Can Dizziness And Vertigo Be Caused By Dehydration?

Yes, dizziness and vertigo can be caused by dehydration.  Your brain is made mostly of water.  Your body is made mostly of water for that matter.  When you don’t get enough water, it can alter brain and nerve function and sign of this happening is dizziness.

How do you know if you are dehydrated?  Well, if you drink less than 64 oz. (2 liters) of water a day, you are dehydrated.  64 oz. of water is one half a gallon.  That’s water.  Not, juice, soda, coffee, milk, beer, tea or soup. Water.  If you don’t drink enough water, your body can extract water from these drinks in order to save your life.  But, in the long run, you will never get enough water to get you out of a dehydrated state.  And, you will start to get symptoms.

If you exercise or work and sweat a lot, you will need even more water.  In that case, take your body weight, divide it by two and that is the number of ounces of water you will need every day.  For example, I am 180 pounds, so I need 90 ounces of water a day, because I do work out and sweat.

Many people say to me “Well, I don’t feel thirsty, how can I be dehydrated ?”  And, it can be kind of confusing.  You see, when you have been dehydrated for a long time, your thirst mechanism shuts down.  You don’t feel thirsty until your mouth is actually dry.  It’s a strange phenomenon, but if you start drinking water regularly, your thirst mechanism comes back.

Drinking enough water is part of the treatment regimen I prescribe for dizziness and vertigo. If you suffer from one of these ailments, you should definitely try drinking more water.  If that doesn’t take it away completely, the answer may be elsewhere and you may need a combination of therapies to get relief.

To find out more about how I treat dizziness and vertigo log on to www.stopvertigonow.com.  Or call Jennifer at 262-251-8306 to schedule a free no obligation consultation where we can go over your situation and see if I can help.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome-Who Can Fix It?

When you have painful carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), life can be miserable.  Dreams and goals are often put on hold.  What’s worse, many CTS sufferers don’t know what type of doctor to go to or where to get accurate, cutting edge advise.

Chiropractors are often thought of as just “back doctors” but research shows they can be a big help with CTS. For example, one study reported significant improvements in strength, range of motion, and pain reduction after chiropractic treatment was given to 25 patients diagnosed with CTS.  Even better, the majority of the patients reported continued improvements for 6 months or more.

In another study, this time comparing chiropractic care to standard medical care between 91 patients with CTS, one group received standard medical care (night wrist splint and 2400 mg/day of ibuprofen). A second group received chiropractic treatment that consisted of spinal and wrist adjustments, ultrasound, and wrist splinting at night. This study proved that chiropractic care could be included as a drug free form of therapy for patients with CTS.

Like all doctors’ offices, care may vary from office to office. But, if you are looking for a Chiropractor who offers safe and effective wrist and hand symptom care, log on to www.relieffromcarpaltunnel.com for more information.

Or call 262-251-8306 and talk to Jennifer about a free consultation with no obligation for treatment.

References

1)  Davis PT, Hulbert JR, Kassak KM, Meyer JJ. Comparative efficacy of conservative medical and chiropractic treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome: a randomized clinical trial.  Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1998;21(5):317-326.

2.   Bonebrake AR, Fernandez JE, Dahalan JB, Marley RJ. A treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome. Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1993;16(3):125-139.

Fibromyalgia and Food Additives?

Yes, according to an article in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy, fibromyalgia can be caused by food additives called excitotoxins.

These excitotoxins, excite nerve endings that carry pain messages to the brain.  Just as morphine blocks pain, excitotoxins cause pain.

The study followed four patients who had fibromyalgia for up to 17 years.  All four had symptoms completely resolve by eliminating all excitotoxins from their diet.  It is a small study, but the fact that all four got completely well, should encourage you to try eliminating excitotoxins your the diet.

What are excitotoxins ?  The two biggest culprits are glutamate (MSG) and Aspartame (Nutrasweet).  Try not eating Glutamate or Aspartame for a month and see if you don’t feel better.  Glutamate can be tough to eliminate because it has other names like modified food starch.  Basically, stay away from processed food and you’ll be fine.

Fibromyalgia symptoms have many causes but diet is usually a piece of the puzzle.  For more information on how I treat fibromyalgia log on to www.stopyourfibronow.com and order your free information.  Or, you can call Jennifer at 262-251-8306 and set up an appointment with me for a free, no obligation for treatment, consultation.  We can discuss your situation and see if I can help.

What is a Spondylolisthesis?

Spondylolisthesis pronounced,  \ˌspän-də-lō-lis-ˈthē-səs\   or spondylo for short.

Spondylolisthesis is a big word that describes a condition where a vertebra has slipped forward on top of the one below it.  The vertebra can slip so far forward that it can choke off nerve roots in the spine and cause shooting pain.

A spondylolisthesis is most commonly found on the very lowest vertebra (L5) or the one above it (L4).  Although, I have seen them at higher levels in the spine on rare occasions.

The most common cause of a spondylolisthesis is a stress fracture.  The fracture splits the vertebra so that the front part slips forward and the back part stays where it is.  Sometimes you can feel around with your fingers and find a divot where the spine dips in, just above the involved vertebra.  The stress fracture usually occurs during physical activity during adolescence, but they can occur at other times.

Sometimes the fracture is missed on standard imaging because no slippage has occurred.  This is called a pending spondylolisthesis and only shows up on a study called a SPECT scan.

The odd thing about spondylos is that many people have them and don’t even know it.  It may happen to you as a teenager and you may have little or no pain at that time.  However, if your posture deteriorates or you injure the area, it can flare up and cause a lot of pain.

Spondylo patients can be treated with chiropractic, but not all techniques work well.  Since the vertebra is already forward, a technique that will push it more forward, is obviously not advisable.  The main goal of treatment is to correct the patient’s posture, so that there is less stress in the area of the spondylo.  That can give a lot of pain relief.

Treatment is followed up with home instructions for care that will help prevent re-aggravation.

To learn more about how I treat spondylolisthesis log onto www.newbackpainreliefinfo.com.  Or if you would like to set up a free consultation to see if I can help, call Jennifer at 262-251-8306.

Ice or Heat for Low Back Pain?

I am often asked whether to use ice or heat when you hurt your back.  And, the answer is most definitely ice.  Ice, Ice, ICE!

In 14 years of practice, I have only seen one patient that got into trouble using ice.  This patient put an ice pack directly on his skin and he developed frostbite.

In contrast, I get two patients a month who sustain a mild back injury.  They put a heating pad on it and in the morning they can’t stand up due to severe pain.  The heat caused the injury to swell and it will take about twice as long to heal.  The swelling must be brought down with ice, and then the chiropractic treatment can be allowed to work.

Be aware, emergency room doctors and nurses are notorious for telling patients to use heating pads on their backs and necks.  I have no idea why.  The scientific literature is pretty clear on this point and you should be too.  Any new injury should be iced for the first 48 to 72 hours.  After that, heat can be used, but in my experience I would only suggest it if the pain is significantly less.  And, I would only use it under the advice of a professional.

When in doubt ice.  20 minutes every two hours and go to your chiropractor as soon as possible.

For more information on how I treat back pain, go to www.newbackpainreliefinfo.com or call Jennifer at 262-251-8306 to schedule an appointment for a free consultation to see if I can help.

Solutions to Chronic Pain As Seen On What’s Cookin’?

I had the great pleasure of being on a local cable TV  cooking show called “What’s Cookin’ ?”.

The show is hosted by KC Thorson who also teaches organic cooking classes and sells different tasty and healthy food items.

The show is about the health benefits of fish. I talk about the high amounts of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids in salmon and other fatty fish.  This show may be of interest to you, because fibromyalgia, endometriosis, arthritis, degenerative discs and chronic fatigue are related to lack of Vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids in the diet.
At the end KC cooks some salmon in mustard/tamari sauce. The fish is excellent!! You’ll see me continuing to nibble on it while KC is talking at the end
of the show!

You can see the show on the web at the following links:

http://fallscable-wi.pegcentral.com/player.php?video=d14c5730b1795f6e4e2c8a
http://fallscable-wi.pegcentral.com/player.php?video=d14c5730b179
www.fallscableaccess.com

So check it out. I had fun doing it and I think you’ll enjoy watching it.

If you are suffering from chronic pain, good nutrition is the foundation you will need to feel better.  However, you will need assistance from a physician that knows what you will need to eat and how to supplement safely and effectively.

For help on this, call Jennifer or Leah at 262-251-8306 and they can set up a free consultation when we can go over your health status and see if I can help.

If you have fibromyalgia go to www.stopyourfibronow.com for important information that can help you get better.

Is High Fructose Corn Syrup Good For You?

I’ve been asked more than once about a web-site called www.sweetsurprise.com.  The web-site is advertised on TV.  It discusses high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and how it’s supposedly good for you!

Well, I beg to differ.

There is some evidence that HFCS has more impact than regular sugar on blood glucose.  Also, if you are allergic to corn, you can have a reaction to it.

The web-site claims that HFCS is no more dangerous for you than sugar.  It sites a few studies that seem to indicate that it effects the body just like table sugar.  So, for the sake of argument let’s say that’s true.

My point is, any sugar is dangerous for your health!  Too much leads to obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, nervous system disorders and on and on.

The reason processed food manufacturers use lots of sugars in their products is that eating it actually makes you more hungry. Whether it is HFCS or regular sugar, the result is the same.  You eat the product, you get more hungry, you eat more of the product.

The biggest reason HFCS is so dangerous is that it is cheap.  Cheaper than sugar.  So now companies can add more of it to their products, at a cheaper cost and as a result, you get more hungry and eat more of their products.

Another problem is that companies now add HFCS to products that never contained sugar before, due to the expense.  So now you have bread with high amounts of HFCS in it, which makes you hungry for more bread.  That’s a quick way to obesity and diabetes.

My advice is to stay away from HFCS, sugar and sugar substitutes like aspartame and splenda.  Which basically means, stay away from foods that come in boxes, bags and cans.  Look for organic foods.  Eat lots of vegetables, meat in moderation, fruit, nuts and whole grains in smaller amounts.

If you are interested in any more information or any of the services we offer, you can check out some of our other blog posts, or  you can call Jennifer or Leah at 262-251-8306 and set up a FREE consultation and posture evaluation to see if I can help you get pain free-great posture.

Article by Dr. Paul Kramer, DC of Menomonee Falls WI

Is Chiropractic Safe After Spinal Surgery?

If you have had back surgery, chances are you are still in pain.  Studies show that 53% of patients who have undergone spinal surgery are still in pain or feeling worse.

In my opinion, spinal surgery has such a high failure rate because it fails to address the spinal alignment problems that created the need for the surgery in the first place.

I have had many patients tell me that their surgeon warned them to “Never see a chiropractor !”  But, out of desperation, they came to see me anyway, just to try and get some relief.  Unfortunately, if you asked these same surgeons, “what does a chiropractor do that is so bad ?”  they probably wouldn’t have much of an answer for you.

The good news is, chiropractic procedures can be done on patients after they have had spinal surgery.  The bad news is, it is more difficult to get a good outcome.  Difficult, but not impossible.

It is more difficult because structures that were once there, are now removed.  This is the case when a laminectomy is done.  Or, vertebrae have been fused together, which makes it more difficult to work around that area.

However, realigning the areas above and below the surgery sight can provide a great deal of relief.  I have had many patients get excellent pain relief, freedom of movement and reduction in pain medication after a good course of chiropractic treatment.

If you are in pain after spinal surgery, I would definitely suggest trying specific chiropractic techniques.  And, I would look for someone who has training and experience in treating post-surgical spinal cases.  If the treatment is working, you should feel at least some relief after a couple of weeks of treatment.  From there, your doctor should be able to make further recommendations for treatment, based on his findings and how you have responded.

For more information on the care I provide, log on to www.newbackpainreliefinfo.com.

The best thing to do, if you have had spinal surgery is to get a hold of any X-rays, CT’s or MRI’s you have had since your surgery and bring them with you to the free evaluation.  Then, I can tell you what I can do for you.  Some people with spinal fusions, I can’t treat.  Almost all laminectomy patients can be treated.  Basically, I need to see what was done, and the only way for me to do that is to see films.

If you don’t have access to your films, come in for the free evaluation anyway and we can talk about your situation.  I can get a good idea of what is going on and then send you for imaging if I think I might be able to help.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) – “Fact Sheet”

What is it?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) occurs when a nerve on the palm side of the wrist is pinched.  It is named after the area of the wrist where the nerve irritation occurs.  The Carpal Tunnel is basically a horseshoe shape made from 8 small carpal bones and the ends of the horseshoe are connected with a ligament.  This creates a tunnel where the a nerve called the median nerve and 9 tendons that control your fingers pass through.

What are the symptoms?

CTS symptoms start with pain in the wrist from the swelling of the tendons inside the Carpal Tunnel.  When the nerve pinch occurs, numbness, tingling, or a half asleep sensation going into the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th fingers occurs.  This is often worse at night due to the wrist being bent when asleep.  This often wakes the person and shaking/flicking the hand/fingers is needed to “wake them up.”  Grip weakness is also associated with CTS and the person may have difficulty holding onto objects or handling small parts.

What are the causes?

Usually, over use from repetitive work like meat packing, typing, sewing, carpentry and waiting tables.  These fast/repetitive movements cause swelling of the 9 tendons of the carpal tunnel which eventually irritates the median nerve.  Other causes include hormone related conditions such as hypothyroidism, dysmenorrheal, diabetes, and poor dietary habits.  Basically anything that causes the wrists to swell can lead to CTS.

How is it diagnosed?

The history of the symptoms as well as physical examination of the hands, arms, shoulders and neck leads to the correct diagnosis.  The exam consists of trying to reproduce the numbness in the fingers by pressing over the wrist and other areas where the nerve runs down the arm (including the neck where the nerve originates), tapping over the Carpal Tunnel with a reflex hammer, bending and holding the wrists at the extreme endpoints of motion.  More sophisticated testing includes an EMG (nerve conduction test) that tests the motor and sensory changes when the nerve is pinched.

How is it treated?

Chiropractic approaches include manipulation of the wrist, hand, forearm, shoulder and neck, specifically addressing the areas where the Median nerve can get pinched stretched or irritated.  Soft tissue therapy includes massage and physical therapy modalities such as low level laser.  Exercise training to stretch and strengthen the wrists and forearms is very helpful.  Nutritional counseling and supplementation is often necessary.

You May be a candidate for a treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome without Drugs or Surgery! For More information, log on to: www.relieffromcarpaltunnel.com

Or To Schedule a FREE no obligation consultation with me, Dr. Paul Kramer, call Leah or Jennifer at 262-251-8306