by Dr.Hulme on July 21, 2010
How often do you overhear someone talking about their back pain? Typically, most of these conversations lead to how the pain is preventing them from doing what they love to do – be it work or play. The interesting thing about back pain 
is that it has no prejudice. It doesn’t matter what you like to do for fun, what your occupation is or how much you make each year. Nearly 80 percent of all Americans will experience some form of back pain during their lifetime. Medical research supports that somewhere between 2-5 percent of back pain cases will eventually need surgery. That means that somewhere between 95 and 98 percent of Americans can be helped by nonsurgical methods. This is great news for Americans as nonsurgical treatments are proven to be much more cost effective.
There are many forms of treatment for low back pain out there today. Some will tell you one method is the best and others may say it doesn’t work for them. So let’s cover what is actually proven by medical research. We now know that there are many different causes of low back pain. These causes range from muscle sprains to disc herniations and everything in between. This is important because each and every cause of pain requires a unique treatment plan and approach. So when you hear one method is the best and someone else said it’s the worst, it could be that an incorrect treatment is being applied to the wrong case.
Over the past few years the world of nonsurgical care for back pain has expanded greatly through advances in medical research. The modern day spinal specialist starts an exam by determining if you fall in the 2-5 percent of Americans who need surgery or emergency care. If you are clear of those red flags then it’s time to determine the real cause of your pain. Once it’s determined what is causing the pain a definitive treatment plan must be created using a combination of physican treatment, self treatment and advice. The goal for your spinal specialist must be to find out the cause of the pain, treat the cause, and teach you how to treat yourself and prevent this problem from returning. Often your spinal specialist will find it important to work with your primary care physician to get you the best results, because when doctors work together – the patient wins.
Dr. Jason Hulme operates Active Spine and Joint Center in Hendersonville. Visit www.ActiveSJC.com or call 537-5520 with comments or questions.
by Dr.Hulme on June 11, 2010
Many of you are wanting to find a healthy alternative to soft drinks and energy drinks. The multiple mixed sources of caffeine used in many of the popular energy drinks combined with the excessive amount of sugar added just simply isn’t good for any of us. However we still need an alternative and preferably a healthy one! I’ve been asked by a countless number of patients what they see me drinking all the time and I will post the recipe below.
I found out about this drink a few years ago while attending a lecture put on by one of the premiere doctor’s who travels around the world lecturing on nutrition. It has a great flavor and I don’t find a need to sweeten. If you choose to add sweetening I suggest you choose the natural sweetener Stevia and you can pick it up and your local health food store.
This tea is very healthy with antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, and great for any time consuming.
Ginger-Green Tea Recipe
1. Boil water (see step 9 for amount of water. It will vary depending on how much tea is made). I have found it best to use a 2-3 gallon stainless steel pot.
2. Peel the skin off of fresh ginger root or wash very well.
3. Slice the ginger into shavings about the thickness of a quarter. Running it through a food processor also works, but slicing is preferred. While you are prepping the ginger, your water should be heating up.
4. Place the sliced ginger into the pot of boiling water. Let the ginger lightly boil for about 5-10 minutes.
5. TURN OFF the heat. Use a pot with a glass top so you can watch the action in the pot. Always keep the pot top on during the heating, boiling, and steeping process.
6. About 30 minutes after the heat is turned off, add 6-12 organic green tea bags. I prefer this brand but you can choose any you like. If you would like to try just a single cup of the brand I like and live locally, Wired Coffee Company in Hendersonville sells this brand of green tea. Let them sit in the pot for several minutes (no specific time).
7. After several minutes, take out the green tea bags. Let tea steep for 6-12 hours.
8. Pour the tea through a strainer into large glass containers and place in the fridge.
9. You can discard the ginger or use it for cooking. I typically use between 1/2 to 1 pound of ginger root per gallon of water. I drink the tea cold, but others like to warm it up. Either way is fine.
References:
1. Srivastava KC, Mustafa T. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) in rheumatism and musculoskeletal disorders. Med Hypotheses. 1992; 39(4):342-8.
2. Nathoo N, Barnett GH, Golubic M. The eicosanoid cascade: possible role in gliomas and meningiomas. J Clin Pathol 2004; 57:6-13
3. Lim GP, Chu T, Yang F, Beech W, Frautschy SA, Cole GM. The curry spice curcumin reduces oxidative damage and amyloid pathology in an Alzheimer transgenic mouse. J Neurosci. 2001; 21(21):8370-77
4. Cheng AL et al. Phase I clinical trial of curcumin, a chemopreventive agent, in patients with high-risk or pre-malignant lesions. Anticancer Res. 2001; 21(4B):2895-2900.
5. Aggarwal BB, Shishodia S. Suppression of the nuclear factor-(kappa)B activation pathway by spice-derived phytochemicals: Reasoning for seasoning. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004; 1030:434-41
6. via deflame.com
by Dr.Hulme on March 22, 2010
It’s almost daily now that I meet someone who tells me how much they love playing golf, tennis, swimming or running but have stopped due to pain. Typically they follow that phrase up with “It must just be old age.” Just yesterday while I 
was in line for coffee someone was telling me how much they loved golf but quit playing several years ago because of his knee and back pain. For most people activities like these are an escape from the stresses of daily life. Taking away the activity is not the answer and can often make things worse.
Many times people think because they are experiencing the pain while doing their recreational sport, it’s the sport or activity that is causing the problem. In the case of the golfer I met, he just stopped doing what he loved hoping that it would fix problem. Now it’s years later- he still has pain and doesn’t do what he loves to do. It’s like cutting the plug from your computer to close an email. Sure, you closed the email but eventually you are going to want or need to check your e-mail again.
The body’s joints are designed to live 120 years. Yet joint replacements and fractures are at a reported all-time high. Why? It’s not the activities that people are doing; it’s their own body’s muscle and joint imbalances that are tearing them down. Pain is your body’s natural messenger that will quickly remind you of imbalances.
So what’s the answer? Instead of removing the joys in your life to try and remove pain, let’s instead get to the root of the problem. If you are having pain while being active, seek conservative treatment from a professional and ask about finding the right plan for you. This is important so that you can jump into the pain free active and healthy community.
If you are currently pain free then stay active. Make exercise number one on your priority list 4 days a week, make
it fun, and bring a friend along. If exercise is number 10 on your list of things to do for the day it won’t get done. As far as making it fun there are hundreds of ways around Hendersonville to stay active. Fun classes like karate, yoga, and zumba are all over Hendersonville now. Also we have great gyms with good rates and free parks to enjoy.
Remember a handful of prevention is always better than an ocean of treatment. Keeping active is your key to a happy and healthy lifestyle.
Dr. Jason Hulme operates Active Spine and Joint Center in Hendersonville. Visit www.ActiveSJC.com or call 537-5520 with comments or questions.
by Dr.Hulme on March 22, 2010
The joys of pregnancy can come with low back and pelvic pain that a lot of expectant mothers endure. “Pain has
become an expectation of pregnancy when it shouldn’t be,” says Jason Hulme, a chiropractic physician with Active Spine and Joint Center in Hendersonville. Hulme is certified in a new approach to therapy and treatment that helps expectant moms with their pain.
The treatment stems from a recent study of pregnant women conducted by Washington University and Logan Chiropractic College, both in St. Louis, Mo. More than 50 percent of the women in the study who underwent treatment improved or became completely pain/symptom free.
Hulme says the pain women commonly experience is due to the way ligaments relax.
Muscles have to take on more in order to support the developing baby; if the muscles aren’t ready for the task, musculoskeletal hip pain is the result. Women at greater risk are ones who experienced low back pain prior to pregnancy and women who are having their second (or subsequent) child.
“For women experiencing a second pregnancy, research proves the abdominal muscles are going to be weaker due to the prior birthing process,” Hulme says.
Hulme’s therapy retrains and reactivates muscles during a woman’s first and second trimesters. Women planning to become pregnant can benefit by learning beneficial exercises to protect the lower back. After a preliminary assessment and general tests, Hulme will work with your obstetrician for the best results. “The key thing is that we work in adjunct with the mother’s OB, and we update the OB through the entire process,” Hulme says.
Active Spine and Joint Center is located at 100 Bluegrass Commons Blvd., Ste. 150. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, call 537-5520.
