Articles

March 24, 2010

Taking Lipitor?

Filed under: Chiropractic - General Info and Benefits, Dangers of Medications, Dr. Kenney's Health Blog, Nutrition and Exercise — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 5:41 am

Lipitor is one of the most commonly prescribed medications for high cholesterol.  Here are some questions and concerns I came away with as I looked through the Lipitor website:

  • Are we to believe that problems within the body such as arterial plaque, high blood pressure and other such issues are directly caused by a LACK of Lipitor?  If not, then why go on a medication for life to mask this symptom?
  • Cholesterol is an important part of how our bodies function and is essentially neither good nor bad.  If this is the case why are we to believe that we must lower our cholesterol at all costs?  Here is a link to an article written by a cardiologist discussing some of the commonly accepted beliefs regarding cholesterol.  http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/05/28/cholesterol-heart.aspx
  • The side effects of Lipitor and cholesterol drugs are serious.  The website frequently mentions the dangers to the liver, potential kidney failure and sudden onset of serious muscle problems (I see this problem commonly in those taking it) among many others.  Since Lipitor is most often intended to be used indefinitely, how confident can a person possibly be that these side effects will not harm them and create far more dangerous problems?
  • The Lipitor website says that diet and exercise is not sufficient enough to help 2 out of 3 people improve their cholesterol levels.  How many of these people were actually put on the right type of exercise and nutrition program and monitored throughout?  Would the average doctor know what recommendations to make for an individual and/or have the time to do so?
  • Multiple medications interact with one another.  This is significant because those taking Lipitor are often taking more than one medicine.  How these drugs interact is unknown because it would be impossible and too costly for each drug company to test their medicine in conjunction with another company’s.  Therefore, as your list of medications grows you are essentially adding to an already list of harmful side effects and risks.  As we all learned in chemistry class, certain chemicals do not react well with one another.
  • How many people taking Lipitor do so only out of fear?  Is this a good reason to do anything?

Your body is an amazing machine and you have many options to consider before medication.  If you want natural, safe alternatives to Lipitor and other cholesterol medications give us a call at (203) 259-4731.

In Health,

Dr. Kenney

Southport Chiropractic Office

1995 Post Road

Fairfield, CT 06824

(203) 259-4731

March 16, 2010

Study Shows Chiropractic Helps Headaches

Filed under: Chiropractic - General Info and Benefits, Dr. Kenney's Health Blog, Top Chiropractic Research Articles — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 7:51 am

A study published in the February 2010 issue of The Spine Journal, the official journal of the North American Spine Society, provided additional evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of chiropractic for certain types of headaches known as “cervicogenic headaches”. A report on the results of this study was also published online on February 26, 2010, on the site “Modern Medicine”.

In this study, 80 patients with chronic cervicogenic headaches were divided into three groups. Two of the groups received various forms of chiropractic adjustments, which the study authors called Spinal Manipulative Therapy (SMT), and one group received just a light massage so as to be able to compare the results.  Results were calculated using standard pain scales. Data from the subjects was collected every 4 weeks for a 24 week period.

The researchers found that the groups that received chiropractic showed significantly greater improvement in pain scores as compared to the group that got just light massage. Those receiving the chiropractic care were more likely to have a 50-percent improvement in their pain. The two groups of patients who received chiropractic care were only given either 8 or 16 chiropractic sessions. The study did see a slightly better response for the group receiving more adjustments, but due to the study parameters, no data was available beyond 16 visits.

Dr. Mitch Haas and a team of researchers at Western States Chiropractic College, were quoted in their conclusion as saying, “Our pilot study adds to an emerging picture of spinal manipulative therapy dose for the treatment of headache. It showed that a plateau in intervention effect might be found in the range of eight to 16 treatment sessions, although a dose effect at these treatment levels cannot be ruled out. The study also adds to the support of spinal manipulative therapy in moderate doses as a viable option for the treatment of chronic cervicogenic headaches.”

Comments from Dr. Kenney:

People often wonder how it is that chiropractic is so effective at relieving headaches.  The reason is that everything in your body runs on nerves.  When the nerves are transmitting signals properly they are healthy.  When their energy becomes restricted the nerves become irritated causing pain and/or lack of output.

The article discusses “cervicogenic headaches” which are a fancy way of saying that they’re caused by misalignments to the vertebrae of the neck.  As vertebrae move out of their natural position(s) they place pressure on nerves that lie in close proximity thus resulting in the headaches or other problems.  To explain how chiropractic is so effective at curing headaches let’s first use an analogy.  If you have a pebble in your shoe it causes pain because it is applying pressure directly to a nerve.  Once you remove the pebble the pressure is eliminated and the pain subsides.  The chiropractic adjustment works the same way.  Misaligned vertebrae put pressure on nerves that cause headaches (pain).  The adjustment then realigns the vertebrae to their proper position which alleviates the nerve pressure allowing the headaches to subside.  This approach is a safe, effective way for curing headaches that people have been utilizing for decades.

March 4, 2010

A Less Talked About but More Effective Approach to Asthma

Filed under: Chiropractic - General Info and Benefits, Dr. Kenney's Health Blog, Pediatrics and Pregnancy — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 5:40 am

By Dr. Matthew Kenney

Asthma continues to rise in our country at an alarming rate.  Over $11 billion is spent annually on this disease alone and yet things are not improving.  In fact, by 2020 it is estimated that 1 out of 14 people will suffer from it.  The most common treatment usually involves medications such as inhalers, steroids, anti-spasmodics and bronchodilators however the statistics tell us that this approach is not working.  Furthermore, these medicines while sometimes helpful in reducing symptoms offer no permanent cure and cause side effects especially in children.   Let me share with you the experiences I’ve had in practice and how I’m able to help people with asthma.

To breathe properly your brain must send a signal down your spinal cord that will then exit via a nerve root (that runs between 2 vertebrae) and branch out to reach the lungs.  If the vertebrae are out of position they choke off and irritate the nerves because they lie in such close proximity to the spine.  This decreases the nerve energy to the lungs and alters their ability to function properly.  This makes sense right?  Children with asthma usually have structural misalignments to their upper and middle back areas.  When I examine the posture of a child with asthma I often see shoulders that slouch forward causing a slightly hump-back appearance and often see 1 shoulder resting higher up than the other.  This (along with x-rays when appropriate) tells me that the spine is not properly positioned.  Once the vertebrae are realigned through chiropractic adjustments the nerves can once again properly transmit their messages and normal function returns.   This alone often allows asthma to be eliminated or reduced in severity.

In practice I have seen many children with asthma and have witnessed first-hand the amazing results that can be attained through spinal adjustments.  I’ve seen pulmonary function (breathing) tests dramatically improve, medication able to be eliminated (or significantly reduced) and children be able to participate in and enjoy activities more.  Best of all there are no side effects to this method.  It may not be the first thing you’d think of for helping asthma but it is safe, effective and side-effect free.  Those concerned about asthma should strongly consider chiropractic to help themselves and their children.

February 3, 2010

Where are you taking your health today?

Filed under: Dr. Kenney's Health Blog — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 9:27 am

Are you aware that almost every condition or ailment you can name produces symptoms only after it has been present for an extended period of time, sometimes years?  This is why right now we have millions of people who look good and feel fine but are literally dying inside from cancer, heart disease, diabetes and more.  That is why how you look or feel can never accurately assess health.

The first step to health is realizing that it’s all about how well your body works, not just how it feels.  If your lungs take ½ as many respirations per minute as they should they’re not healthy, if they work to expel carbon dioxide and inspire oxygenated air in the proper amount and with the correct timing, they are.  Only a body that is working the way it is intended is actually healthy.

Next, picture your health as a spectrum.  On the far left you have disease (things are not working well); on the far right you have wellness (near perfect working order of your body).  Each of us on a daily basis will fall somewhere between these 2 points and will either regress or progress to one end or the other.  The direction we travel depends on 3 main factors – how we care for our bodies physically, what we put INTO it nutritionally and how we care for ourselves emotionally.  If today your input in these 3 areas is good (not perfect) you’ll progress toward better health.  If the input is poor, you’ll regress toward disease.  Each day you do this you’ll get closer to one end or the other.

Finally, understand that better health rewards you with more enjoyment and vitality.  With better health you’ll have more time to enjoy and contribute to all the people and activities that you love.   In fact, there is likely nothing that you can name that would not be better with improved health.

As a chiropractor I pride myself on not only being an expert on how to make people feel better but more importantly how to help and motivate them to actually become healthier.  I have the privilege on a daily basis of witnessing how better health can change lives and would be happy to play a part in helping you change yours.

In great health,

Dr. Matt Kenney

Southport Chiropractic Office

1995 Post Road

Fairfield, CT 06468

(203) 259-4731

www.sptchiro.com

February 2, 2010

Disc Herniation does not mean doom!

Filed under: Chiropractic - General Info and Benefits, Dr. Kenney's Health Blog — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 12:24 pm

What Can I Do for a Disc Herniation?

By Dr. Matthew Kenney

Often, people with neck or back pain are sent for an MRI only to learn they have a disc herniation, a term people have come to dread.  Upon hearing this term people usually imagine surgery and/or other unpleasant outcomes.  However, while surgery may sometimes be necessary there are countless people each year who discover that these disc problems can be corrected naturally.

Discs are basically the shock-absorbing circles that sit between spinal vertebrae.  Each disc is made up of 2 parts, a large outer ring of fibers called the annulus and a smaller circular jelly called the nucleus.  If a spine remains misaligned without being corrected these disc areas can become stressed and cause decay.  A herniation occurs when the outer fibers weaken (usually over a period of months and years) and the jelly-like nucleus material begins to leak outward and irritate spinal nerves much like pressing a peanut butter and jelly sandwich would squirt jelly out sideways onto a plate.  The nerve irritation can cause pain, numbness, tingling, weakness and other unpleasant symptoms which are often severe.

Herniated discs most often occur in either the lumbar (lower back) or cervical (neck) areas; both of which can be corrected.  The methods we use to correct them are as follows:

First, because disc problems stem from spinal stress caused by misalignments (subluxations) the spine must be re-trained through a series of gentle, spinal adjustments to return to its natural position.  Next, traction is utilized to help heal and repair the discs.  Because discs are weakened by compression (downward pressure) on the spine they can be healed by doing the opposite.  Traction involves stretching the spine outward so that discs can realign to proper positions, herniated material can be sucked back toward the nucleus like a vacuum, blood flow to the area can improve and nerve tension can be reduced.  In our office we have specialized equipment that we utilize for traction including a Flexion-Distraction Table for the lumbar spine.  Natural nutritional supplements are often used to assist in minimizing inflammation and to give the discs the proper nutrients they need to heal.  Finally, once the underlying problem is corrected exercises and stretches are carefully selected and assigned to help strengthen the area.

So, how successful is this natural approach?  Statistically the results are nearly 90%, meaning 9 out of 10 people can avoid surgery or other unpleasant outcomes. In the rare event that someone is not healing from this approach (within a period of 2-4 weeks) than they will be referred for surgery or other intervention.  Even those who do not improve will still know that they have exhausted their simple, natural options before exploring more risky and complex ones.

We help many people with disc herniations each year and currently have 8 patients that are nearing full recovery from them under our care.   If you or anyone you know suspects a disc problem please do not wait for it to correct itself!  Contact my office immediately for an appointment or further information at (203) 259-4731.

August 12, 2009

Why Chiropractic is so Important for Children

Filed under: Pediatrics and Pregnancy — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 6:37 am

Chiropractic for Children

Parents will do just about anything to protect their child’s health. They serve nutritionally balanced meals, encourage daily exercise, and insist on regular dental and eye examinations. Yet many neglect the most important part of the child’s health care program: regular spinal checkups.

Subluxation on Delivery

Misalignments in spinal bones which interfere with the normal flow of nerve energy are known as subluxations. Many people still associate them with major trauma. They think the spine can be affected only after lifting heavy objects or being in an automobile accident. They don’t realize that the daily activities of young children can easily result in subluxations.

In fact, many babies receive their first subluxations during pregnancy and the birthing process. Modern medical procedures such as the Cesarean section, the use of forceps, and induced deliveries put unnatural strains on the infant’s delicate body. Frequently, doctors still hold the baby upside down from the feet. Throughout the ordeal, the tiny spine is twisted, tugged and stretched. The frequent result: subluxations.

People who understand the importance of spinal checkups and care bring their children into the chiropractor’s office when they are tiny infants.

Kids Will Be Kids

Of course, the strain on the spine doesn’t stop in the delivery room. Children are, by nature, active and energetic. They run, jump, tumble and fall. Since their bodies are extremely flexible and resilient, they often will show nothing more than a bruise or scrape after life’s minor accidents.

But that’s on the outside. On the inside, the body has been jarred with considerable force. The small bones forming the spinal column — which protects the central nervous system’s spinal cord — can be forced out of their proper positions.

Some will return to the correct position on their own, guided by the child’s own Innate Intelligence. Others will remain “stuck” in incorrect positions.

Childhood Dis-ease

Subluxations in children can cause dis-ease in the body, just as they do in adults. When the nerve flow is interrupted, some part of the body will send or receive distorted messages to or from the brain. With such interference, the body cannot function at 100% of its potential. It cannot reach its optimum level of health.

If parents are lucky, their child’s body will provide visible physical signs that something is wrong inside. Symptoms such as fever, stomach ache, sore throat, bed wetting, poor posture, hyperactivity, and frequent colds or flu may be evidence of subluxations.

(Unfortunately, some people forget that symptoms are warning signals. They think the symptoms are the real problems and treat them without going to the possible root cause — the subluxations.)

Parents aren’t always so fortunate, however, for sometimes there are no outward signs signaling the presence of internal physical changes. In fact, unless children receive regular chiropractic check-ups, no one may know subluxations exist until the damage is so serious it cannot be hidden any longer.

Obviously, we all want what’s best for our children. We want them to be happy and intelligent and popular. Most of all, we want them to be healthy. That means making chiropractic checkups a regular part of their health care routine.

August 6, 2009

Chiropractic and Infertility – A Case Study

Filed under: Top Chiropractic Research Articles — Tags: , , , — admin @ 12:52 pm

Female Infertility, Subluxation & Chiropractic Care: A Case Series and Selective Review of the Literature

Author(s): Joel Alcantara, DC1; | Gregg Stern, DC2; | Rosemary E. Oman, DC, MSc, FASBE

Abstract

Objective: To report on three infertile females with vertebral subluxation that responded to the introduction of chiropractic care and review the literature on the topic.

Clinical Features: Three females presenting with a chief complaint of infertility and vertebral subluxation.

Interventions and Outcomes: Chiropractic care included diversified spinal adjusting, dietary modification and nutritional supplements. All three women conceived following the introduction of chiropractic management.

Conclusion: We described three patients with infertility who were able to conceive following chiropractic care. Continued research in this area is strongly encouraged.

Chiropractic Improves Health of Newborns and Infants

Filed under: Pediatrics and Pregnancy, Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 7:48 am

Chiropractic for Newborns and Infants

By Dr. Ben Lerner
Birth is a normal, natural process that’s been around since almost the beginning of humanity. As with any other task the body was created to perform, when you support normal functioning, you have your best chance at success.
The road down the birth canal and out into the world can be a trying one, particularly in the case of medical intervention and high-tech births. (You may recall a JAMA study showing the United States ranked last in neonatal mortality, infant mortality and for the health of newborns.) As a result, there has been an ever-increasing occurrence of traumatic birth syndrome.
Traumatic birth syndrome describes the presence of trauma-induced skull and spinal damage and spinal misalignment as a result of the birth process. As tough as birth is, going through it with the woman lying on her back, working against gravity, on medications to increase the intensity of labor, numb to the delivery muscles, and often accompanied by surgical interventions, makes it exponentially more traumatic.
When you think about this, it’s no surprise vertebral subluxation in infants is so common.
How the Birthing Process Injures Spines
During the pushing stage of labor, the spine may be injured as the fetus is compressed and pushed down the birth canal. The most frequent cause of subluxation in infants is the pulling, twisting and compression of the infant’s spine during birth. If something alters normal birth, you will frequently have subluxations occur at the point of greatest stress (upper and lower cervical vertebrae).
While in severe cases, this can result in more obvious, clinical nerve damage such as paralysis, more frequently, subluxations remain unnoticed by physicians and parents with health issues rising at a later time. Among them:
• Colic
• Sleep disorders
• Symptoms of lowered immunity
• Poor development
Pediatric expert Dr. Maxine McMullen states, “Subluxations should be analyzed and corrected as soon as possible after birth to prevent these associated conditions.” (1)
Moreover, these subluxations have been found to be severe enough to lead to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) due to the pressure they cause upward toward the lower brain (2) as well as creating numerous other disorders common to newborns, infants and young children.
Reports show chiropractic care can be helpful in such diverse disorders as cerebral palsy, seizure disorders, ear infections, the prevention of SIDS, and others. (3)
While chiropractic care is not a treatment for anything, the benefits of adjusting subluxation to remove interference has been particularly telling in the case of small children.
In fact, young people need chiropractic care as much as or more than anyone to maximize proper development and minimize the advent of common infant symptoms and disease.
The Infant Adjustment
One of the most interesting studies, based on examination and adjustment of 1,000 infants, was done by Dr. Gutmann, a German medical doctor. (4,5) He concluded blocked nerve impulses at the level of the first vertebrae can be the cause of central motor impairment and lower resistance to infections, especially those of the ear, nose, and throat. (6)
Dr. Gutmann’s research showed the children treated had success — almost without exception — for a variety of ailments by spinal adjustments at the atlas (top vertebra in the neck). Among the symptoms that responded favorably:
• Congenital torticollis
• “Growing pains”
• Infantile scoliosis
• Bronchitis tonsillitis
• Restless sleep
• Disturbed motor responses with repetitive falls
• An inability to thrive
“If the indications are correctly observed,” states Dr. Gutmann, “chiropractic can often bring about amazingly successful results, because the therapy is a causal one. With developmental disturbances of every kind, the atlanto-occipital joints should be examined and in each case be treated manually in a qualified manner. The success of this treatment eclipses every other attempt at treatment, including especially the use of medications.” (7)
Most people would not consider Chiropractic care for infants and children. However, the fact of the matter is, children are very, very prone to misalignments of the spine. Their vertebra are not fully formed, nor are their ligaments and tendons fully strengthened. This, along with the fact that a child falls enough times in a day to hospitalize an adult, makes it clear children should be evaluated by a chiropractor for spinal abnormalities.
And, don’t question the safety rating for Chiropractic treating children. The process is strictly AAA and cannot even be compared to the safety of medicine.
Nevertheless, countless children suffer from the side effects of modern medication each week, causing malpractice insurance for pediatrics and obstetrics to be astronomical — reaching into the tens of thousands. Chiropractors, on the other hand, pay as little as $300-$500 annually for malpractice coverage.
Chiropractic makes good scientific, factual and common sense for your child. I urge you not to wait until they hurt or get hurt. Get them checked now!

Boost Your Immune System With Chiropractic Adjustments

Filed under: Chiropractic - General Info and Benefits — Tags: , , , — admin @ 7:07 am

Boosting the Immune System with Chiropractic Adjustments

In a study of 107 people who had long term chiropractic care, all were generally normal. Their immune systems had no reason to produce resistance to disease. The chiropractic patient also had 200% greater immune-competency than people who had not received chiropractic care and 400% more than those with cancer or other serious diseases. The immune-competence did not decline with age; it was uniform for the entire group.
M.N.M. **Study by Dr. Ronald Pero, Ph.D 1975. New York Preventative Medicine Institute and Environmental Health at NYU. (David Singer, 1993)
Nobel Prize winner for brain research, Dr. Roger Sperry discovered that the more misalignments in the spine, the less energy was available for thinking, healing and metabolizing.
The Effects of Specific Upper Cervical Adjustments on the CD4 counts of HIV Positive Patients:
A 48% increase in the CD4 cells was demonstrated over six month duration of the study for the adjusted group. Chiropractic Research Journal : Volume 3. (1) 1994.
Chiropractic Wellness Care:
• Should begin at birth.
• Encourages early detection and correction of spinal problems before they become chronic.
• Establishes a strong, straight, stable spine that is CLEAR of nerve interference!
• Removes interference to your central nervous system.
• Corrects vertebral subluxations.
• Helps restore the body’s in-born, built in ability to heal itself.
Who do you care about that would like to be healthier?

August 5, 2009

A Nation of Drugged Children

Filed under: Dangers of Medications — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 1:46 pm

Dear Patients and Friends,
The article to follow details the alarming rate at which children continue to be given prescription medications and the serious side effects that go with it. This scenario is not only true of children but adults as well. It’s important to understand that these medications are meant to treat symptoms and NOT to cure disease. That means that whenever the medications are ceased the problem (and whatever new problems are created) will remain. In other words problems are not being solved but merely covered up.
The reality is that everything we do comes as a result of our nervous system, the health of which is dictated by 3 main factors – what we do to our bodies, what we put into our bodies and how we operate mentally. Good choices in these 3 areas create great health by keeping the natural recuperative powers of the body strong, poor choices eventually create disease, it’s that simple.
If you read the article below and it makes you think of a co-worker, friend, relative or loved one please share it with them. Help someone you care for avoid the potentially endless cycle of medications by encouraging them to see a chiropractor, a person qualified to help them dramatically improve their health by strengthening their nervous system through proper alignment and health of the spine, nutrition and thought process.

In Health,

Dr. Kenney
Dr. Bogannam

Creating a Generation of Drugged Children

Last November, the journal Pediatrics published research that found medication use among children across the United States is dramatically increasing as more kids are being treated for diabetes, hypertension, obesity, asthma, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Using a database of prescription claims from children with private health insurance, they were able to find prescriptions for almost 4 million children.

The researchers found that over four years, prescriptions for children aged 5 to 19 increased significantly. Among two drugs to treat type 2 diabetes, the use doubled. In addition, the use of drugs to treat asthma rose by 46.5 percent, and the use of drugs to treat ADHD grew by 40.4 percent. The number of prescriptions for cholesterol-lowering drugs rose by 15 percent, the researchers found. They also noted increases in the use of blood pressure drugs and antidepressants (1.8 percent).

According to one of the co-authors of the study, Emily Cox, as the number of obese children increases, the number of children with chronic diseases is also increasing. “That they are being treated is a good thing,” she said. “The concern is, are doctors more likely to use drug therapy over diet and exercise?”

Antidepressants are the second largest group of drugs prescribed for children under 18 years of age, second only to Ritalin and similar ADD/ADHD drugs. An earlier generation was given tricyclic antidepressants like Elavil and Toframil. These drugs had some serious, and occasionally fatal, side effects. The newer ones, including those called SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), are more easily tolerated, but have not been widely tested on children.

SSRIs include Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa, and Luvox. They help regulate levels of serotonin, a chemical in the body that is believed to affect mood. Serotonin levels drop off during early adolescence, and therefore may be related to depression in this age group. Low serotonin levels have also been linked to substance abuse problems in teens.

But why give young people such heavy-handed drugs, with their host of potentially dangerous side effects, when inexpensive, natural, and healthy alternatives are available? Low or imbalanced levels of fatty acids are now linked to autoimmune disorders, mood and behavioral disorders, and heart disease, among other health concerns, prompting even allopathic doctors to recommend fish oil to treat ADHD. Researchers at the University of South Australia tested a combination of omega-3 fish oil and evening primrose oil (an omega-6 oil) on 132 children with ADHD, ranging in age from seven to 12. After the 30-week study ended, almost half the parents reported that their children’s symptoms were improved.

Many of the other conditions for which children are being overmedicated can be treated naturally as well. For example, vitamin D deficiency has been implicated as a major factor in the pathology of heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, birth defects, periodontal disease, and more.

Children don’t need cholesterol-lowering drugs. They need proper nutrition and exercise, with judicious supplementation. But they also need physicians and practitioners who can properly diagnose and treat their conditions with healthy, natural methods.

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