Chiropractor Portland Maine, Health Source Portland North | Integrative Chiropractic, Dr. Joseph Hayes

Can whiplash be prevented?

admin — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:51:05 +0000

Whiplash is an injury to the soft tisssues of the neck, including ligaments, joint capsules, muscles and their tendons. Often overlooked is injury to the intervebral discs. It can often involve the nervous system tissues in more severe cases.
The degree of severity can be decreased or maybe avoided completely with the following: The use of seatbelts, placing the headrest close to the head (less than 1 inch) and high enough to avoid “ramping” over it. Placing the seat back more vertical or upright can help. Do not partake in distractive activities while driving (does this sound like you can even try??) such as cell phone use, adjusting the radio, taking your eyes off the road, reading a book putting on make up, well you get the idea. With the various physics of injury, having your head twisted the “wrong way” can lead to a much more severe injury. Bracing yourself has not been shown to very helpful-whiplash happens too quickly to voluntarily brace your neck muscles. For athletes, wear appropriate protective gear when engaging in sporting activities and use proper form/technique.
Plug for Chiropractic: Chiropractors have a unique advantage over other health care providers as spinal manipulation and other manual therapies (Graston technique) have been show to yield the highest levels of satisfaction and faster recovery rates compared to other forms of health care. You can depend on receiving a multi-demensional assessment and therapeutic approach at this office.
Be Well,
Dr. Hayes

What is the big news about acetominophen?

admin — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:28:35 +0000

Now the goverment wants to take this off the market?? These statistics have been around for years, we have watched (and all of us have paid for) people who have unwittingly ruined their livers. Why has this been allowed? I wonder if we had tried natural methods for back and other pains, how much money could we have saved in health care?? Sad, tragic that the real costs have been human suffering. 200 deaths per year are due to acetominophen, how many people had to endure the loss of a loved one? These people could have been saved had they tried a different approach. Why isn’t the government asking people to try chiropractic first for back and other pain? The research is out there, when will we learn. It is news like this that make me thank God Almighty that I am treating pain naturally and helping families of the ones who suffer. Maybe this report will do something, it has just reinforced my life for me!

Be Well!

Dr. Joseph Hayes

The lasting Consequences of Whiplash

admin — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 01:13:30 +0000

I was surprised to see these stats from a recent journal. Five years after whiplash trauma, 76% of people still suffered from: Fatigue, poor concentration, sleep disturbances, headache, light sensitivity and irritability. A shocking 59% still had neck pain, 38% had post traumatic stress and 22% suffered from depression. I would like to do a new clinical trial and see if my protocol of graston for the soft tissue component and Cox for the spinal component would improve on these odds. Sad that an insurance company would tell people they are not really injured. These poor souls are still suffering after five years!
Be well,
Dr. Hayes

Prognosis of Whiplash Injuries

admin — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:08:22 +0000

This is one of the more frequent questions and one that is difficult to answer. If we look at current research, we can find risk factors that may point to a more prolonged healing time, but this all varies from person to person. Whiplash is more about physics than anything else. The modern epidemic of whiplash stems more from a “stiffer’ car than anything else. In the not too past ‘old days” the cars took more of the impact, now with bumpers integrated into the “look” of the car it’s the passenger and not the car that suffers. As much as I love my mustang, I have to say I’m not crazy, (from a treatment standpoint), of modern bumpers.

So what are the risk factors? In no order of importance: Head turned, prior injury, prior headaches, prior neck pain, inadequate head rests, poor position in car, arthritis, advanced age, disc disease, shoulder harness, rear impact, non-failure of seat, (again the passenger takes the brunt of the damage), female gender and non-awareness.

Please note on the list prior injuries and disc disease. Anyone in an accident wants a quick outcome, as does my clinic. The risk factors are just those. Some people will have multiple factors and still have a quick outcome, it really is in the physics of how the occupants were placed in the vehicle. More “junk science” has been done on whiplash than most any type of injury. If we could look at risk factors, the physics of the accident and do all we can to address the injuries, the junk science would go the way of the dinosaur.

be well,

Dr. Hayes

Do you really need surgery for a herniated disc?

admin — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:04:05 +0000

I just had a conversation with someone who rushed into surgery. I was so sad that they had never checked into alternatives. They are now living with incontinence and a brace on their lower leg. They may have needed surgery all along, but I would be willing to bet that had they tried the Cox technique when they first had symptoms, or a month before surgery, they probably would not gone with an operation. The current research shows that 93% of people with herniated discs in their neck or low back, don’t go to surgery. If you know someone, or God forbid you yourself are considering surgery, please do yourself or someone else a favor and try the Cox technique.

Dr. Hayes

HealthSource, Portland North

Dr.Hayes blog

admin — Tue, 27 May 2008 13:06:22 +0000

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