The recent uproar about the chiropractor who was accused of breaking an infant’s neck has provoked renewed discussions about the role of chiropractors, not only in the care of children, but in general. We have addressed chiropractic many times on this blog. While spinal manipulation therapy (SMT) is an effective option for treating… read more "Chiropractic Reform: Myth or Reality?"
Philosophy Meets Medicine
Note: This was written as a book review for Skeptical Inquirer magazine and will be published in its Jan/Feb 2014 issue. Medical Philosophy: Conceptual Issues in Medicine by Mario Bunge. World Scientific Publishing, 2013. 300 pages. Price $48; Kindle version $25.19. ISBN 978-9814508940 Medicine is chock-full of philosophy and doesn’t know it. Mario… read more "Philosophy Meets Medicine"
New Cholesterol Guidelines
On November 15, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association released an updated guideline for the use of statins to prevent and treat atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). The full report is available online. It has already generated a lot of controversy. The news media have characterized it as… read more "New Cholesterol Guidelines"
Faith Healing: Religious Freedom vs. Child Protection
We have written a lot about people who reject science-based medicine and turn to complementary/alternative medicine (CAM), but what about people who reject the very idea of medical treatment? Faith healing is widely practiced by Christian Scientists, Pentecostalists, the Church of the First Born, the Followers of Christ, and myriad… read more "Faith Healing: Religious Freedom vs. Child Protection"
Colonoscopy and Other Colorectal Cancer Screening Options: An Update
When I wrote about colonoscopy in 2010, colonoscopy was thought to be the best screening test for colorectal cancer because it could visualize the entire colon and could remove adenomas that were precursors of cancer. But only fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) and sigmoidoscopy had been proven to decrease colorectal cancer incidence… read more "Colonoscopy and Other Colorectal Cancer Screening Options: An Update"
Update: Chiropractic Neck Manipulation and Stroke
Can neck manipulation cause strokes? Most MDs and many chiropractors agree that it can, but some chiropractors disagree. The subject has been covered on SBM before: here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. We keep returning to the subject not because it is a common problem (it… read more "Update: Chiropractic Neck Manipulation and Stroke"
Chiropractic Abuse: An Insider’s Lament
There is a new book critical of chiropractic: Chiropractic Abuse: An Insider’s Lament. The author, Preston Long, DC, PhD, is a chiropractor who says he made a big mistake when he chose chiropractic as a career. He has written an intriguing book explaining his mistake and the experiences that resulted from… read more "Chiropractic Abuse: An Insider’s Lament"
How to Talk to People About CAM
Recently a correspondent asked me for advice about his parents. He said they use things like homeopathy, acupuncture, and copper bracelets. They use conventional medicine too, but it seems to be a 50/50 approach that gives each an equal weighting. He has tried to talk to them about things like… read more "How to Talk to People About CAM"
Chiropractic Education for Primary Care
Chiropractors would like to reinvent themselves as family doctors. I’ve written about that before and Jann Bellamy has written about it here, here, here, and here. A new study in The Journal of Chiropractic Education alleges that the National University of Health Sciences is nearing its institutional goal of training chiropractic students as primary care practitioners. The data they collected… read more "Chiropractic Education for Primary Care"
Biotin: Haircuts Plus Health Advice?
A friend asked me, “What do you know about biotin?” I said, “Not much. Why do you ask?” She explained that the woman who cuts her hair at the hair salon recommended she take biotin to strengthen her nails and improve hair growth. She tried it, and within a couple… read more "Biotin: Haircuts Plus Health Advice?"