SEMINAR!!!

Core Stabilization Seminar

When: Saturday March 7, 2009

Where: Shelley Chiropractic Health Centre (Shop 15, 17 Tribute St, Shelley)

With: Dr Susan Falk

What: Explanation of what the core is, what its function is, what its importance is in preventing low back pain and most importantly...how to use it!!

Who: Everyone welcome!

Cost: $15 per person (paid at sign up)

$5 per person will be donated to bushfire relief in Victoria

Ring 9354 7307 or stop by the clinic to sign up!!

Migraines: Cause, Treatment and Prevention (part 2)

For part 1 click here...

Drug Free Treatment:

Chiropractic:

Two recent systematic literature reviews (from the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews) have provided evidence in favour of the treatment of migraine headaches by means of cervical spine (neck) manipulation/adjustment.  One such study reported that "spinal manipulation may be an effective treatment option with a short term effect similar to that of a commonly used, effective drug (amitriptyline)".  The second review provided evidence that spinal manipulative therapy patients reported improvement in pain intensity, duration and disability associated with migraines.  One study in the review found a non-significant trend of improvements on a headache index to remain at 4 weeks in the manipulation group.  This trend was not evident in the amitriptyline and combined amitriptyline and manipulation experimental groups.

Acupuncture:

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, migraines are caused by a blockage in the energetic pathway related to the eyes and the temples.  For the most part, the blockage is due to a relatively excessive amount of energy.  Normally, this energy should be appropriately radiated out, but for certain reasons, it is not and becomes blocked.  We see that there are often triggers such as light (a form of energy) or other types of "heating" stimulation that bring on a migraine.  This is due to the further addition of energy to an already blocked pathway.  Often, the sufferer will have a still neck and shoulders, or tension in the hips and sides of the legs (blockage along the same pathway).  Because each individual is different, advice on prevention and recovery may slightly vary.  In general, it is good to radiate out the blocked energy by appropriate exercise, stretching, occasional baths, spicy food and dealing with irritability and/or anger.  However, please consult a TCM trained acupuncturist first.  Research has shown acupuncture to be effective in the treatment of migraines (Vickers AJ, et al 1999).  

Thank you to Dr. John Blazevic.  A former TCM and acupuncturist colleague of mine from Vancouver BC, Canada for providing me with this information.  www.johnsacupuncture.com

Massage Therapy:

Massage therapy may be useful in reducing the occurrence of migraine headaches.  A study done by the Touch Research Institute showed that those receiving massage therapy experienced less sleep disturbing headaches.  60% of these participants also went the entire month without any headaches compared to 40% of participants who received no massage therapy.

Prevention:

Prevention of migraines revolves around the identification and subsequent avoidance of triggers.  Often the trigger is a food substance.  Keeping a food and headache journal on a daily basis will help identify what, if any, food triggers the headache.  Once this is determines, try cutting that food out of your diet and see if this helps to alleviate the onset of migraines.  There may be more than one food that triggers the migraine, so do not be alarmed if it does not help instantly.

There are a number of nutritional supplements that have been shown to be helpful.  These include:

• Feverfew
• 5-HTP
• Omega 3 fats
• Calcium with Vitamin D
• Riboflavin and multivitamins containing B vitamins and magnesium

Please seek the advice of your health care practitioner prior to using any of the supplements listed.

References:

Efficacy of Spinal Manipulation for Chronic Headache: A systematic review.  JMPT 2001 24(7): 457-466

Non-invasive physical treatments for chronic/recurrent headache.  The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2004, Issue 3.

The effectiveness of spinal manipulation for the treatment of headache disorders: a systematic review of randomized control trials.  The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2005, Issue 4.

http://www.healthscout.com/ency/416/96/main.html

www.simplymassagetherapy.com/migraine.htm

Souza TA. Differential Diagnosis and Management for the Chiropractor: Protocols and Algorithms 2nd Ed. Aspen Publishers Inc 2001.

Vickers AJ, et al.  BMJ 2004 Mar. 27; 328.  Cephalgia, Nov. 1999

Migraines: Cause, Treatment and Prevention (part 1)

Other than colds, headaches are probably the most common human ailment.  They are usually a passing annoyance, but as many as 45 million people suffer from chronic and/or severe headaches that interfere with their lives.  There are various types of headaches with much overlap.  This overlap is due to the fact that headaches are still not completely understood by scientists.  The following information will present information on one type of headache...migraines.  I will educate you on what they are, how to treat them and most importantly how to prevent them!

Symptoms:

Migraine sufferers are often female and present with a complaint of one sided throbbing headache that is occasionally (10-15% of the time) preceded by aura.  An aura consists of visual disturbances including blind spots and flashing lights or neurological change including numbness and/or tingling in an area of the body.  This aura can last for about 30 minutes followed by an incapacitating headache that lasts from several hours to days.

The other 85-90% of migraine sufferers do not experience the aura.  They still have a debilitating headache, but the person is usually able to continue their daily lives.  Migraine sufferers will seek dark, quiet environments.  There can be associated nausea and vomiting and often there is a fa

mily history of migraines.  The headaches are commonly triggered by foods (chocolate, caffeine, wine, additives etc.), lack of sleep, environmental pollutants and medications.

Causes:

There is still a lot of uncertainty as to the exact cause of migraine headaches.  The following represent some of the theories.  One theory centres on a disorder of the central nervous system (CNS)(CNS = Brain and spinal cord).  A trigger (as stated above) overly excites a nerve called the trigeminal nerve.

This nerve is responsible for the sensation of the face and head.  This over excitation causes a release of proteins that cause a dilation of the blood vessels in the head and result in an inflammatory response.  This inflammation spreads to the meninges (the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord).  Unlike the brain itself, the meninges are sensitive to pain.  This reaction then reaches the cortex (outer layer) of the brain and reduces blood flow (known as "spreading depression").  Some regions of the decreased blood flow results in the aforementioned auras.

Another theory is that there are abnormalities with the flow of calcium ions between cells.  The calcium ion is responsible for the release of a substance called serotonin.  Serotonin is involed in pain perception and mood.  Interestingly, the receptors for serotonin particles are on the trigeminal nerve.  The serotonin normally acts to block the proteins that overstimulate and produce inflammation.  If there is not enough calcium and therefore not enough serotonin, the nerve becomes over stimulated.

In Summary:

An abnormality in the calcium channel results in decreased calcium flow which further results in a decreased release of serotonin.  Without serotonin the trigeminal nerve is not blocked from releasing the proteins responsible for inflammation and blood vessel dilation.  The reaction spreads to the brain meninges resulting in aura and pain.

Part 2: Drug Free Treatment and Prevention (click link)

Shelley Chiropractic Christmas Hours

Dr. Victoria Shoemaker Young:

*Dr. Victoria will be away from 25/12/08 - 12/1/09.

Regular office hours for Dr. Victoria resume on Tue 13/1/09.

Dr. J Susan Falk:

Wed 24/12/08: 1-4pm

Thu 25/12/08: CLOSED

Fri 26/12/08: CLOSED

Sat 27/12/08: 8-12pm

Sun 28/12/08: CLOSED

Mon 29/12/08: 10-12:30pm ; 3-6:30pm

Tue 30/12/08: 8-11:30am

Wed 31/12/08: CLOSED

Thu 1/1/09 - Sun 4/1/09: CLOSED

Regular office hours will resume on Monday 5/1/09.  

Emergency appointments and home visits 

-Appointments may be available throughout the Christmas holiday period.  Please ring 9354 7307 and Dr. Susan will do her best to help you.

Dr. Susan will be away from the 31/12/08 - 5/1/09 and not available for emergency or home visits during this period.

Give the Gift of Health this Christmas

Why don't you give your friends and family the gift of health this holiday season with a gift certificate from Shelley Chiropractic Health Centre.  Simply enquire when you are at the front desk or ring 9354 7307.

Merry Christmas from Shelley Chiropractic!!

After Hours Emergency Appointments and Home Visits

Dr. Susan is now available for emergency after hours appointments and home visits.  In case of an emergency (not during office hours or if you are stuck at home), please call Dr. Susan on 0449 289 546.  

After Hours Prices:

New Patient $120

Subsequent   $ 70

Concession subsequent $65

Home Visits:

New Patient  $140

Subsequent    $ 80

Concession subsequent $75

Excellent Website for Women!

To all my female patients (and all females who are reading this or men who have women in their lives that are important to them), I have come across a great website with information on pregnancy related and child rearing issues.  

See: Conscious Woman

Here is what the website homepage says...

Welcome to Conscious Woman!

We stand now where two roads diverge. But they are not equally fair. The road we have long been traveling is deceptively easy, a smooth superhighway on which we progress with great speed, but at its end lies disaster. The other fork of the road-the one "less traveled by"-offers our last, our only chance to reach a destination that assures the preservation of the earth. ~ Rachel Carson

Conscious Woman, Inc. is an online resource for personal, community and global issues related to women's health and the environment. Through WebEx, the most technologically advanced and user-friendly online learning system in the market, we will take you into virtual classrooms where you can interact directly with the experts. And all in the comfort of your home!

We are delighted to offer an exciting array of interactive, online workshops on topics that are either not readily available to or generally contemplated by the majority of the population. Nearly all of our presenters are nationally and/or world renowned in their areas of expertise; we are excited by the possibilities that the virtual classroom environment can bring in connecting people of varying interests and passions, and in challenging our perceptions of some highly controversial subjects. The focus of our first year will be on programs and resources for the childbearing years, from birth and breastfeeding to postpartum healing and choices that we make regarding the health and well-being of our children. We are currently developing a series of workshops on environmental issues and other health-related programs that will appeal to all women, and will continue to update you on our developments through our Director's blog and emails to those who join our mailing list.

As you will see, many of our online workshops will provide continuing education credits for various professionals, although nearly all are intended for general audiences. Our growing array of online forums will provide ample opportunity to further explore the issues presented and to connect you with fellow workshop participants and a community of enlightened individuals. Conscious action in promoting our welfare and the welfare of our families is an underlying theme to most of our programming, and at the heart of the rest.

In addition to participating in our online workshops and forums, we encourage you to read about the extraordinary women highlighted each month - women whose thoughts, actions and accomplishments will hopefully inspire and motivate you to take more action in positive, productive ways. Not heroines, but rather friends and guides in the world of the Conscious Woman. And don't leave before exploring our resources page with links to terrific websites and for checking out the stuff that isn't typically found on bookstore shelves!

We look forward to growing with you.

Raquel Lazar-Paley, Esq.
Executive Director