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Frank M. Painter

About Frank M. Painter

I was introduced to Chiro.Org in early 1996, where my friend Joe Garolis helped me learn HTML, the "mark-up language" for websites. We have been fortunate that journals like JMPT have given us permission to reproduce some early important articles in Full-Text format. Maintaining the Org website has been, and remains, my favorite hobby.
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Healthcare Reform: Implications for Chiropractic

By |December 9, 2013|Health Care Reform|

Healthcare Reform: Implications for Chiropractic

The Chiro.Org Blog

SOURCE:   ACA News ~ December 2013

By James J. Lehman, DC

Earlier this year, Daren Anderson, MD, and I discussed healthcare reform, primary care teams and the integration of chiropractic services into the healthcare system as valuable members of the medical team with ACA News readers. [1] Since that time, the government of the United States was shut down for 16 days in an attempt to delay healthcare reform and defund the Affordable Care Act. [2] Yet the Health Insurance Marketplace is open with the task of finding quality health coverage for Americans through private companies. [3] Affordable Care Act funding continues as the law of the land. [4]

What follows is information regarding healthcare reform and suggestions for those chiropractic physicians interested in joining the healthcare delivery systems of the 21st century as valuable members of healthcare teams within coordinated care organizations.

Healthcare Reform

Healthcare reform is not a new concept. In the late 1800s, 11 industrial nations developed social/national insurance. Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th U.S. president, unsuccessfully supported progressive healthcare reform during 1912.

Former Kansas Sen. Bob Dole (R) expressed his concerns regarding our healthcare crises more than 40 years ago. Subsequently, he supported healthcare reform with Sen. Tom Daschle (D), urging “the joint leadership to get together for America’s sake.” [5]

President Bill Clinton introduced the Health Security plan on Sept. 23, 1993. One year later, healthcare reform died a quiet death. [6]

President Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590) and the Health Care Education and Reconciliation Act (H.R. 4872) — together known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) — on March 23, 2010.

Affordable Care Act

The government promulgates the notion that the ACA will provide Americans with better health security by putting in place comprehensive health insurance reforms that will:

  • Expand coverage;
  • Hold insurance companies accountable;
  • Lower healthcare costs;
  • Guarantee more choice; and
  • Enhance the quality of care for all Americans. [7]

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Central Hypersensitivity In Chronic Pain After Whiplash Injury

By |December 1, 2013|Chronic Pain, Whiplash|

Central Hypersensitivity In Chronic Pain After Whiplash Injury

The Chiro.Org Blog

SOURCE:   Clin J Pain. 2001 (Dec);   17 (4):   306–315

Curatolo M, Petersen-Felix S, Arendt-Nielsen L,
Giani C, Zbinden AM, Radanov BP.

Department of Anesthesiology,
University Hospital of Bern,
Inselspital, Switzerland

OBJECTIVE:   The mechanisms underlying chronic pain after whiplash injury are usually unclear. Injuries may cause sensitization of spinal cord neurons in animals (central hypersensitivity), which results in increased responsiveness to peripheral stimuli. In humans, the responsiveness of the central nervous system to peripheral stimulation may be explored by applying sensory tests to healthy tissues. The hypotheses of this study were:

(1) chronic whiplash pain is associated with central hypersensitivity;

(2) central hypersensitivity is maintained by nociception arising from the painful or tender muscles in the neck.

DESIGN:   Comparison of patients with healthy controls.

SETTING:   Pain clinic and laboratory for pain research, university hospital.

PATIENTS:   Fourteen patients with chronic neck pain after whiplash injury (car accident) and 14 healthy volunteers.

OUTCOME MEASURES:   Pain thresholds to: single electrical stimulus (intramuscular), repeated electrical stimulation (intramuscular and transcutaneous), and heat (transcutaneous). Each threshold was measured at neck and lower limb, before and after local anesthesia of the painful and tender muscles of the neck.

RESULTS:   The whiplash group had significantly lower pain thresholds for all tests. except heat, at both neck and lower limb. Local anesthesia of the painful and tender points affected neither intensity of neck pain nor pain thresholds.

There are more articles like this @ our:

The Whiplash Page and the

Chronic Neck Pain and Chiropractic Page

(more…)

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Elimination of Intermittent Chronic Low Back Pain in a Recreational Golfer Following Improvement of Hip Range of Motion Impairments

By |November 30, 2013|Low Back Pain|

Elimination of Intermittent Chronic Low Back Pain in a Recreational Golfer Following Improvement of Hip Range of Motion Impairments

The Chiro.Org Blog

SOURCE:   J Bodywork and Movement Ther 2013; 17 (4): 448-52

Peter M. Lejkowski, Erik Poulsen

Faculty of Undergraduate Education,
Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College,
Toronto, ON, Canada

BACKGROUND:   The biomechanical relationship between the hip and low back is well described and impairment of hip range of motion is thought to affect lumbar spine function, possibly leading to increased loading and subsequent symptoms. However therapy for low back pain (LBP) patients is commonly directed solely to the low back area overlooking possible hip impairment.

CASE DESCRIPTION:   A 56-year-old male recreational golfer presented with a chronic golf-related low back complaint. Previous conservative therapy targeting the spine did not result in complete symptom relief. A working diagnosis of L4-S1 facet joint irritation and lower lumbar segmental instability secondary to bilateral hip ROM impairment was established. A trial of therapy strictly addressing the hip ROM impairments was initiated and following 2 treatment sessions, a complete resolution of symptoms was achieved and maintained at a 2-month follow-up.

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Evidence-Based Guidelines for the Chiropractic Treatment of Adults With Neck Pain

By |November 28, 2013|Chiropractic Care, Chiropractic Research, Evidence-based Medicine, Neck Pain|

Evidence-Based Guidelines for the Chiropractic Treatment of Adults With Neck Pain

The Chiro.Org Blog

SOURCE:   J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2014 (Jan);   37 (1):   42–63

Roland Bryans, DC, Philip Decina, DC, Martin Descarreaux, DC, PhD, Mireille Duranleau, DC, Henri Marcoux, DC, Brock Potter, BSc, DC, Richard P. Ruegg, PhD, DCs, Lynn Shaw, PhD, OT, Robert Watkin, BA, LLB, Eleanor White, MSc, DC

Guidelines Development Committee (GDC) Chairman; Chiropractor, Clarenville, Newfoundland, Canada.

OBJECTIVE:   The purpose of this study was to develop evidence-based treatment recommendations for the treatment of nonspecific (mechanical) neck pain in adults.

METHODS:   Systematic literature searches of controlled clinical trials published through December 2011 relevant to chiropractic practice were conducted using the databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, EMCARE, Index to Chiropractic Literature, and the Cochrane Library. The number, quality, and consistency of findings were considered to assign an overall strength of evidence (strong, moderate, weak, or conflicting) and to formulate treatment recommendations.

RESULTS:   Forty-one randomized controlled trials meeting the inclusion criteria and scoring a low risk of bias were used to develop 11 treatment recommendations. Strong recommendations were made for the treatment of chronic neck pain with manipulation, manual therapy, and exercise in combination with other modalities. Strong recommendations were also made for the treatment of chronic neck pain with stretching, strengthening, and endurance exercises alone. Moderate recommendations were made for the treatment of acute neck pain with manipulation and mobilization in combination with other modalities. Moderate recommendations were made for the treatment of chronic neck pain with mobilization as well as massage in combination with other therapies. A weak recommendation was made for the treatment of acute neck pain with exercise alone and the treatment of chronic neck pain with manipulation alone. Thoracic manipulation and trigger point therapy could not be recommended for the treatment of acute neck pain. Transcutaneous nerve stimulation, thoracic manipulation, laser, and traction could not be recommended for the treatment of chronic neck pain.

CONCLUSIONS:   Interventions commonly used in chiropractic care improve outcomes for the treatment of acute and chronic neck pain. Increased benefit has been shown in several instances where a multimodal approach to neck pain has been used.

Thanks to Dynamic Chiropractic for these comments from their article:
The Science of Treating Neck Pain

Following a literature search of controlled clinical trials through December 2011, 560 studies were narrowed to 41 that met the authors’ inclusion criteria and served as the basis for their treatment recommendations, graded as strong, moderate or weak based on the number, quality and consistency of research results.

Treatment strategies given strong recommendations for chronic neck pain included manipulation, manual therapy and exercise in combination with other modalities; as well as stretching, strengthening and endurance exercises alone.

Mobilization, as well as massage in combination with other therapies, received moderate recommendations for chronic neck pain.

Manipulation and mobilization in combination with other modalities received moderate recommendations for treating acute neck pain.

Here are the recommendations:

Acute Neck Pain

  • Manipulation / Multimodal:   “Spinal manipulative therapy is recommended for the treatment of acute neck pain for both short- and long-term benefit (pain and the number of days to recover) when used in combination with other treatment modalities (advice, exercise, and mobilization;
    (grade of recommendation – moderate).”
  • Mobilization/ Multimodal:   “Mobilization is recommended for the treatment of acute neck pain for short-term (up to 12 weeks) and long-term benefit (days to recovery, pain) in combination with advice and exercise
    (grade of recommendation – moderate).”
  • Exercise:   “Home exercise with advice or training is recommended in the treatment of acute neck pain for both long- and short-term benefits
    (neck pain; grade of recommendation – weak).”

Chronic Neck Pain

  • Manipulation / Multimodal:   “Spinal manipulative therapy is recommended in the treatment of chronic neck pain as part of a multimodal approach (including advice, upper thoracic high-velocity low-amplitude thrust, low-level laser therapy, soft-tissue therapy, mobilizations, pulsed short-wave diathermy, exercise, massage, and stretching) for both short- and long-term benefit
    (pain, disability, cROMs; grade of recommendation – strong).”
  • Manual Therapy / Multimodal:   “Manual therapy is recommended in the treatment of chronic neck pain for the short- and long-term benefit (pain, disability, cROM, strength) in combination with advice, stretching, and exercise
    (grade of recommendation – strong).”
  • Exercise:   “Regular home stretching (3-5 times per week) with advice / training is recommended in the treatment of chronic neck pain for long- and short-term benefits in reducing pain and analgesic intake
    (grade of recommendation – strong).”
  • Exercise / Multimodal:   “Exercise (including stretching, isometric, stabilization, and strengthening) is recommended for short- and long-term benefits (pain, disability, muscle strength, QoL, cROM) as part of a multimodal approach to the treatment of chronic neck pain when combined with infrared radiation, massage, or other physical therapies
    (grade of recommendation – strong).”
  • Mobilization:   “Mobilization is recommended for the treatment of chronic neck pain for short-term (immediate) benefit
    (pain, cROM; grade of recommendation – moderate)”
  • Massage / Multimodal:   “Massage is recommended for the treatment of chronic neck pain for short-term (up to 1 month) benefit (pain, disability, and cROM) when provided in combination with self-care, stretching, and/or exercise (grade of recommendation – moderate).”
  • Manipulation:   “Spinal manipulative therapy is recommended in the treatment of chronic neck pain for short- and long-term benefit
    (pain, disability; grade of recommendation – weak).”

In their conclusion, the authors note that their findings suggest “interventions commonly used in chiropractic care improve outcomes for the treatment of acute and chronic neck pain” and that “increased benefit has been shown in several instances where a multimodal approach to neck pain has been used.”

There are more articles like this @ our:

Clinical Model for the Diagnosis and Management Page and the:

Chronic Neck Pain and Chiropractic Page

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Food to Fight Cancer ~ A 2-Part Series

By |November 23, 2013|Cancer, Nutrition|

Food to Fight Cancer
A 2-Part Series

The Chiro.Org Blog

SOURCE:   Medscape Oncology ~ 11-20-2013
NOTE: Registration is free @ Medscape

By Laura A. Stokowski, RN, MS

Editor’s Note: In this 2-part series, Medscape looks at diet as an essential therapeutic strategy for cancer patients. Part 1 focuses on the nutritional assessment of cancer patients, foods that help patients cope with side effects, and ways to make fortifying foods more appealing to the cancer-dulled appetite. Part 2 looks at extreme nutrition and the growing interest in fighting cancer with food.

Speaking to Medscape on these topics are 2 high-profile cancer nutrition and food experts. Suzanne Dixon, MPH, MS, RD, is a dietician, author, speaker, and internationally recognized expert in chronic disease prevention health, and cancer nutrition. Rebecca Katz, MS, is a chef; nutritionist; national speaker; and award-winning author whose books include One Bite at a Time, The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen, and The Longevity Kitchen.

Nutrition Affects Cancer Outcomes

After receiving a diagnosis of cancer, a patient’s thoughts often turn to treatment options and prognosis. Many patients face surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or a combination of those strategies. Most of their questions and concerns are about how they will get through it all.

Nutrition is not likely to be on their list of immediate concerns, but it should be. Not only will patients reap the benefits of being healthier and better able to withstand treatments and side effects, but mental outlook and quality of life can be improved by taking control of one’s nutritional health. Patients might have little control over their disease, but what they eat remains under their own purview, and deciding to eat well and taking the steps to do so is empowering.

“The days when healthcare professionals could just tell cancer patients to eat whatever they want, and not to worry about what they eat, are over,” says Rebecca Katz, author of The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen. [1] “Patients are starting to rebel against that. They are realizing that what you eat can make a difference in how you feel, your outcomes, the side effects you experience, and how well you will get through treatment. We need to acknowledge that food is important.”

No “One Size Fits All” Strategy

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