by Matthew Poulter | Oct 24, 2014 | Chiropractic |
Chiropractic – helping people with arthritis Arthritis is a painful and debilitating condition and can have a significant impact on the quality of life of individuals suffering from this disease. As World Arthritis Day was on 12th October 2014 we wanted to highlight the benefits Chiropractic care for those suffering from this condition. A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine1 reported that 63% of patients who visited a rheumatologist, for the conditions rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia, also sought some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Of these individuals 31% (almost half) chose Chiropractic care, making Chiropractic the most popular alternative used by this group of people. Importantly, 73% of these patients determined that Chiropractic care was helpful in controlling their chronic pain. An additional aspect of this study was to determine why these arthritic patients chose CAM and the reasons they gave were: Because their prescribed medication wasn’t working to control their pain Because they heard it would help Because it is safe Because it helped someone they know Reducing the use of prescription medicines or over-the-counter medications such as NSAIDs for pain relief means fewer harmful side effects and addiction from long term use. The lifestyle changes associated with Chiropractic recommendations will also positively influence diet, exercise and overall health. The ability to control some symptoms through Chiropractic care not only reduces the financial burden on the NHS (arthritis cases are set to double by 2030!) but more importantly it improves the quality of life of those suffering from the disease and may in some cases delay the necessity to take early retirement. It’s important that people realise...
by Matthew Poulter | Sep 16, 2014 | Chiropractic |
With the children off school over the summer holidays, it was great to meet some of our existing patient’s kids. For many of them it was the first time they’d seen a chiropractor work their magic, and the popping and clicking captivated the majority. However, those children that were ‘old hat’ with what we do played on an iPhone or iPad. You didn’t have to be a chiropractor to notice the childrens posture when they were hunched over the phone playing Angry Birds or watching Peppa Pig! You can’t help but wonder the influence prolonged periods slouching over these devices will do to young malleable spines. We all say that we were much more active as kids compared to the current generation but I needed to have a look at some of the statistics. A recent study from this year took a sample of 461 parents with children between the ages of 11-16. 40% of these children had suffered from neck or back pain and, worryingly, 15% of parents said their child’s pain was directly resulting from using technology. Parents suggested a staggering 68% of children spent more than four hours on a laptop, tablet or phone. The NHS suggests a child should spend at least an hour a day doing rigorous activity. 48% of parents in this study suggested their children didn’t meet this. You can only hypothesise about the long-term affect of children leading more sedentary lives. I have seen the affect this has had on hundreds if not thousands of adults, many of which come in when their posture has changed, the shoulders have rounded, the mid back is hunched and the...
by Charles Herbert | Aug 22, 2014 | Chiropractic |
Is cleaning everything with antibacterial soap such a good idea? We live in a world where we are obsessed with cleanliness and hygiene. We have antibacterial hand wash by the sink, antibacterial wipes to clean the kids and worktops, antibacterial hand gel to clean our hands before food and after we touch anything, you can even get antibacterial washing powder for your clothes. So why are we obsessed with antibacterial stuff? Because germs are bad and make you ill, right?! Are germs bad for you? No matter how hard you try, germs are everywhere. It is commonly estimated that at any one time you have 10x more bacterial cells within your body than you have human cells! There are thought to be almost 200 different species on your skin. If you do kill any germs with antibacterial gel then any left behind are able to double their numbers within 20 minutes, and in 8 hours create almost 1 million new germs. We are surrounded by them constantly, so why aren’t we ill? Firstly, it’s important to point out that we need germs, and they need us (although they’re not fussy about which human they get). Germs help us digest our food and break down tougher foods like plant fibers. They synthesise essential vitamins in our gut. They assist with the regulation of our serotonin levels, which make us happy. They turn wine into vinegar and milk into cheese and yogurt – not essential for life but for important for tasty food. And most importantly of all they regulate our immune systems. It has been found by Gerald Callahan of...
by Charles Herbert | Aug 13, 2014 | Chiropractic |
It’s written in blood – Chiropractic heals through chemistry. Fact! We all know Chiropractic works and adjustments make you feel better. Not only do we hear it all the time from our patients, we see it in the research conducted on the benefits of a Chiropractic care. Now a recent research article takes our understanding one step further… Scientists at the University of Spain decided to look at the changes in your blood after a Chiropractic adjustment. Using 30 students, who suffer no symptoms, they split them into three groups. One group received cervical (neck) adjustments, another thoracic (mid back) adjustments, and the final group no adjustments at all. The scientists took blood samples before the student’s adjustment (or lack of), immediately after, and then two hours later. What they were looking for was the changes in the hormones and neurotransmitters present in the students blood sample in relation to their adjustments. What happened to the hormones? The scientist were tracking four hormones in the blood plasma: neurotensin, oxytocin, cortisol, and orexin-A (learn what they are below). They found that immediately after a Chiropractic adjustment the levels of neurotensin and oxytocin significantly rose and cortisol also rose significantly after the cervical (neck) adjustment. There was no change in the levels of orexin-A in any group. But what on earth do these biochemical markers do? Neurotensin When times get tough and the stress levels increase then neurotensin is thought to help neutralise associated, stress-related pain. It also interacts with the serotonin neurons of the brain helping to chill you out. It also affects the activity the hormone oxytocin in the brain. Oxytocin...
by Matthew Poulter | Jul 23, 2014 | Chiropractic |
This blog is in regards to Lord Lloyd-Webber’s battle with his own thoughts during debilitating back pain and how he previously experienced his mother go through the same. To read more follow this link for the full report. Lord Faulconers Bill to allow assisted suicide for those that are terminally ill has recently rekindled a huge ethical and moral debate in the national papers. Although this article focuses very much on Lord Lloyd-Webber and how his view on the subject wavered depending on his experiences, it also demonstrates some very strong chiropractic philosophy. The longer I practice Chiropractic the more I see the relationship between mind and body. A healthy body often belongs to a healthy mind and vice versa. When patients have been through an intense period of emotional stress, existing health issues appear to worsen or new ones appear. Research in abundance demonstrates the increase in depression etc. in chronic pain sufferers. This mind/body principle is key to a holistic chiropractor and is often the answer I give when people ask me, “What’s the difference between a chiropractor and an osteopath/physio?” I’ve had hundreds of patients that develop disc symptoms (as Lord Lloyd-Webber appears to have suffered) either during or after a period of stress. A huge part of the healing process for the patient is the acknowledgment of the link between the two and then taking the necessary steps to deal with both problems. The other key principle to Chiropractic is that the power that made the body heals the body. As chiropractors, we allow healing to happen, we DON’T do the healing. Lord Lloyd-Webber underwent “14...
by Charles Herbert | Jul 22, 2014 | Chiropractic |
This is a Chiropractic video about us at The Chiropractic Centre: Bristol The video was made by the talented Kris Griffin. If you need someone to make a short film or take photos (like the ones on our website) then he’s your man! Contact us if you would like more...
