Chiropractic for Headache

One of the most commonly treated complaints in chiropractic offices is headache. While there are many types of headaches with varying causes, the most common type is the “Muscular Tension Headache.”

Tension headaches generally result from prolonged contraction of the suboccipital muscles. These muscles bridge the junction between the posterior (back) of the skull and the vertebrae (bones) of the cervical spine (neck). Several mechanisms seem to be involved in the causation of the common headache:

• Muscle inflammation and “trigger points.”
• Joint irritation and nerve compression.
• Dural traction on the spinal cord and brainstem.
• Muscle Inflammation and Trigger Points

Today more than ever people are inclined to sit for hours with contracted postural muscles but without substantial physical activity. When muscles contract they burn fuel and produce waste. Among the waste products of muscle contraction are lactic acid, histamine and bradykinins. These waste products are irritants. If they are not efficiently removed from the muscle they can cause muscular inflammation, pain and accumulate into localized tender areas known as “trigger points.”

These waste products should normally be diluted and removed from the muscle tissue by the circulation. This process relies on the normal “contract - relax” cycle in the muscle. When the muscle contracts it creates a high pressure on the fluids inside the muscle and pushes the blood out carrying away muscular waste products. When the muscle relaxes the pressure falls and blood floods back in carrying vital nutrients and fuel.

When we sit or stand we are using the many back and neck muscles required to support our body. When these muscles are held contracted for a prolonged time (hours spent sitting or standing), they are producing irritative wastes, but not relaxing and draining themselves of these irritants. Over time these irritants can cause the muscles to lose their natural suppleness and resting length becoming stiffened and shortened. These stiffened and shortened muscles, often accompanied by trigger points can cause reflex pain into the neck and head.

>> Joint Irritation and Nerve Compression

When Tamiflu Stops Working

What happens when Tamiflu, the leading anti-viral drug, no longer works?

The New York Times reported on January 8th, 2009 that “Last winter, about 11 percent of the throat swabs from patients with the most common type of flu that were sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for genetic typing showed a Tamiflu-resistant strain. This season, 99 percent do.”

Some vaccines may provide effective protection, if it’s a good vaccine and is made prior to, or very early on in an epidemic. We saw the results of the last vaccine hastily created during the last swine flu epidemic:  people became sick, or died from the vaccine.

While proponents of alternative therapies are generally negative about vaccines, if a disease is lethal enough, most would probably revisit their thoughts on the subject of vaccines.  However, because s virus can mutate so fast, immunization may not be as effective as one would hope.  Read more

Are Catholic Bishops Afraid of Reiki Healers?

An article appeared in The Bulletin today about U.S. bishops denouncing Reiki based on the grounds that Reiki is “unscientific, superstitious” and of course, “inappropriate for Catholics.”

I take issue with the following points in the article:

1. “The bishops recently developed “Guidelines for Evaluating Reiki as an Alternative Therapy.”

How can the evaluate it if they truly believe it’s nothing more than unscientific, superstitious, mumbo-jumbo? Their evaluation would no doubt be biased. Read more

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