Thrive for Life

Anheuser-Busch is the world’s leading brewing company. One of their wholesalers, Brewers Distributing, is located in Peoria, IL. Many of their employees spend most of their time moving around heavy cases and kegs of beer. “Having noticed a large number of workers compensation cases due to lifting-related injuries, the company decided to introduce several workplace [..]

DEFINITIONSScientific research articles use words that have important meanings in interpreting the value of a study. Such important words include:Correlation / AssociationCausationReverse CausationWe will use the words correlation and association as being synonymous, or as being the same.Correlation (association) (1):There is a relationship between two or more variables.Correlations can be positive or negative. In a positive correlation, as one variable [..]

Pathoanatomy and Management Options Understanding the Upper Cervical Spine        The strict definition of migraine headache is (8):The headache must last 4 to 72 hours.The headache must be associated with nausea and/or vomiting, or photophobia, and/or phonophobia.The headache must be characterized by 2 of the following 4 symptoms:unilateral locationthrobbing pulsatile qualitymoderate or worse degree of severityintensified by routine physical [..]

Pain is an Electrical Signal Interpreted by the Brain Nerves Bring the Pain Electrical Signal to the BrainThe nerves that bring the pain electrical signal to the brain begin in the various tissues of the body. At the very beginning of the nerve there is a specialized ending call a receptor. The receptor is unique in [..]

The nervous system can be categorized in many different ways. In understanding nervous system physiology, a simple but accurate way of categorization is to view the nervous system as two separate but integrated systems:The MOTOR nerve systemThe SENSORY nerve systemThe MOTOR nerve system is the nerves that move our muscles (motor), and also control the function of our visceral organs (like [..]

The NumbersLow back pain is one of the most thoroughly investigated health problems worldwide, yet both prevention and effective treatment are elusive and controversial. The National Library of Medicine of the United States displays nearly 25,000 articles when the key words “low back pain” are used (May 2014).Suffering with low back pain is almost a [..]

A clinical practice guideline is a document designed to guide decisions and criteria regarding diagnosis, management, and treatment in specific areas of healthcare. Contemporary clinical practice guidelines are based on an examination of current evidence (evidence-based). The goal of clinical practice guidelines is to optimize patient benefit, reduce risks, provide a rational basis for patient referral, and to be cost effective. [..]

This month we take a close look at manipulation of the joints of the lumbar spine and the relationship to Lumbar disc protrusion.  Often lumbar manipulation involves some degree of rotation. Lumbar spine manipulations that are primarily rotational in nature are often discouraged as it is assumed that such maneuvers are associated with an increased [..]

Where Does Back Pain Come From?In 1934, William Mixter, MD and Joseph Barr, MD, established that herniation of the lumbar disc could put pressure on the nerve root or the cauda equina, resulting in sciatica. Their paper on the topic appeared in 1934 in the New England Journal of Medicine (1) and was titled:Rupture of the Intervertebral [..]

THE INFLAMMATION MODEL  A light bulb uses electrical energy to generate light. But, the electrical energy is not created by the light bulb. The electrical energy is created in a location far away and brought to the light bulb using electrical wires. Pain is an electrical signal in the brain. The pain electrical signal is [..]