Chiro's last stand

CFRB AM-1010 - The Health Show - April 14, 2002

The show was "brought to you by" the Canadian Chiropractic Association. It's really quite funny, because during one of the breaks, a public service announcement warned people to be on the lookout for signs of strokes. I wonder if the station management did this on purpose. My oh my, what a greivous error.

Christina referred to him as the chair of the Ontario Chiropractic Association. Their web site says he's the past president.

Here are some highlights - not necessarily in order

Chiropractic Strokes - the very last caller.

Rick: I'm just a bit concerned after looking on the CANOE web site about the neck adjustments causing strokes. I've been kind of scared about going to a chiropractor. So I kinda want to find out what that's all about.

Cherneskey: You know, as you well know there's been some controversy. I mean we're coming up to the four-year anniversary of Laura Mathiason, I believe, in Saskatoon. The Lana Dale Lewis story seems to be just rectified as well in the media. Rick, there is controversy around those things, and I for one can tell you first hand, as a journalist, I've been following it. So let's talk about this Dr. Gorchynski, about some fears some Canadians might have. I mean a recent court ruling, does that alleviate Canadian fears, or do we just have open discussion, and dialogue with the Chiropractic Association.

Gorchynski: I'm sorry which court ruling was that?

Cherneskey: ...Ontario Superior Court ruling where claims that were brought against chiropractic organizations were dismissed.

Gorchynski: Yes. In response to your question Rick, I would say that the information that has been brought forward in the last few years, has come from a very small group of individuals within the medical community. They are not representative of the medical community propem no the neurologists, in the ascertainment of the actual level of risk.

Cherneskey: So many things are fought in the media, Dr. Gorchynski. Someone like Rick, has legitimate concerns. "I'm fearful, I don't know, I have questions". Again, does going in to go talk to a chiropractor first?

Gorchynski: It absolutely does not. And in fact I think that patient care is now moving into "patient-centered" care. In other words there are, patients have to become more aware and more accessible to forms of health care that they can use to help themselves. So, I would suggest that Rick does go and talk to the chiropractor.

Spinal Stenosis

Gorchynski: Spinal stenosis is the compression of the spinal cord, within the canal itself, either do to osteoarthritic build-up, or some herniation for example, a disc or some other incursion material up against the spine. That can irritate the spine right at the source, or from that point on down. It is possible that there may be some help at a chiropractor. However it would depend on the degree of the stenosis, and the length of time that you've had it. Again, it's very difficult to diagnose over the phone Mary. But, I would suggest that if you would cross the threshhold of a chiropractor and let them assess, I think they will let you know if they can do anything.

Pain in legs

Gorchynski: Bianca it sounds like the warmth has a lot to do with whether or not he is feeling well enough to walk for a time. Is that correct?

Bianca: Maybe it's the softness of the sand, I don't know.

Gorchynski: Alright, well it sounds there may be some muscular components involved which may be causing pressure to circulation as well as to the nerves. There may be a possibility, there may be something that can be addressed by a chiropractor. I think that your husband would do better sitting in a chiropractor's office and ask him his questions, and let the chiropractor do his assessment as to whether he can help.

Magic hands for MS - A study in false hope

Gorchynski: There's no evidence that has studied to show that it definitively does help. Our studies, for example there were studies done in Sweden, by a doctor Lebuf Ede (not sure of spelling), that has shown that the general health or well-being of individuals who received spinal care from a chiropractor seemed to improve other health areas. For example, there were 86 doctors involved in the study and 20 patients within each clinic. You wouldn't normally attribute some symptoms to be helped by chiropractic, and yet these patients reported approximately 26% improved breathing ability, 25% reported improved digestive ability, 14% improved ocular vision, their eyesight improved, and 14% had improvement in heart and circulation as well.

Cherneskey: And again Dr. Gorchynski, where did this study come from?

Gorchynski: This was Sweden and it was done, it was clinical studies. What has jumped from that is an international study that will be done in almost every country where chiropractic is being practiced in, including Canada. And, we will attempt to raise additional information along these lines to see what additional side benefits people generally experience when they get neuro-muscular care through chiropractic. So, Eva, to answer your question, there may be some spinoff benefit, but again there is nothing that specifically is attributable to depression. I would think that if you went to speak to a chiropractor about your general health, maybe there is something else that's interfering with....

Eva: Oh, I have MS as well.

Gorchynski: You have MS as well, I see? Well, again that isn't a restrictor to chiropractic care, and I think that if you have problems outside of the brain, anything that's causing you some additional stress through the spine, a chiropractic can help you lick that.

Eva: Can I volunteer to be in that study in Canada?

Gorchynski: I think you can. Again, what you may do is call the Ontario Chiropractic Association and find out where the study is at this point. I wish you well with your concerns.

It's all in the way you walk

Cherneskey: This is a very good question Dr. Gorchynksi about children and chiropractic care. Obviously moms and dads are wondering, you know. "Can I bring my child in, or is there a certain age that I should start?"

Gorchynski: Children are born with spines and the same spine lasts a lifetime. The methodology and the procedures and approaches that chiropractic care provides children is specifically to the frame and to the size of the individual. There have been a number of studies which show the efficacy, the value of chiropactic care for children. For example, from Denmark, public health nurses refer colicky babies to chiropractors, because it's been found that chiropractic is more effective than most common medical drug that is prescribed for colic. So, if you had the choice of using a non-invasive drug-free approach with your child, I think that's a very conservative approach. And I would follow that.

Additionally there's been a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine which indicated that asthma, asthma sufferers, children benefit from chiropractic care by reducing the severity of their attacks, reducing the amount of medication that was required, improving the overall quality of life that these young people have, despite the affliction that they have. There is a benefit.

Cherneskey: One thing I have noticed, that there seems to be, but I don't have the numbers to back this up, but there seems to be more cases of kids with asthma, than there was, let's say in the generation prior.

Gorchynski: Christina, I'll tell you that 96-97% of all children that are brought to chiropractors are brought for neuro-muscular-skeletal problems. That's low back problems, aches and pains, and difficulties after a fall or trauma. The actual organic problems that you are talking about, other system problems, really aren't the primary reason... But, we find that children, as well as adults, generally start to benefit in areas of their health once they start getting their spine addressed.

Resources:

Cervical manipulation and risk of stroke 
About the authors
Moira K. Kapral, Susan J. Bondy 
CMAJ 2001;165(7):907-8 [PDF] 

>Hi there,


>The degree in nutrition is from the Canadain School
>of Natural Nutrition. I
>am also a doctor of chiropractic and have recieved
>extensive training in
 >nutrition in my schooling there.


>Children with learning disorders are tested in the
>following manner - food
> allergy testing, hair analysis, rotation/elimination
> diets etc. It is very
> indiviual to the chlid.
> For more information, please contact 416. 961. 1900
> ext. 403.
>
> Wishing you good health,
> Dr. Joey Shulman