X-Ray Safety

People are often concerned about the dose of radiation they receive during x-rays. However, it’s very important to realize that the amount of useful information gained from these x-rays greatly outweighs any risks. Radiographic (x-ray) imaging is, at this point, the only valid and proven method to determine abnormal spinal alignment and degeneration.

You may be surprised to learn that there is a growing field of study/belief (known as Radiation Hormesis) that claims that medical x-rays may actually have health benefits. For further reading on the topic, check out the footnoted references in this blog post.[1]

Americans, on average, are annually exposed to natural background radiation of about 3 mSv. To put things in perspective, a chest x-ray emits 0.1 mSv and a whole body CT scan emits 10 mSv. 10 mSv equates to about 46 cervical x-ray series or 8 lumbar x-ray series (the type we do at Living Well Family Chiropractic). As you can see from these numbers, the x-rays we take in our office to evaluate your spine expose you to very minimal amounts of radiation, even compared to natural radiation in your daily environment.

X-rays are extremely important in providing us with a working diagnosis of your spine’s condition and helping us decide what type of treatment is needed. At your Report of Findings visit, and after all follow-up x-rays are taken, I will show you the difference between a normal spinal alignment and your own. With these comparisons, you’ll be able to see for yourself the measurable results we’ve achieved—and when you do, you will certainly realize that the health benefits of x-ray technology overshadow any small potential risks.

Working to Restore God's Perfect Design in You!

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[1] Kauffman JM. “Diagnostic Radiation: Are the risks exaggerated?” J Amer Phys Surg 2003; 8(2): 54-55.

Cohen BL. “Test of the linear-no threshold theory of radiation carcinogenesis for inhaled radon decay products.” Health Physics 1995; 68(2): 157-174.

Cohen BL. “The cancer risk from low level radiation: a review of recent evidence.” Med Sent 2000; 5: 128-131.

Cohen BL. “Cancer risk from low-level radiation.” AJR 2002; 179(5): 1137-43.

Cohen BL. “Catalog of risks extended and updated.” Health Physics 1991; 61(3): 317-335.

Walker JS. “Permissible dose: A history of radiation protection in the 20^th century.” Berkeley, Calif: University of California Press, Berkeley, 2000.

Harrison DE, Harrison DD, Hass JW. “Structural rehabilitation of the cervical spine.” Evanston WY: Harrison CBP? Seminars, Inc., 2002.

Harrison DE, Harrison DD, Haas JW, Betz J, Oakley PA. “CBP? Structural rehabilitation of the lumbar spine.” Evanston, WY: Harrison CBP? Seminars, Inc., 2005.

Regano LJ, Sutton RA. “Radiation dose reduction in diagnosis X-ray procedures.” Phys Med Biol 1992; 37(9): 1773-1788.

Luckey TD. “Radiation Hormesis.” Boca Raton: CRC Press, 1991; 5: 228-230.

Luckey TD. “Nurture with ionizing radiation: a provocative hypothesis.” Nutrition Cancer 1999; 34(1): 1-11.

Sherwood T. “100 years’ observation of risks from radiation for British male radiologists.” Lancet 2001; 358: 604.

Stokes IAF, Bevins TM, Lunn RA. “Back surface curvature and measurement of lumbar spinal motion.” Spine 1987; 12: 355-361.

Johnson GM. “The correlation between surface measurement of head and neck posture and the anatomic position of the upper cervical vertebrae.” Spine 1998; 23: 921-927.

Refshauge KM, Goodsell M, Lee M. “The relationship between surface contour and vertebral body measures of upper spine curvature.” Spine 1994; 19: 2180-2185.

Mosner EA, Bryan JM, Stull MA, Shippee R. “A comparison of actual and apparent lumbar lordosis in black and white adult females.” Spine 1989; 14: 310-331.

Can You Really Be Healthy If...

…you have spinal subluxations?

As we’ve discussed in other blogs, subluxations are when your spine has become misaligned and damaged, placing more pressure on portions of your nervous system. The nervous system is the lifeline between your brain and your body, so obviously it is of the utmost importance that it functions at its highest capacity. If you have spinal subluxations (and, thus, nerve interference) your brain cannot possibly get 100% of its messages to the rest of your body.

…your diet is full of unhealthy foods and artificial sweeteners?

The additives that are in so many of our common foods today cause horrible side effects. For instance: sulfites (found in alcoholic beverages, canned fish and vegetables, pickles, olives, noodle/rice mixes, etc.) can cause headaches; nitrates (found in cured meats and bacon) cause cancer; aspartame (found in diet sodas, teas, energy drinks, protein shakes, etc.) can cause migraines, nerve damage, and cancer; and the list goes on! Try to eat as many foods as possible in their purest form, without additives, and organic is even better.

…you overeat?

There are more obese American children today than ever before, and the #1 killer in our country is heart disease. Both of these facts are completely preventable. One huge way you can keep your diet healthier is by eating foods with more nutrients per calorie like fruits and veggies, and before long your cravings for junk will decrease.

…you smoke?

This should be an obvious answer by this point in time, but NO, you cannot be healthy if you smoke. If you’re already a smoker, do everything in your power to quit. And if you’re not a smoker, don’t ever start!

…you don’t exercise?

Again, this one is a no-brainer. Regular exercise—particularly cardiovascular exercise—is crucial for keeping your heart and lungs healthy, as well as burning calories and staying lean. The fitter you are, the less your heart has to beat to keep you alive, which can eventually lead to a longer lifespan!

…you are constantly stressed?

Stress can absolutely affect your physical health. Blood pressure and heart rate increase and digestive function slows down or stops completely when we’re stressed. If you have high stress levels long-term, it can wreak havoc on your body in countless ways.

…you regularly drink alcohol?

Alcohol is poison, plain and simple, and it kills your liver. Think about it: alcohol is used for sterilization because not even bacteria can survive it. Do you really want to feed that to your body, which is full of living cells?

…you take medication?

I feel strongly that medications only act as a “Band Aid” to more serious health problems that shouldn’t be ignored. Symptoms of sickness or disease are signs that something in your body is broken and is in need of healing, and popping a pill isn’t the answer. Ask your doctor how many of your regular medications you really need to be taking, in order to start living a healthier and happier lifestyle.

Working to Restore God’s Perfect Design in You! 

How To Empower Yourself

At Living Well Family Chiropractic, it’s important to us that you not only heal your body, but also grow as a person. Here are some ideas to help you reach a higher level of empowerment in your daily life!

First, don’t be afraid to put your ideas into action. Don’t spend too much time thinking about whether you will fail or succeed—just go for it! You will either succeed or fail quickly, and if you do fail, simply move on to your next idea. And remember that it’s always okay to ask for help.

Start your day by thinking about what you will do and what you would like to accomplish. If you prioritize the things that are most important to you and have an ongoing to-do list, you will end each day feeling more accomplished and ready to tackle your goals tomorrow.

Don’t just think about what you want to do, but also think about all you have and what you are grateful for. Make a list of the people or things that you are thankful for, and look back at this list when you are having a rough day. It will remind you of all the good things you have in your life even when one day was bad.

Create a healthy daily routine for yourself, beginning with waking up in the morning. Eat a healthy breakfast—it really is the most important meal of the day—and try to exercise as often as possible. Getting adequate, uninterrupted sleep is also crucial to living a healthy lifestyle, and it will give you more energy to work out and achieve the other goals you set for yourself.

Another secret to empowerment is taking the time to help others. They can be people less fortunate than yourself, your child, your spouse, or your coworker—anyone who needs a helping hand! Helping people is not only the right thing to do, but usually you end up benefiting from it as well. It never hurts to be kind and generous to others.

Stay positive. So much of what happens in our lives is due to our own ways of thinking. Whether you think you can or, unfortunately, if you think you can’t, you’re usually right. Believing in yourself is more important in achieving your goals than your abilities or talents. If you struggle with this, try positive affirmations in the morning and each night before you go to sleep.

If you incorporate these steps into your life, you will be feeling more empowered and in control before you know it. They are simple enough, but in combination, they can create much greater changes in your life than you might expect!

Working to Restore God’s Perfect Design in You!

Flu Vaccines Not as Effective as You Might Think

As winter continues and we are all encouraged to get the flu vaccine, it’s important to be aware of the facts—and of the vaccine’s proven ineffectiveness in the past.

Each year in the spring, “federal health officials select two influenza A virus strains (usually H1N1 and H3N2 subtypes) and one or two influenza B virus strains to include in flu vaccines released in the fall.”[1] The only problem is that the subtype that ends up causing sickness in the general population isn’t always included. And that’s the issue we’re facing now; the dominant influenza A strain causing sickness this flu season is not in the flu vaccine.

Dr. Tom Frieden, the director of the CDC, claimed in a press briefing last month that “about half of the H3N2 viruses that we’ve analyzed this season are different from the H3N2 virus that’s included in this year’s flu vaccine. They are different enough that we’re concerned that protection from vaccinations against these drifted H3N2 viruses may be lower than we usually see.”[2] This isn’t the first time the strains have “drifted,” making the flu vaccine less effective. As stated earlier, there is a history of ineffectiveness—but who and what was to blame for these past mistakes may surprise you.

In the 2003-2004 flu season, for instance, federal health officials knew that the H3N2 strain they’d chosen to include in the vaccine was not a match for the mutated strain that was already making people sick. Experts even told the FDA vaccine advisory committee that the flu shot would fail if the vaccine went forward as planned.[3] Unfortunately, manufacturers of the vaccine said they would miss their fall 2003 delivery and marketing deadlines if they took the time to include the mutated strain. By the end of the 2003-2004 flu season, vaccine effectiveness was described as 3%-14%.

A few years later, in the 2012-2013 flu season, a slightly different problem occurred. Rather than a natural drift like what is happening currently, “flu vaccine failure…was about mutations in the egg adapted H3N2 vaccine strain used by drug companies to produce the vaccine.”[4] Essentially, it all went wrong because of a manufacturing problem.

  

Apart from the ineffectiveness of the vaccine, some experts have now warned that flu shots do not even make symptoms less severe if they fail to prevent infection.[5] With the constant marketing and encouragement from others to get vaccinated, it can be easy to ignore the facts and make yourself believe that you are doing more good than harm for your health. But before you act quickly and get the flu shot, ask yourself if you really want to take these risks every time you vaccinate yourself or your family.

If you’re interested in reading further about possible side effects of vaccines, check out the CDC’s listing here: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/side-effects.htm

Working to Restore God’s Perfect Design in You!

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[1] Fisher BL. “ANOTHER Epic Fail for Influenza Vaccine.” National Vaccine Information Center. January 7, 2015. Retrieved from http://www.nvic.org/NVIC-Vaccine-News/January-2015/ANOTHER-Epic-Fail-for-Influenza-Vaccine.aspx

[2] Transcript for CDC Telebriefing: Update on Flu Season 2014-15. Thursday, December 4, 2014. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2014/t1204-flu-season.html

[3] Fisher BL. “Flu Vaccine: Missing the Mark.” NVIC: The Vaccine Reaction Newsletter. Spring 2004.

[4] Skowronski DM, Janjou NZ, DeSerres C et al. Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Associated with Mutations in the Egg Adapted H3N2 Vaccine Strain Not Antigenic Drift in Circulating Viruses. PLOS One Mar. 25, 2014.

[5] Roos R. “CDC’s flu warning raises questions about vaccine match.” CIDRAP. December 5, 2014.

Lesson Re-Learned

Recently, I had an experience that re-taught me the importance of every aspect of chiropractic care. I had been through a spinal remodeling program much like the programs I offer my own patients, but no amount of remodeling can change uneven leg lengths.

I was prescribed a foot lift, an insert to wear in my shoe on a daily basis to even out my leg length inequity. I wore the lift religiously for a while, but about two years ago, I stopped. I felt perfectly fine and had no obvious symptoms without it. Now, I have been reminded that a lack of symptoms is not an effective way to judge what’s really going on inside the body, which is a lesson I try to teach all of my patients.

Over the past two years, my joints were deteriorating in the absence of the foot lift. On a recent weekend, I refereed three soccer games in one day, and at the end of the day, I felt sorer than usual. I assumed this was simply from a long day on my feet and did not make any connection to my leg length inequity. By the next morning, sciatica had appeared, but I ignored the pain and went to the gym as usual, thinking that I may have twisted something the day before. And by the time I was leaving the gym, the level of pain I was feeling made it difficult to even drive.

I began to believe I might have piriformis syndrome, which occurs when the sciatic nerve is compressed and causes pain, tingling, numbness, and spasms. Really, piriformis syndrome is a symptom, not a cause. I wanted to think it was piriformis syndrome because it would’ve been an easier problem to deal with than something more serious; all you have to do is break the muscle spasm to relieve pain. Even with all of my medical knowledge, I wanted an easy fix for my issues.

When I had been in pain for days, I realized that it was not piriformis syndrome but that I had actually herniated a disc. I began doing spinal decompression to repair the disc that had herniated and wearing my foot lift again to rebuild a strong foundation. Together, these treatments brought me back to my pain-free, healthy lifestyle.

I had felt so good for so long that I had convinced myself that I didn’t need my foot lift and that I was fine without it. This painful lesson reminded me that just because I wasn’t experiencing any symptoms at the time, I was not truly doing the best thing for my body by neglecting my prescribed foot lift. I hope my recent experience can serve as a real-life example for my patients as well!

"Working to restore God's perfect design in you!"