Regular Chiropractic adjustments can prevent the excessive curvatures in the spine by aligning the bones to reduce any irritation the most vital and important of body systems, the                       "CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM"

Spinal Decompression Patients' Advice: Avoiding Herniated Disc Surgery and Decompression Providers

Back-to-Back: Patients share tips on experiences with spinal decompression

Want to know more about spinal decompression from those who have been affected most? In our Back-to-Back section, patients share tips and advice about using non-surgical spinal decompression to treat their back problems. Please visit our message boards to discuss spinal decompression, including the different types of chiropractic equipment used for this treatment.

Decompression helped me avoid surgery for a herniated disc

1.) I have just finished 20 sessions on a SpineMed decompression table, and now am in several weeks of PT to get my abs and lower back muscles into shape. My lumbar back has been a problem for 24 years. Have seen doctors and chiropractors; taken OTC and prescription meds. Thought I had arthritis. Fell last year and ruptured disc between L3-4. Primary doctor ordered MRI. Found three other herniated discs. NS thought surgery was a "sure thing". A friend saw a news article about local chiropractor and SpineMed treatment, and here I am, PAIN FREE after all these years. Treatments were only slightly uncomfortable, but 15 minutes of ice afterwards was very helpful.

         2.)  I used ice at home if needed, and an OTC NSAID (not needed every day). Now I sleep well    am able to take walks again, and am looking forward to completing my PT. PT is very helpful, and I now see a very normal future on my horizon. Besides the actual SpineMed treatments, I have a chiro who offers his patients the benefit of a Physical Therapist and a Massage Therapist in his office. He explained the procedure of SpineMed very thoroughly, and maintains an interest in my continuing recovery. When I saw my primary doctor three weeks ago, he was unfamiliar with SpineMed treatments, and is now considering adding this treatment to his office. There are other spinal decompression tables, however as I did research on the procedure, those persons treated with SpineMed seemed the most satisfied. I also understand that a new table (different manufacturer) has recently become available, and appears to offer similar results. Anyone facing surgery should check out this less invasive treatment first. I sure am glad I did!!!


Go see Dr Garrett Bode or visit his other links and websites:  http://www.bodespinalcenter.com/ or see our latest press release (Click Here). [Chiropractor Oldsmar], Chiropractic Tampa, 33635, Chiropractor Tampa, Bode Chiropractic Accident & Wellness Center, Oldsmar, 33635, Neck Pain, Low Back Pain, Auto Accidents, Headaches. Link Link BodeChiropractic.Blogspot.com http://fl.local.yahoo.biz/chiropractortampa 

Measuring the effects of specific cervical chiropractic adjustments on blood pressure and pulse rate: a randomized controlled trial

Subject: Hypertension/blood pressure

      Objective: Several studies have reported the effects of various specific cervical chiropractic adjustments on blood pressure and pulse rate.
      However, those studies have been criticized due to small sample size and various methodological concerns. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial (RCT) was to measure the effects of specific cervical (C3 to Occiput [“C0”]) chiropractic adjustments on blood pressure (BP) and pulse rate (PR) in a larger sample size of both normotensive and hypertensive humans.

Methods: After IRB approval, informed consent was obtained and 331 human subjects who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to one of three groups: control (N=108; no treatment, no placebo); placebo treatment (N=117; sham adjustment with inactive device); or active treatment (N=106; adjustment with active device).
Subjects were seated in a relaxing climate-controlled room for a minimum of 15 minutes prior to obtaining a baseline bloodpressure (BP) (systolic and diastolic) and pulse rate (PR) measurement with an electronic oscillometric BP monitor.

   The subjects were then moved to chairs stationed according to the study group in which they were assigned. Subjects had another BP and PR measured (“anxiety” BP and PR measurements) after being called upon for active treatment, placebo treatment, or no treatment at all.
Active treatment involved the use of the Activator IV adjusting instrument to correct subluxations detected according to the Activator Methods Chiropractic Technique for cervical vertebrae C3 to C0.
Placebo treatment was performed with an Activator II adjusting instrument in the “off” position, which mimics all aspects of the treatment that is administered when in the “on” position but no manipulative force is delivered. Following active treatment (or placebo treatment or no treatment), subjects had their BP and PR measured once again.

Results: Subjects ranged in age from 18 to 85 years old (mean age=52) and 64 percent of them were female. Systolic and diastolic BP decreased significantly


Go see Dr Garrett Bode or visit his other links and websites:  http://www.bodespinalcenter.com/ or see our latest press release (Click Here). [Chiropractor Oldsmar], Chiropractic Tampa, 33635, Chiropractor Tampa, Bode Chiropractic Accident & Wellness Center, Oldsmar, 33635, Neck Pain, Low Back Pain, Auto Accidents, Headaches. Link Link BodeChiropractic.Blogspot.com http://fl.local.yahoo.biz/chiropractortampa 

Chiropractic Care Naturally Treats Colic

Colic is defined as inconsolable crying in an infant for as least three hours a day, at least three days a week, for at least three weeks. A colicky baby typically presents with a loud piercing cry, flexed legs, tensed abdominal muscles, and clenched fingers. It typically starts around three weeks of age and lasts until around three months but sometimes lasts for as long as six months. Approximately 10-20% of babies are affected by colic. Doctors diagnose colic based on the previously mentioned "Rule of 3" and after ruling out diseases that may make a baby cry uncontrollably. Parents of infants with colic report significantly higher stress levels than parents whose babies don't have colic. The stress and frustration of trying to soothe a colicky baby may interfere with mother-baby bonding and can increase the risk of postpartum depression. In addition, colicky babies are more likely to be victims of child abuse and shaken baby syndrome. Despite the research done on colic there is no known cause, which can make treatment difficult. Chiropractic care has shown some of the best results, with 94% of colicky babies demonstrating improvement with chiropractic adjustments.

Research on chiropractic care and colic has shown significant benefits over other treatments such as dietary changes, medication, and infant positioning. A randomized clinical trial published in 1999 in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that "Spinal manipulation is effective in relieving infantile colic". For this study the researchers randomly assigned infants diagnosed with colic into two groups. One group received chiropractic care for two weeks and the other group was given the anti-gas medication dimethicone for two weeks. The babies in the chiropractic group showed a 67% decrease in crying while the babies on medication showed a 38% decrease in crying.

Another study with 316 children also showed significant improvement in colic in response to chiropractic care. This prospective study used diaries from mothers of colicky babies to track the amount of crying. The three month long study showed a "satisfactory result of spinal manipulative therapy in 94% of the cases". The improvements occurred after an average of only three adjustments within two weeks.

Chiropractic care is a conservative, gentle, and very successful option for treating infants with colic. Chiropractic adjustments for infants are specific, gentle, and safe. The International Chiropractic Pediatrics Association has a database of chiropractors who work with babies and children.

Go see Dr Garrett Bode or visit his other links and websites:  http://www.bodespinalcenter.com/ or see our latest press release (Click Here). [Chiropractor Oldsmar], Chiropractic Tampa, 33635, Chiropractor Tampa, Bode Chiropractic Accident & Wellness Center, Oldsmar, 33635, Neck Pain, Low Back Pain, Auto Accidents, Headaches. Link Link BodeChiropractic.Blogspot.com http://fl.local.yahoo.biz/chiropractortampa 

Chiropractic Research Shows Positive Benefits

Many people—perhaps even you—wonder if chiropractic care is safe and effective as a back pain or neck pain treatments. And that's understandable: you'd like pain relief, but as with any treatment, you want to make sure that the treatment is going to be helpful, not harmful. By doing your research on any treatment option, you're being an engaged, motivated patient—and that's a wonderful thing to be when you're trying to find a solution to your back pain.
To help you with your research on chiropractic care, we've pulled some quotes from research done on chiropractic. These should be a good starting place for you in your research into the safety and efficacy of chiropractic care.
Before getting into the research excerpts, we want to recognize that this information came from the American Chiropractic Association. They're also a useful resource as you consider chiropractic care.
Popularity of Chiropractic
Meeker, Haldeman (2002), Annals of Internal Medicine: Chiropractic is the largest, most regulated, and best recognized of the complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) professions. CAM patient surveys show that chiropractors are used more often than any other alternative provider group and patient satisfaction with chiropractic care is very high. There is steadily increasing patient use of chiropractic in the United States, which has tripled in the past two decades.
For Acute and Chronic Pain
Nyiendo et al (2000), Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics: Patients with chronic low-back pain treated by chiropractors showed greater improvement and satisfaction at one month than patients treated by family physicians. Satisfaction scores were higher for chiropractic patients. A higher proportion of chiropractic patients (56 percent vs. 13 percent) reported that their low-back pain was better or much better, whereas nearly one-third of medical patients reported their low-back pain was worse or much worse.
Korthals-de Bos et al (2003), British Medical Journal:  In a randomized controlled trial, 183 patients with neck pain were randomly allocated to manual therapy (spinal mobilization), physiotherapy (mainly exercise) or general practitioner care (counseling, education and drugs) in a 52-week study. The clinical outcomes measures showed that manual therapy resulted in faster recovery than physiotherapy and general practitioner care. Moreover, total costs of the manual therapy-treated patients were about one-third of the costs of physiotherapy or general practitioner care.

In Comparison to Other Treatment Alternatives
Hoving et al (2002), Annals of Internal Medicine:  In our randomized, controlled trial, we compared the effectiveness of manual therapy, physical therapy, and continued care by a general practitioner in patients with nonspecific neck pain. The success rate at seven weeks was twice as high for the manual therapy group (68.3 percent) as for the continued care group (general practitioner). Manual therapy scored better than physical therapy on all outcome measures. Patients receiving manual therapy had fewer absences from work than patients receiving physical therapy or continued care, and manual therapy and physical therapy each resulted in statistically significant less analgesic use than continued care.

Patient Satisfaction
Hertzman-Miller et al (2002), American Journal of Public Health: Chiropractic patients were found to be more satisfied with their back care providers after four weeks of treatment than were medical patients. Results from observational studies suggested that back pain patients are more satisfied with chiropractic care than with medical care. Additionally, studies conclude that patients are more satisfied with chiropractic care than they were with physical therapy after six weeks.
Cost Effectiveness
Haas et al (2005), Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics:  Chiropractic care appeared relatively cost-effective for the treatment of chronic low-back pain. Chiropractic and medical care performed comparably for acute patients. Practice-based clinical outcomes were consistent with systematic reviews of spinal manipulative efficacy: manipulation-based therapy is at least as good as and, in some cases, better than other therapeusis.

Conclusion: Chiropractic Research
Doing your own research on your back pain or neck pain treatment options is smart. Research the treatment option, and research the practitioner to make sure that you're doing the right thing for your body and your pain.


Go see Dr Garrett Bode or visit his other links and websites:  http://www.bodespinalcenter.com/ or see our latest press release (Click Here). [Chiropractor Oldsmar], Chiropractic Tampa, 33635, Chiropractor Tampa, Bode Chiropractic Accident & Wellness Center, Oldsmar, 33635, Neck Pain, Low Back Pain, Auto Accidents, Headaches. Link Link BodeChiropractic.Blogspot.com http://fl.local.yahoo.biz/chiropractortampa 

Healing from Auto-Accident injuries after a car crash, What to Expect.

Alleviating pain Now and in the Future from auto-accident injuries.

Taking care of immediate health issues after an accident is critical. Just as important is to prevent future health problems.

It is essential to have a good doctor that can find and take care of your accident injuries that could affect you for the rest of your life.

Our goal in treating you for your car accident injuries is two-fold: To alleviate your current symptoms of pain and restricted movement, and more importantly, to help prevent more problematic long-term symptoms related to untreated soft tissue damage.

Studies have shown that up to 30% of people that have been in motor vehicle accidents will suffer long-term negative health effects. In fact, an astounding 50% of all neck pain sufferers attribute their pain to a car crash sometime in their life.

So, why does this happen and how can you prevent yourself from becoming one of these statistics? In order to answer these questions, let me explain how your injuries heal, and what we can do to help you heal properly.

All injuries will heal over time, but it is the way in which they heal that is critical to your present and future well-being. Let me explain. There are two types of tissue in the body; hard and soft. The hard tissues are the bones or skeletal system. The soft tissues are everything around the bones; muscles, ligaments, tendons, discs, nerves, and skin. Both hard and soft tissue injuries require proper medical intervention in order to heal correctly. For example, let’s say you break your arm (demo show broken arm). This is a hard tissue injury. Did you know that you don’t have to do a single thing to that bone to make it heal? The body will heal it all by itself. However, without proper treatment, your bones will heal in a very disorganized way, and as a result, your arm may not function correctly and you could potentially have problems with it for the rest of your life. If, on the other hand, you have a doctor reset your bones and put your arm in a cast, (crack demo), then your bones will heal in an organized way and will function correctly long into the future.

Soft tissues, like bones, need help in order to heal in an organized way. Soft tissues are normally highly organized, and if you look at them microscopically, they look like this (demo inter digitized fingers). Prior to an injury, they easily slide back and forth allowing you to move your extremities and your head and neck without pain (move head and neck around). Then, following an injury such as a car crash, bam (fist to palm slap) your soft tissues become disrupted and (criss-cross of fingers) like the broken bone are disorganized. Once again, the soft tissues can heal themselves without outside help. But, just like broken bones, without proper treatment, your soft tissues will heal in a very disorganized way resulting in scar tissue leading to chronic pain and dysfunction. Improper or inadequate care will cause a disorganized healing process and will lead to future problems that are much more serious including: chronic headaches, chronic neck pain, chronic back pain, degenerative disc disease, joint disease, osteoarthritis, post traumatic fibromyalgia or trauma induced chronic fatigue syndrome.

We have extensive experience in treating motor vehicle injuries and we want to help you heal properly. Our primary goal is to get you out of pain as quickly as possible and to help you avoid future complications from your accident injuries. We will help your body with an organized healing process.

Our multi-disciplinary approach to soft tissue healing has been proven to be highly effective in restoring you to proper health. Your initial care will include interim medical exams by a licensed physician with medical intervention as necessary, therapeutic massages by a licensed therapist, gentle chiropractic adjustments to release the stress off your spine and help restore normal function, and physical therapy to promote circulation to your injured tissues. Lastly, gentle exercise training will help strengthen the weakened spinal tissues from you accident injuries. Independently, all of these treatments are effective, but collectively they are proven to be incredibly more valuable, ensuring a complete and thorough recovery.

Go see Dr Garrett Bode or visit his other links and websites:  http://www.bodespinalcenter.com/ or see our latest press release (Click Here). [Chiropractor Oldsmar], Chiropractic Tampa, 33635, Chiropractor Tampa, Bode Chiropractic Accident & Wellness Center, Oldsmar, 33635, Neck Pain, Low Back Pain, Auto Accidents, Headaches. Link Link BodeChiropractic.Blogspot.com http://fl.local.yahoo.biz/chiropractortampa 

Chiropractic and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

The latest research suggests an increase in the prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in both children and adults.  This increase seems to be a global phenomenon not confined to one region or country.  The cause appears to be multifaceted and some literature attributes genetics, second hand smoke, lead, food coloring or additives among the causes or risk factors.  A systematic review by the Department of Chiropractic, Faculty of Science, Macquarie University noted that “Psychostimulants are first line of therapy for paediatric and adolescent AD/HD. The evidence suggests that up to 30% of those prescribed stimulant medications do not show clinically significant outcomes. In addition, many children and adolescents experience side-effects from these medications.” 

Currently only low level research exists, much of which is case reports that provide support for chiropractic management of ADHD.  Anecdotal reports suggest a potentially significant role for chiropractic management of the disorder.  With the rising rate of ADHD this is a fertile area for future chiropractic research and yet another reason to increase support of the profession’s research efforts.


Go see Dr Garrett Bode or visit his other links and websites:  http://www.bodespinalcenter.com/ or see our latest press release (Click Here). [Chiropractor Oldsmar], Chiropractic Tampa, 33635, Chiropractor Tampa, Bode Chiropractic Accident & Wellness Center, Oldsmar, 33635, Neck Pain, Low Back Pain, Auto Accidents, Headaches. Link Link BodeChiropractic.Blogspot.com http://fl.local.yahoo.biz/chiropractortampa 

Reverse Aging with Chiropractic Care

Our body is in a constant and never ending struggle for survival. Scientists estimate that each of our cells must withstand around 10,000 individual assaults from reactive oxygen species (ROS) or free radicals. Amazingly, the body has an incredible system of self-healing that withstands the onslaught and rebuilds what has been damaged. Chiropractic care has been shown to be a powerful method of stabilizing and enhancing this self-healing ability.

The central nervous system is the primary system that controls all function and healing within the body. This flow of nerve energy from the brain to the body coordinates all 75 trillion cells to action. The brain is then fed through movement information that it receives from skin, joint, & muscle receptors. This movement information is called "proprioception." The brain depends on adequate proprioception for optimal function.

Physical nerve stress occurs when the spinal bones are twisted or thrown out of alignment. This is caused every day by macro traumas such as falls, car accidents, & sporting activities. Micro traumas such as bad posture, repetitive movements, and poor sleeping habits can damage the spine & nervous system as well. Physical nerve stress causes a deficiency in healthy brain-body signaling and an increased release of the stress hormone cortisol. This disrupts the body's ability to heal.

Chiropractic adjustments remove this built-up pressure on the nervous system allowing the body to heal as it was designed. Many studies have shown chiropractic care to be a powerful form of anti-aging.
In 2005, a landmark study published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation (JVSR) found evidence that chiropractic care can reduce oxidative stress in the body.

Oxidative stress is the damage that occurs when free radicals outnumber the body's antioxidants. Oxidative stress damages all body cell components: proteins, lipids and DNA. In fact, researchers have found that one out of every three proteins is rendered dysfunctional by unchecked free radical damage.

Thiols are sulfur containing compounds in the body that act as antioxidants. They react with free radicals to neutralize them. Serum levels of thiols reflect DNA's capacity to repair itself, report scientists of Biomedical Diagnostic Research, Inc, and can be used to measure aging and disease status. In a 2003 study published in the Journal of Anti Aging Medicine, low serum thiol levels were found in nine different categories of human sickness and disease.

The study published in JVSR consisted of 76 participants: one group received short-term chiropractic care; a second group received long-term chiropractic care; and the third group received no chiropractic care.

The study qualified participants for age, sex and the use of nutritional supplements. Healthy individuals that received chiropractic care for 2 or more years had higher serum thiol levels than those with disease. Some of the chiropractic patients had serum thiol levels higher than what is associated with normal wellness.

Chiropractor Dr. Christopher Kent explained: 'Oxidative stress, metabolically generating free radicals, is now a broadly accepted theory of how we age and develop disease.'

'Going through life,' he adds, 'we experience physical, chemical and emotional stress. These stresses affect the function of the nervous system. We hypothesized that these disturbances in nerve function could affect oxidative stress and DNA repair on a cellular level.'

'Chiropractic care appears to improve the ability of the body to adapt to stress,' concluded Kent.


Go see Dr Garrett Bode or visit his other links and websites:  http://www.bodespinalcenter.com/ or see our latest press release (Click Here). [Chiropractor Oldsmar], Chiropractic Tampa, 33635, Chiropractor Tampa, Bode Chiropractic Accident & Wellness Center, Oldsmar, 33635, Neck Pain, Low Back Pain, Auto Accidents, Headaches. Link Link BodeChiropractic.Blogspot.com http://fl.local.yahoo.biz/chiropractortampa