Falls, The Elderly And Upper Cervical Care

Falls among elderly lead to early death and disability

By Dr. Marcella Ziska

Falls are a leading cause of accidental death and disability among older Americans. In fact, over 60% of all accidental injury deaths in the elderly are the direct result of falling. Of the seniors who end up hospitalized as a result of a fall, 40-50% will end up entering a permanent care facility and lose most of their independence.

As more Americans are getting older, accidental falls are taking a costly toll on our health care system, and on the family members who must care for those who are injured.

The estimated cost of health care directly related to a fall is $6-8 billion annually.

The reasons why seniors fall can be complex and confusing for doctors, family members, and for the victim of the fall. Many times it's difficult to figure out what happened.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other leading health authorities state that prevention is the best way to protect ourselves and our aging family members from being harmed in a fall.

Why are the elderly at risk for falling?

Declining vision.

Mix of Rx medications and over-the- counter medications, including alcohol, leads to impaired movement and ability to think clearly.

Weakness in lower limbs from lack of activity, or from certain diseases.

Chronic pain and reduced range of motion (arthritis) affecting body balance.

Blood pressure too low when moving from seated to standing.

Balance control by the nervous system declines (Vertigo).

Improper footwear.

Obstacles left in common walking areas, or slippery walking surfaces.

Middle of the night bathroom trips.

Forgetting to use walking aids, or using them improperly.


Falls in the aging: what's the common theme? Posture & Gait

Almost all falls are caused by multiple problems. But the body's control of posture and gait (walking) play a role a majority of the time.

Posture control involves a complex system of signals from the brain to the body, and from the body back to the brain. It includes: spinal reflexes, information from vision, information from the equilibrium system of the body (the vestibular system) and information from the "sensing" systems in our skin and muscles.

Posture can also affect our gait, which is how far we stride, how fast, and the rhythm (speed) at which we move.

For many different reasons, the control of our posture, and the control of our gait begins to break down as we age. That doesn't mean falling is "normal," it just means it's more likely to happen.

Anything that improves our body posture, strength, and symmetry can potentially help improve our balance. Improving balance can help reduce the risk of falling.

What improves balance?

Strengthening muscles: specific exercises that work the leg and feet muscles involved in standing and walking can help our balance.

Stimulating the "sensing" part of the nervous system: Unique approaches to stimulating the "sensing" part of the nervous system are being used across the United States. Vibration boards and unique exercise pads stimulate the proprioceptive part of the nervous system, the system that knows our position.

Improving spinal balance: Misalignments in the spinal column, especially in the balance between the head and the neck, force our bodies to adapt to an unbalanced and stressed position. Signs of this disturbance include:

a head tilted to one side or carried too far forward

uneven shoulders

uneven hip height

uneven leg length

straightened curves in the neck

carrying more weight on one side of the body than the other when checking on bilateral digital scales


We can unlock this "lockdown" by correcting the way the neck is carrying the heavy weight of the head with gentle upper cervical chiropractic care (NUCCA). The goal is to get the "head on straight" and take stress off the spinal column. With this approach to spinal balance:

leg length balances

hip heights even

the head is straighter

balance is more equally carried by the feet


Upper cervical chiropractic as a solution for fall prevention

Due to the gentle nature of the upper cervical chiropractic adjustment, it is usually indicated for senior adults. Because of its to ability to improve spinal balance and motion, and because it often results in less pain and better range of motion, this form of chiropractic care represents an important tool in fall prevention for the elderly.

Dr. Marcella Ziska is an upper cervical chiropractor in Omaha, NE (Body in Harmony Chiropractic Center) who uses the gentle method of the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association to analyze and adjust the upper cervical spine. She greatly enjoys serving senior adult patients with upper cervical chiropractic (NUCCA) care.

Flu, Vitamin D and Upper Cervical Care

I believe the article below was written by Dr Mercola. Vitamin D and a properly functioning nerve system via Upper Cervical Care is a great way to be ready for the flu, of any type.

Avoid Flu Shots With the One Vitamin that Will Stop Flu in Its Tracks

Another influenza season is beginning, and the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will strongly urge Americans to get a flu shot. In fact, the CDC mounts a well-orchestrated campaign each season to generate interest and demand for flu shots.

But a recent study published in the October issue of the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine found that vaccinating young children against the flu appeared to have no impact on flu-related hospitalizations or doctor visits during two recent flu seasons.

At first glance, the data did suggest that children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years derived some protection from vaccination in these years. But after adjusting for potentially relevant variables, the researchers concluded that "significant influenza vaccine effectiveness could not be demonstrated for any season, age, or setting" examined.

Additionally, a Group Health study found that flu shots do not protect elderly people against developing pneumonia -- the primary cause of death resulting as a complication of the flu. Others have questioned whether there is any mortality benefit with influenza vaccination. Vaccination coverage among the elderly increased from 15 percent in 1980 to 65 percent now, but there has been no decrease in deaths from influenza or pneumonia.

There is some evidence that flu shots cause Alzheimer’s disease, most likely as a result of combining mercury with aluminum and formaldehyde. Mercury in vaccines has also been implicated as a cause of autism.

Three other serious adverse reactions to the flu vaccine are joint inflammation and arthritis, anaphylactic shock (and other life-threatening allergic reactions), and Guillain-Barré syndrome, a paralytic autoimmune disease.

One credible hypothesis that explains the seasonal nature of flu is that influenza is a vitamin D deficiency disease.

Vitamin D levels in your blood fall to their lowest point during flu seasons. Unable to be protected by the body’s own antibiotics (antimicrobial peptides) that are released by vitamin D, a person with a low vitamin D blood level is more vulnerable to contracting colds, influenza, and other respiratory infections.

Studies show that children with rickets, a vitamin D-deficient skeletal disorder, suffer from frequent respiratory infections, and children exposed to sunlight are less likely to get a cold. The increased number of deaths that occur in winter, largely from pneumonia and cardiovascular diseases, are most likely due to vitamin D deficiency.

Unfortunately, now, for the first time, flu vaccination is also being pushed for virtually all children -- not just those under 5.

This is a huge change. Previously, flu vaccine was recommended only for youngsters under 5, who can become dangerously ill from influenza. This year, the government is recommending that children from age 6 months to 18 years be vaccinated, expanding inoculations to 30 million more school-age children.

The government argues that while older children seldom get as sick as the younger ones, it's a bigger population that catches flu at higher rates, so the change should cut missed school, and parents' missed work when they catch the illness from their children.

Of course, this policy ignores the fact that a systematic review of 51 studies involving 260,000 children age 6 to 23 months found no evidence that the flu vaccine is any more effective than a placebo.

Sources:
LewRockwell.com October 3, 2008
EMS Responder September 9, 2008
WebMD October 6, 2008
Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine October 2008; 162(10):943-51