Spinal Adjustment and Addiction Treatment

A Specific Spinal Adjustment is the Latest Development in the Science of Treating Drug Addiction

SOURCE Dr. Russell Surasky

Triple board certified neurologist Dr. Russell Surasky is pioneering this procedure at a New York Based Treatment Center.

GREAT NECK, N.J., Oct. 14, 2019  

A chiropractic college and a long-established outpatient addiction treatment program have entered a unique partnership to offer spinal adjustments for reducing pain and improving brain/nervous system function in patients recovering from drug and alcohol dependency – an approach some experts are calling a "major leap forward" in the science of addictive care, says neurologist and addiction medicine specialist Dr. Russell Surasky. 

The pioneering agreement between New York Chiropractic College and the multi-center, New York-based Bridge Back to Life will provide a specific form of spinal adjustments in addition to cutting edge medications to help their patients heal from addiction. "Clinical research findings have shown that patients in treatment from addiction who receive certain types of spinal adjustments have higher rates of recovery than those who undergo only standard addiction therapies" says Dr. Russell Surasky, who serves as medical director of Bridge Back to Life.

"I truly believe that this agreement with the College will serve as a national model for drug rehabilitation centers throughout the country," Dr. Surasky concludes. "Not only can spinal adjustments reduce the chronic pain issues that may have led patients into drug addiction in the first place, but now we also have evidence that spinal adjustments actually accelerates the healing of the brain from addiction."

Dr. Surasky refers specifically to a study, published in the prestigious journal Nature, which shows that chemically dependent patients who received specific spinal adjustments as part of their treatment in recovery reported "less drug cravings and fewer mental health symptoms," Dr. Surasky notes. "Most significantly, 100 percent of the study patients who received chiropractic care completed the inpatient program, while about half of those who did not receive spinal adjustments dropped out prior to completion."

One of the most important indicators for a patient's success in recovery is the ability to remain in treatment, Dr. Surasky emphasizes. "A 100% retention rate in an addiction treatment program is, frankly, unprecedented."

The neurological pathways involved in addiction are complex and still not completely understood, but research and clinical experience indicate that it is the brains limbic system which becomes hijacked by drugs such as opiates and alcohol. The limbic system is an area of the brain that is located near the brainstem but also extends into the upper cervical spine. "The limbic system has widespread connections throughout the brain and is the most powerful driver of human behavior. The limbic system of the brain is precisely the region that gets hijacked by drugs of abuse, thereby perpetuating patients' cravings to keep using these drugs," Dr. Surasky explains.

The atlas bone (C1) at the top of the neck is what protects the limbic system and brain stem. When this Atlas bone of the neck is out of alignment it can have far reaching effects on the function of the brain and its limbic system. Safe, painless adjustments to the upper cervical spinal bones can help normalize the brain's limbic system.

According to Dr. Surasky "Cutting Edge Research done by Dr. Raymond Damadian (inventor of the MRI machine) has show that misalignments at the top of the neck cause disruptions in the flow of cerebrospinal fluid." The brain is bathed in cerebrospinal fluid (csf) and the brain depends on CSF to carry away the iron deposition that builds up from normal brain metabolism. If a misalignment exists at the junction between the Atlas bone (C1) and the skull this could hinder the drainage of CSF. 

Mounting evidence that "gentle specific spinal adjustments of the upper cervical spine" can help reset and restore normal function to the brain. 

Chiropractic treatment can help so many things. Give us a call to find out how we can help you. 

Dr.Stephen Kelly 

Family First Chiropractic
www.family1stchiro.ca

403-347-3261

Is Chiropratic Safe?

There’s a reason people who have seen chiropractors swear by them and continue to go back: because chiropractic care is just as safe as it is effective.

Your spine is an extremely important feature of your anatomy. Aside from obvious reasons, it’s also the home to your central nervous system and, thus, is surrounded by nerves. On top of that, you have large and important muscle groups all around it, as well.

Chiropractors are trained specialists who spend their entire careers learning about this one vital part of the body - your spine.

Chiropractic has been shown to be one of the safest treatment approaches in healthcare today. No intervention is free from risks but chiropractic has a very safe track record.

Minor side effects (such as temporary soreness similar to that which can be experienced after a workout) after spine manipulation can happen but that the risk of a serious adverse event was ‘low to very low’.

Some reports have associated upper high-velocity neck manipulation with a certain rare kind of stroke, or vertebral artery dissection. However, evidence suggests that this type of arterial injury often takes place spontaneously in patients who have pre-existing arterial disease. These dissections have been associated with everyday activities such as turning the head while driving, swimming, or having a shampoo in a hair salon. Patients with this condition may experience neck pain and headache that leads them to seek professional care—often at the office of a doctor of chiropractic or family physician—but that care is not the cause of the injury. Studies have found that “there was no evidence that visiting a Chiropractor put people at greater risk than visiting a primary care physician.” 

The best evidence indicates that the incidence of artery injuries associated with high-velocity upper neck manipulation is extremely rare—about 1 per 5.85 million. To put this in perspective, the odds of being struck by lightning in any one year is 1 in 700,000. Therefore, having a significant side effect from a chiropractic treatment is much less likely than getting struck by lightning!

Risks associated with some of the most common treatments for musculoskeletal pain—over-the-counter or prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and prescription painkillers—are significantly greater than those of chiropractic manipulation.

 According to the American Journal of Gastroenterology, people taking NSAIDS are three times more likely than those who do not to develop serious adverse gastrointestinal problems such as hemorrhage (bleeding) and perforation. That risk rises to more than five times among people age 60 and older.

Moreover, the number of prescriptions for powerful drugs such as oxycodone and hydrocodone have tripled in the past 12 years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that abuse of these commonly prescribed painkillers are among the leading causes of accidental death in the United States. Overdoses of opioid painkillers are responsible for some 15,000 deaths per year; that’s more than the number of deaths from cocaine and heroin combined.

When you look at the data, Chiropractic is an extremely safe health care option and an important part of your overall health. Book an appointment to start feeling your best.

 Dr. Stephen Kelly is a Chiropractor at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, located In Red Deer, AB
 www.family1stchiro.ca   Call 403-347-3261 to book an appointment.