Complete Care Chiropractic, Owasso, OK

Around 50% of children will experience at least one middle-ear infection (otitis media) before they’re one year old. By age three, it’s more like two-thirds. Otitis media is caused by a bacterial or viral infection which may arise from another condition such as a cold, and produces a buildup of fluid behind the ear drum, and inflammation inside the ear. Symptoms include ear pain, fever, and irritability. Some children end up suffering this condition on a chronic basis and require treatment year in, year out, with the potential for permanent hearing damage and associated speech problems.

Otitis media usually occurs when the lymph system in the neck fails to drain properly, or the muscle designed to keep bacteria or viruses out of the eustacean tube (connecting the throat to the inner ear) doesn’t work well. It is less common in adults because the eustacean tubes are longer and shaped differently, making for better drainage and less chance for bacteria to invade. Drainage is further enhanced by the fact that adults do not spend as much time lying down as kids do.

Conventional treatment aims to kill the invading bacteria or virus, but this does not attend to the root cause of the otitis media. Chiropractic, on the other hand, looks to restore normal drainage to the ears and the lymphatic system of the neck so that the problem has less chance of taking hold. Another negative of treatment by medical doctors is that the drug of choice is usually amoxicillin, an oral antibiotic which repeated use can lead to drug-resistant bacteria, and which is barely any more potent than the body’s own immune response.

An alternative medical treatment is to relieve the pressure and pain by surgical intervention that involves placing drainage tubes in the ears. To do this, a small opening is made in the eardrum and a tube placed into it to release the buildup of fluid. The body naturally pushes the tube out and closes the hole after a couple of months. Although frequently effective, it again does not address the root cause of the problem, namely the incorrect functioning of the lymphatic system, muscles and nerves.

It is important that you talk to your chiropractor if your child experiences recurrent ear infections. Doctors of chiropractic are experts in diagnosing and treating patients of all ages and will carefully gear their treatment according to the age of the patient. When the normal function of the tissues of the neck are restored, the problem of otitis media very often improves or completely disappears, and the use of antibiotics and surgery can be avoided.

ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and is most commonly diagnosed in children who are in their early years at school.

The most obvious signs of ADHD are:

• Inability to pay attention
• Hyperactive behavior
• Impulsive behavior
• Difficulty in concentrating

Between 3 and 5% of children in the United States (around 2 million kids) are thought to have ADHD, and more boys suffer than girls. That equates to at least one child in every class of 25 to 30 children, although many more are labeled as having ADHD who may simply be badly behaved. For this reason, proper diagnosis is recommended so that children are not needlessly treated and perhaps medicated for a condition they do not have.

Research is ongoing into the causes of ADHD, and current thinking suggests it is down to an overactive nervous system, combined with the brain’s failure to properly filter out unnecessary sights, sounds, thoughts and emotions. Chiropractors are not in the business of directly treating ADHD, but they are able to help rectify certain elements that may be stressing the nervous system, such as:

• Removing spinal subluxations that interfere with the nervous system
• Offering dietary advice to eliminate common trigger foods
• Testing for allergens that may stress the nervous system
• Suggesting ways to eliminate or reduce problem chemicals in the home

Conventional medicine tends to treat ADHD with a chemical called methylphenidate, commonly known as Ritalin. Although this is a stimulant that acts to speed up the nervous system, its net effect is to calm the sufferer, possibly because it activates the filtering out process in the brain. The problem is that Ritalin does nothing to cure ADHD; it only hides the symptoms. And when Ritalin is taken for an extended period, it can actually damage the brain’s proper functioning.

It is therefore important to look at less drastic options if your child has ADHD, and one of these is chiropractic treatment to de-stress the nervous system.

Bedwetting is a stressful situation for all involved. For the bedwetter, though, it can cause feelings of shame and embarrassment, and may even retard the development of normal social functioning. Why bedwetting occurs is not fully understood, although in some cases children may have underdeveloped bladders or experience a problem recognizing when their bladder is full. Children under four years of age are more prone to this happening.

When a child suddenly starts bedwetting after weeks or months of staying dry through the night, it could be a sign that something is wrong. One of the reasons for this is the onset of stress. Perhaps some emotional upheaval, such as moving home, arguments or divorce, or the arrival of a new baby. It may also indicate physical or sexual abuse or some medical condition, therefore it should not be ignored and needs to be checked out by a doctor.

Your doctor of chiropractic may well be able to help with bedwetting problems by easing any physical irritation that may be interfering with the nerves that control bladder function. The nerves responsible for this exit the spine low down at the sacrum. In adults, this is a large, fused bone that is not easily injured, but in childhood it is still in five separate pieces, which may become misaligned following an injury such as a fall. If this happens, the nerves controlling the bladder may be disturbed.

Chiropractic can help rectify any such mechanical issues, and research shows that it can be effective in helping children regain bladder control and avoid bedwetting.

When most people think of an allergy they think of asthma. Asthma and many other allergies can be treated with chiropractic care because they are caused by a hypersensitive immune system and/or respiratory system. To function correctly, these require good communication from the brain and the spinal cord, and a misaligned neck can create an imbalance that degrades this communication.

Irritation in the upper cervical spinal joint can sometimes produce or worsen asthma, and it is not unusual for people who’ve suffered trauma to this area to develop asthma where none existed, or to experience a deterioration of a pre-existing condition.

A doctor of chiropractic can check whether your asthma is related to upper cervical spine problems, and suggest a course of treatment to help alleviate the symptoms.

Chiropractic and Asthma Research

There are many significant published studies that demonstrate the benefits of chiropractic care for asthma sufferers. The following are a small sample:

An Impairment Rating Analysis Of Asthmatic Children Under Chiropractic Care

A self-reported asthma-related impairment study was conducted on 81 children under chiropractic care.

The intent of this study was to quantify self-reported changes in impairment experienced by the pediatric asthmatic subjects, before and after a two month period under chiropractic care. Practitioners, representing a general range of six different approaches to vertebral subluxation correction, administered a specifically designed asthma impairment questionnaire at the appropriate intervals. Subjects were categorized into two groups; 1–10 years and 11–17 years.

Parents/guardians completed questionnaires for the younger group, while the older subjects self-reported their perceptions of impairment. Significantly lower impairment rating scores (improvement) were reported for 90.1% of subjects 60 days after chiropractic care when compared to the pre-chiropractic scores (p < 0.05) with an effect size of 0.96. As well, there were no significant differences across the age groups based on parent/guardian versus self rated scores. Girls reported higher (less improvement) before and after care compared to boys, although significant decreases in impairment ratings were reported for each gender. This suggested a greater clinical effect for boys which was supported by effect sizes ranging from 1.2 for boys compared to 0.75 for girls. Additionally, 25 of 81 subjects (30.9%) chose to voluntarily decrease their dosage of medication by an average of 66.5% while under chiropractic care. Moreover, information collected from patients revealed that among 24 patients reporting asthma “attacks” in the 30 day period prior to the study, the number of “attacks” decreased significantly by an average of 44.9% (p <.05). Based on the data obtained in this study, it was concluded that chiropractic care, for correction of vertebral subluxation, is a safe nonpharmacologic health care approach which may also be associated with significant decreases in asthma related impairment as well as a decreased incidence of asthmatic “attacks.” The findings suggest that chiropractic care should be further investigated relative to providing the most efficacious care management regimen for pediatric asthmatics.

Asthma Study Shows Chiropractic Benefits

From the November / December 2000 issue of Today’s Chiropractic, comes a study report on Asthma. The article notes that approximately 14 Americans die each day from asthma. Asthma is only one of three diseases that has shown an increasing death rate in recent years, up 58% since 1979. Presently estimates say that 17 million Americans suffer from the disease making it the most common and costly illness in the United States.

today, costing over $13 billion annually. Presently, asthma causes more hospitalizations of children than any other childhood disease.

In the study, 47 patients were observed for a two year period. These patients had all been medically diagnosed with persistent asthma ranging from mild persistent in 11 cases, moderate persistent in 28 cases, to severe persistent in 8 cases. The care rendered consisted of specific chiropractic adjustments. The range of visits was from 14 to 44, with the average being 26 during the study period. Most patients in the study began care at a rate of 3 visits per week with this frequency being reduced after 4 to 8 initial weeks.

The patient results were very good with all 47 of the study patients showing a marked improvement ranging from 87 to 100 percent. Patient observed improvement was measured by both improvement in their symptoms as well as a decrease in their usage of acute asthma attack medication. Even more impressive was that all of the patients in the study reported maintaining their improvement after a two-year follow up.

Asthma Study on Benefits of Chiropractic

Asthma has become a large health concern for children in recent years. Over the past 20 years the incidence of asthma has doubled. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that in 1998, approximately 17,299,000 people in the United States, or 6.4% of the population, with cases among very young children up 160%. As reported in the June 16, 1999 issue of JAMA, the CDC also noted that between 1980 and 1994, the number of people self-reporting asthma grew 75%.

In a study conducted in 1996 by the Michigan Chiropractic Council (MCC), a panel of doctors performed an out-come assessment study to test the qualitative and quantitative effectiveness of chiropractic care on children with asthma. The high demand of parents seeking alternative care for pediatric asthma was shown by the overwhelming interest in the study. More than 500 parents called the MCC seeking to get their child involved in the chiropractic study.

The study, which took place during May and June of 1996, examined the chiropractic effectiveness in correcting the cause of asthma in patients from birth to age 17. The average age of the participant was 10 years. “After 30 days of chiropractic health care, patients averaged only one attack, whereas prior to the study they were experiencing more than four attacks,” said MCC Dr. Bob Graham, who directed the study. “Medications, which can be costly, were decreased by nearly 70 percent. Finally, patient satisfaction was rated 8.5 on a scale of 10.” More than 70 chiropractors from 62 cities in Michigan studied more than 80 children suffering from asthma.

Recent studies are showing that a more “hands-on” approach may be more effective in treating neck pain than traditional therapy or a physician’s care.

The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, compared three modes of treatment to determine which was the most effective in improving mobility and reducing neck pain.

183 patients between the ages of 18 to 70, who had reported complaints of neck pain for a minimum two-week period, participated in the study.

Group one received continued routine care by a doctor and were ordered to take pain medication and rest; group two received Chiropractic adjustments, and group three underwent physical therapy, including a supervised exercise regimen.

After seven weeks of treatment, 68.3% of patients who received adjustments reported that they were either “completely recovered,” or had significantly improved as a result of treatment — compared with only 50.8% of the physical therapy group and 35.9% of patients under a physician’s care.

Results show that Chiropractic adjustments are more effective than drug therapy in treating neck pain. In addition, range of motion also improved more among patients in the adjustment and physical therapy groups.

A recent study published by the British Medical Journal assessed the cost effectiveness of Chiropractic with other modes of treatment.

One hundred eighty-three patients who suffered with neck pain for a two-week period participated in the study. The patients, aged 18 to 70-years-old, were divided into three groups. Sixty patients received Chiropractic adjustments; 59 received physiotherapy and 64 were treated by a general practitioner.

After seven weeks, more patients in the Chiropractic group reported “complete recovery” than patients in either of the other groups — 68% recovered in the Chiropractic group; 51% recovered in the physiotherapy group, and only 36% in the general practitioner group recovered.

Six months after the study concluded, researchers found that treatments costs were also significantly lower for patients who received Chiropractic care.

Chiropractic care cost one-third less than the other two treatments — $402; care from the general practitioner cost $1,241 and Physiotherapy cost $1,167.

Antibiotics Usage Shown Not helpful for Kids In New Study

The Associated Press reported on a study by a group of Pediatricians who studied 383 children with acute respiratory tract illness, ranging from infants to age 12.  The study conducted over a one year period was published in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Of the three hundred eighty-three children in the study, 293 (77%) did not receive antibiotics.

The doctors compared the return office visits for the group that received antibiotics with the group that did not.  The results showed that 44% of those treated with antibiotics returned for additional treatment while only 29% of those who did not receive antibiotics had to return. Dr. Michael Pichichero, one of the authors of the study, concluded that while some doctors will prescribe antibiotics for nearly all patients with respiratory infections, “there is no scientific rationale for such antibiotic use.”

In spite of these numbers, a recent survey by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) showed that 86% of pediatricians in Georgia routinely prescribe antibiotics for bronchitis, even though such use is rarely justified. The CDC goes on to say that 42% of pediatricians surveyed prescribe antibiotics for the common cold which is caused by a virus and which antibiotics have no effect on.

Dr. Ben’s Comments:

The very name “antibiotic” should warn us of the inherent risks of such medicines.  When we break it down to its literal meaning, ANTI=against  BIO=life, red flags should start to go up.  These medications are essentially working against you to keep you sick.  Why, you might ask?

Approximately 80% of your immune system is housed within the walls of your intestines in the form of “good” bacteria.  Good bacteria work on your side by performing vital functions such as supporting the immune system and aiding in digestion.  If, by chance you were to eat a food tainted with E. coli, Salmonella or some other evil invader,  the good bacteria in your gut along with the rest of the immune system should respond by causing diarrhea or vomiting in order to rid your body of its harmful effects.  So, what you have come to know as “being sick” is actually a true expression of your body’s health.  To not get diarrhea, or to suppress it with medications would put your life at risk.

Antibiotics not only destroy harmful bacteria inside your body, but also the good guys that are on your side to keep you from getting sick and that aid in digestion.  You really need to imagine your immune system as your body’s own Army.  Antibiotics wipe out your body’s Army.  The more you take, the weaker the Army gets leading to future illnesses that occur more often.  As the above article suggests, with antibiotic usage you may win a few battles here and there but long term you will most certainly lose the war.

SOLUTIONS TO AVOID GETTING SICK and OVERCOMING HAVING TAKEN ANTIBIOTICS IN THE PAST:

1. Break the cycle.  If you keep getting sick after taking antibiotics, stop taking them.  Your immune system gains strength through natural exposure to pathogens, much like a muscle gets bigger and stronger when placed under stress or resistance.

“But I keep getting sick,  my child continues to have ear infections and the doctor said I need to take them.”  Does this sound familiar? Are you scared?  Confused?  Don’t worry, your doctor might be as well.  Consider that the medical literature clearly states, “Clinical guidelines advise against the routine use of antibiotics in patients with upper respiratory tract infection, sore throat and otitis media(ear infection).  Guidelines divide chest infection into acute bronchitis, for which antibiotics are NOT recommended, and pneumonia, for which they are recommended.” 1

2. If you have EVER taken antibiotics it is critical to take a PROBIOTIC supplement to replenish the good bacteria that were destroyed.  I recommend Primal Defense by Garden of Life.

3. Cook with and eat fats found in coconut, i.e. Coconut Oil, milk etc.  Coconut Oil is a natural antimicrobial/antibiotic, helping to destroy bad bacteria without the side effects of harming good bacteria.

4. Stop eating sugar and grains.  Sugar absolutely destroys the immune system, period.

5. Maintain your adjustments.  Studies have shown that families under regular chiropractic care have immune systems that are 200% stronger than families who are not!  The brain-body connection is the #1 priority when it comes to health.

References:  Medscape Medical News.  “Antibiotics not justified for Respiratory Tract Infections, Sore Throat, or Otitis Media.”  http://cme.medscape.com/viewarticle/564538

Come to our “Dinner with the Doc” on Tuesday, December 7th to learn more strategies to boost immunity and avoid getting sick.  Find out why and how families in our office rarely get sick.   Attend any of our other upcoming events http://owassochiropractor.com/events/ to help you maximize your God-given health  potential.