Are you looking for an effective treatment for pain, anxiety, depression, stomach ache, allergies, fatigue, or other common ailments? Have you been going to multiple doctors without finding any diagnosis or treatment? If you are seeking alternative solutions to health and wellness, check out the Yuen method, a noninvasive, energetic healing technique. Continue reading
Millions of dollars are spent every year on prescriptions help relieve pain and stiffness associated with arthritis. Are there more natural supplements or alternative treatments that can be equally as effective? Do these natural approaches actually help in alleviating symptoms and is it worth the cost or effort? Continue reading
What is Holistic Veterinary Medicine? Many American families have at least one pet in their household. The most common types of domesticated animals are dogs, cats, fishes, birds, rabbits, and mice. What is holistic veterinary medicine? What do holistic veterinarians treat? How effective is natural treatment? Do some veterinarians use both orthodox and complimentary medicine? Continue reading
The human back is made up of bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments. These parts make up the spinal column. The spinal column consists of 30 bones called the vertebrae. The spinal column helps hold up the upper part of the body. The back is an integral part of the human body (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases [NIAMS], 2013.
Back pain can affect people of all ages and ethnicities. Back pain can be acute or chronic. Acute back pain usually lasts a couple of days and is generally treated by orthodox practitioners by Ibuprophen or other over-the-counter pain medications or prescription drugs. However, people can becoming addicted to pain medications especially with chronic pain. Chronic back pain normally occurs for more than three months. Older people are more susceptible to back pain because as they age, their bone strength decreases and muscles become less elastic and flexible. People who are overweight have more back pain due to the excess amount of weight the back has to support. Children who carry heavy backpacks for hours during the school day may experience back pain. Back pain can also affect people who live sedentary lifestyles, smoke often and have unhealthy diets (NIAMS, 2013).
Mayo Clinic (2014) provides a list of possible reasons for the cause or causes of back pain:
Acute back pain can be traced back to an injury or trauma. Chronic back pain is usually a symptom of an underlying disorder or illness. To receive an accurate diagnosis for the back pain, visiting a family physician may be the wisest decision.
The physician may take a look at your medical history along with your family history to rule out any genetic predispositions to back disorders. A thorough physical exam will be conducted. In addition, a few other tests may be performed. These tests include, but are not limited, to the following (NIAMS, 2013):
To relieve acute and chronic back pain, traditional methods used by orthodox medical doctors or practitioners usually include:
Prescription drugs can be addictive and harmful to the body with long-term use.
Other non-traditional ways to ease back pain include the following:
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skins Diseases. (2013). Handout on Health: Back Pain. Back Pain. Retrieved September 21, 2014, from http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Back_Pain/default.asp#3
Mayo Clinic. (2014). Definition. Back Pain: Symptom. Retrieved September 21, 2014, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/back-pain/basics/definition/sym-20050878
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This article
is written by Hang Pham. Hang Pham is a Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance Health and Wellness Educator. Hang Pham was born in Hoc Mon, Vietnam. She came to America in 1994, becoming a U.S. citizen in 2011. Hang graduated from Seaside High School with diploma and received her AA in General Studies from Monterey Peninsula College in 2011. She received her BA in Collaborative Health and Human Services from California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) in 2012. In addition to working as a volunteer staff with the Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance, she currently works as a Clerical Aid in the Human Resources Department of Salinas City Hall. The Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance is a registered 501 (c) 3 nonprofit health and wellness education organization. For more information about the Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance contact us or visit our website at www.montereybayholistic.com.
Disclaimer: The Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance is a charitable, independent registered nonprofit 501(c)3 organization and does not endorse any particular products or practices. We exist as an educational organization dedicated to providing free access to health education resources, products and services. Claims and statements herein are for informational purposes only and have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The statements about organizations, practitioners, methods of treatment, and products listed on this website are not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This information is intended for educational purposes only. The MBHA strongly recommends that you seek out your trusted medical doctor or practitioner for diagnosis and treatment of any existing health condition.
What causes stress and how can we prevent it? Are there effective alternative, holistic, and complementary practices to treating stress besides prescription drugs?
What Does Current Research Say About Treatment for Stress?
Current studies show that Americans are not satisfied with healthcare programs addressing stress.
A recent study entitled, “Stress in America™: Missing the Health Care Connection,” was conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of the American Psychological Association, among 2,020 U.S. adults in August of 2012. The results of the study suggest that people are not receiving what they need from their health care providers to effectively manage stress and help them with necessary lifestyle and behavior changes needed to improve their health.
Stress in America – 42% reported that the leading stress symptom they experienced was anger or irritability.
A little more than half (53%) of Americans said they receive little or no support for stress management from their providers. Thirty-nine percent (39%) said that they have little or no behavior management support. Thirty-five percent (35%) of Americans said that their stress increased this past year.
The effects of stress on the body
What are Stress Symptoms?
Stress symptoms can be emotional, physical, behavioral and mental or psychological. A person under stress might have the following symptoms:
How is Stress Diagnosed and Treated?
There is no specific medical test for stress but your trusted healthcare provider or family physician should do a thorough medical and psychological exam and evaluation. He or she will ask you about your family history, your work, your daily routine, and personal life to help determine “stress triggers” and discuss a plan of treatment. It might be helpful for you to keep a stress diary for a few weeks to determine causes of stress.
The doctor might also order blood and urine lab tests, EEG, EMG, MRI, or other tests to rule out other illnesses that might be triggering stress symptoms. Basic tests will include measuring your blood pressure and completing a questionnaire to test for depression. After making diagnostic or psychological tests have been completed, your trusted healthcare practitioner may recommend treatment.
Treatment may include lifestyle changes such as changes in diet, physical activity or exercise, meditation, or prescription medications. If you don’t feel comfortable with the doctor’s evaluation or plan of treatment, it is important that you trust yourself and your own body wisdom when making a decision. Make sure that you are working with a doctor as a member on your team, and that your healthcare professionals are working closely with you.
Which Types of Alternative Approaches Have Been Effective?
What holistic, alternative approaches are effective in treating stress?
There are many types of alternative approaches that have been shown to be effective in relieving stress, however, most approaches take time and training for the person to be skilled enough to use it successfully, or for the hands-on practitioner to be successful in working cooperatively with the client to achieve success.
Research studies show that alternative approaches can ]reduce or eliminate stress symptoms. Exercise has been well-documented as a stress-reducer, as has prayer, deep breathing, and meditation. Hypnosis and massage are also highly effective alternative treatments to prescription drugs.
Therapeutic massage is a well-documented alternative treatment for alleviating stress.
Some of the natural approaches to relieving stress are:
Acupuncture can be a successful alternative treatment to reducing stress related symptoms
For more information about which alternative or complimentary therapies or approaches are best for your needs in treating anxiety or stress, consult with your trusted health-care practitioner, or check out the resources below.
Resources
The American Institute on Stress
The Stress Resource Center – Harvard
Healthfinder.gov – Stress Management
Holistic Stress Management for Nurses
American Psychological Association
Huffington Post -Reduce Stress Now
Mayo Clinic – Stress Management
Viner, R. (1999) Putting Stress in Life: Hans Selye and the Making of Stress Theory. Social Studies of Science, Vol. 29, No. 3 (June 1999), pp. 391–410
O’Connor, T. M.; O’Halloran, D. J.; Shanahan, F. (2000). “The stress response and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis: From molecule to melancholia”. QJM : monthly journal of the Association of Physicians 93 (6): 323–333.
LE Walker Post-traumatic stress disorder in women: Diagnosis and treatment of battered woman syndrome.
– Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 1991
Hayes, Steven C.; Wilson, Kelly G.; Gifford, Elizabeth V.; Follette, Victoria M.; Strosahl, Kirk. Experiential avoidance and behavioral disorders: A functional dimensional approach to diagnosis and treatment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Vol 64(6), Dec 1996, 1152-1168. doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.64.6.1152, Special Section: Development of Theoretically Coherent Alternatives to the DSM-IV.
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This article is written by Jean Voice Dart, M.S. Special Education from Illinois State University. Jean is a published author and has written hundreds of health articles as well as hosting a local television program, “Making Miracles Happen.” She is a Registered Music Therapist, Sound Therapist, and Master Level Energetic Teacher, and is the Executive Director, founder and Health and Wellness Educator of the Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance. The Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance is a registered 501 (c) 3 nonprofit health and wellness education organization. For more information about the Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance contact us or visit our website at www.montereybayholistic.com.
WHAT IS CHIROPRACTIC? According to the General Chiropractic Council, chiropractic is “a health profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, and the effects of these disorders on the function of the nervous system and general health.”
WHAT HAPPENS IN A CHIROPRACTIC SESSION?
Typically the chiropractor will ask about your symptoms, your general health and previous health challenges or symptoms. He or she will give you an examination and examine your spine and posture. The chiropractor will try to determine your source of discomfort or pain, and might choose to x-ray your spine. The initial assessment is typically 45 minutes to 60 minutes. The chiropractor will most likely describe a plan of treatment for you and may give you a spinal adjustment. If you are asked to undress you should be offered a gown.
The chiropractor uses a variety of manual techniques with the main technique being spinal manipulation. He or she might manipulate, muscles, bones, and joints around the spine. Usually this is not painful but there many be some discomfort around the joint. If you have significant discomfort, tell your doctor immediately. You may hear loud sounds during manual manipulation. This is a normal part of manual manipulation.
WHAT IS THE THEORY AND HISTORY OF CHIROPRACTIC CARE?
Chiropractic was founded in 1895 by Daniel David Palmer. D.D. Palmer was a grocer, a magnetic healer and was interested in phrenology (diagnosing disease based on the bumps of the skull) and spiritualism. It is believed that Palmer discovered the principle of chiropractic when he allegedly cured a janitor of his deafness by manipulating his cervical spine (the neck). However, this may or may not be true since the hearing mechanism is not connected to the nerve passageways in the neck.
The term “chiropractic,” is translated to mean “done by hand” and was created by Palmer. Palmer created the subluxation theory based on the principle that all disease is caused by subluxated bones, which 95% of the time are spinal bones, and which disrupt the flow of energy to the various areas of the body. Palmer didn’t not base any of his ideas on research, but rather went directly to treating patients and to creating a school for training chiropractors in his methods.
The benefits of Chiropractic care.
HOW DOES CHIROPRACTIC TREATMENT HELP?
Chiropractic treatment has been very helpful to people all around the world for the management and relief of a variety of problems such as:
HOW EFFECTIVE IS CHIROPRACTIC TREATMENT
Research studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of of Chiropractic treatment for migraine headaches, back pain, neck pain, fibromyalgia, gastrointestinal disorders and other disorders. Patient satisfaction surveys and research studies have been conducted to determine customer satisfaction on the effectiveness of chiropractic treatment. Chiropractic care has a high success rate among patient satisfaction, and show that 90% of patients feel that their treatment has been effective. 
Have you had success with chiropractic treatment? Are you a chiropractic doctor? Maybe there is something that is not on the list that you would like to add. Feel free to share your experiences.
ORGANIZATIONS
American Chiropractic Association
California Chiropractic Association
National Chiropractic Association
International Chiropractors Association
REFERENCES
Kaptchuk TJ, Eisenberg DM (November 1998). “Chiropractic: origins, controversies, and contributions”. Arch. Intern. Med. 158 (20): 2215–24.
A, Tuchin PJ, Russell MB (April 2011). “Manual therapies for migraine: a systematic review”. J Headache Pain 12 (2): 127–33.
Ernst E (2011). “Chiropractic treatment for gastrointestinal problems: A systematic review of clinical trials”. Can J Gastroenterol 25 (1): 39–49.
Schneider M, Vernon H, Ko G, Lawson G, Perera J (2009). “Chiropractic management of fibromyalgia syndrome: a systematic review of the literature”. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 32 (1): 25–40. doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2008.08.012
Cherkin D (November 1989). “AMA policy on chiropractic”. Am J Public Health 79 (11): 1569–70.
Smith M, Carber LA (2008). “Survey of US Chiropractor Attitudes and Behaviors about Subluxation”. Journal of Chiropractic Humanities 15: 19–26.
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This article is written by Jean Voice Dart, M.S. Special Education from Illinois State University. Jean is a published author and has written hundreds of health articles as well as hosting a local television program, “Making Miracles Happen.” She is a Registered Music Therapist, Sound Therapist, and Master Level Energetic Teacher, and is the Executive Director, founder and Health and Wellness Educator of the Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance. The Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance is a registered 501 (c) 3 nonprofit health and wellness education organization. For more information about the Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance contact us or visit our website at www.montereybayholistic.com.
Disclaimer:The Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance is a charitable, independent registered nonprofit 501(c)3 organization and does not endorse any particular products or practices. We exist as an educational organization dedicated to providing free access to health education resources, products and services. Claims and statements herein are for informational purposes only and have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The statements about organizations, practitioners, methods of treatment, and products listed on this website are not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This information is intended for educational purposes only. The MBHA strongly recommends that you seek out your trusted medical doctor or practitioner for diagnosis and treatment of any existing health condition.
Do we use abuse prescription drugs? Can we reduce the incidence of prescription drug use and drug abuse in our country? Are there other alternative and holistic health options besides prescription drugs?
Buon pomeriggio, friends and health enthusiasts!
Today mind/heart wisdom, drug use, pain and stress relief is the MBHA topic and focus. Although this is a time to be grateful and filled with love, holiday shoppers can be seen frantically grabbing hot deals, and family members can overeat, overwork, lose their tempers, and experience pain and fatigue. It’s a reminder that holiday stress often brings aches and pains, financial worries and debt, and drugs are often the chosen remedy and quick fix. Using the mind/heart wisdom is so important during these times. Let’s check out some current statistics about the drug dilemma here in the United States.
Here are a few startling facts.
Click to enlarge photo, and copy and share with friends. According to a recent report by the NIDA, 25% of adults who started abusing prescription drugs at 13 years of age or younger met clinical criteria for addiction later in life.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), unintentional death from overdose of opioids has quadrupled steadily since 1999 and now outnumbers those deaths from heroin and cocaine combined. Between 1991 and 2010, prescriptions for stimulants increased from 5 million to nearly 45 million and for opioid analgesics from about 75.5 million to 209.5 million, or about 36% increase.
The medication most frequently abused is pain relievers.
Out of the more than seven million people abusing prescription drugs, more than five million people abused pain relievers in the past year.
The good news is that while cannabis use has risen in the United States, prescription drug abuse among youth and adolescents has dropped in the past year, but prescription drug abuse and death from prescription drugs, still remains a major concern. Social, emotional and mental stress, physical injuries, acute and chronic illnesses, environmental toxicities, poor diet, lack of sleep, and other situations can cause severe body pain.
So what can we do?
The often used phrase “Mind/Heart Wisdom” comes to mind. As a holistic health nonprofit, it is the mission of the Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance (MBHA) staff and volunteers to share alternative and complimentary approaches to healing. The list is long (energetic healing, naturopathic, homeopathic, acupuncture, herbal remedies, yoga, Tai Chi, aromatherapy, essential oils, hypnotherapy, light therapy, music therapy, and much more, too numerous to name).
Certainly there are situations where prescription drugs are necessary.
A health education nonprofit, such as MBHA acknowledges each individual’s right to choose his or her way of healing. Like many educational service organizations, we are here as to offer solutions when one way has failed and a person is seeking other options. However, we as a nation and as a world, can choose to use Mind/Heart Wisdom. We can choose to listen to that inner guidance and higher wisdom within each of us, to know how to care for our bodies. Of course, that’s easier said than done. If we are deep in depression, Mind/Heart Wisdom is hard to hear.
Let us remember those 5 million people and make wise choices this holiday season.
This holiday season, we at MBHA plan to continue to nurture and nourish ourselves and share this information with you, as a health education nonprofit. When the head, knees and back are aching, we’re going to try to listen to the Mind/Heart Wisdom and ask, “What can I do to love my body?” Prescription drugs and pain killers are certainly important for the survival and comfort of many people around the world, yet there might be times when we can do some stretching exercises, change the diet, get more sleep, or visit an alternative therapist before considering taking more pain medications. We invite you to share with us. Let us explore ALL health options, and listen and learn together on this journey in life.
Sending love and best wishes,
The MBHA Staff and Volunteers
Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance 
