Rook Torres | Rook Torres

May 04 0

How to Explain Chiropractic to Others in Boise

Posted by Rook Torres

We cannot thank our family, friends, patients, and allied health care providers enough for referring patients to our practice.

There is no other form of advertising that attracts the quality of patients as those our patients refer to us.

So, here’s some information that may help you tell others about us: Chiropractic has been around since 1895 and is the third largest healthcare profession in the world:

The primary focus of treatment includes the neuromusculoskeletal system (nerves, muscles, joints) such as disk herniations (e.g., sciatica, pinched nerves), sprains and strains, sports injuries, neck pain (e.g., whiplash), headaches, and many others.
The treatment includes a “hands-on” approach where massage, manual traction, joint manipulation and mobilization are commonly utilized. In general, the treatment typically feels good and patients look forward to the process.
In many cases (such as low back pain, neck pain, headaches), chiropractic care may function as the primary or only treatment that is needed. However, when other medical conditions co-exist, the combination of chiropractic and medical treatment is often better than either one by itself (depending on the condition).
Doctors of chiropractic commonly refer back and forth with medical and osteopathic doctors, creating a “win-win” for the patient and providers.
Over the last 20-30 years, a significant volume of research has been published finding chiropractic approaches to be either equal or superior to other forms of healthcare provision for low back and neck pain, headaches, and other conditions.
Many hospitals, medical clinics and VA facilities have integrated chiropractic into their healthcare systems. Medicare and Medicaid have included chiropractic coverage since the 1970’s and most private insurers include chiropractic coverage due to the significant volume of research reporting the benefits, cost savings, and patient satisfaction.

Your individual story may actually be the most important thing you can share.

The following are a few of the many websites that include great information about chiropractic that may also be appreciated by the potential “internet savvy” future chiropractic patient:

We look forward to giving your family, friends, and co-workers the same quality care that you’ve been receiving!

May 04 0

Chiropractic Education…You Had No Idea They Did This…

Posted by Rook Torres

Many people seem surprised to find out that the chiropractic education process is so extensive.

I usually reply, “…whether you’re planning to become a chiropractor, medical doctor, or dentist, it takes four years of college followed by and additional 4-5 years of additional education (med school, dental school, chiropractic college) simply because there is that much to learn about the body to become a competent health care provider.”

Hence, depending on the area of interest a person has in the health care industry, it takes a similar amount of time to complete the educational program.

DID YOU KNOW…

The initial step is completing a typical “pre-med” undergraduate or college degree.

Courses including biology, inorganic and organic chemistry, physics, psychology, various science labs, as well as all the liberal art requirements needed to graduate are included in the undergraduate education process.

Many states now require 4 years of college in addition to the 4 to 5 academic years of chiropractic education to practice in their particular state. (For the requirements in the UK, click here. For the requirements in Australia, click here. For the requirements in Canada, click here.)

Once entering a chiropractic university, the same format exists as most health care disciplines.

The basic sciences are covered in the first half of the educational process after which time successful completion of the National Boards Part I examination is required to move into the second half – the clinical sciences.

From there, internships, residency programs, preceptorship programs become available to the chiropractic student.

Once graduated, residence programs including (but not limited to) orthopedics, neurology, pediatrics, radiology, sports medicine, rehabilitation, internal medicine, and others are options. Many various Masters and doctorate programs in specialty areas are also available.

The following chart shows the similarities between three health care delivery approaches, DC, MD, and DPT (doctor of physiotherapy).

Curriculum Requirements For the Doctor of Chiropractic Degree (DC) in comparison to the Doctor of Medicine Degree (MD) and the Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree (DPT):

*Does not include hours attributed to post-graduation residency programs.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF AVERAGE CLASSROOM AND CLINICAL STUDY HOURS PRIOR TO GRADUATION IS EVEN HIGHER FOR CHIROPRACTIC COMPARED TO THE MD AND DPT CURRICULUM.

It should be noted that this does not include additional educational training associated with residency programs, which are available in the three disciplines compared here.

At one of the chiropractic colleges, the academic core program or Clinical Practice Curriculum consists of 308 credit hours of course study and includes 4,620 contact hours of lecture, laboratory and clinical education.

There are 10 trimesters of education arranged in a prerequisite sequence.

The degree of Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) is awarded upon successful completion of the required course of study.

In order to receive a degree, a student must have satisfied all academic and clinical requirements and must have earned no less than the final 25 percent of the total credits required for the D.C. degree, allowing up to 75 percent of the total credits through advanced standing.

The academic program may be completed in three and one-third calendar years of continuous residency. Graduation, however, is contingent upon completion of the program in accordance with the standards of the College, which meet or exceed those of its accrediting agencies.

In addition to courses included in the core curriculum, a variety of procedure electives are available to the students. These electives are designed to complement the study of adjustive procedures included and facilitate investigation of specialized techniques.

As a doctor of chiropractic, we are committed to providing the highest quality care available to our patients. We coordinate care with other doctors when appropriate in quest of reaching the goal of our helping our patients in the most efficient, economic, and evidence-based approach possible.

May 04 0

Chiropractic Care…Safe and Cost Effective and…

Posted by Rook Torres

“Ever since I was in my early teens, I’ve had muscle and joint problems that would come and go but never put me down where I couldn’t function. I was very active and played basketball, tennis, and ran in track but over the last 10 years I’ve avoided a lot of activity due to my problems. Now, after having a couple of children and gaining some weight, I notice more frequent and intense back problems and I’m getting quite concerned over the changes that have been taking place and afraid to do things. I talked about this with my family and friends and some have recommended chiropractic, some recommend physical therapy, others suggest medication and one even suggested shots! Quite frankly, I’m totally confused as to what to do!”

This scenario may sound familiar to many people.

The choice of health care provision is a personal one, often influenced by those around you – family, friends, teachers, and more!

It seems like everyone is an “expert” with different opinions and their advice, often conflicting, can lead to confusion about what is best for you.

There are many ways to approach back trouble, regardless of the diagnosis or condition.

First, all health care providers are biased in that they naturally focus on their specialty. If you choose to consult with a surgeon, s/he will look at your condition from a surgical perspective. Various surgical options may be discussed, tests are usually recommended and the process begins.

When consulting with a family physician, the typical approach is pharmaceutical or drugs such as anti-inflammatory medications (Advil, Nuprin, Ibuprofen, Aspirin, Aleve, Tylenol, etc.), heat or ice, activity modifications (possibly rest or mild/moderate activity), and possibly referral for chiropractic or physical therapy.

In reviewing the various guidelines, it is recommended to start with the least invasive, safest, most cost effective approaches first.

Unless “red flags” like cancer, fracture, infection or progressive severe neurological losses are present, surgery is not a logical initial approach.

Chiropractic has been recommended as a first or initial choice as it has been found to be safe, highly satisfying, non-invasive, and cost effective.

The typical approach includes a thorough history, an examination that includes an analysis of posture, motion, function and includes the whole body.

For example, if one leg is short, the pelvis will tilt and spine is often crooked. That needs to be corrected for both long and short term results.

If the feet pronate and the arches are flat, the effects on gait/walking on the ankle, knee, hip and back can lead to trouble or perpetuate current problems.

Deconditioning or, being out of shape is an important aspect included in the chiropractic management process.

If these methods fail to bring about satisfying results, referral for more invasive approaches will be considered.

May 04 0

What Type of Doctor Should You See In Boise For Back Pain?

Posted by Rook Torres

Have you ever considered who is the best in Boise suited to treat back pain?

Since there are so many treatment options available today, it is quite challenging to make this decision without a little help.

To facilitate, a study looking at this very question compared the effectiveness between medical and chiropractic intervention.

Over a 4-year time frame, 2780 patients were followed with questionnaires. Low Back Pain patients were treated using conventional approaches by both MDs (Medical Doctors) and DCs (Doctors of Chiropractic).

Chiropractic treatments included spinal manipulation, physical therapy, an exercise plan, and self-care education.

Medical therapies included prescription drugs, an exercise plan, self-care advice and about 25% of the patients received physical therapy.

The study focused on present pain severity and functional disability (activity interference) measured by questionnaires mailed to the patients.

It was reported that chiropractic was favored over medical treatment in the following areas:

Pain relief in the first 12 months (more evident in the chronic patients)
When LBP pain radiated below the knee (more evident in the chronic patients)
Chronic LBP patients with no leg pain (during the first 3 months)

Similar trends favoring chiropractic were seen for disability but were of smaller magnitude.

All patient groups saw significant improvement in both pain and disability over the four year study period.

Acute patients saw the greatest degree of improvement with many achieving symptom relief after 3 months of care.

This study also found early intervention reduced chronic pain and, at year 3, those acute LBP patients who received early intervention reported fewer days of LBP than those who waited longer for treatment.

While both MDs and DCs treatment approaches helped, it’s quite clear from the information reported that chiropractic should be utilized first.

These findings support the importance of early intervention by chiropractic physicians and make the most sense for those of you struggling with the question of who to see for your LBP.

May 04 0

NFL Great Says, “Chiropractic Was The Key To Keeping Me In The Game.”

Posted by Rook Torres

If the greatest player in the history of the National Football League said, “Chiropractic was the key to keeping me in the game,” do you think Chiropractic care could help you with your back pain and other aches and pains?

Well, that’s exactly what happened.

Jerry Rice, who on November 4, 2010 was named the greatest player in NFL history by NFL Network’s NFL Films production The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players, said:

“I believe in Chiropractic and I know that it works.

“You probably know about my long and successful career in football. I’m flattered by the testimonials to my durability.

“Football is a very rough and vigorous sport. Many of the pass patterns in a game either long or short require a maximum effort.

“I took some vicious hits from players nearing twice my size. Thankfully, I had the durability to withstand these tackles – or I never would have succeeded or lasted for as long as I did.

“Chiropractic was the key to keeping me in the game.

“My first experience with Chiropractic care was right before the 49ers were to play the Bengals in Super Bowl 23. A couple of our players were injured and a Chiropractor turned things around.

“I quickly became a believer and ever since, I have had the benefit of Chiropractic care.

“Dancing with the Stars was every bit as exhausting and challenging – though not nearly as brutal as football – it required many hours of practice… I had aches and pains that I never had before. Again, Chiropractic made the difference and kept me dancing and in the competition.”

The average NFL career is extremely short… lasting only 2-4 years. Injury prematurely ends many young player’s hopes and dreams. Jerry Rice played an astounding 20 years in the NFL.

If Chiropractic can help Jerry Rice play for 20 years in the NFL… just imagine what it can do for you.

If you would like to see Jerry speak about the benefits of Chiropractic… go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CAsGNlQEnI.

No one would claim celebrities have all the answers. However, it would seem that with all the options celebrity affords them, the fact they seek chiropractic care to meet their healthcare needs says something about the value of chiropractic for optimum health!

Apr 25 0

12 Tips to Reduce Allergies in Boise

Posted by Rook Torres

The dry climate in Boise is about to really take hold and that means allergy season is going to kick into high gear.

According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), over half of Americans are allergic to one or more allergens. It’s never more apparent than during spring and summer in Boise, when seasonal allergies are likely to flare up.

Aside from the lousy, coldlike symptoms that allergies provoke (sneezing, congestion, watery/itchy eyes, runny nose, etc.), allergies can cost you days at work and money to seek out solutions. In fact, according to AAAAI, allergies may cost Americans close to $8 billion a year in costs related to direct care and lost work productivity.

If you live in the United States, chances are you have allergies. At least, that’s the finding from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III).

According to NHANES III, the top four most common allergens include:

Dust mites
Rye
Ragweed
Cockroaches

About 25 percent of Americans tested positive to each one. Least common was the peanut, with only 9 percent reacting positively.

As for food allergies, the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network says that eight foods account for 90 percent of all foodrelated allergic reactions:

As pollen, and other allergens peak in Boise this spring, those with allergies should stay indoors as much as possible (or if you can’t resist venturing outside, at least shower and wash your clothing afterward).

Staying indoors when pollen counts are high is one of the best ways to prevent allergy symptoms.

Milk
Egg
Peanut
Tree nut (walnut, cashew, etc.)
Fish
Shellfish Soy Wheat

While it would seem that, with so many people suffering from allergies, we would be well prepared as a population to handle them and know their causes, this is not the case. Nearly half (49 percent) of allergy sufferers wait until symptoms occur to take action, rather than using preventative measures. This is unfortunate when it’s so easy to do! Increasing immune function will help reduce or eliminate allergies altogether.

I’ve had dozens of patients over the years tell me their allergies were reduced or eliminated during and after chiropractic care. What’s funny is that no a single person told me they had allergies to start with or wanted treatment for allergies! Boosting the body’s internal ability to heal and function is what chiropractic does and it shows in cases like this.

Minimize your allergies with these 12 tips, however, the best tip is…boost your immune system with wholesome foods and chiropractic care to ensure your body functions at it’s best so you can enjoy life to the fullest:

1. Keep your windows closed to keep pollen out (this is especially important from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. when plants release most of their pollen).

2. Use your air conditioner instead of opening windows, and ideally use an air conditioner that has an allergyreducing HEPA filter in it.

3. Check the daily pollen and mold counts (AAAAI’s National Allergy Bureau has daily pollen counts for locations across the country). If counts are high, stay indoors as much as possible. Also stay indoors if it’s windy, as dust and pollen will be blown about.

4. Clean your home frequently to reduce pollen, mold, dust and other allergens.

5. Wash your bedding once a week in hot water to help get rid of dust mites and other allergy triggers.

Some people face worse allergy flareups in the fall than the spring.

6. Shower before you go to bed. This will help wash away any pollen, mold and other allergens that have accumulated in your hair and on your body.

7. Always wash your clothes after spending time outdoors to remove pollen and other allergens.

8. Have someone else mow your lawn. Cutting the grass will expose you to a host of pollens and molds (the same goes for raking leaves in the fall).

9. Wipe off surfaces you touch often. Surfaces such as computer keyboards, countertops, furniture, door handles and appliances can be loaded with allergens. When you touch these areas, the allergens are transferred to your hands and then likely to your eyes, nose and mouth, potentially worsening your symptoms. Giving these a wipe with a microfiber cloth can keep all types of allergens to a minimum.

11. Resist the temptation to hang your clothes out in the sun to dry. When you bring them inside, they’ll be covered in pollen and mold.

12. Get away for a while. If you can spare a few weeks, great, but even a weeklong vacation to a lowpollen area (such as a beach) can be a muchneeded reprieve.

Article adapted from Dr. Mancini (see linked article)

Apr 19 0

Chiropractic for Professional Athletes and Boise Weekend Warriors Alike!

Posted by Rook Torres

Chiropractic Care Keeps Minnesota Twins Pitchers Kyle Gibson and Trevor May on Top of Their Game. But they’re not the only ones of course. It’s well known that nearly all professional football, hockey, baseball and basketball teams have chiropractors on staff. You’ve heard many pro golfers and olympians talk about how chiropractic care has kept their performance level high and their injury rates down.

And that’s just it…optimal performance is the most important thing to many people, but when your body is pushed to the limit like professional athletes day in and day out, it’s easier to see weaknesses in performance. Remember, these guys are worth millions of dollars and they have the best doctors on the planet helping them with injury care. They don’t need chiropractors for that. The role of the chiropractor is to keep these athletes performing at the highest level.

So whether your game is gardening on the Boise bench, chasing your kids around a North End park, biking on the Boise Greenbelt, or running a local business down at Saturday Market, chiropractic care will ensure you’re on the top of your game all year long.

Apr 06 0

What This Boise Lady Did When She Found Out She Had a Breech Baby Was…

Posted by Rook Torres

Unorthodox? Unusual? Unique? Well, not really. For decades women right here is Boise, Idaho have been looking for more natural solutions to problems during pregnancy. Since the 1980’s it has fallen out of favor to deliver breech babies, that is, babies who present feet or rear end first at delivery, rather than head first. It used to be common practice to deliver breech babies. Doctors were trained to do what other cultures all over the world have done since the beginning of time. However, as healthcare costs have risen and insurance companies are more and more protective of liability, it has fallen out of favor to even train doctors to deliver breech babies. Now it’s hard to find a doctor who knows how or has ever seen it done when it used to be part of “normal” delivery.

Dr. Larry Webster, a chiropractor with a pediatric specialty and an ingenious thinker, developed a technique to remove constraint on an unborn fetus over 40 years ago. This technique, Webster’s In-Utero Constraint Technique, is often called “Webster’s Breech Turning Technique” because of it’s uncanny correlation with breech babies turning to the proper head down position. In over 800 cases Dr. Webster had only 18 breech babies fail to turn! However, this technique is not specifically for turning breech babies. It removes neurological disturbances and soft tissue constraint that prevents the fetus from moving freely within the uterus.

I can personally attest to these amazing statistics. I’ve seen it first hand in my practice and am certified in Webster’s In-Utero Constraint Technique with nearly 100 percent results in the last 15 years. Now current research is publishing the results. For the healthiest pregnancy possible try chiropractic care, you won’t regret it!

Look at this research just published in the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal and Family Health:

Objective: To describe the chiropractic care of a pregnant patient presenting with hip/pelvic pain and breech presentation.

Clinical Features: A 37-year-old woman in her 35th week of gestation was experiencing right hip and pelvic pain with ultrasound imagining documenting frank breech pregnancy. Vertebral subluxations were identified using Webster Technique.

Intervention and Outcome: The patient received care with the Webster Technique over three visits spanning five days. The patient gave birth vaginally with the baby in the vertex position.

Conclusion: Pregnant patients under chiropractic care may benefit beyond symptomatic care.

Mar 22 0

8 Reasons Why Chiropractic is the Best Boise Treatment for Auto Injuries

Posted by Rook Torres

You can see from my recent posts that this is already true, however, here is some great information I found from national whiplash expert Michael Melton that furthers the point. You can get these great benefits from chiropractic care right here in Boise.

1. Chiropractic Reduces Inflammation

During a car accident, the ligaments and muscles in your spine can experience micro-tears. X-rays or MRI scans usually aren’t sophisticated enough to diagnose these kinds of injuries, but this tissue damage causes the area to become inflamed. Many times, people don’t feel much discomfort immediately after a crash, but they wake up the next morning to a stiff and painful neck. This is caused by the body’s inflammation response to these micro-lesions.

A 2010 study found that chiropractic adjustments actually helps the body release anti-inflammatory Interleukin 6 (IL-6), an important substance created by your body that’s used to help heal acute injuries.

2. Chiropractic Restores Motion

Another problem with inflammation is that the tissues become immobile, which can slow healing to the area. Ligaments of the spine don’t get many nutrients or blood supply normally, and this becomes even more difficult when inflamed and injured.

During a chiropractic adjustment, the joints of your spine are mobilized, which helps increase blood flow and healing nutrients to the area.

3. Chiropractic Reduces Scar Tissue

Your body heals injuries by creating scar tissue. Scar tissue in an injured area is made up of the same kind of cells as the original tissue, but it’s laid down rapidly and randomly as a temporary “patch” on top of the damaged area.

If you get scar tissue in a large muscle, it can be uncomfortable for a while until you stretch it out, but it most likely won’t cause any long-term problems. Scar tissue in the ligaments of your neck or back, however, can be much more debilitating, since we can’t stretch it out ourselves. Your chiropractor focuses the adjustments on these specific vertebral joints that are fixated, effectively stretching them and breaking up the scar tissue in the joint.

4. Chiropractic Relieves Localized Pain

Over the last 20 years, countless studies have demonstrated that chiropractic adjustments are a safe and effective way to reduce pain. In fact, a 2013 study found that 94% of patients experienced neck pain relief with manipulation!

5. Chiropractic Reduces Pain in Your Whole Body

Many auto injury patients develop more widespread pain after a crash, especially if the original injury wasn’t treated promptly. A 2014 study reported that people who received a chiropractic adjustment had increased levels of pain-reducing hormones in their bloodstream.

6. Chiropractic Relieves Stress

A car crash is a very stressful life event, especially if you’re in pain. When your body is exposed to trauma, it goes into a flight or fight response, which can result in anxiety, depression, and stress. A 2011 study used PET scans to look at the brains of people who received chiropractic adjustments for neck pain. They found that those patients had reduced brain activity in the parts of the brain responsible for pain processing and stress reactions. They also had significantly lower levels of cortisol, indicating reduced stress. Participants also reported lower pain scores and a better quality of life after treatment. Reducing your overall level of stress is important, because, left untreated, stress can also slow recovery time and increase your risk of developing chronic pain.

7. Chiropractic Works!

In 2015, an Ontario, Canada government group agreed that spinal manipulation, combined with staying active and continuing to work, are the most important factors in recovering quickly from car crash injuries.

8. Early Chiropractic Care Prevents Chronic Pain

Research from 2000 and 2003 found that auto injury patients who got early treatment focused on mobilizing the injured area recovered faster and had fewer residual symptoms from the crash. Chiropractic does this: a chiropractic adjustment gets the joints in your spine moving the way they’re supposed to, helping to prevent chronic pain.

If you’ve been injured in a car crash, you don’t have to suffer from chronic pain. Chiropractic is a great way to help your body heal from all kinds of injuries.

Mar 08 0

Resolution of Fatigue, Malaise & Depression

Posted by Rook Torres

Here is another great example of how chiropractic care helps in many ways that you may not have thought of. The reason is simple and overlooked by many in healthcare. The central nervous system controls all function in the body. That’s ALL FUNCTION. Every cell, every tissue, every organ, every system, every muscle, every signal, and every chemical reaction. Got it? Everything! So what if your nervous system malfunctions, or can’t get signals through to the body properly? What if your body can’t receive the signals even if they’re sent by the brain properly? You see, there are many ways this miscommunication can happen, ultimately leading to malfunction in the body and some sort of breakdown. If it goes on long enough could it even cause death? You bet!

Chiropractic was specifically developed to find nerve disturbances called subluxations which interfere with nerve communication and eventually lead to declining health and malfunction in the body. Chiropractic adjustments remove subluxation and allow your body to heal, communicate and function as intended, allowing you to be the best you can be!

Read this article and think about the possibilities:

Resolution of Fatigue, Malaise & Depression in a 30 Year Old Male Following Subluxation-Based Chiropractic Care Utilizing Gonstead Technique: A Case Study

Brian Berg, D.C.

Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research ~ February 29, 2016 ~ Pages 10-20

Abstract

Objective: This case study describes the effects of subluxation-based chiropractic care on the management of a 30-year-old male with fatigue, malaise and depression.

Clinical Features: A 30-year-old white married male presented with the chief complaint of general tiredness, fatigue, loss of energy and depression. The patient history also revealed complaints of occasional headaches and acid reflux.

Interventions and Outcomes: Over an eight-month period of time, the patient received specific intersegmental chiropractic care via the Gonstead Technique for reduction of vertebral subluxation. 46 total adjustive procedures were administered over 22 office visits. SF-36 general health survey was utilized to document patient progress at two-month intervals. Data analysis demonstrated significant improvement particularly in the areas of General Health, Mental Health, and Mental Component Summary, correlating with subjective patient reporting.

Conclusion: This case study demonstrates the efficacy of subluxation-based chiropractic care for the management of fatigue and malaise in a single patient. Following eight months of care via the Gonstead Technique, the patient’s symptoms of fatigue and malaise were reduced, and objective health measures via the SF-36 noted marked improvement in multiple areas.

All posts by Rook Torres