HEALTH & FITNESS
alternatives
Why Meditate?
T
he thought of meditation often
brings cringes of resistance and
images of uncomfortably sitting,
legs crossed, in a still position for long
periods of time. Most people resist the idea
of meditation because they cannot imagine
themselves slowing down.
We live in a world that is extremely fast-
paced. Television, computers, cell phones,
text messaging, e-mails and instant mes-
sages overload us with information; they
keep us connected to the world 24 hours
a day, seven days a week. Much of the
information is challenging — news of war,
earthquakes, crime and scandals become
difficult to hear. We hate it; we fear it — yet
we are drawn to it and often forced to listen.
Most of us seek peace and harmony. We
often feel this is lacking in our lives. We
strive to be happy yet few of us attain this.
Individual distress and tensions combine
to create stress in society. Meditation can
provide the respite one needs.
Meditation techniques have been used
eases and conditions it may be most
by many different cultures throughout
helpful. According to the NIH, practicing
the world for thousands of years. Jewish
meditation has been shown to induce
spiritual leaders teach meditations based
some changes in the body's "fight or flight"
in Jewish mysticism, called Kabbalah.
response, which Is controlled by the auto-
Kabbalah teaches that medita-
nomic nervous system. People use
tion is a direct way to experi-
meditation for anxiety, depres-
ence God.
sion, pain, stress and insomnia, to
Today, many people use
manage the side effects of cancer
meditation as a form of mind-
treatment as well as physical and
body medicine. It is becoming
emotional symptoms associated
an increasingly popular way to
with many chronic illnesses.
embrace the silent in between
Meditation refers to a group of
our thoughts. Meditation can
techniques designed to assist a
have a great impact on one's
person to focus his/her attention
sense of calm and can have a
and eventually slow the stream
Julie S liver
significant impact on health
of thoughts that normally occupy
Colum nist
and wellness.
the mind. Ongoing practice can
The National Institutes of Health and its
change how a person relates to thoughts
National Center for Complementary and
and emotions. The benefits of meditation
Alternative Medicines sponsor ongoing
are reached when it is done in a quiet loca-
studies to find out more about meditation's
tion with few distractions.
effects, how it works, and for what dis-
Ideally, meditation is done in the sit-
ting position. While it is important to be
comfortable, it is also important to sit in
a way that promotes awareness and focus.
Focusing one's attention is also important.
Most meditations suggest focusing on an
object (such as the flame of a candle), the
breath or even a mantra (a specific word or
set of words). When interruptions or wan-
dering thoughts occur, attention is brought
back to the breath, object or mantra.
As an acupuncturist and practitioner of
holistic medicine, I find meditation a very
valuable tool. It assists me in maintaining
balance and perspective in everyday life. Li
Julie Silver, MSW, Dip/. Ac., is a National
Certification Commission for Acupuncture and
Oriental Medicine board-certified acupunc-
turist and owner of Acupuncture Healthcare
Associates of Michigan, Inc., a West Bloomfield
holistic health clinic featuring acupuncture,
traditional Chinese medicine and naturopathic
medicine. E-mail her at acuhealer@sbcglobal.net .
ASK THE DOCTOR
New Options Available To Treat Spinal Fractures From Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis, in which bones become fragile and easily broken, causes over 700,000 spinal fractures annually
What happens to you if you have a spinal fracture?
in the U.S.—more fractures than in the hip and wrist combined. Approximately two-thirds of all spinal fractures go
undiagnosed or untreated due to the absence of symptoms or difficulty determining the cause of symptoms, leading some
to call osteoporosis a "silent disease."
After experiencing one fracture, your risk of a second fracture is greatly increased. In addition, just one fracture affects
how weight is distributed through the spine, thus placing higher than normal stress on the front of the spine which
contributes to the risk of future fracture. With additional fractures, it can become progressively difficult to walk. eat,
and sleep due to pain and the unnatural spinal alignment. See a doctor to determine your condition and appropriate
treatment, as there may be different explanations for why you are experiencing back pain.
Since 50 percent of women and 25 percent of men older than 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in their
lifetime and bone loss can begin as early as 30, now is the time to take a closer look at osteoporosis and new options
for treating fractures caused by osteoporosis. Through proper diagnosis and treatment, patients with spinal fractures
can significantly improve their ability to perform normal activities of daily living and enjoy an overall improvement in their
quality of life.
Dr. Louis Radden, Reconstructive Spine Surgeon with Spine Specialists of Michigan, offers
some answers.
How common is osteoporosis and to
what might it lead?
The National Osteoporosis Foundation
cites osteoporosis as a major public health
threat affecting 44 million Americans.
While a calcium-rich diet. weight-bearing
exercise and the avoidance of smoking
and excessive alcohol can help prevent
bone mass loss, osteoporosis ranks
second only to cardiovascular disease
as a leading healthcare problem according
to the World Health Organization.
With osteoporosis, bones in our spine, hip and wrist deteriorate and become susceptible to fractures. In the spine,
small fractures lead to compression of the vertebral body (called vertebral compression fractures or VCFs). Left
untreated, these VCFs create a curvature of the spine, sometimes referred to as "dowager's hump." Over time, this
curvature can become more pronounced, painful and debilitating.
How do I know if I have osteoporosis?
Bone loss happens without symptoms—it doesn't hurt or cause much trouble at first, though left unchecked it
might cause a lifetime of disability and even hasten death. Talk to your doctor about bone health and taking a
bone density test.
What options are there if I have a spinal fracture?
Traditional treatments for spinal fractures include extended bed rest, pain medication and back braces, all of which
can relieve pain but do not address the deformity caused by the fracture. Open surgery is also an option, but it is more
invasive than non-surgical management and is typically reserved for patients with neurological complications. Balloon
Kyphoplasty, a minimally invasive procedure, is designed to treat the fracture and restore the vertebra to the correct
position. Balloon Kyphoplasty has been demonstrated to significantly reduce back pain, correct spinal deformity and
improve quality of life.
How is Balloon Kyphoplasty performed?
Balloon Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure performed by a spine specialist. It can be performed using
either a local or general anesthesia. It typically takes about one half hour to treat each fracture and may require an
overnight hospital stay.
Does insurance cover Balloon Kyphoplasty?
In most cases, Medicare provides coverage for kyphoplasty. Other insurance may also provide coverage. Check with
your insurance carrier or doctor to find out about coverage.
What can Balloon Kyphoplasty do for me if I have a spinal fracture?
If you have a spinal fracture, Balloon Kyphoplasty can restore vertebral body height, significantly reduce back pain and
increase mobility, often shortly after the procedure. In addition to pain reduction, patients experience an increased
ability to return to such simple, everyday activities as walking, reaching, bending and lifting. Patients also report
improved mental health, vitality, social function and emotional health.
Are there risks associated with Balloon Kyphoplasty?
Although the complication rate with Balloon Kyphoplasty has been demonstrated to be low, as with most surgical
procedures, there are risks associated with Balloon Kyphoplasty, including serious complications. Complications can
include myocardial infarction (heart attack), cerebrovascular accident (stroke), pulmonary embolism (bone cement
leakage migrates to the lungs), cardiac arrest (heart stops beating) or nerve or spinal cord injury that may cause pain,
weakness or paralysis.
6621 W. Maple Rd.
West Bloomfield
14555 Levan Rd. Suite 116
Livonia
30055 Northwestern Hwy. Suite 270
Farmington Hills
248 661 4700
734 464 0400
248-865-4262
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July 31 0 2008
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SPINE SPECIALISTS OF MICHIGAN P.C.
Dr. Louis N. Radden
RECONSTRUCTIVE SPINE SURGERY