Here’s a Thought… Let's Try to Always Protect & Our Elders

Think of an older person in your life that you respect or has influenced you as a person. It could be a grandparent, an elderly neighbor, a mentor from your childhood that has grown old, anybody.

Now, when you conjure up that image, what do you think of that person? If you’re anything like me, you feel a sense of gratitude. You know that you owe them for everything that they’ve given you, whether it’s something small like a piece of sage-like advice or something huge like financial help in a time of crisis. The simple reality is that humanity has only advanced by building on top of what the previous generation has provided. All of the knowledge, skills and tools we have to succeed we only have because the people who came before us passed that knowledge, skill or tool onto us. It’s why we say, “Respect your elders.” We owe our elders everything.

That’s why, if you’re like me, reading this article will make you pretty angry.

What the article essentially highlights is the fact that as many as one in ten people over the age of 60 suffer from some sort of abuse. This abuse could be anything from neglect, mistreatment, or exploitation of a physical, psychological or sexual nature. That’s as many as 4 million seniors being abused across the country. How could we let this happen?

It’s not just our responsibility to respect our elders, but also to protect our elders. They certainly deserve better than to be physically abused or taken advantage of. It makes me sick that this stuff is going on and so little is being done about it.

Back in 2010 we did pass the Elder Justice Act, but with statistics like that it seems that 2 years later the policy has done little to change a situation that is only going to get worse if unchecked.

Census projection data shows us that by 2020 there will be an estimated 74 million people living in the US over 60 years old. That’s nearly twice as many as in 2010. With the baby boomers reaching retirement age there is going to be a lot of pressure on the younger generations to step up and take care of the growing older generation. With so many more elderly to take care of it is going to be more likely that their care is entrusted to someone who is going to abuse them. We need to take steps to ensure that that does not happen.

I honestly believe that the best way to make sure that our elders stay protected is to give them the power to get help quickly and efficiently. The best way to do this is to arm our seniors with Medical Alerts. There is no better way to make sure that someone can get help when they need it then to put an device in their hands that means one button gets them the help they need.

Just look at this news story of a woman who’s medical alert button saved her from an attack by her daughter. Seeing is believing.

Why Aren’t the Son’s of the Baby Boomers Leaving the Nest?

Trend Watch: Gen X Not Leaving the Nest 

By. Christopher Dreno

I read an article in Philly Mag the other day that says that Young Men, ages 18-34, just aren’t behaving like adults in the way that society says they should. The Author, Sandy Hingston, cites numerous statistics that all show how young men are staying home, not getting jobs and definitely not getting married, or at least not doing those things before age 30. The big statistic that she quoted that hit home with me was this:

“Sociologists cite five “markers” or “milestones” that have traditionally defined our notion of adulthood: finishing school, moving away from the parental home, becoming financially independent, getting married, and having a child. In 1960, 65 percent of men had ticked off all five by age 30; by 2000, only a third had.”

Now, I am a 24, I’ve lived away from my parent’s house since I was 19, I’ve graduated from college, I have a job, I pay my own bills, I even have a girlfriend who I’ve been dating for 4 years, and I’ve got 6 whole years before I’m 30 to get married and start having kids. With all that, it would be pretty easy for me to dismiss this whole article as the grumbling of an older generation against the younger one. I want to say: “I’m doing just fine, mom and dad, even if I didn’t walk to school uphill both ways in the snow.”

But, even with all that I have to admit that she has a point. Things are changing quite a bit in young men my age, and I’m not entirely convinced that it is for the better.

Before I go any further, I want to point out that this article is extraordinarily biased and does not take many factors into consideration in a lot of it’s points, but I don’t really want to delve too deeply into that rabbit hole. I still recommend reading it; just remember to take some of the points with a grain of salt.

The thing that made me take the article seriously wasn’t all of the statics on how young people are living with their parents longer. There are plenty of explanations for that. More and more people are staying in college longer, getting masters degrees. The economy is really tough right now and families often have to band together to make it through. I’m sure some of us are even living at home for medical reasons, taking care of our parents because we’re afraid to leave them home alone (if you’re one of these people I recommend getting your parents a Medical Alert they make the best medical alarms for seniors). All of those are totally understandable reasons for living with your parents in your 30’s. The thing that got me was that in the interviews the author conducted with people my age there was an all too familiar theme of apathy ringing in their words. It wasn’t just that they had to move home for financial reasons; it was that they didn’t care.

It’s one thing to have a hard time finding a job after college, or to fall on some hard times and have to move back home, it’s another thing to settle into the comfort of home with seemingly no desire to leave. The scary thing to me was that the apathy I saw in Hingston’s interviews wasn’t very different from the apathy I’ve seen in a lot of young men I have met.

So what do you think? Is the younger generation really just lazy? Or am I just turning into the kind of guy that tells kids to get off his lawn a little early?

 

Here’s a Thought… Protect & Respect Your Elders

By. Christopher Dreno

I read an article in Philly Mag the other day that says that Young Men, ages 18-34, just aren’t behaving like adults in the way that society says they should. The Author, Sandy Hingston, cites numerous statistics that all show how young men are staying home, not getting jobs and definitely not getting married, or at least not doing those things before age 30. The big statistic that she quoted that hit home with me was this:
 
“Sociologists cite five “markers” or “milestones” that have traditionally defined our notion of adulthood: finishing school, moving away from the parental home, becoming financially independent, getting married, and having a child. In 1960, 65 percent of men had ticked off all five by age 30; by 2000, only a third had.”
 
Now, I am a 24, I’ve lived away from my parent’s house since I was 19, I’ve graduated from college, I have a job, I pay my own bills, I even have a girlfriend who I’ve been dating for 4 years, and I’ve got 6 whole years before I’m 30 to get married and start having kids. With all that, it would be pretty easy for me to dismiss this whole article as the grumbling of an older generation against the younger one. I want to say: “I’m doing just fine, mom and dad, even if I didn’t walk to school uphill both ways in the snow.”
 
But, even with all that I have to admit that she has a point. Things are changing quite a bit in young men my age, and I’m not entirely convinced that it is for the better.
 
Before I go any further, I want to point out that this article is extraordinarily biased and does not take many factors into consideration in a lot of it’s points, but I don’t really want to delve too deeply into that rabbit hole. I still recommend reading it; just remember to take some of the points with a grain of salt.
 
The thing that made me take the article seriously wasn’t all of the statics on how young people are living with their parents longer. There are plenty of explanations for that. More and more people are staying in college longer, getting masters degrees. The economy is really tough right now and families often have to band together to make it through. I’m sure some of us are even living at home for medical reasons, taking care of our parents because we’re afraid to leave them home alone (if you’re one of these people I recommend getting your parents a Medical Alert they make the best medical alarms for seniors). All of those are totally understandable reasons for living with your parents in your 30’s. The thing that got me was that in the interviews the author conducted with people my age there was an all too familiar theme of apathy ringing in their words. It wasn’t just that they had to move home for financial reasons; it was that they didn’t care.
 
It’s one thing to have a hard time finding a job after college, or to fall on some hard times and have to move back home, it’s another thing to settle into the comfort of home with seemingly no desire to leave. The scary thing to me was that the apathy I saw in Hingston’s interviews wasn’t very different from the apathy I’ve seen in a lot of young men I have met.
 
So what do you think? Is the younger generation really just lazy? Or am I just turning into the kind of guy that tells kids to get off his lawn a little early?

Cure for Cancer Goes Unnoticed

So I read this article today, and I thought it was some pretty exciting news. That is, until I realized that it was published in 2007…

It turns out that at the University of Alberta researchers discovered a new way to fight cancer, a way that, until recently, scientists and doctors had never considered. Inside of every cell there is a useful little organelle called the mitochondria. You probably know it from your high school biology classes as the energy producing part of the cell, but the mitochondria has a second, very important function: self-destruct. In cancer cells, the mitochondrion’s self destruct function is switched off. This is why cancer tumors continue to grow and spread, the cancer cells never die. Since the 1930’s scientists have believed that the mitochondria in cancer cells were permanently damaged and that was a result of, or even the cause of the cancer. In Alberta they figured out a way to reactivate the mitochondria in cancer cells, allowing them to self-destruct and causing cancer cells to diminish.

But here is the real beauty about this whole thing. The treatment that they are developing only affects cancerous cells, and leaves healthy cells alone. This means that there are very few side affects to the treatment. Even better, the treatment (called DCA) cannot be patented and can be produced pretty cheaply. So there is a cheap, affective cancer treatment out there with few side-affects? Hallelujah!
So why am I only just hearing about this now? This initial research was done back in 2007, surely 5 years is enough time to have gotten the ball rolling on this one. It’s obvious, according to this DCA update site, that this research is ongoing, so what’s the holdup?

Well, here’s where things get sticky. Some people think that pharmaceutical companies aren’t backing this research because the treatment can’t be patented and therefore wont make them any money. So you mean to tell me that we’re not investing in a possible cancer treatment because there is no way to make money off of it? The original researcher, Dr. Evangelos Michelakis, even said that he was worried he would not be able to get much funding for that very reason.

So what gives Big Pharmacy? Can’t we invest in just helping people? I admit that it’s possible that this research is just not providing sufficient findings, but everything I’ve read suggests otherwise. Something must be stopping this treatment from gaining some ground and I don’t know what else it could be.

I just get so worked up thinking about all of our elders suffering from this disease in nursing homes and hospitals when with this treatment they might be able to come home and spend their golden years in their own homes or with their families. Of course, I would never let my parents go without their medical alert system to keep them safe.

Circular Perfection | Gold Light Art Studios

The sphere is perfect as a classroom exercise because there is no way of faking it! If you make one of the transition tones in the light even a little bit too dark it will look like a spot or blemish. Make the value too light in the dark range and the form doesn't turn. The more one works on it and the more real looking it becomes, the more delicate your handling must become or it will stand out compared to the previously painted passages.

Jessica Du painted this during the Sunday drawing and painting class. She is in high school and works very consistently here, even though she has the usual full high school schedule. This is all going into her college portfolio I am completely impressed at her level of focus and the care she puts into her studies. At that age, I had nowhere near her level of maturity or quality of finished work.

Medical Alert Goes on Television Courtesy of DRTV Agency Kre8 Media Inc.

Medical Alert Direct Response Via TV

Although it’s one of the veteran companies in its category, Medical Alert had never used direct-response television advertising before choosing Kre8 Media Inc. as its new agency. Medical Alert’s new TV campaign from Kre8 Media debuted in August and new leads and orders have spiked.
Medical Alert’s in-home personal alarm system lets people who are experiencing a medical emergency summon help by pushing a button on a wristband or pendant.
The campaign from Kre8 Media is aimed both at senior citizens who live by themselves and the people who care for them. This represents a combined audience in excess of 10 million people. Previously, Medical Alert, a unit of Connect America, had relied on print and online advertising.
Kre8 is using two of its trademark tactics to increase Medical Alert’s market share: telephone numbers that are unique to the networks on which the commercials run and the single Internet URL use www.medicalalert.com. Much of Kre8’s growth and success since its founding is the result of its ability to track Internet responses to the commercials that generated the responses with the aid of sophisticated metrics and modeling.

“Medical Alert is a natural for direct-response TV advertising,” said T. Lee Cutler, founder and president of Kre8 Media. “Their dual audience now has two ways of responding to the company’s offer: an 800 number for the seniors and an Internet address for their younger caregivers. Using this new approach, we’ve already seen an increase at this early stage in the TV campaign.” Kre8 Media’s DRTV Buying tactics have proven to be extremely effective.

New Jersey Pain Management

 

NJ_Pain_Management: If you suffer from chronic pain, NJCSPM provides effective, long-term pain management treatment.

Most Memorable List For 2011

What was the most memorable list in 2011 to you? Let us know in the comments.

According to Nielsen, the top web brands in 2011 (in the U.S.) were:

1. Google

2. Facebook

3. Yahoo

4. MSN/WindowsLive/Bing

5. YouTube

6. Microsoft

7. AOL Media Network

8. Wikipedia

9. Apple

10. Ask

For social networks and blogs (in the U.S.) the list was:

1. Facebook

2. Blogger

3. Twitter

4. WordPress

5. MySpace

6. LinkedIn

7. Tumblr

8. Google+

9. Yahoo Pulse

10. Six Apart TypePad

The Top online destinations for video (in the U.S.) were:

1. YouTube

2. VEVO

3. Facebook

4. Yahoo

5. MSN/WindowsLive/Bing

6. AOL Media Network

7. Hulu

8. The CollegeHumor Network

9. CNN Digital Network

10. Netflix

 

Twitter

Twitter's most tweeted events (tweets per second):

6,939 - JAN 1 - New Years

4,064 - FEB 6 - Super Bowl

5,530 - MAR 11 - Japanese earthquake and tsunami

3,966 - APR 29 - UK Royal Wedding

5,106 - MAY 2 - Raid on Osama bin Laden

6,303 - MAY 28 - UEFA Champions League

5,531 - JUN 13- NBA Finals

6,436 - JUN 27 - BET Awards

4,995 - JUL 11 - Home Run Derby

7,166 - JUL 17 - Brazil eliminated from the Copa America

7,196 - JUL 17 - End of FIFA Women's World Cup

5,449 - AUG 23 - East Coast earthquake

7,064 - AUG 25 - Steve Jobs resigns

8,868 - AUG 28 - MTV Video Music Awards

7,671 - SEP 20 - Troy Davis executed

6,049 - OCT 6 - Steve Jobs passes away

The top hashtags of the year were:

1. #egypt

2. #tigerblood

3. #threewordstoliveby

4. #idontunderstandwhy

5. #japan

6. #improudtosay

7. #superbowl

8. #jan25

The top topics were broken down by category

TV:

1. Pretty Little Liars

2. Two and a Half Men

3. The Craigslist Killer

4. Golden Globe Awards

5. People's Choice Awards

Movies:

1. Thor

2. The Dark Knight Rises

3. X-Men: First Class

4. Fast Five

5. Green Hornet

Music:

1. Rebecca Black and Friday

2. Nate Dogg

3. FEMME FATALE

4. Gerry Rafferty

5. Gil Scott-Heron

Actresses:

1. Elizabeth Taylor

2. Mila Kunis

3. Anne Hathaway

4. Raven Symone

5. Natalie Portman

6. Elisabeth Sladen

7. Jennifer Lopez

8. Nina Dobrev

9. Emma Watson

10. Fernanda Vasconcellos

Actors:

1. Charlie Sheen

2. Macaulay Culkin

3. Ryan Dunn

4. Ricky Gervais

5. Pete Postlethwaite

6. Tracy Morgan

7. Jake Gyllenhaal

8. Ashton Kutcher

9. Colin Firth

10. James Franco

Soccer:

1. Wayne Rooney

2. Fernando Torres

3. Howard Webb

4. Wembley Stadium

5. Colo Colo

Football:

1. Dallas

2. Green & Yellow

3. Superbowl MMXI

4. Jim Harbaugh

5. Pittsburgh Steelers

NBA:

1. Rashard Lewis

2. Ray Allen

3. Derrick Rose

4. Jason Terry

5. Dallas Mavericks

Baseball:

1. Texas Rangers

2. Bert Blyleven

3. Roberto Alomar

4. Vernon Wells

5. Justin Verlander

Food and Drink:

1. McLobster

2. Fried Kool-Aid

3. Starbucks Trenta

4. Devassa Beer

5. Guinness

6. BBQ

7. Mac & Cheese

World News:

1. Mubarak's resignation

2. Raid on Osama bin Laden

3. Japanese earthquake and Fukushima nuclear disaster

4. Shooting of Gabrielle Giffords

5. Gaddafi's death

6. Swine Flu outbreak

7. WoW Gold Guide

Cities and Countries:

1. Cairo

2. Egypt

3. Japan

4. Libya

5. Tokyo

6. Dallas

7. Vancouver

8. Hawaii

9. Joplin

10. Austin

Tech:

1. Mac App Store

2. Sony NGP

3. Guitar Hero

4. Mozilla Firefox

5. Duke Nukem Forever

6. iPad

7. iPhone

8. Nintendo 3DS

9. Mortal Kombat

10. iPod

Facebook

Facebook's top games:

Gardens of Time (Playdom)

The Sims Social (EA)

Cityville (Zynga)

DoubleDown Casino (DoubleDown Interactive)

Indiana Jones Adventure World (Zynga)

Words With Friends (Zynga)

Bingo Blitz (Buffalo Studios)

Empires & Allies (Zynga)

Slotomania-Slot Machines (Playtika)

Diamond Dash (wooga)

Facebook topic lists for 2011

US Top 10 status trends

1. lms (like my status)

2. tbh (to be honest)

3. Death of Osama bin Laden

4. Charlie Sheen

5. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

6. Casey Anthony found not guilty

7. Packers win the Super Bowl

8. Hurricane Irene

9. Insidious (movie)

10. Death of Amy Winehouse

Fastest growing areas of interest on Facebook globally

Entertainment

Actors and TV Personalities

1. Megan Fox

2. Vin Diesel

3. Adam Sandler

4. Selena Gomez

5. Will Smith

6. Taylor Lautner

7. Jackie Chan

8. Ashley Tisdale

9. DJ Pauly D

10. Kim Kardashian

  

Movies

1. Harry Potter

2. The Twilight Saga

3. Toy Story

4. Avatar

5. Jackass

6. Shrek

7. Saw

8. Pirates of the Caribbean

9. Fast &Furious

10. Titanic

  

TV Shows

1. House

2. Two and a Half Men

3. The Simpsons

4. Family Guy

5. South Park

6. Grey's Anatomy

7. SpongeBob SquarePants

8. CSI: Miami

9. iCarly

10. The Big Bang Theory

 

Fictional Characters

1. Dr. House

2. Dory

3. Patrick Star

4. Mr. Bean

5. Upin & Ipin

6. Bob Esponja

7. Mario

8. Doraemon

9. Ari Gold

10. Sue Sylvester (GLEE)

Music

Musicians

1. Rihanna

2. Bob Marley

3. Avril Lavigne

4. David Guetta

5. Enrique Iglesias

6. Usher

7. Lady Gaga

8. Metallica

9. Green Day

10. Black Eyed Peas

Most Listened To Songs

1. We Found Love - Rihanna and Calvin Harris

2. Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) - Katy Perry

3. Sexy And I Know It - LMFAO

4. Titanium - David Guetta and Sia

5. First of the Year - Skrillex

6. Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites - Skrillex

7. Without You - David Guetta and Usher

8. Stereo Hearts - Gym Class Heroes featuring Adam Levine

9. Pumped Up Kicks - Foster the People

10. Someone Like You - Adele

Sports

Athletes

1. Leo Messi

2. Cristiano Ronaldo

3. John Cena

4. Ricardo Kaka

5. David Beckham

6. Michael Jordan

7. Sachin Tendulkar

8. Andres Iniesta

9. Kobe Bryant

10. Cesc Fbregas

Sports Teams

1. FC Barcelona

2. Real Madrid C.F.

3. Manchester United

4. LA Lakers

5. Chelsea Football Club

6. Liverpool FC

7. A.C. Milan

8. Arsenal

9. Galatasaray

10. Fenerbahce

News

News Outlets

1. CNN

2. Fox News

3. NPR

4. The Onion

5. The New York Times

6. Al Jazeera Channel

7. Yahoo! News

8. The Times of India

9. BBC World News

10. PBS

Most Shared Articles

Satellite Photos of Japan, Before and After the Quake and Tsunami (New York Times)

What teachers really want to tell parents (CNN) No, your zodiac sign hasn't changed (CNN)

Parents, don't dress your girls like tramps (CNN)

(video) - Father Daughter Dance Medley (Yahoo)

At funeral, dog mourns the death of Navy SEAL killed in Afghanistan (Yahoo)

You'll freak when you see the new Facebook (CNN)

Dog in Japan stays by the side of ailing friend in the rubble (Yahoo)

Giant crocodile captured alive in Philippines (Yahoo)

New Zodiac Sign Dates: Ophiuchus The 13th Sign? (The Huffington Post)

Frugal Dad put out this infographic comparing the year in review through the eyes of Twitter, Facebook and Twitter.

StumbleUpon

Top topics from StumbleUpon's explore box:

1. love

2. funny

3. tattoo

4. games

5. diy

6. wedding

7. harry potter

8. hair

9. recipes

10. food

Blogs

Pingdom ranked the top blogging services in terms of downtime:

1. Blogger

2. WordPress

3. Typepad

4. Posterous

5. Tumblr

YouTube

Most popular videos of the year:

1. Rebecca Black - Friday

2. Ultimate Dog Tease

3. Jack Sparrow (feat. Michael Bolton)

4. Talking Twin Babies (pt. 2)

5. Nyan Cat

6. Look at me now - cover by @KarminMusic

7. The Creep (feat. Nicki Minaj & John Waters)

8. Maria Aragon - Born this way cover

9. The Force - Volkswagen commercial

10. Cat mom hugs her baby kitten

Most viewed videos from major record labels:

Jennifer Lopez - On The Floor ft. Pitbull

LMFAO - Party Rock Anthem ft. Lauren Bennett, GoonRock

Bruno Mars - The Lazy Song [Official Video]

Nicki Minaj - Super Bass

Pitbull - Give Me Everything ft. Ne-Yo, Afroj

John Murdoch Art Classes

Gold Light Studios Art School

Background:  John Murdoch has devoted decades to the study and teaching of representational painting and drawing. He produces both portraiture, figurative and still life paintings with an otherworldly edge, often using hand-ground paints and gold leaf on wood panel or canvas.

Register online for portrait painting, oil painting, or atelier life drawing classes.

 

Restaurant Online Ordering System

Restaurant Online Ordering Software System

Learn how to streamline online food orders and payment transactions with this free restaurant online ordering software system created by Restaurant Online Solutions.

This video tutorial will show you how to add menu items to an online menu.

Video: Adding Menu Items

Restaurant Online Ordering System

Restaurant Online Ordering Software

Watch live demonstrations of the restaurant online ordering system to highlight software features for restaurant employees and owners.

Restaurant Online Ordering System

Learn how to add menu items with the free restaurant online ordering system.

Medical Alert Helping to Create a Support Network for Older Americans

 

 

Supporting Networks for Older Americans 

Disasters or emergencies can happen anywhere, at any time. Over the past two years alone, more than 130 Presidential Disaster Declarations have been declared in 45 states and territories. When a disaster strikes, older persons and persons with disabilities may experience public health and human service needs that threaten their well-being. In many cases, existing physical or mental impairments may worsen, and needed family and community-based supports may be disrupted by the emergency situation. Medical Alert helps create a prepared and safe home environment are the cornerstones for older Americans, who choose to live independent.

Create a Support Network

• If you anticipate needing assistance during a disaster talk to family, friends and others who will be part of your personal support network.
• Write down and share each aspect of your emergency plan with everyone in your support network.
• Make sure everyone knows how you plan to evacuate your home or workplace and where you will go in case of a disaster.
• Make sure that someone in your local network has an extra key to your home and knows where you keep your emergency supplies.
• Teach those who will help you how to use any lifesaving equipment, administer medicine in case of an emergency.
• Practice your plan with those who have agreed to be part of your network.

Supplies and Documents

Medications and Medical Supplies

If you take medicine or use a medical treatment on a daily basis, be sure you have what you need to make it on your own for at least a week, maybe longer.

Make a list of prescription medicines including dosage, treatment and allergy information.

 

Talk to your pharmacist or doctor about what else you need to prepare.

If you undergo routine treatments administered by a clinic or hospital or if you receive regular services such as home health care, treatment or transportation, talk to your service provider about their emergency plans. Work with them to identify back-up service providers and incorporate them into your personal support network.

 

Consider other personal needs such as eyeglasses, hearing aids and hearing aid batteries, wheelchair batteries, oxygen, and medical alert system.

Emergency Documents

Include copies of important documents in your emergency supply kits such as family records, medical records, wills, deeds, social security number, charge and bank accounts information and tax records.

Have copies of your medical insurance and Medicare cards readily available.

Keep a list of the style and serial number of medical devices or other life-sustaining devices. Include operating information and instructions.

Make sure that a friend or family member has copies of these documents.

Include the names and contact information of your support network, as well as your medical providers.

If you have a communication disability, make sure your emergency information notes the best way to communicate with you.

Keep these documents in a waterproof container for quick and easy access.

Whiplash – Which Treatment Method Is Best?

Whiplash, or better termed, cervical acceleration-deceleration disorder (CAD) is primarily an injury to the soft tissues of the neck – that is, the muscles, their tendon insertions, and the ligaments that hold the joints firmly together. Neck pain is a very common health problem that affects between 10–15% of the population and drives people to all types of healthcare providers. We have previously discussed the reasons why whiplash /CAD injuries occur, the examination process and the prognosis aspects but the argument continues as to what treatment methods work the best when managing patients with CAD.

In the May 21, 2002 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, a group of medical doctors and PhD’s reported on neck pain treatment comparing traditional medical and physical therapy approaches verses spinal manipulation. In the study, they compared three common neck pain treatment approaches in a group of 183 patients with chronic neck pain (patients who had neck pain for more than 3 months). The 3 methods included traditional medical care which included medication utilization and rest, manual therapy (chiropractic adjustments) and physical therapy (active exercise training). After 7 weeks of treatment, the percentage of patients who felt either totally resolved (cured) or much improved were 68.3% receiving manual therapy / chiropractic care, 50.8% receiving physical therapy, and 35.9% receiving medical care.

The author, Jan Lucas Hoving, PhD reports that manual therapy / chiropractic was found to be more effective than the other 2 methods “…on almost all outcome measures,” not just a few! Further, although PT scored better than traditional medical care, “…most of the differences were not statistically significant,” meaning, not that much better. The authors appropriately reported that further study was needed to better understand the differences between methods.

In 2008, the “Decade Task Force” reviewed 10 years of studies on the treatment of neck pain and found similar results and referenced many studies that indicated spinal manipulation for neck pain, headaches, whiplash, and other neck related conditions was one of the most effective methods and that patients with neck pain should be given the option of receiving manual therapy / chiropractic before other approaches as it was found to be less expensive, faster in obtaining satisfying results (shorter course of disability), and most effective in terms of long-term benefits. This comparison discussion is by no means meant to minimize the importance of medical and PT care.

However, there appears to be a bias among patients with neck pain to seek medical care first when the studies clearly show chiropractic care is the preferred method. Hence, the purpose of this article is to educate the reader that their choice in treatment for neck pain should favor chiropractic care FIRST, not last. In fact, the sooner manipulation can be applied to the injured joints of the neck, typically the faster the results. For example, long term disability and chronic neck pain can occur from prolonged use of a cervical collar as the structures tighten and stiffen up from being immobile - unable to move because of the collar. Unless there is some unstable condition to the neck (fracture, grade 3 ligament tear, progressive neurological loss, etc.), studies support manipulation / early mobilization of the neck joints after injuries like whiplash verses wearing a cervical collar and rest.

Natural Ways To Treat Infection

Did You Know?

Among the many natural ways to treat infection, tea tree oil is one of the very best. Tea tree oil is an essential oil taken from the leaves of the melaleuca alternifolia, a plant native to Australia. It has a wide variety of uses with strong antiseptic, antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. The aborigines in Australia used tea tree leaves to heal skin infections, wounds, and burns by crushing the leaves and holding them in place with a mud pack. Tea tree oil effectively treats a variety of conditions. If you choose to try tea tree oil, it is good practice to do a patch test on your skin first, as undiluted tea tree oil can irritate the skin. If the skin is sensitive, then it is necessary to dilute it. A good tea tree oil solution can be made by mixing 5 parts of tea tree oil with 95 parts of water. 

Please note: tea tree oil should never be taken internally, even in small amounts.

Here are just some of the many ways to effectively use tea tree oil:

• Acne - Tea tree oil kills the skin dwelling bacteria that cause acne. Dilute the tea tree oil as directed above and apply to lesions. Another way to apply it is by diluting it with aloe vera gel. To begin with, mix one or two drops to one ounce of the gel.
• Athlete's Foot - Every morning and evening, saturate a cotton ball with tea tree oil (you may need to dilute it) and apply to the affected and surrounding areas. Also, you may want to apply a tea tree oil enriched moisturizer. Tea tree oil is also very effective when treating nail fungal infections.
• Insect Bites - Apply full strength to the bite area. Tea tree oil is also an effective insect repellent.
• Wound Healing - Moderately apply tea tree oil (at a strength of 70% to 100%) on the wound at least twice daily.

Lastly, putting a few drops of tea tree oil in bathwater has a relaxing and rejuvenating effect. It will also soothe sore muscles and eliminate persistent body odor.