Spinal Decompression

If you suffer from lower back pain, and a doctor has recommended spinal surgery, you should seriously consider trying non-surgical lower back pain therapy first. This type of therapy is administered by a chiropractor, and the advantages of lower back pain therapy may outweigh any advantages of any type surgery, including minimally invasive back surgery.

In fact, when it comes to surgery, there really are no advantages, but there are plenty of disadvantages. These disadvantages include extensive recovery time, the risk of paralysis, risk of infection, the build up of scar tissue, nerve damage, tissue damage, blood clots, and more. In the end, this type of surgery rarely resolves the problem, and only creates more problems.

On the other hand, lower back pain therapy performed by chiropractors, known as spinal decompression, is not only a safer alternative to back surgery, but it is also usually more effective. This form of therapy is completely non-invasive. This type of therapy is virtually painless, and most patients notice a real difference in how they feel right away. There is no extensive recovery period for spinal decompression as there is with back surgery, and most patients report increased mobility immediately following each therapy session.

Spinal decompression is done with the use of a decompression table. This table is specifically designed to move your body in such a way that the discs are slowly decompressed and reshaped, and the spine is essentially repositioned, or realigned. A computer is used to ensure that your body is being moved correctly and safely, and this is referred to as Computer Guided Spinal Decompression. This type of therapy usually takes more than one session to be fully effective, but this only makes the therapy safer. This form of therapy has been approved by the FDA.

When it comes to comparing lower back pain therapy to surgery, you will find that chiropractic spinal decompression costs a great deal less than back surgery. Spinal decompression is performed in the chiropractor's office, so there are no costs for hospitalization on top of the doctor's or surgeon's fees, and most insurance policies will cover chiropractic therapy, including spinal decompression to help defray the costs.

You will also be able to effectively reduce the amount that you spend on medications that you have been using to control your lower back pain when you start lower back pain therapy. This type of therapy offers relief to the degree that pain killers are usually no longer necessary. With surgery, on the other hand, you are most likely to continue using pain killers for years, which can do massive damage to your organs and can even lead to addiction.

In the end, the advantages and benefits of lower back pain therapy far outweigh anything that you will gain in terms of relief from invasive or minimally invasive back surgery, including laser back surgery. Before you consent to back surgery, you should visit a chiropractor for a consultation and discuss how spinal decompression can help to resolve your lower back pain.

Cervical artificial disc replacement has come about after lumbar artificial discs were FDA approved back in 2004. The neck implants were FDA approved around 2008. The idea is to preserve motion, since spinal fusions weld bones together and send the stresses that used to be absorbed above and below. This can create adjacent level problems post-operatively. The neck implant is designed to replace a damaged or diseases intervertebral disc in the neck. This can be seen with degenerative disc disease, a herniated cervical disc, or maybe a post-traumatic issue.

This disc problem then creates a situation where pinched nerves occur. Nerves may be pinched directly from disc material that has extruded into an area where it's not supposed to be. Or with a degenerative disc height in the disc space is lost to such an extent that nerves are compressed indirectly as they try to exit from the spine.

The neck artificial disc surgery is done with a surgical approach through the front area (just off to the side) of the neck. Neck muscles are not split, but separated from each other, making the post-operative pain very tolerable in most cases.

Once the spine is reached, a device is put in to keep the esophagus, vessels, and musculature to the sides and the complete diseased disc is then removed. Once the complete disc is remove, the vertebral bodies are spared except for some shaping that needs to be done to accept the implant.

Instruments are used to size for the cervical disc replacement, and then the metallic implant with a plastic spacer is implanted. There are a few different kinds of neck disc replacements, with some being "press-fit" while others actually have a screw above and below into the bone to keep it more stable. A real time x-ray machine, called fluouroscopy, is used to make sure the implant is centered properly. This is key, as it is important to have the implanted centered to try as best as possible to recreate physiologic range of motion.

Patients usually leave the hospital within 24 hours and the pain relief and complication profiles have shown similarity to regular neck fusions.

Cervical disc replacements have shown equivalency so far to cervical fusions. Cervical fusions from the front have been an extremely successful operation by and large with over a 95% success rate. Cervical disc replacements cost more however, so long term studies are necessary to see if the cost benefit is present when compared to clinical outcomes.

Cervical spondylosis is manifested by neck stiffness with pain in the neck, weakness, tingling, numbness in the upper limbs, burning, feeling of "power" in the neck, shoulders and upper limbs, headaches that start in the neck and get to the front of the head. Physiotherapy for cervical spondylosis treatment by acting directly on the degeneration of the intervertebral discs and vertebrae and help them rehydrate. Medical fitness to lead to cervical spondylosis regaining joint mobility, increase the amplitude of joint and muscle tone and bone spurs produce beneficial effects on improving the general condition of the body. Spondylosis usually presents as a degenerative spine manifested by pain and reduce its mobility. It can occur while on the roots of spinal cord compression. This condition is "distributed" throughout the column from top to bottom, the most common on the low back and cervical and thoracic region does less. Is manifested by calcium deposits around joints or on the edges of plateaus disc. Deposits they produce some formations known in medicine as the "parrot beaks". Their appearance shows that it is a chronic degenerative process of the column, due to two key issues namely: -

Narrowing the spinal canal is the spinal cord and nerves, and the conjugation of holes where the nerves exit the spinal and distributed to the lower limbs and upper limbs. Each hole must fit a nerve and narrowing these holes produce terrible pain and sometimes unbearable. - Narrowing of the spinal canal completely (spinal) cause disease called spinal myelopathy (spinal cord diseases general name), took place compression that creates problems with the blood marrow. While ventral Bone spurs develop, spinal cord space shrinks, causing myelopathy Cervical spondylosis myelopathy is the result of several pathophysiological factors. These factors include:

a) static-mechanical factors,
b) dynamic-mechanical factors
c) lesions stretches
d) spinal cord ischemia

The phenomenon of degradation in this disease is predominantly the result of cervical spine bone degeneration, process what that advance patient grows older. Other changes associated with the disease, such as abnormal growth of bone (bone spurs) may lead to increased pressure on spinal nerves and sometimes even the spinal cord. This disorder is a chronic and in most cases is determined by age. Although it affects both sexes, in men occurs earlier than women. Some studies show that 75% of women and 80% of men around the age of 60 years, making a radiograph can be diagnosed as having significant manifestations of cervical spondylosis. Evolution is slow and prolonged cervical spondylosis and patients may have no symptoms or may show slight neck pain. It happens that the disease was stagnated, but there are cases where the disease can worsen to an advanced stage and the patient may become addicted to shopping cart with wheels. Symptoms In the cervical vertebral corpus exists in a side channel through which pass the vertebral arteries and helping to transport blood to the brain. If these channels are compressed, the amount of blood supplying the hindbrain is reduced. Thus it might appear a deficit of blood to the cerebellum and brainstem deficiency is manifested in the occipital area by dizziness, abnormal gait, headache and muscle strength decrease. This disease through its semiology, is an unpleasant disease, but patients will have to understand that we mean a disease that can live if properly treated or at least controlled. Local pain is felt in the joint capsule, the paravertebral ligaments in inflamed synovium or periosteum. Causes Nobody knows for sure what is causing spondylolisthesis, but are taken into account: patient age, genetics, mechanical stress and metabolic problems, not least the patient.Damage to spinal joints that are specific to aging is the main cause of cervical spondylosis. More staff, after the age of 35 years, signs of changes in the intervertebral discs and the vertebrae themselves, but the manifestation of disease occurs much later.Age are among the risk factors and leads to wear her column joints (cervical, thoracic or lumbar), thus causing pressure in the neck with repercussions on the column. If pain is not diminished with proper medication if pain persists or worsens numbness occurring in the upper limbs and lower limbs then it is imperative to introduce ourselves to physician specialty. These symptoms, in association with medical history and clinical analysis may lead us to a diagnosis of cervical spondylosis.

Risk factors for cervical spondylosis

This condition primarily affects the patients in the office working and the pain becomes stronger if associated with cold. Those working in the office in front of a computer and have the disorder, will be sometimes to interrupt work for a short time, to change mode or to change their jobs. It is recommended to take frequent breaks from work and take a sitting posture. Correct medication, physiotherapy and chiropractor (medical fitness) can help treat it, but you can get to surgery if the disease is not treated in time. Another risk factor is old position of the spine and therefore must take care as the patient sits in the office, in bed, the chair and the couch watching TV. Pain is worse when cold or if exercising. Pain is accompanied by lack of joint mobility and may disappear after 10-15 minutes of movement, rotation and bending of the neck. Obese people who suffer from this disease must take to follow a hypocaloric diet and physical therapy programs (medical fitness). Treatment Treatment of both cervical spondylosis and lumbar spondylosis follows the first pain relief, stop disease progression and development of joint mobility. Massage therapy performed on the spine affected is a treatment often used in treating this disease. Fair treatment significantly improves symptoms. Physical therapy can be used to relieve pain even more acute in a state of disease, provided that the current form chosen and done, be done with a good knowledge of physio-pathological mechanisms of pain transmission and production. Therapist task is to educate the patient regarding posture control regardless of the position of the patient (Sitting, standing, supine or prone).

Was today just like the day before and the day before that? Did you wake up so stiff it was hard to get out of bed or put on your clothes? Were you so sore that the pain in your lower back was the first thing you thought about and it the now constant reminder as you sit and fidget in your chair looking for just the right spot that will give you some relief? Perhaps the worst of all is that you probably don't even want to be active with your friends, your kids, or your spouse and it feels like you are missing out on life because of your consistent lower back pain.

If any of the above sounds familiar then you are probably on the quest to make the constant lower back pain stop once and for all. There are generally a few options people consider. The first of which is surgery and as many know is dangerous, expensive, not to mention the long recovery time. The problem with surgery is that with all the cost and time it isn't guaranteed. The thought of someone cutting on me with no guaranteed results was enough to make me look elsewhere, and a growing number of others are doing the same.

Some have just decided to medicate their pain and pop endless streams of ibuprofen or naproxen. You can get some temporary relief but you are only treating the symptom and not actually addressing the underlying problem. You are essentially prolonging the inevitable need to for change not to mention that all of those pain killers and give you stomach and liver damage and then you could really have problems.

As a previous consistent lower back pain sufferer I found that the secret to making the non stop throbbing and soreness stop was actually a combination of factors. Many have got their life back again by following a few simple rules that just about anyone can follow.

Almost 8 out of 10 people suffer from slipped disks at one time of their lives or another. Some recovered with no further recurrence whilst other experience chronic backache for the rest of their lives. With this burden, some people cannot live the active lifestyle they once have. It is not uncommon to see people becoming depressed, even quitting their job to cope with this lumbago problem.

Sufferers look for low back pain treatment eg. herniated disc treatment or bulging disc treatment or even treatment on their pinched nerve back.There are many treatments available for the sufferer. Back pain medication like painkillers, chiropractic adjustment, lower back pain exercises, massage, acupuncture, acupressure and even surgery.

I personally have suffered from sciatica for 12 years. I have tried every method listed above and I almost had surgery. Surgery, in particular, is a major decision. It is important to know that research studies have been done on how patients fare years after surgery. 2 groups of patients were monitored ie one which had surgery while the other group opt for other treatments. Statistics have shown that 10 years after surgery, the conditions of both sets of patients were similar. In my case, when my specialist advised me for surgery, I actually seek a second opinion. The second doctor had a different approach and told me the above statistics. Although I had L4-L5 Herniated Disc, instead of suggesting surgery, he sent me to a therapy school where I learned all kinds of lower back pain exercises as a low back pain treatment and therapies to strengthen the muscles. Though I improved, my lumbar back pain became chronic.

It was by accident that I discovered acupressure and gave it a shot. It is a natural treatment and unlike acupuncture, no needles are applied on the body. All you do is to identify spots (called acupoints) on various parts of the body and apply acupressure techniques to press on these acupoints. My first treatment lasted only 10 minutes and it gave me immediate pain relief. I felt pain no more. Because I felt so good after the treatment, I did 6 years of intensive research on this natural healing technique. It has since become my low back pain treatment choice.

I have since recovered and have not had any more aching recurrence thanks to the acupressure treatment knowledge that I had. It is simple and easy to learn. Also, it can be self administered. You can do it anytime and anywhere. There are also no drugs, painkillers or special equipment involved. Unlike surgery, it is not invasive.

While this traditional acupressure knowledge is originated from Asia (China, India), it is gaining popularity, slowly but surely.I have since used the same techniques to help different people and all have shown good improvements.

The principle of Acupressure is simple. The body consist of different meridian lines along which lay many acupoints. Energy flows along these meridian lines. Each of these acupoints correspond to a certain part of a body. For example, an acupoint on the toe corresponds to the head. When a person is unwell or stressed, the acupoint will act like a switch and become cloaked with toxics. By pressing these acupoints with certain acupressure techniques, you basically remove these toxics. So, the task here is to treat acupoints that corresponds to the spine. When toxics are removed, the energy flow enhances and the person feels better and recovers from spine problems

So, if you are looking for a natural solution to cure your painful backache problems, acupressure might be right for you to heal your spine problems.

Everyone has been to see a doctor at some point in their life. Not everyone has been to see a chiropractor. Some processes are the same while others are totally different. Chiropractors are specialists in pain, and thus you know why you're going to see one. But what will happen?

First, like every other doctor's office, you're going to give them a lot of information. You'll start with demographic information, then medical history. Hopefully you've already contacted your insurance company to make sure your services are covered but if not they'll do that for you.

Next you'll see your chiropractor, and you'll start off with a conversation about your physical history and the history of the pain you want to address. The doctor will be trying to determine if there was a specific event that might have triggered the pain or see if there might be something you mention that might help explain why you're suffering the kind of pain you're in.

After that it's time for the real exam. You'll lie down on a table with your clothes on; a chiropractor rarely asks you to take your clothes off, although they might ask you if they can touch your skin in some instances. No matter where you say your pain is, they will examine your entire body, since where you say the pain is and where it might be originating may not be in the same place.

What you'll feel may not be what you're expecting to feel, at least initially. For instance, many chiropractors don't rub on the body to determine what your issues are. They will probe, which might be a series of pushing their hands into your body in certain places. They might just lay their hands on you in certain places.

What you may or may not be prepared for is the sudden push on the body that may produce a crack, which is what everyone's heard of. That can be jarring the first time, though some chiropractors will warn you its coming. A truth is that if you're tense you can repel the push, but it's best to trust your chiropractor because everything they do is to address your pain.

A few cracks and that may be that. You won't walk out of your first appointment feeling like a million dollars. Chiropractic services take time to work, along with exercises they'll give you to do, but at the end of a series of treatments you will feel better, be in less pain, and wonder why you didn't start with a chiropractor.

Given the lack of a one-size-fits-all cure for back pain, treatment can drag on. The difficulty level of back pain treatment is attested to by the fact that many doctors have no idea how to find the cause. If you wish to avoid medications that only mask the pain, surgery that could make it worse and running to dozens of appointments with no results, it is best to educate yourself on your condition, its possible causes and its most effective treatments.

Sciatica is a very painful condition characterized by the impingement or irritation of the sciatic nerve in the lower back. This nerve, the largest in the body, travels from the lumbar spine to the foot on each side of the body. Sciatic impingement entails sharp lower back pain that travels along the nerve path into the leg, sometimes accompanied by numbness and tingling.

Before knowing where to go for sciatica treatment, it is important to know what the cause is. There are four main causes of sciatica: disc degeneration, vertebral misplacement, piriformis syndrome and sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction.

Note: True sciatica is identified as compression of the nerve root as it exits the spine (at the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae [L4 and L5]); conditions that irritate the nerve at another location are not technically considered to be true sciatica. For the purpose of this article, all instances of sciatic impingement will be called sciatica.

Disc and Vertebral Causes

As we age, our spinal discs wear. These gel-filled cushions can dry up, or uneven pressure placed on them can cause the exterior to weaken and the gel to be pushed to one side; this is called a bulging disc. If the gel breaks through the exterior, this is called a herniated disc. A bulging or herniated disc at L4 or L5 can compress and irritate the sciatic nerve. MRI testing can detect most disc abnormalities.

Discs that are drying up shrink in size. This changes the space between vertebrae, creating spinal jarring and increasing the risk of vertebral misplacement (subluxation or spondylolisthesis). If a lumbar vertebra moves out of alignment, it may press on the sciatic nerve. Misalignment can also occur due to injury or years of poor posture.

Chiropractic care is the best bet for people with sciatica caused by spinal misalignment, which can generally be detected by MRI testing or a trained professional performing a physical exam.

Some doctors are quick to prescribe surgery for bulging or herniated discs. More conservative treatments should be sought first, however. Exercises to ease the pain of this type of sciatica can be found here: http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/exercise/exercise-sciatica-a-herniated-disc. Having sessions with a physical therapist who can guide you in additional exercises and stretches would be beneficial. Another option to consider is spinal decompression treatment. There are home devices that can be purchased, or you can find a chiropractor whose office is equipped with a decompression machine. Spinal decompression consists of increasing the space between vertebrae to allow for disc re-expansion and re-absorption of lost fluids.

Muscle and Joint Causes

The piriformis muscle lies deep within the buttocks, and its role is to rotate the thigh laterally. Due to its location, this muscle is rarely stretched. It can become tight and inflamed in various ways, from sitting for long periods of time to athletic activities like running and cycling. The sciatic nerve runs past the piriformis in the buttocks. If the muscle is overly-tight, it will shorten and inflame. This causes irritation of the nerve.

SI joint dysfunction is a change in the range of motion of the SI joint, which is located where the sacrum meets the large hip bone at the base of the spine. The joint becomes inflamed if it is too stiff or too mobile. As the sciatic nerve travels by the joint, it can become irritated by this inflammation.

Piriformis syndrome is hard to diagnose; a physical therapist trained in muscle imbalance identification may have the best luck. People with piriformis syndrome generally have tight hip flexors and hamstrings and weak gluteal muscles. Piriformis syndrome treatment may be as simple as learning some new stretches, like the ones here: http://www.livestrong.com/article/36814-piriformis-stretches/. Prolonged tightness of the piriformis will require forced relaxation. A technique called self-myofascial release employs a foam roller to elongate and relax the muscle.

SI joint dysfunction can be diagnosed by moving the leg through the SI joint's range of motion. Certain positions will trigger pain if the SI joint is injured. Hypermobile joints will need to be stabilized by exercise therapy and possibly the use of a belt. Hypomobile joints can be loosened by a chiropractor.

Sciatica treatment is a process. Even with education and the best medical team, resolving back pain can take months if not longer. That is why it is important not to waste time in and out of appointments with those who can't help you. Don't be afraid to assist your doctor in a diagnosis or to ask for specific referrals based on your own knowledge.

From two Greek words: psyche, which means the mind or the soul and logos, which means study, the science of Psychology has been studied and defined by many people throughout the ages. Hilgard, Morgan, Silverman, and Schlesinger are just a few. A careful analysis of their foregoing definitions of psychology reveals common points: Psychology is the scientific study of the behaviors of living organisms; the term behavior must not be solely attributed to man's physical reactions and observable behavior; and thoughts, feelings, and attitudes are also connected to the term behavior.

The primary goals of Psychology are mainly to describe, identify, understand and explain behavior, to know its factors, and to control or change behavior. Psychologists often apply their knowledge and understanding of human behavior to solve issues and help in our society. Different areas of specialization in Psychology are studied to provide better understandings of this science.

Among these are the traditional fields consisting mainly of: Clinical Psychology which deals with the diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of psychological problems. It also relates to Psychiatry which pertains to more serious problems; Counseling Psychology which deals with administering, storing, and interpreting psychological exams; Educational or School Psychology which deals with students' learning and adjustment; Community Psychology which deals with problems of the aged, prisoners, and other problems in the community.

It also focuses on providing accessible care for these people; Social Psychology which deals with the behavior of man individually and in groups; Industrial or Organizational Psychology which deals with issues of people in the workplace; Personality Psychology which is concerned with the uniqueness of a person; Developmental Psychology which deals with factors affecting human groups; Experimental Psychology which focuses with the basis of scientific research; Physiological Psychology which is concerned with the functions of the brain; and Comparative Psychology which targets the differences of the species.

Aside from these, several branches of Psychology were discovered during the 70's. Forensic Psychology deals with legal, judicial, and correctional systems. Environmental Psychology is primarily concerned about issues relating to the environment. Computer Science, on the other hand, uses computer programming for behavioral analysis. There is also Engineering Psychology which seeks to make the relationship between man and machines; and Psychopharmacology which deals with the relationship of behavior and drugs.

Furthermore, the latest fields of Psychology that were recently developed consist of: Health Psychology which focuses on multidimensional approaches that emphasize lifestyle and health care systems; Sports Psychology which applies psychological principles to improve performance and enjoy participation; Cross-culture Psychology which examines the role of culture in understanding behavior, thoughts, and emotions; and Women Psychology which emphasizes the importance of promoting research and study of women.

On the seemingly endless quest for new patients and new sources of referrals, Doctors of Chiropractic often forget to show existing patients how much they appreciate them. Although usually an honest mistake, it is also a very serious one. Although I say this frequently it bears repeating, one of the best sources of new patients are the happy and satisfied patients already present in your practice. Take these easy steps to ensure you have happy patients who look forward to visiting your office. Focusing on creating happy and healthy patients may be the best chiropractic marketing you've ever done!

There is an old saying in chiropractic: "Take care of your patients and they will take care of you".  It is very true that satisfied patients will happily pay for services rendered. Even more importantly, they will be more likely to refer new patients to your practice. They will send new patients that you can help lead down a path to health and wellness. The monetary gains are just icing on the cake!   When an existing patient refers a new patient it is an opportunity to begin educating, adjusting, and improving the health of that patient. Focusing on improving the health of patients and creating satisfied patients is imperative. This ensures the best interests of the patient are always the driving force of care. When this satisfied patient gets the opportunity, they too will refer a new patient. Practices that create happy and satisfied patients simultaneously build an internal and self driven new chiropractic patient referral source on autopilot!    This is a winning scenario for everyone involved. Patients get healthy and doctors get the opportunity to improve quality of life while making a living. Now that you see the value in creating satisfied patients, let's discuss five easy ways to establish the highest level of patient satisfaction in your practice.  

1. Make the patient comfortable.


2. Listen.


3. Maintain reasonable office procedures and policies.


4. Go the extra mile.


5. 
   Show patients how much you appreciate them. 

Let's take a look at each step individually.  

1. Make the Patient Comfortable

Every single step in your new and existing patient procedures should be designed with patient comfort and convenience in mind. You've heard this tip before, but when was the last time you've actually critically analyzed patient procedures in your practice? Although there are times when the needs of the practice will override the comfort of the patient, these should be the rare exceptions and not the rule.  

New patients should be treated like the valuable practice members they are. The minute the patient walks in the door they should be greeted by a warm front office staff. Offer the new patient a beverage or other healthy refreshment while completing the new patient paperwork. Much of their basic contact information should already have been pre-filled on the paperwork for them.   

Examination procedures should minimize the need for the patient to change positions frequently. Try to organize all standing, seated, supine, and prone examination procedures together. Exam rooms should be located either in, or immediately adjacent to, x-ray rooms.  

Consider something as seemingly insignificant as patient gowning. Do your patients have a private and comfortable area to disrobe? Do patients have a safe area to put their clothes and possessions? Make sure to have a variety of sizes of patient gowns available. It's also a good idea to explain to the patient how to put the gown on correctly! I even allow those shy and embarrassed patients to put two gowns on, one with the opening in back, the other in front if they feel more comfortable.   

Good communication with your patients is another way to make new patients comfortable. Explain what is going to happen. New patients like to know what is going to happen next, so keep them informed of what to expect and provide them with general estimates of how long it will take.  

Don't forget the comfort of established patients either! It probably does more damage than good to your practice if you pamper new patients while ignoring established ones. Offer established patients a beverage or other healthy snack. Go out of your way to make sure they are just as comfortable as someone visiting your practice for the first time.  

Although I could give you many other tips, consider going straight to the source; ask your patients. One of the best ways to make sure your patients are comfortable is to ask them. You'd be amazed how much constructive feedback you can receive just by asking your patients what you can do to create a more comfortable practice. One easy way to do this is to create patient satisfaction surveys or even suggestion boxes in the waiting room or checkout area. Regardless of how you ask, make sure you act on the good suggestions. The first step to happy patients is to make them comfortable.  

2.  Listen

This one is pretty self explanatory, but it is often forgotten in the daily hustle and bustle. When a patient talks you should listen! One of the most common patient complaints is that patients feel their healthcare provider doesn't listen to them. Take an extra minute or two with your patients and listen.  

Don't just pretend to listen, make an effort to be an active listener. Repeat things back to a patient to let them know you were listening and understanding them. For example, say something like, "Mr. Jones what I hear you telling me is when you bend to your left like this it causes increased pain, and pain shooting down your left leg. Do I have that correct?"  

Take this a step further and listen when a patient mentions something not directly related to their treatment. Although writing down everything isn't possible, try making a note of what is going on with the lives of your patients outside of your practice. This really helps in going the extra mile, which we will talk about in tip number 4. Patients truly appreciate when you listen to them and see them as a real person and not just another chart number.  

Take the time to close your mouth and open your ears. You always have to keep efficiency in mind, but not at the expense of patient rapport. Balancing listening and efficiency with a talkative patient can be a difficult challenge, but it is just one of the wonderful challenges that must be met to be a successful Doctor of Chiropractic!  

3.  Maintain Reasonable Office Procedures and Policies

No one likes a dictator. Although you must have office procedures and policies in effect to maintain order, you don't need to make them unreasonable. You can and should make exceptions to the rules when they are warranted.   

Let's take one rule as an example. Let's discuss missed appointment fees. Missed appointments are indeed a wrench in the works of an efficient practice. Charging a missed appointment fee has become an acceptable method of deterring patients from missing appointments. I know a doctor in the Midwest who rules his practice with an iron fist. He's close to retirement and probably isn't as concerned with new patients as his younger colleagues. However, as long as I have known him he has pretty much had a zero tolerance approach to his office procedures. If a patient misses an appointment without 24 hour notice they are charged a $25.00 late fee, end of story.  

Maintain order with rules and policies, but also use common sense and good judgment. For example, if single mother Mrs. Jones who works 2 jobs to get by forgets her appointment, you should cut her some slack. Be reasonable and your patients will do the same. 

4.  Go the Extra Mile

The main goal here is simple: give your patient more than they would get at the practice down the street. The numbers of ways you can achieve this goal are endless!   Use your imagination and do what you can to go the extra mile for your patients.   

Who doesn't love to get more than they've paid for? Who doesn't like to be treated like royalty? Is there anyone who doesn't like to be pampered? I don't think so. Make this an open discussion at your next staff meeting. Have your staff list ways to pamper patients and give them more than they pay for. Everyone should try to come up with a way to make every procedure more efficient and less work for the patient. Try and create ways where you can simply knock your patients' socks off with the quality of your service.  Dream up creative, low cost ways to pamper your patients! Not only will you have fun, but you'll be amazed at how many missed opportunities exist to create happy patients. I love this topic so much I won't reveal any tips here. Look for tips on going the extra mile in a future article!  

5.  Show Patients how Much you Appreciate Them.  

You may be thinking that going the extra mile everyday already expresses your appreciation of patients. You need to remember that going the extra mile is now part of your daily procedures! You now provide the best and your patients expect it. (Who said life at the top was going to be easy?) We need to go the extra two miles here and set aside specific events for declaring our appreciation for patients. 

There are several easy ways to do this. One of the most common ways is by holding a special patient appreciation event.   Pick a day, week, or whatever duration you choose for your patient appreciation event. I prefer to set aside a certain day about twice a year and call it "Patient Appreciation Day". (Original huh?) The name isn't important. What IS important is what happens during your patient appreciation event. 

You can't simply take an ordinary day with scheduled visits and slap a "patient appreciation day" label on it. Passing out a coupon or a free prize here or there won't do.  To make a patient appreciation event truly effective you need to make it special. You need to design contests and other interesting events. This has to be a memorable EVENT. Planning a patient appreciation event requires that you invest some time and money, but the results will be well worth it.  

This is another topic we are going to cover in depth in a future article. Watch for our article about creating the perfect patient appreciation day. Until then, try one of the following 10 suggestions to help express your patient appreciation.  

1.      Send out birthday cards to patients.

2.      Send patients postcards for the holidays.

3.      Send a new patient a welcome letter along with a new patient "welcome kit".

4.      Send a postcard for a patient's "anniversary" with your practice.

5.      Did a patient mention their son just won the little league championship, or that their daughter made the school honor roll? Send that son or daughter a congratulatory card or letter, even if they aren't one of your patients!

6.      Send valuable patients an appreciation letter with a small gift, coupon or gift card.

7.      Thank existing patients for referrals.

8.      Make up clever little patient appreciation cards, similar to business cards and hand them to selected patients. 

9.       Find small, unique, and affordable gifts to give patients for each major holiday or just because.

10. Create a "patient appreciation" bulletin or dry erase board. 

My practice has a patient appreciation dry erase board in the reception area which we update weekly. At the top is the phrase "We appreciate our patients because:". We regularly update the board with a new reason. "We appreciate our patients because they are committed to optimum health", "We appreciate our patients because they are kind, caring, and punctual", "We appreciate our patients because they appreciate the power of chiropractic are", are just a few examples.  

The preceding tips are just the tip of the iceberg. When it comes to creative ways to generate patient satisfaction in a chiropractic practice, the possibilities are seemingly endless. There are hundreds of low cost and unique ways to show patients you appreciate them. Come up with more of your own, or if you don't have the time simply watch our website. We offer exciting and affordable products along with free ideas and resources which will help automate patient appreciation and do 90% of the work for you!    Whether you let us help or not, make sure you show your patients how much you appreciate their commitment to both your practice and their health. When you make patient satisfaction a top priority in your practice you may just discover it is the best chiropractic marketing you've ever done!

Your body receives a constant supply of oxygen as you breathe and your cells use that oxygen in various chemical reactions along with the vitamins and minerals, and the proteins, fats, and carbohydrates consumed in the foods you eat, to produce energy and keep you healthy. As a consequence of this metabolic activity, highly reactive molecules are produced known as free radicals. Free radicals can be thought of as similar in many ways to the exhaust from your automobile; that is, the energy released from the combustion of gasoline and oxygen is desirable, but the resultant exhaust is toxic and harmful.

A free radical is a molecule missing an electron and it will strip an electron from another molecule to become "whole". This damages that molecule which in turn becomes a free radical beginning a chain reaction. Once the process is started it escalates throughout a lifetime and is thought to be one of the primary determinates of aging. Damage enough molecules and you damage the cell, damage enough cells and you damage the tissue or organ system. Damage to tissue in excess of the body's ability to repair that damage is called disease. All antioxidants neutralize free radicals by donating one of their own electrons ending the "electron-stealing" reaction. The antioxidants themselves don't become free radicals when they donate an electron because they are stable in either form.

All aerobic organisms (those that require oxygen for life), including mankind, produce this harmful "exhaust" as a result of normal cellular metabolism as described above and have evolved to handle and dispose of it. But, if the antioxidants needed for this process are unavailable, or if free-radical exposure becomes excessive, damage occurs. In our modern society there is both less availability of antioxidants due to the diminishing quality of our food sources, and more exposure to free-radicals due to increasing pollutants in our environment. Many of the foods past generations relied upon to supply naturally occurring antioxidants have been processed and now contain preservatives, and have been canned, frozen, or micro-waved negating much of their antioxidant properties. Worse, much of what we consume has been exposed to herbicides and pesticides which far from reducing oxidative stress actually contributes to it. These same herbicides and pesticides contaminate our ground water as well. Environmental pollutants found in our air and water such as emissions from automobiles and industries, radiation, asbestos, and many others all contribute to the production of free radicals. Smoking, alcohol, and pharmaceuticals also contribute to the production of free radicals. Thus, this society is exposed to more free radicals than any before in the history of man.

Oxidative damage and chronic inflammation has been implicated in the cause of many diseases such as cancer, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, atherosclerosis, heart failure, myocardial infarction, Schizophrenia, Bipolar disorder, fragile X syndrome, Sickle Cell Disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and others. It has, as well, an impact on the body's aging process. It is no small matter.

What Can You Do?

Diet is, of course, an important consideration.

• Berries - Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries and cranberries are among the top sources of antioxidants.


• Beans - Small red beans and kidney, pinto and black beans are all choices rich in antioxidants.


• Fruits - Many apple varieties (with peel) are high in antioxidants, as are avocados, cherries, green and red pears, fresh or dried plums, pineapple, kiwi and others.


• Vegetables - Those with the highest antioxidant content include artichokes, spinach, red cabbage, red and white potatoes (with peel), sweet potatoes and broccoli. Although the effect of cooking on antioxidant levels varies by cooking method and vegetable, one study showed that cooking generally increased levels among select vegetables.


• Beverages - Green tea may come to mind as a good source of antioxidants, but other beverages have high levels, too, including coffee, red wine and many fruit juices such as pomegranate.


• Nuts - Walnuts, pistachios, pecans, hazelnuts and almonds are some of the top nuts for antioxidant content.


• Herbs - These may be unexpected suppliers of antioxidants, but ground cloves, cinnamon and ginger, dried oregano leaf and turmeric powder are all good sources.


• Grains - In general, oat-based products are higher in antioxidants than are those derived from other grain sources.


• And for dessert - A piece of dark chocolate ranks as high or higher than most fruits and vegetables in terms of antioxidant content.

How Does Protandim Help?

Vitamins C and E are thought to protect the body against the destructive effects of free-radicals too. The trouble is that one such antioxidant molecule from whatever source can neutralize only a few free-radical molecules before it is depleted. In our modern society, a good diet alone is simply no longer enough. The most effective way to fight free radicals and reverse the spread of oxidative stress and the chronic inflammation they cause is to trigger the body to produce its own free-radical fighting enzymes. That information is stored in our genes. Protandim is specially formulated to induce cells to produce more of these genetically encoded catalytic defense enzymes which have been named Superoxide Dismutases (SOD). Every enzyme molecule produced by this approach can eliminate up to 1 million free radicals before being depleted. When the protein messenger (Nrf2) is activated, it enters the nucleus of the cell and turns on hundreds of the body's survival genes that code for these enzymes. These genes enable cells to survive in the face of several different kinds of stress, especially oxidative stress. Nrf2 also affects hundreds of other genes, pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic genes, by turning them down.

Thus, Protandim is a master regulator of the aging process and an Nrf2 synergizer which activates survival genes, including antioxidant genes, that keep us safe from free radicals and oxidants and their harmful effects. It also turns down genes that perpetuate inflammation, and genes that encourage slow, progressive fibrosis to take place. Together these actions provide a remarkable promise of protection from many kinds of age-related health conditions.

Protandim was developed by Joe McCord, Ph.D.

Dr. McCord holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Rhodes College (graduated 1966) and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Duke University (graduated 1970), where he also conducted postdoctoral research. Dr. McCord has held biochemistry faculty positions at Duke University Medical Center and University of South Alabama. He currently serves as a professor in the department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Genetics at the University of Colorado Denver. He has received several awards and honors for his research and discoveries in the field of free radical biochemistry, is a past recipient of the Elliott Cresson Medal, the Discovery Award from the Society for Free Radical Biology and Medicine (SFRBM), and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Oxygen Society. He has been a member of the board of directors of the LifeVantage Corporation (makers of the dietary supplement Protandim) since 2006.

More Information

The battle between those with a vested interest in the status quo and those who advocate non-pharmacological solutions to the health ailments of man will continue to rage. What is certain, however, is that LifeVantage Corporation has recently been granted a fourth patent for its flagship product Protandim?簿聶翻?簧 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office. It is further certain that the U.S. government-funded National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), whose mission is to develop new information technologies to aid in the understanding of fundamental molecular and genetic processes that control health and disease has published twelve (12) research articles on PubMed, a service of the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, and that many more studies are currently being conducted by several major universities. In addition, a Primetime Live Investigative Report by ABC News which aired in 2005 found scientific merit to the claims.

PubMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=protandim

ABC News http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_mGXV6KAx0