Bridgeport Chiropractic Group

Just a reminder that your best protection against the Swine Flu is hand washing...Remember to wash your hands as long as it takes to sing "Happy Birthday!"  Purel and other hand sanitizers are also very effective protection.

It's that timeof year again...Spring and summer's humidity and warm temps bring out those dreaded mosquitos.  It is also time to think about protecting yourself and your family from the West Nile Virus.  Make sure you put on insect repelent when outdoors and to keep mosguitos from breeding in your yard, be sure to dump out and containers of standing water, as this is where they like to lay their eggs.

Being the father of a 3 1/2 year old and a 3 month old, I understand the concerns and hesitations that many parents have when vaccinating their children.  I believe that it is important if not necessary to vaccinate our children against the many harmful viruses in our world, however I have struggled with the amout of vaccines given at a time.  While I have chosen to vaccinate my children, I have worked with their pediatrician to come up with a schedule that works for my family and makes me feel more comfortable.  As parents, it is important that you educate yourself about all the facts about vaccines and related concerns such as autism.  The CDC and World Health Organization publish studies and facts on their websites as well as vaccine watchdog groups such as the National Vaccine Information Center.  Whatever choice you make when it comes to vaccinating your child, remember it is your choice and you should feel comfortable knowing that you made the right choice for you and your family.

Related links mentioned above:

www.cdc.gov

www.WHO.int

www.nvic.org

 

I came across an interesting article on the internet today about what you should consider when choosing a suncreen.  Thought this would be helpful since the weather is getting nicer !

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/painter/2009-05-31-yourhealthsunscreen_N.htm

 

NEW STUDY CONFIRMS:
Chiropractic DOES NOT Increase Risk of Stroke

by American Chiropractic Association

Study: Chiropractic Does Not Increase Risk of Stroke


A new study finds there is no evidence of excess risk of stroke following chiropractic spinal manipulation, according to a February 2008 report in the journal Spine. In the study, researchers noted that patients are no more likely to suffer a stroke following chiropractic treatment than they would after visiting their family doctor’s office.

The study goes on to say that any observed association between a vertebrobasilar artery (VBA) stroke and chiropractic manipulation is likely due to patients with an undiagnosed vertebral artery dissection seeking care for neck pain and headache before their stroke.

“This may prove to be one of the most important and significant studies in the profession’s history,” said ACA President Glenn Manceaux, DC. “The results of this study confirm that chiropractic manipulation is a safe and appropriate course of treatment.”

The issue of stroke being associated with a chiropractic neck adjustment focuses around the very rare occurrence of a tear to the vertebral artery as it passes through the sides of the upper cervical vertebrae and into the base of the skull. An injury to the arterial wall may lead to formation of a blood clot, which can break free and travel upward until it lodges in one of the smaller blood vessels in the base of the brain, blocking circulation.

There are many reports in the literature of cervical artery dissections (CADs) occurring after everyday activities that most people would consider non-traumatic, such as turning the head when driving, having your hair washed at a beauty salon, or sleeping on your stomach.

A research paper published in 2001 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found there is only a one-in-5.85-million risk that a chiropractic neck adjustment will be associated with a subsequent CAD and stroke.

In this new study, the Canadian team looked at nine years of data in Ontario, and found that only 818 patients with a VBA stroke were reported among a population of some 11.5 million people. Unlike a previous study in 2001 that investigated the relationship between chiropractic visits and vertebral artery stroke, researchers in this study also studied visits to family doctors that preceded this kind of stroke.

According to the study’s authors, “Because the association between chiropractic visits and VBA stroke is not greater than the association between PCP visits and VBA stroke, there is no excess risk of VBA stroke from chiropractic care.”

Click here to Spine Journal web site.


Stroke Warning Signs
While there are no standard screening procedures to indentify patients with neck pain who are also at risk of a VBA stroke, health care providers should be aware of the following stroke warning:

Sudden difficulty speaking (slurred speech) understanding what people are saying
Sudden onset of confusion or altered mental status, such as loss of consciousness, or recognizing people who should be familiar
Sudden numbness or tingling on one side the face or body, or both
Sudden onset of dizziness or unsteadiness, loss of balance or coordination, or both
Sudden difficulty walking or standing upright
Sudden severe headache
Sudden severe unexplained upper-neck pain
Sudden trouble with vision or sight

Just checking to see if this works !!!!!