Author Archive
Some Lower Blood Pressure With Chiropractic Visit
That headline comes from a May 6, 2010 feature story on the Pittsburgh, PA, TV News station KDKA. The story starts off by noting that millions of people have high blood pressure. And they note that if left untreated it can be deadly.
Most people treat blood pressure with medication. However, the story notes that some people are turning to chiropractic for help. As a result, these people are seeing improvement in their blood pressure numbers.
The story focused on Dr. Michael Vactor who stated in an interview that, “Basically, one in four adults inAmericahave some form of high blood pressure.”
The article also quoted Bill Bird, a patient who is now sold on chiropractic. Bill has a very stressful job selling cars resulting in high blood pressure requiring prescription medication. After a few visits to the chiropractor, his blood pressure had improved to the point where his medical doctor cut his medication in half. Looking to the future, Bill optimistically stated, “30 to 45 days of my blood pressure staying at the levels it is, I’m going to be off it 100 percent.”
In spite of the fact that studies have now shown that chiropractic can help lower blood pressure, some in the medical profession are still skeptical. Dr. Vactor noted, “If we can get somebody’s blood pressure to be lowered without medication, it’s amazing because most doctors you talk to will tell you it can’t be done.”
The article also interviewed Dr. George Bakris, a medical doctor whose expertise is high blood pressure, and who conducted a blood pressure study involving chiropractic on 50 patients at the University of Chicago Medical School. “We saw miraculous changes in blood pressure,” said Dr. Bakris. “We saw 12 to 13 millimeter reductions in blood pressure.”
In the conclusion of the article, Dr. Vactor noted that in spite of the medical approach to treat high blood pressure, chiropractic could have a unique answer. He states, “We’ve never been able to find a drug or a medication that can lower blood pressure that fast with no side effects.
For a FREE consultation regarding your blood pressure, call Jennifer or Pat at:
262-251-8306 and see what chiropractic can do for you !
Acid Reflux and Posture
A study published this month showed a relationship between postural balance and reflux gastroesophagitis. ( http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21971878 )
The study involved a fifteen year old girl with a severe spinal deformity that pushed her shoulders forward and to the side. She had symptoms of positional imbalance, intermittent respiratory infections, gastrointestinal discomfort, trouble swallowing and heartburn for several years.
She had her spinal deformity surgically corrected and her symptoms went away.
This is an interesting report because in raises a number of questions. Can other types of misalignment in the spine cause gastrointestinal problems? Do these problems have to be severe before you get symptoms? If you want to avoid drugs and surgery, can chiropractic fix these problems?
Based on my clinical experience, the answer to the above questions is yes!
To find out more about how I treat posture problems, log on to: www.painfree-greatposture.com
Chiropractic vs. Physical Therapy for Back Injuries
Patients with back injuries often don’t know who to see to get treatment. Often, they will go to a physical therapist over a chiropractor because their medical doctor will recommend PT. But, is that really in your best interest ?
A study compiling data from Worker’s Compensation cases in Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, Texas and Wisconsin involving 894 cases filing claims in 2006 revealed lower disability recurrence for patients under chiropractic care compared to patients treated by physical therapists and medical doctors. In fact, patients under physical therapy treatment were twice as likely to have recurrent disability as a patient under chiropractic care.
Chiropractic was also cheaper than physical therapy by $122 per week.
Physical therapy has its place. For post operative rehabilitation, severe trauma, neurological disorders, and the like, physical therapy can be tremendously beneficial. But for most back injuries, physical therapy is not the best choice of treatment. In fact, the authors acknowledged that part of chiropractic’s benefit is that it keeps patients from using other treatments that slow recovery.
Chiropractic is the best option for back injuries and has been confirmed in numerous studies. For more information on how I treat back injuries log on to www.newbackpainreliefinfo.com.
Can Chiropractic Reduce Sports Injuries?
Chiropractic care can be very helpful in treating sports injuries. In fact, it can help an athlete get back on the field in a surprisingly short period of time.
But, can chiropractic actually prevent injuries from happening? A recent study involving 59 Australian Rules Football players says yes it can!
The players were divided into two groups. The first group received standard medical, paramedical and sports science management including medication, surgery, massage, strength conditioning and rehabilitation. The second group received all those procedures plus chiropractic care of the spine pelvis and lower extremities once a week for six weeks and every two weeks for three months.
The chiropractic intervention group had less back pain. They also had lowered the incidence of injuries to the hamstrings, lower limb muscles and knees. And, the athletes missed play for far shorter periods due to injury.
In my own clinical experience, I have found that patients who have regular treatment and pay attention to their posture have far fewer injuries.
To find out more about how I treat and prevent sports injuries, call Jennifer or Pat at 262-251-8306 for a free consultation. We can talk about your situation and get you treatment and prevention options that work!
Fibromyalgia’s New Name
If you have fibromyalgia, you know the frustration of seeing a bunch of doctors and not getting a straight answer as to what is wrong with you. Even when the diagnosis of fibromyalgia is made, your doctor just gives you drugs to mask the symptoms. You never get down to the cause.
In July of 2011, a paper was published in the Journal of Internal Medicine that may help you understand what is wrong with you. The study is calling fibromyalgia and its diagnostic twin, chronic fatigue syndrome, myalgic encephalomyelitis. (ME)
Myalgic encephalomyelitis means muscle pain caused by inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. The authors of the study are saying that the term more accurately describes the condition and I agree.
I have been treating fibromyalgia cases since 2002, using the best available research. The research has been pointing towards encephalomyelitis as a cause for more than a decade.
Swelling of the brain and spinal cord needs to be addressed for the pain to go away. The inflammation can come from a variety of sources. The largest single source is adverse mechanical tension on the spinal cord. The spine misaligns in a way that stretches the spinal cord and irritates it until it becomes inflamed. This causes the symptoms.
But other causes for the inflammation may also need to be addressed. Diet, oxidative stress, excitotoxins, and dysbiosis can all contribute to the problem. You need to find a doctor who knows what to look for and how to treat it.
For more information on how I treat fibromyalgia, log on to: www.stopyourfibronow.com
Back Pain During Pregnancy
Low back pain can make a woman’s pregnancy absolutely miserable. It makes it hard to get out of a chair, walk or move around. Not to mention how much harder it makes labor and delivery.
The extra weight of the baby can cause posture problems, especially if your posture wasn’t too good before you were pregnant. These posture problems create more strain on the muscles of the low back creating muscle spasms and pain.
The hormones of pregnancy soften up the ligaments that hold the bones of the spine in place. So, as pregnancy progresses, the bones of the spine can slide out of place and pinch nerves. This can create, back pain, sciatica, neck pain and even headaches.
If you are pregnant, options are limited. You can’t take medication due to possible side effects that can hurt your baby.
Chiropractic is a great option because it is safe and effective. Some pregnant women are afraid to see a chiropractor because they think they might get hurt. Or worse, it somehow might hurt the baby.
According to research, chiropractic is safer than aspirin. And during pregnancy, it’s a God-send. You can get immediate relief of pain and you will move around and stand better than ever.
My wife is very thankful to be adjusted during pregnancy. She was checked and treated any time she needed it with both my kids. And, she gets treated now for our third.
I created a little video that shows the type of procedures I use. You can see that they are very gentle and easy on the body. The results are immediate, as you will see. Check it out at: http://www.vimeo.com/28359805
For a free consultation for your pregnancy related back pain, neck pain or headaches, call Jennifer or Pat at 262-251-8306.
STOP YOUR FIBROMYALGIA NOW! – SEMINAR MOVED
Due to Overwhelming Response
The Fibromyalgia Seminar
Has Been Moved To The:
Radisson Hotel Menomonee Falls
N88 W14750 Main Street
Menomonee Falls, WI 53051
(at the intersection of 41/45 and Main St.)
Finally a seminar that teaches you how to STOP YOUR FIBROMYALGIA NOW!
NO COST - Saturday, September 24th - 10:00AM. This seminar is NO NON-SENSE
Dr. Paul Kramer will review:
• What is Fibromyalgia?
• Is it just a “trash can” diagnosis?
• The new medical term for Fibromyalgia that finally makes sense.
• How to put the pieces of the Fibro-puzzle together so you can get real relief.
• What treatments really work?
• What two food additives to eliminate from your diet, that will cure Fibromyalgia for 1/3 of the patients!
• How to find out if your Fibromyalgia is going to give you Alzheimer’s disease in the future.
• Do the new medications for Fibromyalgia work?
• Why most of the information on the internet about Fibro is B.S.
• How to stop your pain- not just live with it.
Every piece of information you will learn at this seminar is
Referenced in peer-reviewed scientific journals. NO NON-SENSE.
CALL 262-251-8306 to make your reservation.
Space is limited, so call NOW!
STOP YOUR FIBROMYALGIA NOW! – Seminar!
Finally a seminar that teaches you how to:
STOP YOUR FIBROMYALGIA NOW!
FREE
Saturday, September 24th
10:00 am
N88 W16953 Main St.-Menomonee Falls
This seminar is NO NON-SENSE
Dr. Paul Kramer will review:
- What is Fibromyalgia?
- Is it just a “trash can” diagnosis?
- The new medical term for Fibromyalgia that finally makes sense.
- How to put the pieces of the Fibro-puzzle together so you can get real relief.
- What treatments really work?
- What two food additives to eliminate from your diet, that will cure Fibromyalgia for 1/3 of the patients!
- How to find out if your Fibromyalgia is going to give you Alzheimer’s disease in the future.
- Do the new medications for Fibromyalgia work?
- Why most of the information on the internet about Fibro is B.S.
- How to stop your pain- not just live with it.
Every piece of information you will learn at this seminar is
Referenced in peer-reviewed scientific journals. NO NON-SENSE.
CALL 262-251-8306 to make your reservation.
Space is limited, so call NOW!
How to Read and Work Without Neck Pain
Just about everything you do involves looking down. You have to see what you are doing. When you look down for a extended period of time, it puts more pressure on the muscles, joints and nerves in your neck. The result is neck pain.
Reading is especially difficult, because you tend to stay in one position for so long. It is best for your neck to have your head looking straight, not down. But, it is difficult to keep a book straight out in front of you. Holding a book out in front, tires out your arms. You don’t want that either.
Here’s a little invention that I recommend to my patients that do a lot of reading, knitting or other work that forces the head down. They are called prism glasses and they bend light so that you can have your head facing straight and your work in your lap. Or, you can lay flat on your back and have your book rest on your stomach.
My wife and I use them all the time and they work great. You can get them online or in our office. For people with neck pain and headaches, they can really help.
For more health tips, log on to www.painfree-greatposture.com
Do Chiropractors Get Along With MD’s?
You may have gotten the idea from some of my blogs that I don’t like medical doctors. Well…if I don’t like an MD, its usually because I don’t like him or her as a person. It wouldn’t matter what they did for a living, I wouldn’t like the person. I have several friends that are medical doctors, and I refer patients to MD’s when they need their help.
I have a tremendous respect for the medical doctors, they have a very difficult job, they work under tons of pressure and the American medical system they work in, sucks. Sorry for the word, I just can’t think of a better one right now.
That brings me to my point. The American medical system is probably the greatest in the world when it comes to trauma and medical emergencies. If you get in a car wreck, suffer a bad fall, or have a heart attack, there is no better place to be. Medicine does things here that are unbelievable.
But, as far as getting people healthy and keeping them that way. Americastinks. Bring up any health statistic you want and we are last or next to last. Obesity, infant mortality, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, depression, ulcers, heart disease, cancer, physical disability and on and on….we are in trouble. The real kicker is, we spend more than any other country on health and we get the worst results.
American medical philosophy is basically: eat like a pig…eat whatever garbage you want as long as it tastes good to you…treat your body anyway you like… wait for a problem to happen and treat it with drugs. If the drugs don’t work…remove the offending part with surgery. It may sound like I’m exaggerating, but if you look around at what is happening, and think about the messages you receive in the media…I think you will see my point.
I can’t think of a more corrupt government agency than the FDA. They are the ones that are supposed to protect us. Yet they allow food companies to put things in food that are making people sick, and then turning around and approving drugs to counteract the effects of the trashy food. The doctors employed by the FDA are totally bought and paid for by food and drug companies. There is no ethics at all.
The average MD is put in a system where he doesn’t have the time to talk to a patient about good health habits. He or she, doesn’t have time to learn about natural health, because they need to keep up on all the new drugs coming on the market. And…to top it off… can’t practice natural health anyway due to standards of practice laws that prevent them from doing anything that differs from standard medical practice. Their hands are tied. And, I mean tight.
So I sympathize with my medical colleagues. I rip on the system, but not the doctors.
What you need to know, is that you can’t totally depend on your MD to safeguard your health. Likewise, you can’t depend on me either. You need to have a team around you that can give you the help you need. Chiropractic and nutrition before you get too ill or injured. Medicine if and when you do.
That’s how I do it, and I hope you do it that way too.
For more information on chiropractic and nutrition, log on to: www.painfree-greatposture.com
