Spiders Web

A young soldier found himself in a terrible and hopeless battle.

The enemy was soundly defeating this young man's army. He and his

comrades found themselves hastily retreating from the battle

field in defeat, running away in fear for their very lives. The

enemy gave chase. This young man ran hard and fast, full of fear

and desperation, but soon found himself cut off from his comrades

in arms.

He eventually came upon a rocky ledge containing a cave. Knowing

the enemy was close behind, and that he was exhausted from the

chase, he chose to hide there. After he crawled into the cave, he

fell to his face in the darkness, desperately crying to God to

save him and protect him from his enemies. He also made a bargain

with God, one which I (and perhaps you too?) have made before. He

promised that if God saved him, he would serve Him for the

remainder of his days.

When he looked up from his despairing plea for help, he saw a

spider beginning to weave its web at the entrance of the cave. As

he watched the delicate threads being slowly drawn across the

mouth of the cave, the young soldier pondered its irony. He

thought, "I asked God for protection and deliverance, and he sent

me a spider instead. How can a spider save me?"

His heart was hardened, knowing the enemy would soon discover his

hiding place and kill him. And soon he did hear the sound of his

enemies, who were now scouring the area looking for those in

hiding. One soldier with a gun slowly walked up to the cave's

entrance. As the young man crouched in the darkness, hoping to

surprise the enemy in a last-minute desperate attempt to save his

own life, he felt his heart pounding wildly out of control.

As the enemy cautiously moved forward to enter the cave, he came

upon the spider's web, which by now was completely strung across

the opening. He backed away and called out to a comrade, "There

can't be anyone in here. They would have had to break this

spider's web to enter the cave. Let's move on."

Years later, this young man, who made good his promise by

becoming a preacher and evangelist, wrote about that ordeal. What

he observed has stood by me in times of trouble, especially

during those times when everything seemed impossible.

He wrote: "Where God is, a spider's web is as a stone wall. Where

God is not, a stone wall is as a spider's web."

-- Author unknown

Pearls

Jenny was a bright-eyed, pretty five-year-old girl. One day when

she and her mother were checking out at the grocery store, Jenny

saw a plastic pearl necklace priced at $2.50. How she wanted that

necklace, and when she asked her mother if she would buy it for

her, her mother said, "Well, it is a pretty necklace, but it

costs an awful lot of money. I'll tell you what. I'll buy you the

necklace, and when we get home we can make up a list of chores

that you can do to pay for the necklace. And don't forget that

for your birthday Grandma just might give you a whole dollar

bill, too. Okay?"

Jenny agreed, and her mother bought the pearl necklace for her.

Jenny worked on her chores very hard every day, and sure enough,

her grandma gave her a brand new dollar bill for her birthday.

Soon Jenny had paid off the pearls.

How Jenny loved those pearls. She wore them everywhere-to

kindergarten, bed and when she went out with her mother to run

errands. The only time she didn't wear them was in the shower-her

mother had told her that they would turn her neck green!

Now Jenny had a very loving daddy. When Jenny went to bed, he

would get up from his favorite chair every night and read Jenny

her favorite story.

One night when he finished the story, he said, "Jenny, do you

love me?"

"Oh yes, Daddy, you know I love you," the little girl said.

"Well, then, give me your pearls."

"Oh! Daddy, not my pearls!" Jenny said. "But you can have Rosie,

my favorite doll. Remember her? You gave her to me last year for

my birthday. And you can have her tea party outfit, too. Okay?"

"Oh no, darling, that's okay." Her father brushed her cheek with

a kiss. "Good night, little one."

A week later, her father once again asked Jenny after her story,

"Do you love me?"

"Oh yes, Daddy, you know I love you."

"Well, then, give me your pearls."

"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls! But you can have Ribbons, my toy

horse. Do you remember her? She's my favorite. Her hair is so

soft, and you can play with it and braid it and everything. You

can have Ribbons if you want her, Daddy," the little girl said to

her father.

"No, that's okay," her father said and brushed her cheek again

with a kiss. "God bless you, little one. Sweet dreams."

Several days later, when Jenny's father came in to read her a

story, Jenny was sitting on her bed and her lip was trembling.

"Here, Daddy," she said, and held out her hand. She opened it and

her beloved pearl necklace was inside. She let it slip into her

father's hand.

With one hand her father held the plastic pearls and with the

other he pulled out of his pocket a blue velvet box. Inside of

the box were real, genuine, beautiful pearls.

He had them all along. He was waiting for Jenny to give up the

cheap stuff so he could give her the real thing.

So it is with our Heavenly Father. He is waiting for us to give

up the cheap things in our lives so that he can give us beautiful

treasure.

Are you holding onto things which Lord wants you to let go of?

Are you holding on to harmful or unnecessary partners,

relationships, habits and activities which you have come so

attached to that it seems impossible to let go? Sometimes, it is

so hard to see what is in the other hand but do believe this one

thing....

The Lord will never take away something without giving you

something better in its place.

-- Author unknown

How Much For A Miracle?

Tess was a precocious eight years old when she heard her Mom and Dad
talking about her little brother, Andrew. All she knew was that he
was very sick and they were completely out of money. They were moving
to an apartment complex next month because Daddy didn't have the
money for the doctor bills and our house. Only a very costly surgery
could save him now and it was looking like there was no-one to loan
them the money. She heard Daddy say to her tearful Mother with
whispered desperation, "Only amiracle can save him now."
Tess went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its
hiding place in the closet. She poured all the change out on the
floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even. The total had to
be exactly perfect. No chance here for mistakes. Carefully placing
the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out
the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall's Drug Store with
the big red Indian Chief sign above the door.
She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention
but he was too intently talking to another man to be bothered by an
eight year old at this moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a
scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most
disgusting sound she could muster. No good. Finally she took a
quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter. That did it!
"And what do you want?" the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of
voice. "I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven't seen in
ages," he said without waiting for a reply to his question.
"Well, I want to talk to you about my brother," Tess answered back
in the same annoyed tone. "He's really, really sick ... and I want to
buy a miracle."
"I beg your pardon?" said the pharmacist.
"His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head
and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a
miracle cost?"
"We don't sell miracles here, little girl. I'm sorry but I can't
help you." the pharmacist said, softening a little.
"Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I will
get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs."
The pharmacist's brother was a well dressed man. He stooped down and
asked the little girl, "What kind of a miracle does you brother need?"
"I don't know," Tess replied with her eyes welling up. "I just know
he's really sick and Mommy says he needs a operation. But my Daddy
can't pay for it, so I want to use my money. "How much do you have?"
asked the man from Chicago.
"One dollar and eleven cents," Tess answered barely audibly. "And
it's all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to."
"Well, what a coincidence," smiled the man. "A dollar and eleven
cents -- the exact price of a miracle for little brothers." He took
her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her and said
"Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your
parents. Let's see if I have the kind of miracle you need."
That well dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon,
specializing in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed without
charge and it wasn't long until Andrew was home again and doing well.
Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had
led them to this place. "That surgery," her mom whispered. "was a
real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?"
Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost... one dollar
and eleven cents....plus the faith of a little child.
- Author Unknown

A Gift Of Pure Love

This tale of love has helped many people find happiness and build
self-esteem over the years. "Can I see my bundle of joy?" the
happy new mother asked, ready to pour love and affection on her
new child. When the baby was nestled in her arms and she moved
the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped. The
doctor turned quickly and looked out the tall hospital window.
The baby had been born without ears.
Over time, it became clear that the baby's hearing was just fine.
It was only his appearance that was marred. One day he rushed
home from school and flung himself into his mother's arms. She
sighed deeply, recognizing that his life was to be a succession
of heartbreaks. He blurted out the tragedy. "A boy, a big
boy...called me a freak." Surely this boy would never find peace
or happiness.
He developed a gift for literature and music, his solace in a
hostile world. "But you might mingle with other young people,"
has mother told him, although she understood why he focused on
solitary pursuits.
The boy's father met with the family physician. Could nothing be
done? "I believe I could graft on a pair of outer ears if they
could be procured" the doctor advised. That's when the search
began? Who would make such a sacrifice for a young man. Two years
went by. Two years of searching. Two years of frustration. Then
his father told him, "You are going to the hospital, son. Mother
and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But it's a
secret."
The operation was a brilliant success, and a new person emerged.
His talents blossomed into genius, and school and college became
a series of triumphs. Later he married and entered the diplomatic
service. "But I must know!" He urged his father. "Who gave so
much for me? I could never do enough for him."
"I do not believe you could," said the father, "but the agreement
was that you are not to know...not yet." The years kept their
profound secret, but the day did come . . . one of the darkest
days that ever pass through a son. He stood with his father over
his mother's casket. Slowly, tenderly, the father stretched forth
a hand and raised the thick, reddish-brown hair to reveal .. .
that the mother had no outer ears.
"Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut," he
whispered gently, "and nobody ever thought mother less beautiful,
did they"?
Real beauty lies not in the physical appearance, but in the
heart. Real treasure lies not in what that can be seen, but what
that cannot be seen. True love lies not in what is done and
known, but in what that is done but not known.
-- Author Unknown

Barnyard Duck

One day, Wally, one of the wild ducks in the formation, spotted
something on the ground that caught his eye. It was a barnyard
with a flock of tame ducks who lived on the farm. They were
waddling around on the ground, quacking merrily and eating corn
that was thrown on the ground for them every day. Wally liked
what he saw. "It sure would be nice to have some of that corn,"
he thought to himself. "And all this flying is very tiring. I'd
like to just waddle around for a while."
So after thinking it over a while, Wally left the formation of
wild ducks, made a sharp dive to the left, and headed for the
barnyard. He landed among the tame ducks, and began to waddle
around and quack merrily. He also started eating corn. The
formation of wild ducks continued their journey South, but Wally
didn't care. "I'll rejoin them when they come back North in a few
months, he said to himself.
Several months went by and sure enough, Wally looked up and
spotted the flock of wild ducks in formation, heading north. They
looked beautiful up there. And Wally was tired of the barnyard.
It was muddy and everywhere he waddled, nothing but duck doo.
"It's time to leave," said Wally.
So Wally flapped his wings furiously and tried to get airborne.
But he had gained some weight from all his corn-eating, and he
hadn't exercised his wings much either. He finally got off the
ground, but he was flying too low and slammed into the side of
the barn. He fell to the ground with a thud and said to himself,
"Oh, well, I'll just wait until they fly south in a few months.
Then I'll rejoin them and become a wild duck again."
But when the flock flew overhead once more, Wally again tried to
lift himself out of the barnyard. He simply didn't have the
strength. Every winter and every spring, he saw his wild duck
friends flying overhead, and they would call out to him. But his
attempts to leave were all in vain.
Eventually Wally no longer paid any attention to the wild ducks
flying overhead. He hardly even noticed them. He had, after all,
become a barnyard duck.
Sometimes we get tired of being the kind of ducks we should be --
followers of Jesus Christ. It's not always easy to be obedient to
God and to discipline ourselves to hang in there for the long
haul. When we are feeling that way, that's when Satan tempts us
to "fall out of formation" and to join the barnyard ducks -- the
worldly ways of life.
But look what happened to Wally. He thought he would just "check-
it-out" for awhile and then leave when he wanted to. But he
couldn't do it. Sin is like that. Sin is a trap, and it has a way
of changing us into people we don't even want to become.
Eventually we lose touch with who we really are -- the sons and
daughters of the Most High. We become barnyard ducks.
-- Author Unknown

Guess What????

The American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal
Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked.
Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The
American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and
asked how long it took to catch them.
The Mexican replied, "Only a little while."
The American then asked, "Why didn't you stay out longer and
catch more fish?"
The Mexican said, "With this I have more than enough to support
my family's needs."
The American then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of
your time?"
The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play
with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into
the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my
amigos, I have a full and busy life."
The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You
should spend more time fishing; and with the proceeds, buy a
bigger boat: With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy
several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing
boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would
sell directly to the processor; eventually opening your own
cannery. You would control the product, processing and
distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing
village and move to Mexico City, then Los Angeles and eventually
New York where you will run your ever-expanding enterprise."
The Mexican fisherman asked, "But, how long will this all take?"
To which the American replied, "15 to 20 years."
"But what then?" asked the Mexican.
The American laughed and said that's the best part. "When the
time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company
stock to the public and become very rich, you would make
millions."
"Millions?...Then what?"
The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small
coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a
little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll
to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play
your guitar with your amigos."
-- Author Unknown

We Are All Winners

Last night was the last game for my eight-year-old son's soccer
team. It was the final quarter. The score was two to one, my
son's team in the lead. Parents shouted encouragement from the
sidelines as the boys clashed on the field. With less than ten
seconds remaining, the ball rolled in front of my son's teammate,
one Mikey O'Donnel. With shouts of "Kick it!" echoing across the
field, Mikey reared back and gave it everything he had.
All around me the crowd fell silent as the ball flew into the
goal. Mikey O'Donnel had scored!
Mikey had scored all right, but in the wrong goal, ending the
game in a tie. For a moment there was total silence. You see
Mikey has Down's Syndrome and for him there is no such thing as a
wrong goal. All goals were celebrated by a joyous hug from Mikey.
He had even been known to hug the opposing players when they
scored.
The silence was finally broken when Mikey, his face filled with
joy, grabbed my son, hugged him and yelled, "I scored! I scored.
Everybody won! Everybody won!"
For a moment I held my breath, not sure how my son would react. I
need not have worried. I watched, through tears, as my son threw
up his hand in the classic high-five salute and started chanting,
"Way to go Mikey! Way to go Mikey!"
Within moments, both teams surrounded Mikey, joining in the chant
and congratulating him on his goal. Later that night, when my
daughter asked who had won, my son smiled and replied, "It was a
tie. Everybody won!"
Author Unknown

What Two Days Can Do

Our house was directly across the street from the clinic entrance of
Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. We lived downstairs and rented
the upstairs rooms to out patients at the clinic. One summer evening
as I was fixing supper, there was a knock at the door. I opened it to
see a truly awful looking man. “Why, he’s hardly taller than my eight
year old,” I thought as I stared at the stooped, shriveled body. But
the appalling thing was his face – lopsided from swelling, red and
raw. Yet his voice was pleasant as he said, “Good evening. I’ve come
to see if you’ve a room for just one night. I came for a treatment
this morning from the eastern shore, and there’s no bus ’til
morning.” He told me he’d been hunting for a room since noon but with
no success, no one seemed to have a room. “I guess it’s my face…I
know it looks terrible, but my doctor says with a few more
treatments…”
For a moment I hesitated, but his next words convinced me: “I could
sleep in this rocking chair on the porch. My bus leaves early in the
morning.” I told him we would find him a bed, but to rest on the
porch. I went inside and finished getting supper. When we were ready,
I asked the old man if he would join us. “No thank you. I have
plenty.” And he held up a brown paper bag.
When I finished the dishes, I went out on the porch to talk with him
a few minutes. It didn’t take a long time to see that this old man
had an oversized heart crowded into that tiny body. He told me he
fished for a living to support his daughter, her five children, and
her husband, who was hopelessly crippled from a back injury. He
didn’t tell it by way of complaint; in fact, every other sentence was
preface with a thanks to God for a blessing. He was grateful that no
pain accompanied his disease, which was apparently a form of skin
cancer. He thanked God for giving him the strength to keep going. At
bedtime, we put a camp cot in the children’s room for him. When I got
up in the morning, the bed linens were neatly folded and the little
man was out on the porch. He refused breakfast, but just before he
left for his bus, haltingly, as if asking a great favor, he said
“Could I please come back and stay next time I have a treatment? I
won’t put you out a bit, I can sleep fine in a chair.” He paused a
moment and then added, “Your children made me feel at home. Grown-ups
are bothered by my face, but children don’t seem to mind.” I told him
he was welcome to come again.
On his next trip he arrived a little after seven in the morning. As
a gift, he brought a big fish and a quart of the largest oysters I
had ever seen. He said he had shucked them that morning before he
left so that they’d be nice and fresh. I knew his bus left at 4:00 am
and I wondered what time he had to get up in order to do this for us.
In the years he came to stay overnight with us there was never a time
that he did not bring us fish or oysters or vegetables from his
garden. Other times we received packages in the mail, always by
special delivery; fish and oysters packed in a box of fresh young
spinach or kale, every leaf carefully washed. Knowing that he must
walk three miles to mail these, and knowing how little money he had
made the gifts doubly precious. When I received these little
remembrances, I often thought of a comment our next-door neighbor
made after he left that first morning. “Did you keep that awful
looking man last night? I turned him away! You can lose roomers by
putting up such people!”
Maybe we did lose roomers once or twice. But oh! If only they could
have know him, perhaps their illness’ would have been easier to bear.
I know our family will always be grateful to have know him; from him
we learned what it was to accept the bad without complaint and the
good with gratitude to God.
Recently I was visiting a friend who has a greenhouse. As she showed
me her flowers, we came to the most beautiful one of all, a golden
chrysanthemum, bursting with blooms. But to my surprise, it was
growing in an old dented, rusty bucket. I thought to myself, “If this
were my plant, I’d put it in the loveliest container I had!”
My friend changed my mind. “I ran short of pots,” she explained,
“and knowing how beautiful this one would be, I thought it wouldn’t
mind starting out in this old pail. It’s just for a little while,
till I can put it out in the garden.”
She must have wondered why I laughed so delightedly, but I was
imagining just such a scene in heaven. “Here’s an especially
beautiful one,” God might have said when he came to the soul of the
seet old fisherman. “He won’t mind starting in this small body.” All
this happened long ago and now, in God’s garden, how tall this lovely
soul must stand.
The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.
Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
– Author Unknown

Chiropractic and Work Related-Sciatica

Work-related sciatica is clinically challenging and an expensive problem for our health care systems. One recent study found that workers with sciatica are significantly more likely to be prescribed opioids for their condition.¹ Another study found that workers with low back pain and sciatica showed the highest level of disability of all back pain patients.²
With these issues in mind, the orthopedic medicine department of a hospital in Norway has examined the effectiveness of chiropractic treatment with patients with severe sciatic pain. This new study³ looked at 44 workers who presented at the hospital with severe sciatic pain that required hospitalization. “The patients underwent clinical, neurologic, and radiological examinations as well as laboratory screening, including urine specimens, parameters of infection, and system diseases.”
The hospital chiropractor then performed a chiropractic examination on each patient that included an analysis of posture and gait, passive and active range of motion, and palpation of the lumbar spine. “The main treatment consisted of joint adjustment techniques of the lumbopelvic fixations, usually performed in a side posture position...Joint adjustments in other parts of the spine and limbs were usually necessary as a result of the compensatory dysfunction.” Ice treatment was applied after the adjustment, since there was soft-tissue soreness experienced by the patients.
“Patients were treated daily while they were in the hospital; they were treated for 3 days a week for the first 2 weeks while they were in the clinic. Depending on need, some patients received follow-up treatment once or twice a week for some time. Following Norwegianpublic health regulations, cost refunding is limited to 14 treatments; therefore, the total number of treatments rarely exceeded this number.”
The authors found the following:

• All of the patients had experienced three or more weeks of pain before hospitalization.
• 35 patients underwent MRI and 7 had CT scans; there were no structural changes on any of the imaging tests.
• After the treatment, 40 patients (91%) returned to work full-time within an average of 21.1 days.
• Two patients returned at reduced work levels: one at 80% and another at 50%.

“The positive effects of cooperation between orthopedic surgeons and chiropractors may be measured in the reduced duration of sick leaves.” The study refers to Norwegian public health records that show that the average patient with sciatica is disabled for 72 days; in this study, the time to return-to-work was just 21 days—a 70% reduction.
The authors point to how chiropractic can improve functioning in the spine:
Stimulation of “muscle spindles caused by sprain strain has been shown to be capable of starting a long-lasting train of action potentials in the motor neuron (i.e., long-lasting muscle contraction in the motor unit in question). Similarly, a brief inhibitory impulse, such as that from antagonistic muscles, may stop the signal train in the motor neuron. Chiropractic joint adjustment probably provides a similar inhibitory impulse. The chiropractic joint adjustments must cross the barrier of passive joint motion range to stimulate muscle spindle receptors.”

1. Stover BD, Turner JA, Franklin G, et al. Factors associated with early opioid prescription among workers with low back injuries. Journal of Pain 2006;7(10):718-25.
2. Arana E, Marti-Bonmati L, Vega M, et al. Relationship between low back pain, disability, MR imaging findings and health care provider. Skeletal Radiology 2006;35(9):641-7.
3. Orlin JR, Didriksen A. Results of chiropractic treatment of lumbopelvic fixation in 44 patients admitted to an orthopedic department. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2007;30:135-139

Chiropractic and Osteoarthritis

Numerous studies have shown that chiropractic can be an effective treatment for lumbar spinal pain. A new study1 describes the previously reported benefits of chiropractic:
“Giles and Muller compared the outcomes of acupuncture, medication, and spinal manipulation on spinal pain syndromes. Only spinal manipulation led to significant improvement. Rao et al. reported that 73% of the patients who sought pain relief treatment from both a rheumatologist and an alternative form of medicine found chiropractic care to be helpful. It may be reasonably concluded that chiropractic care is a successful treatment for lower back pain.” ¹
No previous study, however, has examined the effectiveness of chiropractic for back pain symptoms in patients with osteoarthritis. This current report set out to do just that, by comparing chiropractic treatment to moist heat treatment. Previous studies² have shown that application of heat to the affected area is an effective self-management tool for arthritis symptoms.
The authors of this study recruited 252 patients with osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine; subjects were excluded if they were currently receiving chiropractic care, physical therapy, or were using anti-inflammatory medications.
The patients were divided into two groups: the treatment group received 20 chiropractic treatments with 15 minutes of moist heat; the control group received only the moist heat treatments. The subjects were evaluated at 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 weeks for pain levels, activities of daily living (ADL), and range of motion.
The study found significant improvements in the patients who were given the chiropractic/moist heat treatments, as illustrated by the following graph that shows average extension of the spine measured at each evaluation point:

Here is a summary of the other findings:

• Chiropractic was significantly more effective in reducing pain than moist heat alone, even though both treatments reduced pain to some degree.
• The study examined right and left lateral flexion, average flexion, and average extension. “Chiropractic care plus moist heat is more effective than moist heat alone for improving ROM, as measured by these particular tests.”
• Chiropractic care was also more effective in improving daily activities, while moist heat alone did not improve ADL.

The authors conclude:
“There are no studies in the literature that evaluate the effectiveness of chiropractic care in the treatment of OA. We found that chiropractic care was significantly better than moist heat alone for the treatment of OA. Although moist heat did improve low back pain, there is a more rapid and greater decline in pain under the treatment condition than with moist heat alone. The chiropractic treatment group also showed a more rapid and greater increase in range and flexion scores. With the exception of standing, sleeping, and sexual activity, chiropractic treatment participants reported a statistically significant improvement in their ADL.”

1. Beyerman KL, Palmerino MB, Zohn LE, Kane GM, Foster KA. Efficacy of treating low back pain and dysfunction secondary to osteoarthritis: chiropractic care compared with moist heat alone. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2006;29:107-114.
2. Veitiene D, Tamulaitiene M. Comparison of self-management methods for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine 2005;(37)1:58-60.

Chiropractic and Spinal Stenosis

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a serious health problem, especially among the elderly. “Spinal stenosis has been defined as any narrowing of the spinal canal or the various tunnels through which nerves and other structures communicate with that canal.” 1 The most common symptoms of LSS are:

• Pain and numbness in the low back.
• Pain and numbness in the legs and buttocks.
• Symptoms are usually worse after walking or extension of the lumbar spine.
• Symptoms improve with flexion of the lower back.

The authors of a new study2 discuss the problem of LSS:
“LSS is one of the most common reasons for spine surgery in older people, although little is known about the efficacy of surgical management of patients with LSS, particularly compared to non-surgical management. It is generally felt that most patients with LSS should be managed non-surgically before considering surgical intervention, but little is also known about what non-surgical approaches are most efficacious.”
The researchers set out to determine if chiropractic is beneficial for these patients. They studied 55 patients with LSS diagnosed by MRI or CT scans. Each patient was given questionnaires to determine disability and pain intensity before treatment and at a 16-month follow-up. In addition, the subjects were questioned regarding improvement every 3 to 4 weeks during treatment.
The patients were treated with the following techniques:

• Distraction Manipulation (DM) – a technique where the patient lies prone on a table that “allows for distraction of the spine through inferiorforward and flexion movement of the lower body.”
• Neural Mobilization (NM) – “a manual and exercise oriented method that is theorized to mobilize nerve roots that are suspected to be the source of nerve root pain.”

Patients were given individual treatment plans, but generally were seen 2-3 times per week for three weeks, then one or two times a week after that. The average number of treatments was 13.3.
The authors reported the following findings at the completion of treatment:

• The average patient-rated improvement was 65.1% from baseline to the end of treatment.
• The average patient improvement in disability was 5.1 points on the Roland Morris Back Pain and Disability (RM) questionnaire.
• There were also significant improvements in “worst pain.”

At the 16 month follow-up:

• The average patient-rated improvement was 75.6%.
• The average improvement in disability was 5.2 points on the RM.
• “Clinically meaningful improvement in disability was seen in 73.2% of patients.”
• The average improvement in “on average pain” was 3.0 points on the RM.
• The average improvement in “at worst pain” was 4.2 points on the RM.
• Only two patients needed surgery by the 16 month follow-up.

Other studies have looked at the natural course of LSS with conservative treatment, and it appears from this study that chiropractic may be more effective than other treatments. A 1996 study3 found that “non-surgical” treatment resulted in improvement of only 1.6 points on the RM after one year.
The authors conclude:
“The combination of DM and NM may be a safe and effective approach for patients with LSS. Because the sample size is relatively small and there is no control group, firm conclusions regarding this cannot be drawn. The outcome of this approach compares favorably with other non-surgical treatments, and treatment with DM and NM may be a viable non-surgical option before considering surgery for LSS.”

1. Nowakowski P, Delitto A, Erhard RE. Lumbar spinal stenosis. Physical Therapy 1996;76:187-190.
2. Murphy DR, Hurwitz EL, Gregory AA, Clary R. A non-surgical approach to the management of lumbar spinal stenosis: a prospective observational cohort study. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2006;7:16.
3. Atlas SJ, Deyo RA, Keller RB, et al. The Maine Lumbar Spine Study. Part III. 1-year outcomes of surgical and nonsurgical management of lumbar spinal stenosis. Spine 1996;21:1787-1795.

Chiropractic Care: A safe way to heal the body

There are a lot of misconceptions about chiropractic. Forget the rumors you’ve heard about chiropractors, and learn the facts about this safe and effective path to wellness.
Chiropractic care is not new.
Spinal adjustments aren’t a new-age fad. The Greeks and Chinese were writing about chiropractic manipulations as far back as 2700 BCE. Even the Greek doctor Hippocrates wrote about the importance of spinal manipulations.
The practice began to take formal shape in the late 1800s. Today, chiropractic has become an important part of the health-care landscape. Medicare, Medicaid, and other government health care programs recognize and cover chiropractic care.
Chiropractors are trained health care professionals.
Chiropractic students attend schools with curricula just as demanding as those of medical students. Courses include instruction in anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry. Each candidate completes a residency program under the supervision of experienced chiropractic doctors. After successfully completing a program, the student receives a Doctor of Chiropractic degree, or D.C.
All chiropractors must pass a minimum of four tests that are administered by a national board. To maintain their licenses, these health care professionals must also take a specific number of continuing education credits each year, and a chiropractor must meet licensing requirements for the state in which he or she practices. This rigorous training ensures that a licensed chiropractor is qualified to help you achieve the wellness you’re looking for.
Chiropractic methods are safe.
Conventional medical therapies can have many hazards. Even a treatment as commonplace as taking Tylenol for a headache can carry risks: In 2005, the American Journal of Gastroenterology published a study showing that more than one-third of acute liver failures are linked to acetaminophen misuse. Surgical procedures carry their own perils, including pain, infection, and even death.
In contrast, spinal adjustments are drug-free and non-invasive. Numerous studies published in peer-reviewed journals have found chiropractic care to be a safe treatment for a variety of conditions. According to one study that looked into the incidence of stroke in chiropractic patients, there is a higher risk of getting into a car accident on the way to the appointment than having a serious reaction to spinal adjustments.
If you’re looking for a low-risk, drug- and scalpel-free way to treat aches and pains and improve overall wellness, make an appointment to see a qualified chiropractor.

References
Haldeman S, Carey P, Townsend M, Papadopoulos C. Arterial dissections following cervical manipulation: the chiropractic experience. Canadian Medical Association Journal. 2001 Oct 2;165(7):905-6.
Lanas A, et al. A nationwide study of mortality associated with hospital admission due to severe gastrointestinal events and those associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use. American Journal of Gastroenterology. 2005;100:1685–1693.
Lauretti W. The Comparative Safety of Chiropractic. In Daniel Redwood, ed., Contemporary Chiropractic. New York: Churchill Livingstone, 1997, p. 230-8.

Traditional Health vs. Chiropractic Wellness

No fever. No nausea. No problem? Even the doctor says you’re fine, so why do you feel so cruddy? Perhaps you’ve been seeking health instead of wellness. This guide will explain how health is not the same as wellness, and how a chiropractor can help you achieve the wellness you deserve.

Health and standard medical treatment
Conventional medicine defines health as the absence of disease. When you have a problem, standard medical care focuses on treating the symptoms. For example, if you live with back pain, a physician might prescribe medications, which can have side effects, or recommend painful, pricey surgery. Some of these treatments are the equivalent of slapping a bandage on a bleeding wound—it might stop the bleeding, but it won’t do a thing to cure what caused the bleeding in the first place.

Wellness and chiropractic care
Wellness is a state in which the entire body works as it is designed to do. This means that you’ll feel well, not only physically, but mentally and emotionally.

Chiropractic care can help you achieve a state of wellness by looking for internal disturbances or misalignments, called vertebral subluxations, that have the potential to trigger a host of chronic conditions, from headaches to carpal tunnel syndrome. When the chiropractor finds one, he or she will manipulate the body back into a position that allows it to function properly. These adjustments are typically made with the hands, although sometimes the chiropractor will use special tools.

Because your chiropractor is concerned with wellness rather than applying a temporary fix to aches or pains, he or she may also recommend stretching or strengthening exercises that you can continue to do at home to keep your body in working order.

Be aware that there are conditions that require conventional medical treatments or procedures. However, if you are looking for a way to improve your quality of life and allow your body to heal itself in a healthy and natural way, it’s time to make a chiropractic care appointment.

Migraine Heagaches

Migraine is a chronic disorder characterized by recurrent moderate to severe headaches often in association with a number of autonomic nervous system symptoms. The word derives from the Greek ἡμικρανία (hemikrania), "pain on one side of the head",^[1] from ἡμι- (hemi-), "half", and κρανίον (kranion), "skull".^[2]
Typically the headache is unilateral (affecting one half of the head) and pulsating in nature, lasting from 2 to 72 hours. Associated symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, photophobia (increased sensitivity to light), phonophobia (increased sensitivity to sound) and the pain is generally aggravated by physical activity.^[3] Up to one-third of people with migraine headaches perceive an aura: a transient visual, sensory, language, or motor disturbance which signals that the headache will soon occur.^[3]
Migraines are believed to be due to a mixture of environmental and genetic factors.^[4] About two-thirds of cases run in families.^[5] Fluctuating hormone levels may also play a role: migraine affects slightly more boys than girls before puberty, but about two to three times more women than men.^[6][7] Propensity for migraines usually decreases during pregnancy.^[6] The exact mechanisms of migraines are not known. It is, however, believed to be a neurovascular disorder.^[5] The primary theory is related to increased excitability of the cerebral cortex and abnormal control of pain neurons in the trigeminal nucleus of the brainstem.^[8]
Initial recommended management is with simple analgesics such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen for the headache, an antiemetic for the nausea, and the avoidance of triggers. Specific agents such as triptans or ergotamines may be used by those for whom simple analgesics are not effective. Globally, more than 10% of the population is affected by migraine at some point in life.

Source: Wikipedia

A Quiet Voice........

This little story reminds us to listen to that small quiet voice

from within -- you never know where it will lead you.

As a teacher of origami (the ancient Japanese art of paper

folding) at the LaFarge Lifelong Learning Institute in Milwaukee,

Wisconsin, Art Beaudry was asked to represent the school at an

exhibit at a large mall in Milwaukee. He decided to take along a

couple hundred folded paper cranes to pass out to people who

stopped at his booth.

Before that day, something strange happened -- a voice told him

to find a piece of gold foil paper and make a gold origami crane.

The voice was so insistent that Art actually found himself

rummaging through his collection of origami papers at home until

he found one flat, shiny piece of gold foil.

"Why am I doing this?" he asked himself. Art had never worked

with the shiny gold paper; it didn't fold as easily or neatly as

the crisp multicolored papers. But that little voice kept

nudging. Art tried to ignore the voice. "Why gold foil anyway?

Paper is much easier to work with," he grumbled.

The voice continued. "Do it! And give it to a special person." By

now Art was getting a little cranky. "What special person?" he

asked the voice. "You'll know which one," the voice said.

That evening Art carefully folded and shaped the unforgiving gold

foil until it became as graceful and delicate as a real crane

about to take flight. He packed the exquisite crane in the box

along with about 200 other colorful paper cranes he'd made over

the previous few weeks.

The next day at the mall, dozens upon dozens of people stopped by

Art's booth to ask questions about origami. He demonstrated the

art. He folded, unfolded and refolded. He explained the intricate

details, the need for sharp creases.

Then, suddenly, there was a woman standing in front of Art. Was

this that special person? Art had never seen her before, and she

hadn't said a word as she watched him carefully fold a pink piece

of paper into a crane with pointed, graceful wings.

Art glanced up at her face, and before he realized it, he found

himself reaching for the "gold-foil crane" he'd labored over the

night before. Carefully he picked up the gold crane, and gently

placed it in the woman's hand.

Art said: "I don't know why, but a voice told me to give you that

golden crane. The crane is the ancient symbol of peace," Art

said

simply.

The woman didn't say a word as she slowly cupped her hand around

the fragile bird as if it were alive. When Art looked at her

face, he saw tears filling her eyes.

Finally, the woman took a deep breath and said, "My husband died

three weeks ago. This is the first time I've been out. Today...."

She wiped her eyes with her free hand, still gently cradling the

golden crane with the other. Then she said very quietly, as

tears

streamed down her face. "Today would have been our 'golden'

wedding anniversary."

Then the lady said in a clear voice, "Thank you so much for this

beautiful gift. Now I know that my husband is at peace.

Don't you see? The voice you heard, it was the voice of God, and

this beautiful crane is a gift from Him. It's the most wonderful

50th wedding anniversary gift I could have received. Thank you

for listening to Holy Spirit within your heart."

And that's how Art learned to listen very carefully, when the

Holy Spirit speaks to him within, and tells him to do things he

may not understand -- now or even later.

Are you listening, my friend? God may be speaking to you.

-- Author Unknown

Ask the Doc

Causes of Fibromyalgia?

 

Q: Dr. Moulas, what is the true cause of fibromyalgia?

 

A: Fibromyalgia is a disease that has multiple causes. In the research studies that have been completed on fibromyalgia patients, several major theories have come to light.

 

The first is that there has been an injury to the neck or upper spine, which triggers fibromyalgia by affecting the central nervous system. Another is that psychological stress is the cause. It’s even possible that disturbed sleep patterns for long periods of time can trigger the disorder. If your true cause is any of these, we can start making a difference in small increments right now, today!

 

Physicians don’t have a method of determining what is YOUR true cause of fibromyalgia, so we’re waiting for technology to come up with some valid tests. In the meantime, we already have solutions for injury to the neck or upper spine: chiropractic and healing the body from within. We already have solutions for reducing psychological stress. And we already have solutions for disturbed sleep patterns. Some of these solutions are in this report. All you have to do is embrace them! Get going on using them and your body will get going with the healing!

 

Headache Advice

When you have a headache, nothing seems right. The sooner you feel better, the sooner you can get back to life as usual.

 

Headaches can result from many causes, some serious and some not as serious. As your chiropractic physician, I’ve already done everything to insure that your headache is not the result of serious disease. I have set up a treatment plan for you that I believe will help us address the root of your headaches once and for all. My goal for you is for you to be headache-free within six months. Many of my patients begin their headache-free life a lot sooner than that and they do it with my home care recommendations.

 

What chiropractic physicians, medical doctors, nutritionists and herbalists have discovered in the last ten years is that the reason why many people have headaches is that there are some personal habits and diet habits that contribute greatly to causing headaches. Have you ever noticed that sometimes after a very heated argument, you get a headache? One trigger for headaches is stress.

 

Have you ever noticed that sometimes after eating a nice dinner with a glass of wine, you get a headache? You may not have felt any stress during that dinner and everything was going very well when a headache appeared out of nowhere that sent you to bed early. Your night was ruined. This type of headache can be caused by diet, and even though every headache sufferer does not get diet-induced headaches, the great majority do. That’s why part of your home care recommendations will be to monitor and alter your diet.

 

There are many different Headache Diets you can find online and all of them are different from each other. Some eliminate monosodium glutamate (MSG), others eliminate aspartame, and others eliminate tyramine. These diets have ignored some basic facts. What I’ve found is that there are certain dietary principles to follow that will address most of these – the MSG, aspartame, and tyramine simultaneously. Start here, and after you get these mastered, we can go further with individual diets later.

 

As a headache sufferer, what’s important for you is to make a commitment to start noticing the little things in your life that are contributing to your headaches. Today starts your personal journey into a headache-free life.

 

As your chiropractic physician, I will alert you to all types of possible headache triggers that you can control in this home care manual. I’ll continue your chiropractic treatment and with both of us working together, your headache-free life is right around the corner! Have hope and take action and we will both see results!

 

Attention Deficit Update

Improvement in Quality of Life, Sleep & Attention in a Patient with Attention Deficit Disorder Undergoing Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care to Reduce Vertebral Subluxation: A Case Report

Marshall Dickholtz Sr., D.C. Bio & Evan White D.C. Bio

Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research ~ August 27, 2012 ~ Pages 71-76

Abstract

---

Objective: To report an improvement in quality of life, sleep and attention following reduction of an upper cervical vertebral subluxation in a patient with Attention Deficit Disorder.

Clinical Features: A 19-year-old male presented for chiropractic care with complaints of Attention Deficit Disorder and chronic dorsal and lumbar pain.

Intervention and Outcomes: National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA) technique was utilized to evaluate the appropriateness of chiropractic care. Several objective clinical findings were noted. The atlas misalignment was corrected with an upper cervical adjustment and immediate improvement was observed. Visual evoked responses revealed normalization of a previously abnormal steady-state visual evoked response. Outcome assessment tools showed significant improvements in overall health.

Conclusion: The reduction of the upper cervical vertebral subluxation was concomitant with improved quality of life, sleep and visual evoked responses.

 

Headaches Part 1

Natural Remedies that Help Decrease

Headache and/or Inflammation

1. Ginger

Ginger contains over 500 different compounds, many of them which are anti-inflam-matory in nature. Try a 500 mg capsule when you feel a headache coming on, or about one third of a teaspoon. Cook with ginger regularly. One simple recipe is to braise beef or chicken strips with broccoli and one-half cup diced or sliced ginger. Use pineapple juice as a sweetener in this dish.

2. Omega-3 fats

The average American has eaten too many omega-6 fats in their diet over the last 20 years that has resulted in a widespread omega-3 fat deficiency. Omega-3 fats prevent inflammation in the body. The tie in to a headache is that inflammation can lead to a headache. Make sure you have omega-3 fats in your diet by adding two to four capsules of 500 mg EPA with DHA daily.

Anyone for Headache Info?

Food allergies cause headaches.

Food allergies will trigger a headache quickly. If you’re allergic to a food, whether it’s yeast, milk, peanuts, wheat, or sugar, it’s possible that you will have a headache after eating that food. In children suffering from migraines and epilepsy, eliminating offending foods will result in a reduction of seizures.

What makes food allergies more complicated is that a food essentially stays in the body for four days so you could be reacting to a food eaten four days ago!

Food allergies can easily be tested, simply by sending a blood sample to the clinical lab for ELISA testing. Now it’s possible to test for allergies to 99 different foods by ordering a test kit online. Google “Meridian Valley Clinical Laboratory, Kent, WA” for the ELISA