Evidence is mounting that second opinions—particularly on radiology images and pathology slides from biopsies—can lead to significant changes in a patient’s diagnosis or in recommendations for treating a disease. Some malignancies, including lymphomas and rare cancers of the thyroid and salivary glands, are notoriously tricky to diagnose correctly; test results can be inconclusive or return false results. After a decade of annual mammograms, more than half of women will receive at least one false positive recall on a breast-cancer screening, a recent study found. And nearly half of malpractice claims at Harvard University’s medical institutions that resulted in serious patient harm or death in the past five years were diagnostic errors, according to its liability company Crico/RMF.

Thomas Feeley, vice president of medical operations at MD Anderson, says as many as 25% of patients who arrive at the center with diagnoses for certain cancers such as lymphoma may receive a different diagnosis. Overall, 3% of MD Anderson patients each year end up with a significant change that affects what treatment they receive. “When you get cancer, the first thing you may want to do is jump to get treatment with the first person you talk to,” Dr. Feeley says. “But taking the time to get a second opinion about the diagnosis you have and a careful evaluation of what treatments there are can be lifesaving.”

Read this article, found by Amanda Miller, LMT, for more information on this study from NaturalNews.com:

Is it conceivable that massage can provide more effective relief from low back pain than medication? A new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggests this therapy might indeed alleviate back pain better in the short term than traditional interventions of medicine, bed rest or exercise: Healthday reports.

The investigation conducted by the Group Health Research Institute in Seattle involved 400 patients who had low back pain, the majority of which were middle aged, Caucasian and female. Researchers found those who were given a series of relaxation massage or structural massage were better able to work and be active than those who were given traditional medical care, such as pain pills, muscle relaxants or physical therapy.

According to The New York Times, the study’s participants were randomly divided into three groups: structural massage, relaxation massage and traditional care. Patients in the massage groups received one Read the rest of this entry →

By: Jenny Wetzel, Office Manager

With our focus on Omega 3′s this week, I have been hearing about, and doing a little research on, the benefit of Omega 3′s with people who have ADHD symptoms.  Here is a pretty concise article highlighting the reasons why Fish Oil can be a great alternative treatment for ADHD.  As a side note, we like the Omega 3.6.9 liquid from Biogenesis that comes in a yummy lemon flavored liquid!

Alternative ADHD Treatment: Fish Oil

Research on alternative ADHD treatments suggests a daily fish oil capsule can help curb the symptoms of attention deficit without medication.

by Tina Adler

Could a daily fish oil capsule help curb the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD ADHD) in children and adults? alternative ADHD treatment really help?

Quite possibly, suggests the latest research – including a study published in the May 5, 2005, issue of Pediatrics. “A lack of certain polyunsaturated fatty acids may contribute to dyslexia and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder,” reports one of the study’s authors, Paul Montgomery, D.Phil., a researcher in the psychiatry department at the University of Oxford in Read the rest of this entry →

By: Sylvia Montoya

January brings us a New Year, as well as cold & flu season. In my house, we up the ante in winter by using Essential Oils. I have school-aged kiddos, and germ sharing abounds! My arsenal includes the use of essential oils for colds, in baths & body oils, to disinfect, clean, and in air fresheners. They make the house smell great too, without all the artificial chemicals

Soo…what are they? Essential Oils are a liquid distilled from plants, and contain the true essence of the plant it came from. They are highly concentrated and a little goes a long way. Essential oils can provide psychological and physical therapeutic benefits. These benefits are usually achieved through methods including inhalation and application of the diluted oil to the skin.

Some of my favorite germ arsenal oils are Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Lavender, Lemon, Roman Chamomile, Frankincense, and Ravensara. In wintertime, I make a Eucalyptus and Lemon spray to use around the house to freshen the air and kill germs. I also add a few drops of Eucalyptus & Tea Tree to a handful of oil and rub it on my kiddos’ feet and chests at the first Read the rest of this entry →

A study by Lee and colleagues extrapolated that some 30 million visits were made by pediatric patients to chiropractors in 1997. A 2005 study by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners revealed that the percentage of chiropractic patients under 17 years of age has increased 8.5% since 1991 from 9.7% to 18.2%.  The chiropractic care of children is therefore a substantial aspect of chiropractic and the care of children in general.  Safety and effectiveness are issues germane to all healthcare providers. To contribute to evidence-based practice, this study was undertaken to determine the effectiveness associated with the chiropractic care of children. Read the rest of this entry →

This article is from Forbes magazine, written by Alice G. Walton. And shared lovingly by our resident yogi, Jenny. 

This is the first of a two-part series on yoga: the second, “The Psychology of Yoga,” looks at the psychological changes that yoga has been shown to bring about.

Judging from the number of yoga mats I’ve seen toted around Manhattan in the last 15 years, I’m pretty sure I was the last person on the island to try it. My relationship with the practice started about six months ago, and I must admit, I fell for it – and hard. I was amazed at the changes it was effecting in my body, and even better, my mind. But the science nerd/Western medicine part of me wondered how, exactly, it was doing this. I could wager some guesses based on what I know about the body, but wanted to talk to some people who actually study this stuff for a living.

Stephen Cope is a therapist and director of the Institute for Extraordinary Living at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Massachusetts.  He heads a program at the Center entitled “Yoga and the Brain,” in which researchers are studying yoga’s effect on the brain with MRI and other clever techniques. Cope explains that yoga brings about measurable changes in the body’s sympathetic nervous system – the one charged with propelling us into action during the “fight or flight” response to stress. However, because our lives today include business emails at 10 o’clock at night and loud cell conversations at the next table, our stress response often lingers in the “on” position at times it shouldn’t. Yoga helps dampen the body’s stress response by reducing Read the rest of this entry →

By: Jenny Wetzel, Office Manager

As promised….a blog about the ergonomics of walking your dog! I’m pretty certain my upper back pain a few weeks ago was due to yoga, but dog-walking is near and dear to my heart. I have had my Great Dane for three and a half years and have walked/jogged with him almost every day since I got him! Walking a 120 lb. dog is definitely not always easy. As other dog-walkers know, your best friend can give you quite a pull when they see a squirrel, another dog, or any other special and exciting thing.

I have tried a few different things to prevent soreness or muscle strain, and have also done a little research just for you! Here are a few tips to keep your body healthy while you’re walking the pooch:

Stay Balanced

As with any other ergonomic topic, we encourage you to do things equally on your right and left side. If you have one dog, switch hands halfway through your walk. If you have two or more dogs, it’s likely that one or two pull more strongly than the other. Even if you feel like you need the puller(s) in your dominate hand in order to control them, try switching hands. Your other side will become stronger eventually.

Watch Your Posture

This is just as important when you’re walking your dog as any other time. Stand up straight. Keep your shoulders back and down. Try to avoid rolling your shoulders forward to accommodate a pulling dog.

Stretch After Your Walk

The tendency is to roll your shoulders forward while walking your dog. If you are unsuccessful at keeping your shoulders back while walking, try a quick stretch for the front side of your body when you get Read the rest of this entry →

By Dr. Lisa Goodman, DC

Thanksgiving marks the end of a very eventful month in the Goodman household.  We celebrate the birthday of both of our sons, Tommy 4 & Nate 1.  We also celebrate my birthday.  This is a great time of year to reflect on how much has changed in a year and what we have to look forward to.  As I look back on the year I can’t help but be grateful and thankful for the many people in my life who make our practice my second home.  I started the practice over five years ago and we have been through many positive and wonderful transitions as we have grown.  Today, I feel thankful for the creativity, humor and knowledge of our staff and providers.  We are so lucky to have a positive impact on our patient’s lives every day – but even more lucky to have fun doing it.  I really depend on Jenny & Sylvia to keep the practice running smoothly and am thankful for everything they do every day.  I am fortunate to collaborate with Dr. Kati, Ashley and Amanda to find solutions for our patients.  As we say goodbye to Dr. Jake we wish him well and are grateful that we were able to work with him.

Today I am thankful for the people who have ever been or currently are patients in our practice.  Our patients challenge and inspire me to think differently about chiropractic care.  They make me want to continue learning and never settle for what I already know.

On a personal note, today I am thankful for a wonderful, supportive husband and two gorgeous, healthy boys.  I am thankful that Tommy tried and liked turkey tonight and that Nate crawled up the stairs for the first time today.

As for what is next, I am thankful for optimism and perspective.