Plasker Family Chiropractic Blog

During the week of July 11 through July 16, 2016, Dr Plasker celebrated 28 years in practice.  Dr. Plasker treats many of his patients for relief of pain and takes them from Crisis Care through the Critical Transition to Lifestyle Care.  To see what some of our patients had to say, check out our testimonial page at https://drplasker.com/page/Patient-Testimonials.html

According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), an estimated 52.5 million people in the United States have received a diagnosis for some form of arthritis.¹

Of these, 27 million were diagnosed with osteoarthritis, which is the most prevalent form of arthritis. The condition is also more prevalent among women than men. Obesity and activity levels are thought to be contributing factors to greater disfuction.¹

Weather may be another contributing factor to worsening of osteoarthritis symptoms. This may not be uncommon story for patients’ family members and friends to hear, “My hip is really aching today. It’s probably going to rain, just you wait!” Interestingly, there may actually be some truth to this. There has been some interesting research regarding the possible association between both general joint and osteoarthritis pain symptoms and weather.^2-4

Barometric pressure and joint pain

A drop in barometric pressure (or air pressure) is often the first indicator of bad weather to come.² This means that there is less pressure against the body, so the tissue surrounding the joints can expand. In the case of osteoarthritis, this can lead to increased pain, soreness, and stiffness.² It may also prove a good explanation as to why Uncle Charlie’s knees act up, even if there is not a cloud in the sky – the barometric pressure will drop before the clouds roll in.

What does the research Say?

A 1995 study in the journal Pain looked at the perceived influence of weather on joint pain in four different cities (San Diego, Nashville, Worcester, Mass., and Boston).³ Local weather maps were compared to pain measurement reports from 558 patients in these cities. Although there was no definitive data supporting a link between regionally colder climates and joint pain, the researchers did find that patients were “fine-tuned” to detect changes in weather within their localized area.^2,3 In other words, while patients in Boston were not necessarily more sensitive to weather changes than those in San Diego, patients in each city did notice an increase in joint pain related to their local weather changes. The researchers surmised that this might be due to patients becoming acclimatized to small changes in weather patterns in their cities.^2,3

A more recent article, also published in Pain, took the research a step further by specifically looking at osteoarthritis of the hip in relation to weather conditions.⁴ A total of 188 patients filled out questionnaires assessing function and pain every three months for the two year study. These questionnaires were then matched to local weather patterns.⁴

The researchers found that pain scores worsened by one point for every 10 percent increase in humidity.⁴ In other words, a 50 percent rise in humidity corresponded to an increase in pain scores by five points. Furthermore, function scores worsened for every 3/10 decrease in barometric pressure.⁴

What does this mean for you?

This may mean that you will see an increase in visits from patients with joint pain, including osteoarthritis, as the weather gets colder and damper. In addition to providing adjustments, you should also recommend patients stay warm as much as possible in order to reduce pain and stiffness in joints.

References

1. Arthritis-related statistics. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Accessed 3/10/2016.
2. Does weather affect joint pain? Accessed 3/10/2016.
3. Jamison RN, Anderson KO, Slater MA. 1995. Weather changes and pain: Perceived influence of local climate on pain complaint in chronic pain patients. Pain, 61, 309-315.
4. Dorleijn DM, Luijsterburg PA, Burdorf A, et al. 2014. Associations between weather conditions and clinical symptoms in patients with hip osteoarthritis: a 2-year cohort study. Pain, 155(4), 808-813.

• Back pain.
• Headaches.
• Ear infections.
• Neck pain.
• Arthritis and joint pain.
• Scoliosis.
• Asthma.
• Blood pressure.

There's more!  Explore our website to get all the information, then give us a call.   201-505-WELL (9355)

Take care of your BODY, your MIND & your SPINE

Make HEALTHY CHOICES that keep you IN LINE

You've got to have NERVE TO ADJUST to it all

Your 100 is coming, YOU make the call

                             100 YEAR LIFESTYLE Affiliate Chiropractor

Dr. Plasker has the following events coming up:

Getting to Know Chiropractic – Wednesdays, July 13 & 27, August 10 & 24, 2016, at 6:30 PM. in the Montvale Office.  Dr. Plasker will be talking about what Chiropractic is and how to get the most out of Chiropractic care.

Join Dr. Plasker for a scenic 1.5 or 3.1 mi. run/walk at your own pace - Wednesday evenings at 6:30 PM from our Montvale office. Let us know if you will be joining us!  201-505-9355(WELL).  If you are interested in doing a 5K, our 100 Year Lifestyle team is targeting Richard’s Run in Ho-ho-kus scheduled for early fall.

Patient Appreciation Week – July 11 through July 16, 2016.  Celebrate Dr. Plasker’s 28 years in practice!  We will have special offers for new and existing patients.  Refer a friend and celebrate this week with us.  Call the office for more details 201-505-9355(WELL).

Kids Day at Plasker Family Chiropractic - Friday, August 12, 2016 – We will have a party for all the families who wish to attend.  We will have special offers for all new patients.  Call us to inquire.  Hope you’ll be there.

Chiropractic History Month – September 2016 – Learn all about Chiropractic!  Did you know the 1^st adjustment wasn’t given for back pain?  At the end of the month we will be holding a scavenger hunt for answers to our history month quiz.  Win prizes.  Call the office for the date and time.

Lastly and most importantly, when you get adjusted regularly you are working on the functional alignment of your spine and nervous system.  A healthy body results from a healthy Structure.

Adjust Your Thinking and Your Health with Chiropractic Care

Join the millions of Americans who have not only found relief from back pain, but also a pathway to wellness with chiropractic's natural, drug­-free approach to healthcare.

Your spinal column, made up of 24 independent vertebrae, is what allows your body to move, twist, and bend through every motion of your busy day. It also encases and helps protect the delicate central nervous system that controls and coordinates every muscle, tissue and organ of the body. This is why we believe the first step to an active lifestyle is a properly functioning spine.

When two or more vertebrae aren't functioning together properly, it is what many chiropractors refer to as a subluxation or a misalignment. These subluxations are actually joint dysfunctions that can cause you to experience pain, discomfort, decreased mobility, or many other symptoms and conditions. Joint dysfunctions often go unnoticed and can cause miscommunication between your brain and body.

Joint Dysfunctions in the spine may eventually lead to symptoms in other parts or joints of the body as well. These symptoms are your body’s only way of letting you know something is wrong. Unfortunately, the absence of pain is not an indication of health. By the time pain and symptoms appear the problem may have been present for months, even years. The great news is that you can help prevent these types of symptoms and conditions with routine chiropractic care.

Dr. Plasker has been in practice the last 28 years in the Bergen/Rockland area. 

He is a 100 Year Lifestyle affiliate chiropractor.

He attended Emory University in Atlanta, GA.for his undergraduate studies and received his Doctorate of Chiropractic degree from Life University in Marietta, GA.

Dr. Plasker is a Marathoner and IRONMAN tri-athlete and provides sports and fitness counseling to patients. 

He speaks regularly in the community and loves guiding people toward their highest potential.

Most importantly he is a devoted husband and father and has enjoyed being part of the Montvale community for the last 15 years.