by a herniated cervical disc. Brouillette DL, Gurske, DT. Journal of Manipulative and Physiologic Therapeutics, Feb 1994; 17(2): 119-123.

This is the case study of a 60-year-old woman with a MRI documented herniated cervical disc.

Symptoms included deep, constant, burning ache in the left arm, and severe neck and left shoulder pain. Under chiropractic care the patient’s pain and numbness disappeared and her grip-strength returned to normal within 5 months.

Cervical spondylotic radiculopathy treated with the Meric technique: a case report. Gemmell, HA. Chiropractic Technique, Feb 1994; 6(1): 14-16.

This is the case of an annular disc protrusion with nerve root compression at level C-5 of a 69-year-old white male.

From the abstract:

Patient exhibited toothache-like pain over the left upper trapezius and deltoid muscles with an absent biceps reflex, decreased sensation to pinprick in the C5 dermatome, and a weak deltoid muscle. The patient was successfully treated over 26 days with eight treatments using Meric adjustments and supportive therapy. He remained pain free, without neurological signs, at the 4-month follow-up.

Soft tissue injuries of the cervical spine: a 15-year follow-up. Squires B, Gargan MF, Bannister GC. J of Bone and Joint Surgery (British Edition), 1996; (70B), pp955-57.

Ten and fifteen years after the original accident, some patients continue to complain of neck pain, back pain, headaches and/or dizziness.

This is the study of 40 patients with a whiplash injury assessed an average of 15.5 years after the injury.

This shows us that whiplash symptoms may remain for years without resolution. The most common complaint was neck pain, followed by back pain, headaches and dizziness. Psychological disturbances were seen in 52% of the patients.

Between 10 and 15 years after their initial injuries, only 18% of the patients demonstrated significant improvement. Twenty-eight percent showed deterioration.

Brain SPECT findings in late whiplash syndrome. Otte A, Mueller-Brand J, Fierz L. Lancet 1995; 345:1512-13.

Why do people with neck pain and whiplash sometimes suffer vision, hearing and personality disturbances? A study using a new technology shows that such patients have decreased blood flow in certain brain areas and that pain irritation from the upper neck appears to affect the blood supply to the brain.

Using technetium-99m hexanethylproplyrnrsminroxime single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT), they found that six of seven patients with nontraumatic cervical pain had parieto-occipital hypoperfusion. In 24 patients confirmed by independent observers to be suffering from cognitive disturbances after whiplash injury, all had parieto-occipital hypoperfusion compared with 15 normal control subjects.

Manipulation and mobilization of the cervical spine: a systematic review of the literature. Hurwitz EL, Aker PD, Adam AH, Meeker WC, Shekelle PG. Spine 1996; 21:1746-60.

This was an analysis of the medical literature from 1966 to 1996 regarding cervical spine manipulation for neck pain and headache. Data was summarized and randomized controlled clinical trials were critically appraised. Cervical spinal adjustments were found superior to other therapies (muscle relaxants and medical care) for neck and headache. Chiropractic provided chronic neck pain patients with superior results when compared with acupuncture and drugs.

Diagnosis and treatment of TMJ, head, neck and asthmatic symptoms in children. Gillespie BR, Barnes JF, J of Craniomandibular Practice, Oct. 1990, Vol 8, No. 4.

From the abstract:

Pathologic strain patterns in the soft tissues can be a primary cause of headaches, neck aches, throat infections, ear infections, sinus congestion, and asthma.

Reduction of a confirmed C5-C6 disc herniation following specific chiropractic spinal manipulation: a case study. Siciliano MA, Bernard TA, Bentley, NJ. Chiropractic: The Journal of Chiropractic Research and Clinical Investigation Vol. 8 No. 1 April 1992.

This is the case of a 39-year-old male cable technician who complained of right neck and arm pain. Twenty years earlier he had a football injury and had some similar, temporary pain at that time. He now had an aching, deep pain running from the base of his neck to the right elbow and sometimes running sharply down his arm.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), thermography and Kronamaz muscle testing apparatus documented a C5-C6 disc herniation. Under chiropractic care the patient was symptom free. After 13 chiropractic visits, a post comparative MRI revealed a reduction in the herniation.

Reabsorption of a herniated cervical disc following chiropractic treatment utilizing the atlas orthogonal technique: a case report. Robinson, Kevin. Abstracts from the 14th annual upper cervical spine conference Nov 22-23, 1997, Life University, Marietta, Ga. Pub. in Chiropractic Research Journal, Vol. 5, No.1, Spring 1998.

This is the case of a 44 year-old man whose symptoms were as follows: severe neck pain, constant burning, left arm pain and left shoulder pain plus paresthesia in the index finger of the left hand. Patient also had diminished grip strength on left hand using dynamometer testing. Tests also revealed hyporeflexive biceps and triceps on the left as well as a C6 and C7 sensory deficit on the left. The MRI scan revealed a large left lateral herniated disc at the C6-7 level.

By the fifth week of care the patient’s symptoms of severe neck, shoulder, and arm pain were completely resolved. The patient’s numbness and grip strength improved consistently during the following six months. Comparative MRI obtained 14 months following the initial exam revealed total resolution of the herniated cervical disc.

Do You Have Questions About Chiropractic? Ask Dr. TJ Alger

TJ Alger, DC
Chiropractic Essence
3424 W Broadway
Council Bluffs, IA 51501

Take Action Now For The Health Of You And Your Family

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Leg Length

Brean Alger — Sat, 22 Jun 2019 23:26:51 +0000

Chiropractic Research from the Chiropractic Essence Health Library

Research Shows That Leg Alignment Issues Can Be Improved By Chiropractic

Leg Length Alignment Asymmetry In A Non-clinical Population And Its Correlation To A Decrease In General Health As Measured By The SF-12: A Pilot Study

Purpose:

To determine if there is an association between a test commonly used by chiropractors as a sign of subluxation/joint dysfunction – supine leg length alignment (LLA) asymmetry – and health-related quality of life as measured by the SF-12 questionnaire, in a non-clinical population.

Design:

Volunteers answered the SF-12 and background questionnaires and were then examined for supine LLA by a chiropractor blinded to their answers.

Setting:

Gatherings of people in the general population.

Participants:

Fifty-five unscreened volunteers.

Examiner:

Chiropractor with approximately 20 years of clinical experience.

Main Outcome Measures:

The association of supine LLA asymmetry with general health based on the two summary scores – physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) – of the SF-12.

Results:

There were 27 volunteers with LLA asymmetry, they had a mean PCS of 49.6 and a mean MCS of 47.9. In the no – LLA asymmetry group (n=23) the mean PCS was 50.8, and mean MCS of 54.0. A multiple regression analysis found that of the variables gender, age, back pain (current/former) and LLA asymmetry, the only factor to approach significance with the SF-12 MCS/PCS was the presence of LLA asymmetry. A t-test found there was a significant difference (p=0.017) in the MCS between the supine LLA asymmetry and no-LLA asymmetry groups.

Conclusion:

This pilot study suggests that in this group of volunteers (n=50) from the non-clinical general population, those who demonstrated a commonly used sign of subluxation/joint dysfunction – supine leg length alignment asymmetry – had a significantly (P=0.017) lower measure of general health as determined by the SF-12 survey than those volunteers without such asymmetry. Further investigation to clarify this relationship and to establish whether there is a connection between the putative entity of chiropractic subluxation and unloaded leg length alignment asymmetry is recommended.

Leg Length Inequality (Short/Long Leg)

The supine leg check as a determinant of physiological/postural leg length inequality: a case study and analysis leg length inequality (LLI) Knutson, Gary A., Chiropractic Research Journal, Vol. VII, No. 1, Spring 2000.

This paper presents a case study of imposed leg length inequality following total hip replacement surgery and compares and contrasts methods used to determine anatomic and physiologic or postural LLI.

It is proposed that, within certain parameters, nonweight-bearing postural leg checks are evidence of physiological or postural, and not anatomic, LLI.

Thermal asymmetry of the upper extremity in scalenus anticus syndrome, leg-length inequality and response to chiropractic adjustment. Knutson GA. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 1997; 20(7):476-481.

Do You Have Questions About Chiropractic? Ask Dr. TJ Alger

TJ Alger, DC
Chiropractic Essence
3424 W Broadway
Council Bluffs, IA 51501

Take Action Now For The Health Of You And Your Family

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HIV

Brean Alger — Sat, 22 Jun 2019 00:17:07 +0000

Chiropractic Research from the Chiropractic Essence Health Library

Research Shows That Immune System Function Can Be Improved By Chiropractic

Chiropractic HIV and AIDS

The goal of chiropractic care is to free patients from vertebral subluxations, a serious interference to life and health. Releasing subluxations permits the body to work more efficiently.

Research studies are increasingly revealing that the addressing of “subluxations” has a beneficial effect on many levels of one’s health.

The immune system function is one of the most exciting areas of study in chiropractic. More and more research is pointing to an immune system enhancing effect from spinal adjustments.

AIDS/HIV Research

Chronic Hyperemesis in two siblings with AIDS. Fallon, J Int’l Chiropractic Association Review Summer 2002.

Two male siblings ages 4 and 6 with “HIV infections” and “full-blown AIDS.”

Both boys suffered from severe Hyperemesis (vomiting) associated with a hyperactive gag reflex and were on a liquid diet: the six-year-old by mouth and the 4-year-old by gastric tube. The 6-year-old had a viral load of 1,200 and was on a therapy regime of antiviral drugs. His 4-year-old brother, with a viral load of 1,000,000 was on a cocktail of HIV medications (after the monotherapy failed).

The 4-year-old had a history of chronic ear infections and the 6-year-old had severe learning disabilities. Both boys needed a walker or bilateral canes. The older boy had uncontrollable dribbling.

Spinal examination of the 4-year-old revealed subluxations at occiput/atlas, C1, C4, T4, T9 and Tl2. Spinal examination of the 6-year-old revealed subluxations at C1, T1, and T8 and AS of the right ileum.

Adjustments of the subluxated segments were begun; each boy was initially seen 2 times a week for three weeks.

Within three weeks of initial care the older boy could walk better, he was able to use only one cane instead of two, he ate solid food for the first time since birth, his chronic drooling stopped as did his gagging and vomiting. However, if he went longer than 30 days without an adjustment his gag reflex returned as well as the uncontrolled vomiting.

The younger boy was able to stop the gastric feeding and take his liquid food orally, his vomiting reduced and his chronic ear infections ceased. In a few months he was able to eat solid food. His viral load dropped from 1,000,000 to 5! As long as he was adjusted 1-2 times per month his vomiting did not return.

Not vocalizing well. Absence of T-cells, immune dysfunction, has colds all the time. International Chiropractic Pediatric Association newsletter. November 1996.

This is the case of a male 5 year old who was diagnosed with malformation of cervical spine, severe scoliosis, and occiput position severely anterior to cervical spine. The child was not vocalizing well, had an absence of T-cells and immune dysfunction, and had colds all the time. Surgery had been considered to correct skull positioning.

In the first series of adjustments, we adjusted the lad in a sitting position utilizing the infant toggle headpiece. The Atlas was adjusted ASL.

Child was re-evaluated in native country and medical staff stated that everything was now normal.

Child returned to U.S. for care 6 months later. Vocabulary was now normal. Head position – normal. No colds evident during these months. Scoliosis was greatly reduced.

The effects of specific upper cervical adjustments on the CD4 counts of HIV positive patients. Selano JL, Hightower BC, Pfleger B, et al. Chiropractic Research Journal. 1994; 3(1): 32-39.

All the patients in this group had HIV and full-blown AIDS and were receiving medical treatment. In addition, five patients started chiropractic care. After 6 months, those not under chiropractic care suffered a decline of 7.96% in CD4 levels (and two deaths) while the group receiving chiropractic adjustments experienced a 48% increase in CD4 cell counts.

This indicates that correction of upper cervical subluxation could improve immunocompetence.

Note: The study was originally intended to go on for one year, but after two patients in the control group died of AIDS, Dr. Grostic decided to end the study and put the surviving controls under chiropractic care.

Chiropractic and HIV infection. Martin, C; Journal of the American Chiropractic Association 1995; 3212: 41-4.

This paper reviewed prior work by chiropractors on HIV patients that suggest that vertebral manipulation may have wide-ranging effects. From improvement in symptoms like peripheral neuropathy, to stimulation of immune system components, chiropractic is encouraging to individual well-being. The reduction of stress, education of the patient towards an immunopositive lifestyle and the removal of nervous system interference are the central benefits which chiropractic offers.

Do You Have Questions About Chiropractic? Ask Dr. TJ Alger

TJ Alger, DC
Chiropractic Essence
3424 W Broadway
Council Bluffs, IA 51501

Take Action Now For The Health Of You And Your Family

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