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Neck and Back Pain Sufferers' Solution

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:13:00 +0000

A Revolutionary Scientific Breakthrough Creates a New Choice for Neck & Back Pain Sufferers

Video: Spinal Decompression Therapy

Non-Surgical Decompression Therapy Can Help Relieve Chronic Back Pain, Due To Sciatica or Bulging Discs, Without Surgery or Addictive Drugs

Chronic lower back pain disability is the most expensive benign condition that is medically treated in industrial countries; it is also the number one cause of disability in persons under age 45. Disc disease costs the health care system more than $50 billion a year! Now for the first time, a relatively new technology, challenges the need for spinal disc surgery. It is called Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression.

What Is Spinal Decompression?

Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression is a relatively new medical technology that gently stretches the spine and decompresses the discs allowing them to go back to their nature state! And unlike “standard” spinal disc treatments such as surgery, it’s 100% natural and costs way, way less.

Athletes & TV Personalities Rave About Spinal Decompression!

Once you experience Spinal Decompression Therapy yourself, you’ll understand why pro athletes, including PGA golfers, pro football players and TV personalities rave about this “not-so-new” disc therapy. Plus, the entire program can be completed in just a few weeks—it’s not an ongoing process, nor is it a short-term “fix.”

Benefits of a Back Pain Relief Program Which Includes Spinal Decompression

1.No Surgery Involved
2.No Recovery Time
3.No Addictive Drugs
4.Up to 90% Cheaper Than Surgery

What Are Treatments Like?

You’re fitted with a special support system, and lie face up on the comfortable treatment bed. The computer is programmed to do the rest. It creates decompression of your discs and the healing begins. The best part is that all you feel is a gentle, painless, intermittent pulling. It’s so relaxing that most patients fall asleep during treatment.

Each session lasts 30 minutes. Usually 15 to 20 treatments are needed with many patients getting pain relief after just a few treatments, or as little as just one session. If you would like to see if non-surgical spinal decompression would be the answer to your back pain, call 732-719-8148 and tell my staff you want your FREE Back Pain, Qualification Evaluation. It’s absolutely free with no strings attached.

Video: Advanced Wellness Marlboro, New Jersey

Health Update: NEUROPATHY

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 20:01:00 +0000

LEARN MORE ABOUT
PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY

There are more than 100 known types of peripheral neuropathy, each with its own characteristic symptoms, pattern of development, and prognosis.

Approximately 30% of peripheral neuropathy cases are linked to diabetes. Other common causes of neuropathy include autoimmune disorders, tumors, hereditary conditions, nutritional imbalances, infections or toxins. Another 30% of peripheral neuropathies are termed “idiopathic” when the cause is unknown.

Types of Neuropathy
    * Autonomic Neuropathy
    * Cancer-Related Neuropathies
    * Compressive Neuropathies
    * Diabetic Neuropathy
    * Drug-Induced and Toxic Neuropathy
    * G.I. and Nutrition-Related Neuropathies
    * Hereditary Neuropathies
    * Immune-Mediated and CIDP
    * Infectious Diseases and Neuropathy
    * Neuropathic Pain

Peripheral neuropathy symptoms and signs can vary in how they begin. Some neuropathies come on suddenly; others gradually over many years. There are three types of peripheral nerves affected, and symptoms depend on these nerves and their location:

    Sensory Nerves:       Affect sensation
    Autonomic Nerves:   Affect internal organ functions
    Motor Nerves:          Affect muscles

Many types of peripheral neuropathy affect all three types of nerves to various degrees, but some affect only one or two.

Here are some peripheral neuropathy symptoms and warning signs as described by patients:

Weakness in the Arms or Legs
Legs: Usually caused by damage to the motor nerves, leg symptoms often include difficulty walking or running; a feeling of "heaviness" in your legs; finding it takes a lot of effort just to climb the stairs; stumbling or tiring easily. Muscle cramps may be common.

Arms: In the arms, you may find it difficult to carry groceries, open jars, turn door knobs or take care of your personal grooming. A common frustration is dropping things.

Numbness, Tingling and Pain
Sensory nerves, when damaged, can cause various symptoms. Early on, there may be spontaneous sensations, called paresthesias, which include numbness, tingling, pinching, sharp, deep stabs, electric shocks, or buzzing. These sensations are usually worse at night, and sometimes become painful and severe.

You may also experience unpleasant abnormal sensations when you touch something, sensations called dysesthesias because they are caused by stimuli.
Or, you may find yourself feeling nothing at all, in this case experiencing anesthesia, a lessening or absence of sensation.

Impaired Sense of Position
When you lose the ability to “sense” or feel your feet, you may find yourself being uncoordinated because when you walk because you are not sure about the placement of your feet.   Patients may find themselves walking differently without really knowing how or why they are doing so. Chances are they have either widened their style of walking (in an unconscious effort to keep their balance) or they may be dragging their feet.

“Glove and Stocking Sensation”
This phrase describes what doctors call a patient’s odd feeling of wearing stockings or gloves or slippers when, in fact, the patient’s hands and feet are completely bare.

Symptoms of Autonomic Damage
When it occurs, autonomic nerve damage can potentially cause: a drop in blood pressure and, consequently, dizziness when standing up; intestinal difficulties such as constipation or diarrhea; sexual dysfunction; thinning of the skin (with susceptibility to bruising and poor healing), and other symptoms.
If you or a loved one is experiencing any of these neuropathy symptoms, we encourage you to visit your physician as soon as possible and discuss your symptoms and your concerns.

Neuropathy Support Group: www.neuropathy.org

Health Update : Fibromyalgia

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 21:02:00 +0000

Fibromyalgia :
Dietary Guide

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic condition affecting multiple body systems is not limited to any one aspect of health. Because of this, there is no ONE diet that works the same for all FM patients. Since most dietary guidelines that address FM are based on general healthy eating principles utilized for many conditions such as hypoglycemia, diabetes, food allergies, headaches, digestive disorders, and fatigue, let’s review some of the most popular and successful dietary approaches that have been reported regarding FM.

Basic Guidelines:

1. Carbohydrates: AVOID all refined carbs (white flour products). Eat whole grain bread, oatmeal, granola, nuts. Avoid artificial sweeteners and limit sugar intake to a max. of 40g/2000 calories. Eat roughly 14 grams / 1000 calories consumed of soluble dietary fiber such as apples, oats, and legumes vs. insoluble fiber such as bran. Your total carb intake from all sources should be between 30-55% of your total calories.

2. Fats: AVOID saturated fats (these clog up circulation, lead to inflammation and pain). That means <10% of total calories consumed, so limit or eliminate foods such as cheese, beef, milk, oils, ice cream, cakes, cookies, mayonnaise, margarine, chips and chicken skin. Eat mono- and poly-unsaturated fats and include regular amounts of omega 3-fats. Eat < 300mg/day of cholesterol; Try to avoid ALL trans fats such as cakes, cookies, crackers, pies, bread, margarine, fried potatoes, chips, shortening. Take omega 3 fatty acids like alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) as these help make other omega 3 fats like EPA and DHA, and are very helpful for the brain. ALA is found in flaxseed, linseed oil, or cod liver oil. Limit total fat intake to 20-35% of calories consumed.

3. Protein: Go easy on red meat as they are high in saturated fat. Instead, eat more fish and vegetable protein (legumes and soybeans are great). When eating meat or poultry, remove all visible fat and skin before eating. Maintain protein at 20-40% of total caloric intake. AVOID: processed meats, especially salt-cured, smoked or nitrate-cured.

4. Fruits & Vegetables: Whole fruits are superior to juices. Include blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, kiwis, peaches, mango, cantaloupe melon and apples. Some FM sufferers cannot tolerate citrus fruits but if you can, fruits like oranges and grapefruits are great. Vegetables are crucial. Good choices include carrots, squash, sweet potato, spinach, kale, collard greens, broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. These foods reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases (diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancers).

5. Dairy Products: Choose reduced or fat-free varieties of cow or soy milk. This also applies to yogurt and cheese.

6. Healthy drinks: Drink 8 glasses of water a day or diluted fruit juices, or herbal teas. Drinking water helps flush out toxins. Avoid coffee, tea, and alcohol as these increase fatigue, increase muscle pain and interfere with normal sleeping patterns. Limit or eliminate alcohol.

7. Healthy Snacks: Chopped vegetables, unsalted nuts and/or seeds; AVOID ALL commercial snack foods (except salt-free air-popped popcorn) as these are high in trans fats & salt. Avoid chocolate and candy.

8. Junk Food: Regular consumption of this is BAD for FM patients due to the high levels of fat, sodium, calories and general lack of nutrition.

9. Artificial Sweeteners: AVOID them! Examples: aspartame, NutraSweet, & saccharine.

10. MSG: (monosodium glutamate (MSG) and Sodium (Salt) can aggravate FM!

11. QUANTITY: Eat smaller light meals, especially in the evenings.

Video: Fibromyalgia Nutrition

To find out if you are a candidate for their customized treatment approach call 732.719.8148 or visit us online at New Jersey Pain Management.

Health Update: Whiplash Injury Guide

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 17:21:00 +0000

This guide has been carefully prepared to educate those who have suffered-whiplash types of injuries of the neck and spine. The information presented is for general health education only. Individual health concerns should be addressed with a knowledgeable health care provider.

The Severe
“Whiplash Injury Guide”
INCLUDING… The Four
Dangerous Whiplash Myths

Whiplash injury is a very real type of problem that costs communities billions in health care and disability dollars.

Studies have recently shown that about 10-20% of the population suffers from neck pain, and car accidents/traumas are a big cause of this type of pain.

But you've probably wondered how something so minor as a fender-bender to your bumper could be such a pain in neck.

    Maybe your doctor told you, "give it a couple of weeks"..."you'll be fine."

But you're not fine.

Your neck hurts when you work at the computer, when the dog pulls too hard on the leash... maybe sleep has become more difficult with a lot of tossing and turning, or you've become dizzy...or always tired when you used to be full of energy and pep.

Maybe you've noticed how your neck moves differently since the accident. Looking over the shoulder perhaps isn't as easy as before.

Does all of this sound familiar?

It's quite surprising when you look at whiplash research and its global impact-the entire body is affected. You probably didn't think that headaches or fatigue were part of the whiplash bargain, but they are.

Your Bumper Doesn't Tell the Whole Story…

    You can't look at a dent in the bumper and conclude that the neck wasn't injured.

For instance, they're called 5 mph bumpers for a reason-designed to not be damaged in very low speed collisions.

This is good for the bumper, but not necessarily for your neck!

What researchers have discovered is that when collisions are of enough force, this causes the vehicle to crumple and absorb energy.

Low speed collisions will often not cause the crumple zones to be engaged.

    If you have a rigid fixed bumper (seen on many older cars and trucks), that does not crumple-this can make the whiplash injury even more severe.

For the above reasons, you might be even more injured in an accident below 20 mph than one above that speed.

There are of course limits to this effect. Collisions at very high speeds (above 40 mph) will often cause the occupants to suffer severe injuries, even though the crumple zones are absorbing some of the energy.

You may have heard someone profess skepticism for your whiplash injury.

Maybe they thought you were gaming the system or out to make a fast buck.

Where does this perception come from?

Probably the insurance companies, who seem to have a profit-motive for denying the realty of whiplash injuries.

Some physicians are simply ignorant about whiplash trauma, perform cursory spinal examinations, or offer treatments that have little or no scientific evidence to back them up.

But is there really such a thing as “Whiplash?”

The science says “YES!”

Whiplash- a soft tissue injury to the neck-is also called neck sprain or neck strain.
It is characterized by a collection of symptoms that occur following damage to the neck, usually because of sudden extension and flexion.
The disorder commonly occurs as the result of an automobile accident and may include injury to the joints of the spine, disks, and ligaments, cervical muscles, and nerve roots.
Symptoms such as neck pain may be present right after the injury or may be delayed for several days.

In addition to neck pain, other symptoms may include:

Neck Stiffness
Injuries To The Muscles And Ligaments (Myofascial Injuries),
Headaches
Dizziness
Abnormal Sensations Such As Burning Or Prickling (Paresthesias)
Shoulder Pain
Back Pain

In addition, you may be experiencing cognitive, somatic, or psychological conditions such as:

Memory Loss
Poor Concentration
Nervousness/Irritability
Sleep Disturbances
Fatigue, or Depression.

Video: Whiplash Injury

Special Thanks to Dr. Nabil Ebraheim, M.D.

But Why Can Whiplash
    Be So Devastating?

Your head and neck is simply not designed to be accelerated three times the acceleration of gravity....or come in contact with an air bag deployed at 190 mph.

When these injuries occur, muscles and ligaments of the neck cannot resist the force, which then tears tissues apart. This then sets the stage for degeneration/osteoarthritis years later.

        The basic principal in a rear-end whiplash, is anything that makes your vehicle not accelerate as fast when hit, is going to make the injury less damaging to your neck.

        If your car is small, it will accelerate much more quickly than a larger vehicle.

        If you're hit on a low friction surface such as rain-drenched pavement, or ice, the car will accelerate very quickly…and some of the worse injuries occur when your vehicle is slightly rolling when hit, because it's easier to get a vehicle moving that is not stopped.

Women are more injured by whiplash, because they generally have less neck musculature development. The ratio of their head size to their neck size is much greater than in a man. There's a very good reason why professional football players have those massive necks.

The Four Dangerous Whiplash Myths:

Myth #1: Car Damage = Occupant Injury
It might seem intuitive that if a car is smashed, the neck will be badly injured, and conversely if it's a simple fender bender, then the neck was spared. Some low speed collisions can be even more damaging than high-speed accidents, within certain limits. The kinds of things that may be more important are if your head is turned, or the size of the vehicle that is hitting you.

Before the accident, was the vehicle was rolling or stopped, how was the headrest positioned? Other factors include getting hit from behind vs. a head-on impact.

Research shows that people are not as badly injured from frontal impacts. It could be the airbag, anticipating the collision and tightening up, or the chin hitting the chest. All other factors being equal it's worse to get hit at the side and behind, than at the front.

Airbags have done a lot to save lives from frontal collisions. Unfortunately, side and rear impacts are less protected by an airbag. Seatbelts also save lives by keeping the occupants inside of the vehicle. Although they save lives, they tend to actually accentuate whiplash injuries in low speed collisions where the torso is more restrained relative to the head and neck.

Even car seats can be a factor in how badly you're injured. Cars with soft thick seats will cause the head to whip more than occupants in a thin firm seat. If the headrest was placed too low, it will act as a fulcrum and make the neck injury much worse. That's why your headrest should always be positioned at the very highest level, and just touching the back of the head.

Myth #2: No Pain = No Injury
I don’t feel pain so I’m ok. Most people who get in an accident will feel flustered and shook up. In low speed collisions, it is more rare to have pain right after accident. Usually symptoms develop over days, and it is not uncommon for the pain to come on two weeks post trauma. Conversely if you feel immediate pain, then substantial tearing and damage has occurred.

Another thing to consider is that the spine can be injured and yet may not cause much neck pain. However, these patients usually have tender spines to the touch, even if there are no outward symptoms. Less than 20% of the nerves that come through bundles between your vertebrae carry pain signals. That means it's important to examine for more than just pain, such as neurological and muscle function. A doctor needs to carefully palpate the tissues of the neck, check range of motion, and examine the flexibility of individual spinal joints. With this type of comprehensive exam you will be able to know if you've been injured.

Myth #3: Kids Don't Get Whiplash
Kids aren’t injured in whiplash. Maybe you thought little Johnny wasn't injured in the car seat, or since kids tumble around when they play, they couldn't possibly be injured. This couldn't be further from the truth. Infants and young children have very undeveloped spines with much less muscle strength. This makes their ability to resist the forces lessened. You have to also consider the size of the head compared to the size of the neck. This difference is greatest in young children. When infants are injured they can show behavioral changes such as irritability and disrupted sleep patterns or nursing difficulties.

Myth #4: X-rays Always Show Whiplash Injury
If you've had a severe whiplash, you may have taken a trip to the emergency room where an x-ray was taken. If you're like many patients, the x-ray was read as normal. The problem is the x-ray you received, probably taken with you in one position, does not show injuries to the soft tissues such as ligaments and muscles, unless massive injury has occurred. Only if motion x-rays are obtained, can you see how the joints are moving in the neck. Since the injury is a sprain of ligaments, and x-rays show only bones-they do not give the complete picture.

Unfortunately for some whiplash victims
neck trauma will lead to arthritis of the spine

Don't be too alarmed, but concern is helpful.

People hear the word arthritis and think of rheumatoid arthritis and crippling joints.

What I'm talking about is osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease.

Osteoarthritis is one of most common diseases afflicting humans, more common in people over age 55 than any other health condition.

Billions of dollars are spent each year on drug treatments that really do nothing to prevent degeneration of the joint.

In fact, some scientists suggest that injuries do not heal properly when patients take NSAIDs such as ibuprofen.

This is in addition to the known rare side effects such as stomach bleeding, liver, and kidney problems.

Arthritis occurs in spinal joints that have damage to the ligaments and disks. As degeneration progresses, the mobility of vertebrae are altered. The stretched out ligaments will allow excessive motion and after injury, scar tissue develops. Over months and years, the scar tissue contracts and the disk size decreases. This will make the mobility of the neck abnormally low (more stiffness). This scar is also not as elastic as tissue that has not been injured. Persons who have pre-existing degeneration and arthritis at the time of impact, will suffer whiplash more frequently (lower threshold) and with more severity when it does occur. Since older adults are most likely to have this type of degeneration arthritis, they are put more at risk in whiplash accidents.

_________________________________________

    Hello.

    My name is Dr. Cilea, D.C.,

    One of the mainstays of medical treatment of whiplash is to immobilize the neck with a collar. Except in rare cases, it is something that I never use in practice.

    While good in theory, it just weakens the muscles and fails to preserve movement, which the neck needs to heal properly.

    I am glad to see that many medical physicians are using them less and less, and promoting more active rehabilitation. Neck collars/braces are needed for fractures or dislocations, but strains/sprains are generally made worse with this treatment.

    I have spent years studying the mechanics of neck problems, and effective treatments, and I've successfully cared for many patients over the years, getting their quality of life back and reducing pain. But I'm still surprised by how many still take the medical approach-hot packs, collars and pain pills.

    Treatments ideally should be mechanical, not chemical, and not just cover up or mask the pain.

    I'm not saying my approach is scientifically proven to be the best...or that I have all the answers.

    But I do think there is a general lack of appreciation for the seriousness of these types of neck injuries, and that people are often convinced by insurance companies and others, that no injury occurred.

    This can sometimes result in no examination, no professional treatment, or the patient self medicates with various over-the-counter drugs or maybe you were required to see a "gatekeeper," that didn't appreciate the complexities of whiplash injuries and never referred you to the appropriate doctor.

    In any case, I'm not surprised if you're going through a health care maze-most of my patients do so.

    Not seeking proper treatment when indicated can lead to more problems down the road.

I WANT TO OFFER YOU ANOTHER WAY, AN APPROACH

BASED ON EVIDENCE AND THE MECHANICS OF THE BODY.

The most crucial point I want you to get from this Guide, is that it may be important for you to get a Comprehensive Whiplash Examination to determine if you've been injured.
Call our office at 732-719-8148 and schedule a FREE* consultation.

Don’t forget…it is important for your treatments to make your spine more flexible where it is not, and restrict movements where it is unstable.

Conventional MRIs immediately after the accident will not show these mobility changes and X-ray cannot show the disks of the spine. Only tests of mobility can show you where mechanical treatment is needed.

I strongly recommend that you have me evaluate your condition. There is ABSOLUTELY NO OBLIGATION for care. It is merely a chance to document any injuries and to find out if you need additional treatment.

*The free consultation offered here does not apply to patients who participate in a Federal program such as, but not limited to, Medicare.

Health & Fitness Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 15:54:00 +0000

The 4 Minute Workout

What if you can flood your body with a fat burning hormone that lasts for 48 hours and works while you sleep? What would you be willing to pay? Well the price is not expensive. In fact, you cannot even purchase this hormone...well, maybe you can, but the health risks are way to high and not worth it. But you an pay the price in a different way.

Let me introduce the "4 minute workout." Yes...I did say 4 minutes. With the current understanding of how your body burns fat this is all you need! The key to this 4 minutes is HIGH INTENSITY... Yes, I am talking about a WIND SUCKING WORKOUT. Are you willing to pay that price? Here is how to get it done. Pick and exercise to get your heartrate up fast and is difficult to perform for 30 seconds. You will do 8 sets of 30 seconds WIND SUCKING sprints. You can catch your breathe for about 2 minutes in between sets which makes the workout about 20 total minutes.

Now you say thats it? Well guess what? It sounds easier than it is. The best exercise to do this is on a treadmill where you can change the speed and incline to make it a tough 30 seconds. A few other exercises that work well for this are the following:

Jump Squats
Burpees
Squat thrusts
Mountain Climbers
Jump Split Squats

Keep in mind for some simply doing jumping jacks, jumping rope or stepping up on an exercise stair machine will be high enough intensity. You only need to do this workout 3 days per week. Give it a try and watch the lbs. melt away. For optimum results eliminate all WHITE REFINED products such as pasta, bagels, white bread, and white rice. These foods will have a negative effect on the hormonal response you are creating with the HIGH INTENSITY training. High Protein foods are best and as many raw veggies as you like.

Health Update: Carpal Tunnel

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 20:36:00 +0000

Musicians and
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Dart Fine-Art

There are many jobs that place people at risk for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), but I bet you wouldn’t have thought of musicians. First and most important, I don’t want to scare anyone from playing a musical instrument as many of us find music to be a very important “release mechanism” or, an escape from reality (at least for a while) in our busy lives. Playing music uses part of the brain that doesn’t get enough stimulation and has been found to improve learning skills in children and can improve (as well as prevent) Alzheimer’s Disease in the more mature sector of the population. So PLEASE, continue playing your instrument or if you don’t play, start taking lessons on your favorite instrument – something an increasing number of adults are beginning to do!

Ok, now that the “disclaimer” is over, we can discuss why musicians are at risk for developing CTS and how you and I can prevent CTS from becoming a “monster!” Playing a musical instrument utilizes our fingers in a rapid, repetitive way, similar to a typist or keyboard worker. Also, some instruments require the hands and wrists to be placed in awkward positions, which is bad because the tendons, as they rub against each other inside the tunnel, create friction, heat and swell up, thus pinching the median nerve. If the wrist is bent, the pressure inside the carpal tunnel goes up a lot more than when it’s kept straight, and this is especially true if there are already problems present like a mild case of CTS. In brief , the anatomy of the carpal tunnel includes 9 tendons, some blood vessels, and the median nerve which are, in a sense, jammed into a tight, confined space. Think of pulling a napkin through a napkin ring that is just a little bit too small – you REALLY have to work to pull the napkin through, right? Well, this is kind of what happens when one develops CTS. Instead of having a napkin and ring that match so the napkin easily pulls through, those with CTS have a tight, constricted tunnel (napkin ring) which really squeezes the contents, including the median nerve. The result of pinching a nerve is numbness, tingling, burning, and/or a “half-asleep” feeling in fingers 2, 3, and 4 (that is, the index, middle and ring fingers).

When you watch a piano player, their palms are pointing down towards the floor while they play. The two long bones in the forearm, the ulna and radius, are parallel when the palms are up and cross over one another when the palms are down. The median nerve travels down from the neck, axilla, upper and lower arm and finally through the carpal tunnel to innervate the middle three fingers. There is more pressure on the median nerve when the palms are pointing down compared to up, but it would be impossible to play the piano palms up! Other instruments like the flute, trombone, trumpet, and many others require the arms and hands to be raised up to around the head level while the instrument is played. This places more pressure on the median nerve in the axilla area, referred to as the thoracic outlet. Many musicians practice multiple hours a day and the repetitive motion can really irritate the median nerve, and can result in CTS.

Again, please understand we are not inferring for you to stop playing your musical instrument! Rather, take multiple breaks when practicing, do carpal tunnel stretch exercises, and seek chiropractic care as we can usually manage CTS successfully without the need for surgery.

We realize you have a choice in who you choose for your health care provision and we sincerely appreciate your trust in choosing our service for those needs. If you, a friend or family member require care for CTS, we would be honored to render our services

Health Update: Low Back Pain

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 19:21:00 +0000

What Causes Low Back Pain?

I can’t tell you how many times a day this question is asked! Obviously, there are MANY causes of low back pain (LBP) but you may be surprised about some of the following:

1. Trauma: Let’s start with the easy one – falling down, over lifting, twisting, pushing, pulling, bending over, sporting activities, work activities, sex, sneezing, raking, shoveling……OK, I could fill the page with possible injuries that can cause LBP so I’ll stop here. We’ve all sprained an ankle or a finger and based on statistics, most of us have also suffered from LBP as a result of a single event injury. These types of injuries include sprains (ligament injuries), strains (muscle/tendon injuries), disk injuries (tears, ruptures), and include many possible findings including subluxations (areas where vertebrae stop working well together or have shifted from their proper location). When there is radiating leg pain that travels below the knee, a pinched nerve may be involved, often caused by disk pressure or a combination of things.

2. Insidious or, “I don’t know what I did!”: Believe it or not, this is probably the most common cause of LBP we see as the majority of people can’t recall anything as causing their LBP. The “cause” in these cases often stems from a series of events that accumulate to a point where pain/swelling occurs, often hours or even days after several over-use activities may have been performed. Thus, more investigation into the activities that preceded the onset of LBP needs to be considered. We can usually uncover several possible culprits but we can’t ever be 100% certain that we’re right about the cause(s). In some cases, people will wake up with LBP, while others don’t have it until they’ve been active.

3. Biomechanical causes: This category might be involved in the 2nd category discussed but deserves a separate discussion because of the many possibilities. First, we are 2 legged / not 4 legged animals and that by itself puts a lot of pressure on our lower backs. In fact, 2/3rds of our weight is carried from the waist up and as a result, just bending over for a pencil can, “…throw the back out.” For example, a 180# person lifts about 120# of body weight just by bending forward! Another common problem is one leg being shorter than the other. It has been reported that 87% of us have unequal leg lengths and when the shift measures 7-9mm (about ¼ inch), the probability of back, hip, or sciatica pain is 2x greater. When the difference is 16mm, there is an 8x greater chance of having back trouble. The “fix” in this case can be quite simple as using heel lifts in the short leg shoe. Flat feet and ankle pronation can also create an unstable pelvis and can contribute to LBP so foot orthotics can also be very helpful in the management of LBP. Obesity (body mass index >30) has been identified as a risk factor for a lot of conditions including LBP and a weight management program can be highly effective.

4. Dangerous loading activities: It has long been known that jobs where 50-100# is lifted or carried, especially if frequently handled, have an increase in occurrence of LBP. Using proper lifting methods is very important in jobs like this!

Weekly Health Update

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 17:36:00 +0000

Courtesy of:
Advanced Wellness
www.newjerseypainmanagement.net
www.advanced-wellness.net
(732) 719-8148

Mental Attitude: Social Class And Depression Treatment. Current treatments for depression don't help working-class and poor patients as much as they help middle-class patients improve their ability to function at work. Depression has a profound impact on an individual's productivity. That's particularly true for those in lower social classes and with low levels of education.
Psychiatric Services, Nov 2010

Health Alert: Kicking It All! The American Cancer Society's annual Great American Smokeout took place on November 18. Cigarette sales have declined for decades, but smokeless tobacco sales have grown 7% annually over the last four years. Using smokeless tobacco products is not a safe way to quit or safer than smoking. The use of these products just shifts the risk of cancer to the mouth, head, and neck. Use of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco is the leading cause of cancers of the head and neck, which can result in partial or full removal of the lip, tongue, cheek, and portions of the throat, including the voice box. Smokeless tobacco users run the same risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, and addiction as cigarette users, but an even greater risk of oral cancer.
American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, November 2010

Diet: Red Meat And Cancer Risk. A possible link between red meat and esophageal cancer; and a link between DiMelQx and cancer in the stomach close to the esophageal opening was found. DiMelQx is a compound, a type of heterocyclic amine (HCA) found in red meat after it is cooked at high temperature. Those who eat red and processed meats have a 79% higher risk of developing esophageal cancer.
American Journal of Gastroenterology, October 2010

Exercise: Flat Abs? Here are a few exercises and tips to help flatten your abs. Improve Your Posture. Slouch and your stomach pooches. For better posture while standing, align your ears over your shoulders, shoulders over hips, hips over knees, and knees over ankles. Keep the fronts of the shoulders open like a shirt on a hanger, instead of a shirt on a peg and draw your navel to your spine. Try the Canoe Twist. Sit upright, interlace your fingers over your stomach to create a solid grip. Exhale, and sweep the interlocked hands, arms, shoulders, and chest to the left, as if "rowing a canoe." Inhale and return to the starting position. Exhale and perform the movement to the right. Alternate for 20 repetitions.
WebMD Feature: Tips for Flat Abs

Chiropractic: Happy Backs! This is a satisfaction survey of chiropractic care within a military hospital, from a Canadian Armed Forces Pilot Project. Chronic low back pain accounted for most presentations to the chiropractic clinic. The majority of military personnel (94.2%) and referring physicians (80.0%) expressed satisfaction with chiropractic services.
Military Medicine, June 2006

Wellness/Prevention: Tea And Your Heart. Drinking three cups of tea per day was associated with a decrease of 11% in the incidence of myocardial infarction, or heart attack.
American Journal of Epidemiology, 2001

"I can accept failure, but I can't accept not trying."

~ Michael Jordan

Health Update: Fibromyalgia

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 15:18:00 +0000

Fibromyalgia: How Do I know I Have It?

“I wake up every morning with this stiff, sore lower back pain. When I roll over to get out of bed, I feel like a log and almost have to fall out of bed. When I finally get to my feet, I’m all bent over and can’t stand upright for what seems like forever! It takes a couple of hours before it gradually loosens up enough so I don’t have to shuffle with each step. I was told by a friend that I might have something called fibromyalgia and should ask my chiropractor. What do you think?”

To answer this inquiry, let’s first define fibromyalgia (FM) so that we can compare the two properly. FM is a condition that is diagnosed basically by eliminating all other possible causes, including inflammatory joint conditions, by running various blood tests such as an arthritic profile. This usually includes tests for rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, and infection. A Lymes disease test is often included as that condition can often manifest as a chronic back condition from any cause. There are essentially no blood tests, x-ray or other imaging tests, or neurological tests that can specifically diagnose FM. It is when all these tests come back negative, that the diagnosis of FM is then entertained. The history is probably the most important aspect of the clinical encounter that helps in the diagnosis of FM. Most of these patients will report that the onset is gradual, often present for years. There is usually no specific cause though there are specific conditions (such as irritable bowel syndrome, trauma, rheumatoid arthritis and others) that can result in “secondary fibromyalgia” where the cause is well known. The big differentiating historical feature is the presence of widespread, whole body pain – NOT just low back pain, as reported in the first paragraph above. In FM, there is often pain in the legs, arms, torso, back, neck and these people basically, “…hurt all over.” Typically there is no radiating pain down the leg or arm that follows a specific nerve pathway and no exam findings of neurological deficits. Another unique feature of FM includes sleep dysfunction. In many cases, sleep interruptions occur 2, 3 or more times a night, often with difficulty in returning back to sleep. The quality of pain is often described as numbness, tingling, burning, achy, deep, boring, and most importantly generalized in location (all over the body). The intensity is usually reported as high (>6/10 pain scale scores). The past history usually includes multiple visits to many different types of doctors and many attempts at different medications is common – most of which do not help significantly.

Even with these unique historical features that are consistent with the diagnosis of FM, it is still necessary to “rule out” other conditions by running tests as previously described. This is especially important when FM is secondary to other conditions as FM can get “lost” in the shuffle, overshadowed by the other condition.

Treatment for FM includes many of the same methods for treating other musculoskeletal conditions. Spinal manipulation, soft tissue release techniques (massage therapy, trigger point therapy, myofascial release), and various forms of physical therapy (low level laser therapy – LLLT, ultrasound, interferential electrical current – IFC, and pulsed magnetic therapy can also improve function, reduce pain, and reduce the need for medications. Cognitive therapy, addressing psychosocial issues, can also be very effective. One of the most important treatment approaches is exercise. This has been consistently described as being an important form of care for the FM patient. In addition, dietary management using an anti-inflammatory diet (gluten free diet) and supplementation (a multiple vitamin, calcium/magnesium, omega 3 fatty acids, Vit. D, and CoQ10) can also be very effective.

We recognize the importance of including chiropractic in your treatment and realize you have a choice of providers. If you, a friend or family member requires care for FM, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services and look forward in serving you and your family presently and, in the future.

Health Update: Low Back Pain

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 18:10:00 +0000

Low Back Pain
and Bone Density

So, what does bone density have to do with low back pain? The relationship between bone density and back pain is quite intimate. In fact, when the degree of bone density declines to the point of fracture, back pain becomes very real. The classic condition and cause of spinal pain associated with the loss of bone density is compression fracture.

Compression fractures occur when the strength of the bone decreases to a point where minor trauma and sometimes, no trauma whatsoever can result in fracture. Compression fractures affect the vertebral body (front of the spine) most often in the upper lumbar or lower thoracic spine but the pain associated with these types of fractures frequently radiates into the low back and pelvic region. In the elderly osteoporotic spine, these types of fractures usually do not result in spinal cord injury or nerve damage but this is quite the opposite when compression fractures occur in younger, normal bone density individuals. This is because when the bone is dense (or normal), the vertebral body basically explodes or bursts shifting some of the bony fragments back into the spinal canal where the spinal cord is located. When bone density decreases, there is no bursting of fragments – only collapse, resulting in pain but no neurological damage. Besides pain, another problem with compression fractures is that the once upright or vertical spine is now bent and angles forward shifting the patient’s weight to the front. This shift places yet more pressure on both the fractured vertebra and the surrounding vertebra which increases the risk of fracture to the surrounding adjacent vertebra. Therefore, multiple compression fractures are not uncommon when brittle bones occur from osteoporosis.

So who is more at risk for osteoporosis? The usual predictors include age, (older than 65), gender (female), race (Asian or Caucasian), low body weight, and previous fracture. Others include smoking, previous use of corticosteroids, a family history of fracture, excessive alcohol use, and rheumatoid arthritis. Additionally, vitamin D deficiency, thyroid or parathyroid increased function, and celiac disease (gluten intolerance) as well as poor balance (repeated falls), muscle weakness and a DEXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) T-score of -1.1 to -2.4 (osteopenia) or -2.5 or greater (osteoporosis) are also important predictors of brittle bone disease or osteoporosis. To best determine your risk using these factors, go to FRAX (www.sheffield.ac.uk/frax) developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to determine your 10-year fracture probability (do not just use of the T-score on the DEXA scan).

Video: Bone Density Screening

From a treatment standpoint, it depends on the age of the patient, the degree of osteoporosis, and whether fracture has already occurred. In the younger, osteopenic person (that is, no fractures have occurred yet but bone density is low), non-medication approaches such as weight bearing exercise, no smoking, calcium / vitamin D supplementation, and minimize the other risk factors described above may be the proper choice. For others already with fracture, medication (bisphosphonates such as Actonel, Boniva, & Fosamax) may be appropriate. Further, injecting a cement into the bone (called kyphoplasty) may be appropriate for some.

We realize you have a choice in healthcare providers. If you, a friend or a family member requires care for low back pain, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services and look forward in serving you and your family presently and, in the future.

Health Update: Carpal Tunnel

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 16:31:00 +0000

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome:
Why Braces?

For those of you who have had Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, you probably know all about braces. These are devices worn on the wrist that stop you from bending the wrist up or down. They may be worn anytime of the day if they don’t interfere too much with one’s current activity but are especially worn at night. One might think it would be more important to wear these during day when we are active and moving our fingers and hands a lot as we go about our normal work or play activities – not at night when we’re basically just laying there doing nothing but sleeping, right? Wrong! It’s more important to wear these at night. This is because we cannot control our hand/wrist position at night as we tend to curl up in a ball when we sleep and the wrist gets cocked up or down, often to the end point of the range. So, why is this so bad? To answer that question, let’s look at the chart below on the left.

In the chart (above left), you are looking at a cross section of the wrist through the carpal tunnel. This illustrates the many structures that are inside the tunnel making it very compact or tight. Notice the small white circles in the middle of the tunnel. Those are the tendons that pass through the tunnel – there are 9 of those and they attach the muscles in our forearms (on the palm side) to our fingers so we can shake someone’s hand or carry a suitcase (grip). Just to the left of center, on top of all the tendons sits the median nerve, which is just below the “roof” of the tunnel (the transverse carpal ligament). Now, normally, the pressure inside the carpal tunnel will approximately double when we bend our wrist, putting more pressure on the nerve and pushing it into the roof (ligament), which creates the numbness and/or weakness in our grip. But in the CTS sufferer, there is already more pressure in the tunnel due to the swollen tendons so when the wrist is flexed or extended, the pressure goes up much more the twice – more like 6 times more pressure – hence, more symptoms. So, if we’re sleeping with our wrist bent either way, the pressure pushing the nerve against the roof is a lot more than normal – 6x more! Now, can you see the reason for the “night splint?” It is VERY effective in keeping the wrist straight or “in a neutral position,” which is needed to allow the nerve to NOT be pinched so it can heal.

Video: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Regarding braces, there are MANY different kinds of braces available and deciding which one to use is no easy task, not to mention the fact that they come in different sizes! When you are treated for CTS at this office, we will fit you with the proper size brace, if it’s necessary. We realize you have a choice in health care provision and we sincerely appreciate your trust in choosing our service for those needs. If you, a friend or family member require care for CTS, we would be honored to render our services.

We hope this information is useful to you or someone you care about. For more information, visit us at www.newjerseypainmanagement.net or call us directly 732.719.8148 for a free consultation.

Health Update: Whiplash

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 19:09:00 +0000

Interesting Facts
About Whiplash

We all know the most common causes of “whiplash” are injuries that typically arise from automobile accidents or, motor vehicle collisions (MVC’s) although whiplash can also occur from slip and fall and virtually, any injury where your head is whipped backwards. But there are many things about whiplash you may not be aware of, which is the reason for this month’s Heath Update on whiplash.

For example, did you know the effect whiplash has on public health (in general) is tremendous? The number of cases occurring annually is frequently quoted as 1,000,000 per year, but this is based on an outdated (1971) and incomplete dataset. A more recent figure of 3 million per year is considered to be more accurate because it’s based on several governmental databases and it accounts for the expected number of unreported cases by the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). That’s a huge difference! The updated figure accounts for whiplash victims not attended to by emergency medical services. In less catastrophic accidents, the injured party may not appear to be significantly injured at the scene of the MVC and decline emergency care and hence, the MVC will to unreported to a governmental data collection center.

Video: Whiplash Health Update

Another interesting study surveyed over 3500 chiropractors who were asked if they commonly applied cervical (neck) spinal manipulation to patients who had known herniated discs or protruded discs (in their neck). Over 90% of the chiropractors indicated they found it safe and effective to utilize cervical adjustments (manipulation) in this patient population. It is VERY important for you to know this as frequently, you may be told by your medical doctor (or next door neighbor), “…don’t let anyone crack your neck!” Now, you can rest assured that in the experience of MANY chiropractors (not just me), significant benefits can be achieved by this treatment approach. Moreover, the sooner neck adjustments are applied, the better the results - so don’t wait to get a chiropractic treatment after an MVC!

Another interesting study investigated the “proper” or “best” seated position in a car during a rear-end collision, based on an analysis of many previously published studies on this topic. Because the seated position of the person involved in a MVC is related to the degree of the injury, the factors studied included the angle of the seat back, seat-bottom angle, the density of the foam in the seatback, the height above the floor [of the knees], and the presence of armrests in cars. They found that the seat back angle of 110-130 degrees reduced disc pressure and low back muscle activity but 110 degrees – MAX. – was found to minimize the forward positioning of the head. A 5 degree downwards tilt of the seat bottom further reduced the pressure in the low back discs and muscle activity as measured by an EMG Test (electromyography). The use of armrests and the use of a lumbar support were also found to be important to reduce injuries associated with MVCs. This combination was reported to be optimum for all of us to use in order to minimize the bodily injury in a rear-end MVC. Other important factors included firm dense foam in the seat back, an adjustable seat bottom (for angle, height, and front to back distance), horizontal and vertical lumbar support adjustments (…best if they pulsate to reduce the static load encountered in a crash), seat shock absorbers, and seat adjustments for front to back to adjust for different patient heights.

We hope this information is helpful. We realize you have a choice in where you go for your health care needs. We truly appreciate your consideration in allowing us to help you through this potentially difficult process.

Visit us at www.newjerseypainmanagement.net or call us directly 732.719.8148 for more information and a Free consultation.

Health Update: Carpal Tunnel

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 21:47:00 +0000

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Why is it so common?

Carpal tunnel syndrome or, CTS, is a condition where a nerve (called the median nerve) is compressed in a relatively tight or restricted space (called the carpal tunnel), resulting in altered nerve function that includes numbness and weakness. In order to fully understand what CTS is, let’s devote this Health Update to better understanding the anatomy of the carpal tunnel.

Video: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

The carpal tunnel is made up from 8 bones (2 rows of 4 carpal bones that are stacked on top of each other) that are arranged in the shape of a horse shoe. The “roof” of the tunnel is a ligament (transverse carpal ligament) that stretches tightly across the two ends of the horseshoe completing the formation of a tunnel – actually, an upside down tunnel when looking at the palm side of the wrist). The contents of the tunnel include 9 tendons and their covering (sheath), blood vessels and on top of all that just under the roof is the median nerve – the culprit that creates most of the symptoms of CTS. The cause of CTS is simply anything that causes the contents inside the tunnel to swell, which then compresses the median nerve up into the roof or ligament, pinching the nerve. This can create numbness, tingling, the falling asleep sensation and weakness. It’s important to point out that the median nerve starts out from the neck, passes through the shoulder, past the elbow, through the wrist’s carpal tunnel and ends in the hand – specifically fingers 2,3, and 4. Therefore, the ENTIRE nerve must be looked at for all CTS cases as pinching can occur anywhere along its course from the neck to the hand.

It’s said that pictures say a thousand words, so let’s take a look...

Using the pictures here, familiarize yourself with the words and re-read the 2nd paragraph above, periodically looking at these pictures until you feel you understand where everything goes. Once you’ve accomplished that, you’ll be able to better appreciate CTS, how the anatomy relates to the condition, and appreciate the need to reduce the swelling inside the tunnel when symptoms occur. The treatment is simple: “PRICE” – P protect R rest I ice C compress E elevate – accomplished by bracing (especially at night), ice cup massage (5 min. until numb 5x/day), rest (light duty work), and therapy (see your chiropractor!).

To find out if you are a candidate for their customized treatment approach call 732.719.8148 or visit us at www.advanced-wellness.net or www.newjerseypainmanagement.net

Good Head Posture Will Help

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 15:05:00 +0000

What is “Good Head Posture?”

Have you ever noticed how many people have terrible posture? One of the most common faulty postures is called “forward head carriage” or “anterior based occiput.” Other terms are “hump back” or slouching. There are several reasons for this common postural fault. One is the weight of the head is, on average, approximately 10-13 pounds and if it’s positioned too far forwards, the muscles in the upper back and neck tighten up much more than normal, fatigue and become painful. Also, the muscles that attach to the skull have different degrees of strength. They also attach and pull at different angles, contributing to the common forward head carriage posture. The muscles of the chest are much stronger than those in the mid and upper back and tend to pull our shoulders forward. The following pictures offer a good view of both a faulty posture as well as a “good” posture. Notice the forward shift in the line in the pictures of poor posture and backwards shift in the good posture pictures.

As you can see, the weight of the head is back over the shoulders and the shoulder posture is appropriately positioned back in the image titled “Good Head Posture.”

Forward Head Carriage

Good Head Posture

Forward shoulders

Good Shoulders Posture

It is important to understand correcting Forward Head Carriage takes time – in fact, it takes a minimum of 3 month before this becomes an automatic new “habit.” Of course, it could take longer or, completely fail IF you are not VERY conscientious about CONSTANTLY reminding yourself to position your posture as shown above in the “Good Head Posture” image (above). An exercise based on this posture correction technique is performed by retracting your chin / head as far back as you can and holding that position for 5-10 seconds. Doing this multiple times a day, between the time you maintain a partial chin tuck (“Good Head Posture”) position will further facilitate the posture retraining process.

Dr. Cilea is president of Advanced Wellness, an integrated practice that offers chiropractic care, physical therapy, pain management, acupuncture and massage therapy. To find out if you are a candidate for their customized treatment approach call 732-719-8148 or visit www.advanced-wellness.net.

Health Update: Low Back Pain

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 13:39:00 +0000

Simple “On-The-GO” Low Back Exercise

    “Doc, I try to do my exercises but I have to hit the ground running in the morning….to get the kids ready for the school bus….I have morning meetings….I’m not a morning person….I’m pulled in 100 directions during the day….I forget about them until I’m in bed….I exercise on my job and that’s enough…."

    I’m sure we’ve all rationalized our inability to keep up with exercises, especially after our episode of low back pain (LBP) subsides. In fact, only about 4% of LBP patients continue doing their exercises after their pain subsides. That means 96% of us with chronic, recurring low back pain DO NOT exercise even though we know we should. We feel bad, even guilty for not exercising. So, what can we do to “trick” ourselves into being more compliant with our low back exercises?

    First, let’s accept the fact that most of us cannot consistently “fit in” exercise into our busy schedules. With that said, the TIMING of when to do the exercise may be more important than even doing them at the same time every day. In other words, do a few exercises when you need them the most. For example, if you’re working at a computer for more than 1 hour, and you start to feel back pain from the prolonged sitting – especially if your work station set up is less than ideal – do one or two sitting exercises right at your work station, BEFORE your back pain gets any worse. If you wait too long, the exercises may not be of much benefit. Setting a timer next to your screen that beeps every hour is a good reminder to do one or two simple exercises and only takes a minute or two. Many inexpensive digital watches can be set to beep on the hour/every hour or, you can set a “timer” to beep after 60 minutes as a “gentle” reminder. Some cell phones also have a timer feature. Here are three sit down low back exercise options (try them all and decide which one(s) feel most productive/helpful):

1.    “Crossed Knee Stretch”: Cross your legs; pull the crossed knee towards your opposite shoulder (feel the pull in your buttocks); arch your low back and at the same time, twist or rotate to the side of the crossed knee. Hold for 5-10 seconds and repeat up to 3 times. Repeat this on the opposite side.
2.    “Sit Twists”: Reach across with your right hand and grasp your left leg at mid-thigh. Twist/rotate your back to the left and pull with your arm. Hold 5-10 seconds / repeat 3 times. Repeat this on the opposite side.
3.    “Sit Floor Touches”: Bend over as if to touch the floor or tie a shoe. Hold 5-10 seconds.

    If you do the math, it would take a minute for #1 and #2, 30 seconds for #3 (total 2.5 min.). If that’s too long, hold for 5 seconds. If that’s too long, do 1 rep, not 3. You get the idea…..MAKE IT WORK! Modify the dose to fit your schedule or ability to stretch. If you do this AT THE TIME you start to feel tight or sore, you can PREVENT a LBP episode!

    Dr. Cilea is president of Advanced Wellness, an integrated practice that offers chiropractic care, physical therapy, pain management, acupuncture and massage therapy. To find out if you are a candidate for their customized treatment approach call 732.719.8148 or visit www.advanced-wellness.net.

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 03:59:00 +0000

Courtesy of:
Advanced Wellness Marlboro, New Jersey
Free Consultations: (732) 719-8148

Mental Attitude: Ways To Reduce The Risk Of Depression - Part II! 3. Yoga, meditation, prayer, psychotherapy: Studies show these practices can reduce stress, 4. Reduce alcohol consumption. People who feel stressed may drink too much; alcohol is a known mood suppressor.
Karen Bruno

Health Alert: Traffic-Related Air Pollution Affects Heart Rate Variability! Patients with pre-existing heart or lung disease who are exposed to high levels of traffic-related air pollutants have reduced heart rate variability (a risk factor for sudden cardiac death).
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, July 2010

Diet: Worst Foods In Your Freezer - Gourmet Ice Cream. Even if you stick to the modest 1/2 cup serving size suggested, eating gourmet ice cream can send your daily totals of saturated fat, total fat and calories into overload. A one-half cup serving of Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough has 260 calories, 14 grams of fat, 9 grams saturated fat, 65 milligrams cholesterol and 23 grams sugar. A more typical serving for most of us is one cup, which doubles the totals for fat, calories, cholesterol and sugar. Instead, try lower-fat, lower-sugar and lower-calorie ice cream.
Elaine Magee, MPH, RD

Exercise: Toning Shoes? Can a pair of shoes help you burn more calories, tone your bottom and curb joint pain? These shoes have an unstable, strongly curved sole. Walking in them is like exercising on a balance or wobble board in the gym. Advocates say the instability forces you to use muscles you otherwise would not use (namely those is your feet, legs, butt, and abs), possibly resulting in weight loss. The shoes can also change your posture and gait and take pressure off of achy, overused joints.
Denise Mann

Chiropractic: Ligaments! Try this: Bend your finger off to the side and then let go. Does it staymisaligned? Of course not! How come? The answer is ligaments. It simply takes time for joints to berealigned due to the special elastic properties of ligaments. This is why it can take several adjustmentsover time to correct a misaligned spine or create stability and normal range of motion.

Wellness/Prevention: An Effect Of Alcohol Consumption. Alcohol calories are empty caloriesbecause the body can't use them as energy. The liver is forced to break alcohol down into fatty acids,which then accumulate in the liver. Liver cells and brain cells actually die from excessive exposure toalcohol.
Elaine Magee, MPH, RD

Quote: “Never let the fear of striking out get in your way.” ~ Babe Ruth

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 20:36:00 +0000

Courtesy of:
Advanced Wellness
(732) 719-8148
www.advanced-wellness.net

Follow Dr. Cilea's Blog for Updated Insight on Current Health Issues

Mental Attitude: Massage, Physiological State and Chronic Headaches. Researchers have shown the psychological and physiological state of patients with tension headaches improves within 24 hours after receiving a 30-minute massage on trigger points in the neck.
Journal of Manipulative Physiological and Therapeutics, September 2009

Health Alert: Antifungal Properties Of Vitamin B3! Infections by the yeast Candida albicans represent a public health problem and a common complication in immunodeficient individuals such as AIDS patients, cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and recipients of organ transplants. C. albicans enzyme, (Hst3), is essential to the growth and survival of the yeast. Nicotinamide, a form of vitamin B3, strongly reduced C. albicans virulence.
Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, University of Montreal, July 2010

Diet: Worst Foods in Your Fridge - Hot Dogs and Sausage. "Processed meats" like hot dogs and sausage are a staple in many homes. Hot dogs and sausage tend to contain lots of sodium (520-680 milligrams per 2-ounce serving) and fat (up to 23 grams total fat and 7 grams saturated fat per serving). According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), most Americans take in more than double the recommended amount of sodium. Substitute with lower-fat and lower-sodium meats (roasted poultry, pork tenderloin, roast beef and shrimp) or grilled vegetables (portabella mushrooms, eggplant, or roasted red pepper). Or, try lower-fat options like "light" franks, turkey kielbasa, or soy-based sausage substitutes.
Elaine Magee, MPH, RD

Exercise: Reduce Heart Disease Risk! In the US, 81.1 million adults (one out of every three) have a heart or blood vessel disease. A combination of counseling, extended follow-up with a healthcare provider and self-monitoring of diet and exercise is the most effective way to help embrace lifestyle changes that can lower your risk for heart and cardiovascular diseases.
Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, July 2010

Chiropractic: The Amazing Human Body! Your body wards off sickness and heals itself 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. That is why taking good care of it is so important (especially, before you get sick). Periodic chiropractic check-ups and adjustments can keep your body healthy, fit and feeling good.

Wellness/Prevention: Symptoms Are Not An Indicator Of Health. If you are symptom free, are you perfectly healthy? Consider the healthy looking person who suddenly dies of a heart attack. Obviously they were not healthy.

Quote: "It is a terrible thing to see and have no vision." ~ Helen Keller

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 04:16:00 +0000

Courtesy of:
Advanced Wellness Marlboro, New Jersey
(732) 719-8148

Mental Attitude: Anxiety Increases Risk Of Complications For Heart Disease Patients. Patients with heart disease who also suffer from an anxiety disorder have a 74% higher risk of having a heart attack, heart failure or stroke.
Archives of General Psychiatry, July 2010.

Health Alert: Chance Of Surviving Once-Deadly Cancers Doubled Since 1970s. People diagnosed with breast, bowel and ovarian cancers, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, are twice as likely to survive at least 10 years after diagnosis than people diagnosed in the early 1970s. 77% of women diagnosed with breast cancer are likely to live for at least another 10 years compared with less than 40% in the 1970s; for bowel cancer, the figure has gone from 23% to 50%, and for ovarian cancer it has risen from 18 to 35%. 51% diagnosed today with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are likely to live at least another 10 years compared to 22% forty years ago; and the 10-year survival rate for Hodgkin's lymphoma is predicted to go up from under 50% to 80%.
Cancer Research UK

Diet: Worst Foods In Your Fridge - Soda and Other Sweet Drinks. Sweetened beverages are simply "empty calories." Soda, sweet tea and fruit drinks contribute no nutrients, but lots of calories. We don't compensate by eating less when we drink sweet drinks, so these are truly "extra" calories. Plain water is best for hydrating and should be your primary beverage. Green and black teas hydrate and contribute healthy antioxidants. Skim or 1% milk also has key nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin D, B-12, potassium and magnesium.
Elaine Magee, MPH, RD

Exercise: Physical Activity Lowers Risk of Dementia, Especially in Men. People who performed moderate to heavy levels of physical activity have about a 40% lower risk of developing any type of dementia. People who reported the lowest levels of physical activity are 45% more likely to develop any type of dementia, compared to those who reported higher levels of activity.
Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease 2010

Chiropractic: Another Analogy! Chiropractors are like orthodontis; correcting subluxations (misaligned or chronically fixed joints of the spine) is similar to straightening teeth. Since both teeth and bones are held in place by strong ligaments, they simply take time to change.

Wellness/Prevention: Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late! Do you have a plan for health? Often, people wait until they are sick or injured to take care of themselves. A balanced diet, moderate exercise, proper sleep, a positive mental attitude (decreasing stress), and chiropractic care can be part of an excellent plan to increase your chances of staying healthy and decreasing your risk of illness.

Quote: "That we are not much sicker and much madder than we are is due exclusively to that most blessed and blessing of all natural graces, sleep."
~ Aldous Huxley

Health Update: Carpal Tunnel

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 03:57:00 +0000

Exercises For Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common condition resulting in hand and sometimes neck and arm complaints. This can include numbness or tingling in the fingers, leading to dexterity problems such as difficulty buttoning clothing or picking up small objects. There are also issues with strength loss / weakness noticed such as when turning door knobs, opening jars, and even problems with turning the key to start a car. One big problem with CTS is people often wait too long before having it treated thinking it will “…go away” or disappear just like it started. CTS rarely gets better without some form of treatment and seeing a chiropractor makes perfect sense prior to considering surgical intervention.

So, the question remains, “what can I do for CTS?” There are several things a CTS sufferer can do to help manage this condition. Some risk factors such as gender and age cannot be changed but other factors can be changed including taking “mini-breaks” throughout the work day and/or work station modifications, managing weight as obesity (defined as a BMI >30 and a waist size >35” for women and >40” for men), wearing a wrist splint, as well as performing exercises to stretch the wrist area.

A study out of the University of Oklahoma reported 2 out of 3 patients with mild to moderate CTS avoided surgery by performing specific exercises. The concept of a 5-minute warm-up stretch each day before starting the workday is similar to a runner stretching before a run to prevent injury.

Step A: Extend and stretch both wrists and fingers acutely as if they

are in a standing push-up position. Hold for a count of 5.

Step B: Straighten both wrists and relax fingers.

Step C: Make a tight fist with both hands.

Step D: Then, bend both wrists down while keeping the fist. Hold for a

count of 5.

Step E: Straighten both wrists and relax fingers, for a count of 5.

Step F: Then, let your arms hang loosely at the side and shake them

for a few seconds.

This exercise should be repeated 10 times and can be repeated several times a day.

Chiropractic is a perfect choice when considering a health care provider for the treatment of CTS as these exercises can easily be taught to you at our office. In addition, many other non-surgical treatment options for CTS are available.

We realize you have a choice in who you consider for your health care provision and we sincerely appreciate your trust in choosing our service for those needs. If you, a friend or family member require care for CTS, we would be honored to render our services.

YOU MAY BE A CANDIDATE FOR CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR FIBROMYALGIA! FOR A FREE NO-OBLIGATION CONSULTATION CALL (732) 719-8148

Health Update: Fibromyalgia

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 12:21:00 +0000

Fibromyalgia Challenges

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a condition that usually affects different organ systems in the body, causing a number of symptoms. Some of these include:

The muscles (the musculoskeletal system): tender, achy, stiff, tight muscles, trigger or tender points all over the body
The nerves (the nervous system): headaches, light headedness, sleep disruption, depression, anxiety, numbness/tingling (overlaps with the cardiovascular system)
The stomach and intestines (the gastrointestinal system): diarrhea, constipation, irritable bowel, leaky gut, heart burn, lack of appetite, abdominal cramping
Breathing (the respiratory system): hyperventilation, rapid / shallow breathing patterns;
The heart (the cardiovascular system): racing heart rate – palpitations, feeling cold all the time, numbness/tingling (overlaps with the nervous system)

Because of the multiple systems involved, there are many challenges to managing Fibromyalgia. Studies suggest a balance between several approaches works best. Some of these approaches include biomedical treatments, organ-specific treatments, and cognitive interpersonal treatments. Within these categories, the following can be broken down further:

General – those treatments directed at the whole body such as anti-inflammatory measures. These include (but are not limited to) medications (corticosteroids, NSAID’s – such as Advil, Aleve) and nutrients (ginger, turmeric, boswellia, Vitamin D, and others). Other anti-inflammatory measures include diet, such as the Paleo Diet or “caveman diet.” This diet eliminates grains or flour-based products from the diet. That means no more breads, pastas, crackers, cookies – anything made with flour. This approach emphasizes consuming fruits, vegetables, grass-fed lean meats and fish. The main ingredients in grains that are of concern in the Paleo Diet are gluten and lectins
Central – those treatments directed at the chemical factors in the brain that control mood, depression, anxiety and so on. These include (but are not limited to) medications (tricyclic antidepressants, muscle relaxers like Cyclobenzaprine, SSRI, SNRI and Trmadol) and certain nutrients (neurotransmitter support such as 5-HTP – tryptophan, DHEA, phenylalanine, and others).
Psychotherapy and active behavioral therapy – treatments that are supportive of nervous system such as cognitive behavior therapy, aerobic exercise, patient education, multidisciplinary therapy, hypnotherapy, biofeedback, and strength training.
Passive physical intervention – chiropractic therapy, massage therapy and other forms of manual therapy, and acupuncture.

The goal of this article is to look at fibromyalgia from a holistic perspective so that those struggling with FM and similar conditions can better appreciate the concept of multidisciplinary treatment, of which chiropractic care plays a significant role. Coordination of care and finding the “right” health care providers cannot be over-emphasized.

We recognize the importance of including chiropractic in your treatment planning and realize you have a choice of providers. If you, a friend or family member requires care for FM, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services and look forward in serving you and your family presently and, in the future.

YOU MAY BE A CANDIDATE FOR CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR FIBROMYALGIA! FOR A FREE NO-OBLIGATION CONSULTATION CALL (732) 719-8148

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 12:29:00 +0000

Courtesy of:
Advanced Wellness in Marlboro, New Jersey
(732)984-9597

Mental Attitude: Too much stress may lead to major depression! Chronic stress leads to elevated hormones such as cortisol, the "stress hormone," and reduced serotonin and dopamine levels. At proper levels, these hormones regulate sleep, appetite, energy and sex drive, and allow expression of normal moods and emotions. When the stress response fails to shut off and bring these hormones to normal levels, it can lead to depression in susceptible people.
Karen Bruno, June 2010

Health Alert: Alarming Hours For Physicians! Resident physicians averaging five or fewer hours of sleep per night were 1.5 times more likely to commit errors. Hours for resident physicians must be limited to 16 consecutive hours and 80 hours per week, with at least one 24-hour off-duty period per 7-day period, without averaging. Everyone becomes impaired after sufficient lack of sleep. Sleep loss impairs brain function, concentration and coordination, and increases the risk of error. 24 hours without sleep slows average reaction time 100%, leading to impairment similar to alcohol intoxication.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine, June 2010

Diet: Brown Rice vs. White Rice. 70% of rice eaten in the US is white. Two or more servings of brown rice weekly lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes by 11%. Five or more servings of white rice weekly increases the risk by 17%. Replacing white rice with brown rice lowers the risk by 16% overall. Replacing white rice with whole grains (barley and wheat) reduces the risk by 36%.
Archives of Internal Medicine, June 2010

Exercise: Stretching Exercises At Your Desk For Your Upper Body. Sit up tall in your chair, or stand up. Stretch your arms overhead and interlock your fingers. Turn the palms to the ceiling as you lift your chin up, tilt your head back and gaze up at the ceiling, too. Inhale, exhale, release.

Chiropractic: Revitalize With Chiropractic. Chiropractic allows for proper blood flow throughout your body, which in turn delivers nutrients to all your cells. As cells slough off and die (think skin cells), new ones constantly replace them. This is good news as 10-50 trillion cells are replaced in your body every day.
Gray’s Anatomy

Wellness/Prevention: Good News For Tea Drinkers! Consumption of the equivalent of 2.5 cups (or more) of tea per day was associated with a 60% drop in rectal cancer risk, as compared to women who drank less than 1.2 cups of tea per day. Women who drank 1.2-2.5 cups of tea per day had a 52% reduction in the risk of rectal cancer.
Epidemiology, July 2003

Quote: “I am always doing what I can’t do, in order that I may learn how to do it.” ~ Pablo Picasso

Health Update: Chronic Whiplash

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:32:00 +0000

“The Only Proven Effective Treatment” for Chronic Whiplash?

You may have wondered, “If I get hurt in a car accident, who should I go to for treatment of my whiplash problem?” This can be quite a challenge as you have many choices available in the healthcare system ranging from drug-related approaches from anti-inflammatory over-the-counter types all the way to potentially addicting narcotic medications. On the other side of the fence, there are nutritional based products such as vitamins and herbs as well as “alternative” or “complementary” forms of treatment such as chiropractic, exercise, and meditation, with many others in between. Trying to figure out which approach or perhaps combined approaches would best serve your needs is truly challenging. To help answer this question, one study reported the superiority of chiropractic management for patients with chronic whiplash, as well as which type of chronic whiplash patients responded best to the care. The research paper begins with the comment from a leading orthopedic medical journal stating, “Conventional [meaning medical] treatment of patients with whiplash symptoms is disappointing.”

In the study, 93 patients were divided into three groups consisting of:

Group 1: Patients with a “coat-hanger” pain distribution (neck and upper shoulders) and loss of neck range of motion (ROM), but no neurological deficits;
Group 2: Patients with neurological problems (arm/hand numbness and/or weakness) plus neck pain and ROM loss); and,
Group 3: Patients who reported severe neck pain but had normal neck ROM and no neurological losses.

The average time from injury to first treatment was 12 months and an average of 19 treatments over a 4 month time frame was utilized. The patients were graded on a 4-point scale that described their symptoms before and after treatment.

Grade A patients were pain free;
Grade B patients reported their pain as a “nuisance;”
Grade C patients had partial activity limitations due to pain; and
Grade D patients were disabled.

Here are the results:

Group 1: 72% reported improvement as follows: 24% were asymptomatic, 24% improved by 2 grades, 24% by 1 grade, and 28% reported no improvement.
Group 2: 94% reported improvement as follows: 38% were asymptomatic, 43% improved by 2 grades, 13% by 1 grade, and 6% had no improvement.
Group 3: 27% reported improvement as follows: 0% were asymptomatic, 9% improved by 2 grades, 18% by 1 grade, 64% showed no improvement, and 9% got worse.

This study is very important as it illustrates how effective chiropractic care is for patients who have sustained a motor vehicle crash with a resulting whiplash injury. It’s important to note the type of patient presentation that responded best to care had neurological complaints and associated abnormal neck range of motion. This differs from other non-chiropractic studies where it is reported that patients with neurological dysfunction responded poorly when compared to a group similar to the Group A patient here (neck/shoulder pain, reduced neck ROM, and with normal neurological function). We realize you have a choice in where you go for your health care needs and we truly appreciate your consideration in allowing us to help you through this potentially difficult process.

YOU MAY BE A CANDIDATE FOR CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR WHIPLASH!
FOR A FREE NO-OBLIGATION CONSULTATION CALL 732-984-9597

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE: Dr. Joseph Cilea

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:07:00 +0000

Courtesy of:
Advanced Wellness in Marlboro, New Jersey
(732)984-9597

Mental Attitude: Alcohol and Depression. One third of people with major depression also have an alcohol problem. In many cases, depression may be the first to occur. Children who are depressed are more prone to develop alcohol problems once they reach adolescence. Teens who've had an episode of major depression are twice as likely start drinking alcohol than those who have not had an episode of major depression. Depression may be a particularly significant trigger for alcohol use in women as women are more than twice as likely to start drinking heavily if they have a history of depression.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Health Alert: Calcium And Risk Of Osteoporosis And Hypertension In Postmenopausal Women. Postmenopausal women who have a low calcium intake show a higher risk of developing both osteoporosis and hypertension than those who consume higher levels of calcium.
European League Against Rheumatism, June 2010

Diet: Mayonnaise Alternatives. A 1/4 cup serving of Mayonnaise can include up 360 calories and 40 grams of fat. Try using a lower-calorie condiment instead (mustard, BBQ sauce, salsa chili or taco sauce) or switch to a light mayonnaise (35 calories and 3.5 grams of fat per tablespoon) or pare down the portion of real mayonnaise to a couple of teaspoons (60 calories and 6.7 grams of fat). Elaine Magee, MPH, RD Exercise: Ride Your Bike! Exercise is important for older adults. It keeps you strong, burns calories, helps maintain a lower weight, improves flexibility, contributes to balance and maintains bone strength. The best exercise builds lean muscle and promotes endurance, flexibility and maintains stability. Exercise declines with age, yet cyclists show a smaller decline than those involved in gym activities. Cycling is safe, with fewer risks of more strenuous exercises.
To Your Health, July 2009

Chiropractic: Circulate Your Blood! Your body has 60,000 miles of blood vessels! Adjustments help maintain your flexibility and joint mobility, which in turn allows for better blood flow. Blood flow is important as it delivers vital nutrients (oxygen, water and food) to all of your cells.

Wellness/Prevention: Tea's Role In Oral Health. Flavonoids in tea may inhibit the plaque-forming ability of oral bacteria and the fluoride in tea may support healthy tooth enamel. In a study, hamsters were fed water with Black Tea extract developed up to 63.7% fewer dental caries (also known as tooth decay or cavity) than hamsters fed just water.
Journal of Indian Society of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, 2000
International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 2003

Quote: “Holding on to anger is like holding on to a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” ~ Buddha

Health Update: Headaches

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 19:01:00 +0000

Headaches: Causes and Treatment

Few conditions leave their victims as miserable and agitated as headaches. There are many causes of headaches including stress, odors, bright lights, noise, fatigue, certain foods, hormonal shifts, allergies, as well as genetic predisposition. With all the possible causes of headaches, it’s not surprising many people seek help from many different approaches such as conventional medical therapies like pharmaceuticals and injections. Others prefer a non-drug treatment approach such as chiropractic, massage therapy, acupuncture, and nutritional counseling.

Usually, there is not one specific cause of headaches so treatment can focus on various areas. For example, muscles that attach to the base of the skull in the neck and upper back are often very short and tight, resulting in pressure or a squeezing effect on the surrounding nerves and blood vessels -- resulting in headaches. Chiropractic treatment includes methods aimed at reducing the tightness found in the joints and muscles. One of these approaches is called spinal manipulation or “adjustments” where the joints in the neck are moved to restore motion and reduce joint fixations. By relaxing the muscles and tension between the joints, the nerves in the neck are less pressured which, in turn, can reduce headaches. The top three nerves that exit the upper neck travel into the head and are often the culprit behind the onset of headaches. The second nerve from the top is the one responsible for causing radiating pain over the top of the skull which communicates with other nerves sometimes causing the pain behind the eye.

Another chiropractic approach in the management of headaches includes soft tissue therapy where trigger points found in tight muscles are addressed through various forms of massage and mobilization methods. Manual traction of the head and neck can also be highly effective in reducing the tension found in headache sufferers. Exercises are often taught to the headache patient with significant benefits reported. Some of these, such as range of motion exercises with and without resistance (example: pushing your head into your hand during neck movements) and posture re-training (chin tucks – reducing the forward head position), help address the limited motion problems of the neck. Cervical (neck) traction performed by placing a rolled up towel placed behind the neck while lying on the back so that the head can hang off the side of the bed can also be very helpful. Another neck traction approach is the use of a unit that hangs off a door where water is placed in a plastic bag calibrated for weight for 15 minutes at a maximum tolerated weight. This can be of great benefit as it can be performed at home at your convenience multiple times a day or, as needed.

Other treatment approaches that chiropractic utilizes include stress management (such as biofeedback, relaxation instructions, meditation, visualization and others), diet modifications (as certain foods can trigger headaches), nutritional supplementation (such as fish oil, Vit. D, feverfew and others), and sleep restoration.

If you, a family member or a friend require care, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our service. We are proud that chiropractic care has consistently scored the highest level of satisfaction when compared to other forms of health care provision and we look forward in serving you and your family presently and in the future.

YOU MAY BE A CANDIDATE FOR CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR HEADACHES!
FOR A FREE NO-OBLIGATION CONSULTATION CALL (732)984-9597

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE: Dr. Joseph Cilea

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Joseph J. Cilea) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:40:00 +0000

Courtesy of:
Advanced Wellness in Marlboro, New Jersey
(732)984-9597

Mental Attitude: Multivitamins Can Add Sparkle. Non-elderly adults who took multivitamins and minerals had significantly improved mental health, reduced subjective stress and increased 'vigor', with a strong trend towards an overall improvement in mood. According to David Kennedy, PhD of Northumbria University, "There is a wealth of evidence that suggests a relationship between micro-nutrients and psychological functioning. Vitamin C, for example, is the brain's most prevalent antioxidant and is found at its greatest concentrations in neuron-rich areas."
Northumbria University, May 2010

Health Alert: Got Health Insurance? Many non-elderly adults in the US lack health insurance. 20% of men ages 18-64 (21.2 million) are uninsured, compared with 17.2 million women in the same age group. Those most likely to lack health insurance are younger, unmarried men. Men are less likely to have health insurance than women at every age range. Married men lack health insurance in greater numbers than married women before the age of 65, with 18.4% of married men from the age of 26-34 lacking insurance.
Center for Economic and Policy Research, Institute for Women's Policy Research, June 2010

Diet: Cheese Found To Improve The Immune Response Of The Elderly. Cheese can help preserve and enhance the immune system of the elderly persons by acting as a carrier of probiotic bacteria. Daily intake of probiotic cheese can slow the age-related deterioration of the immune system known as immunosenescene. This deterioration means the body is unable to kill tumor cells and reduces the immune response to infections. Infectious diseases, chronic inflammation disorders and cancer are hallmarks of immunosenescene.
FEMS Immunology & Medical Microbiology, May 2010

Exercise: Stretching Exercises At Your Desk For The Shoulders And Upper Back. Extend one arm out straight in front of you. Grab the elbow of the outstretched arm and pull it across your chest, stretching your shoulder and upper back muscles. Hold. Release. Stretch out the other arm in front of you -- repeat.

Chiropractic: How Important Is An Adjustment? “90% of the stimulation and nutrition to the brain is generated by the movement of the spine”
~ Dr. Roger Sperry (Nobel Prize, Brain Research, 1981)

Wellness/Prevention: The Fear Of Falling. One in four people over age 70 suffer from gait disturbance. Gait disturbance is defined as unsteadiness during walking that is worse than the normal slowing of old age. Fear is often a precipitating or aggravating factor. A vicious cycle often arises in which fear of falling leads to avoidance of movement. This can result in reduced fitness, lower confidence in one's own balance, increased fear, and increased danger of a fall. Depression and a markedly impaired quality of life can result.
Deutsches Aerzteblatt International, May 2010

Quote: "No Illness which can be treated by diet should be treated by any other means."
~ Moses Maimonides (1135-1204)

Advanced Wellness on Blogspot

Neck and Back Pain Sufferers' Solution

A Revolutionary Scientific Breakthrough Creates a New Choice for Neck & Back Pain Sufferers

Non-Surgical Decompression Therapy Can Help Relieve Chronic Back Pain, Due To Sciatica or Bulging Discs, Without Surgery or Addictive Drugs

Video: Advanced Wellness Marlboro, New Jersey

Health Update: NEUROPATHY

LEARN MORE ABOUT PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY

Health Update : Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia : Dietary Guide

Video: Fibromyalgia Nutrition

Health Update: Whiplash Injury Guide

The Severe “Whiplash Injury Guide” INCLUDING… The Four Dangerous Whiplash Myths

Video: Whiplash Injury

The Four Dangerous Whiplash Myths:

Health & Fitness Tips

The 4 Minute Workout

Health Update: Carpal Tunnel

Musicians and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Health Update: Low Back Pain

What Causes Low Back Pain?

Weekly Health Update

Health Update: Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia: How Do I know I Have It?

Health Update: Low Back Pain

Low Back Pain and Bone Density

Video: Bone Density Screening

Health Update: Carpal Tunnel

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Why Braces?

Video: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Health Update: Whiplash

Interesting Facts About Whiplash

Health Update: Carpal Tunnel

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Why is it so common?

Video: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Good Head Posture Will Help

Health Update: Low Back Pain

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE

Follow Dr. Cilea's Blog for Updated Insight on Current Health Issues

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE

Health Update: Carpal Tunnel

Health Update: Fibromyalgia

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE

Health Update: Chronic Whiplash

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE: Dr. Joseph Cilea

Health Update: Headaches

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE: Dr. Joseph Cilea

LEARN MORE ABOUT
PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY

Fibromyalgia :
Dietary Guide

The Severe
“Whiplash Injury Guide”
INCLUDING… The Four
Dangerous Whiplash Myths

Musicians and
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Low Back Pain
and Bone Density

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome:
Why Braces?

Interesting Facts
About Whiplash

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Why is it so common?