SpineUniverse recently conducted a survey to determine the favored treatment for neck pain and to compare patient satisfaction with a variety of treatment methods. As this survey was conducted in the United States where Western medical treatment and drugs are often the favored treatment, one item of comparison stood out and caused surprise.

This portion of the study compared Acupuncture to injection therapy for neck pain. Of the 310 persons in the study, 43.6% of the patients were satisfied or very satisfied with Acupuncture. What surprised researchers was that only 41.3% said that they were satisfied or very satisfied with their drug treatment.

While the percentage difference between those who preferred Acupuncture over injections is not large, the results were quite surprising to research personnel bases on two main factors: The first had to do with the fact that while vast amounts of money are invested in pharmacological research and injection medication, participants yet favored Acupuncture. The second factor had to do with the fact that many Westerners are still a bit wary of Acupuncture, but those who responded found it to be quite favorable.

On the other hand, the results may be paralleling the growing acceptance of Acupuncture by patients and the medical community. Many are finding that the traditional Chinese art of healing seems to make patients happy and reduce their pains. Once people realize that Acupuncture helps to contribute to the total health of the person and does so with needles that cause little or no discomfort, they are more amenable to giving it a try.

“Acupuncture is a safe treatment option for neck pain, and when done properly by a licensed acupuncturist, it can provide much needed pain relief,” said Laurie Morse, a licensed acupuncturist and Master of Traditional Oriental Medicine. “Many people worry about all the needles, but they’re actually much thinner (almost hair thin) than injection needles. Additionally, you can’t possibly have a reaction to medication because no medication is used in Acupuncture.”

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In the United States alone, it is estimated that approximately 27 million people play the game of golf. It is actually quite shocking to look at the number of injuries occurring in the pursuit of this activity. In the United States, there are 13.5 million golf-related injuries reported each year.

Patients who come to chiropractors seeking relief from bodily aches and pains will quite often be suffering from some variety of repetitive strain syndrome. These patients are out on the golf course taking swings at a ball in such a way as to put undo and often extreme strain on muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints and bones. They swing repeatedly over the course of a round of golf that often involves playing 18 holes laid out over a 4 mile track that might involve 40, 50 or more severe rips at the ball.

There are several basic reasons a person causes injury to themselves, and patient education can go a long way toward preventing bodily damage from occurring. Very simply, the average patient does very little, if anything, to prepare or condition their body for the golf swing. Basically, they just play. This will often involve showing up at the course just minutes before their game is scheduled to begin. They walk out onto the first tee (location where the initial shot is struck on each hole) and “give it a go.” Generally, they embark upon this action with little or no stretching to get loose or get the body warmed up to play. Commencing to swing viciously at the ball is just as common for persons who visit the practice range to work on their game by bashing a hundred or more balls. No stretching, no warm-up, no preparation of the body or conditioning of the body for the rigors of the game.

When the forces that are involved in creating a full, hard golf swing are looked at further, it is easy to see how injuries, especially those caused by repeated strain, can occur. The average golfer can actually achieve a swing speed of about 90 miles per hour with a golf club. Professionals are only a bit superior at 115, but the 90 mile per hour swing is enough to require a major effort. It is surprising just how much work is required to swing the club. “Amateur golfers achieve approximately 90 percent of their peak muscular activity when driving a golf ball. This is the same intensity as picking up a weight that can only be lifted 4 times before total fatigue.” This statistic comes from the book The Biomechanics of Golf by Paul Chek.

So, what can golfers learn to do before playing a round of golf to help in injury prevention? The basic recipe for success involves developing a simple set of exercises to warm up and stretch the body before play. It may also be important to do some additional stretching during the round as golf these days can involve long delays caused by slow play or looking for errant balls. Additionally, golfers would be wise to have their bodies checked by a chiropractor to help eliminate source points of injuries which could stem from pre-existing postural instability or poor flexibility.

The key to solving the problem of many of the 13.5 million injuries would at least three-fold.

• One, visit a chiropractor to make sure the body is in good postural condition for the rigors of the game.
• Next, exercise regularly with an emphasis on stretching and flexibility while off the course or between rounds.
• Finally, make sure the body is completely warmed up before play or practice. Don’t just “grip it and rip it.” Arrive early, warm up and only then go out on a beautiful golf course and enjoy a pleasant day that is free of injury.

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At the time when children are prescribed endless antibiotics, antidepressants and cholesterol lowering medications, chiropractic care might be the solution for many health problems to name a few:

• Migraines
• Ear infections
• Sinus infections
• Digestive problems
• Reproductive problems
• Back and neck pain

“It is never too early to start chiropractic treatments, as we can detect and fix problems before they manifest themselves. We can even examine and treat newborn babies who often suffer undetected birth traumas to the spine”, – continued Dr.Leavitt, who works a lot with women and children.

In her everyday practice Dr. Leavitt uses precise equipment that measures autonomic nervous system and presents all findings on the computer screen. There are two ways to detect spine problems: one is by measuring difference in temperature on both sides of the spine; another is by measuring the muscle tension. In the perfectly aligned body temperatures and muscle tensions on both sides of the spine are equal. The difference indicates the problem, which must be addressed during the chiropractic session.

“I work a lot with pregnant women. Chiropractic treatment can support healthy back during the pregnancy and we can even help to turn bridged baby” – explains Dr.Leavitt, who come from the family of chiropractors. – “I like to treat the whole families, because if one member is sick it affects everybody.”

“Physical, chemical and emotional stress can get spine out of alignment. For example, it is now an established fact accepted by medical doctors that pregnant women who use cell phone more than three times a day increase the chance of having a baby with behavior problems.”

Dr. Leavitt favors gentle style approach and uses supplements that are custom built for each person based on the lab tests.

“It is an incredible feeling helping people,” – smiles Dr. Leavitt.

Keeping her clients best interests in mind, she cut her overhead and passed saving to her clients. A session fee is between $50 and $75 , and adjustment fee is $30.

Dr. Leavitt welcomes your questions.  Call her at: (919) 720-3000.

http://www.raleighhealthtouch.com/

Health Touch Chiropractic & Wellness
182 Wind Chime Court, Suite 203

Raleigh, NC  27615

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“Neck pain is not a trivial condition for many people,” says Task Force president Dr. Scott Haldeman, clinical professor, Department of Neurology at the University of California, Irvine, and adjunct professor, Department of Epidemiology University of
California Los Angeles. “It can be associated with headaches, arm and upper back pain and depression. Whether it arises from sports injuries, car collisions, workplace issues or stress, it can be incapacitating. Understanding the best way to diagnose and manage this
problem is of high importance for those who are suffering and for those who manage and pay for its care.”
Researchers suggested that people suffering from neck pain should avoid using neck brace devices in an attempt to handle the condition. Also, they failed to find favor with corticosteroid injections and surgery. Treatments with corticosteroid injections and surgery for neck pain relief should only be considered when there is associated extreme pain in the arm or in the case of a fracture or a serious disease. Surgery should be seen only as a last resort for severe and persistent pain.
Which alternative therapy a neck pain sufferer should embark upon was not designated by researchers. They did advise that alternative treatments to manipulate the neck should be considered. Often, relief can be provided through Chiropractic adjustments as well as the intervention offered through Acupuncture and massage.
Researchers cautioned consumer awareness toward anyone that makes a “big claim” to solve neck pain. They also suggested that some relief should be noticed within 2-4 weeks of beginning treatment. If there is little or no relief after this amount of time, another
form of alternative therapy should be considered.

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