LifeCare Chiropractic

The Best Chiropractic Care in Mesa, Arizona

Arthritis

ZINC DEFICIENCY PLAY ROLE IN MANAGING ARTHRITIS – (04-08-02)

by

Zinc Deficiency Inhibits Chondrocyte Proliferation

If you have been following Research Updates for awhile now, you will remember several articles in the past that have linked osteoarthritis to systemic factors instead of the old mainstay of “wear and tear.”

This article would support this further and suggest that any approach to arthritis needs to address nutritional needs as well as local factors at the joints. Avoidance of nightshade veggies (green pepper, tomato, potato…), identification of food allergies and supporting proper digestion are all other approaches that play a large role in managing arthritits –

nutrition.org — Abstracts: Wang et al. 132 (4): 665 –

Read entire article here

BACTERIA IN GUT MODULATES INFLAMMATION IN THE BODY – (10-13-04)

by

Lactobacillus GG Bacteria Ameliorate Arthritis in Lewis Rats

Okay, so this is a rat study, but if there is anyone out there who still does not believe that the bacteria in the gut has the ability to modulate the inflammation in the body then they are as out of touch with the research as most clinicians. The bacterial flora (which is considered an organ system by some researchers) has a significant impact on our health through the modulation of the immune system, production of certain vitamins (B12, K), detoxification of xenobiotics, metabolic conversion of dietary compounds and territorial protective effects against pathogenic bacteria, viruses, parasites… We need to be viewing antibiotic use as a severely long term detrimental effect to overcome a short term problem (in most cases…).

Lactobacillus GG Bacteria Ameliorate Arthritis in Lewis Rats — Baharav et al. 134 (8): 1964 — Journal of Nutrition –

Read entire article here

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTION OF DGLA REDUCING TNF ALPHA LEVELS – (11-03-03)

by

Dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid inhibits tumour necrosis factor-alpha production by human leucocytes independently of cyclooxygenase activity

I realize this is a long title, but this article demonstrates a potent anti-inflammatory action of DGLA (found in high levels in borage oil) via reduction in TNF-alpha levels. Recall the newest rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease drugs inhibit TNF-alpha action. I have strong concerns with long term use of these new drugs, especially when we are seeing more and more natural approaches that achieve the same ends without indiscriminate shutdown of an essential portion of the immune system that is known to fight off infections and cancer.

Read entire article here

REDUCTION IN PAIN BY INTRA-ARTICULAR STEROID INJECTION – (10-04-04)

by

Intra-articular steroid injection of the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb in OA

This is an interestng one. Reading the title may lead one to believe that the steroid injections were not effective. However, there was a 20% reduction in pain in both the placebo injection and the steroid. “So what?” you say. There is evidence accumulating that in is not the fluid being injected that does the fixing, but rather THE NEEDLE. One of the soft tissue techniques I use in my office is called Graston technique, and it uses patented stainless steel instruments to essentially damage ligaments, tendons, etc… through microtrauma.

This microtrauma then brings new blood flow/nutrients to fibrotic tissue than can begin to produce healthy ground substance and heal the scar tissue. So, might the needle and Graston technique share the same mechanism of healing? I think the research is leaning this way. So how much will doctors get paid just to stick the needle in?

A randomised controlled trial of intra-articular corticosteroid injection of the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb in osteoarthritis.. –

Read entire article here

TELOPEPTIDES USED TO DETERMINE EFFECT OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS – (10-20-04)

by

Telopeptides as markers of bone turnover in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis

This is an interesting route of attack on a different way to measure disease severity with RA. Using the breakdown products of bone in the urine as a way to check bone status is by no means new. But in this study, these bone turnover markers were used to determine the severity of inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis, since RA attacks the cartilage of a joint and to a certain extent the underlying bone.

Telopeptides as markers of bone turnover in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis – Internal Medicine Journal, Vol 34, Issue 9-10, pp. 539-544 –

Read entire article here

Arthritis Relief: Is Ginger Good for Joint Relief?

by

We want to live life to our fullest; this means no arthritis pain. Many use drugs for arthritis relief, but safety is a concerns. Is ginger good for joint relief?

Mother Nature knew what she was doing.  Us–not so much.

It seems like anytime we try to mess with nature we screw things up.  Anti-inflammatories are certainly on this list.  Here is how things usually work:

  • Nature makes a compound that positively effects some pathway in our body.  This effect is usually subtle and takes time for the effect to show, but has a very good safety profile for long term use.
  • Scientists find said natural compound and modify it so that it has a strong short term effect but thus becomes dangerous in the long run.

Overall, the drug companies try to find compounds that have the greatest effect at the lowest concentrations.  They want compounds with as high of a LD50 as possible (the LD50 is the level at which the compound kills 50% of the study participants).  But they all will kill at high enough dosages (even water can kill if you stuff enough of it in our bloodstream).

While the list of problems associated with anti-inflammatories (specifically the NSAID class of drugs) is quite long and has been addressed in prior posts that can be read here, suffice it to say that I consider this one of the most dangerous classes of drugs, resulting from a combination of the broad spectrum of subtle side effects combined with the near-universal belief in their safety by the general population.

 There are many natural, unadulterated compounds that have been shown to lower inflammation and have solid research behind them.  Curcumin / turmeric, boswellia, cat’s claw and proteolytic enzymes to name a few.  Ginger is also on the list.

This particular study looks at the effectiveness of ginger to both control pain associated with arthritis as well as protect the lining of the stomach (a MAJOR concern with NSAIDs).  It was compared with diclofenac (Voltaren), a common anti-inflammatory used for arthritis pain.

The safety profile of ginger was, as expected, much better on the stomach than the diclofenac.  Surprisingly, the pain relief was equivalent in both groups (as measured by the Visual Analog Scale, or VAS).

If you have tried ginger for arthritis relief, what was your experience?

ULTRASOUND REVEALS HIGH PREVALENCE OF SUBCLINICAL DISEASE – (03-29-04)

by

Should oligoarthritis be reclassified? Ultrasound reveals a high prevalence of subclinical disease

If I have a dime for every time I heard someone say (in my office or otherwise) that they have arthritis I would be writing this from a small island in the Bahamas. I know that in my office it is rare that someone with arthritis does not get complete relief under my care. Did I get rid of the arthritis? Of course not. It’s just that the arthritis was not causing their pain. Remember that arthritis is just something we find on xray–just because it’s there does not mean it’s the pain generator.

This article confirms this–using ultrasound these authors found “subclinical” arthritits in high numbers. Of course–if these patients had no arthritis they should be in a lab somewhere trying to find out why.

Ann Rheum Dis — Abstracts: Wakefield et al. 63 (4): 382 –

Read entire article here

OSTEOARTHRITIS DISORDER IS RELATED TO CLINICAL COMORBIDITY – (03-29-04)

by

Clinical comorbidity in patients with osteoarthritis

While we’re on the subject, might I mention that much research points to osteoarthritis as a systemic disorder. Poor nutrition to the joint surface does not give the synovium the nutrients it needs to keep up with normal wear-and-tear.

This article would support prior research along these lines–it’s not just the joint surface getting poor nutrition, it’s all other organs systems as well.

Ann Rheum Dis — Abstracts: Kadam et al. 63 (4): 408 –

Read entire article here