Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue and multiple tender points. These “tender points” refer to sensitivity that occurs in precise localized areas, particularly in the neck, spine, shoulders and hips. People with this syndrome may also experience sleep disturbances, morning stiffness, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety and other symptoms.

Tender/trigger points are specific sites on the body that cause pain when pressed.

There are various tender points, each has one point on each side of the body.  The pain may spread when a tender point is pressed and trigger pain in a larger area.

The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics provides evidence that chiropractic care may offer some relief for those who suffer from fibromyalgia.

According to the American College of Rheumatology, fibromyalgia affects 3 to 6 million Americans. It primarily occurs in women of childbearing age, though men, children, and the elderly may also be affected. Currently, the exact cause of fibromyalgia is unknown and because many of the symptoms mimic those of other diseases, it is very difficult to diagnose.

The current criteria for a fibromyalgia diagnosis includes:

• Widespread joint and muscle pain that has been present for at least three months.

• Pain at 11 or more of the 18 specific tender/trigger points when the areas are pressed.

Other symptoms that are less common but can occur are constipation or diarrhea, headache, difficulty concentrating, tingling sensation in the hands and severe or excessive fatigue.

Fibromyalgia sufferers reported less joint pain after being placed on raw-food vegan diets consisting of fruits, vegetables, legumes, cereals, nuts and seeds.

Though the cause and cure for fibromyalgia is not yet known, studies suggest that chiropractic care can help provide relief.

A recent study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics stated that more than 60% of the participants who underwent thirty chiropractic treatments showed significant reductions in pain intensity and improvement in their overall fatigue and quality of sleep.

Your chiropractor will take a comprehensive approach in evaluating and designing a specific care plan for those who suffer from fibromyalgia. Nutrition, exercise and regular chiropractic adjustments have all shown to play a role in reducing pain and other symptoms, while improving whole body health.

Schedule an appointment today to discuss fibromyalgia care options with your chiropractor.

Fibromyalgia patients report greater benefits from lifestyle modifications and chiropractic care than from drug intervention.

Chiropractors are experts in the care of the bones, nerves, muscles and connective tissues that make up about 60% of your body. All of the joints in your body are part of this musculo-skeletal system and its optimal function is necessary for overall good health. Ask your Doctor of Chiropractic for more information about a care program that may include specific spinal adjustments, exercise recommendations, nutritional advice or other conservative methods of care based on your health history, age, current condition and lifestyle.

Now, you may be thinking, “what does detoxification have to do with Fibromyalgia?”

New research is starting to point in the direction of excess toxicity caused by our modern society, both in the form of our external world and external pollution (car exhaust, air pollution, water pollution, chemicals out-gassing from our homes and furniture) as well as from the food we eat (junk food, trans-fats, excess sugar, chemicals, preservatives and additives) as a major contributor in many lifestyle diseases including fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer to name but a few.

A study published in the British Medical Journal reports that patients who participated in aerobic exercises twice per week for one hour over a 12 week period, were twice as likely to report feeling “much better” or “very much better” than those who did not participate.

Dr. Stephanie Maj has a thriving family practice in the heart of Chicago. Her clinic is located at 1442 W. Belmont Ave., 1E, Chicago, IL 60657. 773.528.8485. www.communitychiropractic.net

REFERENCES:

Hains, G., Hains, F., Combined ischemic compression and spinal manipulation in the treatment of fibromyalgia: a preliminary estimate of dose and efficacy. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 23:4, May 2000, pp 225-30.

Kaarginen, K., Lammi, K., Hyphen, M., et al. Vegan diet alleviates fibromyalgia symptoms. Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology, 2000; 29:308-313.

Leventhal, L.J., Management of fibromyalgia. Annals of Internal Medicine, 131: 850-858.

National Institute of Dental Research (1997). Chronic Disabling Diseases and Disorders: The Challenges of Fibromyalgia [On-line]. Available: http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/slavkin1197.htm.

Richards S.C.M., Scott D.L., Prescribed exercise in people with fibromyalgia: Parallel group randomized controlled trial. British Medical Journal, 2002:325, pp. 185-188.

Wolfe, F., Smythe, H.A, Yunus, M.B., Bennett, R.M., Bombadier, C., Goldenberg, D.L., et al. The American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for the classification of fibromyalgia: report of the multicenter criteria committee. Arthritis Rheum 1990; 33:160-72.

Can you smell it…Spring Golf!!  I have already had 3 people ask about how they can improve their golf game for the spring.  One word…Chiropractic! Going to see your chiropractor improves golfing performance on many levels.  Yes, eliminating low back pain helps the golf game, for sure, yet improved bio-mechanical function of the body takes the game to the next level and helps shave strokes off your score.  Let’s review how…

A scientific study has confirmed what many golfers have already discovered: Chiropractic care can improve your golf swing and, as a result, how far you can hit a golf ball.

The December 2009 issue of the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine included a study that focused on golfers at two different clubs in São Paulo, Brazil. A group of 43 golfers were divided into two random groups: One group received only a stretch program while the second group received the same stretch program in addition to chiropractic care.

All study participants were initially asked to perform three full swing maneuvers, and measurements were made of the average distance they were able to hit the ball for the three swings. Then, depending on which test group they were part of, the golfers went through just the stretching program, or the stretching plus chiropractic.

After participating in just the stretching or chiropractic plus stretching, the participants were asked to repeat the same three swing maneuvers and measurements were taken. This entire process was repeated for a period of four weeks over the course of the study. To maintain consistency, the study noted that the average age, handicap, and initial swing were comparable among all 43 golfers in the study.

The results were clear:   After four weeks, there was no improvement in the “full swing performance” (defined in the study as the average distance the golfers were able to hit the ball), among those in the group that only did the stretching program prior to hitting the golf balls.   But among those who received four sessions of stretching and chiropractic care, golfers showed a statistically significant improvement in their “full swing performance,” meaning that they hit the ball farther than the stretching-only group.

Life (Chiropractic) University student Maurice Allen records highest ever swing speed in the Momentus® booth during the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando in January 2011!

It is a simple physics equation in golf: the higher the swing speed, the farther the golf ball travels. The average PGA Tour player generates a swing speed in the neighborhood of 110 MPH. Maurice Allen, a first year chiropractic student at Life University, recorded the highest ever swing of 161 MPH as recorded on the Momentus® Speed Whoosh, a golf training aid.

Allen is taking his newly discovered talent seriously, training in the Life University Sport Science Institute (LUSSI). LUSSI is a proprietary center on the campus of Life University that specializes in helping elite athletes reach peak performance. Through a specific regimen of chiropractic adjustments, fitness and nutrition, Allen is becoming a finely tuned athlete, ready to take on all comers in long drive competitions. He credits LUSSI’s Dr. Keith Rau with helping him break the club head speed record, and looks forward to seeing how far he can push the limit of the golf ball.

Of the 25 million golfers in America, up to 62% may suffer an injury related to the game. Low back pain (LBP) is the most common injury in professional and amateur golfers; repetitive swing motion and poor swing mechanics are thought to be the primary reasons for injury.

A common belief in golfers is that the more their shoulders rotate back during the backswing portion of a golf swing, the better their swing will be; this position places the spine under a great degree of stress, however. The authors of this study hypothesized that a restricted backswing that incorporates more shoulder activity may reduce the odds for injury without harming performance levels by eliminating excessive spinal rotation.

Seven subjects who normally demonstrated a full recoil backswing (involving a shoulder turn of at least 90 degrees with a restricted hip rotation) were fitted with an electromyographic (EMG) recording device to measure muscle activity. EMG electrodes were placed on the lumbar, external oblique, latissimus dorsi, and right pectoralis major muscles. Subjects hit 10 balls consecutively for maximum distance using their typical swing, while a swing indicator measured club head speed and accuracy. Next, subjects were shown how to modify their swing to incorporate a shorter backswing; they were allowed to practice this swing for 20-30 minutes, at which time data were recorded as they hit 10 more golf balls.

Results: A backswing shortened by an average of 47 degrees did not significantly affect club speed or stroke accuracy. The target spot on the clubhead also remained the same. However, EMG activity was reduced 19% in the right oblique before impact, 12% in the left lumbar during acceleration, 21% in the right latissimus during activation, and 14% in the left lumbar during follow-through. EMG activity in the shoulder muscles increased as golfers compensated their swing.

These results are important because many golfers may not want to change their swing mechanics to reduce their odds for LBP if it might cause decreased game performance. The authors point out that although a reduced backswing may help prevent back injury, it could possibly lead to a less-debilitating shoulder injury.

Dr. Stephanie Maj has a thriving family practice in the heart of Chicago. Her clinic is located at 1442 W. Belmont Ave., 1E, Chicago, IL 60657. 773.528.8485. www.communitychiropractic.net

Chiropractic Spinal Manipulation Improves Golf Swing Performance.  Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, Volume 8, Issue 4, December 2009

Bulbulian R, Ball KA, Seaman DR. The short golf backswing: Effects on performance and spinal health implications. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2001:24(9), pp. 569-575.

You have all heard it, “Once you go to a Chiropractor, you always have to go.”  Why would someone want to continue going to a Chiropractor for life, to have this be a piece of their overall wellness plan?  Some interesting research has just come out with an answer in the form people like to see:  blinded placebo controlled study.

Does Maintained Spinal Manipulation Therapy for Chronic Non-specific Low Back Pain Result in Better Long Term Outcome? That is the question this new study asked in the prestigous journal, Spine.

The answer is a resounding YES!!

This new, single blinded placebo controlled study, conducted by the Faculty of Medicine at Mansoura University, conclusively demonstrates that maintenance care provides significant benefits for those with chronic low back pain.

BACKGROUND: Spinal manipulation (SMT) is a common treatment option for low back pain. Numerous clinical trials have attempted to evaluate its effectiveness for different subgroups of acute and chronic LBP previously, but the efficacy of maintenance SMT in chronic non-specific LBP has never been studied.

In this study, 60 patients with chronic, nonspecific LBP lasting at least 6 months were randomized into 3 groups:

1. One third of them received 12 treatments of sham SMT over a one-month period.

2. One third of them received 12 treatments of SMT during a one-month period, with no follow-up care during the next nine months, and

3. One third of them received 12 SMT visits during the first month, followed by “maintenance” SMT every two weeks, for the next nine months.

To determine any difference among these 3 care groups, researchers measured pain and disability scores, generic health status, and back-specific patient satisfaction at baseline, and at 1-month, 4-months, 7-months, and at 10-months

RESULTS: Patients in manipulative groups (groups 2 & 3) experienced significantly lower pain and disability scores than the sham group at the end of the first 1-month period.

At the 10-month follow-up, only the maintenance group maintained improvements in pain and disability, while the group that only received 1-months care had reverted to their pretreatment pain and disability levels.

CONCLUSIONS: This is the first medically managed trial that clearly demonstrates that maintenance care provides significant benefits to those who suffer from chronic low back pain.

This study re-confirms Descarreaux’s virtually identical 2004 JMPT study, which concluded that “This experiment suggests that maintenance spinal manipulations after intensive manipulative care is beneficial to patients to maintain subjective post-intensive treatment disability levels”.

It also confirms the findings of Dr. Ron L. Rupert, in his ground-breaking JMPT article, titled:

Maintenance Care: Health Promotion Services Administered to US Chiropractic Patients Aged 65 and Older, Part II which found that:

“The cost of health care for patients receiving MC in this study was far less than that for patients of similar age in the general population, despite the doubling of physician visits (medical plus chiropractic). The greatest difference in health care costs with patients receiving MC was in the areas of nursing care and, especially, hospital care. This reduced need for hospital and nursing home services has recently been corroborated by the research of Coulter et al..” [22]

SOURCE: Does Maintained Spinal Manipulation Therapy for Chronic Non-specific Low Back Pain Result in Better Long Term Outcome?

Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2011 Jan 17. [Epub ahead of print]

Dr. Stephanie Maj has a thriving family practice in the heart of Chicago. Her clinic is located at 1442 W. Belmont Ave., 1E, Chicago, IL 60657. 773.528.8485. www.communitychiropractic.net

Imagine thirty or forty years ago, if I told you that dentistry would be painless, that doctors would watch television to perform surgeries, that brain surgery for tumors could be done with a laser, that fetuses could be operated on within the uterus, that knife-less surgery could be performed, you would not have believed me. By the same token, would you believe me if I told you that chiropractic adjustments could be done painlessly without any popping or cracking sounds, and no jerking or to make an adjustment of your spine is an amount equivalent to tapping your fingers on a table.

The latest of these Chiropractic technologies is the ProAdjuster. This state-of-the-art machine uses NASA-developed computer and engineering technologies to both locate and gently correct spinal problems, analyzing and treating the human body at a level that was never before possible.

Let’s test this out. Put your hand flat on a table or even your leg. Now tap your fingers as though you were listening to music that you really enjoyed. Now tap as hard as you can. That is about the amount of pressure you will feel with a ProAdjuster adjustment. Do you think you can handle that? Of course you can. Even small children are adjusted with the Pro-Adjuster. The amount of pressure can be completely controlled and adjusted for the patient’s comfort, safety and effectiveness.

Pro-Adjuster: A Breakthrough in Healing

How can anything so gentle with such little force involved move my vertebrae and change my spine? The ProAdjuster utilizes a precise oscillating force with uninterrupted motion. It is able to increase the mobility of the spinal vertebrae by reducing or eliminating the fixations. In other words, the ProAdjuster is “unsticking” the joint.

Have you ever seen a woodpecker tapping in an oscillating fashion on a tree? It is hard to believe, but you can watch them bore right through the hardest wood! The ProAdjuster taps in much the same way but uses soft tips that are comfortable to the human body and don’t create damage.

Not only is the ProAdjuster great for the patient, it is great for the doctors as well. It is a valuable tool providing vital information about your spinal health, ultimately resulting in a higher level of care. What is it that every doctor wants for their patient and what every patient wants from their doctor? The answer is one word…RESULTS!

Check out this study showing how great the treatment of the Cervical Spine is with the ProAdjuster.  In this double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled trial, the conclusion of the researchers was that treatment with the ProAdjuster, using the Oscillating Percussion Technique, is effective in improving range of motion and reducing pain. (1)

Check out the ProAdjuster, it is a safe, effective, drug-free solution to many spinal issues.

Dr. Stephanie Maj has a thriving family practice in the heart of Chicago. Her clinic is located at 1442 W. Belmont Ave., 1E, Chicago, IL 60657. 773.528.8485. www.communitychiropractic.net

After the “Big Reveal” with my weight-loss, I have had a huge outpouring of support from my patients, colleagues, friends and family.  I am now having the pleasure of coaching a growing number of individuals to a better body composition on the road to improved health.  Is this congruent with Chiropractic?  Articles like the one below drive the message home to me that I am on the right track!  Weight-loss and Chiropractic might just be the magic combination to help those suffering from fibromyalgia!

According to a recent study, being obese may be associated with more severe fibromyalgia symptoms, such as pain and sleep problems. Fibromyalgia causes pain, fatigue and stiffness in the muscles, ligaments and tendons. Researchers believe that several factors, including injuries, abnormalities in the nervous system and changes in the muscle metabolism, may lead to the development of fibromyalgia.

Obese patients often develop chronic pain in various parts of the body because fat eventually starts to crowd the space near the internal organs, impairs blood circulation and puts extra strain and pressure on the body’s joints. Sometimes the fat in the abdomen may prevent patients from sitting comfortably. Pain is most likely to develop in the feet, joints, back and muscles. However, the potential link between obesity and fibromyalgia is unclear.

In the study, 215 patients with fibromyalgia completed questionnaires about their symptoms and underwent medical examinations to assess their pain, physical abilities and sleep cycles.

Forty-seven percent of the participants were considered obese, and another 30 percent were overweight (77% total overweight/obese). The authors concluded that obesity was linked to significantly greater pain sensitivity (particularly on the lower body), reduced strength and lower-body flexibility and poorer sleep quality. More research is needed to fully understand the potential relationship between fibromyalgia and obesity.

There is currently no cure for fibromyalgia. However, Chiropactic has been shown in many studies to help alleviate symptoms. In women with fibromyalgia, resistance training improves strength, fibromyalgia’s impact, and strength domains of functionality. The addition of chiropractic care improved neurological components, flexibility and helped achieve overall functionality. Most subjects with fibromyalgia appear to have responded favorably to a course chiropractic adjustments and ischemic compression therapy.

Dr. Stephanie Maj has a thriving family practice in the heart of Chicago. Her clinic is located at 1442 W. Belmont Ave., 1E, Chicago, IL 60657. 773.528.8485. www.communitychiropractic.net

About 28 million people in the United States get migraines. If you’re one of them, you’ll know how bad these headaches can be. For many sufferers, a migraine means spending a day or more lying in a darkened room. As well as throbbing pain, some people feel sick to their stomach or become extra sensitive to sound and light.

Several clinical trials indicate that chiropractic adjustments help in the treatment of migraine headaches. In one study of people with migraines, 22% of those who received chiropractic adjustments reported more than a 90% reduction of attacks and 49% reported a significant reduction of the intensity of each migraine.

Seventy-two per cent of migraine sufferers in a clinical trial experienced either ‘substantial’ or ‘noticeable’ improvement after a period of chiropractic adjustments, defying historical skepticism of chiropractics by some medical practitioners.

In another study, people with migraine headaches were randomly assigned to receive chiropractic adjustments, a daily medication (Elavil), or a combination of both. Chiropractic adjustments were as effective as Elavil in reducing migraines and had fewer side effects. There was no added benefit to combining the two therapies.

The scientific evidence on chiropractic adjustments for the relief of chronic headache has been well discussed in systematic reviews of randomized trials.(4) These reviews looked at patient self-reported outcomes when evaluating treatment effect such as pain intensity, headache index, frequency, duration, and improvement.

In addition, researchers reviewed 9 studies that tested spinal manipulative therapy for tension or migraine headaches and found that it was as effective as medications in preventing these headaches.

Check it out…..call and get a check up and see if Chiropractic can get you back on the path of health and wellness! Dr. Stephanie Maj has a thriving family practice in the heart of Chicago. Her clinic is located at 1442 W. Belmont Ave., 1E, Chicago, IL 60657. 773.528.8485. www.communitychiropractic.net (1)Tuchin PJ, Pollard H, Bonello R. A randomized controlled trial of spinal manipulative therapy for migraine. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2000;23(2):91-95. (2)Astin JA., Ernst E. The effectiveness of spinal manipulation for the treatment of headache disorders: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials. Cephalagia. 2002;22(8):617-623. (3)Bronfort G, Assendelft WJ, Evans R, Haas M, Bouter L. Efficacy of spinal manipulation for chronic headache: a systematic review. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2001;24(7):457-466. (3)Nelson CF, Bronfort G, Evans R, Boline P, Goldsmith C, Anderson AV. The efficacy of manipulation, amitriptyline and the combination of both therapies for the prophylaxis of migraine headache. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1998;21(8):511-519. (4)Hurwitz 1996, Vernon 1999, Bronfort 2001, Astin 2002, Bronfort 2004, Lenssinck 2004, Fernandez-de-Las-Penas 2005 & 2006

• “It runs in my family” is the biggest excuse I hear
• My husband “gave me” his cold – your immune system strength is your responsibility
• “Oh, it’s just Stress” – like there is nothing that can be done about it.  FYI: Stress KILLS!

Dr. Stephanie Maj has a thriving family practice in the heart of Chicago. Her clinic is located at 1442 W. Belmont Ave., 1E, Chicago, IL 60657. 773.528.8485. www.communitychiropractic.net