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Alternative Health News

A Comprehensive Program for the Osteoporotic Patient
It hasn't been that long since the arthritis drug Vioxx was taken off the shelves for producing adverse side effects. Merck stopped selling Vioxx in September 2004 after a clinical trial showed it increased the risk of strokes and heart attacks in some patients.

What Are You Doing About Muscle Weakness?
Chiropractic treatment for extremity dysfunctions has a long history. Extremity dysfunction has also been correlated with muscle weakness extensively in the research literature. Dysfunctions in the foot, ankle, knee, wrist, elbow and temporomandibular joint consistently correlate with muscle weakness.

Be Prepared
In March 2003, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved new guidelines for which acupuncturists dispensing dietary supplements across the nation will be accountable. According to the FDA, Chinese herbs are classified as dietary supplements.

UHC Fined $536,000, Reopens 50,000 Claims
The Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration has levied fines totaling $536,000 against UnitedHealthcare (UHC) of the Midwest, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, and ordered them to re-examine 50,000-plus chiropractic claims dating back to November 2004.

The Problem With Prevention
As the swine flu spreads, there is greater urgency to try and prevent illness. Acupuncture and herbal medicine are natural approaches that support the immune system, reinforcing the body's ability to heal and protect itself.

News in Brief
Turning Veterans Into Chiropractors. Life Gets $3 Million Donation From the Harris Foundation. Have-a-Heart Campaign Right Around the Corner. Recognizing Quality at NYCC.

Shining a Positive Spotlight on Chiropractic
All it takes is a bright spotlight to show the world that chiropractic is an amazing healing profession. Creating that spotlight is the sole focus of the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (FCP).

Acupuncturists Help Homeless Vets "Stand Down" Safely
Stand down is a military term, originally used to describe what soldiers did when leaving a castle's walls: standing down in safety with their heads down. Putting down arms and letting some one else be on patrol. This came to mean any ceasing of combat behind the lines.

Core Stiffness and Cross Fitness
In this third installment in our series on cross-fitness, let's discuss the importance of core muscle activation during cross-fitness exercise.

Manifesto for Plant-Based Food Therapy
Food therapy needs to reclaim its central place in the practice of Chinese medicine and reconnect with the spirit of Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, who echoed the Yellow Emperor with his motto: "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."

Why Public Health Matters
It's time for some straight talk. Did you ever wonder why chiropractic students have to take board exams in public health? Does public health ever matter to chiropractic practice? For that matter, does public health matter at all?

DC PracticeINSIGHTS: A Forum for Success
As participants each contribute their ideas, the challenge becomes better defined. Ultimately, a synthesis of the best ideas emerges as the solution. This is precisely the concept behind our newest publication, Dynamic Chiropractic PracticeINSIGHTS.

The CAM Legislative Scorecard
The process of reforming health care is complex and will need to consider all stakeholders - the public, providers, institutions, third-party payers and public insurers. Each of these entities has its own vested interest and issues, which may result in confusion and challenges. This article will attempt to unravel some of these complexities and address areas of interest to acupuncturists.

Comprehensive Military PTSD Treatment Programs
So far, there are four comprehensive posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and combat stress treatment programs in the U.S. Army that have incorporated different CAM approaches in their treatment programs. Many of these comprehensive programs started as a result of the Ft. Bliss Restoration and Resilience Center, near El Paso, Texas.

Government-Defined Meaningful Use Results in Meaningful Dollars
Say it once, they hear you. Say it twice, they understand you. Say it three times, they take action. That's precisely what the government is doing regarding meaningful use of electronic health records (EHR), and each time they communicate, they get more specific.

Research Abstracts From the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics
Research Abstracts From the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. Sept. 2009 Abstracts Volume 32, Issue 7.

Healing Body and Soul
We are all trained in a variety of techniques to assist our patients. What usually brings them into our clinics are their needs to look younger, get free of pain or to get more healthy. Basically, most people want to be free to do what they want without dysfunction. If it were only that easy.

School Seeks Input on New Degree Program
The academic leadership at Seattle Institute of Oriental Medicine (SIOM) is creating a proposal for a master's of acupuncture degree with an emphasis in public health, qi development, nutrition and bodywork.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Rethinks DC Designation
Doctors of chiropractic are once again "physicians" in the Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal Employee Program (FEP), a designation stripped earlier this year when BCBS classified chiropractors as "other covered health care professionals."

Snow-Shoveling Safety Tips
As I sit down to write this article, it is still warm and sunny, but by the time it shows up in print, late fall will be upon us, with winter not too far behind. A fresh snow is one of the most beautiful and peaceful things to witness, but shoveling snow can be very stressful.

Researchers DO Get It
After reading "Is Most of Acupuncture Research a Sham?" in the August 2009 issue, I feel compelled to respond. I was disappointed in the emotional tone of Dr. Amaro's article. Instead of the article being a scholarly critique of the study's design flaws and offering suggestions for improvement, it sounded like complaining about how Western researchers "don't get it."

Ethical Purchasing and Selling by DCs
"Ethical purchasing put simply is buying things that are made ethically by companies that act ethically..." We would like to suggest another way of looking at ethical purchasing - from a chiropractic professional viewpoint.

Going Back to the Theory of Yin and Yang
When I was a student of Chinese medicine and starting my internship, I was struck with the overwhelming amount of signs and symptoms that patients were presenting to me during their initial interviews.

East/West Protocols for Dysmenorrhea, Part 2
In my last article, I discussed options for integrating two effective Western herbs with TCM medicinals to minimize the pain of dysmenorrhea. In this part, I will continue to examine ways to use TCM medicinals to treat dysmenorrhea and discuss important natural supplements which can complement herbal protocols to more effectively assuage menstrual pain.

Lag Signs Are Important in Diagnosing Shoulder Lesions
Two primary ways of testing for rotator cuff ruptures is to determine whether the shoulder has enough strength to maintain a position against resistance, and by passive testing whereby the examiner attempts to determine if a passive position can be maintained in space (Lag sign).

We Get Letters & E-Mail
I recently read a letter to the editor titled "Chiropractors Eating Their Own" [Aug. 12 DC]. I am glad I did and would like to add to the doctor's comments. Here in Utah, we have a managed care group owned by chiropractors who have done just what she was talking about.

Thinking Outside the Box to Reach a World-Wide Market
I want to share with you one of the most important lessons I learned in building my own practice over the past several years and in coaching so many acupuncturists to expand their entrepreneurial skills and knowledge.

Selling You: Your Most Important Product
As a doctor, it's very easy to dislike selling or even the idea of having to sell. When you decided to become a chiropractor, the last thing on your mind was the notion of having to sell it to others. Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but all of life is about selling.

It Doesn't Matter What You Say
I have written in the past about the importance of clear and accurate documentation. I continue to receive comments about that topic. There is no argument. Paperwork is a pain, but it is necessary. Whether you like it or not, some day, someone will look at your treatment notes.

Not in My Hospital!
The chiropractors at our hospital here in New Jersey have been serving on-call for over eight years and have assisted in the care of more than 3,000 patients. It is a successful program because it is based upon a foundation of ethics.

Trauma: The Hidden Pathogenic Factor
A burn feels better over time, but trauma becomes worse. We all know of a college football or tennis player who felt great until hitting 40 or so. Then the trauma that resulted from acute injuries during the teenage years has enough time to warp the joints and create arthritis, twist the bones and cause spurs, or dry the tendons, which results in chronic tendonitis.

Educating Older Patients About Good Health
Aging is an unavoidable fact of life, and our country as a whole is getting older as more and more baby boomers approach retirement age. How can we chiropractors reach out to the middle-aged population and explain how chiropractic care can help them continue to lead active, healthy lives as they get older?

Important Safety Issues on Mycotoxins
A mycotoxin is a toxic secondary metabolite produced by an organism of the fungus kingdom, including mushrooms, molds and yeasts. While there are several different groups of mycotoxins, this article will focus on aflatoxins and ochratoxins.

Back Pain in a Child
History and examination: The patient is a pleasant 17-year-old male referred by an orthopedic center. Patient history is remarkable for a chest wall congenital finding, and patient complains of tenderness in the chest wall region during exercise.

The Power of Teamwork
Are doctors of chiropractic team players in the health care system? Are we even in the game? As you ponder these questions, consider how you represent yourself to patients, other health care professionals, third-party payers, the media, government officials and the general public.

Is the Meridian System the Most Senior?
Chinese medicine starts with the teaching of meridians and acupoints. Western medicine starts with the teaching of anatomy, which is the foundation of Western medicine. Here, we discover heart, nerves, blood, hormones, cells and DNA.

News in Brief
The Society for Acupuncture Research (SAR) is sponsoring its 2010 research conference Translational Research In Acupuncture: Bridging Science, Practice & Community. The primary goal of translational research is to speed the application of basic and clinical research findings to patient care.

It's Never Too Late
If you believe what media pundits have to say, it is too late to panic. The barn door has been open for quite awhile now and just about everything that can run out has. However, it's never too late to put your financial house in order now so that you can ride out this mess and be prepared when everything settles down.

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Massage Today
May, 2006, Vol. 06, Issue 05

Studying the Benefits of Massage for Advanced Cancer Patients

By Julie Engebretson

Even in a professional hospice environment, those suffering from advanced cancer are consistently, if not constantly, plagued by fatigue, pain, and loss of appetite. Cancer patients and health professionals at hospice programs are anxiously awaiting the results of a study to be conducted by the Health Sciences Center at the University of Colorado at Denver.

Researchers hope to show that regular massage therapy decreases pain, improves quality of life, and reduces physical and emotional distress among patients suffering from advanced stages of cancer.

Jean Kutner, MD, MSPH, associate professor of internal medicine at the CU School of Medicine and principal investigator in the study, is optimistic. "Hospice programs are very interested in the study because they believe massage works, and we anticipate that the study will show that patients who receive the massage therapy will experience a better quality of life during end-of-life care." Dr. Kutner also feels that patients suffering from advanced cancer are made to rely too heavily on drugs to treat symptoms that massage can treat more thoroughly, and without all the side effects and interactions. Now, researchers have to provide hard evidence as proof. "Most complementary therapies have not undergone rigorous scientific review," she said. "People believe it works, but data are needed to prove if patients are truly benefiting, and a study of this magnitude will help us gather that data."

In 2003, the National Institutes of Health awarded a $1.2 million grant to conduct the study. As of April 2006, a total of 311 patients with advanced cancer have been enrolled. Registered participants have been enrolled from several sites around the country as part of a national hospice research network. Dr. Kutner and the team hope to have 440 patients enrolled in the study by August.

If you, a friend or loved one, or a client suffers from advanced-stage cancer and is interested in participating in this important study, contact Karen Mellis, study coordinator, at (303) 372-9088 or via e-mail at . Applicants must speak English, be at least 18 years of age, and be diagnosed with stage three or stage four cancer of any type.