The Connection Between Body and Mind

Have you ever felt intense back pain that you thought was caused by “sleeping funny?” Have you ever bent over to tie your shoes, but were not able to straighten up afterward? When intense back or neck pain happens seemingly out of the blue, one of the things you may be experiencing is psychosomatic pain. This is defined as a pain that can manifest physically, but originates from mental or emotional causes.

A simple example of this is what physically happens to your body during a negative emotion, such as anger or fear. If your computer hard drive crashed and important files were lost, you would feel more tense. As a result, your muscles would be tighter and your normal range of motion would be decreased, leaving you more likely to experiences strains. Normal, everyday motions such as tying your shoes or looking over your shoulder can become difficult.

This imbalance can even be magnified by pre-existing conditions. Chiropractors work to maximize your muscle and joint movement, therefore minimizing your chances of physical pain from your state of mind.

Is it just a cold, or is it Sinusitis?

Sinus infections - or sinusitis - are very similar to a common cold, and because of this, can be hard to distinguish. Sinusitis is actually more likely to arise after contracting a cold and if your condition remains for more than seven days it is likely a sinus infection. Symptoms include mucous discharge and blockage, headache, fever, facial and teeth pain, bad taste in the mouth, and coughing to expel mucous. Sinusitis can also be caused by a virus, bacteria, or fungus, with each requiring a different treatment.

Some ways to manage symptoms include the following:
•Drink lots of fluids to thin mucous.
•Breathe steam through the nose to keep the nasal passages moist. This can be done in the shower or with a bowl of hot water.
•Place a warm cloth over your face to cover the nasal area to relieve pain and pressure. Hold the cloth for ten minutes and repeat throughout the day.
•Decongestant sprays or pills can help free up nasal passages, but excessive use can actually cause more congestion.
•Nasal cleansing - a neti pot and other similar devices flush out proinflammatory substances.
If these procedures do not help, perhaps antibiotics are necessary. You should ask a doctor if they are right for your condition, as they only treat bacterial infection and overuse can lead to antibiotic resistance.

Inflammation

Is all inflammation bad for you? No, some inflammation is necessary to heal your body. When you damage muscles, tendons or ligaments, you often see inflammation and reduced function in the affected areas. The inflammatory response allows tissue repair and limits further damage by restricting movement in the injured area. However, excessive or chronic inflammation prevents healing, and your body becomes more susceptible to disease. Besides joint related diseases like arthritis, inflammation can be a key contributor to heart disease, stroke, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, Alzheimer’s disease and chronic fatigue syndrome.

One main contributor to inflammation is free radical molecules. It is not possible to completely stop your body from producing free radicals because it is part of natural metabolic processes. In fact, every time you breathe, you create free radicals. However, you should know the steps you can take to limit the production of free radicals and reduce inflammation in your body.

Our environment and lifestyle can contribute significantly to the development of inflammation. Avoid exposure to pesticides by eating organic food. When it comes to diet, consume plenty of fruits and vegetables, especially raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, kale and spinach. For protein rich sources, opt for fish over meat. Legumes and nuts are also good sources of protein. Exercise to keep your body in an appropriate weight range. Stress also promotes inflammation, so learn stress management techniques to keep it under control. Feel free to ask me for more tips on improving your diet and lifestyle.

Curing and Preventing Carpal Tunnel

Whereas traditional medicine tends to focus in the area of the pain, chiropractors consider the entire kinetic chain. Dysfunctional neurological patterns in the neck can cause abnormal firing patterns in different muscles, including the ones that lead into the wrist and hand. Therefore, it is important to consider the mechanics of your neck and upper back. Vertebral subluxations in these areas could be one of the main contributing factors to your CTS!

In addition, chiropractors also know how the alignment of the bones in your wrist and elbow could be the cause of your symptoms. When joints are not aligned properly, the resulting inflammation and pain can cause spasm of the muscles in the area of the subluxation, plus irritation of the surrounding soft tissues. This alone could be the cause of the swelling and irritation of the tendons in the carpal tunnel. Sometimes, just a quick and gentle adjustment applied to one of the bones in these areas can help relieve the pressure.

When it comes to carpal tunnel syndrome, like any other maladies in the body, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! You should always...

• Consider the ergonomics of your workstation. Repetitive movements are not the problem—it is repetitive movement when your muscles and joints are at a disadvantage, leading to repetitive strain and pain.
• Take regular breaks when your job requires repetitive tasks. During your break periods, a little bit of stretching (of the tight muscles) can go a long way.
• Seek help when the CTS symptoms are just beginning to show up. The earlier you attend to these aches and pains, the better the chances of coming to a quick resolution of this painful condition.

If you start to feel the symptoms of CTS, feel free to contact me. Chiropractic care can be a very effective tool to reduce the symptoms of CTS. I can conduct special tests to help determine the cause of the problem, and adjustments delivered right away can help prevent it from becoming a painful, chronic problem.

Identification of Carpal Tunnel

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common nerve entrapment syndrome. It is a painful condition caused by irritation or compression of the median nerve. Patient complaints are usually limited to the thumb and index finger, but in some cases may also involve the rest of the hand, the wrist and even the forearm.

This syndrome derives its name from the location where the nerve irritation/compression most often occurs—in the carpal tunnel of the wrist. Anatomically, the bones of the wrist are positioned in an arch-shaped arrangement that leaves enough space for nerves, tendons and blood vessels to pass to the hand and fingers—this area is called the Carpal Tunnel. If the passageway of this tunnel becomes crowded, the resulting pressure on the median nerve can result in any of the symptoms mentioned above.

One of the most commonly reported causes of CTS symptoms is inflammation of the tendons passing through the carpal tunnel. However, irritation of the median nerve can also be caused by displacement of one of the carpal bones, or irritation of the nerve at other locations—such as the neck, shoulder or near the elbow. Activities known to contribute to this type of syndrome are those associated with repetitive contraction of the small muscles of the hand: like typing, knitting or sewing.