Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Power Patients Advocates of Medicinal Marijuana
April 18th, 2010 | 
Author: How many patient advocates does it take to fill the Cow Palace in San Francisco? A lot! But, those who were there over the weekend for the two-day International Cannabis and Hemp Expo, were too busy to count! I am a healthcare provider who believes strongly in the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes. It seems to me, and thousands of others, that patients should have the right to choose or reject marijuana as a treatment alternative for the ease of their pain and suffering. Let’s face it, there are far too many “legal” pharmaceuticals that are not only addictive, but also have extremely risky side effects.
Patients are powerful when they come together in such large numbers to uphold patients rights, to stand for freedom of choice when it comes to their health and treatment of their pain and disease. To make the case for “actions speak louder than words,” under a white-canopied courtyard young adults in baggy jeans and baseball caps smoked alongside aging hippies. (Bob Katzman, chief operations officer for the expo, said he obtained permission for the medicating area last year from the Cow Palace, which is controlled by the state, after years of negotiations, and he credited the recent push to legalize marijuana in part for the approval.)
Even though California voters approved a measure in 1996 that allowed sick people to use marijuana if they have doctor referrals and an identification card, marijuana advocates want to take their advocacy a step further. In November, California voters will be able to consider a ballot measure on whether to legalize and tax pot in California, making marijuana truly a profitable “home-grown” industry!
Posted in patients rights, Uncategorized | 
Tags: marijuana advocacy, marijuana legalization, medicinal marijuana | 
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Scoliosis and Chiropractic care
When the body is looked at from behind, a normal spine is straight without much deviation from one side to the other.Scoliosis is a disorder that is generally associated with a lateral, or side-to-side, curvature of the spine.The disorder shouldn’t be confused with poor posture, even though it often gives the appearance that the individual is leaning to one side. Scoliosis is a troublesome deformity that is defined by both lateral curvature and rotation of the vertebra often causing a symptomatic “rib hump” in the mid or thoracic spine. This is created by the vertebrae in the area of the major curve rotating toward the concavity and pushing their fastened ribs posterior hence producing the characteristic rib hump seen in thoracic scoliosis. The pulmonary and cardiac functions can be obstructed if the thoracic curve and rib rotation exceeds 70 degrees. Often later in life in untreated severe idiopathic infantile and juvenile scoliosis patients, this amount of curve and resulting cardiac and pulmonary changes can be life threatening.
Anatomy
The spine reveals four normal curves: the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral, all of which are observable from a side view of the trunk. The thoracic, in the chest vicinity, has a normal round curve, “reversed C,” called a kyphosis, while in the lower spine there is a healthy “C” curve, known as swayback or lordosis. Increased kyphosis in the thoracic area is called hyperkyphosis, while increased swayback is termed, hyperlordosis. Scoliosis changes regularly accompany diversions from normal on a side view. A few round back deformities are simply due to poor posture and can often be resolved with postural exercises. A small percentage of people with kyphosis have more rigid deformities than the postural type, which are coincidental with vertebral deformity. This kind of deformity, called Scheuermann’s kyphosis, is much harder to treat than postural kyphosis, and it’s cause is unknown.
Even a layman can help to identify a child or fully-grown individual with scoliosis just by viewing the person in a standing position, preferably with no shirt and in shorts, and observing the following:
- One shoulder may be raised than the other.
- One scapula (shoulder blade) may be raised or more prominent than the other.
- With the arms hanging loosely at the sides, there may be more area between the arm and the body on one side.
- One hip may look to be raised or more conspicuous than the other.
- The head is not centered over the pelvis.
- When the person is analyzed from the rear and asked to lean forward until the spine is horizontal, one side of the back seems higher than the other.
The child or adult should be sent to a healthcare professional, such as a chiropractor, for further evaluation once scoliosis is suspected. your chiropractor would be happy to help.
The most prevalent type of scoliosis is, by far, Idiopathic, and though there are various origins and many types, Idiopathic Scoliosis accounts for about 85% of all cases. “Idiopathic” means “no known cause” and is observed with equal prevalence in boys and girls in the mild or low curve magnitudes. Depending on the age of onset, this condition can be sub-classified into infantile, juvenile and adolescent cases. Idiopathic Scoliosis may be linked to genetic or hereditary influences as it commonly runs in families. Though it is unknown why, girls are five to eight times more likely than boys to have their curves increase in size and require treatment. The most general time for the development of Idiopathic Scoliosis is during adolescence when children are finishing the last major growth spurt. Unfortunately, at this age young people are reluctant to allow their body to be looked at by parents and other adults, so it is very important to have this age group examined on a regular basis.
If a scoliotic curve is observed in the growing adolescent, it is very important that the curves be monitored for advancement by periodic examination and from time to time standing X-rays. In ninety percent of instances, the scoliosis is mild and does not require active treatment, however increases in spinal deformity necessitate evaluation to ascertain if a brace or other management is required. In a small number of patients, surgical treatment may be required.~Surgery may be necessary for a small number of patients.
Brace treatment (orthosis) is recommended for newly-identified symptoms of moderate scoliosis or abnormal kyphosis, as well as when an increase in scoliosis or kyphosis is discovered in both juvenile and adolescent children. There are a number of types of braces, all created to prevent curves from increasing by acting as a buttress for the spine during active skeletal growth. Bracing is effectual in preventing curve progression in a very large portion of skeletally-immature adolescents. Nevertheless, braces generally won’t make the spine completely straight, and cannot always keep a curve from getting bigger.
Scoliosis has no simple resolution. The majority of cases, even though often monitored, are not actively treated. The standard medical treatment for moderate cases is a brace, whereas severe cases in some cases are treated surgically. You may want to see your local chiropractor first.
Along with bracing, many other therapies have been used successfully like specialized exercise, electric stimulation of spinal muscles, nutritional programs, and chiropractic treatments. It seems like the most effective results have been sustained with a multi-faceted approach to the management of this condition.
There are chiropractors, that have expertise treating scoliosis conditions.
Yoga Exercises For Your Health
Yoga practitioners have discovered that consistent yoga exercises awaken both mind and body! As you unburden your mind to give your undivided attention to each pose, you stimulate your “inner body” awareness of the present moment.
Patience is not only a virtue, it is the “key” to mastering a yoga pose, specially when combined with ample time and commitment.
Choose a clean, graceful space for your practice area, and if you can, one with a bare floor and an accessible wall. Remove any distractions from your yoga environment.
Be consistently mindful of how your body feels, and stop or pause if you feel any pain or discomfort while undertaking a pose.
Yoga props and yoga accessories, such as yoga mats, yoga bolsters, yoga straps, yoga blocks, yoga mat bags, and even yoga towels are perfect for aiding you in moving deeper into a pose, in performing a flawless pose, and in practicing in a wholesome way.
High on the list of the many benefits of using yoga props is that most are designed to to aid in the relief of any pain or discomfort you may feel while a yoga pose is being perfected.
On occasion we all “push” instead of “ease” into a yoga pose, and injury sometimes occurs.
Doing yoga releases tension, and using props assists with stress relief by giving the support necessary for you to relax (but not be lazy) in your practice.
As we mentioned earlier, yoga practice is about unifying the mind, body and spirit through the development of a deeper awareness and the augmentation of mindfulness.