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WARNING: Conducting an Orchestra Can Cause Vertebral Artery Dissection and Stroke

By Frank M. Painter|March 29, 2011|Research, Safety, Stroke|

WARNING: Conducting an Orchestra Can Cause Vertebral Artery Dissection and Stroke

SOURCE: J Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases 2011 (Mar 24)

During the past decade, the issues of cerebrovascular accidents [CVAs] and spinal manipulation have become linked in a debate of ever-increasing intensity. A copious number of studies have investigated spinal manipulation as a putative causative factor of CVAs; however, a common theme among these is the failure to adequately explore the possibility that the majority of CVAs may be spontaneous, cumulative, or caused by factors other than spinal manipulation itself. The problem is only exacerbated by the sometimes hysterical reactions apparent in the mass media over the past three years in reaction to these flawed investigations. [1]

Previous studies have shown that vertebral artery dissections (VADs) have been “caused” by things as innocuous as:

Salon shampoos
Archery
Coughing
Dental procedure
Watching aircraft
Telephone call
Yawning
Bleeding nose
Overhead work (more…)

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Is the Spinal Subluxation a Risk Factor?

By Frank M. Painter|March 25, 2011|Education, Subluxation|

Is the Spinal Subluxation a Risk Factor?

The Chiro.Org Blog

SOURCE: Dynamic Chiropractic

By Meridel I. Gatterman, MA, DC, MEd

Risk factors come in a variety of distinctions, from those for cardiovascular disease and some forms of cancer to those less than life-threatening but nonetheless undesirable conditions affecting the quality of a person’s life. A risk factor causes a person to be particularly vulnerable to an unwanted, unpleasant or unhealthful event. Risk factors predispose individuals to developing specific conditions. It has been suggested spinal subluxation could be considered such a risk factor. [1]

Subluxation As a Risk Factor

The following questions should be examined if the concept of subluxation as a risk factor is considered:

Is subluxation of one region of the spine a risk factor for different signs and symptoms as opposed to a subluxation in another spinal area?
If so, does a subluxation in one area create a different syndrome than when it occurs in a different region?
Does clinical observation suggest there are different subluxation syndromes associated with different spinal areas? [2]
Does a subluxation in the upper cervical region cause a different syndrome than a subluxation in the lower cervical region, and does a subluxation of the sacroiliac joint cause a different syndrome than one at a costovertebral joint? Does a patient’s symptomatic complaints and observable signs lead you to suspect a subluxation of one spinal region as opposed to another?

Subluxation Syndromes (more…)

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The Vertebral Subluxation Syndrome

By Frank M. Painter|March 24, 2011|Education, Subluxation|

The Vertebral Subluxation Syndrome

The Chiro.Org Blog

SOURCE: Dynamic Chiropractic

By Meridel I. Gatterman, MA, DC, MEd

The term subluxation has been used to describe the lesion treated by chiropractors since its inception. D.D. Palmer [1] described it in 1910 as “a partial or incomplete separation, one in which the articulating surfaces remain in partial contact.” Because of confusion by other professions, some within the chiropractic profession would have us abandon the term.

Others have promoted a teaching paradigm: the vertebral subluxation complex (VSC), which has grouped various components in a model focused around the dynamic component of the subluxation. Based on the works of Homewood, [2] Janse, [3] and Faye, [4] this model began being taught at CMCC in the mid-1970s and was later popularizing through the Motion Palpation Institute. [5] Other authors have revised Faye’s early model. The vertebral subluxation complex forms a paradigm for teaching the basic principles of chiropractic theory. By taking the VSC model one step further, the vertebral subluxation syndrome can be used to describe the primary clinical entity treated by chiropractors. [6-9]

Syndrome has been traditionally used to describe the aggregate of signs and symptoms associated with any morbid process and constituting together the picture of disease. [10] The focus for chiropractors today should not remain the terminology used to describe the vertebral subluxation syndrome, but rather the specific mechanisms whereby this complex aggregate of signs and symptoms is produced by altered spinal joint motion.

Recently, the primary fibromyalgia syndrome has replaced the controversial term fibrositis used to describe a condition that has been written off as psychological at best, with the physiological manifestations either denied or ignored. [11] When the multiple complaints and varied systemic complaints of this condition were recognized as a syndrome, objective investigation was fostered to the benefit of the many patients suffering from the condition.

Viewing the classic chiropractic subluxation in a similar manner would allow us to develop and objectively test the diagnostic features of the vertebral subluxation syndrome.

There are more articles like this at our:

The Chiropractic Subluxation Section

SOURCE: Read the rest of this Full Text article now!

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Spinal Cord Processes Information Just as Areas of Brain Do, Research Finds

By Michael Beattie|March 23, 2011|News|

“Basic physiology books describe the spinal cord as a relay system, but it’s part of the central nervous system and processes information just like parts of the brain do,” explains Dr. Stroman, director of the Queen’s MRI Facility and Canada Research Chair in Imaging Physics.

The technique involves capturing multiple images of the spinal cord using a conventional MRI system. The image capturing is repeated every few seconds over several minutes. During the imaging temperature sensations on the skin are varied allowing areas of the spinal cord that respond to the temperature changes to be detected in the MRI.

During their research, Dr. Stroman’s team was also surprised to discover that levels of attention impact information processing in the spinal cord. By examining the differences in spinal cord functioning in people who were either alert or distracted by a task they were able to see changes in the level of cord activity picked up by the MRI scanner.

“The effect of attention is one of the reasons that when you’re playing sports and you get hurt, you often don’t become aware of the injury until after the game when your attention and focus changes,” says Dr. Stroman. “We already knew that a person’s level of attention affects information processing in the brain, but this finding has made us aware that level of attention has to be properly controlled in research that aims to accurately map spinal cord function.”

Original Article

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Recognizing Subdural Hemorrhage in Older Adults

By Frank M. Painter|March 20, 2011|Education|

Recognizing Subdural Hemorrhage in Older Adults

The Chiro.Org Blog

SOURCE: Topics in Integrative Health Care 2010; 1 (2)

By: Mark T. Pfefer, RN, MS, DC and Richard Strunk MS, DC

A subdural hematoma, also known as a subdural hemorrhage (SDH) is caused by a post-traumatic accumulation of blood within the potential space between the dura mater and the arachnoid layer covering the brain. Chronic SDH is much more common in the elderly. Patients can have a good outcome with neurosurgical management if the conditions is promptly recognized. All health care providers, as well as nursing home staff, should be aware of this condition because older patients presenting with headache and/or other neurologic complaints need careful assessment to identify SDH.

Keywords: subdural hematoma; subdural hemorrhage; chronic subdural hemorrhage; headache

Definition and Etiology

A subdural hematoma, also known as a subdural hemorrhage (SDH) is caused by a post-traumatic accumulation of blood within the potential space between the dura mater and the arachnoid layer covering the brain. All health care providers, especially those who frequently treat patients with musculoskeletal complaints, as well as nursing home staff, should be aware of this condition because older patients presenting with headache and/or other neurologic complaints need careful assessment. SDH should be considered in the differential assessment of any older patient presenting for care following trauma as it has been associated with minor head injury or falls, even those not involving direct trauma to the head. [1] In fact, absence of direct trauma to the head is associated with up to half of all cases of SDH, and a case has been reported in an adult following a roller coaster ride. [2] Based upon this it should be assumed that motor vehicle collisions could generate forces sufficient to cause SDH in older patients. (more…)

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Got An Opinion on Tort Reform?

By Frank M. Painter|March 18, 2011|News, Tort Reform|

Got An Opinion on Tort Reform?

The Chiro.Org Blog

SOURCE: MedScape

NOTE: Registration is free on MedScape

Medscape’s new headline trumpets: “Tort Reform Bill Would Reduce Deficit by $40 Billion”. Sounds pretty intoxicating doesn’t it. Aren’t we all just dying to see the deficit shrivel down to where it was when Bill Clinton was in office? I sure am.

However, after reading several paragraphs, I am horrified to see the unreasonable limits they want to set on noneconomic damages. I have heard too many stories of amputations of the wrong limb to think that a pittance is a reasonable payout for sloppy workmanship. Read on:

Tort Reform Bill Would Reduce Deficit by $40 Billion

By: Robert Lowe

March 11, 2011 — A House bill that caps noneconomic damages in malpractice cases at $250,000 and enacts other reforms to curb frivolous lawsuits against clinicians would reduce the federal deficit by $40 billion from 2011 to 2021, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

The bill, called the Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-Cost Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2011, would lower premiums for malpractice insurance and reduce the number of “defensive medicine” services ordered by clinicians to avoid getting sued, the CBO stated in an analysis released yesterday. As a result of these lower costs, direct federal spending on healthcare would decrease by $34 billion over 10 years.

In addition, lower costs on the provider side would cause premiums for private health insurance to fall, which would allow employers to increase taxable wages for employees. That, in turn, would boost federal tax revenue by roughly $6 billion. (more…)

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