Your Health Records on Google?

Ever wonder what happens to your medical records?  That’s alright.  Most people never give it a thought.  They don’t know about the Medical Information Bureau, an information clearinghouse similar to credit reporting agencies.  Information in your insurance dosier can be used to qualify (or disqualify) you for insurance coverage or employment at some time in the future.  With the Federal Trade Commission reporting that credit bureau information is wrong 40% of the time, how could that affect you in a critical job search or insurance application?

Now we  see that Google is considering storing health records in its massive database.   While I’m a Google fan, this is distressing information to anyone serious about privacy rights.  You know, it’s amazing what you can find on Google.  But what’s even more amazing is just how much information Google has available on each of us.  Imagine the marketing power that gives a company like Google.

One of the reasons that I’ve converted to a cash practice is that I’m concerned about your privacy.  My relationship to the people who come to me is a matter of confidentiality between them and me.  It should not be available for developing a database that can be used for hyper-focused marketers.

If I could encourage you to do one thing it would be to check out www.privacyrights.org and be aware of what’s happening with your personal credit and health data.

Here’s the link to the story “Google to store patient’s health records”.

If you’re interested in a chiropractor who protects your privacy, check out my web site.

FDA – Anti-epileptic drugs double risk of suicide

FDA informed healthcare professionals that the Agency has analyzed reports of suicidality (suicidal behavior or ideation) from placebo-controlled clinical studies of eleven drugs used to treat epilepsy as well as psychiatric disorders, and other conditions. In the FDA’s analysis, patients receiving antiepileptic drugs had approximately twice the risk of suicidal behavior or ideation (0.43%) compared to patients receiving placebo (0.22%). The increased risk of suicidal behavior and suicidal ideation was observed as early as one week after starting the antiepileptic drug and continued through 24 weeks. The results were generally consistent among the eleven drugs. The relative risk for suicidality was higher in patients with epilepsy compared to patients who were given one of the drugs in the class for psychiatric or other conditions.

Healthcare professionals should closely monitor all patients currently taking or starting any antiepileptic drug for notable changes in behavior that could indicate the emergence or worsening of suicidal thoughts or behavior or depression.

The drugs included in the analyses include (some of these drugs are also available in generic form):

Carbamazepine (marketed as Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretol, Tegretol XR)
Felbamate (marketed as Felbatol)
Gabapentin (marketed as Neurontin)
Lamotrigine (marketed as Lamictal)
Levetiracetam (marketed as Keppra)
Oxcarbazepine (marketed as Trileptal)
Pregabalin (marketed as Lyrica)
Tiagabine (marketed as Gabitril)
Topiramate (marketed as Topamax)
Valproate (marketed as Depakote, Depakote ER, Depakene, Depacon)
Zonisamide (marketed as Zonegran)

Although the 11 drugs listed above were the ones included in the analysis, FDA expects that the increased risk of suicidality is shared by all antiepileptic drugs and anticipates that the class labeling changes will be applied broadly.

NOTE:  I’m posting this because of its relevance to my practice.  See “Rockie’sStory: Why I am a chiropractor”.

Funny thing about chiropractors

I’ve been a chiropractor for eight years, now, and involved in the chiropractic business for another ten.  Over those years, I’ve been both amused and frustrated at the schizophrenic nature of my profession.

You see, there are essentially two distinctly different types of chiropractors.  We’ll call them mechanists and vitalists.

Mechanists generally consider themselves a drug-free, non-surgical alternative to the practice of medicine.  These folks generally focus on back pain, headaches and other neuromuscular conditions.  They also tend to rely heavily on third party payment like health insurance, workers’ compensation and personal injury settlements
The other end of the chiropractic spectrum are the vitalists who work from the premise that you were designed to be healthy and their job is to remove a significant source of interference in how your body works.  The folks typically accept almost anyone seeking care regardless of their physical condition.  While many of these doctors do accept insurance, they usually offer longer term wellness plans that reflect that emphasis in their approach.

My frustration (and amusement) with these factions is that both end up doing to some extent what the other intends to do yet has nothing but contempt for each other.  The mechanist (unintentionally) improves whole body function as he/she treats a specific condition while the vitalist improves neuromuscular conditions as he/she helps improve whole body function.

I’m a vitalistic chiropractor.  I fully embrace the fact that you were designed to be healthy and that by removing a source of stress on your nervous system.  Yet, I am delighted when someone comes to me with a a NMS condition.   It simply means that I’ve been able to help someone live life a little more fully.  Yet, I appreciate (somewhat) my mechanistic counterparts.  They, too, help many people deal with specific problems.  But, I just wish they would be open to wholeness of chiropractic for themselves and their clients.

Partisan Politics

I’ve watched with interest during this Presidential primary campaign at all the partisan bickering. During the last 12 years, at least, that’s all we’ve seen. Actually, I think it really started during the Clarence Thomas hearings. Many people see to think it’s time for partisan politics to come to an end. I disagree.

Personally, I think partisanship is a GOOD thing. When the people’s interest is promoted in a partisan way, usually principle wins out. When compromise rules the day, only the politicians and/or bureaucrats win. I’ve always believed that NO solution is better than a compromised Government solution.

We all talk about. Funny, all things were designed to adapt to change, even the human body and the entire ecosystem. It’s only when systems can NOT adapt that they get sick and die. The same applies to every aspect of life, including families, churches and political parties. BUT, change for the sake of change is not healthy.

Republicans worship Reagan for what he accomplished. But, it wasn’t necessarily Ronald Reagan that made those things happen. It was the principles of freedom and smaller Government that made them work. Reagan, The Great Communicator, simply stood fast on those principles and the rest is history. The same can be said for Newt Gingrich’s Contract With America in ‘94. Somehow, we’ve confused personality with principle.

I encourage voters to find the ONE person that most supports those principles that are dearest to them, NOT just the person they think can win in November. When the American voter finally (and inevitably) decides to vote for principle over personality, there will be a return of power to the people like WE have NEVER witnessed. That’s when the lines will be so clear that party affiliation will not matter.

Stay engaged. Make them work for your vote. When you step up to that ballot box ONLY you (and the computer hacker) will know for whom you voted. Make it count and let the chips fall where they may.

Performance Enhancing Drugs

Over the last several weeks, we’ve been treated to the so-called Mitchell report identifying several Major League stars that had used performance enhancing drugs. The report was received with a collective yawn by most Americans. Many were shocked by the seeming apathy at what many consider “cheating” by using steroids or human growth hormone.

But how could we be surprised by the public’s “so what” reaction to the allegations. For years, owners simply turned their back while MLB was enjoying growing fan interest with the home run race between Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa. Better hitters and faster pitchers are good for the game, right? And, what would the player’s union say? After all, more fans and more revenue for MLB mean bigger salaries and prolonged careers for its members. As a fan of Aaron, Mays, Rose, Koufax, Clemente and so many other greats of the past, I’m disgusted and have decided to all but ignore professional sports altogether.

In a society where children from the age of two are given the equivalent of cocaine (Ritalin, Adderol, etc.) supposedly to help them do better in school by suppressing “symptoms” of ADD/ADHD. As adults, we take pills for potency (Viagra, Cialis, etc) or pills to sleep or for depression and anxiety. In fact, our society seems to be based on the premise of “better living through chemistry”. “Whatever it takes” is the mantra of today’s American athlete. Heck, maybe that’s one of the problems facing our entire culture. We’re so bent on winning that we’ve cast aside corny virtues like integrity, hard work and sportsmanship.

There was a time when Americans ridiculed Eastern Bloc countries for using steroids to boost their performance in the Olympics. But then again, that was before the USA decided to use professional basketball, baseball and hockey players to ensure winning Olympic medals. I wonder how many Americans relish the specter of American amateur athletes winning the gold medal in hockey or basketball, any more. I hardly even watch the Olympics these days.

But, unless we’re willing to clean up the rest of society, why the double standard for MLB players? Professional sports in some ways merely reflect social mores. Maybe we’ll eventually get the idea that how we play the game and how we live our own lives are more important than the instant gratification of hollow victory. Real victory is an expression of who you are deep inside and reflects the training, dedication and endurance of one who really loves who they are and what they do. Honor, principle and the game itself are far more important any statistic or season.

Posted by Tim Langley at 11:28 AM 0 comments

Labels: ADD/ADHD, Adderol, Alternative health care, athletes, Cialis, drugs, Mitchell Report, MLB, Ritalin, sports, Steroids, Viagra

Can chiropractic cure…?

One of the questions I always get about what I do is “Can chiropractic help my problem?”  One of the objections I’ve heard for years, even before my real introduction to chiropractic is “Chiropractors believe chiropractic can cure anything from the common cold to cancer”.

Well, I’ve been a chiropractor for eight years now.  And, I’ve been around it for 19 years.  And, I’ve learned two things.  Sure.  Chiropractic can help.  And, no chiropractic can’t cure you.  Now let me explain.

Chiropractic is not magic.  It’s not voodoo.  And, it’s not Medicine.  It’s unique in a wonderful way.  Chiropractic is based on the premise that the body  is organized to always seek its own highest good.

Your nervous system controls and coordinates all your body’s functions to make sure that happens.  Stress on the nervous system can affect how well your body functions.

All the chiropractor really does is remove (or reduce) one source of stress on your nervous system.  When that happens, your body functions better.  When your body functions better, health improves and, usually, symptoms go away.

Yesterday, a business associate told me that he didn’t believe that chiropractic could help his problem with seizures.  I thought that was a little ironic since the reason I am a chiropractor today is a little girl (Rockie) who suffered from seizures until she began to see a chiropractor.

But, can chiropractic cure seizures, cancer or even the common cold?  Of course not!  The first chiropractic adjustment cured a man of his acquired deafness, yet not every deaf person who’s gotten adjusted has had their hearing restored.  Having said that though, let me say that I would NEVER refuse to adjust someone because they had cancer, seizures or a common cold.

In my practice, I accept ALL cases regardless of their condition because I know that the human body is capable of far more than I (or science) can even imagine AND that if I can remove a source of interference in how their body functions there is no telling what might happen.

I learned long ago that miracles DO happen only when we step out of the way and allow them to.  Really, the real miracle is that we ever allow the body to function as it was originally designed.

So, back to original question.  Can chiropractic help my problem?  Yes, of course.

Shingles and Chiropractic

So, can chiropractic cure shingles?  Of course not.  But, neither can Medicine.  There is no cure for shingles, a condition that causes extreme pain to those afflicted.

Shingles is a condition where the Chicken Pox (herpes zoster) virus settles into a person’s nerve root and causes no problems until activated, usually by stress.  Once activated, the entire nerve is affected causing extreme discomfort and pain.  Unfortunately, there’s little that can be done to alleviate the problem other than try to lessen the symptoms.

However, many sufferers of shingles have found that finding ways of reducing and dealing with stress keeps the virus from becoming active.  One of those ways is getting adjusted by their chiropractor on a regular basis.  Chiropractic adjustments help balance stress on the nervous system.  Reducing that stress helps prevent shingles outbreaks and helps your body recover quicker when there is an outbreak.

If you suffer from shingles, I encourage you to find a wellness chiropractor whose focus is on the upper cervical spine.

MRSA Panic – How and WHY NOT to

We’ve been deluged lately with news stories on MRSA or methicillin resistant staph infection. It seems that what we in the alternative healing community have been saying all these years about the overuse and abuse of antibiotics has come true. Sadly, we’re actually BREEDING bacterial superbugs in the very place where most people think is the safest healing environment possible, the hospital.

MRSA is expected to kill more Americans every year than AIDS. And while it’s being reported that the infection can be acquired through sports activities and other physical contact, the vast majority of cases are found in hospitals and nursing homes. The ONE thing that hospitals and nursing homes have in common is that almost everyone there is already sick and their immune systems weakened. In other words they’re not able to resist even minor infections, much less one that actually feeds on the strongest antibiotics available.

So, how does one protect themselves from the superbug MRSA? First and foremost, the best thing you can do is practice good hygiene. Simply washing your hands goes a long way. One news report I heard over the weekend gave this advice to HOSPITAL staff. Good grief! If you’re kid is plays a contact sport, make sure they shower well after practice and games. Don’t share towels, toothbrushes or razors. Sounds obvious. But one reported outbreak was among a football team that shared a razor to shave their legs before wrapping their ankles.

Another way to avoid MRSA (also called a nosocomial, or hospital-acquired, infection) is to avoid the hospital, if at all possible. I know it’s not always possible. But when hospitals are warned to have their staff wash their hands and take off their white coats, you KNOW something is REALLY wrong. If you can’t avoid the hospital, at least make sure you remind your caretakers to practice good hygiene.

Probably the best thing you can do to protect yourself is to build your immune system as much as possible. How? Do those things that make you as healthy as possible: exercise, eat right, drink lots of water, get plenty restful sleep, reduce stress by developing and maintaining a positive mental attitude and keep stress on your nerve system to a minimum. While you can take care of the first four, only a chiropractor is trained to locate and reduce sources of stress created by spinal misalignment.

MRSA was created by overuse and abuse of antibiotics. Less reliance on drugs and greater reliance on your body’s ability to fight infection and disease is a great first step in protecting you from hospital-acquired infections.

Chiropractor Offers Advice to MDs

Here’s some heartfelt advice for my medical counterparts.  Get to know some family or wellness oriented chiropractors in your area.  Try to understand what it is we do, how we do it and why.  Know that there is absolutely no conflict if your patient sees a chiropractor.  And know that we can help.

A recent study published in a major medical journal revealed that of those Americans that use “alternative and complementary” health care services (mostly chiropractors) less than half tell their medical doctors that they are doing so.  Think about that.  Most people I see as a chiropractor have already tried almost everything medicine has to offer and decide to try chiropractic as a last resort.  Most of those end up getting better.  That’s where things between medical practitioners and chiropractors seem to go wrong.

Chiropractic and medicine are mutually exclusive, separate and distinct.  One of the things I often encounter is someone telling me that their medical doctor told them that chiropractic is either unproven, unscientific, a cult or even worse, dangerous.  Or “It causes strokes,” “It’s not good for babies,” or “it can’t help your problem.”  When someone asks what you know about chiropractic, at least say you don’t know if you don’t.  Your credibility with them will instantly improve.  And, when I ask those patients what they think about what the MD had said, they say something like “I know it’s a competitive thing.  Doctors don’t want to lose the business.”  That’s sad because the patient usually ends up ignoring their doctor and doing what they feel is in their best interest anyway.

Most MDs I’ve met have little knowledge of chiropractic other than prejudices passed on by other medical doctors based on pure ignorance.  In a world of instant access to information, consumers are more knowledgeable and aware than ever before.  They know when they’re being given bad information.  And unfounded, prejudicial comments only detract from medicine’s already diminished stature.  MDs that seem to have the biggest problem with chiropractic are orthopedists, neurologists, pediatricians and obstetricians.  Oddly, these are the very specialties that would benefit most from a healthy relationship with chiropractors.

So, here’s my advice.  Find a chiropractor, or two, to whom you can refer.  Imagine the long-term benefits to your practice if you can help your patients live a healthier life without scaring them from doing what they feel they should or forcing them to hide information from you.  You would have a better relationship with your patients, possible referrals from chiropractors when their clients have a real medical need, and reduced risk for both your patients and yourself.

I admit that, as a chiropractor, I want to help as many people as I can be healthy without drugs and avoid surgery.  Isn’t that what every doctor should want for the people that rely on them for help and guidance?  Having said that, though, let me make it perfectly clear that I do not prescribe drugs, nor do I take people off drugs.

I have compassion for medical doctors.  Commonly prescribed drugs are routinely taken off the market because of serious (and potentially lethal) side effects.  Consumer advocates routinely tout studies that show the practice of medicine is a leading cause of death along with cancer, heart disease and stroke.  Malpractice insurance rates make it virtually impossible to practice some specialties or at all in some areas of the country.  And, the possibility of being sued for an adverse patient outcome looms over every recommendation.

I encourage medical doctors to share the astonishing benefits of chiropractic with their patients.  If the comfort and care of their patients is not their first or only concern, doctors should re-evaluate their priorities immediately.

Corporate Wellness: Bottom Line Strategies for Effective Healthcare Reform

It is clear to virtually every American (especially those of us in business) that healthcare costs are skyrocketing out of control. No one doubts that either the market will solve the problem OR the government will impose one on us. Managed care has failed from either a cost containment or quality of care perspective. Companies have reached the point where the cost of providing health insurance is almost as burdensome as government regulation. It’s time for some new thinking on healthcare and its impact on business and vice versa. “Corporate wellness” as an operational perspective instead of merely window dressing is one way to deal effectively with rising healthcare costs.

The Insurance Problem

The first step in correcting the problem is to realize that an employee’s health is their own responsibility. Expecting employers to provide unlimited health insurance coverage is simply unrealistic and unreasonable. It’s time for employers (on a broad scale) to reconsider their role in providing health insurance coverage. Instead of providing complete coverage for all employees through group plans, companies should begin to shift the burden of health coverage to those covered.

Here’s the approach. Provide catastrophic health insurance as a group benefit to all employees with a large enough deductible (say $5000 per employee) to make the cost affordable for the company. Then, allow employees to buy their own health insurance policies (based on their own needs) and pay for them through payroll deduction with pre-tax earnings. There are numerous insurance companies that sell individual plans on this basis. Everybody wins. Employees can tailor their coverage to their own needs and circumstances using their own doctors. Companies win by stopping the endless cycle of rising costs and ever-changing plans. And when individuals become responsible for the cost of their own insurance, they become more attentive to their own health. Besides, if an employee is interested in working for you ONLY because your company offers great insurance benefits aren’t they telling you they’re going to cost you more money in the future?

Develop a “Wellness Culture”

Our current “sickness culture” perpetuates the healthcare crisis and hastens the demise of market-based solutions. By sickness culture, I mean our focus on health problems instead of on having a healthy workplace and performance culture.

So, what would a “wellness culture” look like? First, instead of paid sick days, employees might be rewarded at year’s end with an attendance bonus. Employees would be reimbursed for successful completion of smoking cessation and weight-loss programs. Companies would invest in corporate memberships at local health clubs so every employee can participate. Employees would be offered in-house wellness programs on a variety of issues ranging from ergonomics to stress management. Finally, companies would commit to hiring and retaining healthy employees. Simply put, healthy employees cost less and are more productive than unhealthy ones. Applicants should be screened for health habits and practices that limit their productivity and increase the likelihood of future expense. While this may seem harsh, it rewards those employees whose personal lifestyle and habits ensure the best Return on Investment by the company committing to hire, train and pay them.

Be open to “alternative and complementary” approaches

Studies published in major medical journals reveal that individuals who use “alternative and complementary” health modalities (including chiropractic, acupuncture, yoga and massage) are generally healthier, better educated, take fewer medications and miss fewer days from work than the average American. Since these individuals look for ways to stay healthy without drugs and surgery, they end up being a net benefit in terms of attendance and productivity. Old prejudices in this area should be discarded in order for companies to improve productivity and increase profitability

Conclusion

Healthcare costs are increasing at a staggering pace. Managed care is an abysmal failure. Companies are buckling under the pressure of providing health coverage to their employees. American competitiveness in the market is sagging. These times call for extraordinary solutions. It’s time for American companies to consider some out-of-the-box solutions to the healthcare crisis. Corporate wellness is an approach that is timely, achievable and reasonable given the alternatives. All options should be considered while we still have a chance.