Van Roon Chiropractic » Research

POOR POSTURE LINKED WITH POORER OVERALL HEALTH

Dr. Dan Van Roon — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 03:26:34 +0000

In a recent study published in Spine, the authors conclude that positive sagittal balance (poor posture, where the head and neck deviate forward from normal), was detrimental to their overall health. Furthermore, the farther it deviated from normal, the worse their overall health. Check out the study here.
Unfortunately, i see more and more of this problem. Possibly because we sit at a desk job all day long, then go home and sit in front of a computer. There are probably even many more reasons why. However, good posture is important to your overall health. So it is very important to eat right, live a healthy active lifestyle and at least get your posture checked occasionally!

Soy intake and Breast Cancer

Dr. Dan Van Roon — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 02:54:52 +0000

Check out this article I recently found in Dynamic Chiropractic that states that according to a recent population-based prospective study, soy intake is safe and was linked with lower mortality and recurrence among breast cancer patients. This recent discovery goes against experiments conducted in test tubes that showed soy isoflavones enhance cellular replication, which would enhance cancer cells. The study referred to in this article was on over 5000 breast cancer subjects in China from 2002 to 2009.

Laser Therapy Useful for Acute and Chronic Neck Pain

Dr. Dan Van Roon — Tue, 11 May 2010 04:01:22 +0000

In a recent study published in the Lancet , low level laser therapy helped patients with both acute and chronic neck pain. More surprising was that chronic neck pain patients were statistically significantly better even 22 weeks after laser treatment. Check it out at the link above.

acetaminophen with vaccines reduces vaccine response

Dr. Dan Van Roon — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 03:30:27 +0000

In a study published in the October 17, 2009 issue in The Lancet, researchers discovered that giving acetaminophen to children at the time of the vaccine reduces the effectiveness of the vaccination. Physicians often tell parents to give their child acetaminophen to reduce the febrile response, which it does, but in the meantime it reduces the immune response as well. Seems odd to me, give your child a shot, take a fever reducer to bring down the febrile reaction to the shot, and reduce the effectiveness of what you were hoping to accomplish. The conclusion the authors came to was to not routinely recommend acetaminophen with the vaccine, only if your child develops a fever and is very uncomfortable.
I am not saying if I condone the routine administration of vaccines for children or not. But if you do vaccinate, a common sense approach would be in line with the authors of the study.

Vitamin C supplementation importance evidence keeps mounting

Dr. Dan Van Roon — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 13:21:34 +0000

The evidence of the importance of Vitamin C in our diet keeps adding up. Vitamin C is known to enhance our immune system, for tissue repair, for cardiovascular health and most importantly, to fight cancer. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. Check out this recent research article that I found on pubmed online about the benefits of Vitamin C.

Chiropractic manipulation can lower blood pressure?

Dr. Dan Van Roon — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 02:40:21 +0000

Check out this feature story from abc news on a recent study on chiropractic and blood pressure. Interestingly enough, the study group receiving chiropractic manipulation lowered their blood pressure by an average of 17 points. Amazing! And without the side effects from prescription medications.

Laser Therapy Treatment Helpful for Neck Pain

Dr. Dan Van Roon — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 01:58:47 +0000

Check out this literature review in Dynamic Chiropractic that concludes that low-level laser therapy reduces both acute and chronic neck pain.

The Drugging of Americans

Dr. Dan Van Roon — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 03:39:51 +0000

Look at these shocking statistics that were based on estimates on well-conducted studies, mainly in the United States:

• Each year approximately 41,000 older adults are hospitalized—and 3,300 of these die—from NSAIDs. Thousands of younger adults are hospitalized.

• At least 16,000 injuries from auto crashes each year involving older drivers are attributable to the use of psychoactive drugs, specifically benzodiazepines and tricyclic antidepressants. Psychoactive drugs are those that affect the mind or behavior.

• Each year approximately 32,000 older adults suffer from hip fractures attributable to drug-induced falls, resulting in more than 1,500 deaths. In one study, the main categories of drugs responsible for the falls leading to hip fractures were sleeping pills and minor tranquilizers (30%), antipsychotic drugs (52%), and antidepressants (17%).

• Approximately 163,000 older Americans suffer from serious mental impairment (memory loss, dementia) either caused or worsened by drugs. In a study in the state of Washington, in 46% of the patients with drug-induced mental impairment, the problem was caused by minor tranquilizers or sleeping pills; in 14%, by high blood pressure drugs; and in 11%, by antipsychotic drugs.

• Two million older Americans are addicted or at risk of addiction to minor tranquilizers or sleeping pills because they have used them daily for at least one year.

• Drug-induced tardive dyskinesia has developed in 73,000 older adults; this condition is the most serious and common adverse reaction to antipsychotic drugs, and it is often irreversible. Tardive dyskinesia is characterized by involuntary movements of the face, arms and legs. About 80% of older adults receiving antipsychotic drugs do not have schizophrenia or other conditions that justify the use of such powerful drugs, so many of these patients have serious side effects from drugs that were prescribed inappropriately.

• Drug-induced parkinsonism has developed in 61,000 older adults also due to the use of antipsychotic drugs.

A serious problem exists because both doctors and patients do not realize that practically any symptom in older adults and in many younger adults can be caused or worsened by drugs. Some doctors and patients assume that what are actually adverse drug reactions are simply signs of aging. As a result, many serious adverse reactions are entirely overlooked or not recognized until they have caused significant harm.

The drugs responsible for the most serious adverse reactions in older adults are tranquilizers, sleeping pills, and other mind-affecting drugs; cardiovascular drugs such as high blood pressure drugs, digoxin, and drugs for abnormal heart rhythms; and drugs for treating intestinal problems.

Chiropractic treatment recommended for pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain

Dr. Dan Van Roon — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 04:26:49 +0000

Check out this recent study that I found in the October 2009 JMPT issue. Chiropractic treatment is a safe and effective therapy for many pregnant women with lumbopelvic pain.

Ear Infections

Dr. Dan Van Roon — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 02:11:57 +0000

In the October issue of the Ladies Home Journal appeared an article entitled, “Chiropractic Adjustments for Chronic Ear Infections.” This article reviewed several studies showing the effectiveness of chiropractic care for preventing re-occurring ear infections known as Otitis Media or OM.
According to the article, reoccurring ear infections account for over 35% of all pediatrician visits in the United States. Sometimes these infections are due to bacteria and sometimes these are due to a virus. The most common medical care for this situation has been antibiotics, even though antibiotics have no effect on viruses. While the article mentions that the antibiotic may be effective in an acute bacterial infection, they do nothing to stop repeat infections. Research and statistics is now showing that repeated use of antibiotics is contributing to future infections by creating drug-resistant infections. The surgical approach has met with little long term results as the “tubes” placed in children’s ears often come out and usually require a child to be put under general anesthesia to do the surgery.

The article in the Ladies Home Journal states, “Chiropractic care is thought to prevent recurrent infections by correcting misalignments (called subluxations) and allowing normal fluid drainage from the middle ear.” What the article took special note of was that 6 months after the chiropractic care was given to the children in the study, 80 percent had not suffered a recurrence of ear infections.

In closing the article did make a profound statement. They made a recommendation to parents on this subject. “If your child is between ear infections and his doctor suggests ear-tube surgery, ask if you can try chiropractic treatment first.” While we agree with that sentiment, we suggest you not wait for a period between episodes, and you don’t have to “ask” permission from any other doctor to seek chiropractic care. As the sneaker company said, “just do it!”