Elite Healthcare

Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease results from a gradual degeneration of nerve cells in the portion of the mid-brain that controls body movements. The first signs of the onset of the disease are a feeling of weakness or stiffness in one limb, and/or a fine trembling of one hand when it is at rest (activity causes the tremor to disappear). Eventually, the shaking will worsen and spread, muscles will tend to stiffen, and balance and coordination will deteriorate. Depression and other mental or emotional problems are common.

The four primary symptoms of Parkinson's Disease are tremor or trembling in the hands, arms, legs, jaw, and face; rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and trunk; bradykinesia or slowness of movement; and postural instability or impaired balance and coordination. As these symptoms become more pronounced, patients may have difficulty walking, talking, or completing other simple tasks. Over 40% of patients develop a dementia syndrome that is largely distinct from Alzheimer's disease. Depression is common, also occurring in more than 40% of patients with Parkinson's Disease. Careful evaluation is necessary to help distinguish Parkinson's disease from second causes of parkinsonism.

The disease is both chronic, (it persists over a long period of time) and progressive (its symptoms grow worse over time). It is not contagious nor is it usually inherited-that is, it does not pass directly from one family member or generation to the next.

Parkinson's Disease affects about 1 in every 250 people over 40 years old and about 1 in every 100 people over 65 years old. It is slightly more common in men than in women. Medication can treat its symptoms, and the disorder is not directly life-threatening. Mostly it is a quality of life issue. About half of all patients treated with drugs have no major disabilities 10 years after the onset of the disease.

National Parkinson Foundation estimates that the total cost from Parkinson's Disease exceeds $5.6 billion annually in USA alone.

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Arthritis

About 50 million people in the United States suffer from some form of arthritis. For more than 20 million of these people, the symptoms are severe enough to cause them to seek medical attention.

Arthritis is not a single disease. The name arthritis means an inflammation of one or more joints. Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints usually caused by wear and tear; injury, or infection. Some are genetic. Its causes and consequences are many and varied. The inflammation is often accompanied by pain, swelling, redness and motion limitation. X-rays may show horrifying damage to the joints of people who feel no pain at all, or they may show relatively little damage in people who feel great pain. 

There are more than 100 types of arthritis. There's osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gouty arthritis, psoratic arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, bursitis, systemic infectious arthritis, arthritis associated with a venereal disease and many others. The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout.

Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative arthritis or wear-and-tear-arthritis, refers to the pain and inflammation that can result from the systematic loss of bone tissue in the joints. It is the most common form of arthritis especially in the elderly.

Rheumatoid Arthritis, also known as rheumatism or synovitis, tends to affect people over 40. Women get this two to three times as frequently as men. It is characterized by inflammation and pain in the hands, especially the knuckles and second joints, as well as in the arms, legs and feet, and by the general fatigue and sleeplessness. Organs such as the eyes and lungs may become inflamed as well. 

Gout usually occurs in men over 40 and is caused by the elevated blood levels of uric acid, which forms crystals in the joints. The immune system reacts to these crystals as if to a foreign invader. The joint, as a result, becomes inflamed and painful.

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Injuries Commonly treated by Elite Healthcare

Many people wonder, will going to Elite Healthcare benefit me? Chiropractic treatment helps with conditions that are musculoskeletal (conditions involving movement with muscles and bones), and common non-musculoskeletal conditions (conditions that involve sickness, or non-movement problems). Going to Elite Healthcare provides temporary, as well as long lasting relief. Chiropractic treatment can often cure common sicknesses as well as injuries without the seek of medicinal help. If a condition exists which is better suited for a treatment by a medical specialist, chiropractors are fully trained to identify such conditions and make the appropriate referral. However, most patients suffering from musculoskeletal complaints can and are successfully treated with chiropractic every day. Elite Healthcare provides treatments that help cure these conditions: 

Common musculoskeletal conditions treated:

·    low back pain and stiffness

·    neck and upper back pain and stiffness

·    mid back pain and stiffness

·    headaches and migraines

·    leg pain, weakness, numbness and tingling

·    arm pain, weakness, numbness and tingling

·    extremity joint pain and dysfunction

·    carpal tunnel syndrome


Common injuries treated:

·    automobile accident and whiplash injuries

·    on-the-job and lifting injuries

·    sports/athletic injuries

·    slip and fall injuries

·    chronic injuries


Non-musculoskeletal conditions which studies have shown benefit from chiropractic:

·    asthma

·    attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

·    dizziness and dysequilibrium

·    dysmenorrhea

·    infantile colic

·    low energy levels

·    otitis media (ear infection)

·    ulcers

H1N1 (Swine) Flu

 

Swine flu is an infection caused by a virus. It's named for a virus that pigs can get. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. The virus is contagious and can spread from human to human. Symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.

There are antiviral medicines you can take to prevent or treat swine flu. There is no vaccine available right now to protect against swine flu. You can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza by

• Covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Washing your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. You can also use alcohol-based hand cleaners.
• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Trying to avoid close contact with sick people.
• Staying home from work or school if you are sick.

Anatomy of the Neck

The cervical spine begins at the base of the skull. Seven vertebrae make up the cervical spine with eight pairs of cervical nerves. The individual cervical vertebrae are abbreviated C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6 and C7. The cervical nerves are also abbreviated; C1 through C8.

Cervical Vertebrae and Supporting Structures 
The cervical bones - the vertebrae - are smaller in size when compared to other spinal vertebrae. The purpose of the cervical spine is to contain and protect the spinal cord, support the skull, and enable diverse head movement (e.g., rotate side to side, bend forward and backward).

A complex system of ligaments, tendons, and muscles help to support and stabilize the cervical spine. Ligaments work to prevent excessive movement that could result in serious injury. Muscles also help to provide spinal balance and stability, and enable movement. Muscles contract and relax in response to nerve impulses originating in the brain. Some muscles work in pairs or as antagonists. This means when a muscle contracts, the opposing muscle relaxes. There are different types of muscle: forward flexors, lateral flexors, rotators, and extensors.

Spinal Cord and Cervical Nerve Roots 
Nerve impulses travel to and from the brain through the spinal cord to a specific location by way of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The PNS is the complex system of nerves that branch off from the spinal nerve roots. These nerves travel outside of the spinal canal or spinal cord into the organs, arms, legs, fingers - throughout the entire body.

Injury or mild trauma to the cervical spine can cause a serious or life-threatening medical emergencies (e.g. spinal cord injury or SCI, fracture). Pain, numbness, weakness, and tingling are symptoms that may develop when one or more spinal nerves are injured, irritated, or stretched. The cervical nerves control many bodily functions and sensory activities.

C1: Head and neck
C2: Head and neck 
C3: Diaphragm 
C4: Upper body muscles (e.g. Deltoids, Biceps) 
C5: Wrist extensors
C6: Wrist extensors
C7: Triceps 
C8: Hands

EMG Tests

Electromyography and Nerve Conduction Tests are used to test the strength and health of peripheral nerves. These tests can be used to determine if there is nerve damage, or a pinched nerve. The test lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to up to an hour. In the EMG portion of the test, the doctor or certified practitioner will use acupuncture needles and insert them into muscles in either the leg or arm and test the electrical activity in the muscles. During the test, the muscles will give off "signals" to indicate if there is a pinched nerve. If the muscle is healthy, the needle will receive a constant electrical signal. If a muscle doesn't receive adequate signals from a sick nerve, it broadcasts signals, which show the muscle is confused.

From the Nerve Conduction Test and the EMG's, the doctor can correlate which nerves are pinched and the seriousness of the condition. This information can then be used to help formulate further treatment plans.

The Common Flu

Influenza is a common infectious disease, generally occurring in the winter months in the United States. The condition is often highlighted in the media when it pertains to exotic forms of influenza, such as avian flu. The flu may be mild or severe, as shown by past outbreaks (e.g., flu pandemic of 1918-1919). Understanding influenza may be important in preventing future occurrences.

Virus

The flu is caused by a virus of the family Orthomyxoviridae. The structure of the virus consists of ribonucleic acid (RNA) encased in a protein capsule. Influenza A contains 10 proteins while influenza B contains 11 proteins. Hemagglutinin and neuraminidase are two of the proteins on the surface of the virus and are the basis for typing influenza strains (e.g., H1N1, H3N2).

During infection, the body's immune system attacks the virus and becomes trained to fight the exact same virus more aggressively. However, the influenza virus mutates frequently. As the virus reproduces, the content of the RNA can change slightly, which in turn alters the surface proteins. The immune system does not recognize this new viral strain because it does not possess the exact same proteins already recognized by the immune system from the previous infection.

Symptoms

The clinical presentation can vary in the symptoms that occur and their severity. Most commonly, the flu causes fever, weakness, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, sore throat, and running nose. Cough is also a symptom if the infection reaches the lower respiratory tract. Infection of the brain (encephalitis) is an uncommon feature of the flu. Children with influenza can sometimes present with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

A physician can diagnose the flu based on the symptoms. However, a nasopharyngeal swab can be taken and sent for viral culture if it is necessary for confirmation.

Blood Pressure

What Is High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure (HBP) is a serious condition that can lead to coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure and other health problems.

"Blood pressure" is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps out blood. If this pressure rises and stays high over time, it can damage the body in many ways.

Overview

About 1 in 3 adults in the United States has High Blood Pressure. HBP itself usually has no symptoms. You can have it for years without knowing it. During this time, though, it can damage the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and other parts of your body.

This is why knowing your blood pressure numbers is important, even when you're feeling fine. If your blood pressure is normal, you can work with your health care team to keep it that way. If your blood pressure is too high, you need treatment to prevent damage to your body's organs.

Blood Pressure Numbers

Blood pressure numbers include systolic and diastolic pressures. Systolic blood pressure is the pressure when the heart beats while pumping blood. Diastolic blood pressure is the pressure when the heart is at rest between beats.

You will most often see blood pressure numbers written with the systolic number above or before the diastolic, such as 120/80 mmHg. (The mmHg is millimeters of mercury—the units used to measure blood pressure.) Numbers above 120 for systolic and diastolic can be a sign of HBP. Numbers such as 140+ for systolic, and 100+ for diastolic are examples of numbers that could indicate HBP.