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The truth about the swine flu vaccine

By Scott Beck, DC

With the 2009-2010 flu season in full force, many Americans are searching for protection for them and their families. This year is particularly scary since we are faced with the first pandemic (global outbreak) in over 40 years because of the H1N1 influenza virus. As growing controversy over the safety and effectiveness of the seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccines spread, the question “what am I to do” often arises. To make an informative decision on your families health care options, we must first take a look at the facts.

Each day the media reports additional cases of H1N1 infections and rising death tolls attributed to the pandemic disease. In July of 2009, the World Health Organization issued a press release stating that it will no longer release the global table of H1N1 infections because it is “extremely difficult, if not impossible” to determine swine flu cases in laboratory testing. The Centers for Disease Control issued a similar statement on October 2, 2009. “Influenza diagnosis will not distinguish between infection with seasonal influenza vs. infection with A-H1N1.” However, we are told by our doctors and the media that it is imperative to have the flu and “swine” flu vaccine this season.

Here are a few facts on that:

The nasal spray vaccine by MedImmune has demonstrated evidence in clinical trials of shedding the live virus for 3-21 days post-vaccination. This means that vaccinating large populations, especially school children, with the live nasal-spray vaccine may actually cause a rise in the number of those infected! Also, pregnant woman have been identified as a targeted risk group for H1N1 and seasonal influenza, therefore, they are urged to get the vaccines. However, Influenza vaccines are Category C pharmaceuticals, which means that no animal or human studies have been conducted for safety. Influenza vaccines have not been tested on pregnant women.

As a concerned and informed parent, you are now wondering what you can do to protect your family with a safe and natural approach. The simple answer: CHIROPRACTIC. One of the most important studies on chiropractic and the immune system was performed by Ronald Pero, Ph.D., chief of cancer prevention research at New York's Preventive Medicine Institute and professor of medicine at New York University.

Dr. Pero measured the immune systems of people under chiropractic care as compared to those in the general population and those with cancer and other serious diseases. His initial three-year study was of 107 individuals who had been under chiropractic care for five years or more. The chiropractic patients were found to have a 200% greater immune competence than those people who had not received chiropractic care, and they had 400% greater immune competence than those people with cancer and other serious diseases. The immune system superiority of those under chiropractic care did not appear to diminish with age. Dr. Pero stated “When applied in a clinical framework, I have never seen a group other than this chiropractic group to experience a 200% increase over the normal patients. This is why it is so dramatically important. We have never seen such a positive improvement in a group.”

The immune system is affected by the nervous system through the connections with the endocrine and the autonomic nervous system. And chiropractic care improves the function of the nervous system through improving the movement of the spinal bones that encase and protect the spinal cord. Stressful conditions lead to altered measures of immune function, and altered susceptibility to a variety of diseases. Chiropractic care is a safe, gentle and effective way to enhance your immune system this flu season.

Health Update: Headaches

The following are excerpts from the expert opinion of Dr. Joseph Cilea of the Advanced Wellness Center in Marlboro, New Jersey.
Pain Management
Acupuncture
Chiropractics
Spine Compression

  Chiropractic Care and Headaches

     "I can't believe how much my head hurts!"  I've been laid off from work for the last 3 weeks and worried about making my mortgage payment this month - I think the stress is getting out of control!  Pain starts in my neck and radiates into my head eventually making my whole head hurt, especially behind my eyes.  There are times I feel like my head might explode!  I can't stand loud noises or even normal noise.  Over the counter medications aren't touching it and I can't drive if I take some of the medications my doctor prescribed.  I don't know what to do next."

     This history is classic for the diagnosis of a tension-type of headache (TTH).  As unemployment rates reach new highs and stress levels climb, it is no wonder more and more people are presenting with this condition.  Even prior to the recession, TTH was the most common type of headache experienced by adults affecting 10-65% of the population.  The impact on daily living by TTH is significant as it disrupts daily activities, quality of life, and work.  These types of headaches, according to the International Headache Society (HIS), can last from 30 minutes to 7 days, do not include nausea/vomiting but may include increased sensitivity to light or noise (rarely both at the same time).  The most common frequency is less than 15 TTH's/month.

     Medication has been the primary medical form of treatment and some patients require the regular use of certain medications, even when headaches are not present - - as in some cases, it's too late to start meds once the headache starts.  In these cases, Amitriptyline has been the most frequently prescribed medication and it's considered the drug of choice for TTH.  Chiropractic spinal manipulation (CSM) has been reported to be helpful in a number of prior studies.  One reported equal benefit as Amitriptyline with 6 weeks of treatment.

     A recent publication conducted a study using a new design where TTH sufferers with more than 10 headaches per month were randomly assigned to one of four groups: 1) cervical spinal manipulation (CSM) + amitriptyline, 2) CSM + placebo (fake) amitriptyline; 3) sham CSM + real amitriptyline; or 4) sham CSM + placebo amitriptyline.  That way, one can determine which of the two or, the combination of both is most beneficial.  An initial period of 4 weeks was followed by a 14 week treatment period. A headache diary was used to track headache frequency in the last 28 days of the treatment period.  Nineteen completed the study and the combined effect carried the most statistically significant result with a close second with CSM alone.  A larger sample size was recommended for a more statistically powerful evaluation.

     This study is important as CSM by itself was found to be at least as (if not more) effective than Amitriptyline alone, which is the medication of choice for TTH.  Hence, if CSM or Amitriptyline alone are not found to be satisfying, the combination of the two is strongly supported by this study.

     If you, a family member or a friend require care, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our service.  We are proud that chiropractic care has consistently scored the highest level of satisfaction when compared to other forms of health care provision and look forward in serving you and your family presently and in the future.

Health Update: Carpal Tunnel

The following are excerpts from the expert opinion of Dr. Joseph Cilea of the Advanced Wellness Center in Marlboro, New Jersey.
Pain Management
Acupuncture
Chiropractics
Spine Compression
 

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) -  A "Typical" Case Example

     "I've been working on the line for 13 years and started noticing periodic tingling in my fingers.  It didn't last long and I didn't think about it much.  It gradually became more frequent and wouldn't go away when I changed my activity or shook my hand or fingers.  It started to really grab my attention when I started to drop things out of my hand and couldn't open jars as easily.  That's when I decided to see what was wrong.  I didn't know who to go to so I went to my family doctor and he diagnosed carpal tunnel syndrome.  He gave me a splint to wear at night and some anti-inflammatory drugs that irritated my stomach, so I quit the drugs.  The splint helped me sleep and I didn't wake up as often.  The doctor was talking about surgery to undo a pinch the nerve at my wrist if it didn't get better soon, but I overheard some co-workers talk about seeing a chiropractor for their carpal tunnel problems and how much better they felt so I decided to try it.

     "The chiropractor was very thorough and examined my neck, shoulder, elbow as well as my wrist and hand.  He indicated that several areas were putting pressure on the nerve that goes into the hand and the pinch was not just at the wrist but higher up in my neck, shoulder and forearm.  He said if I wasn't at least 50% better in 4 weeks, we would talk about other tests and treatment options and investigate it further.  He worked on my neck, shoulder, elbow, forearm and hand, using manipulations and other methods to loosen it up.  He said the nerve was getting pinched by the muscles working too fast and not getting enough rest.  He gave me exercises to do several times a day at work to stretch the forearm muscles and had me continue the use of the brace at night.  He also taught me how to ice massage the wrist for 5 minutes until it got numb, several times a day and he recommended I use vitamin B6, 50mg, three times a day.  After the 3rd week, I started to notice a decrease in the intensity, frequency and duration of numbness and weakness.  He had me fill out a Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire and my score improved a lot after the first 4 weeks.  He said he may have to evaluate my workstation and make some modifications, if possible.  He asked me a lot about the position of my wrist and hand when I work and didn't seem to like the type of screw driver I was using.  He called my boss and asked if a different type of screw driver with a power source and a pistol shaped handle could be tried and it was arranged.  That seemed to really make a difference."

     Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or CTS, is a common problem that is usually cumulative, slow and gradual in its onset, and can progress to a point where functions like buttoning shirts, threading a needle, and holding a newspaper are greatly affected.  People usually don't run to the doctor at the first signs of CTS as the initial symptoms are vague and initially not too impairing.  Over time, CTS can become quite severe and often prompts a surgical recommendation, without trying a non-surgical approach first.

     There are a number of studies published regarding the chiropractic management of CTS that show these non-surgical methods can be quite successful.  One compared medical care consisting of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and nocturnal wrist splinting to chiropractic care consisting of spine and extremity manipulation, nocturnal wrist splinting, and ultrasound over the wrist.  Both treatment approaches were helpful, suggesting the importance of trying either or even both of these non-surgical treatments prior to proceeding to surgery.

     We take pride in providing quality, evidence-based care and appreciate the opportunity to do so when patients choose our clinic for their care.  We realize there are many health care options available and truly appreciate the confidence shown by our patients when choosing our clinic for their health care needs.  If you, a friend or family member requires care for CTS, we would be honored to offer our services.