Should I go to the doctor for this?

You are having pain and you're wondering, "should I go to the doctor for this?" Chances are you have encountered this scenario before. Let's take a step back and consider a few things. Do you think your pain has to do with a muscle, joint, or even a nerve problem like a 'pinched nerve?' Perhaps it is your persistent headaches. If so, I would encourage you to first see your chiropractor, and let me explain why. Chiropractors have extensive training in diagnosis and management of these types of conditions, which we term Neuromusculoskeletal (NMS) conditions. This means that when you visit the chiropractor for your knee or other joint pain, they can assess the situation and determine the best course of treatment. Also, chiropractors tend to be on the conservative side of the medical spectrum, therefore the least invasive methods of treatment will be initiated in the beginning. When going to a traditional medical practitioner for pain of this nature, many times expensive imaging (think X-rays, MRI, or CT scan) is utilized early on in the process. I believe this is a mistake because there are too many reports of incidental findings being interpreted as the cause of a person's pain and symptoms. James Andrews, the world famous orthopedic surgeon, says "If you want an excuse to do a shoulder surgery, take an MRI." By this he means that the majority of people will have structural problems on a shoulder MRI that really have no meaning clinically. You can now imagine how unnecessary surgeries happen and sometimes people get no relief from surgery. Hopefully you have not experienced that. 

I have spoken to quite a few primary care medical physicians and many times they do not want to see these types of patients anyways. They admit that they do not have very many effective treatments for these types of issues and the patient would be better off getting more manual treatments such as from a chiropractor or physical therapist. Luckily, we have both in our clinic! The primary care physician's time would be better spent dealing with issues they are great with, like internal medicine disorders and minor surgery procedures. 

By taking this conservative approach, we can save money both personally and for the healthcare system by eliminating expensive tests and procedures that are not necessary. If you are having pain and wondering if it is worth getting checked out, see the chiropractor for reassurance and safe, effective treatment!

Yours in Health,

Dr. Joel Ardner

Dietary Madness

The Atkins Diet, Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, the 21-day fix, Paleo diet, Gluten-free, South Beach, Mediterranean, Volumetrics... one of these has got to work, right? You may have even tried one or more of these. They all work somewhat for weight loss, but what about just eating healthy?

When your only concern is weight loss or gain, the calories in vs calories out equation tends to work pretty well. However, food does more for us than just determine how much fat we store and how much muscle we have. I have seen this quote a few times and support it 100%... "Every time you eat, you are either fighting disease or feeding disease."

How do we know which foods are healthy? Is it best to eat carbs in the morning? Is saturated fat the enemy that will lead to a certain early death? There are many questions you probably have and I will answer most of them with this simple statement. Eat Real Food. That's right, eating real food is the best approach to health that you can take. Think about this, go back just 200 years ago, a well documented time in history and examine what people ate. They ate food. Animals, plants, seeds, fruits, etc. There were no chemicals in their food, no additives, no preservatives. No matter what you believe in regards to the origin of our species, you can agree that however long humans have lived before that time, this is how they ate. That is somewhere between 6,000 and 5-7 million years that humans have been eating real food. This should be enough for us to know what we should be eating. You may be thinking that people did not live very long in the past, which is true, but the things that were killing them were largely infectious diseases that have been eliminated through public health advancements and medical breakthroughs, not because they had uncontrolled diabetes.

Only recently have we started eating "food products." Food was not a business back then, not like it is now, where the fast food industry is approaching 200 billion dollars in revenue in a year. Agrium, one of the largest agricultural companies made over 16 billion dollars last year, as did Monsanto, producer of agricultural pesticides and genetically engineered crops. Of course not all of these products that we eat are toxic for us, but with such a little time frame to reference from, how can we know? With 5 million years of time to reference, I think it is safe to say that eating animal meat or vegetables is safe. The rising prevalence of chronic diseases like Type 2 Diabetes, autoimmune disease, and cardiovascular disease is alarming and have an undeniable link to what you eat.

Saturated fat is not bad for you. This idea needs to stop now. In fact, it is essential and you would die without eating it. The large saturated fat study by Keys from the 1950s, which laid the foundation for the anti-fat movement has been disregarded, and now the mainstream needs to catch up. Many saturated fat studies since then deal with hydrogenated vegetables oils as the source of saturated fat, which, tying in with this blog, IS NOT A REAL FOOD. Hydrogenation is a chemical altering of the oil, which produces a "product" that would never be found in nature. Animal fat, coconut oil, even butter from grass-fed cows are perfectly natural and "healthy" sources of fat.

Do not be mislead by the government's recommendation of what you should be eating. You all know of the food pyramid, which has been replaced by MyPlate, which encourages hearty doses of grains and dairy products everyday. Keep in mind that the US Dept. of Agriculture is the agency that publishes these charts. That's right, the agricultural industry is telling you what to eat, not the Dept. of Health and Human Services. If you think they tell you to eat grains and dairy products because those are their highest revenue products, you are correct.

Look at the labels of your food. Think about what the labels on foods would have read in 1800. A package of potatoes would have read something like this: potatoes.

I highly recommend watching the movie Food, Inc if you want more exposure to the massive industry that is food.

Eat real foods, and remember, every time you eat, you are either fighting disease or fueling it.

Yours in health,

Dr. Joel Ardner

Back Pain: An Epidemic and What Can Be Done

Back pain is extremely common and up to 80% of people will experience it at some point in their lives. At any one time, 31 million Americans have back pain. The single leading cause of disability worldwide is back pain and it is also second only to respiratory infections in terms of missed work. Brace yourself for this next statistic. Americans spend at least $50 billion every year on back pain.

Clearly there is a problem somewhere in our system. Back pain is often times tossed into one category, without classifying the causes behind the pain. I believe this is one of the main reasons for the unsuccessful management of back pain around the world. Imagine this: 1,000 random people have unclassified back pain and chiropractic adjustments are done as a treatment. Let's say it turned out that 95% of them have cancer in their spine that is causing their pain and for many, the treatment did not help. Without classifying the pain, you would make the conclusion that chiropractic adjustments are not effective for treating back pain. Maybe the other 5% had disc herniation and all of them got pain relief from the treatment. Thus, chiropractic may be extremely effective for one type of back pain, and minimally effective for other types. Unfortunately this is how a majority of the scientific literature is done regarding back pain. There is no classification and blanket statements are made.

Diagnosing and classifying patients is an essential part of treatment. When properly classified, treatments can be more specific and outcomes will improve. This is what I strive to deliver with the functional model of care. Once red flags to treatment have been ruled out, doing a functional examination will lead to specific treatment protocols that can produce successful interventions. Instead of blanket treatments for every type of pain, classification allows for plans that suit an individual's dysfunction. Also keep in mind that ruling out red flags and making a proper diagnosis can typically be done with a thorough history and exam, without the unnecessary use of expensive imaging like MRI or CT scans. The overuse of these diagnostic tools can often lead to fear that can affect outcomes for many patients.

Mechanical low back pain (pain not related to serious issues) generally responds favorably to exercise. Too much rest can even be detrimental during an episode of back pain. Specific exercises may be given by your doctor to manage your condition in the beginning. A few days of rest may be beneficial but it is best to resume normal activities and some research even shows benefit to strength-building exercise for most mechanical back pain. Your doctor should reassure you that nothing is seriously wrong and that it is healthy to keep moving. 

In review, back pain needs to be properly classified. Once this is done, most back pain can be managed with combinations of chiropractic adjustments, manual therapies, basic pain medications, and specific exercises. If a course of these treatments does not prove to be useful, only then should one consider more invasive interventions like injections and surgeries. 

I hope this information gives you an idea of the effect back pain has on many people, and some ways to lessen the burden on both patients and the medical system in general. Always get your pain evaluated by a doctor.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Joel Ardner

Ear Infections in Children

Ear infections in children (most commonly otitis media with effusion) are very common and can affect nearly one half of all children at some point during development. 

For a long time, like many conditions, ear infections were treated with antibiotics as a first line of treatment. Recently this has come under scrutiny and now even the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) does not recommend antibiotic treatment for most ear infections! Even with acute otitis media, the cause may be viral and antibiotics will not be beneficial in this case. Your doctor should be able to determine if your child's condition will improve with antibiotic treatment. Check out this link from the CDC for their stance on the issue. http://www.cdc.gov/getsmart/community/for-patients/common-illnesses/ear-infection.html

Staying with our functional approach, let's now talk about what can be the underlying cause of your child's problem. A common theme seen across the board in children with recurring ear infections is sensitivity to cow's milk, particularly the protein casein. It is estimated that up to 80% of the global population has some degree of sensitivity to cow's milk and it can manifest in different ways depending on the individual. What happens when you are sensitive or allergic to a protein? The body mounts an immune response when it recognizes the protein in your system, and this leads to inflammation. Why the problem manifests as ear infection or other conditions is not fully understood, but taking the functional approach gets to the source of the issue. You may be thinking, "I breastfeed my baby so what else could be the problem?" Some may claim that it does not matter what the mother is eating, but in my experience and observation of others with more experience than myself, this is not the case. If the mother has a sensitivity and the immune system is overloaded, the issue may very well show up in the child drinking the mother's milk. Eliminating dairy from your diet can be challenging but we know that mothers want to do everything they can to help their children.

Chiropractors have long made claims about treating ear infections and there are many success stories and testimonials to back them. The mechanism by which a chiropractic adjustment aids in resolving this issue involves the Eustachian tube. The Eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the phraynx, or the throat in common terms. In many children, this tube is oriented horizontally which can lead to a backup of food material and irritation to the tissues in the middle ear. The chiropractic adjustment can help to position the tube properly so that drainage may occur normally and nothing goes backwards to the ear. This is a brief explanation and certainly more research can be done on the topic but a key factor that drives research is clinical results! When a therapy shows effectiveness, it can then be investigated further.

Always consult a physician regarding these manners and do your own research as well! The internet is full of good material (and bad) that can provide you with information. There can always be other factors influencing you or your child's condition as well. If you have any questions about any of the material mentioned, please give me a call or schedule an appointment and I would be happy to discuss it further with you.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Joel Ardner

What is Chiropractic?

What is chiropractic, anyways?!

You may have been to a chiropractor, or maybe even many different chiropractors and gotten a little different treatment from each one. Maybe you have never been to a chiropractor but you know that they are those back and neck pain doctors. As a chiropractor, allow me to speak briefly on what it is that I do.

Chiropractic is a profession. This means that doctors of chiropractic may choose to do many different treatments that are allowed within their scope of practice. What unites all chiropractors is that they do not utilize drugs or surgery in their treatment protocols, making them a very safe option to choose. First and foremost, I am a physician. This means that when someone comes to me with a health problem, I am trained to ask specific questions and perform a thorough examination on any complaint that they may present with. In case of a serious problem or one that needs evaluated by a specialist, I must refer a patient to get the treatment that they need.

Chiropractic is centered on the "adjustment."

Whether using their hands or an instrument, the purpose of the adjustment is to return normal motion and alignment to the joints. The spine is the most common, but any joint of the body can be adjusted. The most important part of the adjustment is the effect it has on the central nervous system (your brain and spinal cord). This effect can be powerful and explains some of the amazing stories of chiropractic helping many conditions. Through a complex process called mechanoreception, adjusting a joint has a positive impact on the brain and spine that relieves pain, improves function, and leaves you feeling great. Think of the adjustment as pushing the reset button on your brain. Because of this effect on the brain, the chiropractic adjustment is not only effective at treating back and neck pain, but also it has a positive effect on your whole body!

In my last post I spoke briefly about observing movement and treating function in the body. I have a special passion for this aspect of patient care. Ensuring proper spinal function is critical to most all health conditions, but certain conditions require additional treatment. Problems with the hands, feet, knees, or shoulders, for example, may need a different examination and special treatments. I enjoy analyzing a patient's individual movement to determine the best approach.

Finally chiropractic focuses on treating the function of the body as opposed to the symptoms that you present with. Think of it this way, your pain or symptom is like the check engine light on your car; flashing, ringing, very annoying, and disrupts your daily drive. You have some options when dealing with the light. You can cut the wire that leads to the light, or you can figure out what is wrong with the engine and this will stop the light. Let's get to the source of your problem and get your body functioning in the best way possible.

All the best,

Dr. Joel Ardner

Introduction

Hello everyone,

My journey begins here in Tiffin, OH! Being born and raised in Tiffin, I was compelled to return and serve the community that raised me. I graduated from Tiffin Calvert High School and later Muskingum University in New Concord, OH (Go Muskies!). I then graduated from Logan University College of Chiropractic in St. Louis, MO.

During my time at Logan University, I learned and began to develop the functional model of chiropractic that I utilize today. This refreshing model involves looking at the body and various conditions from a different viewpoint. It focuses on the 'why' behind your problems and sometimes leads to treatment away from the site of pain in an attempt to fix the cause. As it happens, many times the spine is the cause of your pain, which explains the success of the chiropractic profession. As an example, some people have flat feet, and some have very high arches. If one of each sought treatment for the same foot or ankle problem, the treatment would be very different, because their individual feet function differently. Perhaps there is nothing wrong with their feet and the problem is a pinched nerve in their back! In essence, this model focuses on how your body functions and centers the treatment around that.

I did an internship at the prestigious Winchester Spine and Sport clinic in St. Louis, MO where I am very grateful to have learned from Dr. Brett Winchester and his fabulous staff. Dr. Winchester is the St. Louis Cardinals official team chiropractor and also works with a small town rural community in his private practice. I learned to fine-tune my model and my skills during my time there and helped both world class athletes and average joes reach their wellness and performance goals.

Perhaps you or someone you know is suffering from TMJ, plantar fasciitis, disc herniation or stenosis, neck pain and headaches, or knee and other joint pain. Maybe you are just looking for something to improve your quality of life and get you functioning your best. Consider scheduling an appointment and getting an evaluation and treatment. When it comes to your health, let the Fabrehab Team lead you to experience lifetime wellness.

This blog is designed to address topics in health and wellness. If you would like to know more about a particular topic, drop a comment below or post on the Fabrizio Fabrehab page on Facebook and I will do my best to generate a response.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Joel Ardner