ChiropractorsinFortWorth.com Newsletter

Dr. Virend Somers, a cardiologist from The Mayo Clinic who is lead author of the report in 7-28-08 issue of the journal of the American college of cardiology states the following concerning the use of aspirin.
The report states:

Most heart attacks occur in the day, generally between 6am and noon, Somers said. Having one during the night, when the heart should be most at rest, means that something unusual happened, he said. Somers and his colleagues have been working for a decade to show that sleep apnea is to blame.
1. If you take an aspirin or a baby aspirin once a day, do take it at night. The reason: aspirin has a 24 hour “half life” therefore, if most heart attacks happen in the early hours of the morning, the aspirin would be strongest in your system.
2. FYI, aspirin lasts a really long time in your medicine chest. years. (When it gets old, it smells like vinegar.)

About HEART ATTACKS:
There are other symptoms of a heart attack besides the pain on the left arm.
One must be aware of an intense pain on the chin, as well as nausea and lots of sweating, nervousness, these symptoms may also occur less frequently.
Note: there may be no pain in the chest during a heart attack.

The majority of people (60%) who had a heart attack during their sleep, did not wake up. However, if it occurs, the chest pain may wake you up from your deep sleep.
If that happens, IMMEDIATELY DISSOLVE TWO ASPIRINS IN YOUR MOUTH, and swallow them with a bit of water. ( Keep aspirin on your night stand and make sure you have no allergies to aspirin )

Call 911

Take a seat on a chair or sofa and wait for their arrival.
DO NOT LIE DOWN!

Michael Davis, D.C.

The following article was printed in:   DYNAMIC CHIROPRACTIC , January 1, 2010  Pg 12 by

K. Jeffrey Miller, DC, DABCO

Dr. Miller has published more than 100 articles in 30 publications, authored six books, and serves as a postgraduate faculty member of several chiropractic colleges, instructing on orthopedics and occupational health. He is an associate director of education and research for Foot Levelers, Inc.

Tissue damage graded    I – IV

Pain scale graded           0-10

Chiropractors deal primarily with type I and type II sprains and strains

Phase I

The inflammation phase:    lasts 48-72 hours   torn tissues leak blood and exudates into the area. Swelling begins and the blood and exudates irritate surrounding tissues, causing pain.

The key to controlling phase one is controlling the inflammation.  Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation (RICE) are standard procedures just after injuries.

Phase II

The Repair Phase:    after the initial 48-72 hours, the repair phase begins and lasts six or more weeks.  During this period of time, care is predominately passive and the tissues begin to repair and regain tensile (functional) strength.  Increases in exercise, stretching, and aerobic and resistance activity are all gradually employed.  Once the tissues have achieved the strength needed to stabilize the area and resist further tearing, the remodeling phase begins. Activity usually increases significantly during the phase.  Care is a mixture of passive an active activities during the repair stage.

Phase III

The Remodeling Phase:   Remodeling occurs as the body redirects the healing fibers attempting to increase the strength and orient the tissue fibers along the lines of greatest stress.

This is the longest of the three phases.  Beginning at six weeks, the process can continue for up to two years.  This may seem like a very long time, but it is a necessary process.

Care is predominately active during the remodeling phase.

It is obvious that connective tissue healing is not a quick process

Sincerely,

Michael Davis, DC

Health First Injury & Pain Center

817-926-5800

INVOLVING BLOOD-PRESSURE MEDICATIONS

According to the American Heart Association, 76.4 million of U.S. adults have high blood pressure. High blood pressure (hypertension) is defined by multiple readings of 140/90 mmHg, whereas normal blood pressure is defined as less than 120/80mmHg.

The range of 120-139/ 80-89 mmHg is defined as “prehypertension”.

When hypertension is diagnosed, antihypertensive drugs are often prescribed.  There are many classes of antihypertensive drugs used to lower blood pressure by different means, but among the most widely used are thiazide diuretics, ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers and beta blockers.

We all know that medications have negative side effects but did you know that many medications can benefit from the addition of specific nutritional supplements to both reduce the side effects of the drug and/or improve the drug’s overall action?

DIURETICS

Let’s take a look at diuretics, a family of drugs that promote urination to reduce the accumulation of water.   Diuretics are among the most commonly prescribed antihypertensive drugs and generally fall under three categories:

1)  thiazide diuretics; 2)  loop diuretics; and 3)  potassium-sparing diuretics.

One of the most common diuretics is hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ).  It is important to remember that the purpose to this article is not to call into question the effectiveness of HCTZ,  but rather to highlight the fact that this medication is commonly prescribed and carries various biochemical side effects that may be augmented by the addition of specific nutritional supplements:

*    Co-enzyme Q10 synthesis is impaired by HCTZ.  The drug reduces the production of CoQ10, which is an important enzyme in energy production.  Supplementation with CoQ10 may help restore the enzyme depletion caused by this drug and to help the patient combat decreased energy levels.

*   Magnesium  is a vital mineral in connective (soft-tissue) recovery and is recommended by many chiropractors to their patients. But did you know that magnesium deficiency might occur as a result of thiazide diuretic use?  For this reason, it may be helpful to recommend Mg supplementation if you take HCTZ ( or any other thiazide diuretic)

ACE Inhibitors

ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors block the conversion of  enzymes that allows for the reduction of one’s blood pressure.  A common ACE inhibitor is lisinopril.  This medication also carries various biochemical side effects that may be augmented by the addition of a specific nutritional supplement.

*   Iron -  an interesting finding associated with the usage of lisinopril is that many patients may develop a dry cough as a side effect of this drug.  Research has shown that the addition of iron may help to alleviate this side effect.

Note:  it is important to recognize that iron supplements and ACE inhibitors should be taken at different times of day ( 2-3 hours apart), as iron may interfere with the medication’s absorption.

As with any cough one should contact their primary care physician for a chest x-ray.

References:

Dynamic Chiropractic    vol. 29 number 24   p. 27  (for complete article)

HEALTH FIRST INJURY AND PAIN CENTERS

Michael Davis, DC

Sprains and strains are the most common types of work related injuries. These types of injuries happen every day and cause debilitating pain. Laborers and material movers, and heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers often suffered sprains and strains to the trunk or lower extremities, stemming from overexertion or contacts with objects or equipment.  Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants predominantly suffered sprains and strains to their trunk (typically their back), due to overexertion related to lifting or moving patients.

While these may be the most common occupations to suffer injuries, work related injuries can happen to anyway. Even improperly lifting a heavy box can disrupt your muscles and cause spinal misalignment.

Sports Related Injuries

You don’t need to be a professional athlete, to suffer a sports related injury. In fact most sports injuries are suffered by regular people over-exerting themselves while doing regular exercise.

If you’ve suffered a work or sports related injury, give us a call. We can get you back to feeling your best.

Whiplash is one the most common issues after a car accident. Patients can feel extreme pain in the neck area and it can often take a few days to present itself. The best thing to do is get treated right away. Treatment usually includes manipulations, muscle relaxation and/or stimulation, and range of motion exercises. Do not attempt to treat yourself at home because you may cause long term damage that is completely unnecessary with proper care.

Dr. Davis and associates are very experienced chiropractors and will create custom plans to treat you after a car accident.