Chiropractic Care May Help Children With Learning Disorders And Dyslexia

A recent study, published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research (JVSR), suggests that chiropractic care may offer significant benefits to children suffering from learning disabilities and dyslexia.

The research was conducted by Swiss chiropractor Yannick Pauli, DC, president of the Swiss Chiropractic Pediatric Association, who specializes in the care of children suffering from learning and behavioral disorders.

"This review critically assessed eight previously published studies involving a total of 160 children," Dr. Pauli explained. "Although the results remain preliminary and more research is needed, the evidence strongly suggests that chiropractic care may help various cognitive abilities that are essential to learning."

Learning disorders and dyslexia affect between three and ten percent of school-aged children in the United Sates. Individuals with these disorders often suffer from low self-esteem, diminished motivation, loss of interest in school and problems in social functioning, and academic difficulties.

Pauli noted that the same areas of neurological dysfunction that can lead to learning disabilities and interfere with learning can also interfere with life skills, sport activities, and family and peer relationships.

"Learning disorders and dyslexia are increasingly recognized as a neurodevelopmental disorder," he stated. "Children suffering from those problems have parts of their brain that are not functioning adequately or are even delayed in their development. Among those dysfunctional areas is a small part located at the back of the brain called the cerebellum. The cerebellum plays a vital role in learning. It helps the brain coordinate and integrate the various sensory information, as well as to increase the processing speed of the brain."

Numerous factors can affect the proper development of the brain, including maternal stress during pregnancy, traumatic birth, poor diet, and sedentary lifestyle.

Pauli stressed that, contrary to popular belief, chiropractic is not restricted to back pain in adults. "The only source of constant stimulation to the brain comes from the spine and the postural muscles constantly adjusting to the force of gravity," he explained. "If the daily physical stresses of life cause misalignments in the spine -- called vertebral subluxations by chiropractors -- the brain is not adequately stimulated. This can cause problems throughout the body."

He added that chiropractic adjustments, even when no back problems are evident, can improve the function of the spine and strongly stimulate nerve pathways to the cerebellum and other parts of the brain. "In the case of children, this may, in turn, help brain functions necessary for learning," he said.

Matthew McCoy, DC, editor of JVSR, commented that "this study is an exciting first step. It shows the beneficial effect of chiropractic care and may offer hope for thousands of suffering children."

This study is part of a larger effort undertaken by chiropractors to document and assess the potential benefits of chiropractic care in the field of learning disorders and other so-called mental disorders such as ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorders and even autism."

JVSR is a peer-reviewed scientific journal devoted to subluxation-centered chiropractic research affiliated with the World Chiropractic Alliance, an international organization representing doctors of chiropractic and promoting the traditional, drug-free and wellness-oriented form of chiropractic.

An abstract of the research report is available at http://www.jvsr.com.

JVSR is a peer reviewed scientific journal devoted to subluxation-based chiropractic research, affiliated with the World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA), an international organization representing doctors of chiropractic and promoting the traditional, drug-free and non-invasive form of chiropractic as a means of correcting vertebral subluxations that cause nerve interference. 

World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA)
Chandler, AZ 85224
United States
http://www.worldchiropracticalliance.org 

Be sure to check out "Chiropractic Exposed!" A Free 11 Day Mini course ALL About Chiropractic!

Yours in health,
Dr. Stacey Burke and Dr. Eric Brukwinski 
Doctors of Chiropractic
West Coast Family Chiropractic,
22 Banks Ave, Hillarys, WA 6025, AUSTRALIA 
(08) 9402 8845

Some Facts And History About Chiropractic

Facts

• Chiropractic was founded in 1895.
• There are approximately 85,000 chiropractors around the world. Of this total approximately 65,000 practice in the United States.
• Chiropractors are recognized throughout most countries in the world. Each country or state has rigorous statutes that regulate the profession.
• Chiropractors, by law, are allowed to use the title, Chiropractor, Chiropractic Physician, or Doctor of Chiropractic . The degree a chiropractor receives is DC.
• Various federal health care programs in the different countries recognise chiropractic.  Various chiropractic organizations are working hard to have the government increase this coverage.
• Health insurance coverage is provided in health insurance policies of most major health plans, including state workers compensation plans, and auto insurance policies.
• Doctors of chiropractic have been known to provide exceptional treatment for many spinal related disorders. Some of these conditions include neck pain, back pain, and headaches to name a few. Many doctors of chiropractic have taken additional training and have become certified in the treatment of sports injuries, as well as the care of auto injuries.
• The main philosophy of chiropractic is to utilize a treatment method that seeks to help the patient restore normal physiological function. This, in turn, helps the patient improve his or her health. Also, advice can be given regarding proper nutrition and exercise as it relates to the total picture of one's health.
• Over the last 100 years, chiropractic has enjoyed increasingly higher acceptance by the public after many years of growing pains . This has occurred because of a number of reasons. There have been more and more research studies that have proven that chiropractic is one of the most helpful and cost-effective treatment for a variety of conditions. And, more importantly, patients have seen for themselves that chiropractic, in many cases, simply helps for many conditions! Many patients like the fact that they have an alternative to the use of drugs. As society becomes more and more aware of the contraindications and serious side effects of medication, patients are now more willing to try non-medical forms of treatment for their health issues.

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History of Chiropractic?

   From the beginning of history, man has always been searching for the Fountain of Youth. Even from the beginning of medical history, Paul Erlich searched for the magic bullet , a drug that would literally take care of all of our health needs. Unfortunately, as we all know that magic bullet does NOT exist. The question then follows, what can be done to help our health needs throughout our life?

   Dorland's Medical Dictionary describes health as a state of wellness, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Another way of looking at this is that the absence of pain does not give us a good indication of the patient s health level.

"The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease."                                                                        - Thomas Edison

   Health is an ongoing process; one that evolves as we age. If you look around at our society, you can see a rampant crisis of health problems. People are looking for answers, and in many cases, are not getting them. It is my opinion that the main cause of these issues is that for many years prevention of disease and illness was scoffed at by society. If someone felt good, no problem, nothing to worry about. We are now realizing that health maintenance is the key to good health. Rather than wait for the health crisis, let's attempt to prevent the crisis from occurring to begin with.

   Chiropractic health care focuses primarily on the examination and treatment of the spine and pelvis to determine if some part of the body's structure is malfunctioning. And, if so, what can be done to correct the structure to return the body to the best possible physiologically state?

   Think back how many times you have received treatment for an illness, and after feeling a bit better, you stopped treatment. That was usually a simple case of being fooled by our childhood training that if there were no symptoms, we were well. In reality, the short-term treatment only helped to temporarily alleviate the symptom, part of the condition, but never really addressed the cause of the problem. It is this fact that makes chiropractic care so beneficial.

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How Does My Body Work?

   An analogy will help start this explanation The power company supplies energy to run our homes and offices. That energy travels to our homes by way of cables. Once that energy gets to our location, it allows our appliances to run the way they were designed. If, for some reason, there is an interruption or lessening of the energy coming to us, our lights would be less bright, or perhaps our appliances would fail to operate. The same is true with our bodies.

   Let's use a similar analogy. Let's say you have a dimmer switch (rheostat) installed in your dining room. As long as the dimmer switch is set all the way up, the lights burn very brightly. Now, let's turn down the dimmer switch as low as it can go and still see a little bit of light. If, at that time, you replaced all the bulbs with the absolute best, state-of-the-art, light bulbs, would the bulbs be any brighter than the previous set? Of course, not! The reason is the electrical energy traveling through the wires of your home are being stopped by the dimmer switch. Now, if you slowly start increasing the switch to allow the energy to increase, the bulbs will increase in brightness. The light is a metaphor or analogy for how our body expresses its health. The better the flow of energy to the vital organs and tissues of our bodies the better our bodies, can perform. Therefore, better health!

   Now, let's take this one step further. There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves in our spinal cord. These nerves travel from the brain and exit the spinal cord at very specific areas. For example, the nerves that control your small and large intestines, kidneys, sex organs, as well as the nerves that control your lower back and legs exit the spinal cord in the lower back region. That is why many patients who enter our office for lower back pain also tell us upon questioning, that they have constipation or diarrhea problems, or perhaps menstrual difficulties. This is very common. Another example is a patient has neck pain, but also complains of headaches or sinus difficulty. That would make sense because the nerves of the neck innervate those specific areas. The examples are numerous, however, suffice to say that the nervous controls our body functions. To the degree that we take care of our spine, and to the degree that it is working properly, is the degree we can expect our best level of health.

   Think about this. Would you expect your teeth to continue to stay healthy if you never brushed or flossed them, or never visited a dentist to clean or correct them? Why is the spine so different? In reality, the real difference is that our spine is covered by skin and muscles so that we can't see our spines.

    If patients were able to see their spine to the same degree they see their teeth, many patients would be horrified with how bad they have allowed their spines to deteriorate.

   In a Chiropractic office the first thing you can expect is to have your spine evaluated. This is an important step in elevating your health level and, in fact, is what differentiates chiropractors from other types of physicians.

   Accidents, falls, tension, stress, overuse, and other factors can prevent the spine from working within its normal range of motion. This can cause misalignments of the segments of your spine. If this misalignment irritates spinal nerves, various malfunctions can occur in your body. These misalignments are called subluxations. Various studies have shown that subluxations can cause improper function of the organs and tissues of the body, leading to increased susceptibility to various conditions, including chronic disease. Logically, this should make sense. If, for example, the brain cannot control the stomach or intestines in the manner that was designed because of nerve compression or interference, would it be hard to imagine the body having less ability to digest and absorb nutrients from the foods you eat? And, if you are getting fewer nutrients, would a lower level of health be that far fetched? Think about each organ of your body. Let your mind ponder about what would happen if each vital organ or tissue was working at only 50%. What impact would that have on your health over the short or long term? It is this observation that leads many people to begin giving their spine the attention it deserves. Ask your chiropractor about these facts to open up your potential to a whole new level of health awareness for you, your family, and friends.

Be sure to check out "Chiropractic Exposed!" A Free 11 Day Mini course ALL About Chiropractic!

Yours in health,
Dr. Stacey Burke and Dr. Eric Brukwinski 
Doctors of Chiropractic
West Coast Family Chiropractic,
22 Banks Ave, Hillarys, WA 6025, AUSTRALIA 
(08) 9402 8845

Lower Back Pain During Pregnancy

By Victoria Arcadi

One of the most common complaints during pregnancy is lower back pain. In my experience, lower back pain can be the first sign that a woman may be pregnant, especially when there has not been a trauma or any other reason for back pain to appear.

My patients always give me a surprised sort of smile when I ask them if they might be pregnant. A large percentage of them are pregnant. Whether newly pregnant or very pregnant, lower back pain in pregnancy can be very uncomfortable and frustrating, especially when their medical doctor tells them that it is "normal." Actually, studies have reported lower back pain in half of all pregnant women.¹ These suffering women are told by their doctors that they need to wait until they have the baby to get relief. Meanwhile, there is no known medical treatment.

I have been specializing in treating pregnant women for over nine years, and from clinical experience I am here to tell you that there is much that can be done for these women who suffer from sometimes debilitating lower back pain. Chiropractic adjustments have been shown clinically to be successful in relieving this discomfort in a large majority of cases, and usually with only one adjustment. In a recent paper published in Obstetrics and Gynecology, January 1988, "Low back pain during pregnancy,"² 862 pregnant women participated in a study in the community of Linkoping, Sweden answered detailed questionnaires in the 20th, 30th, and 35th week of pregnancy. All women had symptoms of low back pain. Seventy-nine had such severe pain that they were unable to continue work, and were referred to an orthopedic surgeon for orthoneurologic examination. These 79 were followed from six to 12 months after delivery. The results of this study are important to chiropractors.

Low back pain was caused in 78 percent of the women by sacroiliac dysfunction, resulting from the sacroiliac fixation test also know as Piedallu's sign. The patient is examined and one posterior superior spine is lower than the other. On forward flexion, the position is reversed. The test used was our motion palpation test for a fixation of the SI joints, where the examiner puts one thumb over the PSIS, and the other over the ipsilateral second sacral tubercle. With the patient standing, the examiner asks the patient to flex the knee and hip, bringing the thigh up toward the abdomen. In a moving joint the PSIS of course will move inferiorly with respect to the sacral tubercle. A fixation or reduction of mobility of the joint is indicated if the PSIS fails to move. This would indicate some sort of blockage of the joint.³

Other tests used to diagnose sacroiliac dysfunction were Patrick's test, placing the heel on the opposite knee, supine and rotating the leg outward to elicit pain in either the hip or the SI joint; and Derbolowski's test, in which a change was noted in the medial malleoli in relation to each other, when the patient is either lying down or sitting. Shortening of one leg would indicate rotation backward on the ipsilateral half of the pelvis.⁴

I thought these tests to be the type of testing that chiropractors use every day to diagnose a sacroiliac dysfunction. But what was really interesting was the treatment and results of the study. Of the 79 women treated for severe back pain, 52 were diagnosed with sacroiliac dysfunction. Of 54 patients given a trochanteric belt to restrict the movement of the sacroiliac joints during the pregnancy, 39 experienced relief. Ten women were treated with mobilization of the joints, which was administered by two orthopedic surgeons. They used a technique described by Maitland and Corrigan.⁵ But whichever techniques used, whether Maitland and Corrigan, diversified, etc., seven of these women were totally relieved, and three had only temporarily relief for one to two days: still a good result.

The outcomes from this study support chiropractic adjustments during pregnancy. Complete relief was only found when treatment included adjustments or manipulation as stated in the study. From these results, we can conclude that chiropractic adjustments beneficial and also alleviate back pain in at least 70 percent of all patients from this study, with adjustments to the SI joints.

In my experience adjusting and evaluating pregnant women, I have found that the sacrum seems to be subluxated most commonly when there is severe lower back pain. Later in the pregnancy, especially in the last trimester, the SI joint as well as the buttock muscles seem to be strained and must be treated. Occasionally, a trochanteric belt is necessary to totally relieve the pain and stabilize the joint to reduce edemic infusion into the joint. But as I stated above, chiropractic care has been shown clinically to be extremely beneficial in alleviating lower back pain in pregnancy.

Pregnant women comprise a significant group who can utilize our approach in relieving their discomforts. I would like to see every chiropractor become knowledgeable and confident and excited about treating and helping pregnant women because, after all, we are not only benefitting one life, but two. Think about it.

References 

1.    Mantle MJ, Greenwood RM, Currey HLF: Backache in pregnancy. Rheumatol Rehabil 16: 95, 1977.

2.    Berg et al: Low back pain in pregnancy. Obstetrics and Gynecology 71: 1, 1988.

3.    Maigne R: Sacroiliac joints, the problem of their blockings and strains. Douleurs d'Origine Vertebrale et Traitements par Manipulations, 2nd ed. Paris, Expansion Scientifique, 1972, p.294.

4.    Grieve GP: Common Vertebral Joint Problems. New York: Churchill Livingstone, 1981.

5.    Maitland GC, Corrigan B: Practical Orthopaedic Medicine. London: Butterworths & Co. Ltd., 1983, pp.330-331.

Victoria C. Arcadi, DC 
Sherman Oaks, California

Yours in health,
Dr. Stacey Burke and Dr. Eric Brukwinski 
Doctors of Chiropractic
West Coast Family Chiropractic,
22 Banks Ave, Hillarys, WA 6025, AUSTRALIA 
(08) 9402 8845

Neck Pain: Why Does My Neck Hurt?

Neck pain affects almost two-thirds of the global population at some point in their lives.

Diagnosis and treatment of neck pain conditions is the second largest sector of the chiropractic profession, bested only by low back pain. In much the same way as other spinal complaints, chronic neck pain has a tendency to be hard to diagnose and treat, making life a real challenge for anyone who can't find lasting relief.

Among the many types of neck pain, there are some which stand out as being chronic in nature. These problems may exist due to previous neck injuries, such as whiplash or arthritic degeneration. The most common anatomical issues blamed for causing chronic neck pain are disc pathologies, such as disc desiccation (disc desiccation is abnormal dryness of the discs) and herniations (a tear in the outer, fibrous ring of an intervertebral disc allows the soft, central portion to bulge out). The second most commonly implicated painful process is osteoarthritis (degradation of the joint). Other types of neck pain may include spinal postural concerns, such as hyperlordosis (too much curve) or hypolordosis (too little of curve), cervical spondylolisthesis (anterior displacement of a vertebra or the vertebral column in relation to the vertebrae below ) or non-spinal issues, such as thoracic outlet syndrome (compression at the superior thoracic outlet that affect the nerves that pass into the arms from the neck, and/or blood vessels that pass between the chest and upper extremity. In some cases neck pain may be from an acute spasm or one or more of the supportive musculature of the neck region. You may have just "over did it!"

If you have had chronic neck pain, you could begin to develop neurological symptoms. These may include numbness, tingling, or a "pins and needles" feeling. Sometimes this can be felt in the fingertips or up and down the arm. This could be an indicator that the neck problem is becoming worse.

Most people do not realize how much stress is on their neck, with its great degree of flexibility and support of your 12-14 pound head, coupled with the fact that it has the least amount of muscular stabilization in the spine. This is why a "whiplash' type injury can have such severe effects. Neck pain may also arise from many other physical and emotional health problems.

The National Center for Alternative and Complementary Medicine (NCCAM) cites Neck pain as the No. 3 reason why people seek alternative medicine care. Reasons for trying CAM include:

1. it may work well in conjunction with more traditional type treatment

2. other traditional treatments have been tried, with unsatisfactory result

3. CAM is less expensive than traditional treatment

4. conventional medical professionals suggest it.

Treatments for the different types of back pain and neck pain range from doing nothing to taking medication and undergoing procedures, such as surgery. Treatment of neck pain depends on the cause. For the vast majority of people, neck pain can be treated conservatively.

If you have neck pain it may be wise to consult with a chiropractor before going to the extent of something much more serious such as surgery. Chiropractic has been found to be beneficial in both acute and chronic mechanical neck disorders.

Your chiropractor will ask a number of questions in his or her initial consultation then they will perform a physical examination. The examination will consist of chiropractic tests, orthopedic tests, and a neurological examination. He or she may also perform xrays or other diagnostic imaging tests to gather as much information as possible. This entire process will allow the chiropractor to get to the cause of your problem and allow him or her to come up with a treatment plan and recommendations for your specific condition.

One thing about neck pain to remember is: the spinal cord runs directly through the middle opening of the vertebrae. It sends signals to every muscle, organ, and system of the body. Between each pair of cervical vertebrae, the spinal cord sends out a nerve that runs anywhere from your neck and upper back down to the hands and fingers. This means that if you get pain, numbness, tinging, cold or other symptoms in your hand and arm, it can actually be a problem in your neck! This can often mimic and can be confused with carpal tunnel syndrome, which causes a similar pain in the wrist and hand.

But we'll save that for another day! Thanks for reading!

Be sure to check out "Chiropractic Exposed!" A Free 11 Day Mini course ALL About Chiropractic!

Yours in health,
Dr. Stacey Burke and Dr. Eric Brukwinski 
Doctors of Chiropractic
West Coast Family Chiropractic,
22 Banks Ave, Hillarys, WA 6025, AUSTRALIA 
(08) 9402 8845

What Is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic is a professional, valuable and natural treatment option offered to all Australians to improve quality of life. The primary focus of Chiropractic is the restoration of function. Chiropractors assess and diagnose the problem, then plan and administer treatment programs that aim to restore function or minimise dysfunction after disease or injury.

Chiropractors strive to improve an individual's quality of life by physical means. A combination of manual and gentle manipulative therapy, movement training and exercises all help to achieve this. Chiropractors also offer you personal advice on stretching and strengthening exercises, posture, diet, lifting procedures and stress management.

Adequate education provided to Australians will lead to the prevention of many physical problems and this is a priority area for Chiropractors. 

Your Chiropractor
Australian Chiropractors are registered health care professionals with tertiary qualifications.

Chiropractors assess, diagnose and treat people with movement problems. Chiropractors also help people avoid injuries and maintain a fit, healthy body.

Chiropractic includes a wide range of specialities that meet the health needs of different people such as babies and children, sports people, pregnant women, injured workers and senior citizens.

Chiropractic programs are based on practical goals agreed between the Chiropractor and the client. Chiropractors help people gain as much movement and physical independence as possible so they can resume their normal job or lifestyle.

When necessary, Chiropractors will consult with a client's doctor to ensure the best possible treatment outcomes.

Choosing a Chiropractor
All Chiropractors registered to practise in Australia are qualified to provide safe, effective health care.

What can you expect from a Chiropractor?
You can expect your Chiropractors to:

• deliver a professional service
• discuss your treatment options and agree on some treatment goals with you
• provide information about your Chiropractic program
• explain specific treatments to you
• respect your rights, dignity, privacy, feelings and cultural customs
• respect the confidentiality of your professional relationship
• communicate with your doctor if necessary

You can download a special Discount OFFICE VISIT coupon on our website but we must warn you that this offer will be expiring very soon. If you've been meaning to come in let us encourage you to get this special deal now while you still can - go here to download your coupon: Office Visit Coupon

Yours in health,
Dr. Stacey Burke and Dr. Eric Brukwinski 
Doctors of Chiropractic
West Coast Family Chiropractic,
22 Banks Ave, Hillarys, WA 6025, AUSTRALIA 
(08) 9402 8845

ICPA - Why Chiropractic Care For Kids?

Read more "Is Chiropractic Care Safe For Adults And Children?"




You can download a special Discount OFFICE VISIT coupon on our website but we must warn you that this offer will be expiring very soon. If you've been meaning to come in let us encourage you to get this special deal now while you still can - go here to download your coupon: Office Visit Coupon

Yours in health,
  Dr. Stacey Burke and Dr. Eric Brukwinski 
Doctors of Chiropractic
West Coast Family Chiropractic,
22 Banks Ave, Hillarys, WA 6025, AUSTRALIA 
(08) 9402 8845