November 7, 2018
In part one of our posture series, we covered the links between posture and the cardiopulmonary system, including lung function, tidal volumes and cervical/thoracic kyphosis. Today, we arrive at another important issue: how does posture affect the flow of cerebrospinal fluid, and potentially link to neuro-degenerative diseases? Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is the great liquid cushion that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, protecting it both structurally and immunologically. It’s a feat of nature that “maintains the electrolytic environment of the central nervous system (CNS), influences systemic acid-base balance, serves as a medium for the supply of nutrients to neuronal and […]
October 31, 2018
Is there a day that goes by when a chiropractor doesn’t deal with a postural concern? If we were to sit purely on the orthopaedic wagon, we would have enough to concern us. Poor posture can cause pain – headaches, pain in the shoulders or neck, problems with the gait, uneven distribution of weight resulting in referred pain (i.e. heavy backpacks slung across one shoulder for extended periods of time). These issues are no big surprise. But beyond the banner headlines, there is a deeper story to be told when it comes to posture and the body. Science is now […]
October 24, 2018
With an aging population now a reality in many Western nations, how well we age is becoming as much of a focus as longevity itself. A new study emerging from the Manchester Metropolitan University, published in the Journal of Physiology, is throwing new light on this topic and it is news that nervous system and health enthusiasts will welcome. It appears that the muscle loss many have accepted as “inevitable” in old age is actually a nerve issue. The study took 143 men, aged either 18-40 or 65-90 years old and living independently, and used MRI and EMG data to […]
October 16, 2018
Welcome to the final instalment of our stress series. The gut is arguably one of the hottest topics in health at present. From the gut microbiome, to the role of fibre in feeding the microbiota, there’s a plethora of conversation happening around this significant chunk of our physiology. Yet one thing remains notably absent from the conversation: the fact that the gut houses our enteric nervous system, the gut brain (if you will), and it is inextricably linked with the rest of our nervous system via the vagus nerve. Ever had a gut feeling someone was a foe rather than […]
October 8, 2018
An Interview with Dr Michael Hall Chiropractic, stress and mental illness. Does it link? Has it ever linked? It is a topic modern research hasn’t devoted much to in terms of resources and thought, but history and basic science tell us an interesting story. “Much of the very early work in chiropractic was done in the Sanatorium –said Dr Michael Hall in a recent interview with Spinal Research [1, 2]. “Most of our greatest work was done on mental health patients. In my world, I am seeing a big circle and we are coming right back around. In the middle, […]
September 24, 2018
Chiropractors and posture – they are a seamless fit. From the very first visit in clinic, posture is assessed. As subluxations are checked and corrected, posture can improve over time. But is posture just a symptom, or is it stressor that can kick off a physiological stress response impacting both brain and body? We’ve taken a quick look at the research to see what the deal is. In 2015, the Journal of Health Psychology published a randomized trial regarding posture and stress [1]. The hypothesis of whether or not muscular states were related to stress had been supported by research […]
September 17, 2018
In the second instalment of our series on stress, we caught up with Dr. Wayne Todd; author of the book and practitioner training program The SD Protocol which targets sympathetic dominance. To Dr. Wayne, the connection between chiropractic and stress is so deeply entrenched as to be inseparable, but it’s how we as practitioners deal with this that has the potential to break the cycle of repetitive subluxations and help the patient regain control of their health. Stress And Subluxation Long before the lightbulb moment that saw him put together the protocol, Dr. Wayne was a busy chiropractor spending long […]
September 11, 2018
What is chiropractic about? Explanations and theories abound. There are those who claim our only concrete offering sits firmly in the domain of back and neck pain, yet other research indicates impacts on brain function, cerebellar function, muscle drive, and much more. Over the course of this series, we will be taking a walk through a topic that is often thought to be simple yet, on a neurological and physiological level, is quite complex. Though checking and adjusting subluxations is what we as chiropractors do, there is one thing that has profound if not primary impacts on those very subluxations. […]
September 5, 2018
As the conversation around the US opioid crisis continues, with claims that more than 115 people in the US die every day after overdosing on opioids, a new study has examined whether there could be any link between chiropractic care and the risk of adverse drug events (ADE’s). While a topic such as this is loaded with possibilities that no single paper could rule out, the study did reveal that adverse drug reactions were 51% lower for the cohort studied. Now that is something that certainly warrants further investigation. As you can imagine, it was a complicated research question to […]
August 30, 2018
Asthma & Multiple Comorbidities Improve Under Chiropractic Care For 9 Year Old – Case Report Reveals
Chiropractors don’t treat asthma. Nor do we “treat” any specific condition. What we do, by ensuring the nervous system is operating free of subluxations, is help the body do what it is meant to – heal and regulate itself. Our paradigm isn’t about treatment. It’s about care. But what happens when the body and brain are cooperating, and working without distortions? That’s where it gets interesting. A recent case report, published in the Journal Pediatric, Maternal and Family Health, has detailed the fascinating case of a nine-year old child with multiple comorbidities. Among his imposing list of ailments was chronic […]
August 21, 2018
Dr Dana Lawrence, previous editor of the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics and more recently the Chiropractic Journal of Australia, has been hard at work with Parker University setting up a new, open-access journal that serves the chiropractic profession. The result is the Journal of Contemporary Chiropractic – an exciting new offering for practitioners and students alike. Spinal Research caught up with him to talk about it. The Journal of Contemporary Chiropractic may still be new, but it’s an idea that has been in Dana Lawrence’s head since before his tenure as editor of the Chiropractic Journal of Australia. […]
August 15, 2018
[The following is an interview with Dr David Fletcher in which he discusses his approach to objectively measuring the subluxation and communicating findings to patients. It is not a paid advertisement or product endorsement.] Recently, we reported on a case series published in the Chiropractic Journal of Australia that covered sustained improvements in heart rate variability in six individual cases. It followed the publication of another study emerging from the New Zealand College of Chiropractic that found we can indeed reliably detect subluxations, and that the inter-examiner confidence is high. They are important findings, and they feed into an essential […]
August 8, 2018
[The following is an interview with Dr David Fletcher in which he discusses his approach to objectively measuring the subluxation and communicating findings to patients. It is not a paid advertisement or product endorsement.] Communicating chiropractic is an important art. We know what we do works. How do we get this message to the ears of the people who could benefit so greatly from the adjustment? One strategy that is becoming more and more prevalent in literature is HRV, or heart rate variability. It’s a topic that is gaining momentum, with case reports showing sustained improvements under chiropractic care and […]
July 30, 2018
Within the world of chiropractic care, a new stream of research is emerging that moves us further away from pain and symptoms, and more towards the affect of the chiropractic adjustment on brain and body. As we advance our understanding of the vertebral subluxation and what happens when we adjust, it becomes increasingly apparent that chiropractic care has the potential to reach far beyond the realms of the musculoskeletal. Many a chiropractor has long believed this, but in a world where research is currency, the evidence bank matters greatly. The latest piece of evidence on the subject of how the […]
July 25, 2018
For a long time now, back conditions have been the strongest association for chiropractic to the general public. We’ve been recognised as better for back pain, and our patients have had little trouble accepting our care as beneficial for all things back-related. Of course, the strength of this association has been a problem for us as we’ve tried to establish the many ways chiropractic care is valuable for non-musculoskeletal issues – like how well the body can respond to inflammation. Ankylosing Spondylitis is an inflammatory back condition – a form of arthritis primarily affecting the spinal joints potentially leading to […]
July 20, 2018
Pregnancy is a time of massive change – mentally, emotionally, hormonally and biomechanically. It is also a time when many women look for other options in order to manage various health challenges during their pregnancy. Of course, chiropractic care rates among the many, women choose during this time. Therefore a recently-published report, which examined the quality of life and visit-specific satisfaction of pregnant women receiving chiropractic care, will be of interest to chiropractors who support expectant parents during this challenging and exciting period of their lives. It was a quality-of-life focused project undertaken by Dr Joel Alcantara and his colleagues […]
July 10, 2018
One of the challenges of owning a chiropractic practice is marketing. More specifically, building a dynamic marketing strategy that attracts and maintains a loyal patient base. The challenge exists for several reasons: Industry specific AHPRA and CAA regulations that can seem frustratingly complicated and somewhat restrictive. Fast-paced digital landscape that seems to demand your focus across all channels – your website, social media, emails and Google. Understanding what areas of marketing will get you the best return for your marketing efforts and convert patient leads into your care. So what are the best and most effective marketing strategies to attract […]