QuestionMy husband has been suffering severely from pain around back and left side under rib area....he had a case of shingles in Nov. 2003 and the 3 doctors he has seen for this pain are coming to the conclusion of recurring pain from the 2003 incident. He also has Mantle Cell Lymphoma and recently was treated for NSCC (lung cancer) for which he was treated with "Cyber Knife" treatment and his cancer is gone...that was great news!!! At the present, his pain is so severe and all his pain medications from another facial nerve damage done in 1994 and is taking 10 MG of Methadone 8 times a day has no affect on relieving the shingles pain. We were told that a Chiropractor could help him...my husband feels that if a Doctor could not help, how would a Chiropractor help? He has been having this pain now for almost 5 months and it seems to be more constant. The pain is draining him and slowly taking him down into a depressive state. Can a Chiropractor be our answer to pain relief? Please let us know ASAP...he needs help now...Please!! He has been under alot of stress just from all the cancer diagnosis' and his immune system is compromised also. He recently went to his Oncologist for bloodwork, all looked good but his Hemoglobin, Hemocrit, RBC were slightly below normal ranges. What can we do? Thank you for any help you can give...we are searching to no end to get him relief...Bob is only 58 years old, diagnosed with Lymphoma in 2004...has had several different chemo treatment types as well as the Cyber Knife Radiation for his lung cancer in Feb. 2009. Any questions please feel free to ask....Thank you again!!!
AnswerHello Cindy,
I am very sorry to hear of your Husband's pain and complicated history.
You certainly present a complex case. Your Husband has a significant health history and ANY Doctor you visit needs copies of any and ALL of the diagnoses, tests, treatments, results, and outcomes of prior approaches.
If your Husband does not believe that Chiropractic can help him, then I would not recommend Chiropractic care for him.
Whatever Doctor you see for examination and treatment needs to have the confidence and compliance of the patient. If your Husband 'believes' in the medical approach, then your Husband should continue with his Medical Doctors (MDs). If your Husband does not 'believe' in the science of Chiropractic, then he should not 'waste his time' with the Doctor of Chiropractic (DC).
Whether it is medicine, chiropractic, nutrition, acupuncture, massage, whatever- confidence in the Doctor, confidence in the treatment, motivation, compliance; ALL of these things affect the patient's outcome.
That being said, let me give you some information, websites, and resources which may help you and your Husband decide if Chiropractic could be for you.
First, some caution on pain killing medications:
Pain Killing medication??? = 16,000 deaths ( probably under-reported )
DEATH ! ? ! ? better watch out on those medications!!!
PAIN
Pain is a 憆ed light on the dashboard?
Pain is your body telling you that something is wrong.
Think you should listen??
That RED LIGHT on the dashboard of your car-
-- do you ignore it until the car breaks down,
or do you get it checked and correct the problem?
Pain,
pain in your body-
-- do you ignore it until your body breaks down,
or do you get it checked and correct the problem?
Pain,
do you cover up the pain by taking a painkiller?
Take a painkiller,
mask the pain,
and allow a problem to progress in your body?
NOTICE ON PAIN RELIEVERS:
Label changes ORDERED by FDA; the FDA announced proposed label changes for OTC over-the-counter pain relievers to include the potential for stomach bleeding and liver damage (FDA news 206- 207; 12-9-06) ;
SIXTEEN THOUSAND DEATHS: "Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are effective medications for the treatment of many chronically painful medical conditions. However, it is estimated that 25% of all serious adverse drug reactions involve NSAIDs, with more than 100,000 hospitalizations and 16,000 deaths occurring annually due to NSAID-induced gastrointestinal (GI) events."----- http://hhc.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/13/6/468 Home Health Care Management & Practice, Vol. 13, No. 6, 468-475 (2001) Motrin, Advil = NSAIDS
The American Heart Association issued a scientific statement recommending medical doctors change the way they prescribe OTC pain relievers from a first choice to an alternate of recommending non-pharmacologic treatment (AHA statement 2-26-07).
NSAID Acceleration of ARTHRITIS; an important side effect of Aspirin and other NSAIDS is that it will inhibit cartilage repair and accelerate cartilage destruction ( Journal of Rheumatology, 1982; 9: 3- 5 ). Many times people take NSAIDS for the pain of Arthritis, not realizing these drugs may make the underlying condition worse. These medications cover up the pain, and cause the problem to worsen.
Pain can often be the result of the Vertebral Subluxation Complex.
Vertebral Subluxation ( 慥SC?, 憇ubluxation? )
Vertebral Subluxation is actually a quite common condition. Doctors of Chiropractic look for pathological conditions which may require referral to other specialties, and also look for 慡ubluxation? Other disciplines look for pathology, but overlook the importance of alignment and movement in the spine which affects our nervous system (the master control system- ALL health disciplines learn this). VSC- 慡ubluxation??can be the cause of many symptoms and conditions.
Only a Doctor of Chiropractic will evaluate and treat for VSC, as well as other pathology.
The course of VSC is highly variable. Some patients with VSC literally cannot walk, yet other patients with similar test findings may be able to run marathons or lift heavy weights. Some patients immediately develop symptoms related to the VSC, some patients take years to develop symptoms. Some people suffer for only a few days with pain and symptoms, some people suffer for months. Some people recover in days, some take months or years, depending upon severity of the condition.
A subluxation interferes with the proper functioning of the nervous system (the master system which controls and coordinates all function within the body) and may cause various other conditions, symptoms and problems.
The Vertebral Subluxation Complex describes what happens when spinal bones lose their normal movement patterns and position. When subluxated, joints are in a stressed, vulnerable, compromised condition. Subluxation may cause Arthritis, Disk Herniation, or aggravate such conditions.
Vertebral Subluxation cannot be corrected through chemicals (medicine), stretching, yoga, vitamins or physical therapy alone. Subluxation- a neuro/skeletal/muscular- mechanical- problem requires a mechanical correction- - - a manipulation, best performed with the chiropractic adjustment.
Dr. Victor E. Dolan, Doctor of Chiropractic; Diplomate, American Chiropractic Board of Sport Physicians; Diplomate, American Academy of Pain Management; Certified Clinical Nutritionist (IAACN); FIRST Chief of Chiropractic in a Hospital in New York State (DHSI); As Seen in PREVENTION Magazine, Invited to Colorado Springs (Olympic Training Center) to Care for USA Olympic Athletes 2010
That information above is from an information handout sheet I utilize in my office.
A Video at youtube.com:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s68Yr38-lAQ&feature=related
Chiropractic Education (4 years AFTER undergraduate college):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8geQDXq7T8g&feature=related
Chiropractic and Pain (Montel Williams):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiOtb6yM_ow&feature=PlayList&p=0114437D127F2184&i...
Chiropractic and the Brainstem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ1rGMXfsWQ
One kind of Chiropractic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9rqH1ID8v4&feature=related
The Doctor of Chiropractic is NOT a Doctor of Medicine. The Doctor of Medicine is NOT a Doctor of Chiropractic. Both of these Doctors get their degree from graduate, professional schools- AFTER prescribed courses in undergraduate colleges. BOTH of these Doctors get their licenses from the SAME place- your State Capitol's Board of Health or Board of Regents.
Speaking of the difference between Medical Doctors, the Medicine approach and other Complementary, Alternative approaches (often called CAM = complementary alternative medicine),
here is another informative article available to the public:
"Death by Medicine" (1)
is an eye-opening paper published as a Web exclusive in the March 2004 issue of Life Extension, a monthly magazine dedicated to "up-to-date coverage of the latest scientific and medical breakthroughs from around the world." As the grim title suggests, the paper explores the hazards of conventional medicine in the United States, analyzing and combining the complete published literature to date regarding injuries and deaths attributable to medicine.
In their introduction, the authors note: "Never before have the complete statistics on the multiple causes of iatrogenesis been combined in one paper. Medical science amasses tens of thousands of papers annually - each one a tiny fragment of the whole picture. ... Each specialty, each division of medicine, keeps their own records and data on morbidity and mortality like pieces of a puzzle. But the numbers and statistics were always hiding in plain sight. We have now completed the painstaking work of reviewing thousands and thousands of studies. Finally putting the puzzle together, we came up with some disturbing answers."
The "disturbing answers" the five researchers uncover are an indictment of the entire American medical system:
* "The total number of deaths caused by
conventional medicine is an astounding
783,936 per year."
* "The number of people having inhospital, adverse drug reactions (ADR) to
prescribed medicine is 2.2 million."
* "Richard Besser, of the CDC, in 1995, said the number of unnecessary antibiotics
prescribed annually for viral infections was 20 million. Dr. Besser, in 2003, now
refers to tens of millions . of unnecessary antibiotics."
"The number of unnecessary medical and surgical procedures performed
Annually is 7.5 million."
* "The number of people exposed to unnecessary hospitalization annually is 8.9
million."
* "It is evident that the American medical system is the leading cause of death and
injury in the United States."
The authors are especially concerned that "(a)s few as 5% and only up to 20% of iatrogenic acts are ever reported." (It must be noted that these reports on MEDICAL failure are compiled by MEDICAL personnel, and therefore these statistics a probably BIASED in favor of medicine, with poor outcomes being omitted or dismissed from the research. The statistics are probably LOWER than the reality.)
They also project that the costs associated with deaths caused by medical interventions total approximately $282 billion per year, and estimate that the costs for unnecessary hospitalization and medical procedures total $16.4 billion per year.
As if this information isn't startling enough, the paper goes on to review the drug industry world. The authors discuss the dangers of many types of drugs and how their overuse is affecting our health and our environment, Next, they discuss the dangers of surgical procedures, the lack of error reporting and unnecessary hospitalization. The paper concludes with a discussion of how women are mistreated by medicine, and the dangers awaiting the unsuspecting elderly: "A total of 20% of all deaths from all causes occur in nursing homes."
The complete text of "Death by Medicine" can be found online at www.lef.org/magazine/mag2004/" mar2004_awsi_death_01.html.
More than 150 references and an extensive appendix support the discussions and conclusions presented in this paper. While many will find it quite disturbing, every health care provider and every patient should read this paper.
Reference
1). Gary Null, PhD, Carolyn Dean, MD ND, Martin Feldman, MD, Debora Rasio, MD, Dorothy Smith, PhD. "Death by Medicine." Life Extension March 2004 (Web exclusive).
Investigative Reporter Gary Null, PhD: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3XlJB7J5-o
Misconceptions: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn_2XrVNlOc
I recommend a Website:
http://lifechangingcare.com/
An excellent Book:
http://www.amazon.com/Medications-Treatment-Dizziness-Fibromyalgia-Conditions/dp... ---what to do when the medications DON'T work
Chiropractic Doctors have many specialties with additional training-- similar to our medical colleagues, for Chiropractic specialties SEE: http://www.acatoday.org/pdf/ApprovedChiropracticSpecialtyPrograms.pdf
Chiropractic can certainly be utilized concurrent with medical or other health approaches.
You ask, "....Can a Chiropractor be our answer to pain relief? ....", possibly yes.
But
I do not know any Doctor, of ANY kind that wants to treat a 'reluctant' patient.
Again, ANY Doctor that you present to for treatment will NEED to have the complete history of your Husband. BEFORE even making an appointment, you will have to gather all of the results of prior treatment/ diagnoses/ etc.
I do wish you luck with whatever treatment approach, whatever discipline you decide to take. I hope the above resources give you some information on possibly taking a Chiropractic Route.
Thank You for the question. If further is required, do not hesitate to contact me.
Dr. Victor Dolan, DC, DACBSP
Email Newsletter . . . . . drvictordolan.chiroweb.com
Dr. Victor E. Dolan, Doctor of Chiropractic; Diplomate, American Chiropractic Board of Sport Physicians; Diplomate, American Academy of Pain Management; Certified Clinical Nutritionist (IAACN); FIRST Chief of Chiropractic in a Hospital in New York State (DHSI); As Seen in PREVENTION Magazine, Invited to Colorado Springs (Olympic Training Center) to Care for USA Olympic Athletes 2010
