Weekly Updates

Lumbar spinal stenosis is a debilitating condition associated with the degeneration of the spine, which can have a wide range of symptoms including back pain, leg pain, numbness and tingling in the legs, and reduced physical function. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis of ten studies found that lumbar spinal stenosis can often co-occur with…

Neurogenic claudication is the medical term used to describe the symptom of pain induced by walking, and it is caused by damage to the neurological system as a result of spinal stenosis. A recent literature review found that a multimodal treatment approach that includes manual therapy, exercises, and patient education is an effective non-surgical treatment…

Individuals with chronic low back pain are known to exhibit abnormal brain function in areas of the brain associated with regulating emotions and pain, as well as processing cognitive tasks involving memory formation. In a recent experiment, researchers observed that patients with chronic low back pain experienced improved function in these areas of the brain…

An analysis of data from a study that included 1,471 adults found that back pain- and neck pain-related difficulties with walking, standing, or sitting account for up to 43% of all days of missed work. Past studies have demonstrated that prolonged sitting, physical inactivity, and poor ergonomics are risk factors for work-related back and neck…

For patients with osteoarthritis that affects the spine, hips, or extremities, a recent study found that soft tissue therapy, spinal manipulation, and other common chiropractic treatments are effective for reducing pain and improving joint function. Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, February 2022 Health Alert: Triglycerides Increase Stroke Risk? Researchers monitored 870 patients with a…

Researchers report that postmenopausal women are 4.5 times more likely than premenopausal women to report sleep apnea, and they are also at increased risk for joint pain. Menopause, March 2022 Diet: Plant-Based Diet May Protect the Brain. An analysis of diet and cognitive performance data concerning over 4,700 adults found that consuming a plant-based diet…

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a condition that occurs when fat accumulates in the liver from causes other than excessive alcohol consumption, and it is associated with a number of poor health outcomes. An analysis of data concerning 72,092 women under the age of 40 found that those with long or irregular periods were…

An analysis of data concerning over 600,000 adults found that e-cigarette use may be associated with a 54% increased risk for prediabetes—a term used to describe elevated blood sugar levels that have not yet reached the threshold for diabetes diagnosis. Senior researcher Dr. Shyam Biswal adds, “There is a real concern that there’s a perception…

Compared with middle-aged individuals who did not play contact sports or any sport in high school, those who played high school football were more likely to have sleep problems and to take medication for either chronic pain or headaches during the last year. However, the study did not find that former high school football players…

According to a recent study, only about 70% of adults in the United States and Canada can identify chest pain/discomfort as a symptom of myocardial infarction. Other common heart attack symptoms include shortness of breath; arm/shoulder pain/discomfort; feeling weak, lightheaded, or faint; and jaw, neck, and back pain. Korean Circulation Journal, December 2021 Diet: Foods…