Urine Testing

Apart from the standard billilab stick testing of urine, the urine itself can tell us a lot about you as a person and how you are functioning.

By taking slides of your urine along with other laboratory tests we can see if there are any metabolic waste products, some of which can be detrimental to your health.

A lot of people don't drink water, they will drink anything else but water.

Water is a substance that your body uses for nutrition, oxygen, and detoxifying, but yet people still want it as tea, coffee, fizzy drinks.

It is NOT the same, no matter what you think other beverages may be, water is water.

Some people even say they don't like water, which in its self is a disaster waiting to happen.

If you don't water a plant what does it do?

It will start to die off and shrivel, guess what's happening to you if your hydration rate is low.

If 'things' are not hydrated, then rather like the plant or its leaves they become DRY.

If something is dry, and you keep using it, what will this start to cause?

A friction, with friction comes heat, with heat comes inflammation, starting to get the 'gist' of where I'm going.

If a medical term finishes with 'itis' this means inflammation of whatever the name is before the itis.

Here are some terms that you may have heard of :

Each of the above is intimately concerned with the 'water works', why do we call our urinary systems water works.

Why not tea works, coffee works or fizzy drinks works, are you starting to get the 'idea'?

This is also why as a clinic we do urine testing, to see if the patient is functioning as they should be.

As practitioners we could massage and manipulate you add infinitum but if your 'water works' are the root cause then we will not get anywhere, every action has a reaction.

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Times Guide research questions competence of selected practitioners?

Why the question mark above?

Well the GOsC supposedly checked everyone out for safety, competency and legality (this is their flagship statement) used with public enquiries etc, now read on .....

 

Times Guide research questions competence of selected practitioners.

Michael Endacott of the ICM comments on a recent Times assessment of acupuncturists, chiropractors, herbalists, homoeopaths and osteopaths.

Hundreds of complementary medicine practitioners are potentially putting their patients’ lives at risk by failing to follow even basic safety procedures, concludes research published in a two-part guide in The Times (10th January 04).

A comprehensive study of more than 4,500 therapists offering a range of complementary therapies (acupuncture, chiropractic, herbal medicine, homeopathy and osteopathy) found a large number not taking medical histories from their patients and failing to stop treatments that didn’t work. Most did not contact family doctors as a matter of course when treating a patient, while many others did not keep up with the latest developments in their field, according to The Times.

The research was carried out by the independent healthcare company, Dr Foster, and published as two Guides under the regular Body and Soul Saturday section of the paper. Roger Taylor, research director of Dr Foster, is quoted as saying that the study is intended to provide the public and GPs with information on which therapists meet the best professional standards. "This is the first time such a study has been undertaken which, given the level of interest in complementary therapies, is surprising," says Mr Taylor.

This Dr Foster study claims to show that just 10% of homeopaths and 16% of herbalists will stop treatment after two months if it has failed to work. Only 11% of osteopaths provided information routinely to patients’ GPs of the treatment they were giving. The Guide suggests that by far the best of the alternative practitioners were acupuncturists. But even then only 41% routinely gave the correct information to patients about treatments. Only 13% of herbalists properly labeled remedies given to patients.

Of the five criteria measured by Dr Foster, none of the 800 homeopaths and herbalists surveyed performed adequately in all categories. More than 20% of osteopaths and 10% of chiropractors satisfied only one criterion.

It appears that Dr Foster developed a series of questions to establish the practitioner’s credentials and competence. Consumers were asked what information they would like to have, then questions were written on this basis in association with Exeter University. The Guide then states, "The questionnaires were then circulated for consultation with the Department of Health, the Foundation of Integrated Medicine and the NHS Alliance, as well as the practitioners’ organisations mentioned in the guide and their members."

The ICM, who were not consulted, has asked Dr Foster to supply a copy of the questionnaire but, at the time of writing, it has not been received. The ICM believes that a full investigation should be conducted into the terms of reference used for this report since osteopathy and chiropractic have both been regulated by statutory Acts since 1993/4. Further, what are the rights of the patient and did the questionnaire reflect the current practical conditions within which complementary practitioners must work?See ICM comment - research questions competency of practitioners.

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Case History of a Canadian Gentleman 

A recent case history of a gentleman who was over here on vacation from Canada and staying with relatives, who have received treatment from us previously.

The gentleman had very little mobility in his arms, unable to elevate because of shoulder pain, his hands were also 'stiff'.

His back and knees were also a problem, but his main complaint was the difficulty in walking without considerable pain.

He had seen a doctor and had blood tests, which found that he was low on iron, so he was given 300mg per day, which is a high dose.

He was also given very strong pain killers, which were when we checked supposed to be taken for 4 weeks with 2 weeks off.

He had taken these for 2 months without a break, he did not know or had not been advised about his medication.

On examination most of his joints showed osteoarthritis (remember 'itis'), the joints were also swollen, BUT the most worrying parts were his ankles and feet, they had what is known as pitted oedema.

Which is a condition were the kidneys are not functioning as they should do, so water is not being filtered through the kidneys as it would be normally.

The medication he was given, can also cause this problem unbeknown to him and is another reason why he should have been monitored by his physician.

He really did not drink water or alcohol, but liked his tea and drank lots of this beverage.

Urine testing / analysis revealed high metabolic wastes and uric acidity.

He was asked to stop his pain medication as it wasn't a life saving 'must have medication', he was treated with acupuncture and given a kidney herbal remedy for 1 week and asked to drink a lot more water.

Also to elevate his legs, when resting as much as possible.

If his ankles did not reduce in swelling then he should see a GP.

He returned 1 week later, shoulders, arms and hands a lot more mobility.

Knees were also a lot better with mobility but still some discomfort.

His ankles / feet were 80% better with very little pitted oedema (swelling), he was treated again with acupuncture and commented on his knees feeling better as he left the clinic.

He was given an appointment in 2 weeks time with herbal remedy and again asked to keep his water intake up.

So water is important, remember the shrivelling leaves etc.

Water is your body's main lubricant, nothing more, nothing less than plain simple filtered water from most peoples perspective.

Incidentally the pain medication he was taking cost him $170-00 or there about, that's a lot of water!

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