CF 375: Neural Mobilization & Cannabis And Heart Attacks And Strokes Today we’re going to talk about Neural Mobilization & Cannabis And Heart Attacks And Strokes But first, here’s that sweet sweet bumper music  

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  OK, we are back and you have found the Chiropractic Forward Podcast where we are giving evidence-based chiropractic a little personality and making it profitable. We’re not the stuffy, elitist, pretentious kind of research. We’re research talk over a couple of beers. So grab you a bushel.  I’m Dr. Jeff Williams and I’m your host for the Chiropractic Forward podcast.  I’m so glad you’re spending your time with us learning together.  Chiropractors – I’m hiring at my personal clinic. I need talent, ambition, smarts, personality, and easy to get along with associates. If this is you and Amarillo, TX is your speed, send me an email at [email protected] If you haven’t yet I have a few things you should do. 

You have found yourself smack dab in the middle of Episode #375 Now if you missed last week’s episode, we talked about Non-surgical Disc Treatment & Cognitive Functional Therapy.  Make sure you don’t miss that info. Keep up with the class. 

On the personal end of things…..

Well, now that school’s back in and people are getting back on a schedule, I am starting to see patients returning. Which is quite a relief. I was starting to wonder if I pissed on the mayor’s dog or something and made the whole town mad at me. It’s been slow all summer long and that’s no fun.  While this week is still slower than I like to see, the new patients are well on the rise. I think I have 18 new patients this week and that’s A-OK with me.  Especially when you factor in that we have what is called the Tri-State Fair going on here. It’s a week long thing and people will literally take out small loans to take their family to this thing. Which is something we don’t really understand but, yeah, it’s a real thing.  The fair typically slows us down but this year, we’re on the rise while the fair is happening and that’s even better news. 

Our intern from Parker is doign great. She’s really smart, very professional, and seems to be learning a ton. She asks great questions and seems pretty happy with her experience. Which is great. We don’t get a ton of interns here in Amarillo so it’s nice to have an extra set of hands around the clinic. Especially and extra set of hands that we enjoy having around. She’s been great.  Still getting goign with the launch of Shockwave here in the clinic. Still introducing it to our patients and so far, they love it. As an old college football player myself, I’m using it as well. Both shoulders and low back to start with. Once I get them in shape, we’ll move to the knees and a hammy. Hey if you pay for something, you might as well be engaging in some healthcare too. That’s just another tip from your Ol’ Uncle Jeffro.  Before we get to the research I’ll leave you with this. Go Cowboys!

Item #1 The first on etoday is called, “Neural mobilisation effects in nerve function and nerve structure of patients with peripheral neuropathic pain: A systematic review with meta-analysis”’ by Bittencourt et al and published in PLOS One on November 8, 2024 and it’s a lil bit smoky.  Remember, the citations can be found at chiropracticforward.com under this episode. 

Neural mobilisation effects in nerve function and nerve structure of patients with peripheral neuropathic pain: A systematic review with meta-analysis

Why They Did It

To assess the effects of neural mobilisation on nerve function and nerve structure of patients with peripheral neuropathic pain.

How They Did It

A systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted.  Eligibility criteria included controlled trials or quasi-experimental studies comparing neural mobilisation versus sham, active or inactive control in adults with peripheral neuropathic pain.  Primary outcomes were the change in peripheral nerve cross-sectional area.  Secondary outcomes included nerve echogenicity, nerve excursion and nerve conduction. 

What They Found

Eleven randomised controlled trials and four quasi-experimental studies (total sample = 722 participants) were included.  Thirteen studies included participants with carpal tunnel syndrome.  Two studies examined the cross-sectional area, revealing improvements (i.e., a reduction) in the cross-sectional area after the neural mobilisation.  Neural mobilisation improved motor and sensory conduction velocity in short-term, compared to control.  Neural mobilisation did not alter distal motor or sensory latency.

Wrap It Up

Neural mobilisation seems to improve the cross-sectional area and sensory conduction velocity.  Neural mobilisation was superior to control in improving motor conduction velocity in patients with peripheral neuropathic pain with moderate quality evidence.  Distal motor or sensory latency presented similar results compared to other interventions.  Our findings should be interpreted cautiously since most studies included patients with carpal tunnel syndrome.

Item #2

Here we go….Ol Uncle Jeffo is being uncool again and trying to tell people what to do with their recreational drug habits. I’m not trying to tell you what to do. I’m not your real mom.  But if you’re going to do it, at least know the real risks and not what your bud dealer Ernie told you about the safety.  Yes, I know alcohol is worse and all the other pro-weed arguments. I get it. We actually tried outlawing alcohol in the 30’s because it’s so bad. I get it. But just because alcohol is legal does not mean weed is good, safe, and smart for legalization. Why make two things legal when you don’t have to? Keep it for medical use without abusing the term and disrespecting those that actually need it for medical use. Hell yeah, Francis.

But don’t legalize it. It’s ridiculous.  With my total uncoolness now being on full display, the last one today is an online article called, “Cannabis use raises risk of heart attack and stroke more than cocaine, other drugs, major review suggests Marijuana users may face twice the risk of cardiovascular death, research finds” by Angelica Stabile with Fox News and posted June 19, 2025 and aye carumba!!! Es muy caliente!!

https://www.foxnews.com/health/cannabis-use-raises-risk-heart-attack-stroke-more-than-cocaine-other-drugs-major-review-suggests

Here it is summarized in a nutshell: A major new study has found some concerning links between marijuana (cannabis) use and heart problems. Here’s what the research shows in simple terms:

The Big Study: French researchers looked data from over 400 million patients across 24 different studies to see how cannabis affects heart health. It was a “meta-analysis,” so it’s no small thing.

The Scary Numbers: The study found cannabis users had a 29% higher chance of heart attacks, 20% higher risk of strokes, and twice the risk of dying from heart problems The risks were especially high for people who used cannabis at least once a week.

More Dangerous Than Expected:  Surprisingly, one study found cannabis was a bigger predictor of heart attacks than other illegal drugs like cocaine and opioids This challenges what many people assume about cannabis being “safer.”

Young People at Risk:  The dangers weren’t just for older adults either. Several studies found higher risks for younger people, including those aged 15-22 and 18-36 Women appeared to face higher risks than men.

Why This Matters:  As more states legalize marijuana and more people (including seniors) use it, doctors are seeing more emergency room visits related to cannabis.  A medical expert compared marijuana’s effects on the heart and lungs to cigarette smoking.

The Bottom Line:  While medical marijuana can help some patients with serious conditions, this research suggests regular cannabis use carries real heart risks that many people don’t realize.  The researchers say doctors should ask all heart patients about cannabis use, just like they ask about smoking or drinking.

Alright, that’s it. Keep on keepin’ on. Keep changing our profession from your corner of the world. The world needs evidence-based, patient-centered practitioners driving the bus. The profession needs us in the ACA and involved in leadership of state associations. So quit griping about the profession if you’re doing nothing to make it better. Get active, get involved, and make it happen. Let’s get to the message. Same as it is every week. 

Store Remember the evidence-informed brochures and posters at chiropracticforward.com.       

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  The Message I want you to know with absolute certainty that when Chiropractic is at its best, you can’t beat the risk vs reward ratio because spinal pain is primarily a movement-related pain and typically responds better to movement-related treatment rather than chemical treatments like pills and shots. When compared to the traditional medical model, research and clinical experience show us patients can get good to excellent results for headaches, neck pain, back pain, and joint pain to name just a few. It’s safe and cost-effective can decrease surgeries & disability and we do it through conservative, non-surgical means with minimal hassle to the patient. And, if the patient treats preventatively after initial recovery, we can usually keep it that way while raising the overall level of health! Key Point: At the end of the day, patients should have the guarantee of having the best treatment that offers the least harm. When it comes to non-complicated musculoskeletal complaints…. That’s Chiropractic! Contact Send us an email at dr dot williams at chiropracticforward.com and let us know what you think of our show and tell us your suggestions for future episodes.  Feedback and constructive criticism is a blessing and so are subscribes and excellent reviews on podcast platforms.  We know how this works by now. If you value something, you have to share it, interact with it, review it, talk about it from time to time, and actively hit a few buttons to support it here and there when asked. It really does make a big difference.  Connect We can’t wait to connect with you again next week. From the Chiropractic Forward Podcast flight deck, this is Dr. Jeff Williams saying upward, onward, and forward. Website http://www.chiropracticforward.com Social Media Links https://www.facebook.com/chiropracticforward/ Chiropractic Forward Podcast Facebook GROUP https://www.facebook.com/groups/1938461399501889/ Twitter https://twitter.com/Chiro_Forward YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtc-IrhlK19hWlhaOGld76Q iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/chiropractic-forward-podcast-chiropractors-practicing/id1331554445?mt=2 Player FM Link https://player.fm/series/2291021 Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-chiropractic-forward-podcast-chiropractors-practicing-through TuneIn https://tunein.com/podcasts/Health–Wellness-Podcasts/The-Chiropractic-Forward-Podcast-Chiropractors-Pr-p1089415/ About the Author & Host Dr. Jeff Williams – Fellow of the International Academy of Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine (FIANM) and Board Certified Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Professionals (DABFP) – Chiropractor in Amarillo, TX, Chiropractic Advocate, Author, Entrepreneur, Educator, Businessman, Marketer, and Healthcare Blogger & Vlogger      

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