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Vitamin D as an Important Preventive Against the Flu
September 16, 2020
Conventional health authorities claim getting a flu shot each year is the best way to ward off influenza. But where’s the actual science backing up that claim?
If you’ve repeatedly fallen for this annual propaganda campaign, you may be surprised to find the medical literature suggests vitamin D may actually be a FAR more effective strategy, and the evidence for this goes back at least a decade.
Dr. John Cannell, founder of the Vitamin D Council, was one of the first to introduce the idea that vitamin D deficiency may actually be an underlying CAUSE of influenza.
His hypothesis [1] was initially published in the journal Epidemiology and Infection in 2006. [2] It was subsequently followed up with another study published in the Virology Journal in 2008. [3]
The following year, the largest nationally representative study [4] of its kind to date discovered that people with the lowest vitamin D levels indeed reported having significantly more colds or cases of the flu. In conclusion, lead author Dr. Adit Ginde stated:
“The findings of our study support an important role for vitamin D in prevention of common respiratory infections, such as colds and the flu. Individuals with common lung diseases, such as asthma or emphysema, may be particularly susceptible to respiratory infections from vitamin D deficiency.”
If you’ve repeatedly fallen for this annual propaganda campaign, you may be surprised to find the medical literature suggests vitamin D may actually be a FAR more effective strategy, and the evidence for this goes back at least a decade.
Dr. John Cannell, founder of the Vitamin D Council, was one of the first to introduce the idea that vitamin D deficiency may actually be an underlying CAUSE of influenza.
His hypothesis [1] was initially published in the journal Epidemiology and Infection in 2006. [2] It was subsequently followed up with another study published in the Virology Journal in 2008. [3]
The following year, the largest nationally representative study [4] of its kind to date discovered that people with the lowest vitamin D levels indeed reported having significantly more colds or cases of the flu. In conclusion, lead author Dr. Adit Ginde stated:
“The findings of our study support an important role for vitamin D in prevention of common respiratory infections, such as colds and the flu. Individuals with common lung diseases, such as asthma or emphysema, may be particularly susceptible to respiratory infections from vitamin D deficiency.”
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Vitamin D Works Better Than Flu Vaccine If Your Levels Are Low
Since then, a number of studies have come to similar conclusions. Most recently, a scientific review [5,6] of 25 randomized controlled trials confirmed that vitamin D supplementation boosts immunity and cuts rates of cold and flu.
Overall, the studies included nearly 11,000 individuals from more than a dozen countries. As reported by Time Magazine: [7]
“… [P]eople who took daily or weekly vitamin D supplements were less likely to report acute respiratory infections, like influenza or the common cold, than those who did not …" For people with the most significant vitamin D deficiencies (blood levels below 10 [ng/mL]), taking a supplement cut their risk of respiratory infection in half.
People with higher vitamin D levels also saw a small reduction in risk: about 10 percent, which is about equal to the protective effect of the injectable flu vaccine, the researchers say.”
Like Cannell before them, the researchers believe vitamin D offers protection by increasing antimicrobial peptides in your lungs, and that “[t]his may be one reason why colds and flus are most common in the winter, when sunlight exposure (and therefore the body’s natural vitamin D production) is at its lowest …” [8]
According to this international research team, vitamin D supplementation could prevent more than 3.25 million cases of cold and flu each year in the U.K. alone. [9] Another statistic showing vitamin D is a more effective strategy than flu vaccine is the “number needed to treat” (NNT).
Overall, one person would be spared from influenza for every 33 people taking a vitamin D supplement (NNT = 33), whereas 40 people have to receive the flu vaccine in order to prevent one case of the flu (NNT = 40).
Among those with severe vitamin D deficiency at baseline, the NNT was 4. In other words, if you’re vitamin D deficient to begin with, vitamin D supplementation is 10 times more effective than the flu vaccine.
Optimizing Vitamin D May Be Your Best Defense Against Influenza
In my view, optimizing your vitamin D levels is one of the absolute best flu-prevention and optimal health strategies available. Your diet also plays a significant role of course, as it lays the foundation for good immune function.
A high-sugar diet is a sure-fire way to diminish your body’s innate ability to fight off infections of all kinds by radically impairing the functioning of your immune system.
However, I do not agree that fortifying more processed foods with vitamin D is the best solution, although I realize it could potentially have a more widespread impact among people who remain unaware of the beneficial health effects of sunlight in general.
I believe sensible sun exposure is the ideal way to optimize your vitamin D. Taking a vitamin D3 supplement is only recommended in cases when you simply cannot obtain sufficient amounts of sensible sun exposure.
It’s also important to point out that, contrary to what’s reported by most mainstream media, including NPR report above, most people cannot optimize their vitamin D levels by getting the recommended 600 IUs of vitamin D from fortified foods. The dose you need really depends on your current blood level of vitamin D.
If it’s very low, you may need 8,000 to 10,000 IUs of vitamin D3 per day in order to reach and maintain a clinically relevant level of 45 to 60 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). The only way to know how much you need is to get tested at least once or twice each year.
If you’ve been supplementing for some time and your levels are still below 45 ng/mL, you then know you have to increase your dose further. If using an oral supplement, also make sure to boost your vitamin K2 and magnesium intake, as these nutrients help optimize vitamin D levels.
Other Studies Supporting Link Between Vitamin D Deficiency and Influenza
In a study published in 2010, [10] researchers investigated the effect of vitamin D on the incidence of seasonal influenza A in schoolchildren. The randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study included 430 children, half of which were given 1,200 IUs of vitamin D3 per day while the other half received a placebo.
Overall, children in the treatment group were 42 percent less likely to come down with the flu. According to the authors: “This study suggests that vitamin D3 supplementation during the winter may reduce the incidence of influenza A, especially in specific subgroups of schoolchildren.”
Another study [11] published that same year concluded that infection-fighting T-cells need help from vitamin D in order to activate. This is yet another mechanism that helps explain why vitamin D is so effective against infections.
When a T cell recognizes foreign invaders like bacteria or viruses, it sends activating signals to the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene.
The VDR gene then starts producing a protein that binds vitamin D in the T cell. A downstream effect of this is PLC-gamma1 protein production, which subsequently enables the T cell to fight the infection. At the time, lead researcher Carsten Geisler told Food Consumer: [12]
“When a T cell is exposed to a foreign pathogen, it extends a signaling device or “antenna” known as a vitamin D receptor, with which it searches for vitamin D. This means the T cell must have vitamin D or activation of the cell will cease. If the T cells cannot find enough vitamin D in the blood, they won’t even begin to mobilize.”
With that understanding, it’s no wonder flu shots don’t work. Flu vaccines do absolutely nothing to address the underlying problem of vitamin D deficiency , which is effectively hindering your immune system from working properly.
In fact, flu vaccines tend to deteriorate your immune function, and their side effects can be significant.
‘Gold Standard’ Studies Ignored by Mainstream Media
The gold standard of scientific analysis, the so-called Cochrane Database Review, has also issued several reports between 2006 and 2012, all of which decimate the claim that flu vaccinations are the most effective prevention method available. In 2010, Cochrane published the following bombshell conclusion, which was completely ignored by mainstream media: [13]
“Influenza vaccines have a modest effect in reducing influenza symptoms and working days lost. There is no evidence that they affect complications, such as pneumonia, or transmission. WARNING: This review includes 15 out of 36 trials funded by industry (four had no funding declaration).
An earlier systematic review of 274 influenza vaccine studies published up to 2007 found industry funded studies were published in more prestigious journals and cited more than other studies independently from methodological quality and size. Studies funded from public sources were significantly less likely to report conclusions favorable to the vaccines …”
So, despite the fact that 15 of the 36 studies included were biased by industry interests, they still couldn’t come up with evidence supporting the conventional claim that flu vaccines are the best and most effective prevention available against influenza!
Scientific Reviews Show Vaccinating Children and Elderly Is Ineffective
Cochrane has issued several reports addressing the effectiveness of flu vaccines on infants and the elderly — two groups that tend to be the most targeted by flu vaccine advertising — and all have had negative findings.
For children: 1. A large-scale, systematic review [14] of 51 studies, published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews in 2006, found no evidence that the flu vaccine is any more effective than a placebo in children under two. The studies involved 260,000 children, age 6 to 23 months.
2. In 2008, another Cochrane review [15] again concluded that “little evidence is available” that the flu vaccine is effective for children under the age of two. Even more disturbingly, the authors stated that: “It was surprising to find only one study of inactivated vaccine in children under two years, given current recommendations to vaccinate healthy children from six months old in the USA and Canada. If immunization in children is to be recommended as a public health policy, large-scale studies assessing important outcomes and directly comparing vaccine types are urgently required.”
3. In a 2012 review, [16] Cochrane concluded that “in children aged from two years, nasal spray vaccines made from weakened influenza viruses were better at preventing illness caused by the influenza virus than injected vaccines made from the killed virus. Neither type was particularly good at preventing “flu-like illness” caused by other types of viruses. In children under the age of two, the efficacy of inactivated vaccine was similar to placebo.”
The available evidence with regards to protecting the elderly is equally abysmal.
4. In 2010, Cochrane concluded that: [17] “The available evidence is of poor quality and provides no guidance regarding the safety, efficacy or effectiveness of influenza vaccines for people aged 65 years or older.”
5. Cochrane also reviewed whether or not vaccinating health care workers can help protect the elderly patients with whom they work. In conclusion, the authors stated that: [18] “[T]here is no evidence that vaccinating health care workers prevents influenza in elderly residents in long-term care facilities.”
Annual Flu Vaccinations May Raise Risk of More Serious Infections
Other recent studies have shown that with each successive annual flu vaccination, the protection afforded by the vaccine appears to diminish. [19, 20] Research published in 2014 concluded that vaccine-induced protection against influenza was greatest among those who had NOT received a flu shot in the previous five years. [21] The flu vaccine may also increase your risk of contracting other, more serious influenza infections. Data shows people who received the seasonal flu vaccine in 2008 had twice the risk of getting the H1N1 “swine flu” compared to those who didn’t receive a flu shot. [22] Compared to children who do not get an annual flu vaccine, those who receive influenza vaccinations have a three times higher risk of hospitalization due to influenza. [23] Research also shows that statin drugs — taken by 1 in 4 Americans over the age of 45 — may undermine your immune system’s ability to respond to the flu vaccine. [24,25,26] When you consider the low efficacy rate of the flu vaccine in any given year, getting vaccinated if you’re on a statin may well be a moot point.
Independent science reviews have also concluded that influenza vaccine does not appear to prevent influenza-like illness associated with other types of viruses responsible for about 80 percent of all respiratory or gastrointestinal infections during any given flu season. [27,28,29,30]
Other Foods and Supplements That Send Pathogens Packin’
Besides vitamin D, there are a number of other foods and supplements that can be beneficial for colds and influenza, including the following:
Garlic: [31] Garlic has natural antiviral, antibiotic and antifungal activity and has long been hailed for its immune boosting effects.
The Cochrane Database, which has repeatedly demonstrated that the science in support of the flu vaccine is flimsy at best, has also reviewed studies on alternatives, including garlic. [32]
Unfortunately, such research is harder to come by, as there’s no financial incentive driving it.
Still, in the singular study identified by the Cochrane group, those who took garlic daily for three months had fewer colds than those who took a placebo, and, when they did come down with a cold, the duration of illness was shorter — an average of 4.5 days compared to 5.5 days for the placebo group.
While this may not seem overly impressive, it’s still better than the results achieved by the flu drug Tamiflu !
Zinc: A Cochrane Database Review of the medical research on zinc found that when taken within one day of the first symptoms, zinc can cut down the time you have a cold by about 24 hours.
Zinc was also found to greatly reduce the severity of symptoms. Zinc was not recommended for anyone with an underlying health condition, like lowered immune function, asthma or chronic illness.
I do not recommend taking more than 50 mg a day, and I do not recommend taking zinc on a daily basis for preventive purposes as you could easily develop a copper imbalance that way.
Vitamin C: A very potent antioxidant; use a natural form such as acerola, which contains associated micronutrients.
You can take several grams every hour (use the liposomal form so you don’t get loose stools), till you are better. I never travel without a bottle of our liposomal C.
A tea made from a combination of elderflower, yarrow, boneset, linden, peppermint and ginger; drink it hot and often for combating a cold or flu. It causes you to sweat, which is helpful for eradicating a virus from your system.
Oregano Oil: The higher the carvacrol concentration, the more effective it is. Carvacrol is the most active antimicrobial agent in oregano oil.
Medicinal mushrooms, such as shiitake, reishi and turkey tail . Propolis: A bee resin and one of the most broad-spectrum antimicrobial compounds in the world; propolis is also the richest source of caffeic acid and apigenin, two very important compounds that aid in immune response. Olive leaf extract is widely known as a natural, non-toxic immune system builder.
Vitamin D Is Important for Optimal Health and Disease Prevention Year-Round In related news, researchers are also homing in on how vitamin D may help protect against age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s. The video above discusses research [33] showing vitamin D extends lifespan in nematode worms by 30 percent and helps slow or even reverse accumulation of beta amyloid protein, which is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s.Vitamin D deficiency has also been linked to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, depression, autoimmune disease and many other chronic diseases. As noted in a recent issue of Orthomolecular Medicine News: [34] “Research on the health benefits of vitamin D continues at a rapid pace. There were 4,356 papers published in 2015 with vitamin D in the title or abstract and 4,388 in 2016 …” Among some of the most impactful studies are ones demonstrating:
• Health benefits from sun exposure unrelated to vitamin D production. One recent review concluded benefits of sun exposure includes lower rates of cancer, heart disease, dementia, myopia, macular degeneration, diabetes and multiple sclerosis. My belief is that the majority of these benefits are due to the near-, mid- and far-infrared wavelengths.
According to the author: “The message of sun avoidance must be changed to acceptance of non-burning sun exposure sufficient to achieve [vitamin D] concentrations of 30 ng/mL or higher … and the general benefits of UV exposure beyond those of vitamin D.” Also, while intermittent sun exposure is associated with higher rates of skin cancer, “the risks of these cancers is dwarfed by the reduced risk of internal cancers from sun exposure,” William Grant, Ph.D. writes.
• Benefits of higher vitamin D levels during pregnancy. Research demonstrates preterm births steadily decrease as vitamin D levels increase among pregnant women. In one study, raising vitamin D blood concentrations from 20 to 40 ng/mL decreased preterm births by 59 percent.
• Reduction in cancer risk from vitamin D supplementation. One pooled analysis showed that women with higher levels of vitamin D had much lower incidence rates of cancer — from a 2 percent per year cancer incidence rate at 18 ng/mL to 0.4 percent at 63 ng/mL.
Overall, maintaining a vitamin D serum level of 45 to 60 ng/mL year-round may be one of the simplest and most efficient ways to safeguard yourself against chronic disease and acute infections. When it comes to seasonal colds and influenza, the rate of protection you get from vitamin D is actually greater than what you’d get from a flu vaccination, and you don’t have to worry about potential side effects either — which in the case of the flu vaccine can be far worse than the original complaint.
While death and complete disability from a flu vaccine may be rare, so is dying from the flu itself. I strongly recommend weighing the risk of suffering a debilitating side effect of the flu vaccine relative to the more likely potential of spending a week in bed with the flu. Remember, most deaths attributed to influenza are actually due to bacterial pneumonia, and these days, bacterial pneumonia can be effectively treated with advanced medical care and therapies like respirators and parenteral antibiotics.
The Role of Vitamin D in Disease Prevention
A growing body of evidence shows that vitamin D plays a crucial role in disease prevention and maintaining optimal health. There are about 30,000 genes in your body, and vitamin D affects nearly 3,000 of them, as well as vitamin D receptors located throughout your body.
According to one large-scale study, optimal Vitamin D levels can slash your risk of cancer by as much as 60 percent. Keeping your levels optimized can help prevent at least 16 different types of cancer, including pancreatic, lung, ovarian, prostate and skin cancers.
- Dr. Dachtler (AKA Dr. Frank)​
References:
1 Epidemic Influenza and Vitamin D by JJ Cannell, September 15, 2006
2 Epidemiology and Infection 2006 Dec;134(6):1129-40
3 Virology Journal 2008, 5:29
4 Archives of Internal Medicine 2009;169(4):384-390
5 BMJ 2017; 356:i6583
6 NPR February 16, 2017
7 , 8 Time February 16, 2017
9 BBC.com February 16, 2017
10 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition May 2010; 91(5): 1255-1260
11 Nature Immunology 2010 Apr;11(4):344-9
12 Food Consumer July 3, 2010
13 Cochrane Database Systematic Reviews 2010 Jul 7;(7):CD001269
14, 15 Cochrane Database Systematic Reviews 2006 Jan 25;(1):CD004879
16 Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2012; Issue 8
17, 18 Cochrane Database Systematic Reviews 2010 Feb 17;(2):CD004876
19 Vaccine December 1998;16(20):1929-32
20 STAT News November 11, 2015
21 Clinical Infectious Diseases 2014; 59 (10): 1375-1385
22 CIDRAP April 6, 2010
23 Science Daily May 20, 2009
24 STAT News October 29, 2015
25 STAT News September 28, 2016
26 Journal of Infectious Disease October 28, 2015
27 FDA. 94th Meeting of Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee Transcript. Feb. 20, 2003
28 CDC Seasonal Influenza Q&A. Aug. 15, 2014
29 CDC 2014-2015 Influenza Season Week 51 Ending December 20, 2014
30 JAMA Internal Medicine 2013; 173(11): 1014-1016
31 PreventDisease.com January 20, 2013
32 Cochrane , Garlic for the Common Cold, November 11, 2014
33 ABC7 News February 10, 2017
34 Orthomolecular Medicine News February 13, 2017
Since then, a number of studies have come to similar conclusions. Most recently, a scientific review [5,6] of 25 randomized controlled trials confirmed that vitamin D supplementation boosts immunity and cuts rates of cold and flu.
Overall, the studies included nearly 11,000 individuals from more than a dozen countries. As reported by Time Magazine: [7]
“… [P]eople who took daily or weekly vitamin D supplements were less likely to report acute respiratory infections, like influenza or the common cold, than those who did not …" For people with the most significant vitamin D deficiencies (blood levels below 10 [ng/mL]), taking a supplement cut their risk of respiratory infection in half.
People with higher vitamin D levels also saw a small reduction in risk: about 10 percent, which is about equal to the protective effect of the injectable flu vaccine, the researchers say.”
Like Cannell before them, the researchers believe vitamin D offers protection by increasing antimicrobial peptides in your lungs, and that “[t]his may be one reason why colds and flus are most common in the winter, when sunlight exposure (and therefore the body’s natural vitamin D production) is at its lowest …” [8]
According to this international research team, vitamin D supplementation could prevent more than 3.25 million cases of cold and flu each year in the U.K. alone. [9] Another statistic showing vitamin D is a more effective strategy than flu vaccine is the “number needed to treat” (NNT).
Overall, one person would be spared from influenza for every 33 people taking a vitamin D supplement (NNT = 33), whereas 40 people have to receive the flu vaccine in order to prevent one case of the flu (NNT = 40).
Among those with severe vitamin D deficiency at baseline, the NNT was 4. In other words, if you’re vitamin D deficient to begin with, vitamin D supplementation is 10 times more effective than the flu vaccine.
Optimizing Vitamin D May Be Your Best Defense Against Influenza
In my view, optimizing your vitamin D levels is one of the absolute best flu-prevention and optimal health strategies available. Your diet also plays a significant role of course, as it lays the foundation for good immune function.
A high-sugar diet is a sure-fire way to diminish your body’s innate ability to fight off infections of all kinds by radically impairing the functioning of your immune system.
However, I do not agree that fortifying more processed foods with vitamin D is the best solution, although I realize it could potentially have a more widespread impact among people who remain unaware of the beneficial health effects of sunlight in general.
I believe sensible sun exposure is the ideal way to optimize your vitamin D. Taking a vitamin D3 supplement is only recommended in cases when you simply cannot obtain sufficient amounts of sensible sun exposure.
It’s also important to point out that, contrary to what’s reported by most mainstream media, including NPR report above, most people cannot optimize their vitamin D levels by getting the recommended 600 IUs of vitamin D from fortified foods. The dose you need really depends on your current blood level of vitamin D.
If it’s very low, you may need 8,000 to 10,000 IUs of vitamin D3 per day in order to reach and maintain a clinically relevant level of 45 to 60 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). The only way to know how much you need is to get tested at least once or twice each year.
If you’ve been supplementing for some time and your levels are still below 45 ng/mL, you then know you have to increase your dose further. If using an oral supplement, also make sure to boost your vitamin K2 and magnesium intake, as these nutrients help optimize vitamin D levels.
Other Studies Supporting Link Between Vitamin D Deficiency and Influenza
In a study published in 2010, [10] researchers investigated the effect of vitamin D on the incidence of seasonal influenza A in schoolchildren. The randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study included 430 children, half of which were given 1,200 IUs of vitamin D3 per day while the other half received a placebo.
Overall, children in the treatment group were 42 percent less likely to come down with the flu. According to the authors: “This study suggests that vitamin D3 supplementation during the winter may reduce the incidence of influenza A, especially in specific subgroups of schoolchildren.”
Another study [11] published that same year concluded that infection-fighting T-cells need help from vitamin D in order to activate. This is yet another mechanism that helps explain why vitamin D is so effective against infections.
When a T cell recognizes foreign invaders like bacteria or viruses, it sends activating signals to the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene.
The VDR gene then starts producing a protein that binds vitamin D in the T cell. A downstream effect of this is PLC-gamma1 protein production, which subsequently enables the T cell to fight the infection. At the time, lead researcher Carsten Geisler told Food Consumer: [12]
“When a T cell is exposed to a foreign pathogen, it extends a signaling device or “antenna” known as a vitamin D receptor, with which it searches for vitamin D. This means the T cell must have vitamin D or activation of the cell will cease. If the T cells cannot find enough vitamin D in the blood, they won’t even begin to mobilize.”
With that understanding, it’s no wonder flu shots don’t work. Flu vaccines do absolutely nothing to address the underlying problem of vitamin D deficiency , which is effectively hindering your immune system from working properly.
In fact, flu vaccines tend to deteriorate your immune function, and their side effects can be significant.
‘Gold Standard’ Studies Ignored by Mainstream Media
The gold standard of scientific analysis, the so-called Cochrane Database Review, has also issued several reports between 2006 and 2012, all of which decimate the claim that flu vaccinations are the most effective prevention method available. In 2010, Cochrane published the following bombshell conclusion, which was completely ignored by mainstream media: [13]
“Influenza vaccines have a modest effect in reducing influenza symptoms and working days lost. There is no evidence that they affect complications, such as pneumonia, or transmission. WARNING: This review includes 15 out of 36 trials funded by industry (four had no funding declaration).
An earlier systematic review of 274 influenza vaccine studies published up to 2007 found industry funded studies were published in more prestigious journals and cited more than other studies independently from methodological quality and size. Studies funded from public sources were significantly less likely to report conclusions favorable to the vaccines …”
So, despite the fact that 15 of the 36 studies included were biased by industry interests, they still couldn’t come up with evidence supporting the conventional claim that flu vaccines are the best and most effective prevention available against influenza!
Scientific Reviews Show Vaccinating Children and Elderly Is Ineffective
Cochrane has issued several reports addressing the effectiveness of flu vaccines on infants and the elderly — two groups that tend to be the most targeted by flu vaccine advertising — and all have had negative findings.
For children: 1. A large-scale, systematic review [14] of 51 studies, published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews in 2006, found no evidence that the flu vaccine is any more effective than a placebo in children under two. The studies involved 260,000 children, age 6 to 23 months.
2. In 2008, another Cochrane review [15] again concluded that “little evidence is available” that the flu vaccine is effective for children under the age of two. Even more disturbingly, the authors stated that: “It was surprising to find only one study of inactivated vaccine in children under two years, given current recommendations to vaccinate healthy children from six months old in the USA and Canada. If immunization in children is to be recommended as a public health policy, large-scale studies assessing important outcomes and directly comparing vaccine types are urgently required.”
3. In a 2012 review, [16] Cochrane concluded that “in children aged from two years, nasal spray vaccines made from weakened influenza viruses were better at preventing illness caused by the influenza virus than injected vaccines made from the killed virus. Neither type was particularly good at preventing “flu-like illness” caused by other types of viruses. In children under the age of two, the efficacy of inactivated vaccine was similar to placebo.”
The available evidence with regards to protecting the elderly is equally abysmal.
4. In 2010, Cochrane concluded that: [17] “The available evidence is of poor quality and provides no guidance regarding the safety, efficacy or effectiveness of influenza vaccines for people aged 65 years or older.”
5. Cochrane also reviewed whether or not vaccinating health care workers can help protect the elderly patients with whom they work. In conclusion, the authors stated that: [18] “[T]here is no evidence that vaccinating health care workers prevents influenza in elderly residents in long-term care facilities.”
Annual Flu Vaccinations May Raise Risk of More Serious Infections
Other recent studies have shown that with each successive annual flu vaccination, the protection afforded by the vaccine appears to diminish. [19, 20] Research published in 2014 concluded that vaccine-induced protection against influenza was greatest among those who had NOT received a flu shot in the previous five years. [21] The flu vaccine may also increase your risk of contracting other, more serious influenza infections. Data shows people who received the seasonal flu vaccine in 2008 had twice the risk of getting the H1N1 “swine flu” compared to those who didn’t receive a flu shot. [22] Compared to children who do not get an annual flu vaccine, those who receive influenza vaccinations have a three times higher risk of hospitalization due to influenza. [23] Research also shows that statin drugs — taken by 1 in 4 Americans over the age of 45 — may undermine your immune system’s ability to respond to the flu vaccine. [24,25,26] When you consider the low efficacy rate of the flu vaccine in any given year, getting vaccinated if you’re on a statin may well be a moot point.
Independent science reviews have also concluded that influenza vaccine does not appear to prevent influenza-like illness associated with other types of viruses responsible for about 80 percent of all respiratory or gastrointestinal infections during any given flu season. [27,28,29,30]
Other Foods and Supplements That Send Pathogens Packin’
Besides vitamin D, there are a number of other foods and supplements that can be beneficial for colds and influenza, including the following:
Garlic: [31] Garlic has natural antiviral, antibiotic and antifungal activity and has long been hailed for its immune boosting effects.
The Cochrane Database, which has repeatedly demonstrated that the science in support of the flu vaccine is flimsy at best, has also reviewed studies on alternatives, including garlic. [32]
Unfortunately, such research is harder to come by, as there’s no financial incentive driving it.
Still, in the singular study identified by the Cochrane group, those who took garlic daily for three months had fewer colds than those who took a placebo, and, when they did come down with a cold, the duration of illness was shorter — an average of 4.5 days compared to 5.5 days for the placebo group.
While this may not seem overly impressive, it’s still better than the results achieved by the flu drug Tamiflu !
Zinc: A Cochrane Database Review of the medical research on zinc found that when taken within one day of the first symptoms, zinc can cut down the time you have a cold by about 24 hours.
Zinc was also found to greatly reduce the severity of symptoms. Zinc was not recommended for anyone with an underlying health condition, like lowered immune function, asthma or chronic illness.
I do not recommend taking more than 50 mg a day, and I do not recommend taking zinc on a daily basis for preventive purposes as you could easily develop a copper imbalance that way.
Vitamin C: A very potent antioxidant; use a natural form such as acerola, which contains associated micronutrients.
You can take several grams every hour (use the liposomal form so you don’t get loose stools), till you are better. I never travel without a bottle of our liposomal C.
A tea made from a combination of elderflower, yarrow, boneset, linden, peppermint and ginger; drink it hot and often for combating a cold or flu. It causes you to sweat, which is helpful for eradicating a virus from your system.
Oregano Oil: The higher the carvacrol concentration, the more effective it is. Carvacrol is the most active antimicrobial agent in oregano oil.
Medicinal mushrooms, such as shiitake, reishi and turkey tail . Propolis: A bee resin and one of the most broad-spectrum antimicrobial compounds in the world; propolis is also the richest source of caffeic acid and apigenin, two very important compounds that aid in immune response. Olive leaf extract is widely known as a natural, non-toxic immune system builder.
Vitamin D Is Important for Optimal Health and Disease Prevention Year-Round In related news, researchers are also homing in on how vitamin D may help protect against age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s. The video above discusses research [33] showing vitamin D extends lifespan in nematode worms by 30 percent and helps slow or even reverse accumulation of beta amyloid protein, which is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s.Vitamin D deficiency has also been linked to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, depression, autoimmune disease and many other chronic diseases. As noted in a recent issue of Orthomolecular Medicine News: [34] “Research on the health benefits of vitamin D continues at a rapid pace. There were 4,356 papers published in 2015 with vitamin D in the title or abstract and 4,388 in 2016 …” Among some of the most impactful studies are ones demonstrating:
• Health benefits from sun exposure unrelated to vitamin D production. One recent review concluded benefits of sun exposure includes lower rates of cancer, heart disease, dementia, myopia, macular degeneration, diabetes and multiple sclerosis. My belief is that the majority of these benefits are due to the near-, mid- and far-infrared wavelengths.
According to the author: “The message of sun avoidance must be changed to acceptance of non-burning sun exposure sufficient to achieve [vitamin D] concentrations of 30 ng/mL or higher … and the general benefits of UV exposure beyond those of vitamin D.” Also, while intermittent sun exposure is associated with higher rates of skin cancer, “the risks of these cancers is dwarfed by the reduced risk of internal cancers from sun exposure,” William Grant, Ph.D. writes.
• Benefits of higher vitamin D levels during pregnancy. Research demonstrates preterm births steadily decrease as vitamin D levels increase among pregnant women. In one study, raising vitamin D blood concentrations from 20 to 40 ng/mL decreased preterm births by 59 percent.
• Reduction in cancer risk from vitamin D supplementation. One pooled analysis showed that women with higher levels of vitamin D had much lower incidence rates of cancer — from a 2 percent per year cancer incidence rate at 18 ng/mL to 0.4 percent at 63 ng/mL.
Overall, maintaining a vitamin D serum level of 45 to 60 ng/mL year-round may be one of the simplest and most efficient ways to safeguard yourself against chronic disease and acute infections. When it comes to seasonal colds and influenza, the rate of protection you get from vitamin D is actually greater than what you’d get from a flu vaccination, and you don’t have to worry about potential side effects either — which in the case of the flu vaccine can be far worse than the original complaint.
While death and complete disability from a flu vaccine may be rare, so is dying from the flu itself. I strongly recommend weighing the risk of suffering a debilitating side effect of the flu vaccine relative to the more likely potential of spending a week in bed with the flu. Remember, most deaths attributed to influenza are actually due to bacterial pneumonia, and these days, bacterial pneumonia can be effectively treated with advanced medical care and therapies like respirators and parenteral antibiotics.
The Role of Vitamin D in Disease Prevention
A growing body of evidence shows that vitamin D plays a crucial role in disease prevention and maintaining optimal health. There are about 30,000 genes in your body, and vitamin D affects nearly 3,000 of them, as well as vitamin D receptors located throughout your body.
According to one large-scale study, optimal Vitamin D levels can slash your risk of cancer by as much as 60 percent. Keeping your levels optimized can help prevent at least 16 different types of cancer, including pancreatic, lung, ovarian, prostate and skin cancers.
- Dr. Dachtler (AKA Dr. Frank)​
References:
1 Epidemic Influenza and Vitamin D by JJ Cannell, September 15, 2006
2 Epidemiology and Infection 2006 Dec;134(6):1129-40
3 Virology Journal 2008, 5:29
4 Archives of Internal Medicine 2009;169(4):384-390
5 BMJ 2017; 356:i6583
6 NPR February 16, 2017
7 , 8 Time February 16, 2017
9 BBC.com February 16, 2017
10 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition May 2010; 91(5): 1255-1260
11 Nature Immunology 2010 Apr;11(4):344-9
12 Food Consumer July 3, 2010
13 Cochrane Database Systematic Reviews 2010 Jul 7;(7):CD001269
14, 15 Cochrane Database Systematic Reviews 2006 Jan 25;(1):CD004879
16 Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2012; Issue 8
17, 18 Cochrane Database Systematic Reviews 2010 Feb 17;(2):CD004876
19 Vaccine December 1998;16(20):1929-32
20 STAT News November 11, 2015
21 Clinical Infectious Diseases 2014; 59 (10): 1375-1385
22 CIDRAP April 6, 2010
23 Science Daily May 20, 2009
24 STAT News October 29, 2015
25 STAT News September 28, 2016
26 Journal of Infectious Disease October 28, 2015
27 FDA. 94th Meeting of Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee Transcript. Feb. 20, 2003
28 CDC Seasonal Influenza Q&A. Aug. 15, 2014
29 CDC 2014-2015 Influenza Season Week 51 Ending December 20, 2014
30 JAMA Internal Medicine 2013; 173(11): 1014-1016
31 PreventDisease.com January 20, 2013
32 Cochrane , Garlic for the Common Cold, November 11, 2014
33 ABC7 News February 10, 2017
34 Orthomolecular Medicine News February 13, 2017
Conventional health authorities claim getting a flu shot each year is the best way to ward off influenza. But where’s the actual science backing up that claim? If you’ve repeatedly fallen for this annual propaganda campaign, you may be surprised to find the medical literature suggests vitamin D may actually be a FAR more effective strategy, and the evidence for this goes back at least a decade. Dr. John Cannell, founder of the Vitamin D Council, was one of the first to introduce the idea that vitamin D deficiency may actually be an underlying CAUSE of influenza. His hypothesis [1] was initially published in the journal Epidemiology and Infection in 2006. [2] It was subsequently followed up with another study published in the Virology Journal in 2008. [3] The following year, the largest nationally representative study [4] of its kind to date discovered that people with the lowest vitamin D levels indeed reported having significantly more colds or cases of the flu. In conclusion, lead author Dr. Adit Ginde stated: “The findings of our study support an important role for vitamin D in prevention of common respiratory infections, such as colds and the flu. Individuals with common lung diseases, such as asthma or emphysema, may be particularly susceptible to respiratory infections from vitamin D deficiency.”
Many pregnant women do not seek medical attention for their back pain because they believe it’s just a “normal” part of pregnancy. It’s important to know that dealing with grueling pain that prevents you from accomplishing day-to-day tasks is anything but normal, even when you’re pregnant. One common barrier to women seeking care for their back pain is a reluctance to take too many medications while pregnant. Fortunately, there are many drug-free, non-invasive options for relieving pelvic and back pain during pregnancy and beyond. A recent study confirms that chiropractic care can offer pregnant women safe and effective relief of pelvic and back pain. The prospective cohort study included 115 pregnant patients with lower back or pelvic pain who were treated with chiropractic care. After one week, 52% said they had already noticed improvements; that percentage jumped to 70% after 1 month; and eventually to 85% after three months. Patients showed significant reductions in pain and disability, as measured by NRS and Oswestry scores, respectively. paragraph here. One year after the start of the study, 88% of patients reported improved back and pelvic pain post-delivery. This improvement is significant, given that having back pain during pregnancy typically sets women up for future episodes of back pain. These findings suggest that taking care of your spinal health while pregnant can have lasting benefits for your health. These results add to previous findings from a randomized, controlled trial published last year in The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Patients enrolled in the study had significant back pain at 24-28 weeks’ gestation, and were randomly assigned to receive either chiropractic care or standard medical care. At 33 weeks’ gestation, those in the chiropractic group had significant reductions in pain and disability, while the standard medical care patients did not. Surveys show that most pregnant women are satisfied with the care they receive from chiropractors. Chiropractors use gentle, low-force spinal adjustments when working with pregnant women or other sensitive patients, like the elderly or children. These spinal adjustments are often combined with massage, stretching, and exercise rehabilitation for effective, natural relief. Chiropractic has also been shown to be effective for women with migraine during pregnancy. - Dr. Dachtler (AKA Dr. Frank)
High fructose corn syrup is a killer. Since humans started consuming it, obesity rates have more than tripled and diabetes incidence has increased more than seven fold. Even when used in moderation it is a major cause of heart disease, obesity, cancer, dementia, liver failure, tooth decay, and more. So what does the FDA do about this silent killer? It allows food producers to change the name of the infamous sweeter in order to trick consumers into thinking they are not eating high fructose corn syrup. That’s right, high fructose corn syrup now goes by a new, deceitful name – “Natural Sweetener” – designed to trick customers into making ill-informed choices that will impact on their health. Consumers are finally catching on to the fact that what we put in our mouths effects our waistline as well as our health. Since consumers have become much smarter and finally waking up to these realities, they are demanding healthier food choices. Every food company is smearing 100% natural on every box of anything regardless of what's inside the box. Now we have to know the new sneaky name to know whether or not we are consuming High Fructose Corn Syrup or not. Obviously the best way to avoid this mess is to buy from companies you really trust. Big food companies are hiding ingredients they know we really don’t want to consume in their products. This time it’s the presence of a new version of high fructose corn syrup. But this is not the innocuous fructose that has sweetened the fruits humans have eaten since time began. This is a questionable ingredient with many names that could be causing all sorts of health problems. The product is General Mills’ Vanilla Chex, an updated version of the Chex cereal sold in most conventional grocery and discount stores for many years. The front of the box clearly states that the product contains “no high fructose corn syrup” (HFCS), but turn it over to read the ingredient list and there it is – the new isolated fructose. Why is that a problem? According to the Corn Refiners Association (CRA), there’s been a sneaky name change. The term ‘fructose’ is now being used to denote a product that was previously known as HFCS-90, meaning it is 90 percent pure fructose. Compare this to what is termed ‘regular’ HFCS, which contains either 42 or 55 percent fructose, and you will know why General Mills is so eager to keep you in the dark. CRA explains: “A third product, HFCS-90, is sometimes used in natural and ‘light’ foods, where very little is needed to provide sweetness. Syrups with 90% fructose will not state high fructose corn syrup on the label [anymore], they will state ‘fructose’ or ‘fructose syrup’.” And the way that they get away with this is fairly simple: “Simply eliminating the high fructose corn syrup designation for the laboratory sweetener that’s nine-tenths fructose and calling it what it really is: fructose. And that’s how a processed-food product like Vanilla Chex that contains “fructose”, a substance that, according to the corn refiners, used to be called HFCS-90, can now declare itself to be high fructose corn syrup-free.”
Are you experiencing frequent negative health symptoms like back pain, headaches, or stress? Pain medications can only do so much, and they won’t fix your problem. Visiting a chiropractor may be able to help you overcome some or all of your symptoms. A chiropractic adjustment refers to a chiropractor physically adjusting the vertebrae in your back. This type of procedure can have a myriad of positive benefits without the stress or invasiveness of surgery or other more intense techniques. Is a chiropractic adjustment right for you? To help you answer that, we are going to take you through some of the top benefits of getting a chiropractic adjustment. 1. Blood Pressure A study published in the Human Journal of Hypertension showed that a chiropractic adjustment could give people suffering from high blood pressure the same effect as taking certain high blood pressure medications. This study also showed that the effects of the adjustment would persist for 6 months after the adjustment. High blood pressure medications can have negative side effects including: Fatigue Nausea Dizziness Anxiety Weight loss If an adjustment can give similar, if not the same, effect as these types of medications, it might be something to consider. Adjustments have been shown to help patients suffering from low blood pressure as well. 2. A Chiropractic Adjustment Can Help With Neck and Lower Back Pain This benefit is probably the most well known when it comes to going to the chiropractor. 80% of all Americans experience some sort of lower back pain in their lifetime. Medications and surgeries are options for this type of pain, but those can be dangerous, expensive, and ineffective. An adjustment from chiropractor services can significantly reduce your back and neck pain via a non-invasive technique. Chiropractic treatment is also cheaper than other methods of back pain management. You’ll be able to save yourself from both mild and chronic pain while also reducing your medical costs. 3. Scoliosis Scoliosis is a condition where there is an abnormal curvature of the spine. This can cause pain, abnormal posture, a reduction in your range of motion, and even trouble breathing. Most scoliosis patients have few options for treatment. But a chiropractic adjustment has been shown to help treat scoliosis patients. Chiropractic treatment combined with physical therapy could help treat and prevent the progression of scoliosis. The effectiveness of this treatment option varies from patient to patient, but it is a viable option. READ: Here is Exactly How The Chiropractic Adjustment Affects Your Body 4. Sciatica Sciatica refers to pain that radiates from your lower back down your legs because of a damaged or pressured sciatic nerve. This type of chronic pain can lead to over-medicating and chronic pain. Chiropractic treatment can help relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve that is causing your sciatica. Studies show that patients receiving adjustments reduced the number of pain days they had. They also experienced a reduction in the severity of their pain. 5. Reduce Inflammation Inflammation is one of the top causes of pain, joint issues, and tension. Chronic inflammation has been linked to a number of diseases like heart disease, chronic pain, and cancer. Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to reduce inflammation , which can lead to a number of positive benefits, including: Chronic lower back pain relief Reduced muscle tension Relief of joint pain Reduced inflammation can also help reduce your risk of developing diseases that are linked to high inflammation. 6. Headache Relief Both tension and migraine headaches can be caused by back pain and spinal issues. Back misalignment can cause muscle tension and pain which can result in both tension headaches as well as migraine headaches. Besides back pain, headache is the top ailment that chiropractors treat. There are over 200 studies examining the benefits and effectiveness of chiropractic adjustments for headache relief. 7. Improvement in Symptoms of Neurological Conditions Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to help increase blood flow to the brain. They can help increase the flow of cerebral spinal fluid as well. This can significantly help people suffering from neurological conditions like multiple sclerosis and epilepsy. While this subject is still being researched, the potential therapeutic applications provide exciting possibilities of treatment for these patients. 8. Children’s Health Benefits Kids chiropractic care can significantly improve certain conditions that affect children. The big three conditions that can be helped with an adjustment in children are colic, acid reflux, and ear infections. Colic Colic causes near constant crying and fussiness in young children and babies as a result of abdominal discomfort and gas. Colic can be extremely difficult to treat, which can result in an uncomfortable baby and exhausted parents. Adjustments have been shown to help improve infantile colic symptoms. Acid Reflux and Ear Infections It’s thought that the nerves in the brain and back along with the nerves in the gut and head are particularly sensitive. When these are affected, it can result in conditions like acid reflux and ear infections. A chiropractic adjustment can help to improve what’s known as the gut-brain connection, which is why chiropractic adjustments might help these types of conditions. This improvement can also boost the immune system, which can help prevent infection. 9. Improved Athletic Performance Reduction of inflammation, pain, and other similar conditions can help get the body in top shape. This is especially true for athletes who depend on their body to do their job. Many sports teams and professional athletes hire chiropractors. Adjustments can reduce pain and tension caused by sports and activity. Alignments can also reduce inflammation and boost the immune system to help boost an athletes performance. 10. Vertigo Dizziness and vertigo can make it impossible to do everyday tasks or even get up out of bed without feeling disoriented and nauseous. This is a common condition after experiencing a head or neck injury. A chiropractic adjustment can help target joints and vertebrae that aren’t moving correctly. This could help reduce vertigo episodes. An adjustment can also help fix your body’s natural balance, which can also cause vertigo if it’s misaligned. Wrapping Up Getting a chiropractic treatment can be a great way to improve multiple areas of your health with one non-invasive treatment. Surgeries and medications can be dangerous and expensive. With an adjustment, you could safely and easily target your problems. Contact Broadview Chiropractic & Health Center today to get started! (Source: https://www.circleofdocs.com/10-benefits-of-getting-a-chiropractic-adjustment/ )
Should you be seeing a chiropractor for frequent adjustments even if you are not in pain? This is a question often asked by people who have started under chiropractic care and are now feeling better or are asymptomatic (pain free). The (summarized) study below assessed the relationship between frequent chiropractic care and those who only seek care during times when symptoms arise. The Nordic Maintenance Care program: Effectiveness of chiropractic maintenance care versus symptom-guided treatment for recurrent and persistent low back pain—A pragmatic randomized controlled trial Background For individuals with recurrent or persistent non-specific low back pain (LBP), exercise and exercise combined with education have been shown to be effective in preventing new episodes or in reducing the impact of the condition. Chiropractors have traditionally used Maintenance Care (MC), as secondary and tertiary prevention strategies. The aim of this trial was to investigate the effectiveness of MC on pain trajectories for patients with recurrent or persistent LBP. Method This pragmatic, investigator-blinded, two arm randomized controlled trial included consecutive patients (18–65 years old) with non-specific LBP, who had an early favorable response to chiropractic care. After an initial course of treatment, eligible subjects were randomized to either MC or control (symptom-guided treatment). The primary outcome was total number of days with bothersome LBP during 52 weeks collected weekly with text-messages (SMS) and estimated by a GEE model. Results Three hundred and twenty-eight subjects were randomly allocated to one of the two treatment groups. MC resulted in a reduction in the total number of days per week with bothersome LBP compared with symptom-guided treatment. During the 12 month study period, the MC group reported 12.8 fewer days in total with bothersome LBP compared to the control group and received 1.7 more treatments. No serious adverse events were recorded. Conclusion Maintenance Care was more effective than symptom-guided treatment in reducing the total number of days over 52 weeks with bothersome non-specific LBP but it resulted in a higher number of treatments. For selected patients with recurrent or persistent non-specific LBP who respond well to an initial course of chiropractic care, Maintenance Care should be considered an option for tertiary prevention. You can read the full study article here . Request an appointment today to start your maintenance care plan! (Source: https://www.circleofdocs.com/should-you-get-adjusted-when-you-have-no-pain/ )
Many people are turning to Chiropractic instead of traditional medicine to deal with ear infections for children. Chiropractors attempt to get to the root cause of a health problem rather than just treat the symptoms. EAR INFECTIONS AND CHIROPRACTIC Ear pain is the number one reason for child visits to chiropractors. Misalignments of the spine (also called subluxations) can occur during childbirth or from a fall or tumble. Misalignments undiscovered or left untreated can irritate or inflame the nerves and can affect the Eustachian tube, leading to fluid buildup in the middle ear. The purpose of a chiropractic adjustment is to help to restore the normal functioning of the nervous system so the body can heal itself without the use of drugs or surgery. Antibiotics, the usual allopathic treatment, are not consistently effective and often lead to a recurrence of ear infections. Studies show , the higher recurrence rate among children who took amoxicillin could be due to a depression of their body’s natural immune response as a result of taking an antibiotic in the early stage of infection. Antibiotic use in such cases may cause an “unfavorable shift” toward the growth of resistant bacteria, setting up a continuing cycle of repeat ear infections, which lands them back at the pediatrician for more antibiotics. Even the CDC says “antibiotics are not recommended to help treat many ear infections”. Antibiotics, the usual allopathic treatment, are not consistently effective and often lead to a recurrence of ear infections. Studies show, the higher recurrence rate among children who took amoxicillin could be due to a depression of their body’s natural immune response as a result of taking an antibiotic in the early stage of infection. Antibiotic use in such cases may cause an “unfavorable shift” toward the growth of resistant bacteria, setting up a continuing cycle of repeat ear infections, which lands them back at the pediatrician for more antibiotics. A promising study published in the Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics indicates that there is a strong correlation between chiropractic adjustments and the resolution of ear infections. 332 children with chronic ear infections participated in the study. Each child, ranging in age from 27 days to 5 years, was given a series of chiropractic adjustments. The results show that close to 80% of the children did not experience another ear infection within the six-month period following their initial visits. A review of the study by ICPA concludes that Chiropractic care is MORE effective and reduces symptoms faster than traditional allopathic care . Contact Broadview Chiropractic & Health Center if your child has recurrent ear infections - we can help! (Source: deeprootsathome.com )
(Source: circleofdocs.com ) Making the Case against Late Whiplash It seems that 1999 was a banner year for the whiplash naysayers. In addition to the barriers such literature imposes for advances in automotive safety, it provides an ongoing source of grist for the ever-polarized medicolegal mill. Readers may recall my criticisms of the first Lithuanian paper of 1996 (reference 10), which appeared in DC that year. The authors revisited this problem of late whiplash more recently. Subsequently, a spate of particularly bad literature has appeared (chiefly from a Dr. Ferrari) that uses, as its chief foundation, these two fundamentally flawed misadventures of science. In this article, I’ll explore the major problems with the recent (1999) Lithuanian paper and juxtapose them with the 1996 paper. The Prevalence of Chronic Cervical Zygapophysial Joint Pain After Whiplash In this population, cervical zygapophysial joint pain was the most common source of chronic neck pain after whiplash. Chronic Cervical Zygapophysial Joint Pain After Whiplash: A Placebo–Controlled Prevalence Study Cervical zygapophysial joint pain is common among patients with chronic neck pain after whiplash. This nosologic entity has survived challenge with placebo-controlled, diagnostic investigations and has proven to be of major clinical importance. Low Speed Rear End Impacts: Vehicle and Occupant Response In low impact collisions, there are usually no skid marks, minor or no visible damage to the vehicle. There is a lack of relationship between occupant injury vehicle speed and/or damage. There does not appear to be an absolute speed or damage to a vehicle for a person to experience injury. Crash tests indicate a change of vehicle velocity of 4km/h (2.5 mph) may produce occupant symptoms. Vehicle damage may not occur until 14-15km/h (8.7 mph). Occupant soft tissue and joint injuries resulting from low speed vehicle collisions respond positively to afferent stimulation of mechanoreceptors. The diagnosis of the occupant injuries is reliant upon standard orthopedic neurological testing, the autonomic concomitant signs and qualitative sensory testing. A Review and Methodologic Critique of the Literature Refuting Whiplash Syndrome The validity of whiplash syndrome has been a source of debate in the medical literature for many years. Some authors have published articles suggesting that whiplash injuries are impossible at certain collision speeds; others have stated that the problem is psychological, or is feigned as a means to obtain secondary financial gain. These articles contradict the majority of the literature, which shows that whiplash injuries and their sequelae are a highly prevalent problem that affects a significant proportion of the population. How Crash Severity in Rear Impacts Influences Short- and Long-term Consequences to the Neck The two crashes which resulted in long-term disabling neck injuries had the highest peak acceleration (15 and 13 x g), but not the highest change of velocity. The crash tests showed that a tow-bar may significantly affect the acceleration of the car as well as that of the occupant. According to real-life crashes, a tow-bar on the struck car increased the risk of long-term consequences by 22% but did not affect the risk of short-term consequences. Awareness Affects the Response of Human Subjects Exposed to a Single Whiplash-Like Perturbation The larger retractions observed in surprised females likely produce larger tissue strains and may increase injury potential. Aware human subjects may not replicate the muscle response, kinematic response, or whiplash injury potential of unprepared occupants in real collisions. Correlating Crash Severity With Injury Risk, Injury Severity, and Long-term Symptoms In Low Velocity Motor Vehicle Collisions A substantial number of injuries are reported in crashes of little or no property damage. Property damage is an unreliable predictor of injury risk or outcome in low velocity crashes. The MIST protocol for prediction of injury does not appear to be valid. Significant Spinal Injury Resulting From Low-level Accelerations: A Case Series of Roller Coaster Injuries The results of this study suggest that there is no established minimum threshold of significant spine injury. The greatest explanation for injury from traumatic loading of the spine is individual susceptibility to injury, an unpredictable variable. Impact of Motor Vehicle Accidents on Neck Pain and Disability in General Practice This study showed that the percentage of patients who had been involved in an MVA and reported continuous neck pain was significantly higher than for those patients with other self-reported causes of neck pain. Reported prevalences of continuous neck pain in patients who had experienced MVAs vary widely in the literature and seem to consist of two different groups of figures — lower prevalence figures of chronic neck pain range between 8% and 24%, [21] while higher reported figures range from 43% up to 66%. [22, 23] Marshall reported that even 80% of patients experienced neck discomfort after an MVA. The Failure of Standard Orthopedic and Neurologic Tests As we mentioned earlier, the orthopedic and neurologic tests we typically perform are not sensitive to what produces pain in the whiplash patient. These tests, which have been designed to assess the ventral ramus of the peripheral nerve, are not usually very sensitive to the structures innervated by the dorsal ramus which are typically involved. In the next article we will cover a better way to assess patients who are involved in motor vehicle accidents, and which tests are more sensitive for the tissues which are lesioned! Chiropractic Care for Spinal Whiplash Injuries Studies on the efficacy of chiropractic care for patients suffering with pain secondary to whiplash injury are appearing in the literature. In 1996, Woodward et al. published a study in Injury on the efficacy of chiropractic treatment of whiplash injuries. [1] The authors of this study were from the Department of Orthopedic Surgery in Bristol, England. In 1994, Gargan and Bannister published a paper on the recovery rate of patients with whiplash injuries and found that if patients were still symptomatic after three months, there was almost a 90% chance they would remain so. [2] No conventional medical treatment has been shown to be effective in these established chronic whiplash injury patients. [3-4] However, most DCs treating whiplash injury patients have empirically found high success rates in the recovery of these types of patients. How Have Chiropractors Fared in Recent Years with Whiplash Cases? Chiropractors have been actively treating whiplash soft-tissue injuries for decades. This article explores how the chiropractic profession has fared in recent years compared to medical doctors and physical therapists. These comparisons will illustrate the percentage of claimants seeing the various providers in five-year increments. This paper shows that the chiropractic profession continues to have a healthy upward growth trend, whereas the number of claimants seeing MDs and PTs has declined or has had little growth in recent years. Long-Term Consequences of Whiplash: Allergy; Breathing, Digestive and Cardiovascular Disorders; Hypertension and Low Back Pain A recent paper out of Canada takes an intriguing look into what may be some of the less recognized features of the long–term consequences of whiplash trauma – a condition perhaps more rightfully referred to as cervical acceleration/deceleration (CAD) trauma. The authors, using data obtained by health surveys, attempted to correlate a history of neck injury from motor vehicle crashes (MVC) with chronic neck pain. The Risk of Injury for Children Exposed to Whiplash Trauma Less than two percent of the literature about whiplash is devoted to children. When I wrote the first edition of my textbook in 1988,1 I cited an older German study placing the risk for children at approximately one-sixth the risk of adults. By the time the second edition was published in 1995, a Swedish study had since been published putting the risk proportion in children closer to two-thirds that of adults. Cervical zygapophyseal joint pain patterns. I: A study in normal volunteers The pain patterns evoked by stimulation of normal cervical zygapophyseal joints were determined in five volunteers. Under fluoroscopic control, joints at segments C2-3 to C6-7 were stimulated by distending the joint capsule with injections of contrast medium. Each joint produced a clinically distinguishable, characteristic pattern of pain, which enabled the construction of pain charts that putatively could be of value in determining the segmental location of symptomatic joints in patients presenting with cervical zygapophyseal pain. The rate of recovery following whiplash injury Fifty consecutive patients with soft-tissue neck injuries following rear end collisions were studied prospectively to assess their rate of recovery. Patients were seen within 5 days of the accident, after 3 months, 1 year and 2 years, and their symptoms were classified into one of four groups (A, asymptomatic; B, nuisance; C, intrusive; D, disabling). Fourteen of 15 patients (93%) who were asymptomatic after 3 months remained symptom-free after 2 years. Of 35 patients with symptoms after 3 months, 30 (86%) remained symptomatic after 2 years. The Endothelium and Cardiovascular Disease — A Complex Relation Cardiovascular disease accounts for considerable mortality and morbidity in Western countries. Most of the common forms of cardiovascular disease, such as atherosclerosis, are caused by functional and structural changes in the blood-vessel wall. These changes include abnormal vasoconstriction, enhanced interaction of blood cells with the vessel wall, activation of coagulation mechanisms, and migration and proliferation of vascular smooth-muscle cells1-3. Depending on the stage and location of the disease, one or more of these factors predominate. These vascular abnormalities have an important role in the pathogenesis of angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, stroke, and vascular forms of renal failure. Long-term Outcome After Whiplash Injury: A 2-year Follow-up Considering Features of Injury Mechanism and Somatic, Radiologic, and Psychosocial Findings Previous studies, however, focused on somatic symptoms on the one hand or considered only psychological or neuropsychological variables on the other hand, often in loosely defined or selected groups of patients. No study so far has analyzed the long-term outcome in a nonselected group of patients using a clear injury definition considering patient history; somatic, radiologic, and neuropsychological findings; and features of the injury mechanisms assessed soon after trauma and during follow-up. With regard to baseline findings the following significant differences were found (on this cohort): Symptomatic patients were older, had higher incidence of rotated or inclined head position at the time of impact, had higher prevalence of pretraumatic headache, showed higher intensity of initial neck pain and headache, complained of a greater number of symptoms, had a higher incidence of symptoms of radicular deficit and higher average scores on a multiple symptom analysis, and displayed more degenerative signs (osteoarthrosis) on X ray. Conservative management of mechanical neck pain: systematic overview and meta-analysis Twenty four randomised clinical trials met the selection criteria and were categorised by type of intervention: nine used manual treatments; 12 physical medicine methods; four drug treatment; and three education of patients (four trials investigated more than one form of intervention). Chiropractic Treatment of Chronic ‘Whiplash’ Injuries Twenty-six (93 per cent) patients improved following chiropractic treatment (U = 34, P < 0.001). The encouraging results from this retrospective study merit the instigation of a prospective randomized controlled trial to compare conventional with chiropractic treatment in chronic ‘whiplash’ injury. Whiplash Associated Disorders: Redefining Whiplash and Its Management by the Quebec Task Force ~ A Critical Evaluation The validity of the conclusions and recommendations of the Quebec Task Force regarding the natural course and epidemiology of whiplash injuries is questionable. This lack of validity stems from the presence of bias, the use of unconventional terminology, and conclusions that are not concurrent with the literature the Task Force accepted for review. Although the Task Force set out to redefine whiplash and its management, striving for the desirable goal of clarification of the numerous contentious issues surrounding the injury, its publications instead have confused the subject further. Motion Analysis of Cervical Vertebrae During Whiplash Loading The cervical spine is forced to move from the lower vertebrae during rear-end collisions. This motion completely differs from normal extension motion and is probably related to the injury mechanism. Whiplash Update: New Research About Chiropractic Utilization in America It is important for the chiropractic profession to stay current with claim behavior in the United States, including treatment costs, number of office visits, types of injuries, and use of diagnostic procedures. This is particularly true with respect to motor vehicle collision injuries. This information lets doctors of chiropractic evaluate their practice profiles and determine how national figures apply to their practices. Cervical Nonorganic Signs: A New Clinical Tool to Assess Abnormal Illness Behavior in Neck Pain Patients: A Pilot Study For many years, the lumbar nonorganic signs (developed by Waddell and colleagues) have been a useful screening tool in the assessment of abnormal illness behavior in the low back pain population. For the first time, a group of cervical nonorganic signs have been developed, standardized, and proven reliable. Effect of Eliminating Compensation for Pain and Suffering on the Outcome of Insurance Claims for Whiplash Injury The incidence and prognosis of whiplash injury from motor vehicle collisions may be related to eligibility for compensation for pain and suffering. On January 1, 1995, the tort–compensation system for traffic injuries, which included payments for pain and suffering, in Saskatchewan, Canada, was changed to a no–fault system, which did not include such payments. To determine whether this change was associated with a decrease in claims and improved recovery after whiplash injury, we studied a population–based cohort of persons who filed insurance claims for traffic injuries between July 1, 1994, and December 31, 1995. Prognosis Following a Second Whiplash Injury Five percent of the population have suffered a whiplash injury. Of these, 43% suffer long-term symptoms. We undertook a retrospective study of 79 patients who had suffered two whiplash injuries. The severity of each patient’s symptoms was assessed after the first and second injuries using the Gargan and Bannister classification. Overall, 84% of patients reported increased symptoms following the second injury. Ninety-seven percent of patients who had been symptom free before the second injury reported persisting discomfort. Central Hypersensitivity In Chronic Pain After Whiplash Injury The authors found a hypersensitivity to peripheral stimulation in whiplash patients. Hypersensitivity was observed after cutaneous and muscular stimulation, at both neck and lower limb. Because hypersensitivity was observed in healthy tissues, it resulted from alterations in the central processing of sensory stimuli (central hypersensitivity). Central hypersensitivity was not dependent on a nociceptive input arising from the painful and tender muscles. Responses to a Clinical Test of Mechanical Provocation of Nerve Tissue in Whiplash Associated Disorder Only the whiplash subjects whose arm pain was reproduced by the BPPT demonstrated differences between the symptomatic and asymptomatic sides. These generalized hyperalgesic responses to the BPPT support the hypothesis of central nervous system hypersensitivity as contributing to persistent pain experienced by WAD patients. Psychiatry of Whiplash Neck Injury This paper comes to radically different conclusions by focusing on all of those injured in MVAs (rather than just the whiplash cases) and defining the similarities between those with soft-tissue and boney injuries. They found that: (1) Claiming compensation was not a predictor of psychological outcome in any of the injury groups; (2) That whiplash is more likely to be litigated because of the unpleasantness of the acute symptoms, that the sufferer is an innocent victim, and that the liability of the other driver will not be disputed; (3) and that the anger associated with being an innocent victim, and (being trapped within a) slowly progressing litigation is one of several social variables influencing overall quality of life following the accident. Cervical Spine Lesions After Road Traffic Accidents: A Systematic Review Occult pathoanatomical lesions in the cervical intervertebral disc and zygapophysial joints after fatal road traffic trauma may exist. Present imaging methods, especially conventional radiography, do not visualize these subtle lesions; hence, underreporting of pathoanatomical lesions during standard autopsy is probably common. These findings may have clinical relevance in the management of road traffic trauma survivors with potentially similar pathoanatomy. Is the Sagittal Configuration of the Cervical Spine Changed in Women with Chronic Whiplash Syndrome? A Comparative Computer-assisted Radiographic Assessment The whiplash group showed a decreased ratio between the lower versus upper cervical spine but comparisons between groups were not statistically significant. The whiplash group was in a significantly more flexed position at the C4-C5 level compared with the asymptomatic group (P =.007). The reliability measures have to be strengthened to render these results definitely conclusive. The Use of Flexion and Extension MR in the Evaluation of Cervical Spine Trauma: Initial Experience in 100 Trauma Patients Compared with 100 Normal Subjects The cervical spines of 100 consecutive uninjured normal asymptomatic adults and 100 adult accident victims following rear low-impact motor vehicle accidents were evaluated using rapid T2-weighted MRI. Injured subjects were evaluated during the subacute period, at 12 to 14 weeks after injury. The “normal subjects” showed: Loss of normal cervical lordosis (hypolordosis) in 4% (4 of 100) patients: Range of motion of 50° flexion, and 60° extension; and asymptomatic disk herniations were observed in 2% (2 of 100) patients. In the subacute post-traumatic subjects, there was a loss of the normal segmental motion pattern, with hypolordosis in 98% (98 of 100) patients. Range of motion was restricted, quantified as 25° flexion and 35°; and disk herniations were observed in 28% of the patients. The authors conclude that flexion and extension MR can be a valuable adjunct examination in the evaluation of patients in the clinical setting of subacute cervical spine trauma. Dizziness and Unsteadiness Following Whiplash Injury: Characteristic Features and Relationship With Cervical Joint Position Error Dizziness and/or unsteadiness are common symptoms of chronic whiplash-associated disorders. This study aimed to report the characteristics of these symptoms and determine whether there was any relationship to cervical joint position error. Joint position error, the accuracy to return to the natural head posture following extension and rotation, was measured in 102 subjects with persistent whiplash-associated disorder and 44 control subjects. Cervical Spine Geometry Correlated to Cervical Degenerative Disease in a Symptomatic Group We identified 5 geometric variables from the lateral cervical spine that were predictive 79% of the time for cervical degenerative joint disease. There were discrete age, sex, and symptom groups, which demonstrated an increased incidence of degenerative joint disease. Sensory Hypersensitivity Occurs Soon After Whiplash Injury And Is Associated With Poor Recovery All whiplash groups demonstrated local mechanical hyperalgesia in the cervical spine at 1 month post-injury. This hyperalgesia persisted in those with moderate/severe symptoms at 6 months but resolved by 2 months in those who had recovered or reported persistent mild symptoms. Only those with persistent moderate/severe symptoms at 6 months demonstrated generalised hypersensitivity to all sensory tests. These changes occurred within 1 month of injury and remained unchanged throughout the study period. Cervical Spine Curvature During Simulated Whiplash Both the upper and lower cervical spine are at risk for extension injury during rear-impact. Flexion injury is unlikely. Characterization of Acute Whiplash-associated Disorders Acute whiplash subjects with higher levels of pain and disability were distinguished by sensory hypersensitivity to a variety of stimuli, suggestive of central nervous system sensitization occurring soon after injury. These responses occurred independently of psychological distress. These findings may be important for the differential diagnosis of acute whiplash injury and could be one reason why those with higher initial pain and disability demonstrate a poorer outcome. The Possibility to Use Simple Validated Questionnaires to Predict Long-term Health Problems After Whiplash Injury The subjective experience of a notably decreased level of activity because of the neck pain when supplemented by the enhanced score of Neck Disability Index questionnaire predicts well poor outcome in long-term follow-up and can be used as a tool to identify persons who are at risk to suffer long-term health problems after whiplash injury. A Systematic Review of Chiropractic Management of Adults with Whiplash-Associated Disorders: Recommendations for Advancing Evidence-based Practice and Research There is a baseline of evidence that suggests chiropractic care improves cervical range of motion (cROM) and pain in the management of WAD. However, the level of this evidence relevant to clinical practice remains low or draws on clinical consensus at this time. The WAD-Plus Model has implications for use by chiropractors and interdisciplinary professionals in the assessment and management of acute, subacute and chronic pain due to WAD. Furthermore, the WAD-Plus Model can be used in the future study of interventions and outcomes to advance evidence-based care in the management of WAD. 25 Years of Whiplash Research (Our Profession) lack(s) cohesion and a failure to understand that the old “separate but equal” philosophy is no longer viable. Most chiropractors don’t seem to recognize that we won’t be able to legislatively insulate ourselves from extinction. Many have been falsely buoyed by the Wilk’s case. This merely changed the game plan of chiropractic’s enemies. The erosion of our influence and scope is evident in many states, including California. With a stroke of his pen, long-time chiropractic friend and now Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger sharply limited our place in the workers’ compensation system. Management of Neck Pain in Royal Australian Air Force Fast Jet Aircrew Eighty-two RAAF FJ aircrew responded to the survey. Ninety-five percent of the respondents experienced flight-related neck pain. The most commonly sought treatment modalities were on-base medical and physiotherapy services. Many respondents reported that currently provided on-base treatment and ancillary services such as chiropractic therapy are the most effective in alleviating symptoms. A Systematic Review of Chiropractic Management of Adults with Whiplash Associated Disorders: Recommendations for Advancing Evidence-based Practice and Research There is a baseline of evidence that suggests chiropractic care improves the cervical range of motion (cROM) and pain in the management of WAD. However, the level of this evidence relevant to clinical practice remains low or draws on clinical consensus at this time. The WAD-Plus Model has implications for use by chiropractors and interdisciplinary professionals in the assessment and management of acute, sub-acute and chronic pain due to WAD. Furthermore, the WAD-Plus Model can be used in the future study of interventions and outcomes to advanced evidenced-based care in the management of WAD. Pain-related Emotions in Early Stages of Recovery in Whiplash-associated Disorders: Their Presence, Intensity, and Association With Pain Recovery These findings suggest that it may be beneficial for health care providers to address emotional status related to pain in the first few weeks after a whiplash injury. The Risk Assessment Score in Acute Whiplash Injury Predicts Outcome and Reflects Biopsychosocial Factors The Risk Assessment score is suggested as a valuable tool for grading WLP early after injury. It has reasonable screening power for encountering work disability and reflects the biopsychosocial nature of whiplash injuries. Responsiveness of the Cervical Northern American Spine Society Questionnaire (NASS) and the Short Form 36 (SF-36) in Chronic Whiplash The generic SF-36 was more responsive in function and equally responsive in pain when compared to the condition-specific NASS. The SF-36 can be recommended as a responsive instrument for measurement of pain and function in chronic whiplash syndrome. Comparison of Outcomes in Neck Pain Patients With and Without Dizziness Undergoing Chiropractic Treatment: A Prospective Cohort Study With 6 month Follow-up Neck pain patients with dizziness reported significantly higher pain and disability scores at baseline compared to patients without dizziness. A high proportion of patients in both groups reported clinically relevant improvement on the PGIC scale. At 6 months after start of chiropractic treatment there were no differences in any outcome measures between the two groups. Function in Patients With Cervical Radiculopathy or Chronic Whiplash-Associated Disorders Compared With Healthy Volunteers Patients had worse values than healthy individuals in almost all physical measures. There was a trend toward worse results for CR than WAD patients. Is It Safe to Adjust the Cervical Spine in the Presence of a Herniated Disc? I am often asked by chiropractors, medical doctors and patients if manipulation of the cervical spine is safe in the presence of a cervical herniated nucleus pulposis (CHNP). I usually answer that in most circumstances it not only is safe, but it is often an essential aspect of treatment. I will clarify what this means and provide some of the evidence that supports this notion. I will also illustrate that in most of cases that require treatment, manipulation alone is not a sufficient approach, but that some form of rehabilitation is necessary Chiropractic Management of Intractable Chronic Whiplash Syndrome The management protocol in this case consisted of chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy, soft tissue work and post-isometric relaxation (PIR) techniques to address biomechanical somatic dysfunction. In addition, active rehabilitation exercises, self-stretches and proprioceptive exercises were utilised to address postural and muscle imbalance. On the seventh treatment, the patient reported no neck pain, no headaches and unrestricted cervical spine range of motion. At 4 months follow-up, the patient continued to be free of headaches and neck stiffness and reported only mild, intermittent neck pain. Impairment in the Cervical Flexors: A Comparison of Whiplash and Insidious Onset Neck Pain Patients The results indicated that both the insidious onset neck pain and whiplash groups had higher measures of EMG signal amplitude (normalized root mean square) in the sternocleidomastoid during each stage of the test compared to the control subjects (all P<0.05) and had significantly greater shortfalls from the pressure targets in the test stages (P<0.05). No significant differences were evident between the neck pain groups in either parameter indicating that this physical impairment in the neck flexor synergy is common to neck pain of both whiplash and insidious origin. A Proposed New Classification System for Whiplash Associated Disorders- Implications for Assessment and Management Recent evidence is emerging that demonstrates differences in physical and psychological impairments between individuals who recover from the injury and those who develop persistent pain and disability. Motor dysfunction, local cervical mechanical hyperalgesia and psychological distress are present soon after injury in all whiplash injured persons irrespective of recovery. Effects of Abnormal Posture on Capsular Ligament Elongations in a Computational Model Subjected to Whiplash Loading Although considerable biomechanical investigations have been conducted to understand the response of the cervical spine under whiplash (rear impact-induced postero-anterior loading to the thorax), studies delineating the effects of initial spinal curvature are limited. Results from the present study, while providing quantified level- and region-specific kinematic data, concur with clinical findings that abnormal spinal curvatures enhance the likelihood of whiplash injury and may have long-term clinical and biomechanical implications. Onset of Neck Pain After a Motor Vehicle Accident: A Case-control Study Development of neck pain after a motor vehicle accident is a complex phenomenon resulting from the combined effects of constitutional, mechanical, and psychosocial factors. Using 8 such variables it is possible to identify those at high risk of developing neck pain. Multiplanar Cervical Spine Injury Due to Head-Turned Rear Impact Head-turned rear impact caused significantly greater injury at C0-C1 and C5-C6, as compared to head-forward rear and frontal impacts, and resulted in multiplanar injuries at C5-C6 and C7-T1. Chronic Neck Pain And Whiplash: A Case-control Study of the Relationship Between Acute Whiplash Injuries and Chronic Neck Pain Patients were defined as individuals with chronic neck pain, and controls as those with chronic back pain. The two groups were surveyed for cause of chronic pain as well as demographic information. The two groups were compared using an exposure-odds ratio. Forty-five per cent of the patients attributed their pain to a motor vehicle accident. An OR of 4.0 and 2.1 was calculated for men and women, respectively. Based on the results of the present study, it reasonable to infer that a significant proportion of individuals with chronic neck pain in the general population were originally injured in a motor vehicle accident. Fatty Infiltration in the Cervical Extensor Muscles in Persistent Whiplash-Associated Disorders: A Magnetic Resonance Imaging Analysis There is significantly greater fatty infiltration in the neck extensor muscles, especially in the deeper muscles in the upper cervical spine, in subjects with persistent WAD when compared with healthy controls. Future studies are required to investigate the relationships between muscular alterations and symptoms in patients suffering from persistent WAD. Physical and Psychological Aspects of Whiplash: Important Considerations for Primary Care Assessment Whiplash is a heterogenous and in many, a complex condition involving both physical and psychological factors. Primary care practitioners are often the first healthcare contact for individuals with a whiplash injury and as such play an important role in gauging prognosis as well as providing appropriate management for whiplash injured patients. It is imperative that factors associated with poor outcome are recognized and managed in the primary care environment at the crucial early acute stage post injury. A Distinct Pattern of Myofascial Findings in Patients After Whiplash Injury Patients with whiplash showed a distinct pattern of trigger point distribution that differed significantly from other patient groups and healthy subjects. The semispinalis capitis muscle was more frequently affected by trigger points in patients with whiplash, whereas other neck and shoulder muscles and the masseter muscle did not differentiate between patients with whiplash and patients with nontraumatic chronic cervical syndrome or fibromyalgia. Predictors For Immediate and Global Responses to Chiropractic Manipulation of the Cervical Spine This study is the first attempt to identify variables that can predict immediate outcomes in terms of improvement and worsening of presenting symptoms, and global improvement, after cervical spine manipulation. From the findings, it was possible to identify some predictors of immediate improvement in presenting symptoms after cervical spine manipulation. Patients presenting with symptoms of “reduced neck, shoulder, arm movement, stiffness,” “neck pain,” “upper, mid back pain,” “headache,” “shoulder, arm pain,” and/or “none or one presenting symptom only” are likely to report immediate improvement in these symptoms after treatment. Patients presenting with any 4 of these symptoms were shown to have the highest probability of immediate improvement. This finding may enhance clinical decision making for selecting cervical manipulation in the treatment of patients with one or more of these complaints. Although it was possible to identify a number of predictor variables for immediate worsening in presenting symptoms and global improvement after cervical spine manipulation, these failed to provide a robust predictive model for clinical application. A Review of the Otological Aspects of Whiplash Injury Approximately 10% of patients who have suffered with whiplash injury will develop otological symptoms such as tinnitus, deafness and vertigo. Some of these are purely subjective symptoms; nevertheless, for the majority there are specific tests that can be undertaken. These tests can quantify the extent and severity of the symptoms as well as provide guidance as to the correct rehabilitation pathway. This article reviews the body of literature relating to the otological aspects of whiplash injury and gives an overview for medical and legal professionals. Course and Prognostic Factors for Neck Pain in the General Population: Results of the Bone and Joint Decade 2000–2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders The Neck Pain Task Force undertook a best evidence synthesis to establish a baseline of the current best evidence on the course and prognosis for WAD. Recovery of WAD seems to be multifactorial. The Burden and Determinants of Neck Pain in the General Population: Results of the Bone and Joint Decade 2000–2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders WAD after traffic collisions affects many people. Despite many years of research, the evidence regarding risk factors for WAD is sparse but seems to include personal, societal, and environmental factors. More research including, well-defined studies with accurate denominators for calculating risk, and better consideration of confounding factors, are needed. Assessment of Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders: Results of the Bone and Joint Decade 2000–2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders The scientific evidence supports screening protocols in emergency care for low-risk patients; and CT-scans for high-risk patients with blunt trauma to the neck. In nonemergency neck pain without radiculopathy, the validity of most commonly used objective tests is lacking. There is support for subjective self-report assessment in monitoring patients’ course, response to treatment, and in clinical research. evidence synthesis to establish a baseline of the current best evidence on the course and prognosis for WAD. Recovery of WAD seems to be multifactorial. Treatment of Neck Pain: Noninvasive Interventions: Results of the Bone and Joint Decade 2000–2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders Our best evidence synthesis suggests that therapies involving manual therapy and exercise are more effective than alternative strategies for patients with neck pain; this was also true of therapies which include educational interventions addressing self-efficacy. Future efforts should focus on the study of noninvasive interventions for patients with radicular symptoms and on the design and evaluation of neck pain prevention strategies. The Association Between a Lifetime History of a Neck Injury in a Motor Vehicle Collision and Future Neck Pain: A Population-based Cohort Study The objective of this population-based cohort study was to investigate the association between a lifetime history of neck injury from a motor vehicle collision and the development of troublesome neck pain. The current evidence suggests that individuals with a history of neck injury in a traffic collision are more likely to experience future neck pain. We formed a cohort of 919 randomly sampled Saskatchewan adults with no or mild neck pain in September 1995. At baseline, participants were asked if they ever injured their neck in a motor vehicle collision. Six and twelve months later, we asked about the presence of troublesome neck pain (grade II–IV) on the chronic pain grade questionnaire. We found a positive association between a history of neck injury in a motor vehicle collision and the onset of troublesome neck pain after controlling for bodily pain and body mass index (adjusted HRR = 2.14; 95% CI 1.12–4.10). Our analysis suggests that a history of neck injury in a motor vehicle collision is a risk factor for developing future troublesome neck pain. The Cervical Flexion-Relaxation Ratio: Reproducibility and Comparison Between Chronic Neck Pain Patients and Controls The cervical extensor muscles exhibit a consistent flexion-relaxation (FFR) phenomenon in healthy control subjects and the measurement is highly reproducible when measured 4 weeks apart in both controls and chronic neck pain patients. The FRR in neck pain patients is significantly higher than in control subjects suggesting that this measure may be a useful marker of altered neuromuscular function.
Many people wonder why children would need Chiropractic care. The fact is, children can benefit greatly from Chiropractic treatment. In this video, Dr. Matt explains the many children's conditions that have been successfully treated at Broadview Chiropractic and Health Center.
Sports related injuries of all types can benefit greatly from Chiropractic care. Dr. Matt Stasek shares how major athletes regularly rely on chiropractic care and how we can help you "Get Back in the Game" quickly.
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