The Illusive Pop of Spinal Manipulation
“To Pop or Not to Pop” is understandably a
twist on an age-old Shakespearean quote for an age-old chiropractic
spinal manipulation question. Today’s answer is that it’s not a required
indicator of back pain relief from spinal
manipulation treatment (SMT), yet back pain and neck pain patients undergoing SMT want and need to know more. Present-day
guidelines for handling low back pain
emphasize patient education and exercise as important
issues. Healthcare practitioners are
pretty good (72% overall) at delivering
information. By profession, though, chiropractors lead in
delivering patient education for 76% of patients with
physical therapists at 74% and general practitioners at only 44%. The
more emotionally distressed a patient seemed or the pain
extended below the knee,
information was shared with 78% of patients. (1) A valuable
topic for Sitka back pain and neck pain patients undergoing spinal
manipulation treatment (SMT) is this sometimes-audible pop. A systematic
review of published studies found that regardless of the spinal
area or follow-up time after the SMT, there was no research evidence
of improved pain outcomes or success of the treatment linked
to an audible pop. (2) This is good to know since some patients experience it, and some don’t.
Patients whose practitioners told them
about the audible pop - as well as those who were
not spinal manipulation patients - reported
curious theories of what made that sound
and had overemphasized ideas of its importance. (3) Instead of
the question “To pop or not to pop?” the better question
for you and your Sitka chiropractor might “Is
there pain relief or not?” With our gentle chiropractic care, there is
pain relief for many Sitka back pain and neck pain sufferers. We
look forward to talking with you at your
next chiropractic visit at Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka!
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Kurt Olding on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes
the gentle spinal manipulation treatment of spinal stenosis with The
Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
[[CHIROPRACTIC]] TIP OF THE MONTH:
Vitamin D for Adrenal Gland Support
Vitamin D enjoys a favored reputation and is well- researched beyond its
longer term reputation in supporting phospho-calcium
metabolism and skeletal bone disorders. Today, research has
well-established vitamin D as a hormone and recounted vitamin D
as influential for various diseases from cancer,
inflammation, and autoimmunity (Hashimoto’s, Graves’, diabetes) to adrenal
gland health and disease (Cushing’s, Addison’s). (4) The adrenal gland has two
main parts: (A) The adrenal cortex makes cortisol which
controls the sleep/wake cycle, body’s utilization of
fats/proteins/carbs, inflammation, blood pressure as well as
increases blood sugar and decreases bone formation.
(B) The adrenal medulla makes “stress hormones”
epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) responsible for the fight or flight response. (5) Adrenal gland issues
keep people awake at night…literally! Although not yet
definitive, 800-2000IU a day was suggested in
one recent study to support adrenal health. (6)
Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka is excited to talk about vitamin D
and any adrenal gland issues you may be having.
CONTACT Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka
Schedule your next Sitka
chiropractic visit with Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka soon! We
have a lot to talk about!