Commercial Drive – East Vancouver Chiropractor; Dr. Dominic Chan DC – “When Your Hip is Not the Cause of Hip Pain – Ask a Chiropractor”

I came across this article that discusses a common cause of hip pain; Bursitis. Bursitis is the inflammation of a fluid filled sack called a Bursa. There is a Bursa at the top of your Femur, which is the long leg bone in your thigh. Where the Femur connects to your hip bone, the bursa is supposed to help cushion the impact of the two bones when you put weight on it ie. standing, walking, running.

Here are the most common symptoms that indicate you might be dealing with Bursitis of the hip;

* Pain that occurs right at the point of the hip.
* Pain that radiates from the hip to the thigh.
* Pain that starts as severe and sharp, and becomes more aching and widespread.
* Pain that gets worse at night or when you lie on the bad hip.
* Pain that gets worse when standing after sitting for a long period.
* Pain that gets worse after prolonged periods of climbing stairs, squatting or walking.

But here’s where the problem lies. These symptoms overlap with a few other causes of hip/ low back pain. So now what do you do? I have had many patients visit my office after they have visited their family doctor or clinic doctor only to leave with a prescription for pain relievers or referral for X-Rays.

After I’ve taken a complete history as well as a physical and specific Orthopaedic exam, many patients comment on how “thorough” my examinations are. I explain that a good history and exam can not only help doctors find out what a problem is, but also, what it isn’t. Hip pain can be a case of Bursitis. But it can also be caused by; ligament sprain, muscle tear/strain, joint dysfunction, muscle imbalance etc. And as you may have guessed, treatment and home care can vary drastically depending on what is causing your hip/low back pain.

So the next time you are suffering from hip/low back pain, check with a Chiropractor first. Doing this can often save you time and needless suffering.

For a Chiropractor in the Commercial Drive neighborhood of East Vancouver contact COMMERCIAL DRIVE – EAST VANCOUVER CHIROPRACTOR; DR. DOMINIC CHAN HERE!!!!!

Commercial Drive – East Vancouver Chiropractor; Dr. Dominic Chan DC – “Sitting Too Much is Killing You”

This is a very interesting study that just came out that looked at the effects of a sedentary lifestyle on overall health. The results are appearing in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

There have been other studies published in the past that have shown a correlation between increased sitting and other health ailments such as obesity and diabetes, but this study is unique in that it wanted to see if there was a connection between sitting and overall mortality. There is also increasing literature that may explain the detrimental health effects of too much sitting. Some of these works are pointing to ‘inactivity physiology’. This mean that some of the larger muscles that are inactive during sitting, especially ones in the legs, may actually be suppressing hormones. These hormones are thought to help regulate triglycerides and cholesterol, associated with heart disease.

It’s just one more reason to “get up and walk,” said Dr. Jay Brooks, chairman of hematology/oncology at Ochsner Health System in Baton Rouge, La. “The message here is like everything in your life. People need to recognize that the things you do every day have consequences. And if you’re in a job that does require sitting, that’s fine, but any time you can expend energy is good. That’s the key.”

This study even factored in the effect of obesity and weight in individuals and still found that increased sitting had an impact on mortality. Researchers found; that women who spent 6 or more hours a day sitting had a 37% higher chance of dying compared to women who sat less than 3 hours a day. For men the increased risk was 17%. Still very significant when you’re considering mortality.

As I have always encouraged my patients to try and become more active and healthy, this is just another reason why it’s a good ideas. If you live in the Commercial Drive area of East Vancouver, visit my office or contact me at COMMERCIAL DRIVE – EAST VANCOUVER CHIROPRACTOR; DR. DOMINIC CHAN DC>

Commercial Drive – East Vancouver Chiropractor; Dr. Dominic Chan DC – “Mediterranean Diet Can Keep You Smarter!”

So for a while now, the media has been touching on the benefits of a “Mediterranean Diet”. So what does that entail exactly. Well, this type of diet is one that is rich in Olive Oil, vegetables, whole grains, fish and fruit. It has already been shown that the Mediterranean diet can help lower risks for depression, heart disease, cancer and premature death.

This study wanted to explore some of the reasons why.

The latest study was led by Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas, an associate professor of neurology at Columbia University Medical Center, New York City, and involved 712 men and women averaging 80 years of age. All of the participants had no history of stroke and received MRIs to look for brain infarcts — tissues that have died because of reduced or cut-off blood supply.

The participants in this study were separated into three different groups; those who did not follow the diet closely, those who followed it to a moderate degree and finally, those who adhered to the diet closely.

Scarmeas found that nearly 240 of the participants showed signs of damage to the brain based on follow up MRI’s. These were considered areas of infarcts or areas where the blood supply had been compromised, and thus damaged.

What the study found was that the group that followed the diet moderately had a 21% decreased chance of showing signs of brain damage compared to the lowest adherence group. Better still, was the group that followed the Mediterranean diet closely. Their chance of demonstrating signs of damage was 36% less than the lowest adherence group.

Scarmeas, explains that the as we age, the incidence of mental decline increases. He also explains that these small infarcts that lead to small areas of brain damage is an explanation why. Although the areas affected are small, the thing to note here is the cumulative effect of suffering many of these infarcts over time.

This study suggests that following a Mediterranean diet can help decrease the incidences of this type of damage, thus providing a protective factor to cognitive function as we age.

Remember if you’re by the Commercial Drive neighborhood of East Vancouver, visit your COMMERCIAL DRIVE – EAST VANCOUVER CHIROPRACTOR HERE!!!