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This evening I wasn’t sure what to write about, so my
assistant and a patient together decided to discuss some of the adjunctive
care we do in our offices. We
elected on three adjuncts to discuss.
The first is carpal tunnel syndrome.
This is a somewhat new phenomenon.
Following the Australian patterns of ill being, carpal tunnel
syndrome combined with cubital tunnel syndrome is named double crushed
syndrome or DCS. This is
because the nerve is “crushed” or irritated at the spine and primes the
nerve for further irritation distally at the wrist as the result of the
initial spinal nerve irritation. Some
of the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include numbness and pain in the
hand, a difficulty squeezing the affected hand, and a multiple of referred
pains. Many times carpal tunnel
syndrome has been misdiagnosed as an orthopedic disorder.
There is a technique of chiropractically adjusting the wrist
articulation to increase the wrist’s range of motion and relieve any
impingement of the nerves. If
this technique works, it is obviously not a true carpal tunnel syndrome.
Cubital tunnel syndrome is a similar disorder in which pressure on
the ulnar nerve in the elbow causes numbness and tingling in the ring and
small fingers of the hand. The elbow can also be adjusted to help relieve pressure on
the ulnar nerve in treatment for cubital tunnel syndrome. The reduction of pressure on the nerve helps to restore
normalcy to the area and relieve pain and related symptoms.
The second most spoken about extremity disorder is that
of the shoulder. There are many
misunderstandings with rotator cuff tears, subluxation, or arthritis of the
shoulder. In the past, the
shoulder would be manipulated under general anesthesia.
Now we can effectively treat the shoulder by using laser therapies,
acupuncture, and manual manipulation without any anesthesia.
The ultimate goal of treatment is to increase the range of motion and
eliminate pain with manipulation. This
will begin the ultimate process of healing.
The third extremity of distress is the complaints of
the foot. Most often, these
complaints are concerning the tarsals and metatarsals.
The loss of the arch in the foot is also of concern and discomfort.
The foot and ankle can be adjusted to help to eliminate the achy,
stingy feeling of the ankles, as this is a precursor for arthritic growth
and loss of balance and stability.
These chiropractic manipulations of the wrist,
shoulder, and foot, are a direct sensory response from the spinal cord to
the brain to stimulate the healing process of almost any damaged
articular surface. These
considerations should be thought of prior to invasive surgical techniques
that, even with the best of medical intentions, do not always relieve the
symptoms.
Chiropractically
Yours,
Robert
R. Zinser, D.C., C.C.S.P., P.C.
www.zinserchiropractic.com
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