Louisville Chiropractor on The Flu

One Flu… and its Over.

Many of our patients ask us about whether or not they should get the flu shot.  Advertisements are everywhere about getting the Flu Vaccine.  I have even seen drive through vaccination centers set up.

Let’s look at the flu itself.  If you get it you can be sick for anywhere from 24 hours to 7 days.  It can be miserable.  But once you have had a certain strain of the flu you build up a life long immunity to that strain.  Overall, it makes you stronger.

The National Vaccine Information Center reports 20,000 deaths each year from complications from the flu such as pneumonia.  Most deaths are related to people who already have a compromised immune system, are elderly, and those who are suffering from diabetes, kidney dysfunction, and heart disease.

Officials from the Federal Health Agency try to guess which three specific strains of the flu virus are most likely to occur each year.  They take these three inactivate them with formaldehyde and preserve them with thimerosal.  (Thimerosal contains mercury which can cause brain damage, etc.)  If they choose the right strains, then, it is 70 to 80 % effective in people under the age of 65 for decreasing flu symptoms.  It is only 30-40% effective in those over 65.

Side Effects of the flu vaccine include fever, fatigue, joint pain, and headaches.  It can also lead to Guillian-Barre Syndrome within 2 to 4 weeks.  This condition includes muscle weakness, unsteady gait, numbness, tingling, pain and sometimes paralysis. Recovery does take several months and can lead to permanent disability, 5% lead to death.

The results of the vaccine seem promising until we realize that the immunity from the vaccine only lasts for 6 months.  Immunity from getting the strain of the Flu is life long.

What about the new FluMist nasal spray vaccine?

This new type of flu vaccine was just approved in June of 2003.   It can be sprayed into the nose and reportedly gives the same benefits as the flu vaccine.  The Dow Jones Business News reported in September  “MedImmune, the manufacturer of FluMist, recently announced that it signed an agreement that makes FluMist, the new intranasal influenza vaccine, readily available to people as they shop at Wal-Mart, the worlds biggest retailer.” [1]

The injected vaccine contains a dead virus.  The new nasal spray contains a live weakened virus.  Research shows this virus being released from the person for up to three weeks.

The manufacturer recommends that people not get flu mist vaccine if they have:

Asthma, are pregnant, have diabetes or kidney disorders, chronic heart or lung conditions…. And the list goes on.  Further, they recommend staying away from people with these problems or who are immunocompromised for 21 days because of the shedding of the virus.  A natural reaction to putting something up you nose is to sneeze.

A sneeze projects mist out of the nose at about 150 miles per hour.   Now THAT can spread a virus.

A prescription is required only if the person is under the age of 17 according to the Flu Mist website. [4]

Barbara Loe Fisher from the National Vaccine Information Center  states, “When more people have been exposed to the flu shot as opposed to the disease, you have fewer and fewer people who have any kind of permanent immunity to any strains of the flu,  we become basically vaccine dependent.”

Chiropractic care helps boost you immune system so your body can fight off any infections faster.  And the healthier you are, the better your internal resistance, the better your body will fight off any infection.

As for me and my family we will NOT be getting the flu vaccine and we will limit our shopping at stores that are giving the Flu-Mist nasal spray to shoppers.  To find out where the FluMist viral particles will be the highest visit their website a www.flumist.com

1. Dow Jones Business News. Sept. 12, 2003. FluMist Available In Pharmacies This Fall.

2 FluMist package insert and Website information www.flumist.com

3. Website for National Vaccine Information Center  WWW.909shot.com

Patrick Lowe is a Chiropractor in Louisville, KY.  His office serves Anchorage KY, Lyndon KY, Middletown KY, Crestwood KY, Jeffersontown KY and Louisville’s East End.  Lowe Chiropractic & Wellness is located at 10306 Shelbyville Rd in Dorsey Plaza.  Lowe Chiropractic treats people suffering from lower back pain, neck pain, head aches, neuropathy and many other conditions.   http://www.louisville-chiropractor.com