News & Updates Welcome to the News & Updates section of our web-site. In this section of the site we hope to bring to you some of the current events and discussions in the "Chiropractic world" as well as events which may be specific to our practice only. Latest News: A new controled trial from Canada has demonstrated that clinical guidelines-based-management that includes Chiropractic manipulation is more effective than usual medical care for patients with acute low-back pain. A new clinical trial from the Rush University Hypertension Centre in Chicago published in Journal of Human Hypertension, reports that chiropractic upper cervical adjustments to correct the position and function of the Atlas vertebra can significantly lower blood pressure in patients with stage 1 hypertension. They go on to say: "And it seems to be adverse free. We saw no side effects and no problems". This new study is the first double-blind randomised controlled trial in its field. Reference: Bakris G, Dickholtz M et al. (2007) Atlas vertebra realignment and achievement of arterial pressure goal in hypertensive patients: A pilot study, J Human Hypertension, 1-7. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - An article just published by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons entitled Natural Anti-inflammatory Agents for Pain Relief in Athletes makes some startling revelations about the development and uses of anti-inflammatory medication: 1. Non steroidal anti-inflammatories may be associated with gastrointestinal haemorrhage, myocardial infarction (heart attack) and stroke. 2. One particular type, Vioxx (now withdrawn from the market) was found to DOUBLE the risk of serious thromboembolic events including myocardial infarcts if taken for more than 18 months. 3. By their very nature, these drugs actually stop the natural healing and repair process after tissue damage. 4. This article goes on to advocate the use of natural anti-inflammatory agents such as Omega-3 fish oils and herbal remedies, some of which have been in use over 3000 years! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) published a paper last year in their guidelines for the treatment of back pain stating that "Chiropractic intervention and posture training can limit episodes of acute low back pain".  Interestingly, the Chiropractic profession was the only form of manual therapy specifically named in the report. NICE guidelines are taken as a direction of NHS services to patients in the UK. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Disc Herniation and Sciatica - Non-Surgical Care Safe and Equally Effective.  A major new US trial of surgical vs non-operative treatment for back pain and radiating pain from lumbar disc herniation published in the Journal of the American Medical Association concludes that patients with disc herniation can recover almost equally as well with non surgical care than with surgical intervention. Furthermore, they also note that there is no significant risk of harm in opting to wait for a non-surgical aproach.