Los Angeles Chiropractic: Lunge Stretch for Tight Hip Flexors

Low back pain can come from many sources, but one common cause is tight hip flexors.  The hip flexor complex is made up of three muscles--the psoas major, then iliacus, and the rectus femoris of the quadriceps femoris group.  The psoas and iliacus together form the iliopsoas complex.  The hip flexors do just that, they flex the hip.  In people that sit a lot, or those that do either excessive or incorrect abdominal exercises are prone to developing hip flexor tightness or spasm

When the hip flexors get tight, the pain is referred down the low back, in a longitudinal pattern down the side of the spinal column.  The best thing to do to get immediate relief is to visit a Los Angeles sports chiropractor.  For the long-term solution, however, you will want to stretch and lengthen the iliopsoas and hip flexor complex.

One thing to be cautious of is the spasmed or hypertonic psoas.  A person--very often a flexible female--can have long hip flexors, but have a muscle spasm happening in either the psoas or iliacus muscles.  This can be very painful, particularly in the hip region, front or back.  In these instances, the person will need to see a sports chiropractor or physical therapist (or a good massage therapist) to have the spasm released.

Watch the video below to learn one of the best hip flexor, iliopsoas stretches available.  Have fun and stretch daily.

Pain: Mind's Internal Therapist

Here's an interesting thought: Humans may subconsciously create pain conditions in their bodies to relieve emotional stresses.  Hmmm...what do you think?  Are our physical ailments simply a way for us to deal with mental misperceptions?  Check it out:

Scientist have recently found that people who practice self-mutilation, clinically known as nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), show decreased brain activity in areas responsible for negative emotions (anterior cingulate and the amygdala), while activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex--an area responsible for pain integration--increased as a result of pain.

To explain the findings, researchers have toyed with the idea that self-mutilators actually enjoy pain.  Wrong--since people suffering from NSSI primarily engage in self-inflicted pain--usually cutting or burning the skin--during times of increased stress.  Researchers also proposed that perhaps self-mutilators are attempting to punish themselves.  The problem with this reasoning, however, is that, by definition, punishments increase negative emotions and make behaviors less likely to occur in the future.  Not the case with those practicing NSSI.

Enter a few new studies.  One recent study showed that fruitflies will avoid noxious odors associated with a painful shock; however, they will gravitate toward the same noxious odors when the odors are associated with shock removal.  Hmmm again.

In a second study, scientists found that removal of various forms of experimental pain were associated with a reduction in negative emotion in people with no history of NSSI.  What makes these findings especially interesting are that both general negative emotion and pain-induced negative emotion are processed in the same brain areas.  That means that pain relief and emotional relief are essentially the same thing.  Many of us know that pain-numbing drugs like alcohol also temporarily reduce emotional pain (until, of course, they lead to new forms of pain).  But recent research has shown that simple over-the-counter analgesics (pain relievers) also reduce emotional pain.

So scientist believe that self-inflicted pain, at least as it relates to people engaging in NSSI, may serve the function of reducing emotional pain or stress.  I propose that all pain states, thus all illnesses, result from the mind's attempt to balance emotional events.  I'm not saying that illness is merely due to negative thinking, because I think any exaggerated thought process--whether positive or negative--can lead to disproportionate emotions.  I'm saying any unbalanced emotion can ultimately lead to illness.

I am fascinated by this study as I think it opens doors to the workings of the mind and it's involvement in physical experience, including health and disease.

The Pain Is the Healing

Here is an affirmation I have given to a new client who is being treated with chemotherapy for cancer:  The pain IS the healing.

I was thinking very deeply about this client, who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma late last year, when I came up with the affirmation.  He is being successfully treated with the chemo, but the it has put him in excruciating pain.  He says it feels as if his bone marrow is boiling.

What we don't always realize is that life is often painful; but the pain we endure is often our greatest blessing; it's what usually brings our greatest growth.  That is the gist of this post.  And the gist of the affirmation.

Affirmations are statements that we say over and over to ourselves, to help establish in our minds the truth behind the statement.  What we say to ourselves repeatedly, we believe.  What we believe, we create.  In other words, we create our reality, whether you want to believe it or not (hidden wisdom, hidden wisdom, reread, ponder).

However, affirmations are powerless if we don't really believe what we are saying in the first place.  For my client, it is not too hard to get him to believe.  First off, he's super-sharp: He already sees the blessing in his illness, and he sees how his life (and mind-set) has led up to where he is now, for all of which he is grateful.  Second, he's a fighter; he feels like ess ayech aye tee (i.e. not well), yet he comes for his visits anyway.  He is doing everything he can to get well, including chiropractic, acupuncture, nutritional therapy, and very soon...rehab.  Third, he knows he is getting better; this man knows the principles of the universe, and he gets that he's getting a second chance; he understands the process.

So "the pain IS the healing" rings true for him.  But I have given him the affirmation to get him through the rough times.  When his bone marrow starts feeling like it's boiling from the chemo, the affirmation makes it firm in his mind that it is an integral part of the healing process; and he'll help his body along through his certainty.

And you can use this affirmation too.  Whether you are going through a tough breakup, financial or legal troubles, or any other painful experience, just remember...the pain IS the healing.

Pain Relief and Chiropractic Wellness in West Hollywood

Some people have no idea of what goes on in a chiropractic practice. "Cracking bones" is what the typical non-chiropractic person says a chiropractor does. But there is no truth to that. Cracking bones is not something we do, neither intentionally nor unintentionally--bones are pretty strong; I haven't met a chiropractor, yet, strong enough to do that.

In my Los Angeles chiropractic office we focus on pain relief, rehabilitation of injured areas like shoulders or knees, and then we place a major importance on using chiropractic care in a wellness sense. By freeing up stuck spinal joints (subluxations), the nervous system is allowed to function unimpeded, with no restrictions, which allows the body to operate at its most optimal level, and thus enhancing health.

Check out the video to get a better understanding of how I use chiropractic care to help people from Hollywood stars to athletes to accountants get the most out of their bodies, their health and their lives. If you are ever in the Beverly Hills or West Hollywood areas of Los Angeles, and you need a chiropractic adjustment, please come visit my office for highest quality chiropractic care available.

Exercise: An Alternative to Getting High

Second Chance--Break Free From Addiction DVD clips, I discuss using exercise an an alternative to using drugs. Before you shake this concept off as absurd, consider this: Exercise releases endorphins--the body's natural opiates.

Endorphins, like narcotics, feel good. So you can really achieve very similar pleasurable feelings (remember, no pleasure without pain) that you get from using drugs. The same? No...but similar, for sure. And the benefits of exercise are enormous--increased strength, stamina, endurance, balance, weight loss and natural anti-aging--all the while feeling as good as an orgasm! Without the crash of drug withdrawal.

So there you have it. If you or a loved one is struggling with drug addiction, please visit the Second Chance website, and get a copy of the DVD today--and then watch it--you'll be happy you did.

Orthotics Repair

Do you wear orthotics? Do you have back pain, hip pain, knee pain; do your feet hurt? Has anybody checked your feet? If you wear orthotics, then you know how much they help your particular condition. But did you know they need to be repaired periodically?

Orthotics are devices inserted into the shoes that support the feet. They are customized to each individual, so they may provide an arch for one whose arches collapse; or they might provide cushion for people that come down hard on their feet. Each foot dysfunction and gait abnormality has its own particular correction in custom-made orthotics.

We take approximately ten million steps a week. By the shear volume of it all, orthotics wearers have to be aware of one thing--orthotics eventually break down. Once the device expires, symptoms slowly return. Hello sciatica--long time no burn. Shin splints--thought you'd never come back. Oh, and low back pain--fuggedaboutit--that'll come back with a vengeance. Sometimes symptoms return slowly; other times--BAM!--hello again.

The approximate time frame to repair or replace your orthotics is 1-2 years. For runners or heavy tennis players that only have one pair, your looking at closer to a year. But for the average weekend warrior, or for the person with two or more pairs, it'll be closer to a year and a half, two years. Once you get them repaired, your orthotics will be like brand new.

Just ask my Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and West Hollywood chiropractic client Eddie Pence. He's been running around in his pair for a couple of years--he's taken them up Runyon Canyon in Hollywood, trudged them through the Los Angeles flag football gridiron, and slugged mud in them with his dog at the most popular of West Hollywood dog parks. And although the Biomechanical orthotics we fit him for could take a serious licking, Ed knows that to keep them ticking, it's time for a repair.

If you need orthotics, or you would like to have your low back, hip, groin, knee, calf, shin or foot pain evaluated by a sports chiropractor, and you live in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, or West Hollywood, come see Dr. Nick Campos and get your foot problems squared away.

Are You A Part of the Disabled Generation?

Walking around in pain? Disabled? You're not alone: Twenty percent of Americans have a disability, according to new reports out of the Centers of Disease Control (CDC). The CDC reports that the number of people with disabilities rose 7.7% over a six year period. From 1999-2005, the number of disabled Americans has reached 48 million. Pretty pathetic considering most of the top disabilities have a sound solution. Let's take a look:

• Arthritis was the leading cause of disability, affecting 8.6 million people
• Back and spine problems were next at 7.6 million people
• Heart related disabilities knocked down 3 million people
• Women were more disabled than men
  
• And the CDC predicts that the overall numbers will continue to rise as baby boomers age

What makes this scenario sad is that most of the disabilities hobbling our countrymen are treatable or preventable. Arthritis, low back pain, neck pain and other musculoskeletal pain conditions are all effectively treated by chiropractic care. But are doctors recommending it to their patients? Seeing that less than twenty percent of the population is taking advantage of chiropractic care, it's not surprising that the numbers of disabled are so high.

Fortunately, the younger generations are turning to chiropractic to prevent future disabilities. I see it in my own practice. Baby boomers come, but not as much as Gen Xers and Millennials. I guess what grandma and grandpa tended to pass on, kids are embracing. Very smart youngsters, very smart. You don't have to take on the family legacy and fulfill the CDC's prediction of "more disabled" by 2030. On the contrary, if instead we do what the CDC recommends to stop the trend--that is, focus on "disability prevention" through safe, effective chiropractic care, then I'm certain these numbers will come down.

I think the younger generation gets it--Keep getting adjusted by your chiropractor for health, wellness, prevention and pain relief, and leave the baby "disability" boom behind.

Walking Extends Life

Walking a mile a day keeps the Grim Reaper away. So says an Italian study that looked at the universal exercise--walking--and found that people who walked regularly lived longer.

The study followed 248 volunteers aged 86 years on average for a period of two years. Although twelve percent of the volunteers died throughout the study, those that did not walk regularly (less than one hour per day) died at a rate of more than 30% higher than the regular walkers. Wow! Additionally, the walkers suffered less from depression and cognitive impairment, had less heart disease and high blood pressure, and had less debility from osteoarthritis. Double wow!

Well, of course, this is no surprise to me. I incessantly push the idea that regular physical fitness is paramount to not only a long life, but to one of high quality as well. I call walking the universal exercise because it's the one that all cultures engage in to some degree. In my neighborhood you can see the Russian community out every night enjoying their after-dinner walks. It's beautiful! And my wife and I take walks with our daughter and doggies every chance we get.

As I point out in my book, The Six Keys to Optimal Health, walking is the best exercise for obese people, the elderly or people who haven't exercised in a while or are trying to solve a pain issue. But mind you, the walk must challenge you. It doesn't have to knock you out, but you should break into a moderate sweat, otherwise you are not doing much. And note, the study saw health benefits and longevity in those who walked for an hour or more every day. Do I think you need to walk for an hour every day? No...but how about twenty minutes? Or a half hour? Just make sure you're breaking a little sweat by the end of the walk. I guarantee that if you walk 3-4 times a week for the next three months, you'll have no problem--neither in motivation nor ability--to extend the walking in both length and frequency. Happy walking.

Unnecessary Knee Surgeries

Did you know that arthroscopic knee surgery is one of the most common operations carried out in the U.S. today? Now why do you suppose that? How about it's quick, it's easy and--cha-ching!--it pays. Well, the latest reports show that arthroscopic surgery for arthritis of the knee is no better than rehabilitation and medication. Hmm...can't say I'm surprised by that.

Timing is impeccable as I've just written an article on the same subject, but the details are this: When it comes to relieving the pain and stiffness of moderate to severe knee arthritis, surgery is no better than physical therapy and medication. Further, that holy grail of orthopedic diagnostics--the MRI--is not the end all, be all when it comes to predicting surgical necessity. What this means--and something we know quite well in chiropractic--is that many MRIs show tears (and disc bulges) in non-symptomatic people while many with symptoms have no tears (or bulges) at all. What does this mean on a practical level? MRI results may be over-predicting the necessity of what are now routine orthopedic surgeries. And we now have the studies to prove it.

As musculoskeletal clinicians, chiropractors know quite well of this misdiagnostic and mismanagement practice. Practically every patient of mine who has walked into an orthopedists office with knee pain has been recommended a knee surgery, despite the fact that they were prime candidates for conservative rehabilitative care. The same is true for the low back pain patient with radiating pain into the leg. Many things cause radiation, but walk into an orthopods office and expect a surgical recommendation. Damn shame, considering many people still take the M.D.'s word as law. Guess what people? Arthroscopic knee surgery was a low risk money maker for your doctor. Cha-ching.

Here's the bottom line: If you are having knee pain, stiffness and other symptoms, read this article before you make a treatment decision. It could save you an unnecessary trip to the surgeon. Many knee problems can be fixed through conservative rehabilitative care. You've got nothing to lose, and the surgery will always be there if you need it later.

An Abdominal Matter

Here goes something interesting: I've been experiencing an unusual pain in my midsection for about a month now. It's not the first time, either. I started experiencing the same thing several months ago, but it went away. So, naturally, being a chiropractic sports physician, I'm wondering what the heck is going on.

First, I thought it might be tight hip flexors since I do a lot of sitting when I write and my chair is not the greatest; that means, like everybody, I start to slouch as I get tired. So I see my chiropractor and have some hip flexor work done, but the pain doesn't go away.

Then I realize that I haven't been working out my abdominal muscles lately, as I've been focusing on my core. But, guess what? A strong core doesn't mean the abs can be neglected. Ah yes, I see. Much of what I learn about the body I learn on myself. Abs are important.

I've worked on my abs for years, understanding their function. Yet, for some reason, over the last several months I've neglected them assuming that my abdominal core workout would be sufficient. Big mistake. I've revisited my usual abdominal workout and, lo and behold, my midsection pain has gone away. Interesting.

So listen to what I say here: A strong core also needs conditioned abdominals; otherwise, too much pressure is placed on the hip flexors and the other muscles of the abdominal core. You don't have to experience it on your own to get it. Learn from my experience. I make it my business to understand the human body as best I can. And I can then pass that info on to you. So work out your core and your abs. That'll keep you working well for years--guaranteed.

Got Pain?

Oh the pain, the pain...

75 million Americans are in pain every day. So says a study published in the medical journal The Lancet. 29% of all men and 27% of all women in the U.S. suffer some sort of pain at any given time. This translates to $16 billion a year spent on pain remedies and about $60 billion a year in lost productivity for the country. Wow!

Some other interesting facts:

• poor people reported more pain than wealthier people
• less educated people reported more pain
• pain increases in intensity as people age, although it plateaus between 45-75 years old, then increases again
• $14 billion spent annually on prescription pain meds and $2.6 billion spent on over-the-counter pain medications.

Let me repeat--wow! With only 10% of the population taking advantage of chiropractic care, these numbers are truly flabbergasting. Why aren't more people seeking out physical remedies that have been shown to work wonders? If you are a chiropractic patient and you've experienced the miraculous healing powers of the art, please tell your friends. No, insist they go. It seems simple to me. In light of the billions spent on drugs every year that don't seem to be reducing the numbers of people in pain, doesn't it make sense to try something different? something natural? something effective?

We are in a period of grave concern over health care spending. Why aren't more doctors, insurance companies, and legislators touting the benefits of physical remedies like chiropractic, acupuncture, massage, or physical therapy? Why do the powers that be keep pushing the same old tired non-solution? I don't know...but we can change that. Tell your friends and your loved ones about your positive experiences--they'll listen. They'll listen because people listen to those they trust. And you've seen chiropractic work wonders for you. Pass the word and help change the world. It's that big.

Social Connections Help Surgical Outcomes

No, no, no...this story is not about who you know, but about how large your social circle is. People who are heavily connected--those with lots of friends and strong family ties--do better before and after surgery, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. Socially connected people feel less pain and anxiety before going under the knife, and they spend fewer days in the hospital and use less pain meds following surgery than their more isolated peers.

The study looked at 605 patients at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor who underwent major surgery of the chest or abdominal area. The original study actually sought to determine the benefits of massage therapy on surgery patients, but also collected information on the subjects social support networks. They grouped people according to how many close friends and relatives they had, how often they saw them, and whether they attended a place of worship or other social function at least once a week. Participants with large social networks were less likely to exhibit anxiety or feel pain before the surgery or afterward, and required less opiate drugs. As an aside, the research team found that massage relieved pain equivalently to a 1 milligram dose of morphine.

Well, two thoughts here: First, I'm not surprised by these findings but am pleased that this sort of thing has finally been looked at. Far too little time is spent on the mental and emotional components of health and healing. I speak about the social connection aspect of achieving fitness in my upcoming book, The Six Keys to Optimal Health--it seems obvious to me: The more connected you are to others and society as a whole, the more your health will flourish. Further, exercising in groups of two or more does wonders, as people who take advantage of this connection tend to work out more often and push themselves a little harder.

The second thought has to do with the findings on massage. Let's see, regular bodywork--working out the stresses and tensions of muscles, tendons, joints and ligaments--helps reduce pain? You don't say? Not only is this one of the major premises of my book, nothing is more obvious to a chiropractor. That's precisely why we get such great results in chiropractic offices helping people who are in pain; because everybody--and I mean everybody--needs regular maintenance care to work out the wear and tear that accumulates in the body from daily living. Just as a car needs its oil changed and its tires rotated regularly, the human body needs its own regular bodywork.

Bravo! Great study. Heed the results folks--your social life is important in more ways than one. It greatly enhances your mental and emotional well-being, it's fun, and it positively affects your physical health. And regular bodywork is as good as a shot of narcotic. Whoa! Now that's a party.

Chronic Pain Hurts Everything

Every chiropractor knows how much pain can disrupt the life of the person suffering from it. "Hurting" is just the tip of the iceberg. Truth is that when pain sits around for a long time, it disrupts all processes, especially mental ones. These facts have now been disclosed by a new study out of Northwestern University in Chicago.

The study looked at 30 people--15 with chronic low back pain and 15 that were pain-free. Each person was hooked up to a brain scan, a functional MRI, and was asked to perform a simple mental task--tracking a moving bar on a computer screen. The idea was to study a brain process called the default mode, an automatic setting of the brain of healthy people that controls functions when the brain is at rest--that is, when it is not actively processing information.

In healthy people performing a mental task, the default mode quiets down. But not in people suffering from chronic pain (lasting longer than six months was considered chronic in this study); in these people a region of the frontal cortex associated with emotion was constantly active, even during a routine mental task (check out the cool video, here). This constant cortical activity of the brain actually disrupted the normal brain equilibrium. Whoa!

Again, no surprise to chiropractors. But I'll bet it's no surprise to anyone who's ever been in chronic pain, either. I've personally experienced it on both ends; as a doctor of chiropractic, I see the effects of chronic pain on people on a daily basis; as someone who has had my fair share, I know how difficult it is to do anything when in constant pain. Heck, I could barely make simple decisions when my tooth cracked. And with appendicitis--forget it! All I could do was moan.

Researchers of this latest pain study say that disruptions in the default network might explain why pain patients have problems with attention, sleep disturbances and even depression. Yeah, that sounds right. And according to the study authors, "These findings suggest that the brain of a chronic pain patient is not simply a healthy brain processing pain information but rather it is altered by the persistent pain in a manner reminiscent of other neurological conditions associated with cognitive impairments."

The take home lesson here: Don't let pain sit--get it taken care of right away. Go see a chiropractor, an acupuncturist, a massage therapist, or any practitioner that can help you. Perhaps you need to exercise, perhaps you need eye glasses--find out the cause of your pain and do something about it. Don't just accept it as "getting older" or the unfortunate reality of any particular illness--even cancer patients can find some relief in alternative health methods like meditation, yoga, chiropractic and massage. So don't give up, and don't let it wait to go away on its own--take care of your body and address your pain today; and get back to living the life you love to live.

Humble Pie

I'd like to share a story to ring in the new year. This story will have several lessons in it, and will also illustrate a few key principles. We'll call it a modern-day health parable.

Last Saturday, just as I was bragging about my recent blood work and stellar chem panel, I started to notice a wee bit of tooth ache. Yes, wee bit; that would be the last time I'd remember life as I once knew it.

By Sunday, my tooth really started to ache, and by New Year's Eve--forget about it--I was dying. This little conundrum I found myself in illustrates a few very important principles. First, the minute you get too elated about anything, expect something to come along and balance it out. Bragging about my health was sure to lead to a pedestal collapse. As it turns out, I cracked my tooth. Ouch! And it got infected. Double ouch!

The second principle, and one which I discuss in depth in my upcoming book, The Six Keys to Optimal Health, is that there is no such thing as perfect health. We actually cycle between health and illness all the time. That's normal and, in fact, it is healthy. This does not make it futile to focus on health--no indeed--but to become attached to the concept of constant health is both futile and foolish. I'll let you read about it further in my book (it's coming, I swear!)

So, as I said, by New Year's Eve the pain was pretty excruciating. No dentist to be found, so I had to rely on over-the-counter Motrin. All I can say is thank God for modern medicine.

But wait Campos, you're always dissing medicine.

No, I'm not. In fact my message is, and always has been, that medicine is very valuable in times of crisis; and I was in the most pulsating, hammer and chisel to the head crisis I've ever been in. So I say once again--THANK GOD FOR MODERN MEDICINE!

Saw a dentist on Wednesday night and found out then about the cracked tooth and infection. I also found out that I'd need a root canal, and maybe even an extraction. Wah! Whatever, Doc. Pull it; do something, anything...please! He set me up for the root canal on Friday and gave me some better drugs. Have I said this yet: Thank God for modern pharmaceuticals, too. Man, they were the only things that got me through this mess. You guys know, some of you saw me, because I went to work anyway. I was a pathetic sight, that's for sure.

Anyway, I had the root canal and the pain didn't just go away. No problem, I expected that, because I know that the healing process takes time, so I certainly didn't expect an overnight miracle. The bottom line is this: Pain medication is sometimes necessary; it can help you get over a very difficult hump. But when one looks to medicine as the answer, they are playing with fire. Use the meds while you work on fixing the problem, then wean off of them.

I'm weaning now. I've cut the dosage in half, and by mid-week, I anticipate I'll be drug free. Cool. And the moral of the story is this: When you want to puff-up your plumage and show-off to the world, make sure you don't bite down too hard on anything you eat, otherwise, you might just spend the next two weeks feasting on humble pie.

Rip Van Winkle It Ain't

Wanna guess what's a huge quality of life issue for the elderly--not getting enough sleep. I know, I know, no surprises here, but my question is: does it have to be? According to a recent study published in The American Journal of Medicine, more than 50% of older Americans get less sleep than they need.

Dr. Harrison G. Bloom, a senior associate at the International Longevity Center-USA and associate clinical professor of geriatrics and medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City says that "Sleep problems and sleep disorders are not an inherent part of aging (emphasis mine)." So something else is going on that's keeping our older generations from getting the rest they need. I believe that sleep disorders in the elderly are primarily from three things:

• Pain--many older people are suffering from chronic aches and pains. If they are seeing a typical medical physician, then they are probably getting plenty of pain pills, anti-inflammatories, and some good ol' fashioned sleeping pills. However, none of these things actually helps remove the pain. Duh! No wonder they can't sleep.
• Multiple medications--many older folk are on more meds than they can count on both hands. Shame, shame American health care system. Check the side effects of any meds you've got lying around; I'll bet $100 that 50% of them have insomnia as one of their potentials.
• Charged mental chatter--this is the stuff that plagues all of us; however, older people often have more worries, therefore, less sleep.

So to answer the question: Does it have to be this way? The answer is NO. Older people can benefit from many of the same things younger people benefit from:

• regular exercise
• wholesome diets
• pain management--or even better, a solution--see a chiropractor
  
• mental exercises--reading, puzzles, mathematics, learning something new
• mental balance--dissolve the charges (read my upcoming book to find out how)
• meditation
  
• find non-drug alternatives

The final entry above can only be accomplished by taking impeccable care of oneself. Really, everyone, you need to get a copy of The Six Keys to Optimal Health; it'll show you the way.

More Drug Deaths

When we think of drug related deaths, don't we all assume it's heroin, barbiturates, or even alcohol that is involved? What if I told you that the fastest growing drug killer in our medicine cabinets today are painkillers - would you believe me? Well you'd better. A recent U.S. study has found that deaths or injuries related to drug treatments have more than doubled between 1998 and 2005 in the United States, with painkillers and immune-system boosters accounting for most.

Ouch. This further hurts a medical industry that increasingly relies on pharmaceutical treatments for every ailment, no matter how minor. Shame that it has even gotten so far as to make non-medical conditions "easily treatable" with drugs (hear my Podcast Episode 3 on lifestyle drugs to get a glimpse of this travesty). When there is a drug for every situation - forget illness, it's gone way beyond that - then expect death and disability to rise.

The biggest shame is that there are so many "alternative" solutions for pain - like chiropractic, massage, acupuncture, exercise, yoga - yet so many people refuse to try them or give them an honest chance. Making matters worse, far too many medical doctors, and the medical institution as a whole, are slow to accept these alternative therapies as a part of mainstream care. And they certainly aren't making a habit of referring their patients to these other useful and effective therapies.

Is it fear? Is it a desire to remain the cultural authority on all things health that leads to this sort of negligence? I think it's both, with a little bit of arrogance tossed in. The general consensus regarding alternative therapies among medical practitioners is, "There is no proof - no scientific evidence." This concept is such malarkey that it's almost painful (excuse the pun) to bear. Take chiropractic for example. There is plenty of research on its effectiveness, but the doors need to be opened for serious dialogue to occur between the professions. Furthermore, chiropractic has been helping people remove pain and maintain health for over one hundred years, and has survived attempts to bury it, discredit it, and even outlaw it. How would this be so if scores of people were not being helped by it? Like, get with it, man. When are you going to accept chiropractic's validity? When are you going to think first of your patients and steer them toward a non-drug option?

The bottom line is this: Keep prescribing drugs like there is no tomorrow, and see death rates soar. It won't last forever because the public is getting smarter and more savvy (like my readers). Thanks to the Internet, information is easily shared and the position of physician as absolute authority is being severely challenged. Doctors are guides; they are teachers. Teach the truth and people will listen. There is no truth in the excessive manipulation of body chemistry to maintain health. You heard it hear first, so pass the word. And be diligent and cautious when seeking treatment. What you don't know can kill you.

Even Chiropractors Need Chiropractic

Yes, that's right, even chiropractors need a good adjustment some times. In fact, they probably need it more than the average Joe.

I tweaked my neck ten days ago while drying my hair after a shower. Oh, it was bad - I could barely move my head without excruciating pain. I toughed it out at work, but...it wasn't good.

I had a subluxation of my first cervical vertebra (the atlas); it was rotated and wedged to the right. Aside from the pain, I had severe muscle spasms of the upper trapezius muscle (upper back and shoulder) on the left, which meant...more pain. I was having trouble sleeping. Every night, I woke up several times throughout my sleep despite the fact that I'm usually a very sound sleeper. And on several occasions, I woke up at 4 or 5 am and couldn't fall back to sleep - a definite anomaly for me.

I also noticed an increase in symptoms related to allergies. Now, granted it's been windy here in L.A., I guess I am connecting the allergy symptoms to my subluxation, because the second after I was adjusted today, the symptoms cleared up.

I feel better now, but I know that I'll have to be adjusted again in a couple of days. I generally try to get adjusted once a week, but in these types of situations I need more. All in all, I've been adjusted three times since developing the tweak, each time I felt better than the last. That's how it works - sometimes it only takes one adjustment, other times, more.

Hey, I'm just happy I'm feeling better. I accept pain an an occasional part of life, but like most people, I don't love it. I take the presence of pain as a sign that something is not right, and I've got to get it checked out and corrected. BINGO - that's the way the body works.

So, if you're feeling pain - go visit your chiropractor - don't wait for it to "go away on its own", because, the fact is, it probably won't.

http://www.drnickcampos.com/

What's the popping noise I hear during a chiropractic adjustment?

If you've ever wondered what the popping or cracking noise is when you receive a chiropractic adjustment, log onto: The Pop! for a detailed explanation.

In the news today: Omega-3 fatty acids reduce blood pressure: study. O.k. - if you're not taking omega-3 FAs today, the question is - why not? Please read my 2005 article: EFA's - Nature's Beauty Secret for Healthy Skin. There are so many benefits to taking this supplement that it really needs to be a part of your regular health regimen.

You know what's the biggest cause of missed work in the European Union's 27 member states? BACK PAIN!!! Well, you don't say? What about in America? Same here. Check out these facts from The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Isn't it fascinating that these countries - our own included - haven't adopted a chiropractic health plan benefit for all workers. Some company health insurance policies still don't cover chiropractic, and it's plain and simple foolishness. Chiropractic has been shown to significantly lower musculoskeletal pain symptoms. View some of the studies here. If your company is not providing you with access to chiropractic care, get on them. They'll improve productivity, decrease absenteeism, and ultimately create loyal employees (who wouldn't be grateful?) if they do.
Looks like medicine is looking at a performance enhancing drug to treat congestive heart failure. Sounds interesting anyway, but we'll have to wait for the conclusion.