By Dr. Jon Peterson, D.C.

I always appreciate up front disclosure, so, of my four children only the oldest ever had an ear infection and that was before I became a chiropractor. Is there a correlation? Well let me share a couple scenarios, and the research behind them, that I have experienced since I began treating individuals and families over six years ago.

Scenario #1:

I have treated dozens of infants that have had ear infections that disrupt the family’s routine. It goes like this… It’s 2 am and the crying has only gotten progressively worse across the past hour. You are pacing the downstairs hallway trying anything to soothe your inconsolable 10-month old so that your 5 and 8 year old kids can get some sleep upstairs. Your plan is to call the doctor’s office the moment they open – seven hours from now!

 

Although your infant cannot tell you what is wrong, your intuition says it is another middle ear infection. The statistics would suggest that your hunch is probably right. Earaches are the #1 reason for visits to the pediatrician’s office. As a parent, that probably comes as no surprise. But, you may be surprised to learn that both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Academy of Family Physicians recommend a “watchful waiting” or “wait and see” approach to acute ear infections. Research published in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association[1] demonstrated that there was no difference in fever, otalgia (pain) or number of future visits between kids that were given an antibiotic prescription and those that were not. As it turns out, antibiotics only outperform the body’s own immune system in a handful of cases.

At the same time, numerous studies of manipulative therapies including chiropractic care have shown remarkable results without the side effects of antibiotics. A groundbreaking 1997 study[2] of 332 kids’ ages 27 days to 5 years indicated a strong correlation between chiropractic adjustment and the resolution of otitis media (the technical term for a middle ear ache). Just to highlight one finding – there were 104 kids in the group classified as having ‘chronic’ otitis media. This group of kids got 5 chiropractic adjustments each. Across the next six months the recurrence rate among this group was only 16%!

Let’s put that data into more human terms. That means that 84% of these kids classified as having chronic ear infections went six months without having another one after just 5 adjustments. A full half year devoid of screaming in the middle of the night, lost sleep and anguish of watching your child suffer for 84% of the parents.

The prior study published in a chiropractic journal spurred further research into the uses of chiropractic care for acute and chronic ear infections. The critical questions was - how would chiropractic fare head-to-head with standard pediatric care? A 2003 study[3] published in a pediatric medicine journal comparing children receiving manipulative therapy and those receiving standard pediatric care, found that those who received manipulative therapy had fewer episodes of Acute Otitis Media (AOM), fewer surgical procedures and had higher rates of normal tympanograms.

This amazing news for parents has been validated and confirmed numerous times since then. The International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) even maintains a webpage of all the published research studies done on children’s ear infections and the role of chiropractic care in treatment and prevention. The last time I looked there where 25 separate studies listed. You can view the full list at: http://icpa4kids.org/Chiropractic-Research/Ear-Infection-Otitis-Media/

All this data and research is great, but at the end of the day what matters to parents is getting their own child out of pain and on a path to a success in school, sports and life without the constant interruption of ear infections. Don’t spend another sleepless night pacing the halls with a screaming toddler in your arms. Call us now and make an appointment for a consultation.

Don’t wait until another ear infection strikes. Prevention is always the better option, besides, when your child is in pain, your anxiety level as a parent goes way up. We want you to be able to ask all your questions and get all the facts at your own pace and not feel pressured to make a decision or start treatment because your child is screaming. Of course, if your child does have current symptoms, we want to see both of you as soon as possible.

Oh yeah, I said that I would share two scenarios…

Scenario #2:

Does chiropractic only help young ear infection sufferers? When you come to any of our locations throughout the valley you will find a helpful and friendly member of our team. What you may not know is that these wonderful team members don’t always come from a chiropractic background and that was the case with one of my exceptional chiropractic assistants, Sonia. Sonia had never been to a chiropractor prior to working with another chiropractic office. While working alongside her co-workers she overheard another chiropractic assistant encourage a patient to bring her daughter in right away and have the chiropractor look at her ear infection. After seeing the young patient become better after only a couple of visits in a single week she explained to the chiropractor that she was a chronic ear infection sufferer. With regular chiropractic care she had never had an ear infection for the next eight years of working with chiropractors.

Young or old chiropractic has been a safe and effective way of achieving remarkable results to individual’s health and though I’m not suggesting that chiropractic treated the ear infection it has been amazing to see the response individuals have experienced with chiropractic.

By Dr. Jon Peterson, D.C.

Back pain relief is just one component of chiropractic care, but it is often a patient’s first introduction. Back pain is horribly debilitating affecting all aspects of work and personal life. If you are suffering from back pain, you are not alone. Here are a few facts about back pain that may (or may not) surprise you.

• Back pain is the number one disability for those under age 45.
• In the United States of America alone, there is an expected 31 million people with lower back pain at any given time.
• Back pain runs second, after only the common cold, as the top reason for visiting a healthcare provider in the United States.
• Experts place the likelihood of any person to experience some type of back problem in their lifetime at about 80%. That’s four out of every five people!
• Over 50 billion dollars are spent per year in the pursuit of clearing up cases of back pain.
• Around 30 to 40 percent of all workplace absences are due to back pain.
• Approximately one quarter of U.S. adults reported having low back pain lasting at least one whole day in the past three months, and 7.6 percent reported at least one episode of severe acute low back pain within a one-year period.
• One-half of all working Americans admit to having back pain symptoms each year.
• Approximately 2 percent of the U.S. work force is compensated for back injuries each year
• Lower back pain accounts for two thirds of all back pain-related cases.
• More than two-thirds of back strains are caused by lifting and other exertions like pulling and pushing.
• Most cases of back pain are mechanical or non-organic—meaning they are not caused by serious conditions, such as inflammatory arthritis, infection, fracture or cancer.

The key to proper treatment of back pain is to understand the cause. Remember, pain is always a sign that something else is wrong and if continually ignored may lead to more serious harm. Chiropractors are experts in assessing the root cause of your back pain and putting you on the right course to recovery.

by: Dr. Jon Peterson, D.C.

LINK TO VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-ye0rbbnlQ

In this video, Dr. Terry Schroeder, head coach for the US Men’s Olympic Water Polo team and some of his athletes discuss the vital role that chiropractic plays in sport and life. Now the head coach of the team, Dr. Schroeder competed for the US in 4 Olympics himself. He also happens to be a chiropractor.

Elite athletes know that any small difference in preparation, fitness, function or flexibility can make the difference between a Gold and a Silver medal – or no medal at all. In the video, Dr. Schroeder shares how every member of the men’s team now includes chiropractic adjustments in their regime. Although some were reluctant at first, after seeing the results teammates were getting, they all eventually came around. After all elite athletes are always looking for ‘an edge’.

In the sport of water polo, necks and shoulders take a constant beating from defenders. The shoulders in particular are prone to overuse injuries and hyper-extension. Shoulder injuries will sideline a player completely making it nearly impossible to train in the pool. As athletes of all level know, missing practice while recovering from an injury is vital time lost. Prevention and proactive care is the better route.

In the video you’ll hear Dr. Terry Schroeder’s personal story of how he was first introduced to chiropractic and also see him adjusting players on a portable adjusting table right on the pool deck.

We hope that be sharing examples of Olympic athletes using chiropractic care we can help spread the word among collegiate, high school and recreational athletes. Whatever your sport, we can help you achieve peak performance and prevent injuries.

Dr. Jon Peterson, D.C.

Chiropractic care is standard for many pro golfers and increasingly for many Senior Golfers as well. Professional golfer Lori West attributes the reason she’s playing today to chiropractic. Nearly two decades ago, she began visiting a chiropractor for pain in her shoulders and neck. According to West, the care has infinitely improved her golf game. The problem is that the golf swing, in and of itself, isn’t conducive to having a healthy back. To have a good swing you create tension in your spine. (This enables you to get good distance). The tension comes from the hips stopping and the shoulders continuing to rotate. Basically, you make a coil. You’re uncoiling when you start your downswing. Since that’s an awkward movement for your back, many golfers end up with lower back problems. Here’s some chiropractic advice.

• Before your game, do some basic stretches. Stretch out hamstrings and groin area.

• Put a club across your shoulders and lean left and right.

• Get in a position of where you would be in a swing and bend left and right.

• Grab a club behind your back and raise it up, stretching your shoulder muscles.

• Grab the club backwards – so if you normally swing right-handed, you’d grab it like you’d be swinging left-handed- and take 10 practice swings that way. You’re stretching different muscles and it will help you loosen up considerably.

• Do neck stretches. Stiff neck muscles inhibit the rest of the body from turning freely.

Anything that helps your flexibility eventually helps with your game. As you get older, your swing naturally shortens since the muscles aren’t as supple. During the winter, work on stretching the muscles of the arms, shoulders and back. Flexibility is very important for older golfers. Also, you have to have good balance if you want to hit the golf ball consistently. A healthy spine is paramount to proper balance and posture. Improve your balance and you’ll improve your consistency. In needed, orthotic stabilizers for your shoes can help improve balance so your swing is better. Chiropractors care for your body as a whole, not just the back. So if your golf game is feeling out of sync, chiropractic may be just the very adjustment that your body and game needs!

5 Easy Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

By Dr. Jon Peterson, D.C.

Metabolism refers to the rate at which your body burns calories. Your metabolic rate is your personal “calories-per-hour” number. Your metabolism is lowest while you sleep and highest during and right after vigorous exercise. Here are a few tips for raising your metabolism:

1. Don’t skip breakfast

The morning meal jump starts your metabolism and helps to prevent bingeing later in the day. A cup of coffee does not count – the caffeine and added sugar may give you a bit of energy and suppress your appetite for a little while, but generally backfires causing severe hunger and overeating later in the day. Breakfast should include complex carbohydrates like whole grain (granola or oatmeal), along with some protein and fat (low-fat yogurt or milk) to keep your energy levels even and hunger in check.

2. Eat more often

Get into the habit of eating every three to four hours or at least four times a day. Eating frequently stabilizes blood sugar. When blood sugar drops too low you want to eat…a lot. By keeping your blood sugar stable you can control your appetite and keep you metabolic rate high. When you go many hours without eating your body will compensate by slowing down your metabolism to conserve energy.

3. Eat protein at every meal

Protein takes more energy and time to digest, and will leave you feeling full longer than eating carbohydrates alone. Research shows that eating more protein can help you lose weight without cutting calories. Try these protein possibilities: turkey on whole wheat; hummus and pita; vegetarian chili; fruit and nuts; or protein snack bars that contain 12 or more grams of protein.

4. Hold off on snacking

Many of us grab a snack for quick energy when we are feeling tired, but do not confuse true hunger with fatigue. If you are feeling tired go for a 15-20 minute brisk walk. This will raise your heart rate and give you a boost of energy. Follow it up with a large glass of cool water. If you are truly hungry have a protein- and complex carbohydrate-rich snack like whole wheat crackers and peanut butter or cheese.

5. Consume enough for your body’s needs

Eating too little slows your body’s metabolism the same way eating too infrequently does. If you want to lose weight, do not slash your calories too drastically. Instead, cut out some of the extras in your diet – things like soda, juice, packaged goods or candy. Processed foods tend to be high in fat and calories and low in vitamins, minerals and fiber.

In conclusion it is important to understand that your metabolic rate is controlled by many factors. You can exert a fair amount of control over many of these factors. This article has emphasized how your diet affects your metabolism, but clearly movement is the other major factor.