Ask The Chiro

How Can You Make Your Cold Go Away Faster?

By Edward Camp - San Francisco Chiropractor Most uncomplicated colds last between eight and nine days, but about 25 percent last two weeks, and 5-10 percent last three weeks. Even the most stubborn colds will typically resolve in a few weeks' time. A cold will last, at most, a few weeks, but allergy symptoms can last all season. Recovery rate varies by individual and can clearly be affected by lifestyle. Typical things people do include taking over-the-counter cough and cold remedies or fever reducers. This is not actually necessary as long as your temperature remains below 102 degrees Fahrenheit (38.9 degrees Celsius) Actually, Cold viruses don’t reproduce at higher body temperatures, so a slight fever can actually help you get rid of the virus quicker. Another common thing people do is, take over-the-counter pain-relief medications. Studies have shown that people who take aspirin and Tylenol (acetaminophen) suppress their body's ability to produce antibodies to destroy the cold virus. Aspirin has even been linked to Lung complications including pulmonary edema. You should only use these medications when absolutely necessary, such as if you have a temperature greater than 105 degrees F (40.5 degrees C), severe muscle aches or weakness. Increasing vitamin C, D and E are helpful as is rest and stress reduction. Lets hope you have a cold free season but if not try a less is more approach and you’ll recover faster.

What does it mean when I see letters after a doctors name beyond DC ?

If you ask a Chiropractor do you help people with sports injuries, invariably they will say yes. If you ask them do they help people with extremity issues (Sprained ankles, wrists, knees or shoulders) again you’ll get the answer yes.

Truth be told, all Chiropractors have some exposure to these types of conditions. Many see enough of them that they have a real proficiency in how to deal with them. Sadly they told us in school we knew enough to deal with every problem of this nature that walks through our doors and many of us believed that.

 

When you see letters such as “C.C.E.P.” (Chiropractic Certified Extremity Practitioner) or “C.C.S.P.” (Chiropractic Certified Sports Physician) what you are getting is a practitioner who has put a priority on this type of work. This means that he or she has expended a lot of time and energy to gain extra experience in these areas.

 

To attain these post doctoral designates takes between one hundred fifty and three hundred hours to attain usually with field work to cement the skills in place and often an exam with written, oral and practical components. Not easy to do and demonstrative of a real determination to deliver better care to our patients.

 

Does that mean Chiropractors who don’t have these are not capable of dealing with these issues. No not really it’s a matter of time and exposure.

 

What it does mean is that people with these designates have put in a lot more time and energy into the areas of expertise for which they were awarded them than those who haven’t. This should point to a particular motivation to work with a certain type of problems that many practitioners are less prepared to deal with.

by H. Edward Camp DC  Chiropractor in San Francisco  Healing San Francisco One Spine at a Time!

Phil Golinsky

 

The different regions of the spine show decided differ- 

ences in structure, though all resemble each other. The 

Cervicals are smallest, the Dorsals next in size, and the 

Lumbars largest and strongest of the movable vertebrae. 

The Dorsals have facets and demi-facets for the articulation 

of the twelve pairs of ribs with their bodies and interverte- 

bral substance, as well as oval facets upon the anterior 

aspect of their transverses for articulation with the tubercles 

of the ribs. Presented by Phil Golinksy.

The spinous processes are smallest and usually bifur- 

cated down to and including the fifth. The sixth may show 

a plain bifurcation, or on any Cervical the bifurcation may 

be so small as to be imperceptible to touch. The spinous 

process of the second overlies that of the third so as to 

make the latter very difficult of detection. Indeed, all cer- 

vical spinous processes down to the sixth are harder to 

palpate than those in other regions, owing to the anterior 

cervical curve. The processes lie in a groove between 

prominent muscle ridges.