Tag: BMJ

Stop using muscle relaxants for lower back pain; there is no evidence they work.

Posted on by bill
Stop using muscle relaxants for lower back pain; there is no evidence they work. In February 2017, the Annals of Internal Medicine reported that back pain treatment should not include drugs as an initial treatment according to the best available evidence.  They advised using a number of treatments that included exercise, manipulation of the spine, massage, and other modes of care that were movement-based.   They told doctors to avoid using a medication, tests, and invasive procedures. Chiropractors are the only group that uses a number of the treatments on the Annals of Internal Medicine list. Consumer Reports and Men’s Health Read More »

Low carb diets and your weight; why the diet works according to a new study in the BMJ

Posted on by bill
Low carb diets and your weight; why the diet works according to a new study in the BMJ Low carb diets have a reputation for helping people keep the weight off.   We understand that most simple carbohydrates such as breads and pasta’s can make us gain weight.   We also understand that insulin resistance can develop with the long term ingestion of too many carbohydrates. The NY Times recently reported on a British Medical Journal article that found that replacing carbohydrates with fat in overweight adults increased metabolism, and led to weight loss. The debate for which type of diet is better Read More »

Are bad weather and back pain related? See what the British Medical Journal says about this common belief.

Posted on by bill
Are bad weather and back pain related? See what the British Medical Journal (BMJ) says about this common belief. Many of us as we age notice that some days we are more achy than others.   It is widely assumed that bad weather may aggravate chronic conditions such as arthritis, joint dysfunction and back pain. It is assumed that high barometric pressure causes tissues and cells in the body to swell, resulting in more pain as the weather changes, according to a Web MD article by Katherine Kam. This past December, the BMJ released a retrospective claims analysis study on the relationship Read More »

Is higher cholesterol healthier for us? A new study says it is, questioning the value of cholesterol lowering drugs.

Posted on by bill
Is higher cholesterol healthier for us?  A new study says it is, questioning the value of cholesterol-lowering drugs. High cholesterol is bad for us, or is it?  LDL, HDL, the balance of the two, cholesterol in our foods?   Should we really worry about our intake of cholesterol or even the cholesterol in our bloodstream. The current concerns about cholesterol and cardiovascular plaques are a narrative we have all heard about, except the current research suggests that inflammation is the true problem, rather than cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol intake is balanced by the body, so when we take in more, the liver Read More »