Increased Access to Chiropractic Care Linked with Lower Healthcare Costs and Better Outcomes
Increased Access to Chiropractic Care Linked with Lower Healthcare Costs and Better Outcomes
As many avid blog followers already know, I am a Baltimore Chiropractor who spends the majority of my time utilizing chiropractic care to treat headaches, neck pain, and back pain in Baltimore, MD. Whether it be the weekend warrior type, the blue-collar worker, of a Baltimore auto accident injury patient, I have been a licensed chiropractor for almost 8 years and have been helping patients with these conditions since graduation from Chiropractic College in December of 2008.
A recent study highlighted by U.S. News sheds light on what I have long believed and understood, that access to Chiropractic care can not only lower healthcare costs (a burden we all share) but can lead to better outcomes for those patients receiving the care.
A while back I shared the story of how I initially became a chiropractic patient. The short version of it is that I injured my lower back when I was about 18 or 19. I tried the typical regimen of care – stretching at home, over the counter drugs, physical therapy, and consultations with orthopedic surgeons. I was a “failed” back pain patient who was told at 19 that I would need surgery or that I would need to learn to live with the back pain for the rest of my life. At my mother’s recommendation I decided to see her chiropractor. I thought that it probably wouldn’t help but that if there was a chance it could help, it was a chance I had to take. I had nothing to lose. As the story goes, I was about 80 percent improved in about four treatments. I couldn’t believe it. Why did no one tell me that Chiropractic care was an option? Why did “main stream medicine” convince me it was surgery or learn to live with it?
The article in U.S. news points out that I was not alone in my journey to heal my back pain. According to the article Americans as a whole spend nearly $300 billion a year on treatment for pain including musculoskeletal disorders. As you might imagine a lot of this financial burden is spent trying to help people with neck and back pain. That’s where Chiropractors come in.
The article notes a study by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University that examined how medical occupational licensing laws are affecting the health care market. They found that the broader the scope of practice for chiropractors became and the more their incomes rose, the better the outcomes for patient care and satisfaction became and the less costs there were as a whole. Now why is this?
Generally speaking, family physicians and internists only can practice what they know and what they were trained on. They know medicine and intervention such as surgery. So, when a patient comes to them with these complaints, it is natural for them to recommend medications and then eventually surgery. This leads to increased costs and decreased patient satisfaction. Tied in the with the fact that medical care and interventions are so expensive compared to chiropractic care, its no wonder that healthcare costs are skyrocketing.
Another thing to consider is that typically if paid through health insurance, many primary care physicians need to control care and make referrals. While it is likely that they want what’s best for their patients, they are more likely to keep a patient in their system and buying healthcare services from their colleagues than it is that they will refer them to “non main stream” chiropractic providers. That view is largely changing and we are seeing a shift where primary care physicians are referring clients for chiropractic care. Furthermore, in states such as Maryland it is very easy for prospective chiropractic patients to bypass their medical providers directly and have “direct access” to chiropractic evaluation and treatment. It appears as if the monopoly that medicine has had on controlling how patients access care has had a significant impact on healthcare costs and therefore outcomes.
The U.S. News article goes on to state that while allowing a broader scope of practice to Chiropractic care has lead to a measurable effect on the market (as seen in terms of decreased costs and increased health outcomes) the same can not be said for a broader scope of practice for physical therapy.
As a Baltimore Chiropractor I am an advocate for patients getting whatever treatment they need to help with their neck and back pain. In most instances, a short course of conservative chiropractic therapy is appropriate and will bring about resolution of their conditions. In some instances, as I have pointed out in previous blog posts, patients do not improve as expected and are referred quickly and appropriately to other specialists for evaluation and treatment. I believe that it is imperative that my chiropractic colleagues and I spend more time educating the medical professionals in our community of the value that we provide to our patients. If there’s evidence that we can help decrease patient suffering while lowering healthcare costs then it is something that we need to do for the good of humanity and the financial solvency of this nation.
If you, or someone you know, has neck or back pain and would like to speak to a Baltimore Chiropractor, please call (443) 842-5500. We would be happy to help!
Dr. Gulitz
BY: Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab
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The Most Dangerous Street Intersections in Baltimore City
The Most Dangerous Street Intersections in Baltimore City
As a Baltimore Chiropractor that spends the majority of my time treating injured clients involved in Baltimore auto accidents and who have suffered Baltimore auto accident injuries including headaches, neck pain, and back pain, I have long wondered where the majority of the Baltimore City auto accident injuries were taking place. That is, this is a large city with many small windy roads and a large diverse population. I was curious where the majority of the crashes were taking place.
Well fortunately for me, I do not need to look any further. By following a law office’s blog post the information was brought right to the forefront for me. It shows down to the intersection exactly how many injury-reported crashes were made in 2015 for each intersection in Baltimore City. There were more than 9,000 reported injuries in Baltimore auto accidents in 2015. So here are the top 6 more dangerous intersections as of 2015 as measured by number of injury-reported crashes.
1) Gwyns Falls Parkway and Reisterstown Road – 46 accidents
2) Northern Parkway at Jones Falls Expressway (JFX) – 38 accidents
3) Orleans Street at Gay & Enstor Streets – 36 accidents
4) West Cold Spring Lane at Jones Falls Expressway (JFX) – 34 accidents
5) South Monroe Street at Washington Boulevard – 27 accidents
6) West Northern Parkway at Falls Road – 26 accidents
Obviously not all Baltimore auto accident injuries occur on road intersections. There are plenty of parking lot crashes and street crashes. It stands to reason that the streets surrounding these above intersections are also very popular auto accident injury streets. In particular Gwynns Falls Parkway reported over 240 crashes in 2015 and Washington Boulevard reported 130 for the year. I suspect that this has more to do with the fact that these are busy streets than that there is anything really wrong with the design or lay out of these streets.
The Baltimore City Police Districts reported the following number of auto accident injury related crashes in 2015: Northeast District (1,442), Northern District (1,320), Northwest District (1,092), and finally Central District (1,070).
As my company prepares for its expansion into Northwest Baltimore (6810 Park Heights Avenue, Suite C4, Baltimore, MD 21215), this blog post makes it clear that our expansion into the northwest is necessary, as a high percentage of the total auto accident injuries in Baltimore City seem to take place up there. I look forward to providing care to those unfortunate Baltimore City and Baltimore County residents that are injured in auto accidents.
If you, or someone you know, has been injured as a result of a Baltimore auto accident injury and require treatment, please contact Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic at (443) 842-5500. We would be happy to help.
Dr. Gulitz
BY: Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab
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Some Patients Fail To Improve With Chiropractic Care
Some Patients Fail To Improve With Chiropractic Care
By now I am sure that my avid blog followers are aware that I am a Baltimore Chiropractor that treats patients in Baltimore, MD with headaches, neck pain, mid back pain, and lower back pain. These aches and pains can be from overuse injuries, chronic pain from a lifetime of hard work, or they can be acute injuries suffering from Baltimore auto accidents, Baltimore slip and fall injuries, and Baltimore worker’s compensation injuries. Like all business owners I like to highlight my “wins” and showcase the patients who have had favorable outcomes and resolutions with treatment in this office. I had a patient recently who came to the office and asked me about my “losses” – that is, the patients that fail to improve with chiropractic therapy. This patient wanted to know what happens to them? Do they live with their pain? Do they need surgery? I thought that this was an interesting blog topic so I decided to showcase two recent losses, that ended up with positive outcomes.
The first “loss” was a friend of mine who came to see me with neck pain and radiating right arm pain. He is an avid weight lifter and had been having neck pain and radiating right arm pain for about six months off and on. I treated him like I would any other patient – I performed a history and physical examination. Based upon my findings we took an x-ray of his neck to rule out instability and to look for neuroforaminal narrowing. Everything looked good so we began treatment. I saw him twice the first week for therapy. He felt a bit better after the first visit and then worse after the second visit. I told him to come back the next week. His condition had progressively gotten worse over the weekend, so we decided to discontinue further treatment until he got an MRI. At this point he had some grip strength weakness and increased arm pain – all of which we had discussed could possibly happen. After we got his MRI about a week later the bad news was revealed. The patient had a large extruded disc herniation in his neck. Although chiropractic care has a good history of helping patients with disc herniations, this particular herniation due to its size and the fact that it was encroaching his spinal cord was likely a surgical candidate. This was heartbreaking for both me and my friend. I referred him to a local orthopedist for a consultation. About a week later, with understandable concern for his health and well being, he underwent a successful anterior surgical decompression surgery with fusion. This means that the herniated disc was removed and the two bones that it was separating were fused with a metal cage to prevent them from slipping. I followed up with my friend about a week later and he was so relieved. All of his arm symptoms had resolved and his neck pain had decreased by about 80 percent. So did Chiropractic care fail him? No – while it is true that he did not respond favorably to my treatment, part of Chiropractic care is to continually re-assess a patient’s condition and to make changes to the treatment plan based on a patient’s response to therapy. In this man’s case he required an MRI and ultimately surgery to fix his condition. He could not have been more thankful for the treatment and referrals we gave him and made on his behalf, because left to his own devices, he likely would have done nothing for six or more months, and he could have potentially re-injured himself worse at the gym moving forward.
The second “loss” was a few months prior to the above example. A young woman who was about 40 presented for care with lower back pain and left and foot numbness. She was a fairly active woman who liked to do yoga and go to the gym, but had stopped recently due to back and leg issues. I told her that we would try two weeks of treatment and re-assess her condition. She was doing well for about 3-4 visits and then her condition worsened. She felt increased back pain and increased leg numbness. These “red flags” made it clear to me that a lower back MRI would be in order. So, we ordered her an MRI. Similar to the example above, the patient had a sizable disc extrusion with lower back nerve root compression. We discussed that it was likely that the disc herniation was compression the nerves going to her left leg and foot. She had a family friend who was a spinal orthopedist so I encouraged her to take her MRI findings to him for an evaluation. As expected based on her response to treatment and her MRI findings, he recommended surgery. Given her age and response to treatment before chiropractic care and after chiropractic care, she elected for surgical intervention. She had a lumbar laminectomy with discectomy. That means that they shaved a hole in her lower back vertebrae and shaved down the offending disc. Less than a week later she came in to “catch me up” on her progress. She was about 75 percent relieved in terms of back pain and 100 percent of her leg numbness had resolved. She admits that it was the best she had felt in almost a year. She was very appreciative of the fact that we had tried to help her with conservative chiropractic therapy and that we referred her to another provider when her clinical condition worsened.
Both of these examples demonstrate how, despite what most chiropractors would like you to believe, we are not magicians or mystical healers. We are neuromusculoskeletal practitioners that are limited in scope, but experts in what we do. In both instances the above patients were referred for MRI imaging and ultimately had to undergo decompressive spinal surgeries. Although surgery and anesthesia are not without risk, both patients ultimately did well with their procedures and their symptoms have improved considerably. When I asked both patients what they thought about the therapy they received, rather than being upset with the fact that chiropractic care could not “fix” them, they were very appreciative that they were referred “downstream” to providers who could ultimately tackle the underlying problems. In fact, both patients who failed with conservative chiropractic therapy have since continued to refer their family and friends to the practice, since they so appreciated the care that we provided to them in their times of need.
I tell all of my new patients that we will begin with a few conservative treatments to see how they will respond to care. Ideally if patients respond favorably as expected, we reduce their treatment moving forward. If they worsen, as in the examples above, we make timely referrals for imaging or to other specialists. To me, chiropractic care is limited in scope. But rather than this being a negative, I look at this is a positive. It means that we can focus on what we do well and we can refer patients to where they need to be quickly so that they can ultimately improve their condition quickly.
If you, or someone you know, has headaches, neck pain, or back pain and are interested to learn if Chiropractic care could benefit you, please contact Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic at (443) 842-5500. We would be happy to help!
Dr. Gulitz
BY: Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab
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What is a Lifetime Chiropractic Patient?
What Is A Lifetime Chiropractic Patient?
As many of my avid blog readers are already aware, I am a Baltimore Chiropractor that spends the majority of my time treating patients using Chiropractic care. Typically this means that we are treating Baltimore auto accident injury patients with whiplash symptoms: Headaches, neck pain, upper back pain, and lower back pain following Baltimore car accidents. But that also means treating weekend warriors with overuse injuries, and regular folks who wake up with stiff necks and stiff backs. As you might imagine as all people are different and unique, so to are the necessary treatment plans to get these patients out of pain and back into the “real-world.”
I recently saw a new patient to the practice. They were interested in coming in for some treatment for an acute neck injury (they “slept funny” the night before.) However, they had previously gone to another Baltimore Chiropractor who tried to convince them that they would need to be a “lifetime” chiropractic patient in order to receive the most benefit of the proposed treatment.
The patient was startled by this. They were told that they were going to need 65 visits and to spend nearly $3,000 out of pocket up front just to help them with their neck pain. And, having completing this plan, they would need to come in at least once a month “forever” to help maintain the progress that was made on their neck. Having never been to a chiropractor before, this patient asked if this approach to care was normal. They asked if it was necessary to become a lifetime chiropractic patient in order to get out of acute pain.
As you all know, I do not believe that lifetime care for an acute injury is necessary. I am more than happy to get a prospective patient what they want- which is to get out of acute pain and to return them to their normal daily activities as quickly and with as little pain and restriction as possible. When I informed this patient that I would be happy to treat them for 2-3 visits and to get them out of acute pain for the cost of their copay (approximately 20 dollars if my memory serves me) they were elated. I saw the patient for about a week and their pain went away. The patient has since stopped treating for this injury since their pain resolved and their range of motion was completely restored.
Then it occurred to me. This patient HAS become a lifetime patient to me and my practice. I gave them what they wanted and needed and I trust that the next time, should there be a next time, that they need any treatment for neck or back pain, they will likely come back to my practice for additional treatment. He didn’t feel “swindled” “manipulated” or “taken advantage of.” But he has become a lifetime patient. If that means that he never has neck or back pain and I never see him again, then for his entire life, he only ever treated in my office for chiropractic care. This makes him a lifetime patient.
So am I looking for lifetime patients? By my definition- yes. I want people who so trust in the quality of care that we provide that they never look further than my practice for relief of their headaches, neck pain and back pain. But by that same token, am I looking to have someone show up weekly forever and pay my rent and put my kids through college? No – because at some point if chiropractic care doesn’t work for a particular musculoskeletal condition then I don’t want to treat that patient. I want to refer them to another provider who can get them well.
A lifetime patient can come in many forms. Whichever form you choose to be, we are happy to take care of you. If you, or someone you know, requires chiropractic care for auto accident injuries, headaches, neck pain, or back pain, please contact Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic at (443) 842-5500. We would be happy to help!
Dr. Gulitz
BY: Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab
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Hovding – New Airbag for Bicyclists Hopes to Prevent Whiplash In Bicycle Accidents
Hovding – New Airbag for Bicyclists Hopes to Prevent Whiplash In Bicycle Accidents
As a Baltimore Chiropractor that spends the majority of my time treating patients with auto accident injuries such as headaches, neck pain, and back pain I see more than my fair share of these injuries following Baltimore auto accidents. As the weather got better this summer I saw a shift towards more non-motor vehicle collision injuries. In particular, we started to see more bicycle vs. motor vehicle injuries and plenty of pedestrian versus motor vehicle injuries.
One of the advantages of being situated in a car if it is in a crash is the number of safety features that have been developed to help to minimize the risk of death and injury. In particular, seat belts and front and side curtain airbags really help an occupant to “ride down” a crash quickly to help absorb energy and minimize trauma to the soft and hard tissues of the body.
The problem when we see patients that are involved in bicycle versus motor vehicle collisions and pedestrian versus motor vehicle collision (hit by a car while walking) is that these safety features do not exist outside of a car. Well, that is until now.
Like many of you I spend a fair amount of my work day watching cat videos on youtube, watching the latest lip sync battles on line and following the latest viral video trends. Sometimes this is actually a useful endeavor and I discover things that are new and trending that impact society and my chiropractic practice.
Recently I came across an interesting produce out of Sweden called Hovding. It is essentially an airbag for bicyclists. It has built in sensors that determine if it believes a cyclist is going to suffer an impending crash and it deploys, in an attempt to function as a car airbag and to protect and cradle the head and neck of the cyclist.
It’s got a very simple design. It has an anchor brace that circles the neck. It has a hood that deploys in case it senses an impending crash, and it has an air tank that fills the hood when necessary that rests on the back the cyclist. It has a series of sophisticated sensors that determine when it needs to deploy. It even records the crash details and collects the data for future product enhancements.
Given the trends towards urbanization and decreased dependence on fossil fuels I see more and more riders taking to their bicycles in the future. An invention such as Hovding could go a long towards decreasing or eliminating concussions, headaches, and neck pain in those that choose to ride bicycles. I think it is a great invention whose time has come. Detractors point to its price point of $300 euros (approximately $335 US as of the time of this blog post) and say that it is too expensive. I personally think that its a small price to pay to help protect the only brain, spinal cord, and neck we will ever have.
If you, or someone you know, has been injured as a result of a bicycle injury in Baltimore, please contact Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic at (443) 842-5500. We would be happy to help!
Dr. Gulitz
BY: Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab
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Autonomous Ubers – An Idea Whose Time Has Come Or Disaster Waiting to Happen?
Autonomous Ubers – An Idea Whose Time Has Come Or Disaster Waiting to Happen?
As a Baltimore Chiropractor that spends the majority of my time treating patients with auto accident injuries such as headaches, neck pain, and back pain, I have begun to see more and more Baltimore auto accident injury victims who have been injured at the hand of an uber cab. We’ve all seen them and we’ve probably all used them as they are everywhere these days. Just about anyone with a driver’s license and a car and take you wherever you are going for a small fee. These “industry disrupting” uber cabs have been great for citizens looking to make a few extra dollars on the weekend but they are not without their risk and concerns over safety and liability.
In another instance of life immitating art, Uber is attempting to roll out the first every autonomous taxi cab vehicles. I remember first seeing a similar idea watching “Total Recall” with Arnold Schwarzenegger where he was a passenger in a “Johnny cab.” These vehicles are set to hit the road in Pittsburgh this week. They are being met with a mix of optimism and skepticism as you might imagine.
I think the IDEA of a self driving taxi cab is fantastic. Companies such as uber won’t have to worry about the issues regarding whether their drivers are employees or independent contractors. It seems like it would be easy to get where you are going just by typing in an address in a phone and using a predetermined credit card to pay for the fair.
But what of safety? Opponents say that the technology is largely untested. It views the Pittsburgh citizens as “sitting ducks” and “guinea pigs” in an experiment. Some early reports on these vehicles is that they have trouble with bridges, puddles, rain and snow. Since that is the case Pittsburgh seems like an odd choice as it has tons of all of the above! Not to mention the subtleties of driving from hand gestures to lights blinking- how will the computers on board respond to these “unspoken” communications?
Uber has made it a point to say that each of these autonomous driving taxi cabs will have a “driver” who is able to take over at a moments notice in case of an emergency. So that’s a bit relieving. However many people do not feel that there is enough regulation around this new technology and they are fearful of what may happen. And of the data collected in these interactions, who has access to it? Is it just the private companies such as Uber or do they have to turn the data over to the government for evaluation?
One thing is for certain. These self driving ubers, even with all of the sensors and gadgets will inevitably cause crashes. It is likely, therefore, that they will cause injury. Will they permanently disfigure someone? Kill someone? And will their rates of crash and injury be better or worse than we as humans have been responsible for? I suppose it all remains to be seen.
Would you let a self driving Uber take you to the movies? Or would you stick with a normal taxi or uber? Share your thoughts below.
If you, or someone you know, has been injured in a Baltimore auto accident within an uber (autonomous or driven) please contact Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic at (443) 842-5500.
Dr. Gulitz
BY: Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab
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SCIWORA – A Scary Finding in Minors Involved in Baltimore Auto Accidents
SCIWORA – A Scary Finding in Minors Involved in Baltimore Auto Accidents
As a Baltimore chiropractor whose clinic spends the majority of its time treating individuals involved in Baltimore auto accidents, we come across many types of injuries as a result of these Baltimore car accidents. We traditionally see patients with headaches, neck pain, and back pain. Occasionally we see cuts, scrapes, bruises, and concussion as well. As specialists in treating this Baltimore auto accident injuries we get really good at picking up on subtle injuries that often go unnoticed by other providers.
One since type of injury that can be difficult to diagnose is called a SCIWORA injury. The acronym stands for Spinal Cord Injury WithOut Radiographic Abnormality. This is a special term for injuries that occur to minors below age eight that involves transient injury to the spinal cord without any radiographic (x-ray) proof of its occurrence.
It may not be a surprise to many that there are thousands of children injured in motor vehicle collisions (in Baltimore and elsewhere) every year and that motor vehicle collisions are the number one cause of infant mortality for children between 5-19 in the United States.
Following a Baltimore auto accident injury it is normal for a parent to take their child to a local Baltimore emergency room or a Baltimore urgent care location for evaluation. At these evaluations which are largely overbooked and under-staffed it is not unusual for these patients to have a physical exam but to not have any x-rays taken. As these rooms get more and more crowded we are starting to see a shift of parents taking their children directly to Chiropractors and Physical Therapists for initial evaluation and treatment. Typically these evaluations will include x-ray (radiographic) analysis to rule out fracture, dislocation, or more importantly ligamentous instability that could indicate trouble for their child.
As with all patients, a proper history and physical examination is required in order to make an appropriate diagnosis. This can be especially challenging in children since many times their verbal skills may not be up to par with that of their parents. As you can imagine, it is also hard for parents to describe pain and symptoms that children are feeling. Additionally, it is not unusual for children to avoid telling to the truth to a “stranger” during an exam and to generally go into “avoidance mode” and withhold key answers during an evaluation. To further complicate matters, typically SCIWORA injuries do not manifest until about 3-4 days following a Baltimore auto accident injury.
So then how do we determine if a SCIWORA is present? The key is to make the patient (child) feel comfortable enough to open up to you so that they can describe the pain they are feeling. It is understandable that this may take several visits before they feel comfortable with a provider to tell them everything.
Providers need to evaluate for a TFNE (transient focal neurological episode) that may have taken place during or shortly after the crash. These symptoms may include, but are not limited to, ataxia, unilateral anosmia, tinnitus, memory problems, nystagmus, impairment of tactile sensation, positive cranial nerve examination, hypoesthesia, and muscle weakness. It can be challenging for a minor or their parents to describe these symptoms to a provider. Even still, these symptoms may last minutes or hours depending on the severity.
If these symptoms are present on history, then motion x-rays of the affected region (typically neck or lower back) are indicated. This involves taking x-rays of the patient in extremes of motion both in flexion (bringing the chin to the chest, or bending forward) and extension (bringing the neck all the way back or hyperextending the lower back and looking to the ceiling). This can be used to look for any bony slippage, which could indicate ligamentous instability. If there is suspected ligamentous instability, then referral for MRI or CT scan is appropriate. Provided the presence of a SCIWORA is indicated on advanced imaging, then referral to a neurologist or pediatric neurologist is indicated to help monitor and evaluate the condition.
Many patients and children are able to walk away from Baltimore auto accident injuries without injury while others are not so lucky. Even when things seem ok, it is always worthwhile to get a medical evaluation to determine if there are any latent underlying pathologies that may have otherwise gone unnoticed. We see many children in this office following Baltimore auto accident injuries. Fortunately, I have only ever seen one with a SCIWORA injury in my approximately 8 years of licensed practice.
If you, or someone you know, has been injured in a motor vehicle collision and require an evaluation and treatment, please contact Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic at (443) 842-5500. We would be happy to help!
Dr. Gulitz
BY: Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab
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Meet Graham – The Only “Human” Who is Designed to Survive a Car Crash
Meet Graham – The Only “Human” Who is Designed to Survive a Car Crash
As many of my blog readers and followers know I am a Baltimore Chiropractor that spends the majority of my time treating Baltimore auto accident injury patients. My staff and I routinely diagnose and treat whiplash in Baltimore, along with Baltimore headaches, Baltimore neck pain, and Baltimore back pain. While not all of our patients are Baltimore auto accident patients, probably about half of them are. That is why I spend so much time blogging about Baltimore auto accident injuries.
I came across an interesting news story that felt very appropriate given the type of patients that we routinely treat. The Australian state of Victoria under the “Transport Accident Commission” worked alongside a trauma surgeon, a crash investigation expert, and an artist to design a “human” that would be capable of surviving an auto accident. The project is meant to highlight how fragile the human body is, and how susceptible we all are to the traumatic forces involved in even slow impact motor vehicle collisions.
So what would it take to survive all types of auto accident injuries? “Graham” was designed with the following:
- a flattened face to absorb more energy
- larger skull with more cerebrospinal fluid to cut down on the incidence of concussions
- hoof-like legs with added joints to help him avoid impending crashes in the first place
- ultra-thick rib cage lined with “natural airbag” sacs
- Ribs that extend to the base of his skull, that is, an absence of a neck.
You can see some pictures of Graham here. While I do not think that his physical appearance is enough to make you “swipe right” on Tinder, the visual presentation of Graham is nonetheless quite striking. I have been treating Baltimore auto accident injuries for over four years and have been treating auto accident injuries for approximately eight years and I have not met anyone that resembles Graham in design. We all have different “human metrics” (height, weight, thickness, male/female, age, etc) that make us more or less susceptible to injuries in Baltimore auto accidents. The cars we ride in along with the vehicle crash dynamics also play into the likelihood of suffering injury. But the point is no design (not even the human body) exists perfectly to avoid injury.
We have to remember that cars, though ubiquitous, are nonetheless capable of severely injuring, or even killing those around us. We have to be mindful of the skill and attention that it takes to operate these machines and we need to be more cautious while doing so.
If you, or someone you know, has been injured in a Baltimore auto accident and requires treatment, please contact Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic at (443) 842-5500. We would be happy to help!
Dr. Gulitz
BY: Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab
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Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic Celebrates 4 Year Anniversary
Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic Celebrates 4 Year Anniversary
As many of my avid blog readers and followers are aware I am a chiropractor that spends the majority of my time treating patients with headaches, neck pain and back pain. The patients can be the “weekend warrior type” or they can be involved in Baltimore auto accident and Baltimore worker’s compensation injuries. No matter the cause of their neck and back pain, we are happy to provide service to get them feeling better again quickly.
Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic first opened on 08/20/12 and we just recently celebrated the 4 year anniversary of the clinic opening. The past four years have flown by. I have met tons of other business owners, medical providers, physical therapists, lawyers, and other chiropractors. All of these parties have shared with me their success stories on growing their businesses and helping to serve their clients/patients. After four years the clinic finally feels like it is an intrinsic piece of thread in the tapestry of Baltimore City.
Recently I announced the opening of our second clinic. Construction is underway at the second location, 6810 Park Heights Avenue Suite C4, Baltimore, MD 21215. We hope to have it up and running before Thanksgiving so that we can offer our services to the clients of Northwest Baltimore City, Pikesville, and Owings Mills as well.
My favorite part of expanding the clinic has been taking on the role of mentor to other chiropractors in the clinic. Currently the Fells Point clinic has Dr. Erica Wise D.C. and Dr. Manpreet Keith D.C. The grand opening of the Upper Park Heights clinic will feature another chiropractor (whose information will remain private until all the details have been finalized). I have enjoyed spending time with these providers and sharing with them my insights on injury diagnosis, case management, and patient treatment. As much as I enjoy treating patients and helping patients in a one on one environment, I am learning as I gain more experience that I can help more patients by instilling my knowledge and experience in other providers. I feel that I will be able to leave a longer lasting legacy if I can continue to train “the next generation” of chiropractors within my clinics.
I recently celebrated another milestone in my life, as I asked my girlfriend to marry me on the anniversary of the date that the clinic originally opened. She said yes and we are working on planning our wedding.
The last four years have been stressful and exciting. I expect the next four years to be more of the same. I just wanted to say thank you to the community for supporting the clinic as it grows and for allowing us to serve you for all of your chiropractic needs. Moving to Baltimore to start his clinic was my dream and I sincerely appreciate your collective efforts in allowing my dream to come true.
Dr. Gulitz
BY: Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab
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New Vehicle Safety Features Help to Cut Down On Baltimore Auto Accidents
New Vehicle Safety Features Help to Cut Down On Baltimore Auto Accidents
As many of my avid blog post readers and followers already know, I am a Baltimore Chiropractor that spends the majority of my time reading about, researching, and providing care for Baltimore auto accident injuries. Typically patients present with whiplash injuries which manifest as headaches, neck pain, and back pain. Occasionally we see more severe injuries such as subdural hematoma and spinal cord injuries, but these are indeed rare in our clinic.
I’d like to deviate from the normal form of the blog post where I discuss intricacies of what happens after a Baltimore resident is injured, and instead flip the dialogue to how to avoid sustaining Baltimore auto accident injuries in the first place. I have been reading some car magazines to learn more about accident avoidance mechanisms and I thought I might share some with you. For those looking to upgrade to their next vehicle, these options may well be worth the money, as they look to cut down on or eliminate crashes (and therefore Baltimore auto accident injuries) moving forward. In no particular order, here are a few of the new gadgets that you may want to look at before you drive off in your new vehicle.
1) Blind spot detection – This features allows a visual cue (flashing light) to indicate to you the driver that another vehicle, pedestrian, or bicyclist is in your blind spot. We’ve all had a “near miss” moment where we attempt to change lanes only to suddenly jerk the wheel back to avoid a collision. This should help that some. One potential problem is it may flash so frequently as vehicles pass that we may become numb to it and ignore it over time. Still, it seems useful. I wouldn’t avoid turning my head as we were taught in driver’s education, but it is a nice add-on feature that can definitely help to present some lane-change crashes.
2) Lane assist – This is a feature that allows you to stay in your lane and alerts you as you drift out of your lane and into another lane. The vehicle would be automatically re-centered back into its lane by having the vehicle’s onboard computer turn the wheel slightly. I think this could be somewhat useful on long “autopilot” drives up and down the coast, especially if you are getting drowsy. I’d be nervous about it not allowing me to change lanes quickly if enabled, but I like the idea of it.
3) Rear View Camera/Parking Assist – This one will be of particular interest to city dwellers such as myself. By now many new vehicles allow you to “upgrade” to a rear view camera due to their simplicity and their ability to cut down on vehicle crashes while parking and cramming into tight spaces. I personally don’t know how I ever lived without one. It is believed that by May of 2018 all new vehicles manufactured in the US will need these onboard, but until then they are simply an option worth pursuing. Some of these cameras allow just for a simple image of what’s behind the vehicle. Others allow for sensors that trip if there is an impending impact, and others still demonstrate where the vehicle would travel to in real time based on the way the tires are currently turned. Other cameras take the game one step further by letting you see to the right and left side of your vehicle so you can see how close to the curb you are when you parallel park. Obviously the sky is the limit based on the number and location of cameras. I don’t see any draw back of these systems as they will generally be in play only when at low speed, reverse, and parking. I can’t wait to see them as default equipment on all cars of of 2018. I would strongly recommend that everyone exercise their option to purchase a camera system.
4) Heads Up Display – This is a feature that was only once available on the Milennium Falcon. A small projector reflects your vehicles speed, integrated navigation, and speed limit slightly above your steering wheel. This allows for your eyes to remain on the road as you navigate your directions. I really like this system in a vehicle that I drove, because I found that it kept me looking straight ahead rather than continually glancing to my vehicle’s navigation and my instrument panel. The one negative that I experienced was that with polarized sun glasses I would lose visual contact based on the position of my head. This is probably something that can get fixed. I only test drove one vehicle with this problem so I am not sure if it is an industry problem or if it is an early adopter problem.
5) Rear-End Prevention Technology – As just about everyone has heard most rear-end auto accidents are caused by operator error rather than drug/alcohol/weather issues. These technologies utilize a sonar-type signal to automatically slow a vehicle down in an attempt to avoid a crash before it occurs. I think in theory these technologies could really cut down on the number of collisions, but I am afraid that if they are not perfected they will cause vehicles to stop short and will actually cause INCREASED occupant injuries. I think they need more time to develop and mature but I think the idea is really solid and that once perfected I think they will work well to cut down on whiplash injuries.
One thing is for certain- technology can add to the fun of driving and it can add to the prevention of Baltimore auto accident injuries. The negative consequence of all of this technology is that not all vehicles will have access to it. We, as vehicle operators, can not completely depend on technology to keep us safe. It is our responsibility to take proper precaution and attempt to avoid collisions.
If you, or someone you know, has been injured as a result of a Baltimore auto accident, please contact Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic at (443) 842-5500. We would be happy to help!
Dr. Gulitz
BY: Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab
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