Orem Insomnia Doctor Discusses A Chiropractic Approach To Insomnia

Insomnia.  It starts out as a sleepless night.  An inconvenience for sure, but not a big deal.  Unfortunately for some one sleepless night turns into many sleepless nights, increased stress, weight gain, and a variety of other symptoms just because you can't sleep.

At some point most people say to themselves "I can't take it anymore!" and look for the quickest insomnia treatment, hoping for a decent night sleep.  Who can blame them?  Lack of sleep can lead to many other serious conditions.  The top 10 are:

1. Vision problems
2. Depression
3. Dizziness
4. Weight gain
5. Trouble speaking
6. Lethargy
7. Irritability
8. Tremors
9. Memory loss
10. Hallucinations 

Once a person has decided "I can't take it anymore" they often look first to over the counter (OTC) sleep aids, which are, in most cases, lower dosages of the higher octane, prescription drug. The problem is the side affects can be the same and if the desired results are not achieved a person may take more and more pills.

Violence, suicide, depression and death are documented effects in many studies of prescription and over the counter insomnia treatments.

Most over the counter sleep aids, as well as prescription sleep aids, are anticholinergic, which means they work by destroying a brain chemical acetylcholine.  The problem is acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that is involved in memory.  So by destroying this brain chemical a degree of sleep can be achieved, except that it's ruining your ability to remember and studies have found those who use these drugs have accelerated dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Another problem with prescription sleep aids is they are highly addictive.  Again the OTC version are usually watered down versions and so they may be as addictive as their prescription counter parts.

As an Orem insomnia doctor how do I treat sleep disorders?

Did you just ask yourself, "Chiropractic cures insomnia ?" What kind of weirdness is that?  Chiropractic doesn't cure insomnia.  For those that suffer with insomnia I combine several therapies, which can include chiropractic.  Let me explain . . .

First I do a through evaluation of the brain and brain stem, especially an area referred to as the Reticular Formation.  What happens in many people is this area of the brain never slows down as it should.  If this area doesn't slow down, you don't go to sleep.  When this is the case I prescribe appropriate therapeutic brain exercises that will allow this area to slow down, allowing you to get the night's rest you've been waiting for.

If no brain stem involvement is found a metabolic problem may be interfering with sleep.  When this is the case we'll take a more nutritional approach to your "I can't sleep" problem.

Back Pain? Visit Orem Chiropractor & Save Money!

As we enter a brave new world of government sponsored health care with politicians and insurers trying to find a way to lower health care expenditures, take a look at what this research says about chiropractors and cost savings.

The Mercer Health and Benefits group did a cost analysis of chiropractic care for low back pain and this is what they found.

When Orem chiropractic care is added to a health benefit plan, the total cost increase of the plan per patient per year increases by only $75.  This is highly cost effective care because it represents a good value in comparison to medical care and to widely accepted cost-effectiveness thresholds.

Low back pain is a common condition and chiropractic care is well established as the treatment of choice for people suffering from low back pain.

When you add chiropractic care to a health insurance plan, the total cost per patient every year only increases by $75.  For neck pain, it actually costs less by $302, incidentally.

Orem chiropractic care is shown to produce better pain and disability outcomes for low back pain, and is shown to be more satisfying to patients when surveyed by satisfaction rates.  This small increase doesn’t even take into account that the researchers didn’t add the costs of pharmaceutical drugs to the health care bill, so their numbers may be conservative.

Chiropractic care is a drug free approach to Orem back pain relief.  Chiropractic care consists mainly of spinal adjustments, but also includes strengthening exercises, massage, stretches, nutritional therapy, oxygen therapy and a variety of joint, muscle and nerve therapies.

Because chiropractic is drug free, there are no side effects either.

When chiropractic was included in health plans, the amount in-patient hospitalizations, imaging studies, hospitalization, surgical procedures were all reduced.  This is significant because these are the very things that drive health care costs up so high.  

Here is another, very interesting, fact that researchers discovered.  Paying the chiropractor more didn’t really affect cost savings.  In fact, during the research it was found that paying the chiropractor $40 an office visit produced a $300 annual savings.  Now the cool part (I’ll admit I’m biased) is that when they paid the chiropractor $100 an office visit there was a $294 annual savings.

So, if policy makers want to reduce costs they should be very interested in adding Orem chiropractors to the system and paying them well.

Orem Chiropractor Asks, “How Does Chiropractic Affect Health Care Costs?”

Is chiropractic care worth the cost for treatment?  A couple of years ago, researchers wanted to know the answer to this question, so they created a clinical trial that put chiropractors in the role of primary care physicians. 

They looked at the costs and the use of services for three years. The services that they looked at included in-hospital admissions, pharmaceutical costs and outpatient surgeries.

With chiropractors directing care, all of these costs were dramatically reduced.  For three more years, the researchers analyzed the data looking at patient satisfaction.  The patient surveys showed a greater than 90% satisfaction rate. 

The complete seven-year study showed the following:

Decreased hospital admissions by 60%

Decreased hospital stays by 59%

Decreased out-patient surgeries by 62%

Decreased pharmaceutical costs by 85%

Another study has looked at not only cost, but tied that in with need for surgery.

Researchers found that patients who received chiropractic had lower total health care costs and were less likely to have surgery than demographically similar patients who did not receive chiropractic, and overall, 89 percent of all patients receiving chiropractic care reported improvement of at least 30 percent within 30 days.

This is significant for those looking for Orem Sciatica Treatment because back surgery fails 74% of the time.  In fact, back surgery fails so often it has a name “failed back surgery syndrome.”  It is described as intractable pain and varying degrees of incapacitation occurring after spine surgery.

So here are the facts:

As your Orem Chiropractor I can help you save you money on health care expenses.  Figures have suggested around $30,000.00 over the course of your lifetime, simply by using chiropractic.

Orem back pain is costly not only in dollars for surgeries but also in quality of life lost.

Not only can I help you save money on dollars spent, but according to the research and my own clinical experience I can help you get the best results with your back pain.  Better results with less cost.  

Learn more at AskDrNed.com 

Orem Chiropractor Discusses Religious Activity and Obesity

As your Orem Chiropractor I don’t necessarily deal with obesity directly, I do see and address several of the consequences of it.

With that in mind I thought our religious readers should be familiar with this study.

“Oh Heavily, Father: Churchgoers More Likely to Become Obese”

The results of this study suggest that church goers are “consuming a little bit more than the . . . good word of God.”  Those who attend church frequently in young adulthood are significantly more likely to become obese in middle age.  In fact researchers found that those who with “high frequency” of religious activities were 50% more likely to be obese in middle age.

One of the researchers said, "One possible explanation, though, is that religious gatherings might center on eating traditional, high-calorie comfort food, and this in itself might contribute to the higher incidence and prevalence of obesity."

There might be some actual truth to that.  Having attended religious activities of several faiths, many are associated with food and typically food that is “high-calorie comfort food.”  I haven't seen a church gathering that had baked salmon, spinach salad and filtered water.

In past articles we’ve discussed how many who seek fibromyalgia treatment in Orem or migraine treatment in Orem eat these kinds of foods regularly.

So the take home lesson isn’t to stop your religious activities (many studies suggest that such activities have many beneficial results) but to either avoid the buffet line or convert your congregation to higher nutritional value foods at your gatherings. 

Orem Chiropractor Discusses One Reason Back Pain Becomes Chronic

At some point in your life some has probably told you to “have a good attitude.”  Well, researchers at the American Academy of Pain Medicine have just discovered one of the most important reasons why you should have a good attitude about your health. 

Are you looking for Orem migraine treatment?  If so please read carefully because there will be important information for you.

Researchers found that thinking of events as a catastrophe or looking at them with fear and being depressed seem to be major predictors of whether acute pain from injury will change into chronic pain.

Studies have shown that having a “catastrophe” attitude about back pain has been found to be SEVEN TIMES more powerful than any other factor in predicting whether pain will become chronic.

Fear also seems to play a role. "Those who had more fear during an acute low back pain episode were much more likely to ultimately over-predict the amount of pain they had, which ultimately led to significant increase in fear-avoidance behaviors, with subsequent worsening of symptoms, increase in duration of pain, and increase in disability," said Sean Mackey, MD, PhD, chief of the pain management division at Stanford University.

Depression and anxiety also had similar effects. 30% to 65% of patients who have chronic pain are also depressed.  Those who are depressed and suffer with anxiety are two to five times more likely to develop chronic pain within eight years.

In a study that appeared in the Annals of Surgery in 2007 researchers found that those with fear of the long term consequences of the operation was associated with more pain, poor recovery and worse quality of life at a six month follow up.

Having these kind of attitudes and beliefs causes a change in a person’s brain and nervous system that inhibits one’s innate ability to end pain. 

As your Orem fibromyalgia specialist, I have found that these people not only become more sensitive to pain, but they also develop more persistence of pain. 

There appears to be two parts of the brain that contribute.  The first is the lateral orbital frontal cortex.  It’s an area involved with self-evaluation and making decisions on what to do about incoming sensations.  The second area of the brain seems to be the medial prefrontal cortex.  This is an area of the brain that has been found to be dysfunctional in people with post-traumatic stress disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.

The part that is unknown is whether the pain has caused these areas of the brain to malfunction or has the malfunction caused the pain to persist.

As your Orem Chiropractor, I am your Orem back pain specialist.  If you suffer with pain that isn’t going away, consider contacting my office at 801-225-1311.  Learn more at AskDrNed.com

Orem Chiropractor Discusses Fibromyalgia After Car Accident

A new study suggests that an Orem Car Accident raises the risk of developing chronic widespread pain. Researcher did not find this association with other types of physical trauma.

To me this makes perfect sense. I have found that people that suffer with fibromyalgia or Chronic Widespread Pain (CWP) start with some kind of physical or emotional trauma. Very few things are as physically, mentally and emotionally traumatic as a car accident.

Many people with fibromyalgia in Orem report that symptoms began after a car accident. In light of this one of the best things a person can do after being in a car accident is to keep a journal. In this journal report symptoms, effects to lifestyle, etc. By showing health status before your accident and then showing affects after accident, it becomes very difficult for automotive-insurance companies to refuse coverage for post-traumatic fibromyalgia.

The authors of this research are now calling for future research into what makes a car accident different from other types of physical trauma, both physically and in how people react to them.

Do you suffer from fibromyalgia? Did it start after a car accident? What kind of injuries did you suffer in the accident?

As your Orem Chiropractor I specialize in both fibromyalgia and car accident injuries. My Brain Based Chiropractic addresses the cause(s) of these conditions to provide you with lasting relief. In fact I’m proud to say I’ve go an 93% success rate.

Have you been in a car accident? Do you suffer with fibromyalgia or widespread pain? I can help. Call my office 801-225-1311.

Orem Chiropractor - Supplements To Help End Fibromyalgia and Other Chronic Diseases

This article is the final of four articles on how you can decrease pain and inflammation and minimize your risk for chronic disease through your diet.

In this article we’re going to talk about the role supplements should play in this process.

There is a lot of science behind what we’ve previously discussed about diet and inflammation.  The same does not hold true for supplements.  Every year there is a new, magical supplement that will save the world.  In most cases when they work, it is by placebo mechanisms.  We’re going to discuss supplements that have a known anti-inflammatory effect.

Pathology text books now tells us that disease is promoted by a reduction in ATP synthesis, an increase in free-radical generation, and a state of chronic inflammation created by excessive production of pro-inflammatory eicosanoids, cytokines and growth factors.

With this in mind we want to take supplements that counteract these processes.

Magnesium, coenzyme Q10, alpha-lipoic acid, acetyl-L-carnitine, and the nutrients in a multivitamin/mineral are involved in ATP synthesis and the reduction of free radicals. Fish oil, borage oil, and vitamin D supplementation help to reduce the expression of chronic inflammation.

Supplementation with garlic, ginger, turmeric, and boswellia, are also beneficial, as they function as natural anti-inflammatory agents.

Minimally, I would recommend taking at least a multivitamin/mineral, magnesium, and fish oil. 

For people on multiple medications and especially for those taking coumadin, it is important to make sure there are no inappropriate interactions. Several texts discuss drug-nutrient interactions; this information is available on a number of Web sites, such as www.medlineplus.com.

Please understand there are no specific conditions that alert us to the need for these supplements. They should be recommended and taken for the purpose of reducing the expression of the chronic inflammatory state. With this in mind, I have seen numerous pro-inflammatory conditions improve, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, depression, fatigue, psoriasis, eczema, obstructive sleep apnea, radicular pain, and joint & muscle pain.

To read more about the supplements you should be taking and the amounts go here.


Go to the official website of Orem Fibromyalgia Doctor - R. Ned McArthur, D.C. to learn more about ending your chronic health condition.

Orem Chiropractor Ending Fibromyalgia and Other Chronic Diseases

As your Orem Chiropractor, I have made it my mission to end pain, particularly those with on going back pain, neck pain, dizziness, fibromyalgia, headaches, insomnia, numbness, restless leg syndrome and sciatica.

As I research these and other conditions one thing I’ve discovered is the genetic predisposition that some people have towards these conditions.  Meaning that some people are more likely to develop headaches than others, just because of the way they are wired.

The other thing I’ve learned about genetics is that a lot of our genetics are NOT hard wired.  Meaning just because I have a genetic make up that makes me more likely to have fibromyalgia doesn’t mean I’ll have fibromyalgia.

 We’re all predisposed to chronic disease.  The chronic disease that we have a weakness towards is likely to be the cause of our demise, if we pursue it with poor lifestyle choices.

Think of it like this, imagine you’re wearing a wristwatch and a long sleeve shirt and that shirt covers the watch.  Our genes are the watch and it remains covered by our shirt until we lift our sleeve up.  Poor lifestyle choices lift our shirtsleeve up, exposing our genetic weakness, allowing it to go into action.

Through our lifestyle we can either “pursue” or “prevent” the expression of our genetic weakness. 

What this means is that you may have a genetic predisposition to heart disease.  Does that mean you’ll have a heart attack?  The great thing is you get to decide by your choices.

Diet and exercise seem to be the most important factors to preventing disease expression.  When we eat an inflammatory diet and live a sedentary lifestyle, we are choosing to activate our personal chronic condition, and over time we will discover what our genetic weakness is when we develop that disease.

What lifestyle choices can help us “prevent” disease expression?  Chiropractic care.  You can read more on that subject here.

That's not the part I want to focus on though.  I want to focus on the things you should be doing on your own to "prevent" disease expression.

Evidence suggests we need to eat more fruit, vegetables, and omega-3 animal products (i.e., eggs, meat, fish, poultry, and wild game). We also can add raw nuts, and if you want a starch, potatoes are the best choice.

 Refined sugar, grains, soy, beans, and dairy are not recommended as primary sources of energy, and they are not comparable to fruits, vegetables, and nuts when it comes to nutritional density and phytonutrient content. And we know that lectins and other components of grains and beans make them a pro-inflammatory food.

Diet cannot get any simpler than this.  It's just a matter of whether we are going to do it.

It is important to accept the fact that chronic, subclinical inflammation is the driver of most, if not all, chronic diseases. It is a fact that the same basic inflammatory state underlies heart disease, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and most other conditions.

In the next post we'll discuss how using the right dietary supplements can help you to "prevent" chronic disease.           

Orem Chiropractor - Nutritional Adjustment to Pain & Inflammation

Many people come to my office - Orem Chiropractor - R. Ned McArthur, D.C., looking for relief from back pain, neck pain, headaches, etc.  I also find that many people take some kind of anti inflammatory, even though they would rather not.

A British study in the journal Pain reviewed 49 randomized, controlled trials with data on gastric or duodenal ulcer, ulcer hemorrhage or perforation, and death attributable to NSAID (aspirin, ibuprofen & acetaminophen) use. 


The authors estimated that one in 1,200 patients taking NSAIDs for at least two months died from gastroduodenal complications. They also estimated that 2,000 people in the United Kingdom die each year from gastroduodenal lesions who would not have died if they were not taking NSAIDs.


They note that their results "strongly" suggest that chronic oral NSAIDs pose a high risk of adverse effects and urge that "patients receive minimum effective doses for the minimum possible time."


Always ask your doctor about the potential risks of any medications you may be taking.

Inflammation producing pain is a pretty easy concept for most of us to understand.  But did you know that most chronic health conditions are also related to inflammation? An example of this would be Alzheimer’s disease.

As it turns out, about 4% of elderly people in India end up with Alzheimer’s disease, while almost 16% of America’s elderly do.

A researcher from UCLA, Dr. Frautschy, suggests that the liberal intake of the spice turmeric may be the reason for this significant difference.  Tumeric is both a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent that is capable of inhibiting prostaglandins and other pro inflammatory substances.

Dr Frautschy has also suggested that Ginger may be even more potent than turmeric.  Ginger has also proven to be effective in eliminating prostaglandins, as well as the pain from osteo and rheumatoid arthritis.

Taken properly ginger can be an effective pain & inflammation reducer.  When taken long term it can be a  “nutritional adjustment” to prevent chronic inflammatory conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.


By combining a nutritional approach with my Brain Based Chiropractic methods & procedures I've been a go to Orem fibromyalgia doctor, as well as being a leading Orem back doctor.


Since coming to see Dr McArthur I've become more energetic and pain free.  I"ve begun going to the gym and have lost a little weight.  I've also been motivated to start a healthy diet and do more than sit on the couch.  It's been wonderful.  Jessica M.  Orem, UT

Orem Chiropractor Discusses Foods To Improve Your Love Life

Continuing to take inspiration from Valentines Day I came up with
a list of foods that very well may affect hormone levels, energy, brain chemistry and arousal.  I'll be the first to admit that there is little to no
research backing the claims of these foods, many people have reported the aphrodisiac affects of eating these foods.  


1.  Asparagus which is rich in vitamins B6 and B9 (pyridoxine and folate) both of which can boost arousal.  It also high in vitamin E which stimulates sex hormones in both men and women.


2.  Avocados are loaded with vitamin B6, minerals and monounsaturated fats both of which are vital for energy production and libido.  Avocados are also a great source of Omega -3 fats.


3.  Chili Peppers can spice up your love life due to capsaicin which has been shown to promote the release of endorphins in the brain.


4.  Chocolate  and love have long been associated, probably because of tryptophan which is a precursor to the feel good brain chemical serotonin which contributes to arousal.


5.  Licorice is thought to mimic the affects of estrogen and progesterone which are critical to sexual function in women.  It helps women get in the mood and stay that way longer.  It may even reduce the PMS symptoms as well.  For this to be effective though, if can't be any licorice flavored candy, it needs to be real licorice root extract.


6.  Oysters  are high in zinc which helps the body produce testosterone which is important to libido and sexual function in both men and women.  

7 Reasons To Love Orem Chiropractor - R. Ned McArthur, D.C.

Inspired by Valentines Day, I came up with:

7 Reasons To

Orem Chiropractor - 

R. Ned McArthur, D.C.

7.  When I say "hands - on - care" I really mean it.  Human to human contact has been proven to be vital in the healing process.  With me you'll get (mostly) warm hands and a caring heart.

6.  I'm in tune with you and your health.  Have you ever noticed that many times I know something about your health and well being before you even mention it?  Maybe I'm the Harry Houdini of healthcare?

5.  D.C. stands for Doctor of Cause. Well, not really but as much as I'm interested in helping you relieve your symptoms, whether they be back pain, or headaches or car accident injuries, I'm more interested in helping you correct the cause of your symptom.

4.  One of the happiest people you'll ever meet.  What are some of the words you've heard me describe my day?  Amazing, awesome, fantastic, wonderful, outstanding.  Is it for some reason?  No.  I've just made the choice to be happy.  Want to be healthy & happy?  Associate with healthy & happy people.

3.  It's cost effective.  Research into cost effectiveness of chiropractic suggests that those you regularly use chiropractic can save as much as 12% in health care expenses over their lifetime.  For the average American that's almost $30,000.

2.  I acknowledge that we're a team.  I acknowledge the fact that you're doing all the healing.  I'm just showing you how to do it.  You're the real star here.

1.  I'll help you get the most out of life.  Referring to #5 above.  I'm very interested in helping you correct the cause of your problem, but even more that  I'm the most interested in helping you live the life you want to live.  What do you want to accomplish? I'll do what I can to help you achieve it.

Orem chiropractor Orem back doctor  Orem car accident injuries  

Orem Chiropractor Discusses Nutritional Approach To Inflammation & Pain Relief

Today I’m going to discuss the article “Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) as an anti-inflammatory: an alternative to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for discogenic [neck and back] pain.” Surg Neurol. 2006 Apr;65(4):326-31, Maroon JC, Bost, JWSurg Neurol. 2006 Apr;65(4):326-31, Maroon JC, Bost, JW

This research was done at the Uniersity of Pittsburgh Medical Center, in Pittsburgh, PA.

As your Orem Chiropractor I want to make the world a better place and the way that I can do that is by making your life better.

In this article you’ll find some information that will make your life better by reducing back pain, neck pain and headaches without the use of drugs or surgery.

NSAID or Non Sterodial Anti Inflammatory Drugs are a commonly used drug for neck pain & back pain. In most cases people are able to use these medications without incident. Unfortuantley, for some complications like gastric ulcers, bleeding, myocardial infarction, and even death occurs.

The authors report that “An alternative treatment with fewer side effects that also reduces the inflammatory response and thereby reduces pain is believed to be omega-3 EFAs found in fish oil.”

The researchers took 250 people who had been seen by a neurosurgeon and were found to have nonsurgical neck or back pain. These people were then asked to take 1200 mg per day of omega-3 EFAs (eicosapentaenoic acid and decosahexaenoic acid) found in fish oil supplements.

After 75 days on the fish oil 78% were taking 1200mg and 22% had increased their fish oil to 2400mg.

Now, here’s the cool stuff. 59% stopped taking their prescription NSAID’s for pain. 60% stated that their overall pain was improved and that their joint pain had improved. Eighty percent stated they were satisfied with their improvement, and 88% stated they would continue to take the fish oil.

There were no significant side effects reported.

To conclude researchers stated that “Our results mirror other controlled studies that compared ibuprofen and omega-3 EFAs demonstrating equivalent effect in reducing arthritic pain. omega-3 EFA fish oil supplements appear to be a safer alternative to NSAIDs for treatment of nonsurgical neck or back pain in this selective group.”

Orem Chiropractor Helps You Achieve Wellness Part 2

In part two of Achieving Wellness let's first distinguish the difference between traditional medical care and the Wellness Lifestyle.

When ever I have this discussion, and I've had it many times, I have found it important to point out that I am NOT anti medicine.  I've had the need for medical care recently and it served me well.  Medicine saves lives everyday (everything from car accident injuries to infections) and the world is a better place because of the many fine physicians, who selflessly serve their patients.

The thing that I'm against is medicine being described as "healthcare" because in most instances medicine does not seek to make one healthier, it seeks to relieve suffering, kill an infection or stop a faulty process in the body.  Those aren't bad, they just aren't health - they're disease avoidance.

If there is a fault to the modern medicine paradigm it's that rarely (in my experience) does it ever address lifestyle issues that have caused or contributed to the problem.  As your Orem Chiropractor I believe that is one of my duties - point out outside influences and their potential affect on your health and well being.

Top 5 Truths about Wellness.  (Imagine these as a count down with a drum roll before each one for dramatic affect.)

5.  Symptoms, like back pain or headaches,  are not the problem - they are a sign that there is a problem.
4.  The body has an inborn ability to heal itself
3.  Stressors, whether they be physical, chemical or emotional, when they exceed our capacity limit our ability
     to heal and be healthy.
2.  Wellness focuses on improving function rather than hiding symptoms.
1.  Chiropractic is the foundation to a Wellness Lifestyle

Watch this short video from my chiropractor friend, Dr Andre Broussard, on maintenance or wellness chiropractic adjustments.

Orem Chiropractor Helps You Achieve Wellness Part 1

Your Orem Chiropractor - R. Ned McArthur, D.C., along with other chiropractors, is a proponent of the wellness movement.  Wellness is defined as the pursuit of physical and mental well-being.

Good nutrition, exercise and routine chiropractic care are all parts of a wellness lifestyle.  Chiropractors have always been a proponent of this lifestyle because we understand that the body is a self healing.

The body is made up of muscles, organs and glands which are all controlled by the brain and nervous system.  Injury, stress and toxins all the the ability to interfere with the communication between nerves and muscles, organs and glands.  When there is bad communication between all of these proper function is lost.  A lack of proper function leads to health problems.  Given enough time symptoms begin to develop and eventually the disease process results.

When you begin to notice symptoms like back pain or headaches these are signs to let you know something is wrong.  To cover up these up with pain killers is like putting tape over your dashboard when the check engine light comes on.  The goal of these chemicals is NOT wellness, but a lack of symptoms.

Next time we'll continue our discussion of wellness and more specifically what are wellness practices and what are not.

Orem Chiropractor - Chiropractic Improves Your Mental Well Being

As your Orem Chiropractor your mental well being isn’t what my care is directed towards, but in my consultation & evaluation of patients I definitely see those who have it and those who don’t.   

Chiropractic researcher Susannah Brockman of the University of Surrey, in the United Kingdom, picked a group of university students who had never had chiropractic care before this study.  She then followed these students through a month of chiropractic care and measured their psychological well being using several questionnaires. 

The researcher assessed the following mood states:

1.                Anxiety

2.                Dejection

3.                Fatigue

4.                Vigor

5.                Degree of stress in their life

They found that these first time chiropractic patients had dramatic improvement in their self defined mental well being.

A few possible mechanisms for chiropractic’s role in improving mental well being were given.

First, there is a non-specific effect on well being from the doctor patient encounter.  Simply from interacting with a professional may produce positive psychological effects.

Second, chiropractic care has a direct affect on the nervous system and an indirect affect on the immune system.  Chiropractic increases brain activity and therefore positive psychological effects.

They also note that other researchers have demonstrated an increase in blood levels of endorphins following a spinal adjustment.  Endorphins are chemicals in our body that produce sensations of pleasure.  So, with an increase in endorphins, following chiropractic care, it would not be surprising to see reduction in fatigue, depression and tension.

Because this study was carried out in a highly structured, research setting, the author stated that everyday chiropractic care, with its multiple approaches to treatment, should have a greater positive effect than was seen in this study.

A normal chiropractic visit to Orem Chiropractor R. Ned McArthur, D.C. is much more than a spinal adjustment.  Various diagnostic and treatment procedures are used like x-rays, nutritional therapy, oxygen therapy, lifestyle management, and several physio therapies are used to give you quick and lasting results.

Through examination Dr Ned discovered that my neck has had pain in it for some time.  I also, purposely, hid from the doctor that I have had a constant headache for a few years.  After a month I noticed the pain disappearing.  By the second month I no longer have headaches any longer and my neck pain is gone.

Brett W., Provo

Learn more about Orem Chiropractor R. Ned McArthur, D.C. at AskDrNed.com

Orem Chiropractor Successfully Treats Your TMJ & Jaw Pain

As an Orem Chiropractor I see a fair number of people who have been involved in car accidents and it is quite common for people to show up with pain in the jaw, clicking in the jaw, or crooked movement in the jaw.

Problems like this can have a serious impact on your quality of life. Along with the pain local to the TMJ, you may also experience headaches radiating to the jaw. These headaches can be quite severe, and demand attention.

A study in the Journal of the American Dental Association studied TMJ disorders after whiplash accidents.

In this study, they studied the cases of 1,158 people. They asked them about their jaw pain and movement before and after the whiplash injury. They compared people who got into a whiplash injury compared to those who were injured in other ways.

They found that people with whiplash injuries were more likely to have reduced or painful jaw movement in the TMJ than those who had other types of injuries. They also found that women were more likely than men to have this type of dysfunction. Head position and headrest position had no impact on the likelihood of TMJ dysfunction after the injury.

It is interesting to me that doctors as well as patients tend to minimize this disorder.  If you have been injured in a car accident and have this problem, let your health care provider know because this can easily become a chronic problem, plaguing you for years to come. 

Sometimes jaw problems originate from problems in the neck, so it’s also important to have you’re your upper neck checked by your Orem Chiropractor when you have jaw problems.

If you live in or near Orem, Utah, and are suffering from headaches, back and neck pain, or have been in a car accident, then you should see your Orem Chiropractor - R. Ned McArthur, D.C. right away, before the pain intensifies and leads to greater problems.

 I came to see Dr McArthur because of severe headaches.  When I became pregnant the headaches became almost unbearable.  Through treatments with Dr McArthur I have been feeling so much better.  Dr McArthur is a lifesaver!

Cassi D., Orem


To Learn more go to http://www.AskDrNed.com.  Emaildrned@askdrned.com , call or text 801-225-1311.

Orem Chiropractor - R. Ned McArthur, D.C. "Does A Body Good"

This title is a play on an advertising campaign the dairy industry did years ago.  Here’s why I think chiropractic is better at “Doing A Body Good.”

Reason number one – flexibility.  Flexibility means joints of the body have as much mobility as possible.  The joints of your joints have a poor blood supply because if there were blood vessels in the joints, they would be crushed, or collapsed every time you moved or put pressure on them. Think of your joints like a sponge.  They absorb nutrients from fluids all around the joint and being able to absorb the nutrients is dependent upon movement.  So, joints get nutrients not from blood, but from movement. Chiropractic care corrects and maintains proper joint movement. If a joint stops moving, the fluids become stagnant and the discs of your spine are unable to absorb nutrients leading to break down.

Joints receive nutrients with movement.  So when you are flexible your joints receive their needed nutrients making them last longer, feel better, and lest vulnerable to injury.  Your Orem Chiropractor – R. Ned McArthur, D.C. helps you achieve this with stretching, exercises, therapy and adjustments.  Many people notice an almost instant result after an adjustment feeling joints “move into place.”

Also, with more flexibility from chiropractic, the nerve sensors in your joints are more active.  This helps the brain control and maintain all of the different bodily structures and functions, including muscles. 

Reason number two - better muscle coordination.  Due to the increased activity in the nerve sensors in joints after an adjustment your muscle coordination and control increases.  This means that you’ll be less likely to injure yourself, whether you are playing sports, playing with your kids, or playing with your housework.

When the brain detects that joint motion isn’t as it should be muscles go into spasm to protect the joint.  In the short term it’s a good thing.  If the joint motion isn’t corrected the muscle will stay in spasm and lead to further loss of flexibility, which leads to joint decay, pain, and other health problems.  As stated above, restoring normal joint mechanics with chiropractic adjustments will help the normal muscle programming.

As an example, a simple test to perform to check the function of your back muscles is called the “modified Trendelenburg” test.  Do this yourself by standing and then lifting one knee and foot as though you were stepping up onto a giant box.  If you feel shaking, your low back muscles are having a difficult time controlling or protecting the joints of your back and if it hasn’t already, it may lead to injury or back problems in the future.

Clinically, this can be corrected with a course of Brain Based Chiropractic methods and procedures that are unique to the office of Orem Chiropractor – R. Ned McArthur, D.C

Reason number three – better balance.  As stated earlier chiropractic adjustments increase the activity of nerve sensors in the joints.  The nerves from the joints then travel to several different destinations in the brain.  One is called the cerebellum.  Another is the vestibular nuclei.  These two areas of the brain are highly involved in balance, coordination and body position awareness. The muscles and joints of the neck have the most direct influence on these two areas of the brain.  Therefore, when there is a problem in the neck many problems can result, but one of the most severe is a dizziness, balance and coordination problem.   

With a proper care plan of Brain Based Chiropractic, Orem Chiropractor – R. Ned McArthur, D.C. can help you have more flexibility, better muscle coordination and better balance.  These results will not only give you less pain and better health, but a better lifestyle.  If you haven’t already give us a try and you’ll discover why chiropractic “does a body good.”

The main reason I began seeing Dr McArthur was for my neck pain, dizziness, and headaches.  It was affecting my studies and my social life.  I couldn’t do things with out feeling pain and getting dizzy.  I coldn’t sit in class or church.  Since I began treatment I can play sports and concentrate in school.  Dr McArthur is a casual guy that’s down to earth.

Steve M., Orem

Orem Chiropractor - R. Ned McArthur, D.C. Discusses Back Pain & Disc Bulges

Do Disc Bulges Cause Back Pain?

Based on the common belief that a disc bulge causes back and leg pain I found the following article very interesting. “Prevalence of Disc Herniation in the Asymptomatic Population: A Compilation.”

The following table shows different researchers on the far left and the percentages at which they found false positives for different conditions. One of things that makes this study and this chart particularly interesting is that absolutely none of the people involved had low back pain or leg / sciatica pain.

To aid in your understanding of the table here are some definitions

Disc Protrusion (B)

Commonly called a disc bulge, a disc protrusion occurs with the spinal disc and the associated ligaments remain in tact, but form an out-pouching that can press against the nerves.

Disc Extrusion (C)

A disc extrusion occurs when the outer part of the spinal disc ruptures, allowing the inner, gelatinous part of the disc to squeeze out. Disc extrusions can occur with the ligaments in tact, or damaged.

Disc Sequestration (D)

A disc sequestration occurs when the center, gelatinous portion of the disc is not only squeezed out, but also separated from the main part of the disc.

False Positive Rates for Lumbar MRI
Investigation:	Disc Bulge	Disc Protrusion	Disc Extrusion	Disc Pathology (Bulge, Protrusion,extrusion, sequestration)	Root Deviation or Compression
Boden et al.		20%		NA
Jensen et al.	52%	27%	1%	64%
Boos et al.*		63%	13%		4%
Greenberg et al.	39%	18%		57%
Weishaupt et al.	24%	40%	18%		4%
Wood et al (11)*	53%	37%		63%
*	Because these investigation used a 'high risk' asymptomatic groups of people, i.e., people whose occupation required frequent heavy lifting, twisting, and bending; frequent exposure to vibration; and sedimentary occupations, I have EXCLUDED the results from the averaging below.
AVERAGES:	38%	29%	9.5%	60.5%	4%

Here's the bottom line: If we we’re to gather a group of middle-age folks (45 average age) who have NEVER had back pain before and perform MRI scans on them all, here's what we would find: 38% would have disc bulges, 29% would have disc protrusions, 10% would have disc extrusions, 0% would have disc sequestrations and 4% would have nerve root compression by the disc herniation. A more shocking statistic is that 60% of asymptomatic middle aged people would have findings of disc bulge or worse (protrusion, extrusion) on MRI!


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Orem Chiropractor - R. Ned McArthur Discusses Proper Breathing

Did you know that the average adult can take as many as 30,000 breaths a day? (That’s a lot of hot air!) Most of never even think about our breathing, unless something interferes with our breathing, like strenuous activity or holding our breath. Not having to think about breathing is actually a good thing though. Can you imagine . . . people would pass out or even die because they “forgot to breathe!”

Just because breathing is an automatic process doesn’t mean that we’re always doing it right. Breathing “right” means providing maximum oxygen to the lungs. Maximum oxygen means more nourishment to all the cells in your body.

So how does breathing happen? The breathing process starts in the blood. All of our cells are continually active doing whatever it is they do. A by-product of their activity is carbon dioxide (CO2). CO2 is an acid. The part of our brain that controls breathing monitors the acid / CO2 levels in our blood. When CO2 levels reach a certain level we breathe in oxygen and blow out carbon dioxide, thus lowering the acid / CO2 level. Because those cells are continually doing what they do, creating more and more CO2 we continually breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide.

The first thing that happens when we take breath is the diaphragm contracts. The diaphragm is a muscle that runs side to side below the lungs. Think of it as a floor the lungs sit on. It contracts or tightens like any other muscle. When the diaphragm contracts it drops down. When it drops the lungs go down with it, which results in them expanding and you breathe in. When the diaphragm relaxes it returns to the original position, pushing up on the lungs, causing you to breathe out.

In simpler terms correct breathing as known as "abdominal" or "belly" breathing. f you’re breathing properly, your lower belly will rise more than your chest.

There are many reasons why healthy people don’t breathe correctly. It could be malfunction, stress, fear, pain, or maybe just trying to make the stomach look tighter. All of these will lead to shallow breathing, which will decrease the amount of oxygen you bring in.

So, how are you breathing? Take a tape measure around your waist, just below your belly button. Pull the tape measure snug, taking note of what the measurement it. Take a deep breath and notice how much your belly expands with a deep breath. Do the same thing two more times. If your belly is not expanding by an inch or more you’re not breathing correctly.

Improper breathing can contribute to headaches, dizziness, fibromyalgia, numbness, sciatica, insomnia, neck pain, back pain as well making it more difficult for your body to heal.

Proper breathing will result in more relaxation, lower heart rate and overall better function because your tissues are receiving adequate oxygen.

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