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February 2014

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• Sleep Apnea Helped with Chiropractic Care: A Case Study
• Leonardo DiCaprio Needed a Chiropractor Filming The "Wolf Of Wall Street"
• Acetaminophen and Small Amounts of Alcohol Increase Risk of Liver and Kidney Damage
• Resolution of Chronic Constipation and Abdominal Pain Following Chiropractic
• Epidurals Prolong Labor by More Than Two Hours
• Woman Regains Sense of Smell and Taste With Chiropractic Care

A study published on Feb. 3, 2014, in the scientific periodical, the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research, documents the case of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) being resolved with chiropractic care. The U.S. National Library of Medicine's National Institutes of Health website describes OSA as, "...a condition in which the flow of air pauses or decreases during breathing while you are asleep because the airway has become narrowed, blocked, or floppy."

The authors of the study note that symptoms of OSA can include excessive daytime sleepiness, unrefreshing sleep, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, and an overall decrease in quality of life due to a lack of quality sleep,. They report that, as of 1997, the prevalence of OSA in the United States was between 3-7% of the population.

In this case, a 34-year-old male went to the chiropractor in hopes of receiving help for his sleep apnea. He suffered with the symptoms of OSA for many years before finally being diagnosed five years earlier with the condition by his MD.   His symptoms included daytime drowsiness, lack of energy, loud snoring, and difficulty breathing while he slept at night.  Based on the prescription of this MD, the man had been using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine every night for the past three years. 

A chiropractic examination was performed specifically looking for vertebral subluxations that were causing nerve system interference that could be affecting the man's breathing mechanisms. The examination consisted of palpation, postural analysis, spinal range of motion, surface electromyography (SEMG), and spinal x-ray imaging.

The examination results indicated the presence of subluxations. The neck x-rays showed a reversal of the neck curvature and subluxation degeneration, indicating significant amount of nerve system interference. Based on the positive findings of subluxation, a specific course of chiropractic corrective care was started.

A three month evaluation showed an improvement in the man's neck curvature. The study authors reported that the man was no longer snoring and was experiencing an increase in energy. As a result, he was not experiencing daytime drowsiness. He was also able to sleep throughout the night and discontinue use of his CPAP machine. The man also showed a significant increase in his quality of life as he was able to discontinue his medications and was no longer experiencing anxiety or acid reflux.

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The title above is from a United Kingdom Mail Online article published on Jan. 9, 2014. The story, reported in several news outlets, reports that the actor relied heavily on chiropractic care during the filming of the movie "The Wolf of Wall Street."

According to reports, the scene where DiCaprio and costar Jonah Hill were crawling around the floor after taking Quaaludes was especially difficult. Movie costar Margot Robbie, who also appears in the scene, commented, "Every single scene was absolutely insane. Definitely the Quaalude scene. I’m sitting there eight months pregnant and Leo and Jonah are crawling around trying to strangle each other and I had to try not to laugh because they looked so ridiculous."

On Jan. 9th, DiCaprio commented on that scene at the National Board of Review gala in New York City. "I didn't know anything about Quaaludes, and he (Belfort his character) had taken a tremendous amount of them. I videotaped him on the floor, rolling around, and he really articulated to me that you have every intention of going to a certain destination, but your body doesn't go along with you. We shot it for, like, a week, and it was a lot of chiropractic work for me because it was incredibly painful." 

DiCaprio is just one of a growing number of Hollywood stars who utilize chiropractic on a regular basis. The list also includes Arnold Schwarzenegger, Pamela Anderson, Mel Gibson, Marlo Thomas, Robert De Niro, Dan Aykroyd, William Shatner, and many more.

Dr. Michael Smatt, a noted chiropractor in New York City who cares for many famous stars and performers, commented on why many people come to chiropractic. "Most people come to my office by referral. Someone else told them about chiropractic and how chiropractic helped them." He continued, "These people have already been through the whole medical route of taking medications with having minimal or no results."

In explaining how chiropractic helps, Dr. Smatt explains, "The body is a self healing organism. We, as chiropractors, want to examine the patient to see if there is any nerve interference hindering the process of healing."  The nerve interference Dr. Smatt refers to is known as subluxation.  

Dr. Robert Braile, chiropractor and past president of the International Chiropractors Association, explains subluxation by saying, " In simplest terms, a subluxation is when one or more of the bones of your spine (vertebrae) moves out of position and creates pressure on, or irritates spinal nerves.  This pressure or irritation on the nerves then causes those nerves to malfunction and interfere with the signals traveling over those nerves. If you interfere with the signals traveling over nerves, parts of your body will not get the proper nerve messages and will not be able to function at 100% of their innate abilities. In other words, some part of your body will not be working properly. It is the responsibility of the Doctor of Chiropractic to locate subluxations, and reduce or correct them. Chiropractors are the only professionals who undergo years of training to be experts at correcting subluxations."

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Research being conducted at Parker University in Dallas, Texas, adds to the body of evidence showing that acetaminophen can cause kidney and liver damage.  This new research, reported by the  Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP) in a release dated Jan. 7, 2014, showed that even a small amount of alcohol with acetaminophen can lead to kidney disease.

The F4CP release reported that research presented at the American Public Health Association's 141st Annual Meeting in Boston, Mass., concluded that the combination of acetaminophen with light to moderate levels of alcohol consumption produces a 123% increased risk of kidney disease.

The research surveyed 10,000 people. They discovered that nearly half the participants who combined regular alcohol use, which was considered up to 12 drinks a week for men, along with frequent use of medications with acetaminophen reported kidney problems. 

"The recent findings support a multitude of reports that continue to surface examining the dangers associated with over-the-counter and prescription pain medications," says Gerard Clum, D.C., spokesperson, F4CP. "The public needs to be exceptionally cautious utilizing very common acetaminophen or acetaminophen-containing products for pain relief especially when alcohol may be consumed, and should begin to consider less invasive, non-pharmacological, evidence-based options as a first step in their course of addressing pain."

According to the National Institutes of Health, "Acetaminophen overdose is one of the most common poisonings worldwide."  What many people do not know is that this drug is not only found in Tylenol, but also in a host of other common prescription and over-the-counter medications. So, in many cases, people who take these drugs are getting much more acetaminophen then they realize.

A CNN story published on Jan. 16, 2014, explained how acetaminophen and alcohol can damage the liver. "Acetaminophen is primarily metabolized in the liver, where it is turned into nontoxic compounds that are eliminated through urination. But the liver needs something called glutathione to do that. If your glutathione levels are low -- which can be caused by chronic drinking, an unhealthy diet or fasting -- the drug may be metabolized into a more toxic substance, according to the National Institutes of Health."

Dr. Clum recommended an alternative to the acetaminophen dangers by offering, "Mounting scientific evidence continues to expose the dangers associated with acetaminophen-containing products commonly used for pain relief. It is clear that the public needs to understand that simply because a medication is available over-the-counter or by prescription does NOT mean it is without serious risks. Consumers would be wise to opt for safer, non-drug options, such as chiropractic care, that provide very positive clinical results without the risks of routinely used pharmaceuticals."

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The Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research published a case study on Jan. 20, 2014, documenting improvement in constipation and abdominal pain in a young boy who received chiropractic care. The study authors note that the prevalence of constipation ranges from 0.7% to 29.6% in children worldwide. A Medical Expenditure Panel Survey found that between 2003 and 2004 an estimated 1.7 million children in the United States suffered from constipation.

In this case, an 8-year-old boy was brought to the chiropractor with a history of constipation and associated problems that had been present since birth. On average, the boy would only have one bowel movement per week, and he also suffered from some involuntary releases.  Additionally, he was experiencing long-term severe abdominal pain.  The boy's problems and pain resulted in him not enjoying recess at school, and resulted in weekly calls from school reporting "accidents" related to his problem.

A pediatrician and a gastroenterologist prescribed medications which had little or no effect. Medical x-rays did not reveal any problems, and finally, the doctors recommended exploratory surgery.  The boy's mother did not want to pursue the exploratory surgery, deciding to go with chiropractic instead.

A chiropractic examination was performed that included palpation, spinal range of motion, thermographic studies, and spinal x-rays. It was determined that subluxations were present and chiropractic care was started. Dietary changes to increase water intake and decrease sugars were also recommended.

A re-evaluation performed after 12 chiropractic adjustments showed a marked improvement in the thermal scans. The boy's mother reported that her son was having regular daily bowel movements and was no longer having any accidents. Because of his improvement, the boy was now enjoying outdoor activities for the first time in his life. He began playing sports such as soccer and enjoying a normal life. 

In their conclusion the authors wrote, "This case reports on the successful resolution of symptoms of a child with chronic constipation and fecal incontinence through chiropractic care. Subluxations were detected and corrected to restore proper biomechanical and neurological function. This case contributes to an already existing body of case studies within the chiropractic literature."

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A study published in the March 2014 issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology shows that women who get epidurals to relieve pain actually increase the time of the second stage of labor by an average of two hours. This new finding shows that epidurals extend labor much longer than the one hour that was previously believed to be the extension due to the procedure.

The study sampled 42,000 women who delivered their children in San Francisco between 1976 and 2008. Approximately half of the women in this study received an epidural while the other half did not.

The results showed that 95% of women who did not have the epidural and were having their first child got through the pushing stage within 3 hours and 20 minutes. In contrast, 95% of the women who had the epidural took five hours and 40 minutes before delivering their babies.

An article in Mail Online on February 7, 2014, reported on the study. In that article, Dr Christopher Glantz, a high-risk pregnancy specialist at the University of Rochester Medical Centre in New York, warned that longer labor can lead to more complications and more intervention.

Study author Yvonne W. Cheng, MD, PhD, from the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, noted, "Minimizing primary cesarean delivery is a priority." She continued, "Two common indications of cesarean during labor are active phase arrest and arrest of descent." 

The study authors point out that this new finding shows that the extra time falls within the window of what doctors have considered extended time suggesting medical intervention. "Although the majority of obstetrician–gynecologists subscribe to the clinical guidelines of giving 1 additional hour to account for epidural use, it appears that the differences from epidural at the 95th percentiles may be approximately double," the study authors write. "Thus, the current definition of prolonged second stage of labor may be too stringent."

Lead author Dr. Cheng summed up this issue by saying, "When epidural is used, it may be normal for labor to take two hours longer, and physicians don't necessarily have to intervene, as long as women are progressing and the baby is OK. Although the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists specifically says that the doctor doesn't have to intervene based on the passage of time alone, it is still kind of a gray zone."

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From the Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research comes a study published on Jan. 16, 2014, which documents the case of a woman who regained her senses of both smell and taste due to chiropractic care.  Anosmia, the loss of the ability to smell, and ageusia, the loss of the ability to taste, affects between 1 and 2 percent of the American population under the age of 65 years.

The authors of the study report that approximately 200,000 people visit physicians each year for smell and taste related disorders. According to studies, one of the most common causes of smell and taste disorders is a previous injury to the head and/or neck.  Because these conditions are not life threatening, the authors note that there is little medical attention or treatment for these problems.

In this case, a 64-year-old woman went to a chiropractic clinic with complaints of neck pain, right sided knee pain, and a loss of the ability to taste and smell. She reported having lost the ability to smell and taste nine months prior to her visit to the chiropractor.

A chiropractic examination revealed sensitivity in the upper neck upon palpation, as well as thermal scan irregularities. There was also a reduction of the woman's range of motion in her upper neck. Postural abnormalities were also noted and spinal x-rays confirmed misalignments of her neck vertebrae.

Specific chiropractic adjustments were begun to correct the subluxations that were determined to be present. According to the case report, within 48 hours of the woman's first adjustment, her sense of taste and smell had started to return, and her pain symptoms improved. By the third month of care, she had completely regained both her sense of smell and taste.

In their conclusion the authors wrote, "This case described the successful resolution of anosmia and ageusia following the introduction of upper cervical chiropractic care. This case study suggests that there may be a role for the use of precise upper cervical chiropractic care in the management of patients with smell and taste disorders in patients with a history of head and neck trauma."

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