脊醫淺談(18)

北半球很多國家城市，嚴寒的冬天都會下雪。屋脊，樹幹， ‘大街小巷’ 都積滿著茫茫白雪，構成一幅美麗的圖畫，傾羨了很多住在熱帶、亞熱帶地區的朋友與至親夢寐過著一個白色聖誕節。可是濕滑的白雪，卻帶來每年無數摔倒的意外。

居住房子的朋友，幾乎家家戶戶都會添置一條長梯，以方便維修屋頂，修剪樹枝，及清理淤塞的排水管道。可是，每年卻帶來無數從梯子摔下來的意外。

據Carol J Lehtola, University of Florida指出，在 1999 年，美國有超過一百萬人因滑倒，摔跤，高處跌下意外受傷，而其中有超過17,000人死亡。平均每宗意外受傷直接醫療費用近 US$28,000.- 而間接費用高達 US$46,000.-

據Ontario Service Safety Alliance(OSSA)2009年資料，加拿大每年有近60,000 工人因跌倒受傷，影響及損失近15% 的工作生產時間。摔倒受傷近60% 是因滑到或摔跤，而其餘40% 是從高處跌下。

滑到、摔跤或高處跌下的主要成因：
‧濕滑路面
‧天氣
‧地氈、電線鬆脫
‧障礙物
‧梯子不平衡
‧高空工作臺意外

澳洲政府衛生及福利學院於2009年2月發表了由Flinders University Clare Bradley 及 Sophie Pointer 的 2005-2006年長者因摔倒住院研究及統計報告(Hospitalisations due to falls by older people, Australia 2005–06) 指出：

2005-2006 年65 歲以上長者因摔倒住院的人數

‧為66,800 比2003-2004年上升 10%.
‧按長者人口比率每 100,000為 2,415
‧因滑到、摔跤或高處跌下住院的人數以女性佔多數
‧滑倒，摔跤，絆倒意外受傷普遍發生在平地或相同高度
‧意外受傷普遍發生在家居

很多人認為滑倒，摔跤，高處跌下意外受傷是個人的小問題，不會影響社會。但當我們細心地想，每年意外受傷的眾人數，卻不是單影響個人日常生活，還會增重醫療負擔、減慢商業活動、工時損失、及影響國民年生產總值。假如意外受傷發生於國家領導、重要官員，這就更可能阻礙、延誤決定國策。

‘十年寒窗’抱負成為脊醫，有些人認為只是為了個人的榮耀。但當滑倒，摔跤，高處跌下意外受傷而影響脊椎神經移位，這不單是脊醫醫療的職責，更是為了國家而出分貢獻。脊醫本義，要迅速把脊椎移位復位，減輕患者痛楚，不適。可讓病者儘快返回工作職位，加快商業活動、減少工作時間損失、舒緩醫療負擔、繼而正面影響國民年生產總值。假設意外受傷發生於國家領導、重要決策官員，這脊椎神經移位復位就可使他們儘早康復及議定國策。

在這，正好想到古語云： ‘國家興忙，匹夫有責’ ，如果我們都能為國家出點力，國家便可成長、富強、興盛，反之，眾人皆 ‘好逸惡勞’、依靠國家福利，這就構成對國家經濟、福利沈重負擔。 又聯想起已故美國總統約翰•甘迺迪曾說過： "Ask not what your country can do for you --ask what you can do for your country." 兩者具備 ‘異曲同工’ 之意。

脊醫先鋒B. J. Palmer在 1944撰寫 ‘THE BIG IDEA’ ，他呼籲不可認同滑倒，摔跤，高處跌下意外受傷是個人的小問題，因小問題可演變成大問題，而個人意外受傷是的小問題，足可影響一個國家的經濟及決策。而脊醫個人把病者脊椎神經移位復位的小治療，也足可正面影響一個國家的經濟發展及決策。

現把B. J. Palmer的 ‘THE BIG IDEA’ 刊登如下：


THE BIG IDEA

A slip on the snowy sidewalk in winter is a small thing.
It happens to millions.
A fall from a ladder in the summer is a small thing. It also happens to millions.
The slip or fall produces a subluxation. The subluxation is a small thing.
The subluxation produces pressure on a nerve. That pressure is a small thing.
That decreased flowing produces a dis-eased body and brain. That is a big thing to that man.
Multiply that sick man by a thousand, and you control the physical and mental welfare of a city.
Multiply that man by one–hundred thirty million, and you forecast and can prophesy the physical and mental status of a nation.
So the slip or fall, the subluxation, pressure, flow of mental images and dis-ease are big enough to control the thoughts and actions of a nation.
Now comes a man. And one man is a small thing.
This man gives an adjustment. The adjustment is a small thing.
The adjustment replaces the subluxation. That is a small thing.
The adjusted subluxation releases pressure upon nerves.
That is a small thing.
The released pressure restores health to a man. This is a big thing to that man.
Multiply that well man by a thousand, and you step up the physical and mental welfare of a city.
Multiply that well man by a million, and you increase the efficiency of a state.
Multiply that well man by a hundred thirty million, and you have produced a healthy, wealthy, and better race for posterity.
So, adjustment of the subluxation to release pressure upon nerves, to restore mental impulses, flow, to restore health, is big enough to rebuild the thoughts and actions of the world.
The idea that knows the cause, that can correct the cause of dis-ease, is one on the biggest ideas known. Without it, nations fall; with it, nations rise.
This idea is the biggest I know of.

B. J. Palmer, Chiropractor, 1944


Sources : B. J. Palmer, The Big Idea
Carol J Lehtola, University of Florida
Ontario Service Safety Alliance(OSSA)2009 Hospitalisations due to falls by older people, Australia 2005–06, Flinders University