Free DORN treatment for backache

S. A. Thiyaraja, Managing Trustee of Pattakanu Foundation writes to the HealthWatch:

A TEAM of medical personnel from Germany who have perfected the art of DORN method of treatment for problems in the vertebra will be in Sri Lanka from December 4 to 15 to conduct free treatment clinics in Colombo, Nuwara Eliya and Batticaloa.

Treatment will be limited to 50-60 persons at each venue.

The Colombo Clinic will be held at Global Towers from December 4 to 5. Contact person Ramesh Thangaraja (Tel. 2323818/2423168)

Nuwara Eliya Clinic will be held at Co-operative Holiday Home, No. 2, Keena Road, on December 10, 11. Contact person Dr. T. Vijayaharan (Tel. 052-2222657).

Batticaloa Clinic at Vincent Hospital on December 13,14 and 15. Contact person Mr. Lakshman (Tel. 065-2222350)

The DORN method

The DORN method has its roots in Bavaria, but in the meantime it is well-known over the German border, in foreign countries and other continents.

The history of the DORN method is unusual:

Dieter DORN, a Bavarian farmer and sawmill owner, has had back problems because of burden on years. He was recommended to visit an old 'Furnisher'. This man pressed on his back - and Dieter DORN was enthusiastic about this because he could drive home pain-free afterwards.

He wanted to know more about this from the old man and DORN learned some movements from him. Now the seed was sowed - and Dieter DORN was developing with intuition and human understanding the method of DORN after the death of the old man.

At the beginning this was only thought a help for self-help and the own family, friends and inhabitants of the village.

The astonishing successes with this method spread very quickly so that persons with pains came from a far distance to be treated from DORN. Therapists too came, to learn this method from him.

The advantages of the DORN method are:

It shows success quickly, is harmless and easy to learn. Over there it gives a lot of self-help exercises which the patient could apply themselves and therefore stabilize his success of the therapy.

Fundamental the DORN method is done in movements - that means that the correction of the vertebra and joints never occur with a push against the resistance of the muscles.

It would be worked with the thumbs on the spinous vertebra during the patient's swinging with his leg or his arm. This causes a reduction of the tension of muscles - and a displacement of the vertebra in its original position is possible with soft pressure of the therapist's thumb and without injuring.

Obviously the body could accept very well this soft kind of 'Reponation' (to place back in the right position). Already after some treatments you can realize a reduction of the problems and a little relapse rate.

Even strong deformities of the spinal column (for example: Skoliosis) could be treated successfully by the DORN method.

The DORN method is a true alternative to roughs methods (f.e. chiropractic) for anxious patients. Specially in the region of the filigree neck-vertebra where there are a lot of nerves and vessels on closed place would provide a solution without risk of a mantel therapy.

The course of the treatment

The first part of every treatment is that leg length will be checked of every patient. Often the reason in differences of leg length and therefore oblique pelvic positions and spinal column deformation is a displacement in pelvic-joint.

The consequence of this static dysbalance of the body and weak points which makes vertebra blockades. For that reason the base of DORN therapy built the correction of pelvic-joint and practising exercises to help himself.

If follows the control and correction of sacrum, lumbar vertebra, lower thoracic column and cervical vertebrae - each from the bottom to the top.

Many pains could be solved in an easy and quick way, through the nerves of the spinal cord a vertebra blockade can be noticed with functional troubles of the organs and chronic conditions will come again.

Indications for this are: differences in leg length, oblique pelvic position, scoliosis, troubles with spinal column, a slipped disc, syndromes of pains, joint problems, migraine, tinnitus, chronic sinus inflammation, functional problems of the inner organs such as stomach, lungs, heart, liver and many more.

To the treatment is to be said, that this will be made only with the hands of the therapist - without helping instruments, no pushed techniques or medicine.

The aim of the DORN method is to reach a big independence and one's own responsibility of the patient, the training of the own perception of the body and the self-treatment.

A durable and intentional dependency relationship is not wanted and stand in a clear contrast to the philosophy of the DORN method.

Summarizing it is to say, that the soft manual spinal column therapy by DORN shows an important contribution to public health.

Even to children a correct spinal column and equal leg length are the basic for a healthy development.

A wrong position is good to repair in adolescence.

So further chronic suffering can be prevented successfully.

##################

Dr. D.P. Atukorale has sent this article in response to a reader's query on noise pollution:

Noise pollution

SOUND is of great value to man. It warns him of danger and appropriately arouses and activates him. It allows the immeasurable advantage of speech and language. It can be beautiful. It can calm, excite and it can elicit joy or sorrow (Miller 1974). Unwanted sounds however, constitute noise though the frequency is frequently bluned.

Noise can cause masking of unwanted sounds, interference with speech and communication (as in wedding receptions with loud music held in five star hotels), pain and injury and temporary or permanent loss of hearing.

With a few exceptions, loud noises are products of modern man and evolution has had insufficient time to develop adequate protection against extreme exposures. It is the permanent noise induced hearing loss (NIHL), noise induced deafness or acoustic trauma which mostly concern us.

Intensity of sound and frequency

The intensity of sound is expressed in terms of the square of the sound pressure. The bel is a ratio and is equivalent to a 10 - fold increase in sound intensity; a decibel (dB) is one tenth of a bel.

Sound is made up of a number of frequencies ranging from 30 hertz (Hz) to 20 k Hz with most being between 1 and 4 k Hz. In practice a scale known as A - weighted sound is used.

So sound levels are reported as d B(A). A hazardous sound source is defined as one with an overall sound pressure greater than 90 d B(A).

Repeated prolonged exposure to loud noise, particularly in the frequency range of 2 - 6 k Hz causes first temporary, and later permanent hearing loss owing to the damage to the organ of Corti; with destruction of hair cells and eventually the auditory neurones.

This is a common occupational problem not only in industry and in the armed forces but also in the home (e.g. from electric drills and sounders) in sport (in motor racing and in entertainment (pop stars, their audiences and disc jockeys).

Serious noise hearing loss is almost wholly preventable by personal protection (ear muffs, ear plugs). Little treatment can be offered once deafness occurs.

Non-auditory effects of noise pollution on health

It has been suggested that excess noise affects the development and reading skills of children. It may also have an effect on psychiatric disorders.

I am aware of some heart patients who get up early morning with angina due to use of loudspeakers by certain organisations in the early hours of the morning.

I have been using sedatives and long acting antianginal drugs to prevent early morning insomnia and early morning angina.

This type of noise pollution is never permitted in the more developed countries such as UK and USA as far as I am aware.

As mentioned earlier, noise pollution occurs secondary to use of domestic appliances, power tools etc. and of leisure activities such as motor sport, pop concerts and discos where noise levels up to 122 d B(A) have been recorded.

Occupational noise pollution occurs predominantly on heavy industry, especially ship building and aerospace activities.

Symptoms and signs of noise pollution

There is a gradually increasing difficulty in hearing usually, in people of late middle to elderly age leading in severe cases to considerable social handicap.

In moderate cases here may be difficulty in speaking with groups of people whilst there is no problem in conversing with an individual at home. Words may be confused and wrong answers given to questions.

Tinnitus (ringing or hissing sounds heard within the ear) may be the only symptom, the subject being unaware of any deafness. A disturbance in balance may also occur.

Management of noise pollution

There are a few more depressing or unrewarding conditions than those with permanent occupational hearing loss. Once the diagnosis of hearing loss is established, little can be done to alleviate matters. Withdrawal from further noise will preclude any worsening of the condition.

Prevention

The other side of the coin is that noise induced hearing loss is almost a wholly preventable disease and adequate preventive measures are available.

Hearing conservation measures are identification of noise sources and control of exposure by protective devices.

Although initial exposure to high noise levels may be unpleasant to the novice, familiarity breeds contempt. People get used to the noise after a while. Disc Jockeys gradually turn up the volume to maintain a 'good atmos sphere'.

Soft synthetic rubber plugs can give up to 30 d B protection at higher frequencies while the ear muff can give up to 40 d protection over the critical 2 - 4 k Hz frequency. Both devices must be closely fitted and worn consistently.

Noise pollution occurring in the name of great religions should be legally put to and end by the Government as practised in more developed countries.

#####################

Medical training should include values of human life

PROF. LEELA Karunaratne of the Sri Jayawardenapura University has sent us a copy of her plenary address to the Wonca-mesar Medical Conference held recently in Colombo, where speaking on the importance of cultivating human values in life for doctors, she says:

"Competence in knowledge and skill has often been considered the most important objective of medical training, but developing and attitude of compassionate caring has always been of equal importance.

Therefore time spent on training for a medical degree should not be confined to acquiring competence to practice, but should also include time to focus on the values of human life, reflect, and learn how they apply to the practice of medicine.

"Medical graduates are a major human resource for a country, not only in terms of professional expertise but also by their potential to develop society. Therefore as members of the medical profession it is our obligation to contribute what is expected of us.

If, our attitudes reflect the vales of human life just as much as we apply our knowledge and skills in medical care, we could surely make a valuable contribution to a noble profession and towards the development of a peaceful, disciplined and corruption free society.

##################

Aspirin may cut death in women with heart disease

(Reuters) - Aspirin may significantly reduce death rates in post-menopausal women with heart disease, according to a long-term observational study reported by researchers.

"It was shown before and we have shown it again: Aspirin is a life-saving therapy," said Dr. Jeffery Berger, the study's lead author.

"Women with cardiovascular disease should be on aspirin" unless there is some medical reason that they cannot tolerate the common, over-the-counter medicine, Berger said.

The study, presented at the American Heart Association scientific sessions, included 8,928 women with heart disease between the ages of 50 and 79, 46 percent of whom were taking either 81 milligrams or 325 mg of aspirin per day.

During six and a half years of follow-up observation, the women taking aspirin had a 17 per cent reduction in death from all causes and a 25 per cent lower death rate from heart disease, researchers said.

Because it was not a randomized trial, researchers said they could not definitively conclude that aspirin caused the reduction in death rates.

However, Berger said the reduction in death rate was the same in women taking either dose of aspirin.

He called for more aspirin dosing studies in women as higher doses are associated with increased risk of side effects, such as gastric bleeding.

"Unfortunately, when you look at the aspirin data, you find that women have been underrepresented in many of the studies," Berger said.

###################

Centenarian in Prof. Colvin Goonaratne/ HealthWatch Centenarian Study dies at 104 years

MRS. S. D. KARUNARATNE of Kadawatha, the third Centenarian in HealthWatch collaborated Prof. Colvin Goonaratne Centenarian Study died on Thursday November 17 at Kadawatha.

She was 104 years. She was enlisted into the study in 2001, when she became a Centenarian reaching 100 years.

Picture shows Mrs. Karunaratne writing out her name, address and the date-of-birth in the study form, done at her residence by the Study Team on May 1, 2001.

At right is Dr. Romesh Wijesinghe of Colombo South Hospital, member of the study team.

##################

Exercise to get fit, live longer - study

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Even moderate levels of physical exercise prevent heart disease and prolong life, and the degree of benefit increases as the level of physical activity rises, according to a report released.

Although the benefits of physical activity are widely recognized, it is unclear whether the level of physical activity significantly affects life expectancy or the length of time people enjoy life free of heart disease.

To address these questions, researchers evaluated data on a group of people over age 50 who participated in the Framingham Heart study. This study has followed some 5,200 residents of Framingham, Massachusetts, over the past 46 years.

After adjustment for smoking status, co-illnesses, and other relevant factors, the authors estimate that subjects who participated in moderate physical activity starting at age 50 lived 1.3 years longer, and 1.1 year longer free of heart disease, than sedentary subjects.

Those who participated in high levels of physical activity lived 3.5 years longer overall, and had 3.2 years longer free of cardiovascular disease. The differences were similar for both genders.

"Our study suggests that following an active lifestyle is an effective way to achieve healthy aging," Dr. Oscar H. Franco, from Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and his colleagues conclude.

In a related study, researchers looked at what impact a doctor's advice to exercise at various frequencies and intensities has on exercise behavior in 492 healthy but sedentary men and women ages 30 to 69 years.

According to the records that the subjects kept, the amount of exercise they actually completed was lower than the levels prescribed, the investigators report.

"The bottom line," Dr. Michael G. Perri from the University of Florida in Gainesville told Reuters Health, is that when a doctor prescribes exercise to people, they don't do as much as prescribed. They do about 60 per cent of the amount they are asked to do.

SOURCE: Archives of Internal Medicine, November 14, 2005.