BLOG – Page 112 – Chiropractic Resource Organization

The 120th Anniversary of Chiropractic

By Frank M. Painter|September 18, 2015|Announcement|

The 120th Anniversary of Chiropractic

The Chiro.Org Blog

SOURCE: Palmer College of Chiropractic

Happy Founder’s Day!

Most likely, this is the very first graduating class of Chiropractors in Davenport, Iowa.

Click on the graphic to see a larger version.

This year marks 120 years since chiropractic was founded.

Traditionally, Founder’s Day is celebrated on Sept. 18, the date which is on or near the anniversary of the first chiropractic adjustment by D.D. Palmer in Davenport, Iowa, in 1895.

Founder’s Day is the perfect opportunity to share chiropractic with the world!

Post information about it on your website, Facebook page and profile, Twitter, Instagram and anywhere else.

Need some content? Check out the results of the:

Gallup-Palmer report.

Thanks to Palmer College for access to this material!

0

How to Proceed When Evidence-based Practice Is Required But Very Little Evidence Available?

By Frank M. Painter|September 3, 2015|Evidence-based Practice|

How to Proceed When Evidence-based Practice Is Required But Very Little Evidence Available?

The Chiro.Org Blog

SOURCE: Chiropractic & Manual Therapies 2013 (Jul 10); 21 (1): 24 ~ FULL TEXT

Charlotte Leboeuf-Yde, Olivier Lanlo and Bruce F Walker

The Spine Research Centre,
Hospital Lillebaelt, and Institute for Regional Health Research,
University of Southern Denmark,
Middelfart, Denmark.
clyde@health.sdu.dk

BACKGROUND: All clinicians of today know that scientific evidence is the base on which clinical practice should rest. However, this is not always easy, in particular in those disciplines, where the evidence is scarce. Although the last decades have brought an impressive production of research that is of interest to chiropractors, there are still many areas such as diagnosis, prognosis, choice of treatment, and management that have not been subjected to extensive scrutiny.

DISCUSSION: In this paper we argue that a simple system consisting of three questions will help clinicians deal with some of the complexities of clinical practice, in particular what to do when clear clinical evidence is lacking. Question 1 asks: are there objectively tested facts to support the concept? Question 2: are the concepts that form the basis for this clinical act or decision based on scientifically acceptable concepts? And question three; is the concept based on long-term and widely accepted experience? This method that we call the “Traffic Light System” can be applied to most clinical processes.

There are more articles like this @ our:

The Evidence-based Practice Page

(more…)

0

Do Participants With Low Back Pain Who Respond to Spinal Manipulative Therapy Differ Biomechanically?

By Frank M. Painter|September 1, 2015|Chiropractic Care, Low Back Pain, Spinal Manipulation|

Do Participants With Low Back Pain Who Respond to Spinal Manipulative Therapy Differ Biomechanically From Nonresponders, Untreated Controls or Asymptomatic Controls?

The Chiro.Org Blog

SOURCE: Spine 2015 (Sep 1); 40 (17): 1329–1337 ~ FULL TEXT

Wong, Arnold Y. L. PT, MPhil, PhD; Parent, Eric C. PT, PhD;
Dhillon, Sukhvinder S. MB, ChB, CCST; Prasad, Narasimha PhD;
Kawchuk, Gregory N. DC, PhD

Department of Rehabilitation Sciences,
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University,
Kowloon, Hong Kong

Department of Physical Therapy,
University of Alberta,
Alberta, Canada

FROM: University of Alberta ~ 8-31-2015

Researchers at the University of Alberta have found that spinal manipulation—applying force to move joints to treat pain, a technique most often used by chiropractors and physical therapists — does indeed have immediate benefits for some patients with low-back pain but does not work for others with low-back pain. And though on the surface this latest conflict might appear to muddy the waters further, the results point to the complexity of low-back pain and the need to treat patients differently, says lead author Greg Kawchuk.“This study shows that, just like some people respond differently to a specific medication, there are different groups of people who respond differently to spinal manipulation.”

In a non-randomized control study, individuals with low-back pain received spinal manipulation during two treatment sessions that spanned a week. Participants reported their pain levels and disability levels after spinal manipulation, and researchers used ultrasound, MRI and other diagnostics to measure changes in each participant’s back, including muscle activity, properties within the intervertebral discs, and spinal stiffness.

A control group of participants with low-back pain underwent similar clinical examinations but did not receive spinal manipulation. A third group — those who did not have low-back pain symptoms — were also evaluated.

The people who responded to spinal manipulation reported less pain right away and showed improvement in back muscle thickness, disc diffusion and spinal stiffness. Those changes were great enough to exceed or equal the measures in the control groups and stayed that way for the week of treatment, the research team found.
A patient receives spinal manipulation treatment.

Kawchuk, who practised as a chiropractor before going on to obtain his PhD in biomechanics and bioengineering, said the results do not advocate one way or another for spinal manipulation but help explain why there has been so much conflicting data about its merits.

“Clearly there are some people with a specific type of back pain who are responding to this treatment and there are some people with another type of back pain who do not. But if you don’t know that and you mix those two groups together, you get an artificial average that doesn’t mean anything,” Kawchuk explained.

The research team is still fine-tuning how to distinguish who is a responder or non-responder before spinal manipulation is given; however, this study shows it can be used to identify an effective treatment course.

“Spinal manipulation acts so rapidly in responders that it could be used as a screening tool to help get the right treatment to the right patient at the right time.”

The study did not investigate the long-term effects of spinal manipulation, but this is next on the list for the researchers.

STUDY DESIGN: Nonrandomized controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether patients with low back pain (LBP) who respond to spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) differ biomechanically from nonresponders, untreated controls or asymptomatic controls.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Some but not all patients with LBP report improvement in function after SMT. When compared with nonresponders, studies suggest that SMT responders demonstrate significant changes in spinal stiffness, muscle contraction, and disc diffusion. Unfortunately, the significance of these observations remains uncertain given methodological differences between studies including a lack of controls.

There are more articles like this @ our:

Low Back Pain and Chiropractic Page

(more…)

1

First-Contact Care With a Medical vs Chiropractic Provider

By Frank M. Painter|August 23, 2015|Musculoskeletal Complaints, Patient Satisfaction|

First-Contact Care With a Medical vs Chiropractic Provider After Consultation With a Swiss Telemedicine Provider: Comparison of Outcomes, Patient Satisfaction, and Health Care Costs in Spinal, Hip, and Shoulder Pain Patients

The Chiro.Org Blog

SOURCE: J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2015 (Aug 15)]

Taco A.W. Houweling, DC, MRes, PhD,
Andrea V. Braga, MD, MBA,
Thomas Hausheer, DC, arco Vogelsang, DC,
Cynthia Peterson, RN, DC, MMedEd,
B. Kim Humphreys, DC, PhD

Department of Chiropractic Medicine,
University Hospital Balgrist, Forchstrasse 340, 8008
Zürich, Switzerland.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify differences in outcomes, patient satisfaction, and related health care costs in spinal, hip, and shoulder pain patients who initiated care with medical doctors (MDs) vs those who initiated care with doctors of chiropractic (DCs) in Switzerland.

METHODS: A retrospective double cohort design was used. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by first-contact care spinal, hip, and shoulder pain patients who, 4 months previously, contacted a Swiss telemedicine provider regarding advice about their complaint. Related health care costs were determined in a subsample of patients by reviewing the claims database of a Swiss insurance provider.

RESULTS: The study sample included 403 patients who had seen MDs and 316 patients who had seen DCs as initial health care providers for their complaint. Differences in patient sociodemographic characteristics were found in terms of age, pain location, and mode of onset. Patients initially consulting MDs had significantly less reduction in their numerical pain rating score (difference of 0.32) and were significantly less likely to be satisfied with the care received (odds ratio = 1.79) and the outcome of care (odds ratio = 1.52). No significant differences were found for Patient’s Global Impression of Change ratings. Mean costs per patient over 4 months were significantly lower in patients initially consulting DCs (difference of CHF 368; US $368).

There are more articles like this @ our:

Low Back Pain and Chiropractic Page

and our:

The Shoulder Girdle & Chiropractic Page

(more…)

0

Chiropractic Physicians Call for Conservative Treatments for Pain Management Amid Prescription Painkiller Epidemic

By John Wiens DC|August 20, 2015|News|

Source American Chiropractic Association

American Chiropractic Association launches 2015 public awareness campaign aimed at curbing opioid overuse and abuse

During National Chiropractic Health Month (NCHM) in October, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) will work with thousands of doctors of chiropractic (DCs), chiropractic assistants (CAs) and chiropractic doctoral students nationwide to bring attention to the public health crisis caused by pain, and in particular the overuse of prescription painkillers, with this year’s theme #PainFreeNation. The campaign is part of the profession’s ongoing efforts to educate the public about the value of exhaustingconservative forms of care for both acute and chronic pain before resorting to higher risk options, such as opioids.

“Opioid medications involve the risk of overuse and addiction. Beyond the risks of overuse and addiction, prescription drugs that numb pain may convince a patient that a musculoskeletal condition is less severe than it is, or that it has healed. This misunderstanding can lead to overexertion and a delay in the healing process or even to permanent injury,” said ACA President Anthony Hamm, DC.

President Hamm noted that people in pain should be informed of all management strategies, including non-drug approaches such as chiropractic, to reduce their risk of overuse and addiction.

“Each patient is unique, and care plans should be tailored to focus on what is the safest, most effective treatment for the individual. Chiropractic physicians stand ready to work together with medical physicians to help address this epidemic that has caused unnecessary suffering, enormous loss of human potential and massive financial and personal costs,” he added.

Fortunately, health care quality organizations have begun to recognize the value of this conservative, multidisciplinary approach. Earlier this year, the Joint Commission, which certifies more than 20,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including every major hospital, revised its pain management standard to include chiropractic services and acupuncture. Clinical experts in pain management who provide input to the commission’s standards affirmed that treatment strategies may consider both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic approaches.

During NCHM this fall, ACA will offer chiropractic physicians resources to help them share information about their conservative approach and why it is especially significant to today’s health care consumers amidst the opioid epidemic.

0

Craniocervical Chiropractic Procedures – A Précis of Upper Cervical Chiropractic

By Frank M. Painter|August 9, 2015|Chiropractic Care, Upper Cervical Adjusting|

Craniocervical Chiropractic Procedures – A Précis of Upper Cervical Chiropractic

The Chiro.Org Blog

SOURCE: J Can Chiropr Assoc 2015 (Jun); 59 (2): 173–192 ~ FULL TEXT

H. Charles Woodfield, III, BPhm, DC, Craig York, DC.
Roderic P. Rochester, DC, Scott Bales, DC,
Mychal Beebe, DC, Bryan Salminen, DC,
Jeffrey N. Scholten, DC .

Director of Research –
Upper Cervical Research Foundation,
Minneapolis, MN

Presented here is a narrative review of upper cervical procedures intended to facilitate understanding and to increase knowledge of upper cervical chiropractic care. Safety, efficacy, common misconceptions, and research are discussed, allowing practitioners, chiropractic students, and the general public to make informed decisions regarding utilization and referrals for this distinctive type of chiropractic care. Upper cervical techniques share the same theoretical paradigm in that the primary subluxation exists in the upper cervical spine. These procedures use similar assessments to determine if spinal intervention is necessary and successful once delivered. The major difference involves their use of either an articular or orthogonal radiograph analysis model when determining the presence of a misalignment. Adverse events following an upper cervical adjustment consist of mild symptomatic reactions of short-duration (< 24-hours). Due to a lack of quality and indexed references, information contained herein is limited by the significance of literature cited, which included non-indexed and/or non-peer reviewed sources.

KEYWORDS: adverse events; atlas; cervical; chiropractic; chiropractic adjustment; craniocervical

From the Full-Text Article:

Introduction:

The indexed literature reports the existence of many upper cervical (UC) procedures. [1, 2] Presented here is a brief narrative review or narrative description of upper cervical techniques (UCT) with the intention of increasing knowledge and understanding regarding their effectiveness and utilization. Procedural similarities and differences between UCT are examined. As chiropractic goes the way of other healing professions through stratification into specialties, this characterization of upper cervical procedures can create appreciation and clarity both inside and outside the profession.

There are more articles like this @ our:

Chiropractic Technique Page

(more…)

0