June 2021 Health Newsletter

Research is catching up to what chiropractors and satisfied headache patients have known for decades: there's a positive correlation between chiropractic care and relief from chronic headaches. And the research confirms multiple positive benefits that include reduced headache intensity, duration and frequency.

4 Major Research Studies

The first major waves came from a 2012 migraine study published in the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork. While small (10 patients), there was a 100% success rate in reducing migraine headache pain by implementing a combination of neck massage and chiropractic care on the neck. Eight of the 10 patients reported that their pain was cut in at least half.

Four years later, a larger study on cervicogenic headaches—headache pain that originates from the neck— supported the 2012 study. Researchers followed 110 patients and the effects a neck and spinal adjustments had on headache intensity, frequency, duration and more. Patients reported improvement in all three measures within a week.

In 2018, an even larger study on 256 cervicogenic headache patients was conducted. This particular study set out to determine not so much if chiropractic was beneficial, but rather the impact of chiropractic care on headaches based on how many treatment sessions patients underwent.

Researchers discovered what’s called a linear dose-response, meaning the numbers got steadily better for those who underwent the most sessions. Patients reported improvements similar to the aforementioned studies, along with reduced medication use.

The only thing data doesn’t show yet is where the Goldilocks zone of chiropractic care is for headaches. In other words, what is the ideal range of chiropractic treatments required to provide relief.

And then in October 2020, the European Journal of Pain published a meta-analysis on seven studies evaluating how spinal manipulation therapy impacted cervicogenic headaches. Once again, chiropractic care came through for providing pain relief, reducing the number of and intensity.

Why Chiropractic Works for Headaches

Simply put, chiropractors utilize techniques that specifically target headache-inducing spinal fixations, muscle spasms and neurologic malfunctioning, allowing your body to restore normal spinal joint function, relax muscles, increase blood flow, calm inflammation and restore normal nerve function.

We all know about the story of the tortoise and the hare and how steady and consistent pacing wins the race.  Well it turns out that applies to long-term weight loss as well. Individuals who lose small amounts of weight over a consistent period of time show more sustained overall weight loss than those who crash diet.

Successful Dieters Lose Consistent Amounts of Weight Weekly

Researchers out of Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA examined data on 183 overweight and obese adults who were participating in a weight loss program. The program offered meal replacement and structure for calorie monitoring and exercise. Over the course of the two-year program, the most successful dieters were those who showed a steady, consistent weight loss in the first three months, as opposed to those participants who had more variable weight loss on a week-to-week basis.

According to psychology researchers at Drexel, some participants go into the program trying to lose as much weight as possible right way. However, despite showing big losses one week, they are typically hungry and anxious and unable to sustain the diet program for more than a week or so. Frustrated, they regain some of the weight, get upset and try to lose as much as they can again, creating a cycles of losing and gaining.

Those dieters who set more modest goals typically were able to sustain their calorie and exercise goals over a prolonged period of time, leading to greater weight loss and improved health.

Consistent Behavior May Be the Key to Success

The study further showed that participants who were emotional eaters, binge eaters, or preoccupied with food at the beginning of the program tended to have greater weight loss variability and generally lost less weight overall. This suggests that effectively losing weight may have more to do with steady consistent behavior than changing one’s relationship with food.

While sometimes the best you can do is get back on track, it may be better in the long run to set modest, attainable goals rather than try to completely change beliefs and ideologies in the pursuit of improved health.

According to a new study, consuming enough energy drink can lead to certain concerning characteristics in heart function and blood pressure outside of those seen solely from caffeine.  Energy drinks are extremely popular with hundreds of versions currently available for sale. Unfortunately, these beverages have become associated with emergency-room visits and even death. While the makers of energy drinks claim that the products pose no more dangers than those related to caffeine, the evidence does not necessarily reflect this assertion. Caffeine in certain doses is considered normal by the FDA. For example, approximately 400 mg of caffeine can be found in about five cups of coffee. While the dangers of energy drinks are usually related to their caffeine content, it is the other ingredients which may pose the risk. The physical changes in a group of subjects (both male and female) were observed after the subjects had consumed an energy drink and a caffeinated beverage that lacked the other types of ingredients energy drinks are known for. These additional ingredients include 4 ounces of sugar, taurine, B vitamins, and other contents found in brand-name energy drinks like Red Bull, 5-Hour Energy, and Monster. The results showed certain concerning cardiovascular changes including an increase in blood pressure after the consumption of energy drinks. Be smart and play it safe. If you choose to consume energy drinks, do so in moderation and ensure you do not suffer from any sort of cardiovascular conditions or issues or other health ailments that could result in a visit to the emergency room or worse.