Carpal Tunnel Prevention

Question: "do you have a good regimen to help prevent carpal tunnel and my right wrist?"

This is very interesting question for the doctor. Most of the questions that I get involved the treatment of the specific condition. However, in this instance the patient is interested in the prevention of carpal tunnel syndrome. In order to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome we have to understand what causes carpal tunnel syndrome. Innocence carpal tunnel syndrome results in pressure on the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel. The carpal tunnel is a space that is created by the carpal bones (The small bones in the wrist) on one side and the flexor retinaculum (A sick tendinous band on the inside of the rest just under the skin.) on the other side. e. Carpal tunnel syndrome can occur when either of these structures become inflamed and these intern compress the median nerve.

An easy way to tell if you have carpal tunnel syndrome is to tap your wrist just below the transverse crease ( the deep line that separates your palm and wrist.) most people with carpal tunnel syndrome will experience a sharp tingling sensation into their thumb index finger and middle finger. Another tale tale sign of carpal tunnel syndrome is atrophy ( wasting)of the thenar eminence ( the fat part of your hand by your thumb. it is important to make the distinction between carpal tunnel syndrome and simple wrist pain. Not all people with wrist pain have carpal tunnel syndrome.Now, let's talk about preventing it. Carpal tunnel syndrome is usually a result of overuse of the flexor compartment of your wrist. Or, in other words overuse of the muscles that allow you to make a fist. A good preventative strategy is to strengthen the extensor compartment of the rest or, in other words the muscles that allow you to open your hand. 

My usual recommendations to patients is to put a rubber band around your fingers and to simply open it. If you use a lot of keyboards at work. Then you are probably pacing the underside of your wrist against a hard surface. Try to be careful not to do this for too long or use a soft gel pad under your wrists to keep your wrists out of the flexed position and more straight. There are some wonderful ergonomic keyboards out there that assist you and keeping your wrists straight and not flexed. Another good strategy to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome is to sit in the 90, 90, 90 position. In other words, sit up straight keep your shoulders at 90°, elbows at 90° and back at 90° also, make sure that your monitor is directly in front of you with the center of the screen in the center of your games. 

As strange as it seems another good strategy to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome is to look at your diet. Often our diets containing foods that promote inflammation like sugar and trans fat and foods that contain too much grain products. Green product's contain a lot of omega six fatty acids. Omega six fatty acids eventually turn into the biochemical precursors of inflammation. Conversely green leafy vegetables and fruits and fish contain omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids eventually turn into the chemical precursors that suppress inflammation. Your omega 62 omega-3 fatty acid ratio should be 3 to 1. Otherwise you're shifting the balance of essential fatty acids inside your body towards inflammation. If you think that you might have carpal tunnel syndrome. Have yourself evaluated by a qualified physician. 

Chiropractors that do work with the extremities are particularly qualified in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome with Yelp to use of drugs and surgery. The typical treatments from the chiropractor for carpal tunnel syndrome include extremity adjusting, therapeutic exercises, and changes to lifestyle and diet.

If you have a question that you would like answered by Dr. Brockman, just send an email to caitlin@drpeterbrockman.com and we will get you an answer!

Natural Anti-Imflammatory Recipe - Ginger & Turmeric

Ginger and Turmeric Slushy

It is normal for our bodies to go through the process of inflammation following exercise and trauma. In fact, your body needs inflammation to repair cartilage, muscle, ligaments and bones to heal properly. With this uncomfortable but necessary process comes pain and discomfort so the question is:

What can I do for the discomfort?

Most anti-inflammatory medications inhibit the enzymes that cause inflammation, inhibiting your body's natural healing process. These anti-inflammatory medications provide only short term relief and do not offer any long term relief benefit. Most people are better off with something that will support the body's natural healing process.

This recipe does just that. It supports the healing process, while suppressing some of the pain and discomfort that comes with it. 

Ginger contains volatile oils that evaporate at room temperature. These oils help to complete the natural inflammation healing process, this is the unpleasant bite that you taste. That burn you feel indicates the presence of natural oil. 

Turmeric has potassium needed for muscle relaxation and potent anti-oxidants called curcumins. When curcumin and sequiterpenses are combined, they can stimulate your body’s natural suppression of cancer in the body. 

Although pineapple sweetens the concoction, it also has a compound called bromelain which is a proteolytic enzyme which breaks down proteins that cause inflammation after their job is complete. Pineapple is also great for wound healing and has anti tumor activities. 

Throw these ingredients into one smoothie and you get natural relief without thwarting your bodies natural healing process.  

1 Whole Pineapple: cored
1 Ginger Root (about the size of your hand)

1 tbsp of Turmeric powder

2 cups of ice
2 cups of water

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until it turns into the consistency of a slushy. Strain and collect the liquid discard the pulp. Keep a pitcher covered in the refrigerator and serve one glass a day. 

If it burns your mouth some: IT'S WORKING! This tells you that the oils have not evaporated. If you absolutely must make it more tolerable, you may add two tablespoons of raw honey. 

For the video of Dr. Brockman demonstrating just how to do it click here.

Contraindications: do not consume this smoothie if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, bleeding gums, blood in urine, gallstones, or bile obstruction.

Defeat High Blood Pressure with Chiropractic

Did you know that getting your neck adjusted could lower your blood pressure? Yes, it's true according to a recent study that was published in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension (volume 8 number 5 May 2006). Researchers found that anatomical abnormalities (subluxations or misalignments) of the cervical spine at the level of the Atlas vertebra are associated with relative ischemia of the brainstem circulation and increased blood pressure. Manual correction of this misalignment has been associated with reduced arterial pressure. This pilot study tested the hypothesis that correcting the misalignment of the Atlas vertebra reduces and maintains improved blood pressure. The study included 50 patients that were not taking medication and suffered from stage I hypertension. These patients were evaluated using a randomized, double blind, and placebo controlled study design at a single center. Patients received no medication during the eight week study session. After baseline measurements of their blood pressure were taken, they received either chiropractic adjustments or a placebo procedure. Considering that the technique performed was very gentle (no cracking), it was difficult or impossible for the patients to distinguish between the real chiropractic adjustment and false procedure. Statistical analysis was performed comparing the baseline with the results after the eight weeks of visits. The study demonstrated an 8/5 mm reduction in pressure at eight weeks versus the placebo group. In other words, a patient that entered the study with a blood pressure of 147/92, at the end of the study had a blood pressure of 130/82. The only treatment received was chiropractic adjustments to the cervical spine.

In my opinion, this is a landmark study. Chiropractic adjustments not only treat neck and back pain. They can affect the human physiology at all levels. Thomas Edison stated over 100 years ago: " The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease." This is what chiropractors do everyday all over the world!!

Stay Sharp! Stay Adjusted!

Kids are back in school and as parents we are trying everything to keep our kids focused. On the other hand, we are on the constant look out for anything to keep us energized enough to keep up with them. From school to football practice, dance, then back home to dinner and homework we are not on our “A game” and as a result, our reaction time suffers.  Eating healthy meals, staying active, and getting plenty of sleep are all great ways to encourage sharp minds for everyone. But you probably didn't know that getting adjusted can aid your response time. Your brain has two functions: it tells your body what to do and then responds to what it was told to do. Your spinal cord is a major component of the nervous system: it comes together into the brain at the base of the skull. The spinal cord is in the protective shell of the spinal column that consists of vertebrae which are stacked one on top of the other and separated by flexible discs. If the flow of information to or from your body is affected by a misalignment of the vertebra then those misalignments can affect your response time. Here is a good example: your neck can be misaligned which then pinches a nerve that goes to your arm and causes numbness and tingling everywhere that nerve goes in your arm. Typically I can adjust these patients, taking pressure off of the nerve. This makes the numbness and tingling go away, restoring sensory function to the arm enabling sharp response time. So get adjusted and stay sharp!

LOW VITAMIN D UPS RISK OF ALLERGIES IN KIDS

Low vitamin D increases the likelihood that children will develop allergies, according to a paper published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Researchers looked at the serum vitamin D levels in blood samples from more than 3,100 children and adolescents and 3,400 adults.

No association between vitamin D levels and allergies was observed in adults. But for children and adolescents, low vitamin D levels correlated with sensitivity to 11 of the 17 allergens tested, including both environmental allergens and food allergens. For example, children who had vitamin D deficiency were 2.4 times more likely to have a peanut allergy than were children with sufficient levels of vitamin D.

Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology – February 17, 2011;Epub.
www.aaaai.org/members/jaci.stm

ADJUSTMENTS QUELL HEADACHE

ADJUSTMENTS QUELL HEADACHE

If you live in Clermont Fl and suffer from headaches you may want to read this:

Chiropractic care is beneficial for many patients with headache, according to a large review study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics.

To find studies on chiropractic care for headache, researchers searched 8 major databases: 1) MEDLINE, 2) EMBASE, 3) Allied and Complementary Medicine, 4) The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, 5) Manual, Alternative and Natural Therapy Index System, 6) Alt HealthWatch, 7) Index to Chiropractic Literature, and 8) The Cochrane Library.

After pooling findings from 21 reports, the study’s authors concluded that “evidence suggests that chiropractic care, including spinal manipulation, improves migraine and cervicogenic headaches. The type, frequency, dosage, and duration of treatment(s) should be based on guideline recommendations, clinical experience, and findings. Evidence for the use of spinal manipulation as an isolated intervention for patients with tension-type headache remains equivocal.”



JMPT – June, 2011;34:274-289.
www.jmptonline.org

Like apples? they can keep your body strong:

APPLE PEELS KEEP MUSCLES STRONG

Apple peels contain a substance that may ward off muscle atrophy and promote muscle growth, according to a University of Iowa study.

“Muscle atrophy causes big problems. It’s also very common — it affects most people at some point in their lives, during illness or aging. But, there's no medicine for it,” notes Dr. Christopher Adams, senior author of the study. “We studied muscle gene activity in people with atrophy and used that information to find chemicals that might block atrophy. One of those chemicals was especially interesting. It’s called ursolic acid and it’s particularly concentrated in apple peels.

“The old saying goes that ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away.’ So, we tested ursolic acid in mice, and found that it increased the size and strength of their muscles,” Adams adds. “It did this by helping two hormones that build muscle: insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1) and insulin. Because ursolic acid increased muscle, it reduced muscle atrophy. Surprisingly, it had some other beneficial effects in mice: for example, it reduced body fat, and lowered blood glucose and cholesterol.”

Cell Metabolism – June 2011