Pain is Not the Problem

Many people begin chiropractic care because of an ache or a pain. Pain can be distracting, debilitating, irritating or annoying. Pain can be chronic, acute, intense or intermittent. Pain can be sharp or dull. And pain can be localized or general.

Pain may be a pain, but pain is not the problem!

Pain is a symptom. A signal. A sign. An indicator. A warning. Pain is no more a problem than a traffic signal or your alarm clock jarring you awake.

If there's a problem, it's the meaning we attach to the pain.

When we meet patients who are in pain, our first thought is that they must have exceeded some physical, chemical or emotional limit to which they can no longer adapt. So, while we're interested in the pain, we're even more interested in what was the underlying cause of the pain. Did it just happen? Has it been present a long time? What circumstances brought it on? Plus, what change(s) should be made to avoid this in the future?

Do you know someone who thinks pain is a problem? Please send them our way. Because in our practice, pain is never a problem!

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Serious NSAIDs

In a recent New England Journal of Medicine article, researchers disclosed that the adverse effects of using NSAIDs (Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) like aspirin, ibuprofen and others, can include stomach bleeding, ulcers and, in some cases, death.

Millions take NSAIDs without much thought. However, research has shown that bleeding and ulcers occur half the time... often, with no symptoms. Among the people who develop serious bleeding from NSAIDs and require visits to the hospital, 10 to 15% will die. In fact, 2,000 people in the United Kingdom die each year from gastro-duodenal lesions from taking NSAIDs.

These drugs simply cover up your body's warning signs and fool the body. Every day we help locate and reduce the underlying cause of many types of health problems. Is it time for a chiropractic checkup for you, or someone you know, who thoughtlessly reaches into the medicine cabinet?

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True Health Insurance

Are you one serious illness away from bankruptcy? Many in America with "health" insurance policies think they're protected from the burden of huge medical bills. Sadly, that's just not true. In a Harvard University study of almost 2,000 Americans in bankruptcy court, half said that illness or medical bills drove them to bankruptcy.

Every 30 seconds in the United States, someone files for bankruptcy because of a serious health problem. Over 75% of those had insurance but lost coverage during the course of their illness. Thus, they face the double disaster of illness and bankruptcy.

"If you're sick enough, long enough, you're likely to be financially ruined," cautioned Dr. David Himmelstein the lead author of the Harvard study.

Although most stats are from the US (where they record more of these statistics), the same rings true in Singapore and other places in the world.

In 2009 I had an emergency appendectomy (removal of my appendix).  I spent 2 days in the hospital and left with a bill of $15,000.  For 2 days!!! 

Once thought largely the result of bad financial choices, bankruptcy is increasingly accompanying serious health problems. People who go under from medical debt are mostly middle- or working-class homeowners.

The solution? Don't get sick. But how?

Many people neglect their health until their symptoms are unbearable. By then, problems can be well advanced or even irreversible. That's why I suggest wellness visits. Visiting our practice when you feel great may sound unusual or even a little strange, but preventive chiropractic care and similar measures may actually provide more "insurance" than your insurance.