Author Archives: karen

  FINDINGS FROM THE SAFE CARE VICTORIA REVIEW INTO THE SAFETY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF CHIROPRACTIC CARE OF CHILDREN AGED 0 – 12 YEARS In March 2019 a review was undertaken by Safe Care Victoria (SCV) to identify the safety and effectiveness of spinal manipulative therapy performed by Chiropractors on children aged 0 -12 years. A review sought by Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos who was concerned whether public safety was at risk. Interestingly it then became a review not only into safety but also effectiveness and limited only to Chiropractic treatment to children aged 0 – 12 years. However, the recommendations of this review would affect all professions…

Chiropractic care is beneficial for all age groups, ranging from newborns to geriatric patients. Many parents choose to access chiropractic care for their child for many health complaints including musculoskeletal conditions. How does a baby or child injure their spine or extremity and require chiropractic care? In babies this can be due to inutero constraint, birth trauma and early handling errors which can all contribute to structural alterations. (Tow and Vallone, 2009) As the child grows and develops, important milestones such as holding their head up, sitting, crawling, standing and walking are all affected by spinal alignment and excellent times to get your child checked by your Chiropractor.…

It is not uncommon for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to be used by those who find themselves seeking care at Banyan Chiropractic Centre. Panadol, Panadol Osteo and Nurofen are common painkillers the general public will use to try and mask their discomfort. A recent observational study in the British Medical Journal showed an increased risk of major cardiovascular events (heart attack and stroke) when comparing the NSAID diclofenac against no use, paracetamol, ibuprofen, and other traditional painkillers. This large observational study has raised the issue of whether this anti-inflammatory should be available over the counter. Chiropractic care is a drug-free way to assist in the management of pain…

Plagiocephaly is when the skull shape becomes asymmetrical being flat on one side, both sides, or takes on an odd shape. It can result from premature closure of a cranial suture, abnormalities in brain shape or be benign deformational plagiocephaly from prenatal or postnatal external constraint. A thorough assessment is required to determine the cause of the plagiocephaly as referral may be necessary for surgery or further investigation. The incidence of posterior deformational plagiocephaly has been steadily increasing since 1992. (Biggs) The cause of this has not been identified but is thought to be related to the current recommendation of sleeping babies on their back. This strategy has…

A recent study published in the renowned British Medical Journal in 2017 linked the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs) medication with an increased risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack). This study looked at usage times from as short as 1 week to up to 1 month. There was an identifiable risk associated with usage for 1 week that understandably increased as usage continued. The dosages that were studied were 1200mg per day of ibuprofen and 750mg per day of naproxen. The maximum recommended dosage per day for an adult of ibuprofen is in fact 3200 mg per day. Pain is your body’s way of letting you know that…

The Chiropractors’ Association of Australia (CAA) is disturbed by recent media reports which question the safety and efficacy of chiropractic care, particularly concerning children. Both in Australia and around the world chiropractic care is a low risk modality of health care. There have been few if any serious adverse events reported in medical literature in the past twenty years despite utilisation rates for chiropractors increasing significantly in this time. In Australia there are more than 12 million visits to chiropractors each year. Over 1 million of these (approximately 8.6 per cent of visits annually) are paediatric visits.