Posted by Healing Unleashed
January 17, 2012
Poor posture is not a laughing matter, unless you can laugh in the face of chronic pain. Slumped and rounded shoulders lead to chronic headache, neck tension and upper back ache. The usual compliment to slumped shoulders is a head that drops forward and downward. Almost all Americans stand, sit and move with this combination of deadly postural habits. These habits are deadly because, over time, they cause degeneration of cervical discs along with inclination for rotator cuff and shoulder injuries.
Postural slump has been linked to poor mental performance, fatigue, and even depression. Circulation of blood, lymph and other body fluids improves when posture is more erect and normal. Osteoarthritis advances more quickly when more compressive force affects the joints. Good posture literally decompresses joints and thus slows down wear and tear within the joint capsule. Erect posture also helps maintain good alignment of spinal vertebra (less visits to the chiropractor), and protects spinal discs. This daily protection decreases likelihood of ever needing surgery to correct degenerative spinal column problems.
Most people know that poor posture means poor body mechanics. Some muscles become short and tight as other muscles become weak and overstretched. Connective tissues become compacted, gelled, dense and lose flexibility. When these negative changes occur, a condition called adaptive muscle shortening exists. The body is permanently out of balance until manual therapy and good postural habits correct negative conditions. When the body is out of balance, you are more stuck than you may realize.
Why are you stuck? Adaptive muscle shortening interferes with your conscious efforts to improve posture. Your body no longer naturally falls into good alignment. As you attempt to force good alignment, you likely create additional problems. Here’s an example. You pull your shoulders back when short chest muscles and thickened fascia are causing your shoulders to hold in a protracted and medially-rotated position. The result of your effort to improve posture will not be correct posture, but an additional abnormal stress upon the skeleton and soft tissues. So how do you improve posture?
If you fit any of the following qualifications you actually need a medical massage therapist to help you achieve good posture and structural integration:
older adult
overweight
past injuries
past surgeries
weak core muscles
participate in sports with one-sided swings like tennis and golf
history of stress
repetitive motion in work or sports
inflammation of joints, muscles or connective tissues
First, the medical massage therapist will apply manual therapy techniques to:
eliminate the adaptive muscle shortening.
shortened muscles will be restored to normal length
hypertonic muscles will be restored to normal tonicity
thickened, gelled and compacted connective tissue will be restored to a more natural fluid state
there will be less compressive force on joints and on body structures like nerves and blood-carrying vessels
trigger points will be eliminated
adhesions will be eliminated
Second, and just as important, the medical massage therapist will then suggest that you do theses things. You will be guided in your mastery of these four practices by a physical therapist, athletic trainer or properly qualified medical massage therapist:
frequent practice of corrective exercises to strengthen core muscles and weak muscles
several stretching session per week for all major body parts
improve ergonomics at work and at home
use awareness to maintain healthy posture
You will be surprised at the many improvements in health that you will realize once you improve posture and biomechanics. It’s time to decompress and make space for your organs and other body parts.
Call Dr. Sloss today at 303.986.0492 and find out how you can make these changes in your body mechanics.
Joan Sloss, EdD, LMT
Orthopedic & Medical Massage Therpaist
Healing Unleashed, LLC
Lakewood, CO 80235
303.986.0492
Peripheral Neuropathy Can Be Healed
Posted by Healing Unleashed
August 27, 2010
Many people suffer from a type of peripheral neuropathy that can be easily cured. The cure consists of a combination of the right kind of manual therapy combined with the right kind of exercise.
Typical symptoms of peripheral nerve disease include:
tingling
numbness
loss of sensation.
Other signs can include:
loss of strength
balance problems
pain
vascular changes
Severe dysfunction can include decrease in motor function.
The medical diagnosis, “peripheral neuropathy” is so alarming that people assume there is no help except whatever relief prescription drugs might provide. The nervous system is important in transmitting messages between the brain and the body. Most people have experienced nerve pain, if only from a dental injection or from an electric shock, so everyone knows that nerve pain can be very sharp, unexpected and unpleasant.
Nerves have the reputation for being “delicate,” so the idea of performing manual therapy upon nerve tissue may seem likely to cause some harm. Nerves are seen as “delicate” because of their sensitivity, the ability to detect energy changes and produce sensations of all kinds. On the structural level nerves are well supported and protected by connective tissue so it is safe to perform the right type of manual therapy to remove the compressive forces that can trouble nerves.
Physicians diagnose peripheral nerve disease based on certain symptoms like tingling, numbness and loss of sensation. When peripheral neuropathy is diagnosed, both doctor and patient are usually busy pondering, “what’s adversely affecting the nerve tissue?” The doctor will consider a long list of known diseases that affect the health and performance of neural tissue, including uncommon genetic diseases and common diseases likediabetes.
The doctor often fails to consider that a peripheral nerve consists of three layers of connective tissue that give the nerve its structure. This connective tissue also holds in place the capillary beds that supply blood and nourishment to the nerve. Nerve pain can be caused by ischemia, lack of blood supply to the nerves. Neural ischemia is often the result of abnormal connective tissue changes that can be easily reversed with the right kind of manual therapy and the right kind of exercise.
The peripheral nerves of the body are made up of neurons bound together by connective tissue. The nerve’s outer, protective connective tissue sheath penetrates the nerve to form the perineurium. The perineurium holds blood vessels that deliver oxygen and nutrients to the living nerve cells.
Connective tissue is the body’s most abundant tissue by volume. Connective tissue has many functions. It provides form, structure, connections, compartments, and protection to all of the organs, muscles and nerves of the body. All connective tissue, no matter where it is found in the body, is subject to three deformations, compression, compaction and adhesion. When any of these deformations affect one of the three connective tissue layers of a peripheral nerve, nerve pain can occur.
Manual therapy is the perfect answer to nerve pain caused by connective tissue deformation.When performed very slowly, and at the appropriate depth, cross fiber spreading of the connective tissue surrounding the nerves and penetrating the nerves will relieve compressive forces. By definition, compression is the reduction of volume under pressure. Compression adversely affects the movement of the body’s plasma-based fluids. The plasma-based fluids carry oxygen and nutrients to the nerve cells, and also transport waste products (metabolites) away from the nerve cells. The plasma fluids flow through the solvent ground substance of the connective tissues.
Lack of blood supply (ischemia) to peripheral nerves can additionally be caused by compression of the muscles in the vicinity of the affected nerve routes. Peripheral nerves and skeletal muscles have a parallel construction. Similar to nerves, skeletal muscles consist of three layers of connective tissue that provide a structural framework for the muscle fibers. The connective tissue framework also anchors the blood-supplying vascular networks and provides the ground solvent fluid for the movement of the plasma fluid to and from the muscle cells.
It is generally accepted that prolonged pressure on a nerve from excess bodily fluid (such as swelling post-injury) can result in damage to the nerve cell body or its axon. The ground substance of connective tissue provides the medium for the retention and flow of the body’s fluids. It is generally accepted that both obesity and lack of movement contribute directly to interstitial fluid retention. Damage to peripheral nerves could result from three related problems: fluid pollution from stasis, loss of fluid volume, and prolonged fluid retention. Research is needed.
Overweight and under-active people suffer sluggish lymphatic circulation. Older adults also suffer sluggish lymphatic circulation due to negative connective tissue changes that occur over time. Younger patients with a history of injuries will also have connective tissue problems
The fluid environment surrounding nerve cells can become polluted by metabolites and by other toxic molecules that have not been adequately removed by the lymphatic system. Pollution will irritate nerves and may lead to inflammation. It is logical that pollution of interstitial fluids could also interfere with nerve conduction by introducing foreign molecules into the synapse space between axon and the dendrites of the neural body.
When peripheral neuropathy is diagnosed, and when the doctor has eliminated genetic and metabolic causes, connective tissue disease should be considered as the main or contributing cause for the neural pain. The doctor should be on the alert since peripheral neuropathy in diabetic patients who are older, obese, inactive, or who have a history of soft tissue injuries may have a secondary cause in connective tissue deformations.
Manual therapy can contribute to a specific diagnosis and treatment for peripheral neuropathy. The soft tissues (nerve, connective tissue and muscle) can all be evaluated by palpation. The evaluation should assess for signs and symptoms of ischemia, along with signs and symptoms of connective tissue deformations that can cause ischemia.
Manual therapy is the perfect treatment for nerve pain caused by connective tissue deformation.When performed very slowly, and at the appropriate depth, cross fiber spreading of the connective tissue surrounding the nerves and penetrating the nerves will relieve compressive and adhesive forces.
Joan Sloss, Ed.D. LMT
Peripheral Neuropathy Can Be Healed
Posted by Healing Unleashed
August 27, 2010
Many people suffer from a type of peripheral neuropathy that can be easily cured. The cure consists of a combination of the right kind of manual therapy combined with the right kind of exercise.
Typical symptoms of peripheral nerve disease include:
tingling
numbness
loss of sensation.
Other signs can include:
loss of strength
balance problems
pain
vascular changes
Severe dysfunction can include decrease in motor function.
The medical diagnosis, “peripheral neuropathy” is so alarming that people assume there is no help except whatever relief prescription drugs might provide. The nervous system is important in transmitting messages between the brain and the body. Most people have experienced nerve pain, if only from a dental injection or from an electric shock, so everyone knows that nerve pain can be very sharp, unexpected and unpleasant.
Nerves have the reputation for being “delicate,” so the idea of performing manual therapy upon nerve tissue may seem likely to cause some harm. Nerves are seen as “delicate” because of their sensitivity, the ability to detect energy changes and produce sensations of all kinds. On the structural level nerves are well supported and protected by connective tissue so it is safe to perform the right type of manual therapy to remove the compressive forces that can trouble nerves.
Physicians diagnose peripheral nerve disease based on certain symptoms like tingling, numbness and loss of sensation. When peripheral neuropathy is diagnosed, both doctor and patient are usually busy pondering, “what’s adversely affecting the nerve tissue?” The doctor will consider a long list of known diseases that affect the health and performance of neural tissue, including uncommon genetic diseases and common diseases likediabetes.
The doctor often fails to consider that a peripheral nerve consists of three layers of connective tissue that give the nerve its structure. This connective tissue also holds in place the capillary beds that supply blood and nourishment to the nerve. Nerve pain can be caused by ischemia, lack of blood supply to the nerves. Neural ischemia is often the result of abnormal connective tissue changes that can be easily reversed with the right kind of manual therapy and the right kind of exercise.
The peripheral nerves of the body are made up of neurons bound together by connective tissue. The nerve’s outer, protective connective tissue sheath penetrates the nerve to form the perineurium. The perineurium holds blood vessels that deliver oxygen and nutrients to the living nerve cells.
Connective tissue is the body’s most abundant tissue by volume. Connective tissue has many functions. It provides form, structure, connections, compartments, and protection to all of the organs, muscles and nerves of the body. All connective tissue, no matter where it is found in the body, is subject to three deformations, compression, compaction and adhesion. When any of these deformations affect one of the three connective tissue layers of a peripheral nerve, nerve pain can occur.
Manual therapy is the perfect answer to nerve pain caused by connective tissue deformation.When performed very slowly, and at the appropriate depth, cross fiber spreading of the connective tissue surrounding the nerves and penetrating the nerves will relieve compressive forces. By definition, compression is the reduction of volume under pressure. Compression adversely affects the movement of the body’s plasma-based fluids. The plasma-based fluids carry oxygen and nutrients to the nerve cells, and also transport waste products (metabolites) away from the nerve cells. The plasma fluids flow through the solvent ground substance of the connective tissues.
Lack of blood supply (ischemia) to peripheral nerves can additionally be caused by compression of the muscles in the vicinity of the affected nerve routes. Peripheral nerves and skeletal muscles have a parallel construction. Similar to nerves, skeletal muscles consist of three layers of connective tissue that provide a structural framework for the muscle fibers. The connective tissue framework also anchors the blood-supplying vascular networks and provides the ground solvent fluid for the movement of the plasma fluid to and from the muscle cells.
It is generally accepted that prolonged pressure on a nerve from excess bodily fluid (such as swelling post-injury) can result in damage to the nerve cell body or its axon. The ground substance of connective tissue provides the medium for the retention and flow of the body’s fluids. It is generally accepted that both obesity and lack of movement contribute directly to interstitial fluid retention. Damage to peripheral nerves could result from three related problems: fluid pollution from stasis, loss of fluid volume, and prolonged fluid retention. Research is needed.
Overweight and under-active people suffer sluggish lymphatic circulation. Older adults also suffer sluggish lymphatic circulation due to negative connective tissue changes that occur over time. Younger patients with a history of injuries will also have connective tissue problems
The fluid environment surrounding nerve cells can become polluted by metabolites and by other toxic molecules that have not been adequately removed by the lymphatic system. Pollution will irritate nerves and may lead to inflammation. It is logical that pollution of interstitial fluids could also interfere with nerve conduction by introducing foreign molecules into the synapse space between axon and the dendrites of the neural body.
When peripheral neuropathy is diagnosed, and when the doctor has eliminated genetic and metabolic causes, connective tissue disease should be considered as the main or contributing cause for the neural pain. The doctor should be on the alert since peripheral neuropathy in diabetic patients who are older, obese, inactive, or who have a history of soft tissue injuries may have a secondary cause in connective tissue deformations.
Manual therapy can contribute to a specific diagnosis and treatment for peripheral neuropathy. The soft tissues (nerve, connective tissue and muscle) can all be evaluated by palpation. The evaluation should assess for signs and symptoms of ischemia, along with signs and symptoms of connective tissue deformations that can cause ischemia.
Manual therapy is the perfect treatment for nerve pain caused by connective tissue deformation.When performed very slowly, and at the appropriate depth, cross fiber spreading of the connective tissue surrounding the nerves and penetrating the nerves will relieve compressive and adhesive forces.
Joan Sloss, Ed.D. LMT <
No comments:
Post a Comment