What Stretches Can I Do For My Sciatica?

I am asked this question quite often, and the correct answer is a little complicated.

Stretching does not alleviate sciatica.  It only makes it worse.

The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body.  It starts in the lower back and goes all the way down the legs to the toes.  It commonly gets irritated from poor posture, degenerative discs, narrowing of the spinal canal (spinal stenosis), swollen joints in the spine, or problems with the pelvic joints (sacro-iliac joints).

When the sciatic nerve gets irritated or pinched, it is very painful.  As a response, the muscles in the buttocks and the back of the legs spasm up.  Because the muscles are cramped and spastic, people with sciatica want to stretch.  Typically, they bend forward and stretch the hamstrings or they lay on the back and pull their legs up.

These stretches loosen up the spasms and give slight relief of the pain.  However, the stretching also elongates the sciatic nerve and causes more irritation.  The nerve irritation causes more pain and spasm.  So, the patient stretches more.  They get temporary relief from relaxing the spasms, but the nerve gets more irritated.  This leads to more pain and spasm…so the patient stretches more…and on and on it goes.

The stretching only gives temporary relief, but in the end, it makes the patient worse.

The best thing to do if you suffer from sciatica, is to get the cause of the problem solved.  You should find out if the cause is poor posture, degenerative discs, swollen spinal joints or a sacro-iliac joint problem.  All these conditions are treatable.  If the condition is properly treated, the sciatic pain and spasms go away.

For more information on sciatica treatment log on to: www.newbackpainreliefinfo.com

What Happens in “Whiplash?”

Whiplash is a slang term for an injury that occurs to the neck after the head has been literally “whipped” either forwards and backwards or sideways after a sudden jar. Therefore, this can occur from a slip / trip and fall, a bar room brawl, as well as from the classic car accident or motor vehicle collision. But what REALLY happens in a “whiplash” injury? To answer this, let’s talk about: 1. The mechanism of injury; 2. The different types of injuries; and 3. The treatment options.

1. The Mechanism of injury: Let’s take the example of a rear-end crash from a motor vehicle collision (MVC). In this scenario, the “target” vehicle is struck from behind by the “bullet” vehicle propelling it forwards.

All of this occurs in LESS TIME than what we can NORMALLY voluntarily contract a muscle, which takes about 500 msec., so even when we anticipate the impending crash and we brace ourselves, we can’t really stop our neck from going through these movements.

2. Types of injuries: The term “sprain” refers to ligament (tough non-elastic tissue that holds bone to bone) injury and “strain” muscle/tendon (elastic tissues that move our bones) injury. There are 3 grades of sprain & strains (mild, moderate, and severe).  When these tissues are injured, there is usually a loss of movement and neck pain but not arm numbness or pain. When there is nerve injury, there is arm pain, numbness &/or weakness and generally, this is more serious but usually manageable without the need for surgery. When fractures occur, it’s either stable or unstable and may require surgery &/or a rigid collar.

3. Treatment: Most whiplash injuries are safely managed by chiropractic approaches (fractures are the exception).  Studies have shown that early movement results in a better result than wearing a collar or, not allowing movement. Therefore, gentle mobilization and manipulation approaches “…as soon as tolerated” favor a better outcome or result. There are many different techniques we use to help speed up the recovery process. Prompt treatment is important!

YOU MAY BE A CANDIDATE FOR CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR WHIPLASH! FOR A FREE NO-OBLIGATION CONSULTATION CALL 262-251-8306 Or log on to: www.painfree-greatposture.com

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Risky Jobs

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or CTS, is one of many “repetitive strain injuries” or RSI’s and it’s one of the most common work place injuries, second only to low back pain!  The term “Carpal Tunnel Syndrome” was first used in 1939 and since the 1950’s, this disabling overuse injury to the hand has been one of the most frequent work injuries reported. So, what jobs carry the greatest risk for developing CTS?

Basically, any job that requires fast, repetitive movements of the hands with little rest can be considered a potential “risky job.”  A partial list of the causes of RSI’s including CTS are: stress, tension/tightness of the arm muscles, inflammation of the wrist tendons, repetitive movements like keyboard/mouse work, poorly designed workstations, poor posture including awkward wrist/hand positions required on the job, heavy lift/carry workloads, vitamin deficiencies, and neck / spine complaints. Couple these jobs with age > 50, and being female – especially if she takes oral contraceptives (as they retain fluids), during pregnancy or menopause.

Here’s a list of jobs we can consider “risky”:

• Typists: When typing speeds reach 60 words / minute, for 8 hrs a day, there can be up to 25 tons of pressure each day exerted in the wrist. Frequent breaks are NEEDED!

• Computer users: The proper position is feet flat on the floor (adjustable chair necessary), arms at the side with elbows bent slightly MORE THAN 90 degrees; sitting up “tall” in the chair (prop a pillow, water bottle, or rolled up towel behind your back if necessary), tuck in the chin (avoid chin poking), and MOST IMPORTANT – TAKE BREAKS AS NEEDED.

• Musicians: If you think about it, what task requires faster, repetitive movements of the fingers in awkward positions?  For example, playing a flute. Or, how about piano, trumpet, saxophone, guitar, violin, drums… wait a minute!  Just about every instrument requires awkward hand positions and fast repetitive movements!  It’s no wonder a large percentage of musicians develop CTS / RSIs! Again, the secret is taking meaningful breaks and stretching and when it’s uncontrolled, come see us (but DON’T wait too long)!

• Line workers: There are many types of jobs where standing on a line while working in fast/repetitive environments such as assembling an engine, packing cookies, pushing wires into a harness, inserting screws, packing meat or fish, using vibrating tools, carpentry tasks such as screw driver use, hammering, sawing, lifting/carrying materials……..you get the picture!  These jobs are notorious for CTS!

• Other RSI’s: include tennis elbow, golfer’s/bowler’s elbow, cubital tunnel syndrome (numbness in the pinky), de Quervain’s disease (thumb tendonitis), and sports injuries (sprains/strains). Postal workers, cake decorators, dentists and hygienists, as well as waiters are all at risk for developing CTS.

The bottom line is: 1. Take multiple breaks. 2. Work at your own pace. 3. Wear a wrist brace at night. (If recommended) 4. See a chiropractor to loosen up those tight hand, forearm, shoulder and neck joints and muscles to relieve nerve pressure. DON’T jump right to surgery – it’s the “last resort.”

YOU MAY BE A CANDIDATE FOR NON-SURGICAL TREATMENT OF CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME!  FOR MORE INFORMATION LOG ON TO: www.relieffromcarpaltunnel.com

What Patients Can Expect From Chiropractic Care: Answers to Common Medical Questions

How long will it take for a patient to get relief ?
According to guidelines developed by independent researchers (1), patients should expect improvement in their conditions within the first 12 visits.  They may not be completely healed in this amount of treatment, but they should have symptomatic and functional improvement.  If no improvement is made in this amount of time, then chiropractic is not the modality of choice for them.

Most acute cases are resolved in 12 visits or less.

Severe acute, sub-acute and chronic cases will take longer, usually between two and six months to resolve.  These cases will have improvements in the first twelve visits, but not complete resolution.

Treatments are given 3 to 5 times per week at the beginning.  Treatment frequency is lessened as the patient progresses.

What are the potential side effects of treatment ?
Dangerous side effects are extremely rare. (2)  Media reports of stroke after chiropractic adjustments are not based on science. (3)

However, minor side effects, such as muscular soreness after treatment are common. (4)  They are usually temporary (less than 48 hours) and generally handled with ice or topical analgesics.

In my clinical experience, about 2/3 of all the patients I treat do not experience any soreness after treatment.  1/3 will, and it will subside after the initial 3 to 6 treatments.  The patients that get sore, usually have severe or chronic conditions and the soreness they feel is a reaction to the alignment changes made by the adjustments.  The reaction is very similar to a headache after a visit to the orthodontist.

What types of conditions respond well to chiropractic care ?
The conditions that respond best are musculo-skeletal problems involving the spine.  This has the largest body of literature showing effectiveness.  This would include back pain, neck pain, headaches, migraines, sciatica, radiating pain, degenerative disc disease and stenosis.  A smaller body of research and my own clinical experience has shown a marked effectiveness for carpal tunnel syndrome and fibromyalgia.

What types of patients respond well to chiropractic care ?
A patient that has not responded well to standard medical treatments, and is willing to try something different, is usually a good candidate for chiropractic.

Patients who are scared of, or biased against chiropractic, generally are not good candidates.  They typically will not allow the necessary procedures to be done, and will not follow home care instructions.

You and your patients can learn more about our office at www.painfree-greatposture.com

REFERENCES
(1)   Mercy Conference Guidelines, RAND Corporation, Frequency and Duration of Care, Chapter 8
(2)    SPINE: 15 February 2008 – Volume 33 – Issue 4S – pp S176-S183(3)  Lauretti W. The Comparative Safety of Chiropractic. In Daniel Redwood, ed., Contemporary Chiropractic. New York: Churchill Livingstone, 1997, p. 230-8.
(4)  SPINE: 1 October 2007 – Volume 32 – Issue 21 – pp 2375-2378

Is Chiropractic Safe?

Many people will not see a chiropractor because they think it is unsafe.  I understand completely.  The idea of moving bones around just doesn’t sound very good.

But, the fact remains that chiropractic is very safe and certain conditions will only respond to chiropractic care.  There is no drug that will re-align a bone and take pressure off a nerve.  Surgery sometimes can, but its an awfully risky and expensive thing to undergo, especially when you consider that a few adjustments may be all that’s needed.

Here are the facts:
Dangerous side effects are extremely rare. (1)  Media reports of stroke after chiropractic adjustments are not based on science. (2) However, minor side effects, such as muscular soreness after treatment are common. (3)  They are usually temporary (less than 48 hours) and generally handled with ice or topical analgesics.

In my clinical experience, about 2/3 of all the patients I treat, do not experience any soreness after treatment.  About 1/3 will, and it will subside after the initial 3 to 6 treatments.  The patients that get sore, usually have severe or chronic conditions. The reaction is very similar to a headache you might get after a visit to the orthodontist.  The soreness they feel, is a reaction to the alignment changes made by the adjustments.

The thing to focus on, is the benefits.  In many cases, chiropractic can help where nothing else can.

For more information on the safety of chiropractic, log on to: www.chiropracticissafe.com

REFERENCES
(1)    SPINE: 15 February 2008 – Volume 33 – Issue 4S – pp S176-S183
(2)  Lauretti W. The Comparative Safety of Chiropractic. In Daniel Redwood, ed., Contemporary Chiropractic. New York: Churchill Livingstone, 1997, p. 230-8.
(3)  SPINE: 1 October 2007 – Volume 32 – Issue 21 – pp 2375-2378

Physician, Heal Thyself

I often tell patients that everything I tell you to do, I do, have done, or would do if I was in your situation.

I have had all the chiropractic procedures that I do with you, done to me.  I do all the home instructions for sitting, sleeping and standing.  I also take a lot of nutritional supplements.

Which brings me to my next topic.  Over the last couple of months I wasn’t quite feeling myself.  I just didn’t have my usual spark.  So, I went and had some blood work done.  (One of the advantages of being a doctor is you can order the tests yourself.)

Well, everything looked good except two tests.  My hemoglobin A1C was slightly elevated, which means I’ve been eating a little too much sugar the last few months.

And, get this, my vitamin D level was a 29.  It should be 40 minimum and probably 60 for optimum health.  Yes me, Dr. Vitamin D who tells everyone to take it and get it tested and everything else.  29, that stinks !

So, out came the vitamin D drops and I’m taking 6000 iu’s a day for three months and I’ll test again.  Also, I’ve been cutting the carbs down.

In the mean time, I feel a lot better.  I have been sleeping better and I have better pep.  So, I am very glad I took my own advice.

For more health information log on to www.painfree-greatposture.com.

Fibromyalgia, C-reactive Protein and Your Heart

C-reactive Protein (CRP) is a protein that increases in the blood stream as a response to injury and inflammation.  Fibromyalgia sufferers often have elevated levels of CRP and it can be a sign of a major systemic inflammatory problem.  Lowering these levels can be a big key to relieving the wide-spread body pain.

CRP also turns out to be a good predictor of heart disease.  A study appearing in the Journal of the American Nutraceutical Association (2005;8(1)43-44), involving more than 27,000 women, found that CRP was a better predictor of cardiovascular disease than LDL (bad) cholesterol.

High CRP levels double the likelihood of death from a heart attack. And, it increases the likelihood of cancer by a factor of 1.65.

Again, people with chronic pain often have elevated levels of CRP.  These people need to know that if these levels are left unchecked, it can lead to a higher risk of heart disease and cancer later in life.

CRP levels can be lowered by increasing intake of anti-oxidant vitamins like Vitamin C and E.  Also, increasing levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet and lowering Omega-6 fatty acids can lower CRP levels.  Other anti-oxidant compounds can be helpful as well.

A C-reactive protein blood test is an easy routine test.  I include it in the blood panels I order because the information is so important.  It can make a big difference in your health.

For more information on chronic pain log on to www.fibroreliefinfo.com .

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Why Braces?

For those of you who have had Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, you probably know all about braces. These are devices worn on the wrist that stop you from bending the wrist up or down.  They may be worn anytime of the day if they don’t interfere too much with one’s current activity but are especially worn at night. You might think it would be more important to wear these during day when you are active and moving your fingers and hands a lot- as you go about your normal work or play activities – not at night when you’re basically just laying there doing nothing but sleeping, right?  Wrong! It’s more important to wear these at night. This is because you cannot control your hand position at night as you tend to curl up in a ball when you sleep and the wrist gets cocked up or down. So, why is this so bad?  Let’s look at the chart below on the left.

In the chart (above left), you are looking at a cross section of the wrist through the carpal tunnel.  This illustrates the many structures that are inside the tunnel making it tight. Notice the small white circles in the middle of the tunnel. Those are the tendons that pass through the tunnel – there are 9 of those and they attach the muscles in our forearms (on the palm side) to our fingers, so we can shake someone’s hand or carry a suitcase (grip). Just to the left of center, on top of all the tendons, sits the median nerve, which is just below the “roof” of the tunnel (the transverse carpal ligament). Now, normally, the pressure inside the carpal tunnel will approximately double when we bend our wrist, putting more pressure on the nerve and pushing it into the roof (ligament), which creates the numbness and/or weakness in our grip. But in the CTS sufferer, there is already more pressure in the tunnel due to the swollen tendons so when the wrist is flexed or extended, the pressure goes up much more the twice – more like 6 times more pressure – hence, more symptoms. So, if we’re sleeping with our wrist bent either way, the pressure pushing the nerve against the roof is a lot more than normal – 6x more!  This is the reason for the “night splint.”  It is VERY effective in keeping the wrist straight, which is needed to allow the nerve to NOT be pinched, so it can heal.

YOU MAY BE A CANDIDATE FOR NON-SURGICAL CARE FOR CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME!  FOR MORE INFORMATION LOG ON TO: www.relieffromcarpaltunnel.com

Why Gluten Free?

Gluten Free is a nutritional buzz word that is floating around quite a bit lately.  You can find these words more and more on the labels you see in the grocery store.  But…what does it mean ?  And, why are we seeing it more and more ?

Well…gluten is a substance found in grain especially wheat.  But , it is also found in corn and some other grains.  The problem is that many people are allergic to it.  If you have blood type O you are genetically susceptible to reactions to it.  But, other blood types can develop an allergy as well.

The allergic reactions can cause a wide range of symptoms.  Headaches, stomach upset, stuffy nose, fatigue, constipation, diahhrea, anal bleeding, swelling of the joints, behavioral problems, depression and anxiety.  Also, patients with fibromyalgia usually do better on a gluten free diet.

When I started practice 15 years ago, I used to suggest people who are having these problems to stop eating white flour. (bleached flour)  The processed white flour concentrates the gluten and gives people stronger reactions to it.  However, now thanks to wonders of genetic engineering (sarcasm)…we now have whole grain wheat that is just as high in gluten content if not higher.

The reason the gluten content has been made higher is because gluten is the substance that makes dough sticky.  If you want to make a fluffy bread or gooey pastry or a cracker shaped like a fish, the gluten helps the dough or batter hold together.  The higher the gluten content, the easier it is to make the wacky treats Americans love to eat and then wonder why they are getting sick.

Gluten is really common because it is present in so much of our food.  Try finding a processed food that does not contain wheat or corn.  Its tough.

The result is, lots of people are having gluten related health problems.  Especially, kids who don’t have well developed intestinal linings.  This can lead to the gluten getting into the blood stream undigested.  Then you get some really bad problems.  Lots of allergic reactions.

As a side note, if you have a child with behavioral problems, take him/her off wheat, milk and sugar for a month.  At the end of the month, if you don’t have a different kid, let me know, it will be a first.

The good news is there are many products now available that are gluten free and easy to find.  The grocery stores now carry them.  Many times right next to the products you normally buy. Just a few years ago, it was really hard to find this stuff.  And…when you did…the products tasted…really bad.  But things have come a long way.

For more information on nutrition and health log on to www.painfree-greatposture.com

For more information on how I treat fibromyalgia log on to www.stopyourfibronow.com

What Many People Don’t Know About Chiropractic And What We Can Do For YOU

Dr. Paul Kramer here.  In just a moment I’m going to tell you some very interesting information about Chiropractic that most people do not know – but more importantly – what it can do for you and how it might even change your life.

This is really good stuff… especially if you have back pain now or have ever had back pain in the past.

But first, there is something else you should know about.  I think you’ll really like it.

Did you the use of Aspirin dates all the way back to around 400 B.C.?  It’s true.  The father of medicine, Hippocrates, who lived sometime between 460 B.C. and 377 B.C., left historical records that included the use of the bark of the willow tree to treat fever, headache and various pains.

It wasn’t until 1829 that scientists started figuring out what was going on.  That’s when they discovered a compound called salicin in the willow plant was responsible for the pain relief.

In that same year, scientists were able to turn salicin into salicylic acid.  The problem was that salicylic acid was very rough of the stomach and mouth… which limited its use.  Then, in 1853 a German scientist named Charles Frederic Gerhardt buffered (neutralized) the harshness of the acid by coating salicylic acid with sodium and acetyl chloride.  Although it worked, it was time consuming and Gerhardt stopped working on it because he didn’t think it was worth it.

OOOOPS!

In 1897 a German pharmacist working for a German pharmaceutical company Bayer, started looking for a solution for his father’s rheumatism.  His name was Felix Hoffmann and he “re-discovered” Gerhardt’s work and in 1899 patented a “new” pain reliever under the name Aspirin.

As a quick and interesting aside: During that same month, Hoffmann synthesized heroin by accident.  His discovery of heroin obviously didn’t end up working out as well as aspirin! But, one of the truly remarkable thing about all this is:

Scientists did not have a clue how aspirin worked until 1971!  In that year, John Vane theorized how it worked for which he was awarded a Nobel prize in 1982.

Today, over 70 million pounds of aspirin are produced annually all over the world making it the world’s most widely used drug… and scientists still theorize about the exact mechanisms of aspirin.

So what’s all this have to do with Chiropractic and your back pain?

Here’s what:  Believe it or not – Chiropractic and aspirin have many things in common.

First — they can both be traced WAY back in history.

In fact, Hippocrates, who used a form of aspirin back in 400 B.C., also used a form of spinal manipulation.… and so did ancient Egyptians and many other cultures.

But, it was not until 1895 that D.D. Palmer invented “Chiropractic.”   Chiropractic was new and different because Palmer theorized the nervous system controlled every function of the body and Chiropractic adjustments (specific spinal manipulations) removed interference to blocked or pinched nerves.  This, in turn, not only relieved pain… it helped the entire body function better and heal from all sorts of illnesses and diseases.

Just like willow bark and eventually aspirin, spinal manipulation got results and became very popular… but the mechanisms were not understood.

But here’s were Chiropractic & Aspirin differ –in a very big way…

Doctors and scientists had no clue how aspirin worked – but it was hailed by the medical community as a wonder drug and mass-produced.

Doctors and scientists were not sure how Chiropractic worked – so it was branded unscientific and quackery.

Seems a little unfair – don’t you think?

Thank goodness in many areas, research has finally caught up with Chiropractic!

For example, Chiropractic’s ability to help relieve back pain is well researched.  It is a safe, effective and cost-effective way to relieve back pain.

How Does Chiropractic Work?…FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK:

Many times when you have back pain it is caused by a spinal joint sprain – or “subluxation.”  Ligaments and discs hold two bones together to form a joint.  A sprain occurs when a joint is over stretched.

This can happen due to small micro traumas over several years or one acute event like a car accident, sports injury or slip and fall.  When the ligament becomes stretched and injured joints do not function properly, delicate nerve fibers can be injured.

Over time, even if untreated, pain can go away even though the spinal joint is not functioning properly.  This can lead to flare-ups in the future and degeneration as the joint moves improperly and wears out.  This is why something small – like bending over to pick up a pencil – can cause severe back pain.

Chiropractic adjustments and treatments are designed to re-align spinal bones in order to take pressure off ligaments, discs and nerve tissue..  This allows the spine to heal better.

Here’s a simple way to look at it:

If you broke your arm and didn’t get  the bone set properly – it would heal out of place and crooked.  The pain might go away in the short term – but there would most likely be big problems in the future.  The best thing to do is put everything in place and then let it heal properly.

Chiropractors are experts at getting your spinal bones and joint “in place” and working properly so they can heal correctly.

Chiropractors are also experts at keeping spines functioning properly to minimize future problems – much like periodic Dental check-ups and cleaning prevent tooth decay and loss down the road.

So, if you have back pain, you might want to try something that has a history starting in 400 B.C. with the father of medicine – Hippocrates – and has been practiced, improved and proven to help back pain.

If you do, just give us a call at 262-251-8306 and we will help you in any way that we can; conservatively and affordably!

Or log on to www.newbcakpainreliefinfo.com