2009
Newsletter -
Fall
Issue -
Words from the editor
Old
Man Winter?
As many of us are finishing up our fall rituals (racking up those leaves, cleaning up around the yard, digging out the snowblower & snow shovels, pulling our our winter apparel, and preparing our skis & snowboard equipment for the slopes), many are asking themselves what will old man winter have in store for us this year? I've heard lots of snow in certain parts, below average temperature in other??
According to the 2010 Farmers Almanac, Ontario looks to be in for a "Bitterly Cold & Dry" winter, at least according to the forecasts for January through March.
Farmers Almanac Winter Outlook For 2010
I don't normally put too much trust into any forecast that is given in advance of more than 3-4 days. In my experience, the likely hood of any long term forecast being accurate / correct is about as likely as guessing correctly on a coin toss (50/50).
Anyway, only time will tell but it's still that time!
Enjoy the rest of the Fall and I hope
to see you out on the slopes!
Today's Hot Topic - Hand Sanitizing
In good Health
Dr. Rene Asselin
CONTENT
● Latest News
● Articles
●
Hot Topics
● Exercise Library
● Food Review
● Ask Dr. Asselin
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Chiropractic
Trigenics
Medical Acupuncture
New Voice Mail System: (705) 446- 5828
Please note that we are currently using a voice mail system. I just wanted to inform everyone that you are not required to listen to the entire message before choosing an extension. You may choose an extension at anytime during the message.
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Dr. Rene Asselin (chiropractor) - clinic director - EXT - 1 -
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Dr. Adam Martynuik (chiropractor) - EXT - 2 -
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Christine Mackenzie (massage therapist) - EXT - 3 -
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Donna Furnival (pilates) or General Message " please leave a message after the tone"
Active Release Therapy
Strength & Conditioning
Kinesiotapinng
Nutrition & Lifestyle Coaching
Custom Orthotics
Diagnostic Imaging Part 2
CASE:
Suspected Lumbar Spine Disc
Herniation
FAQ: Do I need a CAT Scan or an MRI?
First a little background. CAT stands for Computerized Axial Tomography. This form of imaging uses x-rays, a type of ionizing radiation to produce it's images. Unlike plain film x-rays CAT scans are able to produce 2-dimensional slices and 3-dimensional reconstructed images. CAT Scans are often referred to as the imaging method of choice for viewing bone.
CAT SCAN (Slice Lumbar Spine)
CAT Scans can be combined with contrast
methods in order to evaluate spinal nerves (myelography) and / or spinal
intervetebral discs (discography).
MRI stands for "Magnetic Resonance Imaging". MRI use a magnetic field rather than ionizing radiation to produce both 2 and 3 dimensional images. MRI tends to be the modality of choice when viewing soft tissue injuries. Contrast agents to enhance the image can also be used with MRI's.
MRI (Herniated Lumbar Disc)
To recap:: MRI is the gold standard or the option of choice when it comes to evaluating soft tissue injuries such as a herniated disc. However, MRI images are expensive, take longer to produce, and are not widely available. CT scan on the other hand are less expansive, more widely available, and are relatively quicker to obtain.
*From a clinical perspective and when dealing with the conservative management of soft-tissue related injuries, CT scans and MRI images are often unnecessary all together. Sure, it would be nice to see and quantify the physical damage / injury on a film, but for the most part conservative treatment will be unchanged by the results of the image and thus would be considered cost ineffective and ultimately unnecessary. Most disc herniations will resolve with time and conservative therapy. CT and MRI studies are normally reserved for those injuries with pronounced neurological compromise, unrelenting pain that failed to improve after conservative care, or when required by an orthopedic surgeon to evaluate the area prior to a surgical intervention.
In summary, MRI's are better for soft tissues related injuries while CT scans are better for bone. Both MRI's and CT scans can be enhanced with contrast in order to view difficult structures (rotator cuff tears, nerve root compression, etc.).
In a subsequent issue we will be discussing - Diagnostic Ultrasound
Natural Medicine
Registered Massage Therapy
Therapeutic Pilates
Aromatherapy
Reflexology
Hand Washing & Sanitizing
The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that hand washing and clean hands remain to be your primary method of protection throughout the cold and flu season. They've explained that many viruses are transmitted from surfaces rather than the through the air we breathe. They recommend 2 main methods to keep your hands clean.
Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water, and dry using a disposable paper towel. Rub vigorously for 20-30 seconds
Use alcohol hand sanitizers containing at least 65% alcohol where water is not
readily accessible. For added protection they recommend something called the SaniTwice protocol.
SaniTwice Protocol
i) First apply a liberal amount of alcohol based hand sanitizer to the palm of one hand and rub
hands using same technique as you would with soap and water. Before the sanitizer dries, aggressively dry hands with a paper towel. This action will physically remove alcohol and pathogens.
ii) Apply a second amount of sanitizer to hands, covering all surfaces as before and allow to air dry. This
will act to kill any pathogens remaining on the hands.
Washing with soap and water may remain one of the best methods to protect yourself throughout the cold and flu season. However, hand sanitizing wipes, gels, etc. in my opinion should be apart of your plan. They can be conveniently carried in your pocket, car, displayed in the entrance to your house, office, etc. Just think, after washing your hands in a public washroom, how do you exit that room? Normally by contacting "surfaces" - door knobs, handles, etc. Why not wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water and then once you're out of the public area sanitize your hands with a gel, spray or wipe. Touching common surfaces throughout the day is inevitable (gas pumps, merchant terminals, railings, pens, keypads, etc.). Many times these surfaces can not be avoided and are often a breeding ground for germs. Washing your hands frequently, keeping your hands away from your face (mouth, nose, ears, & eyes), and keeping hand sanitizing gels, wipes, etc. handy is a great way to keep yourself healthy and to help stop the spread of illness.
When using gels and wipes it's important that you thoroughly rub the substance into your hands, around your fingernails, between your fingers, on the back of your thumbs and around your wrists. All to often I see people squirt a little dab of gel in the center of their palm and do a quick 1-2 rub without thoroughly distributing the gel evenly over all surfaces.
Additionally, if your hands are dirty, grimy, soiled, etc. there is no substitute for washing your hands with soap and water.
Some Commonly Asked Questions - just to add a little spice to to the topic!
1) Do alcohol gels dry out the skin? ANSWER: Washing with soap and water will likely dry out your hands just as much as commercially available hand alcohol products. If you wash or sanitize your hands frequently your hands will tend to dry out somewhat, especially throughout the winter season. If you find yourself required to wash your hands frequently throughout the day, consider using a natural moisturizer, stay well hydrated, and don't forget to eat a diet rich in essential fatty acids.
*Proponents of alcohol free products claim that alcohol gels strip the hands of natural oils (used as a natural defense against germs), are unsafe for children, and are highly flammable. - spice -
2) Are non-alcohol gels suitable alternatives to alcohol based products? ANSWER: Yes, recent advances in technology have proven them to be as effective as alcohol based products. The primary ingredient in these alcohol free gels is Benzalkonium chloride (BAC).
*Proponents against non-alcohol based product are concerned and claim that BAC has potential toxic, allergenic, and carcinogenic properties. - spice -
3) Are natural anti-septic oils suitable alternatives for hand sanitizing? ANSWER: That's not any easy questions to answer. More and more people are searching out "natural alternatives" to hand sanitizers secondary to the above concerns. Certain essential oils have been shown to have anti-microbial properties. However, in order for them to be effective the oils must be dispersed in a medium. Essential oils should not be applied to the ski directly! Many will add a few drops of these oils (tea tree, rosemary, etc.) into a water filled spray bottle and use this as their anti-septic spray / cleaner. The problem here is that the oils do not mix well with water and you end up with an unreliable sanitizer. Essential oils need to be broken down (alcohol or other processes), or added to carrier oils in order for them to be dispersed in a solution. Additionally, homemade hand sanitizers are most likely unreliable unless you are meticulous with the ingredients and formulation. A safer option would be to search out natural alternatives that are manufactured by companies who standardize and test their products thoroughly.
As more "green" companies join in on the fun ($$) we will be seeing more and more natural sanitizing products on the market. CleanWell, Seventh Generation, and Natures Clean are just a few of the companies carrying a variety of natural sanitizing products (wipes, sprays, cleaners, etc.) that have been tested to be both safe and effective.
A few additionally thoughts - Natural does not necessarily indicate that it's safe (many natural things are toxic), and the dose makes the poison (even water is toxic at a particular dose). Therefore, one must be careful with how companies spin their marketing materials against each other! Additionally, there remains to be "loose" marketing guidelines with regards to the term "natural". - Consumer Beware -
Warrior - I -
-Forward Lunge with Overhead Reach-
An excellent exercise that helps to decompress the lumbar spine, open up through the chest and hips, and strengthen the glutes and thighs. This exercise appears simple enough but in order to get the full benefit from the position or pose, it's extremely important to pay attention to detail. The following link will provide you with further instructions.
For detailed instructions please click here: Yoga Journal
Natures Anti-inflammatories
Pineapple contains a natural enzyme called bromelain. Bromelain has been shown to suppress both pain and inflammation.
Papaya contains a natural enzyme called papain. Similar to Bromelain, papain enzymes have been shown to suppress pain and inflammation.
Consuming these types of fresh fruit during periods of heavy training, after a sports injury, or apart of a support program for a chronic condition (arthritis) will go a long way in helping to support your recovery and overall wellbeing.
Bromelain and Papain are considered proteolytic enzymes and as a result are also well suited to be used as digestive enzymes. Proteolytic simply refers to their ability to degrade or digest proteins.
-Make sure you choose FRESH RAW UNCUT selections!- Heat is introduced during the canning process. This process degrades or inactivates these natural pain and inflammation suppressing enzymes.
How long should I stay home if
I get sick with the flu?
That's a good question. Even with all the media surrounding the flu season this year people are often still unsure as to when it's safe or when one is no longer "contagious".
What does the government recommend?
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that you stay home for at least 24hrs after your fever is gone, that is except to get medical care. If you require medical care while you're sick the hospital or clinic will ask you to wear a mask. A fever is considered to be anything above 100° F or 37.8°C. Your fever should also be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine, such as Tylenol®. You should stay home from work, school, travel, shopping, social events, and public gatherings during this time.
*However, the CDC emphasizes that "this guidance does not apply to health care settings where the exclusion period should be continued for 7 days from symptom onset or until the resolution of symptoms, whichever is longer; see http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidelines_infection_control.htm for updates about the health care setting.".
Additionally, If your fever is gone this does NOT mean that you are not contagious!
Many people with influenza illness will continue shedding influenza virus 24 hours after their fevers are gone. This shedding can continue for 10 days or more in some cases.
Please follow the link below for the full report from the CDC.
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidance/exclusion.htm
All the best,
Dr. Rene Asselin
No individuals,
including those under our active care, should use the information, resources
or tools contained within to self-diagnose or self-treat any health-related
condition. The material provided on this site is for educational purposes
only and any recommendations are not intended to replace the advice of your
physician. It is important that you do not reduce, change, or discontinue
any medication or treatment without consulting your physician first, or
other qualified primary health care provider.
All information provided in
this newsletter do not necessarily reflex the views of Dr. Asselin or the
clinic at large. If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of the
information present in any of our newsletter or online website please
content Dr. Asselin (info@synergywellnesscentre.com)
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