Monday, September 29, 2008

Government Bailout for your Health?

Wow, the stock market just took the biggest fall ever. The health of the US economy is in question. The vote on the bailout didn't go the way wall street was hoping. Who will be responsible for what is to come now?

In these times of potential chaos it is imperative to take stock and realize there is an ebb and flow to everything. Perhaps this proposed bailout is not best for the long term health of our economy.

A quick fix always comes with a price and may not be the answer

When it comes to your health the quick fix always comes with a price. To make the quick fix of drugs sound better, the effects that are not pleasant are called "side effects".

How about this list of side effects: stomach pain **swelling of mouth, tongue, and lips**confusion
**dizziness**drowsiness**difficulty breathing**stomach upset**rash**stomach ulcer**ringing of the ears**hives**vomiting**wheezing**heartburn**blood disorders**blood in stool**hearing loss**Reye's Syndrome.

This must be some heavy duty drug you'd think?

A few of the side effects might give it away. This is you everyday aspirin. Yep, aspirin. No doctor's prescription required just pick up your own at the drug store, grocery store, even the service station will have it. You can buy an energy drink and a small bottle of 'sprins' while the pump is cranking out four gallons of gas for $20.00.

Drugs are the ultimate health bailout. Quick fix. Cover the symptom and continue on.

But the price down the road will be a heavy toll.

With the economy it may mean years of slow growth. Difficulty obtaining home loans or credit. With your health it will come down to one important drawback; years off your life. Or might I say fun years off your life!

Back up and take pause, there is no bailout for our health. It's not the drug you take today its the exercise you do regularly. The foods you consume. The supplements you take or don't take. It all adds up over the years.

Might I suggest we all just go for it? Let's get out there and walk, run, bike, lift a few weights. Get up and move. Slam the medicine cabinet closed and never open it again!

Get adjusted so you are balanced and go for it!

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Live like It's Your Last Day.

(I started this blog almost a year ago.)

Today a good friend of mine called leaving a message at the front desk.



When I saw the name I knew I needed to call back right away.



I had gotten a call from him Sunday night. He was having weakness on one side of his body. He wanted to know if I had any ideas of what it might be. I suggested he call 911. He did promptly get to the hospital emergency room.

(That's where I stopped and put it into the draft. I just didn't know what to write back then.)


(Finishing now.)

Well of course the thought of a stroke came to mind.

And that's exactly what it was.

Guess how hold he is? Can you believe 33 years old?

Crazy. Whats more can you believe a person having a stroke would call a chiropractor?

I won't go into the whole story because it would violate privacy but whats the final outcome for my 33 y.o. pt with a stroke?

He came back to me for adjustments on release from the hospital.

Right now he has gained full function and is getting ready to return to his active profession.

Live like it's your last day. Reach out to those who care about you. When a crisis occurs get the help you need asap then look to all your friends, family and loved ones for help. And yes, give your chiropractor a call.

We are there to help also!

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Radio Show This Weekend

I was asked to tape a radio show this past Monday.

You know the shows you hear early on a Saturday or especially Sunday morning when you are driving somewhere and all your favorite stations are not playing music?

If you tune into the following stations this Sunday, 8/17/08 sometime between 6 and 7 a.m you will hear my voice answering questions regarding health, Chiropractic and the merits of living a 100 Year Lifestyle.

105.1 FM KNCI
1140 AM KHTK
93.7 FM KQJK

If you miss the show not to worry! It will be played again on the following Sunday! On the following stations in the same time slots? The closest time they could give me was sometime between 6 and 7 a.m.

100.5 FM KZZO
102.5 FM KSFM

Let me know what you think. There was no rehearsal. I just went in and taped it with a local personality. He just started by asking a question and we went from there. I had prepared a bit of an outline but honestly after his first question we just carried on a good conversation.

I had no opportunity to hear it after is was done. It was only taped last Monday but since I mentioned I would be at the State Fair this year with a group of doctors checking people he wanted to get the shows out right away.

I am anxious to hear it myself. Hopefully I sound good and don't say anything that doesn't make sense.

Dr Doug

Monday, August 4, 2008

Morgan Freeman In A Car Crash?

I have a feature on my email account that forwards breaking news from cnn.com . I may go for several days and not get an email from them. Then I may have several days go by with multiple emails like when Hillary was refusing to concede to Obama.

Today I clicked on a breaking news item to learn that Morgan Freeman was in serious condition after an auto crash.

Notice: I call it a crash, more on that in a second.

I was shocked to learn that one of the actors I always enjoy running into in a movie has been injured. Looking at further stories that immediately showed up on AOL.com the only information available is that he was near one of his homes and the vehicle rolled several times.

Also there was a female with him in the vehicle.

He was airlifted from the scene.

This last bit of information gives me pause. From my years of experience with the fire service at Elk Grove Fire Depart now called Cosumnes River Fire District, I am aware of the protocols concerning trauma. Though it has been 20 years since I was a Fire Captain/Paramedic I do recall there is a thing known has the Golden Hour. What that means is that most victims of trauma have an hour where if stabilized by a trauma center, not just the nearest hospital, they have a much better chance of survival.

After that hour is over their survival rate without intervention at a trauma center, drops significantly. So learning that Mr. Freeman was flown by helicopter to a hospital tells me he may be fighting severe injuries in that Golden Hour.

Now, was he in an auto accident like all the news stories claim or was it an auto crash?

Saying anyone is in an auto accident in my opinion downplays the incident. The word accident hints that there was no intention. It was just a little accident. Like when your kid is getting potty trained and has an 'accident'.

When patients come to my office after being involved in an Auto Crash, whether or not the crash was accidental or someone deliberately hit them, I always document the incident with the word Crash. I try never to fall into the habit of calling it an accident.

I know this seems like such a small thing. But guess what? The fact that you may have been injured in a crash is downplayed by most of the following:

1. The other person who hit you.

2. The officer who shows up. There may or may not be a report written.

3. The emergency agency who comes to the scene to evaluate you.

4. The emergency room doctor who may say your neck or back pain is minor then send you home with pain drugs.

5. Your medical doctor you seek follow-up treatment from after the pain drugs the ER
gave you didn't work.

6. The insurance adjuster who calls you and records the conversation trying to get you to confirm you have no injuries.

7. The lawyer from the other party who calls to confirm you are not injured.

8. Your boss at work when you miss days due to injury and he/she insists you bring in a doctor's note.

9. Your insurance company who raises your rates six months later even though it's not your fault and they insisted you were not injured in that 'Accident".

See why I never call an auto crash an accident?

Sorry about your auto crash Mr Freeman. Hope for the best for you and your family.

Dr Doug

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

My Website

Guess I should let you people know I have a website with some great content. Check it out at
http://elkgrovechiropractor.com/

Thanks Dr Doug

The Frustration Of Knowing I Can Help!

Somewhere I read the statistic that two of at least every ten cars that pass by have drivers suffering needlessly from pain. Another statistic well known to Chiropractors is that only one or two out of a hundred of those same cars that go by have a Chiropractor helping them with their health.

In a local coffee shop yesterday, should I admit Starbucks, the Question Of The Day, to win a free shot, was; What phobia is the most prevalent world-wide. I thought maybe it was the fear of snakes, is that snakeaphobia? Actually it is Ophidiophobia. I knew it was not the fear of flying (Aviophobia) because the whole world does not have easy access to airports let alone the money required to fly.

You can of course look these all up yourself googling phobia and fears and you may find http://phobialist.com/reverse.html.

Curiosity got the better of me so I finally asked the braista doing the rounds of straightening chairs and tables what the number one fear is. Turns out the phobia most prominent world-wide is known by several names with Algiophobia being the first listed. The fear of pain!

Pain. At least two out of every ten cars passing by hold someone having some type of pain. Be it a headache, neck pain, back pain, wrist arm foot knee ear pain. It's all out there going by.

Usually for the lack of a simple easy PAINLESS chiropractic adjustment these people continue to suffer. They seek appointments to insurance approved medical doctors who give them drugs. What for? To get out of pain. Never getting to the neurological root cause that is allowing the pain to talk to the person in the first place.

Yes, pain is talking to you. Do you actually think it would be a good thing to never feel any pain? If so check out some of the kids born without any neurological pain receptors known as CIPA -- congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosisca. Not at all an exciting way to live. http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/conditions/02/03/btsc.oppenheim/

What keeps them away from a simple though life changing adjustment? Their insurance doesn't cover it. They heard about a cousin who had a neighbor who went to a Chiropractor and got worse. Their sister's husband's brother has a friend who is an orthopedic surgeon who said never let a Chiropractor touch your neck. Bla, bla bla, I have heard it all. Seen it all. Even helped some of these people. I have saved vacations when in tropical climates far from home I noticed someone across the pool suffering.

Think about it. You know in your heart you could provide a safe, painless adjustment that just might help alleviate the real reason someone is suffering from a symptom. But you can't help them because they just don't know.

I live with it everyday.

How do I stay sane in my knowledge? Every now and then one of these folks will stumble blindly into my office. The Universe will send them in. Even though they have no clue why they are coming to me they will show up.

Another life will change. I call it pulling another one out of the fire.

Pretty interesting actually. I spent the first couple of decades of my professional life pulling people out of fires with my firefighting experience. Now I pull people out of the medicalized insurance company managed and drug company controlled system that just grinds away at your health if you don't wake up.

I just want to wake up one person a day. That would be fine with me. Just get to one more car driving by.