Welcome to August!

It seems like the summer flew by too fast once again!  You may have noticed that I did not have a July issue of ENews.  That is because I was spending every free moment editing and publishing the text book for our Habitack^® Smoking Cessation Program.  This program really is a gem and the new additions to the program do set it apart in efforts to help smokers end the habit for good!

I thought for a long while on what would be the most informational newsletter to write for the end of Summer and the beginning of Fall.  I decided that since school will be starting soon and the kids will be driving more, some updated research involving trauma resulting from auto crashes would be in order.  It is better to be prepared with knowledge before something happens than afterward.

The stress that is imparted into your neck and back is incredible with motor vehicle crashes.  This is mostly based on vehicle mass instead of speed.  That means that it may not be as important how fast you are going, but rather, how big the vehicle is that strikes you!

Physical posture is now becoming an important issue in who will likely sustain more damage in a crash.  The first article is quite interesting.  If there ever was a good reason to have your neck and back evaluated for problems, this research study sheds light on WHY it is important.

Arm and hand pain is often misdiagnosed within the medical community because they are trained to look at where it hurts and focus on that area.  If you are curious why so many Carpal Tunnel Syndrome surgeries are unsuccessful, article number two is quite revealing and it may surprise you.  Anyone who has ever had a true whiplash and suffered with arm pain 'that no one could find', will appreciate this research.

The article on 'Suffering with Pain' is almost beyond words.  Chiropractic has proven itself over and over during the past 100+ years.  It is supported by sound research and proven effectiveness.  That a study can be done, which reveals such findings is quite disturbing!  In case your are wondering, while you read the article, 'home remedies' means anything that you feel like trying!

The Habitack^® Smoking Cessation Program continues to hold its own in effectiveness and ease of use.  The research has turned out even better than I had earlier reported!  More will come.

This month, Eileen's Corner features a tasty summer dessert featured by Dorothy Rugland.  She is a wonderful lady who knows her way around a kitchen.  Enjoy this one!

Dr. Frisch

Abnormal Posture Increases Risks of Whiplash

During a whiplash trauma, the neck makes some distinct movements.  First, there is an S-curve created in the neck by the head lagging behind the body on initial impact.  Next, the head extends and the neck reacts by creating a C-curve.  There is then a rebound effect after the head makes contact with the head rest. (See Below)

^{(Safety Forum View)}

A recent study investigated the resulting trauma that occurs during the first phase of impact in a crash as it relates to the shape of a person's spine before the accident.  This was an interesting study because it investigates who may be at the greatest risk for trauma during an accident.  Most research involving crashes only evaluates the end-trauma, not who is most likely to have end-trauma.

The study proposed that people who have altered neck curvatures prior to a trauma will sustained greater ligamentous injury and facet joint capsular damage upon impact.  The three neck types evaluated were a Lordosis (normal C-curve), a Straightened Neck (flattened curve), and a Kyphosis (reversed curve)  

After human cadaver impact studies were completed, it was found that there was a significant difference in the types of traumas and the severity of traumas that different  types of spines experienced.  During impact the ligaments that support the neck and hold the vertebra together were elongated (stretched).  This resulted in overall instability of the head and neck.  In addition to this, the little motion joints of the neck (facets) that tell the brain how the neck and head are positioned in space are damaged.  This is why suffers of whiplash often say, "My head feels too heavy to hold up".  The damage to the supporting structures weakness their ability to function properly.  Unless realignment is returned to the neck through a proven therapy like chiropractic, the healing process begins and the damage may be permanent.  This can lead to a lifetime of problems that include: pain, headaches, dizziness, nausea, arm and hand numbing and pain or even difficulty concentrating.

The authors of this study concluded that:

•  Kyphotic spines (reversed) suffered the greatest damage to the long ligaments at the back of the spine.

• The greatest area of damage to Kyphotic spines was at the C5-C6 vertebra.

• The greatest area of damage found in those people with Straight Necks was at the C5-C6 and C6-C7 vertebral motion units.

• The most common area of trauma found after crashes is at the C5-C6 level.  The X-rays, MRI's and other advanced testing support this hypothesis.

The real significance of this study is that if you have abnormal spinal posture to start with, you will suffer greater trauma after a crash. 

The analysis is easy to determine if such a spinal imbalance exists.  If you are worried about your teens and their driving, you may also want to be concerned about your teens and their necks!  The detection and early correction is easy, but treating the end result of trauma is difficult.  This year, if you want to send your teens off to school right, have your chiropractor check their spine first!

Stemper BD, Yoganandan N, Pintar FA. Effects of abnormal posture on capsular ligament elongation in a computational model subjected to whiplash loading. Journal of Biomechanics 2005; 38: 1313-1323.

ARM PAIN AFTER WHIPLASH

Front of Neck with Collarbones

This picture was obtained from the original Gray's Anatomy textbook.  Even back then, they did understand the importance of the sheer volume of neck muscles and each function that they performed.  Certain neck muscles help us to swallow, others help to support and turn our head on our bodies, while still others aid in telling us where our head is in space at any given time and make corrections when needed.  The bones of your neck are moved by muscles up to 600 times per hour, even while your sleep!

The neck is an incredible piece of human architecture, but it is fallible and damage occurs, often when you least expect it!

I have discussed in earlier newsletters that a muscle is able to respond to stimuli, both good and bad, in about 150 milliseconds.  The mechanism of whiplash, however, usually occurs in the range of 50-75 milliseconds.  This means that the neck is compressed, the curves are altered and damage is done to the supporting structures of the neck (ligaments, discs, joint capsules), as well as to the nerves and blood vessels themselves, all before the muscles could even spasm to protect you.  It doesn't sound fair does it!  It isn't, but that is one price that we must pay for technology and transportation.

The nerves that exit from the spine must travel out of the vertebra (A) and make their way through the muscles, form a bundle (brachial plexus) and then traverse down the arm to the hand and fingers (B).  There is only so much room between A and B.

A recent study, published in 2005, looked at pain that radiated into the wrist and arm along the median nerve after a whiplash-type crash.  You may remember that a Carpal Tunnel Syndrome affects the median nerve and surgery is often performed to release that nerve (Remember this point!).  The surgery is often ineffective and may be performed several times with poor results.

This study compared whiplash patients who complained of arm pain, non-whiplash patients who complained of arm pain, and a control group with no pain.

Ultrasound imaging was used to determine 'up and down' and 'side to side' motion of the median nerve with breathing in all groups.  The results were quite interesting:

• Up and Down nerve motion was restricted by 71% in whiplash patients and 68% in non-specific arm pain patients.  The control group had normal nerve motion with breathing.

• Side to Side nerve motion actually increased in the same groups that had reduced Up and Down motion.  Again, the control group was negative.

What this study says is that arm pain (median nerve) after a car crash is likely due to whiplash trauma of the neck.  The nerve restriction of motion and pain with even simple breathing is part of the chronic pain syndrome resulting from neck trauma and instability.  Chiropractic care is the solid choice for this type of problem.  I wonder how many unnecessary Carpal Tunnel surgeries are performed because of an initial missed diagnosis?

If you or someone you know is suffering with this type of pain, I hope that this gives you a clearer picture of honest options!

Greening J, Dilley A, Lynn B. In vivo study of nerve movement and mechanosensitivity of the median nerve in whiplash and non-specific arm pain patients. Pain 2005; 115: 248-253.

TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE IN PAIN

FEW ARE TAKING PROPER MEASURES TO RELIEVE IT

Even as a health care professional, I am somewhat surprised at the statistics that I found regarding how Americans take care of themselves.  These findings were the result of a joint survey conducted by ABC, USA Today and Stanford University Medical Center.  1,204 people responded with the following findings:

Frequency and Severity

• More than one out of every five people (44%) reported having acute pain.  One in five (19%) had chronic pain. One in three (34%) called their pain recurrent, meaning that it comes back.

• 62% rated their pain as severe or moderate and another 40% said that they had pain often.

Pain Relief:  Inadequate Attention = Inadequate Relief

• Only 63% of the people responding to the survey reported having talked to a doctor about their pain.

• Regarding those people who did seek care, only 31% said that they received " a great deal/complete relief" of their pain.  More than one in four (41%) reported getting "just some" relief or "hardly any/none".

Location of the Pain: The Back is Still King

• 25% of all people reported their back as the primary area of pain.

• Other conditions reported were the Knee (12%), Head (9%), Shoulder (7%), and Leg (7%).

What Were the Pain Remedies?

• Over the Counter (OTC) drugs were the most commonly used form of home pain remedy and were used by 84% of all people.  
• Home remedies came in second at a whopping 81%!  This means whatever someone made up on their own was used more than any research supported and proven form of care...WOW!
• Prescription drug use was listed by 60% of the respondents.  Of that group, 19% took daily prescription pain medication.
• Chiropractic came in 6th place with only 28% of the respondents saying that they have used Chiropractic for physical pain.  This was tied with simple massage!
• 58% of the people reported using prayer and 58% said they used bed rest for pain instead of Chiropractic.

I don't know if people are failing to get the message about the research-support care that Chiropractic offers for pain or if they are choosing to ignore it because something else might seem more appealing or easier to use.  These statistics are very troubling because:

• People are suffering with pain
• What people are trying to use for their pain isn't working.
• Back pain is still the most common form of pain and Chiropractic is the most successful with treating back pain.
• Who hasn't heard of Chiropractic? 

I am not sure what the answer to this dilemma is, but people are not getting the right information and they are suffering.  I guess that Chiropractic will have to teach louder than ever before.....until everyone understands the why behind the success!!!!

EILEEN'S CORNER

This is a wonderful summer-time dessert that your whole family will love.  It is sure to bring out the kid in everyone!

I have to thank Dorothy Rugland for this recipe.  She has shared a real treat!

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

3 cups Rice Krispies

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup toasted coconut

2 quarts Butter Pecan ice cream

Melt butter in large saucepan.  Add brown sugar, mix well.  cook over medium heat until mixture bubbles, stirring constantly: remove from heat. add cereal , pecans and coconut mix well.  Press half the mixture in 9x9 inch pan. Spread ice cream evenly in pan.  Top with remaining cereal mixture.  Freeze until firm. Cut into squares.  Serves 9-12

Have a great month!

Eileen

HABITACK^® LEAPS ANOTHER HURDLE

The Habitack^® Smoking Cessation Program is better at helping people to quit smoking than earlier projected.  I had reported in June of this year that our success rate for the Pilot Study would be a minimum of 58%.  I was wrong.

The Habitack^® Smoking Cessation Program's true success rate in this study was 73%!

To say that I am tickled pink and humbled at the same time, is an understatement.  I don't know of any group of friends that could agree on a restaurant at 73%.  Do you think that you could get 73% of all dieters to lose the weight they want and keep it off?  If they could, a lot of weight loss programs would be out of business.  Statistics, however, report that upwards of 90% of people who lose weight will regain the weight after a diet, so I don't think that the national vendors have too much to worry about yet!

The original Habitack^® research was done on only the bare-bones 2-day program.  The Program has now expanded to include an outstanding text book that is unlike anything on the market, a series of home Booster Sessions on CD, and the Daily Affirmation Series^® , which is also on CD!

With supporting research and continued success, I feel that there will likely be larger studies performed with this treatment program.  I have been talking to the proper people and only time will tell if a large, randomized clinical trial will be scheduled....how fun would that be?

Today, in Minnesota, the legislature passed a 75 cent-per-pack tax on cigarettes, but that isn't the whole truth.  When all is said and done, smoker's can expect to pay in excess of $1.20 more per pack of cigarettes.

For those of you who have already gone through my program, you know why raising the price of cigarettes will not force someone to quit smoking.  It is ludicrous to believe that it would.  This is an expensive tax for an already penalized group of people.  The Habitack^® Smoking Cessation Program could not have arrived at a better time!

In closing, I want to thank each of you who wrote testimonials for the text book.  It was very kind.  I smiled when I read each one because I could tell what it meant to you.  Thank you very much!

I hope that you enjoyed this issue of Dr. Frisch's ENews and that you learned as much by reading it as I did by writing it!

Until next month,

Dr. Frisch