Hone In On Your Bones

Hello again, friends and followers! Thank you for continuing to read my blog posts, I hope you have found them easy to read and informative. If there are any questions or conditions that you would like me to focus on specifically, feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments area below my posts, or e-mail me directly at drgoldsman@torontohealthclinic.ca.

November is Osteoporosis Awareness Month and, although I have been lecturing quite a bit on the topic this month, I could not let November go by without posting some information for all of you! So, without further adieu….

Postural changes associated with Osteoporosis.

What is Osteoporosis?

The word osteoporosis means “porous bones”, and that is essentially what it is! It is the leading bone disease in the world and results in an increase in fracture risk. Osteoporosis (OP) can occur in both men and women; however, the incidence in women is far greater. The form of OP that is most common in women occurs after menopause, and is referred to as Primary Type 1, or Postmenopausal OP. Primary Type 2, or Senile OP, occurs after the age of 75, and is seen in both males and females at a ratio of 2:1. Finally, secondary OP may arise at any age and can affect men and women equally. This form of OP results from chronic predisposing medical problems or diseases.

How do you get Osteoporosis?

There are many, many ways that one may acquire OP. The disease process is complex, and more than 30 genes in your DNA are associated with the development of OP. Basically, there are two main cells that act on your bones – Osteoblasts and Osteoclasts. Osteoblasts act to build up new bone and osteoclasts do the opposite – they resorb bone, or break it down. Like all other cells and tissues in your body, bone is constantly being broken down and replaced by these two specific cells. This is normal and occurs in all people. The ratio of break down to build up is generally even. OP results when your osteoclasts are breaking down more bone than is being made to replace it.

A. Normal, healthy  bone.
B. Osteoporotic bone - note the porous appearance.

What are the risk factors?

Is Sciatica Getting on Your Nerves?

What is Sciatica?

First things first: Sciatica is a symptom, not a diagnosis! It is a sign of another medical problem, not one on its own! This point is important, because treatment for sciatica or sciatic symptoms often differs depending upon the underlying cause of the symptoms and pain levels.

Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve roots are inflamed, irritated, stretched or compressed. Inflammation of this nerve can cause extreme pain. The pain can affect any or all of the regions that the sciatic nerve travels – so, your lower back, hips, legs, and/or feet can be affected. The pain will be different depending on where the nerve irritation occurs.  In addition to pain, there may be numbness, muscular weakness, pins and needles or tingling, and/or difficulty in moving or controlling the leg. Typically, the symptoms are only felt on one side of the body, but, on the rare occasion, it can be a bilateral problem.

How can I tell if I have Sciatica?

VIDEO - Understanding Pain in 5 Minutes

A good Wednesday to  you all! I stumbled across this video a few months back and think it is excellent! Take five minutes of your day and give it a watch!

Tackling the Top Ten Chiropractic Myths

Hello, again! Today's post will cover some of the most common questions/myths that I am asked by my patients, friends, family and total strangers. The majority of the time, they are asked as a challenge - well, challenge accepted!

Myth #1: Chiropractors crack your bones

One of the most well known and common chiropractic techniques involves an adjustment, or manipulation, of the spine or extremity JOINTS (the point of connection between two bones). A chiropractic adjustment is the focused mobilization of a specific joint in the body and acts to affect the joints position and movement. The audible sound sometimes heard (not always!) during an adjustment is caused by the opening of the joint space and the expansion of gases within that space. A chiropractic adjustment does not affect the bones on either side of a joint – it affects the connective tissues that hold that joint together. Not ALL chiropractic treatment plans involve manipulation, and it is not uncommon for a patient’s treatment to include a variety of techniques: electrical modalities, soft tissue/muscle work, exercise advice, stretching, ergonomic advice and nutritional counseling.

Myth #2: You have to go for the rest of your life

If you are being treated for a specific problem, the treatment plan should end when the problem is resolved. If your problem is chronic (you have been suffering for more than 3 months) or recurrent, or you wish to avoid future problems, you may benefit from periodic care to stay ahead of accumulative strains and acute flare-ups. Dental care is similar to chiropractic in this way. Bottom line is….it’s YOUR choice!

It is not necessary to continue to see a chiropractor once they have taken care of your problems – you are never obligated to continue treatment! In my practice, most (about 90%) of patients choose to come back for regular check-ups that vary from every 2 weeks to every 6 months – this depends on their lifestyle and health care goals. The most recent research states that patients with a chronic condition benefit best from chiropractic management every 2 weeks, or twice a month. This may seem like a lot, but remember – the problem is chronic for a reason – perhaps you sit hunched over a computer for 8 hours a day, 7 days a week or you play hockey with your buddies every weekend! Giving up the things you love or that provide a living for you and your family are not always an option!

The main inference of Myth #2 is that chiropractic care is addictive. If continuing to do something that gives you an increased level of heath and decrease pain is addictive, then maybe it is! Remember – the amount of care you utilize is always up to you! Most patients who see huge changes in their energy, immune function, sleep pattern, pain level and general well-being choose to maintain regular chiropractic care as an integral part of their lifestyle.

Myth #3: Chiropractors are not real doctors

This one really gets me! The general public has come to think of a doctor as someone who prescribes pills or removes organs. Sadly, many people also think this is the best, or only, method of viable health care. Medication is an aggressive approach to health care – the side effects are endless, and at times can include death. It is important for the public to be aware that there is MUCH more to health care than just drugs and surgery!

In order for a chiropractor to practice in Canada, they must first graduate from a recognized institution as a doctor of chiropractic (D.C.). A D.C. program takes 4 years to complete and includes at least 4,200 hours of specialized clinical training. This is only possible after completing an undergraduate program. After all the schooling (which includes the study of anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, toxicopharmacology, microbiology, and neurology, amongst MANY others) you must pass both national and provincial board exams to qualify for a license. To maintain their license, a chiropractor must complete continuing education courses to ensure updated knowledge in all aspects of patient care. In Ontario, a chiropractor is one of 5 health professionals legally entitled to use the title ‘doctor’. A chiropractor has an equally extensive education in all human health sciences than any other doctor. How a chiropractor differs is the philosophy behind how these health sciences are applied to help their patients maximize their health.

In Ontario, a chiropractor is considered a Primary Care Practitioner - this means we act as a first-contact health care professional, just like your medical doctor! So, is a chiropractor a REAL doctor? Absolutely! We are spine and joint care professionals – what your chiropractor can offer you, no other doctor can.

Get Your Scoliosis Facts Straightened Out!

Hello again, friends and followers! Today’s post is going to cover a relatively common spinal deformity called Scoliosis. Chiropractors treat spines – it is what we do! Scoliosis is one of the most common issues seen and treated by Chiropractors, and, as I will discuss further down the page, early diagnosis and treatment can prevent worsening of this condition which can be quite painful, debilitating, and can even decrease your life expectancy!

What Is Scoliosis?

Scoliosis is not a disease – it is a descriptive term. All spines have curves and, being bipedal (we walk on two feet, not four), all human beings need these curves to balance the upper body over the pelvis. Curves become abnormal when they run lateral, or side-to-side, and this is what we term Scoliosis. Although it is a complex, three-dimensional deformity, on an X-ray, the spine may look like a “C” (single curve) or an “S” (double curve). The individual show in the X-ray below has a double “S” curve.

Scoliosis is classified as congenital, idiopathic, or neuromuscular:

Congenital Scoliosis is caused by vertebral anomalies that are present at birth. These anomalies occur in utero as soon as 4-6 weeks gestation. The number of abnormal vertebrae, their location, and the growth potential around these abnormal bones is what determines how severe a congenital curve will become. For very mild, single vertebra anomalies, the deformity may not be readily observable and may be found incidentally on x-ray.

Idiopathic Scoliosis is, by definition, of unknown cause and is the most common of the classifications. This category has subclassifications defined by the time of onset (infantile, juvenile, adolescent, or adult). Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis accounts for 80% of all cases of idiopathic onset.

Neuromuscular Scoliosis develops as a secondary symptom of another condition. Some examples include spina bifida, cerebral palsy, spinal muscular atrophy and physical trauma.

What are the Risk Factors?