Author: Dr. Robert Speirs DC

Hip or Low Back?

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

​Lumbar and Pelvis

Technically, the hip is the ball-and-socket joint between the long bone of the thigh and the pelvis; but more often than not, many people will point to a number of different places on their back or pelvis and say, “My hip is killing me” when it’s not really “the hip” at all!
Hip pain can be located in the front (groin area), the side, the back, or in the buttocks. The “classic sign” of hip pain is reproduced most consistently when you try to cross your legs—put your ankle on the far end of the thigh and then push down on your knee. This may feel tight and cause pain in the groin area. For many people, hip pain is also reproduced when they cross their legs and then pull their knee towards the opposite shoulder.
The hip is a VERY strong joint due to the deep receiving cup of the pelvis and the round ball that fits nicely into it. Because it’s a freely moving joint, there is a joint capsule. The capsule is lined with tissue that produces an oily substance that lubricates the joint (called synovial fluid), and when hip pain occurs, this can be caused by a capsulitis (inflammation of the capsule) with a buildup of synovial fluid (called synovitis).
When the smooth, shiny surface of the ball starts to wear thin (which can eventually wear away down to the bone), that’s a condition called “osteoarthritis.” This occurs over time for many and may eventually result in the need for a hip replacement. This usually isn’t needed until an individual is in their late 60s or older (if at all), but for those who injure a hip earlier in life, the “wearing out” process may accelerate and a hip replacement may be needed well before old age.
There are many studies that report low back and hip arthritis often occur together, and differentiating between the two can sometimes be a challenge. For example, pain can radiate from the hip to the knee, which many doctors will diagnose as “sciatic nerve.” But hip pain can present exactly the same, making it hard to determine if it’s low back-generated pain or hip-generated pain.
This is why it’s SO IMPORTANT that your doctor of chiropractic conduct a careful history and examination. There are specific tests that he or she will perform that help determine which of the two is causing the pain. There are times when they may find BOTH problems co-existing together, making it necessary to manage two problems, rather than just one.
There are many mobilization, manipulation, soft tissue therapies, modalities, and exercises available to patients with both hip and low back pain. So if you’re not sure what is bothering you and you don’t know what to do, visit your doctor of chiropractic and he or she will help you through this.

5 ways to cure that hangover

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5 Ways To Cure Your Hangover – worldhab.com

5-Ways-to-Cure-a-New-Year-Hangover-Used-and-Proven-Tips

New Year Hangover and How to Come over it: You might have enjoyed a lot this New Year with Partying, Roaming with Craziness and of course, Drinking to the peaks. How can a Party finish without a Drink? That’s the best part of the evening. But with Drinking, Hangover joins you in the morning for many people. We at WORLDHAB, are sharing the best and proved tips to Hangover. Hangover caused by New Year easily from the homemade recipe and daily used materials. Follow the steps mentioned below and get back to your original state. Here is 5 Ways to Cure a New Year Hangover.

5 Proven Tips/Ways to Cure a New Year Hangover

You might have gone convince to go beyond your limits as a part of celebration yesterday evening for which you to pay now. Is your Head is aching? Or you are struggling to get over from Hangover? Here we have collected some of the expert suggestions and ways which can help you a lot with the nasty symptoms such as a severe headache, diarrhea, fatigue, nausea, and shakiness. Mixing your drinks with water or any another non-alcoholic beverage can help you stay regular and being hydrated. If you are still in a hangover, you should try one of the below-mentioned tried-and-true ways.

  1. Take Milk and Potatoes Together: Consuming Alcohol may reduce the potassium(K) and calcium(Ca) levels in the body. Eating Potatoes with milk will give rich minerals more than Banana or any tablets.
  2. Skip Regular Coffee.: People will be habitual of drinking bed coffee or regular coffee which you might be common across non-drinkers. But for People especially during Hangover should skip drinking coffee until they are back to normal.
  3. Refill your Body with Water: Hangover is mainy because of Dehydration. The best and most important way to get away from Hangover is by rehydrating yourself. It is very very important to refill yourselfs with fluids if you are vomiting. Hence, first and foremost thing which you can do to get rid of Hangover is to drink alot of water. Which rehydrates your body. Most common rehydrating methods inclues Drinking Water, Coconut water which are rich in electrolytes. Most headaches secondary to alcohol consumption are caused by both dehydration and also because of an imbalance of electrolytes. Avoid taking Coffee or Tea which have caffeine content which in turn make your Hangover a little more.
  4. Drink Boiled Water with Lemon and Honey: Lemons refills the vitamins you need for you body and honey helps balance your blood sugar levels which might have fluctuated due to alcohol consumption.
  5. Tablet like Pain Killer.: It is often suggested to take a pain killer pills when you have a hangover or you are not stable. If you have head ache which you think you can not withstand then you should take a painkiller. Aspirin or ibuprofen are both good if you have a headache. Be sure to read the instructions and take only the recommended dose.

The Best Diet For Fibromyalgia?

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Anti-Inflam

​Fibromyalgia (FM) and its cause remains a mystery, but most studies suggest that FM is NOT the result of a single event but rather a combination of many physical, chemical, and emotional stressors.

The question of the month regarding the BEST FM diet is intriguing since one might assume that the many causes should mean that there isn’t one dietary solution. But is that true? Could there be a “best diet” to help ease the symptoms from such a multi-faceted disorder?

Certainly, healthy eating is VERY important for ALL of us regardless of our current ailment(s). Obesity is rampant largely due to the fact that 60% of the calories consumed by the “typical” American center around eating highly inflaming food that include those rich in Sugar, Omega-6 oil, Flour, and Trans fats (“SOFT” foods, if you will!). Obesity has been cited as “an epidemic” largely due to kids and adults becoming too sedentary (watching TV, playing on electronic devices, etc.) and eating poorly.

Perhaps the BEST way to manage the pain associated with FM and to maintain a healthy BMI (Body Mass Index, or ratio between height and weight) is to substitute ANTI-INFLAMING foods for those that inflame (or SOFT foods).

You can simplify your diet by substituting OUT “fast foods” for fruits, vegetables, and lean meats. So there you have it. It’s that simple. The problem is making up your mind to change and then actually doing it. Once these two things take place, most everyone can easily “recalibrate” their caloric intake and easily adapt.

Not only have studies shown that chronic illnesses like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes significantly benefit by following this simple dietary shift, but so does pain arising from the musculoskeletal system! This is because the human body is made up largely of chemicals, and chemical shifts are constantly taking place when it moves. If you reach for an anti-inflammatory drug like ibuprofen or naproxen and it helps, it’s because you ARE inflamed and the drug reduces the pain associated with that inflammation. This is an indication that an anti-inflammatory diet WILL HELP as well (but without the negative side effects)!

The list of chronic conditions that result in muscle pain not only includes FM but also obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type II diabetes. Conditions like tension-type and migraine headaches, neck and back pain, disk herniation, and tendonopathies and MANY more ALL respond WELL to making this SIMPLE change in the diet. For more information on how to “DEFLAME,” visit http://www.deflame.com! It could be a potential “lifesaver!”

I get dizzy when I have a headache. Should I worry?

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​Vertigo_view_03,_Andels_Hotel_Łódź.jpg

Dizziness, neck pain, and headaches are very common symptoms that may or may not occur at the same time. Though this interrelationship exists, this month’s article will focus primarily on dizziness, particularly related to dizziness that occurs after standing.

First, it is important to point out that it is VERY common to be light headed or dizzy when standing up too fast, which is typically referred to as orthostatic hypotension (OH). OH is frequently referred to as a benign symptom, but new information may challenge this thought.

Let’s review what happens. When we are lying down, our heart does not have to work as hard as when we are upright; therefore, our blood pressure (BP) is usually lower while we lay in bed. When standing up, blood initially pools in the legs until an increase in blood pressure brings oxygen to the brain. This either resolves or prevents dizziness.

Orthostatic hypotension is defined as a blood pressure drop of >20 mm Hg systolic (the upper number—heart at FULL contraction), 10 mm Hg diastolic (lower number—heart at FULL rest), or both. This typically occurs within seconds to a few minutes after rising to a standing position.

There are two types of OH—delayed OH (DOH) where the onset of symptoms are not immediate but occur within three minutes of standing and “full” OH, which is more serious and occurs immediately upon rising. According to a 2016 study published in the prestigious journal Neurology, researchers reviewed the medical records of 165 people who had undergone autonomic nervous system testing for dizziness. The subjects averaged 59 years of age, and 48 were diagnosed with DOH, 42 with full OH, and 75 subjects didn’t have either condition.

During a ten-year follow-up, 54% of the DOH group progressed to OH, of which 31% developed a degenerative brain condition such as Parkinson’s disease or dementia. Those with initial DOH who also had diabetes were more likely to develop full OH vs. those without diabetes.

The early death rate in this 165 patient group was 29% for those with DOH, 64% with full OH, vs. 9% for those with neither diagnosed condition. The authors point out that those initially diagnosed with DOH who did NOT progress into full OH were given treatment that may have improved their blood pressure.

The authors state that a premature death might be avoided by having DOH and OH diagnosed and properly managed as early as possible. They point out that a prospective study is needed since this study only looked back at medical records of subjects who had nervous system testing performed at a specialized center, and therefore, these findings may not apply to the general population.

The value of this study is that this is the FIRST time a study described OH (or DOH) as a potentially serious condition with recommendations NOT to take OH/DOH lightly or view it as a benign condition. Since doctors see this a lot, a closer evaluation of the patient is in order.

Do You Have CTS?

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​Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) can be an extremely painful and activity-limiting condition. It affects many people of all ages and genders, though women are affected more often than men. But how do you know if what you are suffering from is truly CTS or if it’s another condition that’s producing the symptoms in your hand or wrist?

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve is compressed as it passes through the wrist. However, the median nerve travels out of the neck, through the shoulder, elbow, and forearm before it passes through the wrist and into the hand. Pinching of the median nerve ANYWHERE along its course can give rise to the signs and symptoms of CTS including numbness, tingling, and/or pain into the hand and index, third, and thumb-side half of the fourth digits, and sometimes the thumb. If the pinch is significant enough, weakness can also occur. Sometimes the median nerve can become compressed at both the wrist and other body sites as it travels from the spinal cord to your hand, that’s why it’s important for a doctor to check for impingements along the entire course of the nerve.

But compression of the median nerve isn’t the only thing that can produce symptoms in the hand. Here are a couple of the more common conditions that are often confused with CTS:

1)  Ulnar neuropathy: This is pinching of the ulnar nerve (at the neck, shoulder, elbow, or wrist) but this gives rise to a similar numbness/tingling BUT into the pinky-side of the fourth and the fifth fingers (not the thumb-side of the hand). The most common pinch location is either at the neck or the inner elbow, the latter of which is called “cubital tunnel syndrome” or CuTS.

2)  Tendonitis: There are a total of nine tendons that pass through the carpal tunnel that help us grip or make a fist. Similarly, there are five main tendons on the back side of the hand that allow us to open our hands and spread our fingers. ANY of these tendons can get strained or torn, which results in swelling and pain as well as limited function BUT there is usually NO NUMBNESS/TINGLING!

3)  DeQuervain’s disease: This is really a tendonitis of an extensor tendon of the thumb and its synovial sheath that lubricates it resulting in a “tenosynovitis.” This creates pain with thumb movements, especially if you grasp your thumb in the palm of your hand and then bend your wrist sideways towards the pinky-side of the hand.

Chiropractors are well-trained to diagnose and treat patients with CTS. And if you don’t have CTS but another condition listed above, they can offer treatment (or a referral, if necessary) to help resolve it so you can return to your normal activities as soon as possible.

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Exercise Of The Month: Pike On A Ball

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Pike on a Ball

Begin in a push-up position with your knees resting on an exercise ball. Maintain a neutral spine, and do not allow your back to arch down towards the floor. Roll the ball from your thighs to your ankles by bending your knees and bringing them towards your chest. Slowly return to the start position. Perform three sets of 10 repetitions daily or as directed.

What is Facet Syndrome?

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​

As stated in last week’s article, low back pain (LBP) can arise from many different structures. Lumbar facet syndrome is one that involves the facet joint and includes both acute (new) and chronic (old) varieties. The facet joint is synonymous with the zygapophyseal joint, so if you hear that word, don’t let it throw you off! Approximately 45% of patients with chronic low back pain suffer from “facet syndrome” (FS) in which the facets are the low back pain generator.
There are many conditions that give rise to FS. Some of these include the straining of the surrounding joint capsule (the capsule holds the joint securely together), joint hypomobility (reduced motion in the joint), a synovial cyst (similar to a ganglion on the back of the wrist but its located inside the joint), and degeneration (also called osteoarthritis—the wearing out type of arthritis).
Because facet syndrome can accompany other conditions, a doctor of chiropractic must evaluate each patient individually and manage each person appropriately. In “pure” facet syndrome, pain rarely ever passes the level of the knee and does not cause neurological loss (weakness, loss of reflex, etc.). It can create numbness but usually NOT beyond the knee. Pain is usually not worsened by hip movements such as straight leg raise or hip rotation.
The facet joint’s “job” (at least in part) is to limit or guard twisting movements in the upper lumbar/low back region, and the lower lumbar facets are shaped to limit motion when bending forwards and backwards. Facet joints are unique because they are innervated by specific nerves that can be blocked by injecting an anesthetic agent to determine if the facet (and its innervating nerve) is the main source of pain. The surrounding capsule around the facet joint contains mechanoreceptors (cells that detect movement) and nociceptors (cells that detect pain) that fire when the facet joint is compressed/jammed or over-stretched. These nociceptors can become “hypersensitized” (very irritable) when they remain inflamed over time.
In many patients, injury to a facet joint is the result of many microtraumas over a period of time and not one single isolated event. For example, repeatedly bending backwards, twisting, and leaning to one side can stretch the joint capsule and fatigue it until some capsular tissues finally “give” and it inflames which generates pain.
These joints commonly become arthritic with age, which is one reason people over 50-60 years old commonly present with FS. Osteoarthritis results in a narrowing of the joint space and causes a more permanently “jammed” joint. This is one reason many elderly people walk partially bent over—as bending forwards opens the facet joints and “feels good!”
facet joint
The good news is that chiropractic manipulation is a highly effective treatment for facet syndrome, and most patients feel much better within the first or second week of care (often within three to five visits).