What does a chiropractor do?

When you hear the word chiropractor you might immediately think of the word “quack”. There is a great deal of disagreement about the effectiveness of chiropractors and what they can and can’t do to help improve your health. Chiropractors are most commonly associated with relieving back pain. Some chiropractors may claim to be able to improve other health conditions such as asthma, chronic ear infections, and a myriad of other common medical conditions. You probably either love chiropractors or think that they use their techniques to keep reeling patients back into their office for repeated treatments. There may be truth to both of these schools of thought.

There is great evidence that chiropractors can help improve back pain and other musculoskeletal problems by realigning the vertebrae of the patient’s spine. A chiropractor can manipulate vertebrae and cause them to move back into place. Repeated manipulations may be necessary because the vertebrae want to slip back into their old positions. A good chiropractor will use his hands to manipulate the vertebrae back into alignment. Some chiropractors use mechanical devices or small hammer-like tools to tap vertebrae back into place.

Some chiropractors subscribe to the theory of subluxation. Subluxation theory supposes that the misalignment of vertebrae puts pressure on components of the nervous system that in turn causes all sorts of health problems within the body. These chiropractors will tell you that chiropractic care is a necessary part of your health and well being. If you visit a chiropractor that subscribes to subluxation theory you will most likely be put on a regimen of regular chiropractic care indefinitely. There has not been any significant scientific proof that chiropractic care provides any improvement in non-musculoskeletal problems but it may provide a strong placebo effect to patients who are suffering from them.

A chiropractor may often point to the ‘popping’ noise that occurs when he adjusts your vertebrae as evidence of misalignment. Chiropractors often use this sound to reinforce your belief that you need ongoing care. What many patients don’t know is that it is possible to make this ‘popping’ noise by manipulating normal aligned vertebrae.

Your first visit to a chiropractor can include any number of tests. A chiropractor will first ask you for your medical history and an indication of where you are experiencing pain. Some chiropractors will perform x-rays on your spine to check of misalignments and specific problems. Chiropractors who subscribe to the theory of subluxation may have special sensor scopes that they use on your spine to detect areas of warmth that would indicate restriction of nerves. Once your trouble areas are determined you may undergo a series of adjustments to your spine. Spinal adjustments are usually not painful.

You will probably be asked to return for a number of regular visits for continued manipulation. The chiropractor may take additional x-rays to determine the status of your condition. If you are visiting a chiropractor for pain in your back you should stop your treatment as soon as you are feeling better. Repeated chiropractic care has not been shown to be of benefit unless the patient is still having pain.

Many insurance companies are now covering chiropractic visits. Chiropractic care can be an effective tool for relieving back pain without medication just as physical and occupational therapy can be. Be wary of chiropractors that subscribe to the theory of subluxation and those that indicate the need for indefinite repeat visits. Check with your family doctor about the effectiveness of chiropractic treatments for conditions other than mechanical musculoskeletal pain.

What is bipolar disorder

• A mental disorder characterized by episodes of mania and depression
  
  
• Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depressive disorder, manic depression or bipolar affective disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated mood clinically referred to as mania or, if ...
  
  
• A psychiatric diagnostic category, previously called manic depression, characterised by mood swings between great energy (manic) and clinical depression
  
  
• Also known as manic-depressive illness. This is a serious illness that causes shifts in a person's mood, energy and ability to function. ...
  
  
• (BP) A mood disorder in the DSM-IV which is characterised by dramatic highs (mania) and deep depression. Bipolar was called manic depression in the DSM-III-R. Researchers are studying a possible genetic connection between Bipolar and other Mood Disorders and autistic spectrum disorders.
  
  
• also known as manic-depression, this disorder is characterized by alternating periods of extreme moods. For example, a period of mania may be characterized by excessive energy, restlessness and/or irritability. 

• A form of depressive disease that characteristically involves cycles of depression and elation or mania. Sometimes the mood switches from high to low and back again are dramatic and rapid, but more often they are gradual and slow.
  
  
• A type of depression that means the person alternates between a normal mood, feeling very depressed and feeling very elated. ...
  
  
• at least one episode of a depressed or irritable mood and at least one period of a manic (persistently elevated) mood.
  
  
• Where the individual has episodes of mania (or hypomania) alone or with depressive episodes at other times. Can occur as mixed episodes and with varying degrees of intensity.
  
  
• Bi polar disorder - A co-occurring disorder resulting in unusually extreme highs and lows of an individual's mood.

What's life like for North Koreans?

Most North Koreans are extremely poor.

Thousands starved to death after flooding and drought caused a massive famine in 1995.

And one out of every three North Koreans still relies on donations from the United Nations for food.

Two out of every three are chronically malnourished or suffering from stunted growth.

And the temperature in the capital, Pyongyang, can dip to -10 C.

DNA clue to life at high altitude

The ability of Tibetans to live on the "roof of the world" may be down to their DNA, US researchers say.

Tibetans function normally at high altitud

University of Utah researchers found 10 genes which help Tibetans thrive at heights where others get sick.

Two of the genes are linked to haemoglobin - the substance in blood that transports oxygen round the body.

Doctors say the research, published in Science, could lead to treatments for severe forms of altitude sickness and other illnesses.

Altitude sickness is the name given to ill-effects caused by the body's struggle to deal with a lack of oxygen at high altitude.

It can lead to brain and lung complications, which can threaten even the fittest mountaineers.

People native to high altitudes appear to be immune to such effects, through thousands of years of genetic selection.

Tibetans have evolved genes that others living at high altitudes - such as in the Andes - have not.

Professor Lynn Jorde, of the University of Utah School of Medicine, said: "For the first time, we have genes that explain that adaptation."

Therapies

The study looked at DNA extracted from blood samples taken from 75 villagers living at 15,000ft (4,500m).

The Utah team, in collaboration with the Qinghai University Medical School, China, compared stretches of their genetic code with that of lowland Chinese and Japanese populations.

A handful of genes turned up, including 10 unique oxygen-processing genes.

Two appear to contribute to lower levels of haemoglobin in the blood, which may help the body fight altitude sickness.

Prof Josef Prchal of the University of Utah said the work could help in developing treatments for illnesses that affect people everywhere.

He said: "What's unique about Tibetans is they don't develop high red blood cells counts.

"If we can understand this, we can develop therapies for human disease."

Darwinism

Professor Hugh Montgomery is a geneticist and director of the UCL Institute for Human Health and Performance at University College London.

He said the study helped in the understanding of how patients with the likes of heart failure and lung disease cope with low oxygen in the blood.

He told the BBC: "It's important clinically because it helps us understand how patients cope with low oxygen levels.

"There are opportunities here for developing new drug therapies."

He said the work was also important scientifically, by showing how Darwin's science coupled with modern technology could be used to identify beneficial genes.

"It's a lovely example of Darwinism," he added.

Why is Korea divided?

The Soviet Union occupied the northern half of Korea after World War II ended in 1945.

Southern Korea was controlled by the United States.

The peninsula was formally split in two on 9 September 1948.

The political differences between the two rival states led to the outbreak of a horrific war in 1950.

Three years later, a cease-fire agreement ended the Korean War.

But the North Korea and South Korea have to this day never signed a peace treaty.

Expalin apartheid

It means simply 'apartness'. Basically it was a system where blacks and whites were kept separate. Separate residential areas, separate schools, jobs, churches, parks, shopping areas, etc.

The problem was that blacks didn't have nearly the life opportunities that whites had. Their schools were underfunded and falling down, so a black kid growing up in a black neighborhood didn't have nearly the chance of going to college and bettering himself.

One of the basic fundamental values on which America was founded is the idea that every citizen has the same rights and privileges, the same governmental protections and legal status. This is why we don't have knighthoods or royalty or titles. Segregation violated that principle, making blacks 'second class citizens' for all intents and purposes.

Apartheid is now being practiced in Israel where Palestinians don't have the same rights as Jews. It's not called 'apartheid', but that's what it is.

Music piracy unstoppable, Universal admits

The world's largest music company has admitted that piracy cannot be stopped.

Francis Keeling, head of digital at Universal Music Group International, said: "Are you going to stop piracy? No you're not.

"To try and set that as an objective is just not going to succeed. Can we make piracy socially unacceptable?

"Absolutely, and that has to be our ambition around the world." Mr Keeling was speaking at the Great Escape music convention in Brighton.

He is responsible for striking deals to get artists including Lady Gaga, Eminem and Rihanna onto digital services outside North America.

Rihanna has benefited from the growth of legal downloads

He added: "We've got markets like Spain and Italy, where [people say] 'You buy music? What are you doing buying music when you can get it for free?'

"Clearly those markets are in the situation where, unless we can turn those markets around, we're going to have a major problem having a music business there."

Full weight

Universal has been prominent in the fight against illegal file-sharing.

It has also thrown its full weight behind the UK's Digital Economy Act, which will bring in sanctions against serial offenders, including the possibility of temporary internet suspensions.

The controversial law was approved last month and Mr Keeling stressed it was the "right solution".

He also said he was confident the new Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government would "remain supportive" of the bill.

The details of the sanctions and how they will be imposed now have to be worked out.

"The solution needs to be fair, proportionate and implemented well," Mr Keeling told delegates.