How to Prevent Hip Dislocation After a Total Hip Replacement

After having a total hip replacement there are strict precautions that must be followed to prevent dislocating the hip. Prior to surgery your surgeon may have discussed these with you but for the most part they will not come into discussion until you have either gone through a joint replacement pre-operative class, or have begun your physical therapy.

There are three cardinal rules that are followed in rehabilitation of your total hip replacement.

1. Do not cross your legs.

2. Do not bend at the hips past 90 degrees

3. Do not turn your affected foot inward or internally rotate your hip.

There may be several others that are mentioned during your rehabilitation, but these are the three main precautions that will always be discussed. These precautions are generally followed for the first six weeks after surgery however, you want to discuss that with your orthopedic surgeon as they may have you follow these precautions longer.

By following the above precautions you can be assured that you are reducing the chances of a dislocation. When sitting be sure that you also are sitting in a chair that does not rock or move in any way. Be sure that the seat height does not allow you to sink deep enough that your knees rest or in other words are higher then your hips. If you find your knees higher then your hips you are breaking the 90 degree plain.

Do not cross your legs when you are sitting. this something that is easy to do. Now in my estimation the leg you want to avoid crossing is the leg and hip that were operated on. Nursing or doctors will tell you to avoid crossing either leg due to the possibility of compromising blood circulation in your lower extremities however and this is a good rule to follow. If you cross the leg and hip that were operated on then dislocation is possible. Crossing the strong leg over the operated leg will not result in dislocation.

Avoid turning your operated leg inward to where your foot is turned inward as well. By internally turning your foot this movement is generated at the hip causing the possibility of dislocation.
This is easily done when you are walking for instance and when turning while using a walker or cane, you pivot on the affected leg instead of picking it up. When you pivot on the affected leg you will in turn internally rotate the hip possibility causing the head if the femur to jump out of the socket.

Now for the most part I have found it takes two of the three precautions to be broken at once before dislocation will take place but this is not a hard fast rule either. This will depend on the integrity of the surrounding soft tissue around the hip and the type of hip prosthesis used.

The first six weeks of your rehabilitation will be vital to strengthen the surrounding muscles, tendons, and ligaments so that they will do their job in supporting the hip joint and locking in the prosthesis.

There are roughly 250,000 or more hip replacements done a year in the US, the dislocation rate is somewhere between 1-3%. Dislocation is something not to be fearful of but to respect during the rehabilitation process.

Check with your surgeon for the exact time frame to follow the precautions then once that time has expired and the hip sufficiently healed, you will be back to living the life you expected and deserve pain free at last.

Richard Haynes
Punta Gorda, Florida

6 Most Common Diseases That Affect Seniors

Growing old is a natural process of life, which can sometimes be both a wonderful and terrifying experience. With age comes wisdom that sheds a new light on life, where you realize what are the most important things in life - family and friends. Spending time with loved ones and enjoying the fruits of their labor is why many people look forward to celebrating retirement and facing new experiences.

Unfortunately, some seniors do not enjoy their golden years due to failing health.

There are many diseases that can affect elderly, and we bring you six most common diseases that can affect seniors and adult over 55 years of age.

Arthritis

Arthritis is a group of conditions involving damage to the joints of the body) and is one of the most common conditions that affect elderly people. With over 100 different forms of arthritis, the majority of seniors suffer from osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis comes as the result of age or trauma or infection of the joint. People who suffer from this condition list pain as the most common complaint. The pain can often be localized, and can worsen over time.

Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's is the most common type of dementia, and is incurable, terminal and degenerative disease. It is often diagnosed in seniors over 65 years of age and older, although rarer early-onset Alzheimer's can be diagnosed earlier than that.

The course of this disease can be divided into four stages:

• pre-dementia


• early Alzheimer's


• moderate Alzheimer's


• advanced Alzheimer's

Currently, the science has no answer when it comes to the prevention of this disease, although some studies suggest that diet, pharmaceutical products, cardiovascular risk, or intellectual activities may contribute to developing Alzheimer's.

Heart Failure

Heart failure definition - the inability of the heart to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the body's needs. Among causes of heart failure in seniors are diabetes, obesity, heart attacks, hypertension, valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathy and some other forms of heart disease.

Most common symptoms of heart failure are:

• shortness of breath


• ankle swelling


• coughing


• chronic venous congestion


• etc.

Cancer

Cancer is a class of diseases in which a cell or a group of cells display:

• uncontrolled growth - when they divide beyond normal limits


• invasion - when they destruct adjacent tissues


• and sometimes metastasis - when they spread to other locations in a body.

It has been determined that cancer is an environmental disease (90%-95% environmental and lifestyle factors), while only 5%-10% of cancers are the result of genetics.

Most common environmental factors are:

• tobacco


• diet


• infections


• lack of physical activity


• radiation

Parkinson's

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that impairs motor skills, cognitive processes and other functions. This disease most often affects people 60 years of age and older, although it can affect younger people, too.

Following are the symptoms of Parkinson's disease:

• tremor


• rigidity - joint stiffness


• bradykinesia and akinesia - slowness and absence of movement


• postural instability - impaired balance


• gait and posture disturbance


• difficulty with speech and swallowing


• fatigue

Diabetes

Diabetes type 2 is more common in elderly than diabetes type 1. It is a metabolic disorder that is characterized by high blood glucose in the context of insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency.

The most common symptoms of diabetes are:

• polyuria - frequent urination


• polydipsia - increased thirst


• polyphagia - increased hunger


• weight loss


• fatigue

Back Pain: Do You Have Degenerative Disc Disease?

Degenerative disc disease is one of the most common causes of low back pain and also one of the most misunderstood. Degenerative disc disease (DDD) is typically associated with aging. As you age, your discs, like other joints in the body, can degenerate (break down) and become problematic: that's a natural part of growing older as your body deals with years of strain, overuse, and even misuse. However, DDD can occur in people as young as 20. In fact, some patients may inherit a prematurely aging spine.

Many people become fearful when they learn that they have Degenerative Disc Disease because the term sounds frightening. Although, the words might frighten you, degenerative disc disease is not really a disease. It is actually a term commonly used to describe the normal process that all of our discs undergo as we age.

Degenerative disc disease involves the intervertebral discs. These are the cushions between your vertebrae in your spine. As you age, the discs can lose flexibility, elasticity, and shock absorbing characteristics. They also become thinner as they dehydrate. When all that happens, the discs change from a state that allows fluid movement to a stiff and rigid state that restricts your movement and causes pain.

If you have chronic back or neck pain, you may have degenerative disc disease.

The most frequent symptoms are lower back pain and spasm. Pain is made worse by sitting, bending, or standing, and is often relieved by lying down. It commonly occurs in your lower back (lumbar spine) or neck (cervical spine). Symptoms vary from person to person. Some people have degenerative disc disease and have no symptoms, while others have severe pain.

For an accurate diagnosis, you need to be evaluated by a physician who conducts a medical history and thorough physical examination. A Diagnostic test such as an MRI can be helpful in identifying areas of disc degeneration.

Initial treatment is non-surgical. A physician may initially prescribe an anti-inflammatory medication and physical therapy to treat degenerative disc disease. A tailored program of physical therapy with spinal stabilization training usually works well for this condition. For some patients, a trial with a narcotic medication might be needed.

Further treatment depends on whether the damaged disc has resulted in other conditions, such as a herniated disc, or spinal stenosis. In these cases, an epidural steroid injection can be very effective in resolving the pain. If arthritis in the small joints of the back is the primary problem, injections into these small joints called facet injections can be done to relieve pain.

If conservative treatment fails, a discogram can identify problematic discs since some degenerative discs do not cause pain. If painful discs reproducing the patient's pain are noted during the discogram, surgery for degenerative disc disease can be performed to remove the damaged disc.

If you are among those who suffer from degenerative disc disease, the good news is that this condition usually improves with the appropriate conservative management.

See your physician to determine if you have degenerative disc disease.

This article is not meant to give or replace valuable medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It is designed for educational purposes.

穢2012 Winifred Bragg, MD. All Rights Reserved.

Symptoms and Treatments for Arthritis in Dogs

Dog arthritis is a common condition that is seen most often in animals that are older, overweight and relatively inactive, but younger animals can also suffer from this condition. Some cases are hereditary and occur in animals with hip dysplasia. There is no cure for degenerative joint disease but there are options available to veterinarians for treatment which will improve quality of life.

Osteoarthritis is a disease that attacks the joints and is mainly caused by wear and tear. The cartilage cushioning the affected joints becomes worn down and the bones start to grind against each other. As the bones become deformed, it is more painful to move. The joint becomes inflamed and the animal will struggle to stand up or lay down and show signs of restricted mobility. A traumatic injury to the joints can cause similar symptoms and there is a chance that it can lead to osteoarthritis down the road.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition that occurs when the immune system is compromised. The joints will become swollen and painful. Stiffness and pain results in a loss of function.

Symptoms of joint disease are usually more apparent after the animals wakes up. Cold weather and damp conditions will increase the stiffness and pain. The progressive nature of this disease makes it more and more difficult for the animal to get around comfortably.

X-rays of the joint will reveal bone spurs developing at the attachment between the bones, ligaments and joints. The space between the bone and joint narrows while bone density increases.

Early intervention has been shown to be effective in treating the symptoms. Dogs are prone to developing this condition and one way to prevent its onset is to feed the animal a balanced diet. Overweight animals will experience more pain in the joints. Good joint care will reduce the effects of this condition. Regular exercise is also important for joint health.

This condition is often treated with glucosamine and chondritin. These substances work to develop healthy cartilage rather than just mask the symptoms. Animals that are predisposed to the condition can be treated ahead of time to reduce loss of function.

Glucosamine extracted from the exoskeleton of shellfish including shrimp, lobster and crab. It acts to stimulate cartilage cells to produce collagen, a substance that acts to reinforce all joints. It is also used to make hyaluronic acid, an ingredient found in synovial fluid.

Chondroitin is a substance that works in conjunction with glucosamine to produce a greater effect than either substance used alone. It inhibits the production of enzymes that destroy the joints. These agents work together to repair cartilage and prevent additional damage.

Corticosteroids and analgesics may be prescribed to manage the pain and make it easier for the animal to function normally.

Regardless of cause, veterinarians have the tools necessary to help relieve the symptoms of dog arthritis. Treatment methods are designed to help the animal get around easier and improve quality of life. Diet and exercise, combined with medication, will eliminate or ease most symptoms and allow the pet to live a long, happy life.

5 Steps to Relieving the Pain in Your Jaw

Jaw Pain, or TMJD (which stands for tempomandibular joint disorder), as a common ailment that affects millions of Americans each year. Most people who get jaw pain, get it for a short period of time due to an intense amount of stress in their lives or injury. Some folks get more chronic jaw pain, which can be particularly difficult to treat and manage as there are not many proven methods of treatment for chronic TMJD that have been effective for more than just a small number of people.

In this article you will learn how to effectively treat your jaw pain in five simple steps, moving from most basic to more complicated. If a lower step is not effective for you, move to the next step.

Disclaimer: If your jaw pain persists, contact a medical professional.

Step 1: Ice. Like most injuries or swelling, ice can numb the pain and help facilitate healing. A twenty minutes on, twenty minutes off cycle should be sufficient. The more you can do this, the faster the healing will be.

Step 2: Ibuprofen or other over-the-counter swelling medications. If simple ice doesn't work, you can move to mild drugs. Most jaw pain is caused by swelling of the jaw joint, due to excessive clenching/grinding (bruxism) or tension. When the you take measures to reduce the swelling, you can help to the joint heal while at the same time removing the pain.

Step 3: Eating soft foods. A soft food diet is often recommended for the first few days or weeks of healing the jaw after pain has occurred. This reduces tension on the jaw. Consider eating foods like yogurt, soups, smoothies, and pasta. Just make sure to keep a healthy diet and continue to avoid sugars as much as possible, as fructose has been known to cause inflammation and hyper-tension.

Step 4: If your jaw pain has not been healed by now, you must start moving into long-term treatment and management. One simple way to start this long-term management is to start jaw exercises. Simple jaw exercises, like moving your jaw side-to-side with your hand pressed against it, can help strengthen your jaw and give you more control over it.

Step 5: Get to the root cause of the pain. If jaw pain is becoming an issue over many weeks or months, there is usually an underlying cause. Often times the underlying cause is stress or clenching (often times at night while you don't even know you're doing it). Consider taking a stress management class, or getting a mouth guard to help avoid nighttime clenching.

Pain Management For Arthritis

Joints in the body help us to be ambulatory, so it is important that we keep them healthy. A joint is the location of articulation between two or more bones. The function of a joint is to provide mobility of body parts. Due to overuse or genetics, arthritis may develop. Arthritis is a type of joint disease which includes inflammation. Many types of arthritis have been documented, but the most commonly known are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease where the synovial membranes of joints are attacked by the body's own immune system. Usually, this disease is bilateral where joints on both sides of the body are affected, for example; either wrists or ankles. Typically, women are affected three times more than men.

Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease (DJD) is more common than RA. It is inevitable that as we get older, DJD manifests itself. The joints, particularly the weight-bearing joints such as the knees and hips, are usually affected. This is caused by the wear and tear of the cartilages in the joints which leads to inflammation, stiffness and pain due to the friction and grinding in the joints. Even though age is the prevalent cause of DJD, overuse of the joints, dietary deficiencies, and peculiar body mechanics can bring about DJD. Stretching or yoga should be included in your exercise regime to restore flexibility, which will aid in maximizing range of motion and re-establish alignments.

A substitute to pharmaceuticals for pain is the use of herbs. The effects of the herbs are not as immediate as with medications, but may be a safer option. Two herbs that are suggested for pain management are ginger extract (Zingiber officinale) and Indian frankincense (Boswellia serrata). These are usually taken in an extract form.

Another alternative method for pain management is hydrotherapy. A contrast of heat and cold applications may help reduce inflammation, thus the reduction of pain. The protocol is applying heat for three minutes, and then ice for thirty seconds. This should be repeated two to three times per day for one week. Have a healthcare provider assist you in evaluating your pain level.

A topical analgesic that seem to work for many people with arthritis is Biofreeze. Biofreeze can be purchased through many healthcare professionals such as chiropractors, podiatrists, athletic trainers, occupational, physical, and massage therapists. For more information on Biofreeze: www.biofreeze.com.

Fruits, vegetables, fish, whole grains, and healthy fats such as olive oil and nuts should be included in your diet to aid in reducing inflammation. In addition, being overweight causes stress on the weight-bearing joints that can exacerbate joint pain. Nutrients should be ingested by eating whole foods as opposed to taking supplements.

Lastly, massage therapy aids in retaining the range of motion and improves mobility and flexibility. It increases local circulation by delivering nutrients to the tissues for repair. Massages also assist in emotional balance and reduce stress, which helps to boost the immune system for the body to heal itself. Receiving massages on a regular basis will assist in maintaining your health and youth.

Reference
Bond, Pamela Emanoil. "No Pain, More Gain". A Supplement to Alternative Medicine. Fall 2007. www.naturalsolutionsmag.com

Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Syndrome Treatments to Relieve the Pain

Because there are so many occurrences of TMJ, a number of TMJ treatments have been developed to help these people find relief. In some cases, the condition will actually get better on its own-- without the need of treatment. However, in many cases, the pain is too much to bear and some kind of treatment is necessary. What treatments are available for TMJ and what do they involve?

One of the milder treatments available involves nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin. Most people say that these types of drugs don't really offer much relief. However, Aleve has been shown to help in some cases. In either case, it is best to combine them with exercises that help loosen up the jaw.

One of the more unconventional TMJ treatments involves Botulism toxin (also known as Botox). Injecting this into the jaw area has been shown to have positive effects on many patients. Apparently it's good for other things besides getting rid of wrinkles.

Besides drugs, there are a few different treatments that could help. One of these non-drug related therapies is a bite guard. This device, worn over the teeth, helps prevent grinding of the teeth while the patient sleeps. This helps relive pressure on the jaw and keeps the teeth from fitting together.

Another treatment that doesn't involve drugs is cognitive behavioral therapy. Many times, those that suffer from TMJ actually make the condition worse with the way they react to stress. The anxiety that they feel from their stress actually adds to the pain and frustration of TMJ. In some cases, the patient may be referred to a psychotherapist that can help them. The doctor will help them recognize what they're doing to themselves. They'll help them learn how to deal with stress more effectively. They'll probably teach the patient some relaxation techniques and different exercises. This approach takes a look at the way the patient is mentally handling things. Much of the problem is the way that patients handle their pain.

Besides therapy and drugs, there are also surgical TMJ treatments. A dentist can go in and level the biting surface in your mouth in order to ease the pain. In many cases, this has been proven to be very effective. Another treatment involves draining the area with a needle.

If neither one of these treatments work sufficiently, an oral surgeon might be able to help. They can perform a surgery that involves repairing damaged bone in the jaw. This is often the most extreme and last choice in the process. If it gets to this point, you have usually exhausted the other options first.

Overall, there are many ways to help ease the pain and frustration that comes with TMJ. It is a very painful condition that many people are affected by every single year. If you have this condition, you are definitely not alone in your pain. Just know that there is relief available if you seek it out. Before embarking on any TMJ treatments, you should probably check with your dentist or oral surgeon to see what would be the best option for you.

Treatment for Temporomandibular Disorder

Do you usually feel pain in your face and have difficulty in opening your mouth wide? Do you hear a clicking sound every time you open and close your jaw? Is there any difficulty in chewing or swelling on any side of the face? Yes? Then stop wondering what you have and book an appointment with your dentist. The symptoms mentioned above are of a medical condition that is known as temporomandibular joint disorder or TMJ disorder. This complicated name refers to that part of the face where the upper jaw and the lower jaw meet. This joint is sometimes susceptible to disorders due to some habits of ours. Once you get this condition, normal things might get a little uncomfortable for you. However, the good news is that it is not irreversible. This condition can easily be treated.

The causes of this disorder are trivial in the literal sense. You will never think that simple habits like grinding your teeth or clenching the teeth due to stress can cause this disorder. Other causes are- dislocation of a disc between the socket and the ball and bone related disorder. Essentially, it is also a bone disorder. The diagnosis of this disorder will require an investigation of not only your dental health but also of your history of diseases. Sometimes, this disorder can be misdiagnosed as a gum disease. It is an obvious diagnosis only when the dentist knows that the patient has rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis. A thorough examination of the ear and mouth should be conducted before the diagnosis of this disorder. An X-ray is a must because only that can show the condition your jaws are in.

After the diagnosis, the dentist can refer you to a dental surgeon because such a condition requires surgery to put the jaw bones back in place. However, do remember that surgery is not the only option. In fact, it is the last resort. When all else fails, surgery is what one must turn to. What are the other ways in which you can treat temporomandibular disorder? You can apply cold packs or hot towels over the area that hurts so that the pain subsides. After this, try some jaw exercises which your dentist will recommend. Re-apply the hot towel or cold packs to reduce the pain and swelling. Regular jaw exercises will improve its flexibility and won't impede jaw movement. The dentist may also ask you not the eat hard foods or whole fruits. This is all to restrict jaw movement and to not put much pressure on the already sensitive area. If pain persists after exercising, you can try painkillers too. But, do remember not to use steroidal painkillers. The dentist will also recommend you to use a night guard or a splint. These mouthpieces are placed inside your mouth, between the upper and lower teeth, to prevent you from grinding your teeth. Many people involuntarily grind their teeth in their sleep, and this causes the TMJ disorder. Also, avoid keeping your phone between your ear and your shoulder. This only puts unnecessary pressure on your jaw. Moreover, do remember that stress is one of the causes of this disorder. So, you can learn some relaxation techniques too.

Visit your dentist as soon as you can relieve yourself of the pain.

Tips to Manage TMJ Symptoms

Many people experience TMJ symptoms, which affects the Temporomandibular Joint. When these symptoms occur, it is actually called TMJ syndrome or TMD (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder). Many people refer to this condition simply as "TMJ," so for the take of this article we will use the term "TMJ" when referring to the condition of TMJ syndrome.

TMJ symptoms affect are focused around the joint that connects the lower jaw. This joint is used in many daily activities including eating and talking. So, if pain is occurring in the joint it can cause quite a bit of discomfort for the person experiencing it.

Common TMJ symptoms include: pain in the jaw joint, a locked jaw, swelling in the jaw joint, headaches, pain in the neck and/or shoulders, ear aches, teeth grinding, and ringing in the ears. These TMJ symptoms vary just a little bit depending on the person and the severity of the condition. These symptoms are usually aggravated when the person chews and moves their jaw more.

If you are experiencing TMJ symptoms, it is a good idea to contact your doctor and begin to proactively treat the condition. You will be amazed at how good you feel when you get rid of the tension in your jaw! Usually disorders relating to the Temporomandibular Joint are fairly easy to fix with inexpensive treatments

Stress is one of the biggest factors in TMJ syndrome. Higher levels of stress cause people to grind their teeth more and clench their teeth, which in turn puts more pressure on the jaw joint. Practicing simple exercises at home to reduce stress can lower the TMJ symptoms that you are experiencing.

Back Pain Relief - Can This Girdle Relieve Your Back Pain?

Whether you know it or not there is a "girdle" built into all of us. Knowledge of this girdle and the role it plays can lead to better back health. The "girdle is the intermediary cylindrical girdle. It provides support for the sacroiliac. The sacroiliac are joints located at the very bottom of your back, one on each side of your spine. These joints joints help make up the rear part of the pelvic girdle and sit between the sacrum (vertebrae S1-S5) and the Ilia (hip bones). The sacroiliac does not have any support, yet it permits a variety of turns and twists, it needs and something to hold it up and or give it support. That is the role of this girdle.

Now we all have potential for back issues, since those joints are subject to wear and tear. Between the girdle rest the joints, which often degenerate causing diseases, such as osteoarthritis due to frequent twisting, turning, etc. Osteoarthritis is a form of arthritis that affects the back, since joints and cartilages gradually lose strength. Although usually affecting middle-aged people, yet it could start earlier.

So what the answer to preventing degeneration and back problems? It is clear that the Intermediary Girdle does play a role in a healthy back. Keeping it healthy is one key in preventing an aching back. How do we do this? Quite simply it is living a healthy life style, exercise and eating right. Study after study has shown that exercise is a bigger factor in a healthy back and can cure back problems, preventing surgery and expensive drugs. The key is to take action and find a program of exercise that works for you. One such program is the "Lose The Back Pain System" developed by the Healthy Back Institute. Following this program has helped thousands lose their pain and live a healthy, active life.

CM8: What Is CM8 and Does It Really Make a Difference?

If you are looking for joint pain relief for arthritis, bursitis, fibromyalgia, repetitive stress injuries, sports injuries, or post-surgical aches and pains in your knees or hips, the range of treatments and supplements on the market can be overwhelming. As you read each label you will see all kinds of chemical formula names with some being all-natural and some not.

Two natural ingredients that you will see most frequently are Glucosamine (used to treat joint pain and inflammation) and Chondroitin (usually chondroitin sulfate - used to reverse cartilage loss when used in connection with Glucosamine). Both occur naturally in the body and doctors and chiropractors recommend supplements to relieve age-related, surgical, or sports-related joint pain.

As the victim of a sports injury or two myself, I went looking for such a supplement and found one that has a third ingredient that is claimed to not only boost the effects of Glucosamine and Chondroitin but also to vastly improve joint flexibility. That supplement is Flexcin with CM8??

What is CM8??
I'll do my best to avoid this turning into a chemistry lesson! Cetyl Myristoleate (much easier to pronounce as "CM8"!) is a patented naturally derived formula that, based on blind chemical tests, is claimed to offer three specific properties in the relief of joint pain: pain relief, anti-inflammation, and improved joint lubrication. Because of its chemical formulation (it is technically an ester of myristoleic acid), it has been found to have a long life in the body with no harmful side effects or danger of habit formation. Flexcin is currently the only joint pain relief supplement on the market that includes CM8??as a core ingredient.

Flexcin Customer Reviews - Is Flexcin a Scam?
While the fact that Flexcin uses all natural ingredients should be reassuring to you, it's important to do your research before starting any new supplement regimen (as I did). In this case, the official Flexcin website offers strong endorsements by prominent medical doctors, and customer testimonials seem very positive. Of course, there are always some users who don't appear to like the product, but the positive reviews definitely outweigh the one or two negatives.

Does CM8??Really Make a Difference?
If you look at all the positive reviews of Flexcin customers who have tried other joint pain relief supplements, all the supplements they have tried in the past included the usual ingredients (Glucosamine and Chondroitin), which explains why the manufacturer of Flexcin is so confident in its promotion of CM8??If you have been unsuccessful with other supplements in the past and are still looking for joint pain relief, you should seriously consider giving Flexcin a try. The ingredients are all natural and, unlike many of their competitors, they offer an "Anytime, Anywhere, No Questions Asked, Money Back Guarantee".

Glucosamine Hydrochloride

Glucosamine, a naturally occurring amino sugar has been available for decades and is used to treat osteoarthritis. It is used as the basis for the synthesis of all glycosylated proteins and lipids, and nitrogen-containing sugars. It is produced by the human body and is used as a forerunner in the formation of larger molecules called glycosaminoglycans that are necessary for the growth and repair of cartilage. Glycosaminoglycans are a key constituent of bones, tendons, ligaments and fluids in the joint.

Glucosamine has three chemical forms: glucosamine sulfate, glucosamine hydrochloride and n-acetyl-glucosamine. Glucosamine hydrochloride is more concentrated than the sulfate form and contains comparatively less sodium per effective dose. It carries out important functions in the human body like the detoxification of liver and kidney, and protection of the liver from inflammation.

Glucosamine hydrochloride is used in the treatment of gastric ulcers, to cure torn cartilages and to control the growth of cells. This form of Glucosamine is used extensively in the manufacture of antibiotics, anti cancer drugs and cosmetics. It is prepared synthetically or derived from the exoskeletons of marine creatures.

Glucosamine hydrochloride is preferred over Glucosamine sulfate form because it is more effective and less expensive. The reason for its effectiveness is that it is more pure. It is about 99% pure and is very stable.

Glucosamine sulfate is made from glucosamine hydrochloride by adding either sulfate or potassium. This leads to the presence of impurities. Another reason for the preference of Glucosamine hydrochloride is that its usage ensures the receipt of 83 percent of glucosamine to the problem areas that need treatment as compared to the sulfate form that delivers only 62 percent. In other words you would have to take 1995 milligrams of glucosamine sulfate to equal the effects of glucosamine hydrochloride.

The process of digestion is also one of the important reasons as to why hydrochloride is preferred over sulfate. The stomach contains hydrochloric acid that is required for the digestion of food. When glucosamine sulfate enters the stomach the sulfate molecule is cut off and the hydrochloride molecule is attached, effectively transforming it into glucosamine hydrochloride. Therefore it is advisable to take the form that is readily accepted and prevent unwanted salts in your body.

Which Natural Supplements Help Reduce Joint And Arthritis Pain

Is there really a natural remedy for joint pain out there and is there really a natural remedy for arthritis? If there are, what should those remedies include? Here are a few suggestions.

It is fair to say that there is no single prescription drug that can achieve the wide ranging impact that high-quality glucosamine can. Glucosamine is naturally manufactured in the body and scientists know that this simple substance is found in relatively high concentrations in the joints and connective tissues, where its function is to repair cartilage and maintain joint mobility. As some clinical researchers have described it, it is simply "remarkable". Glucosamine assists in rebuilding the cartilage blocking the "bad" enzymes that destroy cartilage, activates the lipids, fibrin, thrombi and blood vessels in the surrounding joint areas and accelerates the production of hyaluronan which acts as a lubricant in the joint fluids.

Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of Devil's Claw in treating joint conditions like osteoarthritis, fibrositis, rheumatoid arthritis and small joint disease. It has also been scientifically proven to assist in the treatment of lower back pain. In a study by Brady et al, (1981), serum cholesterol and uric acid levels were shown to be reduced after treatment with Devil's Claw. Scientific studies have also indicated that it is effective in stimulating the lymphatic system to increase resistance against disease.

Boswellia has been used for thousands of years as a natural anti-inflammatory. Modern science has verified that boswellic acids contained within the herb can block the formation of leukotrienes, the immune cells responsible for inflammation, while also promoting the formation of free radicals. With regular use, blood supply to the joints is also maintained, keeping soft tissue nourished and viable. Many studies and reports have shown that boswellic acids have an anti-inflammatory action -much like the conventional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) used for inflammatory conditions. Boswellia inhibits the inflammatory causatives in the body, such as leukotrienes, but unlike NSAIDs long-term use of boswellia does not appear to cause irritation or ulceration of the stomach.

Acupuncture For Sciatica - The Best Way Without Side Effects

With the increase of people experiencing sciatica, patients have resorted to various forms of treatments. Acupuncture for sciatica is a new solution that people are exploring. And its effects on relieving nerve pain are promising.

First, Acupuncture treatment for sciatica is natural. It does not involve medications or surgical methods. It is simply done with needles inserted into certain points that let the Chi flow through the body. The flow of Chi has helped a lot of people ease their body pain. This is not just a speculation. It has actually been proven by patients who have tried acupuncture for sciatica in the past. That is the reason why experts today have considered the use of this method to provide relief for their patients.

Sciatica pain is when the lower back aches. The pain usually goes from the top of the buttocks to the legs. This is caused by muscle spasms near the sciatic nerve that is brought about by the lack of exercise or aging. Some patients even felt numbness at times. This is because some degenerative diseases such as the herniated disk may lead to sciatica. Luckily, there is a good solution for this. Acupuncture for sciatica pain has been proven by patients to remove spasms and to provide immediate relief.

Acupuncture for a sciatica nerve has a lot of benefits. Acupuncture can improve blood circulation in the lumbar region and the spinal cord which does a lot of benefits to the body than remove pain. It relaxes muscles and provides flexibility and strength to the bones. It can even increase energy which can push a person to be more active. With these, one can count on it to reduce symptoms. Of course, the effects of sciatica acupuncture are not always immediate. It may vary depending on the person's body.

A basic understanding of sciatica can help a person understand how acupuncture is very effective in treating it. It is a form of pain caused by a pressure on the sciatic nerve and other several factors. Pain may be from muscle spasms through which the nerve is directly connected. It may also be caused by the inflammation of the nerve itself. Degenerative joint diseases may also be a cause if it's located around the spine which affects the concerned nerve.

However, acupuncture for sciatica is not effective if degenerative diseases are involved. Acupuncture may provide temporary relief but not remove the disease entirely. When the disc of the spine starts to press on the sensitive nerves, muscles tighten and cause pain. You cannot expect the method to reverse the location of the disc. Of course, it can alleviate mere muscle spasms and inflammation but it can't change the condition of the disc.

On the bright side, acupuncture is still the safest and most natural way to cure sciatica. It does not require you to take in medications that may produce some side effects. It does not put your sensitive nerves under the surgical knife. Truly, acupuncture remains to be the best method to relieve the nerve pain without the side effects.

Canine Arthritis - Helping Your Pooch Cope With Aching Joints

For a number of potential reasons, your dog may experience persistent pain in his joints. Canine arthritis - also called degenerative joint disease (DJD) - may be mild or severe. In the latter case, it can be debilitating and prevent your pooch from moving around easily.

The condition is defined as a deterioration of cartilage. Cartilage normally covers the bones where they meet and form a joint, preventing them from rubbing against each other while moving. When the protective material wears down, the underlying bone becomes exposed. Depending on the severity of the cartilage's deterioration, your dog may experience a high level of pain. In severe cases, it can lead to lameness.

In this article, we'll provide an overview of the condition. Because many owners remain unaware of their dog's pain, we'll describe common symptoms you might observe. You'll also learn how degenerative joint disease can occur and how it can be treated. Lastly, we'll offer a few tips for managing DJD and providing comfort for your canine.

Common Symptoms Of Degenerative Joint Disease

One of the most obvious warning signs is a limp. If your pooch suffers from arthritis, you may see him favoring the affected leg whenever he walks. This might be more pronounced when he gets up after resting in the same spot for a long period. If the problem is acute, you'll notice him treating his arthritic limb gingerly; he may even react in pain when you touch the affected site.

Degenerative joint disease is a progressive condition. It worsens with time as the cartilage continues to wear away, exposing more of the bone and causing more pain for your dog. The symptoms described above will begin mildly and steadily grow more noticeable.

Reasons The Condition Develops

Many owners mistakenly believe that canine arthritis is a genetic disease. In reality, while some breeds (e.g. Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds, etc.) are genetically predisposed, any dog can develop the condition. Moreover, it can potentially form at any age.

Occasionally, DJD is the result of a dislocation or trauma to the affected area. Sometimes, it occurs due to obesity; more weight is placed upon the limbs, creating excess pressure and leading to cartilage wear.

Arthritis can also develop as the result of a bone fracture or injury to the ligaments. Dysplasia, a common problem that can afflict your dog's hips and elbows, can also contribute to DJD. In effect, there are many potential causes for degenerative joint disease.

Managing Degenerative Joint Disease

Once a veterinarian has diagnosed the problem, attention is devoted to providing your canine with a level of comfort. Sadly, arthritis cannot be cured; once it develops, the only form of "treatment" is represented by pain management.

Weight management and routine exercise are the first lines of defense against further erosion of the cartilage. If your pooch is overweight, the veterinarian will create a diet that will help him shed the excess. This is important because DJD will make moving progressively more difficult for your dog. Inactivity and excess weight will further reduce his quality of life.

Exercise should come in the form of low-impact activities that provide plenty of motion for the affected limb. Daily walks are essential. Swimming may also be appropriate because it places zero weight on your canine's limbs.

Because the discomfort worsens as the temperature declines, take steps to help your pooch stay warm. That can include extra bedding or moving his bed away from windows in order for him to avoid drafts. It can even include having him wear a sweater that covers the affected leg.

If there are steep declines or jumps that your dog is no longer capable of managing (e.g. jumping onto your bed or into your car), consider buying a ramp. The ramp will make such distances easier to traverse. It will also make doing so far less painful.

Severe canine arthritis can dramatically lower your dog's quality of life. If you notice your pooch showing symptoms, make an appointment with his veterinarian. That's the first step toward taking measures to slow the disease and make him more comfortable.

Tips in Treating Your TMJ Problem

TMJ or temporomandibular joint disorder is a problem of the jaw joint. The excruciating pain and discomforts brought by this disorder can be very disturbing and it is important to know the best ways of treating your TMJ problem.

Painful and limited jaw movement, clicking or grinding sound when opening the mouth, difficulty opening and closing the mouth, jaw pain, facial pain, ear pain and headache are just some of the discomforts of TMJ disorder. Of course finding the best ways of treating your TMJ is important to get rid of those painful symptoms for good and feel better.

Over-the-counter medication is the common way of treating your TMJ. Pain killers or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are the common treatment that temporarily eases TMJ pain. Although medicines are not a permanent solution, the temporary relief can be very helpful to feel better. However, prolonged use of those drugs may result to side effects. It is best to consult your doctor when the pain becomes chronic.

Stress management is another way of treating your TMJ disorder. Too much stress can result to jaw muscles and bone tension and to ease your TMJ disorder, learn some relaxation techniques and manage your stress. Meditation, yoga, massage and deep breathing are some of the relaxations techniques that some TMJ sufferers find effective.

While you are treating your TMJ, it is important to avoid too much jaw movement. Allow your jaw to have a temporary rest and avoid hard and crunchy foods. As much as possible prepare soft diet and cut food into small pieces.

Discover How to Effectively Manage TMJ Disorder

TMJ or temporomandibular joint connects the jaw to the skull on the side of the head. People with TMJ disorder are encountering dysfunction around the jaw joint and muscles making jaw movement painful and difficult. Suffering from this disorder can be very disturbing and you have to know how to manage TMJ disorder.

The symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorder can be very distressing and can affect the quality of your life. Symptoms include jaw pain, stiffness or locking of jaw, facial pain, headache, ear pain and difficulty to open and close the mouth. You may need to visit an ENT doctor, a dentist or a general health provider to address your symptoms. While it is recommended to visit a doctor it is also important to learn how to manage TMJ disorder. Here are some tips:

Avoid worsening your condition. To properly manage TMJ disorder, TMJ self-care practices is important. Give your jaw some rest and avoid too much jaw and mouth activity. Avoid big bites, chewing gums and hard-to-chew foods. Eat soft foods or cut foods into small bites to avoid aggravating your condition.

Pain medication. Over the counter pain relievers like ibuprofen can help to temporarily ease the painful symptoms of TMJ disorder. It is important to understand that prolonged use of pain medication can cause side effects. It is best to ask your doctor if pain relievers are not effective. Different people have different response to medications.

Cold or warm compress. You can manage TMJ diosrder with simple warm or cold compress for the immediate relief of TMJ pain. You may choose to apply either a moist heat or ice pack on the affected area to improve blood flow and to get rid of the pain.

Jaw exercises and therapy. Your therapist or health provider can help you with an exercise program to improve your jaw movement and to alleviate the pain. It is important to learn to manage TMJ disorder using simple jaw relaxation exercises and stretching with the help of your doctor or therapist.

The pain and discomforts of TMJ may last for months and it can become a chronic problem.

Osteoarthritis of the Knee - The Joint That Suffers the Most Injury

Our knees and hips are our largest joints, supporting the body's weight and providing the mobility that most people take for granted. The three basic types of arthritis that may affect the knee joint are Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Post-traumatic Arthritis, with Osteoarthritis being the most common form of knee arthritis and knee pain. Although osteoarthritis is rare in young adults, results show that one in three people over the age of 62 has some amount of osteoarthritis on one or both knees.

Knees Suffer More Injury than Any Other Joint

It is possible to develop osteoarthritis in any joint but the knee is especially vulnerable as it is a weight-bearing joint, which is susceptible to daily wear and tear and sudden injury. In addition to genetic predisposition, poor bone alignment and minor or major injuries, high stress activities over time often lead to osteoarthritis. In some cases, normal age-related changes, such as reduced muscle mass and bone density, may make you more prone to knee injury as you age.

Knee Pain and Excess Weight

Studies consistently show a link between excess weight and knee pain, with many knee problems being avoidable by maintaining a healthy weight. Carrying only 10 pounds excess weight increases the pressure on the knees by 30-60 pounds, and it was found that about 56% of severely obese people suffered from significant knee pain in comparison to 15% of people who were not overweight. In addition, it was indicated that obese women stand nearly 4 times the chance of developing knee osteoarthritis in comparison to non-obese women, and obese men standing nearly 5 times the chance.

Symptoms of Knee Arthritis

Although some people suffer from tenderness and swelling in the morning, many people find that knee pain increases during the day, sometimes arising in the afternoon and getting steadily worse. Some of the common signs of osteoarthritis of the knee are:
• Pain with activities
• Intermittent or steady pain
• Limited range of motion
• Swelling or tenderness
• Stiffness when getting up from sitting or lying down
• Grinding or crunching sounds
• Pain with passive motion

Medical Treatment for Osteoarthritis of the Knee

There is no medical cure for osteoarthritis and although it is possible to regrow cartilage in a laboratory, getting implanted cartilage to grow in an osteoarthritic knee has not yet been successful, as the implanted cartilage eventually dies. In most cases over-the-counter pain relievers are used but many of them have a variety of side effects such as stomach pain, digestive problems, headaches and dizziness. In addition, NSAIDs actually sabotage the body's own efforts to heal itself by preventing the formation of new cartilage and accelerating the degeneration of the joints. Some surgical procedures are used for knee osteoarthritis, including arthroscopic surgery and knee replacement surgery.

Alternative Treatments for Osteoarthritis of the Knee

• Exercising is a crucial part of treatment, helping to improve balance and sometimes relieving pain. Specific exercises can be designed to help spread the forces of everyday activity to other joints thus helping to protect the knee. Regular exercise also strengthens the muscles and other structures around the knee, with range-of-motion exercises helping to maintain joint function and relieve stiffness.
• Using a cane in the hand on the side opposite to the affected knee will help to decrease demand on the arthritic joint.
• Wearing soft-soled shoes or special shock-absorbing shoes, and replacing them frequently, will help to reduce the impact on your knees.
• Weight loss is one of the most important treatments, alleviating pressure placed on the joint.
• Following an anti-osteoarthritis diet can help to control the destruction of joints and reduce inflammation

Foods That Help During Menopause and Joint Pain

Vegetable oils should be avoided; but you may continue using olive oil and the essential fatty acids flax seed, sesame, pumpkin, borage, as well as sunflower oils during menopause and joint pain.

MSG (monosodium gluconate) as well as alcohol should be avoided. Garden sage leaf infusion or even tincture can prevent joint aches and improve circulation. Essential fatty acids tend to have anti-inflammatory properties. You may take a spoonful of fresh flax seed or evening primrose oil several times in a day as this can relieve pain within a few days. Regular use helps in preventing aching joints during menopause and joint pain.

Ginger baths, soaks, as well as compresses tend to bring soothing, warm relief to sore as well as aching joints. This way you can take control of your menopause and joint pain, naturally.

After all, arthritis is not an inevitable sign of aging, nor is it a sign of a condition such as arthritis. Instead, arthritis can be a sign of chronic inflammation or even hormonal imbalance during menopause. When women are able to solve these underlying problems, they will find their arthritis and stiffness to significantly improve, or even disappear altogether.

Typically, the healthy immune system tends to trigger the inflammatory response in order to deal with injury or infection. But in many women, this inflammatory response tends to reduce and will prevent cell regeneration and repair. It will gradually tears down tissues, including those in the joints.

Chronic inflammation can even be due to a diet that is high in refined carbohydrates and sugars as well as too low in essential fatty acids. A high-carb diet tends to promote prolonged high levels of insulin that disrupts cellular metabolism and even spreads inflammation. Stress is also an issue in the case of menopause and arthritis. Cortisol is the hormone released in response to stress that works as an inflammatory agent.

Can't Anyone Help Me With My Jaw Pain?

Does your jaw, head, or ear hurt? You may be suffering from a TMJ disorder (Temporomandibular joint disorder). There are two TM joints connecting your jawbone to your skull. Since there are so many different components involved in the construction of the TMJ you should see a doctor to make sure it's not one of the other dozens of conditions causing your pain.

After you have been diagnosed with the TMJ disorder it's time to find a treatment plan that will successfully cure you and relieve the pain. The problem with this condition is: since there are no dental or medical qualified experts specifically trained to treat the TMJ condition there aren't any established standards for the treatment of the TMJ disorder. What that means is there are doctors and dentists who claim to be TMJ doctors or TMJ specialists but there is no real TMJ doctor out there.

If you look to the National Institutes of Health for advice you will be told to look for a health care provider with an understanding of musculoskeletal disorders who has been trained to treat chronic pain conditions. If you talk to the American Dental Association or the American Medical Association you will find that neither one recognizes a single treatment of the TMJ disorder as a specialty.

Since there is no specialized training or certification processes for TMJ treatments there is a wide range of treatment options out there offered by a wide range of medical practitioners. Some of the treatment plans work for some people and some don't. Some plans can actually make the condition worse. That makes starting the treatment for your condition with therapies that are easily reversed a great idea.

Some TMJ doctors will suggest things like splints or TMJ night guards, or medications or even surgery but none of these things are proven and nothing will be right for every patient. The best advice is to figure out the root cause of your TMJ disorder and find a treatment plan that addresses the root cause and your TMJ symptoms.

A good idea for finding a TMJ doctor is to network with other TMJ patients in your area and find out whom their TMJ doctor is or what clinic they go to is. Then go see them to see if they can help you. You just want to make sure that whomever you choose to be your TMJ doctor they have experience with successfully treating patients with the TMJ disorder.

Wobble Boards - Do They Work?

The short answer to this question is yes! We all know that physical exercises do wonders for losing weight and keeping in shape. Wobble boards do work and here are just a few things that they can help you with.

Balance - Perfecting your balance can do wonders for just about every part of your body. Keeping your balance takes the coordination of many different muscles and working them all together can have some great benefits. You will find that having a good balance is the core to many other exercises and sports and something as simple as using a wobble board can really help you sharpen your balance skills.

Toning your midsection - Let's face it, everyone wants to work on their midsection. It is the most common "problem area". You could go through a huge exercise routine to target specific areas. You can do one exercise to work your abs and another for your butt and then a third for your inner thighs. By the time your done, you are tired, sore and your muscles will soon be getting stiff. Using a wobble board focuses on all of those areas at once without all of the drawbacks of getting sore and tired.

Joint Injuries - Doctors have been using balance boards to help speed up recovery with many joint related injuries. It is a proven fact that wobble boards can help speed up recovery on many common joint problems and injuries.

They really do work wonders and not only will they help you lose weight and shape your muscles but they offer something that you do not find with other exercises. They are fun!

It might be a little tricky at first but once you get the hang of it you will be balancing your way to a thinner healthier you!

Natural Pain Relief For Arthritis - Massage Therapy

Unfortunately there's no cure for arthritis and the arthritic changes that arthritis brings to your joints, but you can relieve the pain that accompanies this medical condition.

Two treatments which are easy and are worth trying are massage therapy, and also massage with essential oils.

Massage Therapy: Gentle Massage Can Relieve Pain

When you massage a painful arthritic joint, you help the blood circulation to the joint, and this aids healing. Another benefit is that the muscles relax, and this relieves pain too, because tight muscles around the joint make it even more painful.

Although you can massage painful joints yourself, for best results visit a massage therapist, because the therapist will know the best way to massage your hands, or whichever joints are affected. Ask to be shown some easy massage techniques that you can perform at home.

Massage therapy can't reverse arthritis, but many people find that they can keep arthritis at bay with massage therapy.

Essential Oils For Arthritis Pain Relief

Massage therapy can help even more if you massage your joints with essential oils. Essential oils are fragrant oils which are refined from plants, roots, and trees. Pain relieving essential oils for arthritis treatment include ginger, lavandin, and eucalyptus.

For an arthritis joint massage, very small quantities of pure essential oils (about one drop per teaspoon) are added to a carrier oil like apricot or almond oil. You can make up your own massage oil from essential oils and a carrier oil, and can use it to massage painful joints twice a day.

Not only do the essential oils smell wonderful, but they're also very relaxing.

As with massage therapy, it's best to get advice and a couple of treatments from a professional aromatherapist at the beginning, and then you can continue the treatment with essential oils at home.

Although massage therapy and essential oils massage therapy are not a cure for arthritis, they do relieve the pain. These treatments can also help you to regain and maintain movement in your joints, so that you live your life.

Dog Pain Relief - Glucosamine For Dogs Vs All Natural Pet Bounce Pain Reliever

Dog pain relief is important for any pet owner. If your dog or cat is suffering from stiff joints, or has a shakey leg, or is slow getting up and down then it may time to consider giving him or her glucosamine for dogs and cats or the all natural pet pain reliever from Pet Bounce.

The most important thing for most pet owners is the safety of certain medications for dog pain relief and cat pain relief. Usually the second most important thing to consider is the cost.

Before deciding which is the best pain reliever for your pet you may want to talk it over with your vet. As you probably are aware, the cost of purchasing medications through your vet is much higher than if you were to buy similar medications through pharmacies and online and offline pet stores.

Glucosamine for Dogs and Cats Vs Pet Bounce

Glucosamine for dogs and cats is used as a supplement and can come in many forms. Many people report that glucosamine is good for dog pain relief and can help with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, disc degeneration, bursitis, ankylosing spondylitis, tendinitis, cartilage / tendons / ligaments repair, skin wound-healing, carpal tunnel syndrome and in reducing inflammatory response.

Many times people will purchase glucosamine through a pharmacy or pet store. The cost can range from about $30 to $50 per month when using glucosamine for Dogs and Cats.

Pet Bounce

Pet Bounce is an all natural pain reliever designed specifically for dog pain relief and cat pain relief. It is becoming a very widely used product since it is not only affordable, but can easily be given to your pet since it is applied with drops.

Using it for dog pain relief can be much more affordable than the vet prescribed meds since dogs will use more medication than most other pets.

Pet bounce not only focuses on joint pain but on many other health related pet issues and the cost of this supplement in the long run is much cheaper.

First of all they offer a completely free sample to let you try the product and if you don't like it there is no obligation to continue buying their dog and cat pain reliever.

After that you can try their monthly service. Here is how the costing works for pet bounce online. You can buy a 4 months supply (3 bottles) online for about $110, after which you get free refills for as long as you like. You only have to pay the $13 shipping fee to get your refills which are more than a months supply depending on the size of your pet.

When it comes to pricing, the Pet Bounce all natural pain reliever is better than glucosamine, especially for dogs.

When it comes to which one is the better for dog pain relief or cat pat pain relief, many have claimed that the added benefits of the pet bounce product, plus the fact that it is specifically designed for pets, makes it the better the product.

Habits to Avoid If You Have TMJ Disorder

Surprisingly, many people who have TMJ Disorder, or who are flirting with it, often have habits, usually unconscious ones, that exacerbate this condition. Most, of course, have no idea that these habits or activities can cause undue stress on an already stressed jaw.

Gum Chewing

Chewing gum can put tremendous stress on jaw joints. People who have full blown cases of TMJD are aware of this and seldom chew gum, but many people who have lesser symptoms may not always equate gum chewing with TMJD, particularly if one's symptoms don't include pain but only include things like "popping" or crackling of the jaw. Popping and crackling jaw joints are only a prelude of what is to follow!

Chewing Ice

How many times have you sat around crunching on ice? Even chewing on shaved ice can put amazing stress on the jaw joints, not to mention that chomping on ice can crack and break teeth. This is a difficult habit to break. Ice chomping must be in one's DNA, for ice chompers revert to chomping and chewing ice no matter how hard they try not to. This is a BAD habit, and it's particularly bad for people with TMJD!

Chewing Pencils, Pens, Fingernails

This is another habit that is very detrimental to teeth and to jaw joints. It's also probably the most unsanitary habit there is if one considers who else may have handled the pencil or pen, and what else your fingers may have touched that is covered with germs and gross bacteria. Keep things out of your mouth. If you are a chewer and a chomper, this is very difficult. But if you have TMJD, it is essential that you not stress your jaw joints by chomping and grinding away on foreign objects.

Hard Candy

Please, don't even put a hard candy in your mouth if you are a chewer/chomper. The odds are, no matter how careful you are, that you are going to eventually chomp on the candy. Granted, you may wait until it's a tiny sliver or morsel, but you're going to do it. Avoid hard candy, and even avoid licorice and all those hard, chewy treats.

Toothpicks Count Too

If you're a natural born chomper/chewer, even using a toothpick can lead to some heavy duty chewing, especially if you leave the toothpick in your mouth for any length of time.

TMJD and Swallowing Disorders

If you have a bad case of TMJD the odds are that you may also develop a swallowing disorder. This disorder may range from slight to serious. TMJD is not a condition to be blown off or taken lightly, even if you aren't in pain. The throat muscles also can become involved along with the jaw muscles. Treat this condition seriously. Find out what is causing your TMJD and address this issue. TMJD is not a 'normal' condition. Something causes this and it seems that the cause of every case of TMJD is different. Don't continue habits that will lead to further complications of swallowing disorders.

There is speculation that vitamin deficiencies may be the root cause of this disorder; obviously, jaw or facial injury can lead to TMJD also. Some are suggesting that the condition may be hereditary. Sometimes dental procedures can cause a temporary bout of TMJD. No matter the cause, take this condition seriously and protect your jaws from further injury. NO MORE CHEWING and CHOMPING!

Dog Arthritis? A Happy End for My Dog With Arthritis and Hip Dysplasia!

Our dog, Snowy was about 12 years old. A small Jack Russel we got from a local breeder. He was beginning to get a bit lame in the back legs and was having real trouble when he was getting up from a laying down position to all fours. We could tell that he was in a fair amount of pain and we did not want to let him live like this any more, we had to do something. We decided to visit the veterinarian to see if there was anything we could do to treat some of the pain our pet was experiencing. I got in the car, he moved with great difficulty, I could see my Snowy was in pain. It was a long ride all the way to the vets office as I feared the worst, that there would be no treatment or cure for his joint pain.

The vet took us in after a short wait and said that pain in the hips and when getting up was fairly common in older dogs and that just about every breed had some form of hip problems in later life. He had us get Snowy to lay down to see what kind of lameness and limping was occurring when he was standing up and if it was something that may not be treatable. He watched snowy get up slowly and gingerly and limp for a bit but then regain his normal stride. The vet put Snowy up on the table and started to work his hips around putting pressure on certain joints. The dog did not appear to be terribly comfortable with it but he let the vet do his work so he could get a treat. The vet determined that Snowy was experiencing some form of arthritis pain in his hips. It could perhaps even be osteoarthritis because of the nature of the pain Snowy experienced when there was pressure on his joints.

Luckily though the vet said he had been using a new product for some time with great success, he explained to me that it was 100% natural with no secondary effects. This treatment was for dogs with arthritis, hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis that enabled better functioning of the hip joints and eliminated much of the arthritis pain by repairing and reconstructing hard tissue and soft tissues in the dog. This would mean that after the treatment Snowy would have much less difficulty and pain! I was so happy and relieved that there was something to try that would make Snowy's life better!

The best part too is after just a week of the treatments we started to see a huge improvement in snowy. He was able to walk without limping and get up almost no problem. He hesitated a bit still but after the two week mark almost all evidence of the arthritis pain was gone. He even became more active and was willing to play fetch and wanted to go on nightly walks again. I would recommend this treatment to anyone who has a dog that is experiencing hip dysplasia, arthritis or joints problems and pain. It has in a sense turned back the clock on my dog's aging and can do the same for yours. You owe it to your family and your faithful canine companion to ease any of the pain and suffering they are experiencing and help them to lead a wonderful and happy life, this treatment can help any dog to get back to good health and experience a lot less pain.

Severe Joint Pain Relief

Severe joint pain, like osteoarthritis, affects millions of people. Popularly known to many as degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis is probably the most ordinary type and it is brought about by the cartilage breakdown in the joints. Osteoarthritis is associated to a lot of symptoms and signs but the chief ones are pain and stiffness in the joints. The most painful moments include those upon waking up in the morning after the joints are quite rested. Stretching or moving around during the morning can be excellent ways to be rid of the stiffness. Because of the heightening demands, medication for sever joint pain relief are now increasing in popularity and number.

Though osteoarthritis is the most common disease that can affect the joints, rheumatoid arthritis also influences a lot of people. Rheumatoid arthritis is associated to a dysfunction in the immune system that affects the joints' lining and in turn brings progressive health conditions. Women are usually the ones who need some form of severe joint pain relief because of this condition. The kinds of arthritis can differ in the symptoms and relief treatments. The discomfort that it may cause may be acute or chronic and in the long run, this may cause an alteration in one's lifestyle and routine.

Treatment for severe joint pain

There are numerous treatment modalities for joint pain such as stress relief, exercise, medications, supplements, proper diet, and rest. Supports and braces are also being utilized in cases where there is chronic pain in the knees, neck or back. Rheumatoid arthritis often responds well to proper diet and rest because it is immunity-related. When an individual suffers from stiffness or pain then this is the indication that he or she needs to rest. Physical therapy is also recommended for severe arthritis pain relief because it increases the joints' range of motion.

Eating balanced meals is essential if one wants to maintain a pain-free protocol. Sufferers should also maintain their weight within an acceptable range so that the joints cannot be given too much pressure. Certain goods like sardines and liver can worsen conditions that are linked to gout and arthritis. A balanced diet can extremely lower the discomfort while maintain the health of joint and helping in their repair. Medications are also utilized for severe joint pain relief. Several types of analgesics and steroids are prescribed for their properties that are anti-inflammatory and ability to manage pain.

Going for natural supplements over severe joint pain relief drugs

Many of the drugs used for joint pain have negative effects on the body that is why it is vital to make some informed decisions before choosing any treatment regimen. Supplements are formulated to give relief to inflammation and pain that may be brought about by injury and arthritis.

Piriformis Syndrome - Self Diagnosis

"Oh No!" It's the acute or chronic feeling of pain, hot or cold, numbness, weakness, "electric shocks," or strange sensations, starting near your buttocks and going down your leg. You've got sciatica, and all you know is that it can be excruciating. Sciatica may originate in your brain, your back, or where you sit, stemming from nerve problems in the back or entrapped nerves in the pelvis or buttocks. What causes the pain is just as varied and potentially confusing. The trouble is often due to a herniated disk, spinal stenosis, or piriformis syndrome--a commonly misdiagnosed compression of the sciatic nerve by the piriformis muscle. Here we are going to tell you how to self-diagnose whether you have piriformis syndrome.

If you are wondering if you have piriformis syndrome you can do a lot to diagnose yourself at home. First, is the pain worse when you are sitting down? Do you have pain, numbness, and/or weakness in the buttocks, down the back of the leg, or both? Without such pain and discomfort, you can rule out piriformis syndrome. Next, if you press on the muscle in each buttock, just above the middle of the cheek, and you have pain on one side or both sides, that is another indication that you have piriformis syndrome. Sometimes you can feel the muscle in spasm there. If you don't feel any pain, tenderness, or discomfort with this pressure, chances are you don't have the problem, though there are a few exceptions to this rule. Third is the classic "straight leg raise test". To do this, you will need someone to help you out. First, you lie flat on your back on a hard surface. Next, the person helping you, will raise your legs one at a time. As this is being done, you must let this person know at what point you feel pain and at what angle you feel it. If the angle is between 30 and 60 degrees and the pain is in the back, it often indicates irritation of nerve roots that form the sciatic nerve. Bending the knee while the leg is still raised should relieve the pain. If this does not relieve the pain then the problem is probably in the hip. If the pain is in the back of your knee and occurs at the same angle for both legs, you may have nothing more serious than tight hamstrings. If, however piriformis syndrome is present, this test should cause more pain on the side that is most affected.

Next we will explain how to perform the FAIR test at home. A simple form of this test, without an EMG machine was created by a Norwegian surgeon named Solheim and is commonly referred to as the Solheim Test. First, lie on your side on the floor, with the painful side up. Next, bring the knee of the leg on that side down to the floor, without turning over and without facing downward. A friend can do that part and the next. Now press ypur knee downward and move the ankle upward, more or less using the leg as a crank to turn the hip joint counterclockwise(to the left)and clockwise(to the right). If you feel pain you may well have Piriformis Syndrome.

There is also a test called the Paces Test, which also requires the help of a friend. Assume the same position as at the start of the Solheim Test. Raise your bent leg. Your friend should now try earnestly but not too vigorously to keep it down Once your leg is up in the air, hold it there. If you are weaker on one side than the other, that is another indication that you may be suffering from Piriformis Syndrome. If you experience any severe abnormalities while performing these tests, you may want to go see your doctor for the full version of the Fair Test with an EMG machine.

A conventional X-ray will not show piriformis syndrome, nor will any standard MRI or EMG. However, the spasm of the piriformis muscle can affect the sciatic nerve and can damage or even sever some of its fibers, and an EMG can pick up that damage.

The various types of exertion that could have caused piriformis syndrome in the first place can also make it worse, or make it begin again if it has eased up. Running on a treadmill is an example of this, as is walking up steep stairs or a hill, or heavy lifting for a long period of time.

Most of the time, people who have piriformis syndrome have it on one side, then get it on the other side as well. The pressure of the abnormally large or stiff piriformis muscle pulls the sciatic nerve taut. The recommended physical therapy for Piriformis Syndrome is two or three times per week for one to three months. We sincerely hope that this has made it easier to tell whether you have this sydrome before you spend a lot of money and time on worthless doctor visits that may not tell you any more than these simple tests will tell you. And we hope that this will help you to tell the difference between sciatica pain and the discomfort and Piriformis Syndrome.

Biomechanical Causes of Running Injuries

For a Sports Physiotherapist being proficient at assessing running technique is as crucial as a Mechanic being able to change engine oil. Good running technique is important for both injury prevention, rehabilitation and performance. While there are common aspects, there are many more differences between endurance running, sprinting and running in field sports. For the purpose of this article I will be primarily discussing running technique in relation to field sports.

Many coaches continually make the mistake of trying to train field sports athletes the same way as a track sprinter in the pursuit of increased speed. While there definitely are a lot of training techniques that can be borrowed, essentially the goals for speed of a field sports athlete are very different to that of a track sprinter.

Basically a field sports athlete will generally only sprint a distance of about 5 to 20m, occasionally up to a maximum of 40m, and rarely any further, as well as needing to change direction numerous times. So a field sports athlete needs to accelerate a lot quicker and reach top speed a lot sooner, while changing direction, holding a ball or stick, fending and dodging other players and many other tasks. Compare this to a track athlete, where they will still be accelerating well beyond the 40m mark and sometimes even up to the 90m mark in the 100m and there is no changing direction.

I will also briefly talk about the Barefoot Running phenomenon, particularly in relation to foot strike. The barefoot running craze has recently highlighted the differences between rearfoot, midfoot and forefoot running styles and the ground breaking research by Dr Daniel Lieberman on the evolution of running has provided a lot of insight to theory behind this. Research in regards to injury prevention and performance enhancement is still lacking, however the biomechanical theory behind premise that midfoot and forefoot running styles being superior for injury prevention and performance is gaining momentum.

Swing Phase

Frontal View

• Viewing the athlete from the front or back you can see where the foot is in relation to femur when the knee is flexed. If the foot is excessively on the lateral side of the femur, the hip may be internally rotated. Conversely, if the foot is medial to the femur they may be externally rotated, and will also have to abduct the hip to ensure they don't trip over their own feet!


• Internally rotated hips are probably more common and is typically indicative of weak hip external rotators and abductors. Assessment of hip stability and strength is necessary. Secondly hip external rotation ROM should be tested, however this generally is not the cause.

Sagittal View

• During toe off look for increased anterior pelvic tilt, as seen by an increase in lumbar extension and lack of hip extension. This compensatory movement can be due to either shortened hip flexors, psoas, iliacus or rectus femoris, or a lumbopelvic instability or weakness, or more than likely a combination of the two. I assess this with a Thomas Test for hip flexor length and a variety of hip extension exercises, such as, a Bird Dog exercise with a flexed knee, looking for compensatory lumbar extension to achieve the necessary hip extension. Athletes with this movement pattern may present with a complaint of lower back pain, with pain on lumbar extension and if they don't have back pain they surely will do at some time in the future. Exercises to address this issue are hip flexor mobility drills and glute activation and strengthening exercises for hip extension.


• During the mid swing phase of the swing leg the amount of knee flexion will affect the moment arm for hip flexion around the hip joint. This is simple Biomechanics; the longer a moment arm the more force required to move it. Picture trying to pick up and Olympic bar with one hand in the middle of the bar, pretty easy right? Then picture trying to pick it up with one hand from the end of the bar, impossible I'd think. It's the same weight, but now the moment arm has dramatically increased. The same thing occurs around the hip joint and is affected by the amount knee flexion occurring at that time. The more the knee is flexed bringing the mass of the leg closer to the hip joint, the less force is required to swing the leg through. Therefore if an athlete is complaining of chronically tight and painful hip flexors assess the amount of knee flexion during swing phase and if they have decreased knee flexion they may be overloading their hip flexors to swing the leg through.


• Poor mechanics with arm swing generally doesn't contribute a lot to injury in field sports as often the arms are used to carry or manipulate a ball, stick or other apparatus or are being used to fend off an opponent or assist a team mate. However, a lot of energy can be "leaked" from the kinetic chain with poor arm swing mechanics. The arm swing should be generated from the shoulder and utilise the stretch shortening cycle of the shoulder flexors to drive the arm forwards. If the arm swing is generated from the elbow this may decrease performance, however in field sports I would think this would be low on the priority list.

Transverse View

• To view the athletes biomechanics in the transverse plane is difficult as you have to be looking down on top of the athlete. The easiest way to do this in the field is by viewing them from a high grandstand, where the athlete can run directly underneath. This is often somewhat impractical and for a field sports athlete probably a bit of an overkill. However, if you feel it is necessary to determine poor biomechanics that may be contributing to injury or poor performance, the primary component to assess is the rotation of the pelvis in relation to the shoulders. Excessive rotation of the pelvis may be due to poor core strength or stability, where the core musculature is unable to control the rotation of the pelvis. Alternatively it may be a compensatory movement caused by hip immobility, due to inadequate hip internal rotation of the extended hip, poor external rotation of the flexed hip, or a combination of both. Either way assess core stability and hip rotation to prescribe corrective exercises.

Stance

Frontal View

• Poor hip stability is best assessed by viewing the athlete from the front. The hip/pelvis on the stance leg, should have very minimal lateral movement; if the hip appears to shift laterally and the contralateral hip drops (trendelenburg), this is clinically a sign of poor hip control. Gluteus medius weakness is typically the cause, however gluteus medius weakness is also intimately related to the entire lumbo-pelvic stability system, so core stability is usually an issue as well. Therefore corrective exercises usually involve glute and core training.


• Medial knee collapse, is where the knee falls to the inside of the foot, which can come from the foot or more commonly the hip. The knee is essentially a slave to the hip and the ankle/foot. Poor hip control results in internal rotation and adduction of the hip, which causes the knee to fall inside the line of the foot. In combination to this, excessive pronation of the foot will cause the tibia to internally rotate, which will drag the knee inside the foot. So, why is medial knee collapse bad? Well, medial knee collapse, is a major cause of "patellofemoral pain", which is a general term for numerous causes of knee pain, and probably even more concerning is a movement that can potentially lead to an anterior cruciate (ACL) tear.


• Pronation/supination has been the focus of the majority of research in regards to running injuries and the main selling point of all shoe companies. Despite the fact that pronation/supination research is known to be very poor and very inconclusive; shoe companies have driven the "over pronation causes injury" line so hard in order to sell the anti-pronation/stability features of their shoes for the last 40 years that everyone just accepted it without questioning it.

That is until very recently when the explosion of Barefoot Running began and the whole idea of needing stability in a shoe was thrown out the window. As mentioned earlier Dr Lieberman has recently published research about the evolution of running, showing that prior to the evolution of the present day running shoe, humans ran predominately on their forefoot and midfoot, as opposed to heel striking, which I will discuss during the sagittal view stance leg section. Anyway, getting back to the supination/pronation topic, my view is unless their is an extremely obvious over-pronation or over supination, that can be seen by the naked eye, it is not the primary cause of the runner's pain. In reality the foot/ankle is a collection of joints that require more mobility then stability, so the idea of designing shoes to create external stability is counter-productive to this concept.

• When assessing the arm swing, ideally the arms should be moving in the sagittal plane; if the arms appear to moving excessively across the body, and not straight up and down, this could result in inefficient force transfer through the kinetic chain, and may increase the rotational torque through the core, potentially over stressing the lumbar spine. However, in field sports as the arms are generally pre-occupied with other tasks, this would very rarely be an issue.

Sagittal View

• As mentioned earlier the explosion of Barefoot Running has really questioned much of the research conducted over the last +40 years into running and shoe design. When looking at the stance leg at initial ground strike, what part of the foot strikes the ground first provides a lot of information.

The biomechanical theory to this in a nutshell is that when striking with the heel first there is a sharp spike in the ground reaction forces and the smaller muscles at the front of the shin, such as the tibialis anterior, eccentrically control the foot to the ground. This can cause a stress reaction in the tibia, "shin splints", from the initial impact and also the eccentric contraction can overload these smaller muscles and cause injury. By landing more on the forefoot and midfoot, forces are more gradually distributed to the tibia and fibula and the larger calf musculature (soleus and gastrocnemius) have a greater ability to lower the heel to the ground.

• Stride length is the other important factor to consider when viewing an athlete from the side on view. Over striding is commonly associated with heel striking and the combination of over striding and heel striking, places an enormous amount of stress on the kinetic chain. As mentioned above heel striking creates a larger ground reaction force causing bone stress injuries, but combine this with over striding and you also massively increase the stress on the hamstring. If you have an athlete with recurrent hamstring injuries, consider assessing his running technique for over striding and heel striking.

Ideally the athlete's foot should make contact with the ground just in front of the body on the forefoot or midfoot. If the foot lands way out in front of the body on the heel this can cause injury and is not an ideal running technique.

Flight

The flight phase is when both feet are off the ground and is what differentiates running from walking. The discussion of knee flexion of the swing leg above is applicable to this area as well.

Conclusion

Running is a complicated and technical task to assess and coach. My approach is to break it down into segments, such as I have done above, and try to keep it as simple as possible. Video is an excellent tool to assist with analysis and with today's technology this is quite achievable. My opinion with video is that if you need to slow it down or need high tech software to determine what the problem is your probably looking for something that isn't the cause of the problem. What I mean by this, is that if the problem doesn't stick out at normal speed it's probably not the cause. If an athlete is injured it is essential to consider what you find clinically and what the athlete tells you about the injury and combine this with the running assessment. Remember everyone has a unique running technique and you will always be able to pick out something wrong, but if the identified deficit is not consistent with the injury or complaint it probably isn't the cause. From a performance enhancement point of view, when dealing with field athletes, unless something is blatantly obvious that may be affecting performance, I wouldn't bother trying to correct it, unless I considered it a potential cause of injury, because they are not a track athlete and more than likely they will go back to their old style when on the field anyway. Track athletes are obviously a different story and any minor flaw in technique could potentially be the difference between 1st and last! If you have had a chronic running injury and your Physiotherapist has not assessed running technique, they are probably treating the symptoms and not the cause of your injury and until the cause is identified you will remain injured.

Treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Most common treatments recommended in the medical profession for carpal tunnel syndrome are wrist splints and surgery. When wrist splints are recommended they are usually worn for a period of time, especially at bedtime to help the patient from aggravating their pain or symptoms by limiting the movement of their wrists. They are helpful to some, but not intended to be curative. At best they should be expected to prevent aggravation by stressful posturing of the wrists while sleeping. Many carpal tunnel sufferers are recommended to surgery immediately. All of the risks for surgery in general have to be taken into account when choosing this path. The risks include all those associated with exposure to hospitals and surgical operatories which are well documented elsewhere as well as possible surgical failure. Those who have contraindication for surgery including long-standing circulatory compromise such as seen in late-stage diabetes are often not suitable candidates.

The use of pain and anti-inflammatory medications can provide temporary relief but rarely result in lasting corrections. Local steroid injections often give nice relief but again mostly on a temporary basis.

An additional difficulty with carpal tunnel management arises when there has been failure to recognize additional contributing conditions. From a neuromechanical point of view alone, there needs to be evaluation for thoracic outlet involvement as well as cervical spine involvement which can result in the so-called "double-crush" syndrome.

A novel diagnostic and treatment protocol has been developed and successfully utilized in the chiropractic profession that reduces compression on the median nerve at the carpal tunnel. These protocols are based primarily on manual adjustment methods applied to the structures of the wrist and hand. A particularly effective one of these protocols evaluates the strength of the opponens muscle of the affected extremity. The most common variation includes a standard muscle test evaluation of the opponens muscle in the forearm prone position as well as the forearm supine position maintaining careful constant positioning when moving from the supine to prone test positions to not allow any wrist postural changes such as lateral deflection of the wrist in an attempt to recruit adjacent musculature which would disguise a true weakness. If the opponens muscle is week in the forearm prone position but is normally strong in the forearm supine position then the only change that has been made is the rotation of the forearm structures, mainly the radius and the ulna and their fascial attachments. In this simple scenario, which is a common presentation, the assumption would have to be that something about a change that occurred during the course of the rotation of the forearm caused the weakening of the opponens muscle. Insofaras the opponens muscle is innervated exclusively by the median nerve and then whatever happened during the rotation of the forearm had to of impacted the median nerve in one position but not in the other position that tested strong. When the radius or the ulna has been predisposed through injury or overuse or other causes to be misaligned it is possible for that misalignment to be exaggerated in one of the test positions sufficiently to cause median nerve compression and opponens muscle weakness. When the opposite position is tested there is insufficient disturbance to the median nerve and hence the opponens muscle tests strong. This leads to a presumption of misalignment of either the radius or the ulna, although a misaligned carpal bone can sometimes found to be the culprit.

The confirmatory test to determine whether the above presumption is correct is to give a test challenge push by the examiner to either the ulna or the radius in a direction that would move that bone away from the central carpal tunnel. Experience has taught that almost invariably the misalignments of the radius or the ulna, in a typical outpatient setting, will be misalignment of internal rotation. One or both of these bones may be involved in internal misalignment compressing the median nerve. A test challenge push of the suspected radius or ulna is ordinarily sufficient to release sufficient median nerve compression such that an immediate retest of the opponens muscle which had been formerly weakened will now test normally strong. This serves as confirmation that it was actually that structural misalignment which was causing that median nerve compression and proves the capacity for normal functioning of the opponens muscle due to normalization of innervation as evidenced by the restored strength. This is typically a temporary result and intended for examination purposes only. In this examiners experience radius and ulna misalignments are typically found to account for approximately 85% the cases seen. Associated joint inflammation and myofascial disorder should also be attended to during a course of care for these types of carpal tunnel cases.

The actual correction of the major portion of lesion causing the carpal tunnel syndrome is a specific manual adjustment to the misaligned structure. It is often useful to use an electronic recoil adjusting instrument as additional aid in achieving the desired correction. Adjunctive physical therapy can be helpful in speeding up the healing process. The most preferred is often applications of interferential therapy to the involved wrists to assist in flushing inflammatory debris and relieving pain. When causalgia/burning are a presenting symptom, it can be useful to have the patient utilize a TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) unit at home.

Utilizing this clinical approach for a period of approximately 18 to 20 visits over approximately 3-4 months is usually a sufficient treatment regimen to achieve near-complete to complete resolution of the condition. Occupational insults to the condition as occurs in pressure-washer operators can result in longer treatment periods but with still excellent results. The very elderly and those with significant circulatory embarrassment (such as occurs in late diabetes with capillary bleeding directly onto the nerve), who would not be necessarily the best surgical candidates at all, can have the above prescribed procedures, carefully modified for their relative contraindications and typically achieve results of 40% - 60% improvement with few outright failures.

Home care for most patients includes simply wearing plain elastic wrist bands on and off during the day as tolerated and when doing strenuous activities. Only a very small number of people actually require cock-up splints usually for comfort during sleep in the initial stages of treatment only. Most often patients who may have been wearing splints for years are able to forego them at the very beginning of treatment. Additional home care might include the use of a B-Complex supplement with vitamin C as a way of covering the occasional situations where B-6 may actually have a direct role in the underlying condition.

An important part of clinical management of the carpal tunnel case is to be sure to educate the patient on avoidance of using the wrists as weight bearing joints as they are not designed for this purpose. The doctor should be keen to observe the patient arising out of a chair and noticing whether or not they use their wrists as assists in weight-bearing. They can be re-taught to launch themselves out of chairs in a healthier way propelling themselves up and out with their knees and hips primarily and using the hands as a special guidance/proprioceptor tools.

The above treatment scenario represents the basic and most common presentations seen in primary care practice. It is important to screen carpal tunnel sufferers for thoracic outlet involvement with Adson's test, Roos' test, and best of all with Applied Kinesiological challenge to the supraclavicular structures over the thoracic outlet itself. Additionally cervical foraminal compression testing, firm digital probing of lower cervical vertebrae in multiple directions to determine if radicular symptoms are elicited makes for a more complete examination. Forearm extensor musculature myofascial involvements are common co-morbid but easily treated conditions that will favor a more total recovery.

Greater consideration to conservative approaches for carpal tunnel syndrome may result in less surgical expense and risk, and more satisfying patient outcomes.