Tag Archives: immune system

Are Injections Your Best Option For Pain?

Posted on August 31, 2014 | Leave a comment

One of the more common modes of musculoskeletal pain treatment these days is that of an injection.  While various variations and alterations are made regarding the exact content and site of injection, in the majority of cases the basic formula remains the same.

There are two main components to an injection.  First we have the corticosteroid in which cortisone is commonly utilized.  The role of the steroid is to aggressively attenuate inflammation by dampening the immune system.  When you are inflamed, you will usually be feeling some level of pain or discomfort as the chemical mediators involved in the inflammatory process stimulate the pain pathways of your nervous system, and thus the perception of pain is experienced.

While this may effectively address a compartmentalized target, it does so at the expense of the rest of the body.  Inflammation is a main and necessary component of the immune system.  A steroid dampens the immune system, lessening the inflammation, but also compromising  overall immune function which is kind of important.

The widespread effects of steroids are seen when they are utilized as a method of control for an autoimmune condition.  In an autoimmune disease, the immune system has become imbalanced and has turned against the body that houses it, causing tissue destruction.  Patients who find themselves in this predicament often find relief with the use of corticosteroids as it knocks the entire immune system down a level, thus temporarily lessening the self destruction (rather than rebalancing the immune system, addressing the root of the dysfunction).

Some other side effects of corticosteroid injections include risk of infection, hyperglycemia (elevated blood sugar), peripheral nerve damage (median nerve commonly injured in carpal tunnel injections) adrenal insufficiency (adding dysfunction to the commonly over worked “stress glands), immunosuppression, osteoporosis, and actual TENDON RUPTURE.

The tendon element can get dicey, as injections are now commonly utilized for such a wide range of sport type injuries including sprains and strains, bursitis, tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, etc.  The logic behind aiming an injected dose of a corticosteroid at what is presumed to be a tendon issue comes into question when we discover the tendon doesn’t actually succumb to inflammation.

The term tendonitis (meaning inflammation of the tendon) is actually a misnomer due to the lack of inflammation. The proper term for the reduced mobility, strength and discomfort originating in the tendon is actually tendinosis but many clinicians (present company included) continue to use the outdated, falsely descriptive term.

As we explained above, the therapeutic property of the corticosteroid intended to be utilized in this instance is that of an anti-inflammatory agent.  If the tendon is incapable of becoming inflamed this is a poorly misguided effort.  Additionally, studies have shown that injections weaken the tendon and can actually lead to eventual  rupture.

The other commonly used component of these injections is a local anesthetic like lidocaine.  This provides immediate relief to the area as the pain signals are silenced by this chemical agent.

The dangerous aspect of using this or any numbing, pain blocking agent is that it puts a gag on the body as it tries to convey the idea that something isn’t right.  The underlying dysfunction persists, but miraculously you feel fine.  This creates a false sense of security and can lead to doing too much, too soon causing re-injury, escalation of the injury or a new injury.

Injections for common musculoskeletal injuries have become so popular due to our constant demand for the quick, easy fix.  The inflammation; the pain; they came about for a reason.  Something isn’t right in the way we move, our strength, stability or mobility and it has manifested in the irritation of a particular and tissue and now you and your potentially reduced training load.

If you want to be in this thing for the long haul, capture this opportunity to discover the breakdown, remedy the issue, and make your parts happy (and quiet) again.  As annoying, nagging, uncomfortable, disruptive, (insert adjective) as pain can be, it truly is a gift from the body letting you know to knock it off or make a change.  Simply silencing this signal may get you through temporarily.  It may even provide lasting relief.

However, it may not. It may actually leave you right where you started or worse.  The alternative can be more time consuming.  The alternative may take a little trial and error to find a unique to you treatment program, rather than a one size fits all remedy.  The alternative may involve looking beyond an injection site for pain and addressing the whole person and kinematic chain.

To me this non-invasive approach logically makes more sense as the primary mode of intervention.  If it does to you as well, and you’d like to give it a shot before getting a shot, we are ready and waiting to collaborate with you.

 

REFERENCES

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2084363/

http://www.m.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/cortisone-injection-soft-tissues-joints

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Autoimmunity: Are You One of the 50 Million Plus?

Posted on July 8, 2014 | Leave a comment

In keeping with the theme of our last post, we will delve into the puzzling and agonizing world of autoimmunity and how it relates to functional medicine.  The first couple of  eye opening paragraphs below were scribed by Dr. Datis Kharrazian and could make a substantial difference in quality of life.

“Autoimmunity has become a growing epidemic and many individuals seeking care in the healthcare system are suffering from autoimmunity.  Autoimmunity is basically the loss of self tolerance, or the inability for the immune system to recognize self-tissue from foreign or pathogenic organisms, leading to an attack upon oneself.”

(I’d be remiss here if I didn’t briefly touch on one of the reasons why our trusty immune system may turn on us and it comes down to what we knowingly put in our bodies. When the food we eat leads to issues within our gut, lending to leaky gut or intestinal permeability, one of our main barrier systems of our bodies becomes compromised and foreign and undigested particles are allowed entry.
Our immune system sees this and does it’s job and attacks.  Problem solved.

The issue arises when the presence of unwanted invaders persists and the immune system must continually attack.  This puts the immune system on hyperactive defense mode and eventually, due to the similarity in structure between certain tissues and certain foods, the up regulated immune system begins to also attack our own tissues.

This can lead to the start of rheumatoid osteoarthritis as the immune system attacks the joints and breaks down cartilage, or diabetes 1 as the pancreas is attacked (studies now illustrating the similarity in structure of the beta cells of the pancreas and the casein proteins found in milk), MS as the protective covering of our central nervous system, myelin is broken down, or hypothyroidism (Hashimotto’s) as the thyroid is attacked (similar protein structure between thyroid tissue and gluten).

While diet is a major player in the development or facilitation of an autoimmune reaction, the list of catalysts goes well beyond that including many other environmental toxins.)

“The loss of self-tolerance and the development of autoimmunity is a major reason why many individuals notice a rapid decline in their health and seek consultation with a healthcare professional.  Unfortunately, autoimmunity leads to a destructive process to various tissues over several years, and early autoimmunity may be easily overlooked in the current healthcare model.

In the current system, autoimmune disease is not diagnosed until the tissue has already been destroyed.  In other words, an individual may have cartilage antibodies for several years and suffer significant pain, but they will probably not be diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis until they have severe joint deformity.
Another person may have subtle autoimmunity to myelin and present with diverse neurological symptoms, but they will not be diagnosed because their MRI does not show enough destruction to be sensitive to MRI findings.  It is now clear that the antibodies to tissues appear years before total destruction is obvious, and during these years, individuals suffer from symptoms associated with the destructive process.”

In the all too common scenario like the one above, a person suffering from the early stages of autoimmunity seeks consultation and since they do not have total tissue destruction, they are not diagnosed with any conditions.  At this point many individuals end up seeking alternative medicine, as conventional models offer them very little support in the early stages.

Functional medicine looks at autoimmunity through a different lens, classifying it into three stages.

1) Silent Autoimmunity: antibodies present, but no symptoms.
2) Autoimmune Reaction: antibodies AND symptoms present, BUT not enough tissue destroyed to be diagnosed as an autoimmune disease.
3) Autoimmune Disease: antibodies present, symptoms may or may not be present, enough tissue destruction to diagnose.

So what can you do with all this empowering information? Well, speak with a healthcare professional who goes beyond the black and white and looks at things from a functional perspective.  A review of history and symptoms will be done along with an exam.  Appropriate  blood work can be ordered and analyzed and if need be tests looking for specific antibodies can also be obtained.

With this information the appropriate nutritional, dietary and lifestyle modifications can be made in order to potentially delay progression or keep symptoms quiet by lessening inflammation, controlling the immune system and addressing any other systems specific to the individual.

Curious?

Want to know more?

Have some specific questions?

Call us anytime (321-848-0987) to explore the liberating possibilities.

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Supplement Series #2: The Good Bacteria

Posted on May 7, 2014 | Leave a comment

probiotic211

ESSENTIAL SUPPLEMENT OF THE MONTH

PROBIOTICS

  • WHAT ARE THEY?
  • The beneficial or “good” bacteria that reside in your digestive tract.
  • 80% of your IMMUNE SYSTEM lives in your gut, and a large portion of this is due to the presence of this bacteria.
  • WHY?
  • They aid in digesting food, particularly hard-to-digest foods and foods to which some individuals are more sensitive.
  • Without proper digestion we are not receiving the nutrients and fuel that we are consuming the food for. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies lead to systemic repercussions.
  • Support your immune system
  • The “gut” is one of the four main barrier systems in your body to protect you from outside invaders whose presence can lead to things conditions like AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES.
  • Mounting research pointing towards a strong relationship between your gut health and brain health. Inflammation or permeability (aka “leaky gut”) in the gut has been shown to lead to the same in the brain.
  • This is why there is a growing correlation between gut health and conditions like DEPRESSION and ALZHEIMER’s
  • Promotes vaginal health in women
  • (the same “good” bacteria that populate the gut also populate the vaginal region)
  • Antibiotics, drinking or swimming in chlorinated water, chronic blood sugar spikes, consuming inorganic, GMO and processed foods all wage a war in your healthy gut flora (aka probiotics)

 

  • FOOD SOURCES:
  • Fermented (UNPASTURIZED FOODS: sauerkraut, kimchi, various UNPASTURIZED dairy)

As we’ve stated in the past, it would be ideal to keep the number of supplements to a minimum while obtaining all the externally derived nutritional support from our diet.  However, due to poor quality of our food source as well as the hazards we are exposed to, certain supplements would be advantageous to our wellbeing.  A couple of months ago we started this list with a daily dose of high quality Omega 3 fatty acids.  (https://clarkechiropracticwellness.com/2014/03/12/supplement-series-the-good-fats/)

The second supplement that virtually everyone can benefit from is a high quality probiotic.  This term has become somewhat of a buzz word in the mainstream as more and more research emerges backing the benefits behind making sure your “good” bacteria is at a premium.

As with all supplements, you want to make sure you’re spending your money and efforts on a quality product.  Certain strains of bacteria are more likely to survive the stomach acid bath en route to your intestines, so you want to make sure those are included on the label.

You also want to be wary of certain foods (yogurts are notorious for this) that falsely tout the added benefit of various live cultures or strains of bacteria.  If a product is pasteurized, which most dairy is, the beneficial bacteria which they use as a selling point have most likely been destroyed by the heating process.  Unpasteurized is becoming a selling point like organic or gluten free so if it doesn’t make mention of it, assume it’s pasteurized.

In addition to the immune and digestive benefits (which should not be understated) the gut – brain connection is a major reason why a good probiotic makes my list of essentials.  We carry and take the brand pictured at Clarke Chiropractic and Wellness.  However, if you have questions about another brand or supplement, your inquiries are always welcome.

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The Perfect Time of Year For a Cleanse

Posted on January 3, 2014 | Leave a comment

A new year is upon us and with that comes resolutions involving more trips to the gym and less trips to the fridge.  Resolutions, both big and small, are always heavy on January 1st due to the chance at a new start or big change that the date represents.

While personal cultivation can and should be taking place constantly throughout each year, we can’t deny the symbolic, cultural opportunity the new year presents.  It is because of this that the idea of a cleanse and/or detox is ideal to clean the slate and start you out on the right foot.

No matter how healthy or cautious you may be, exposure to harmful chemicals and toxins is inevitable.  Some of these cause immediate damage, while others can accumulate in your body, leading to future damage, especially as the accumulation builds.  Other times these outside invaders (some invited, some not) can cause damage to various organs in the body like your brain, liver, or gut, leading to future issues due to sub-par function.  Think of a leaky gut here, coupled with food sensitivities, systemic inflammation, autoimmunity, and more.

There are many different types of cleanses that serve to assist in ridding your body of the various wastes and toxins that have accumulated in your tissues throughout the holidays, this past year, or your whole life.  Through various dietary restrictions and supplemental support, your body is allowed the opportunity to calm itself rather than being on heightened defense or attack. Toxins are mobilized and detoxified through the liver and thus prepared for removal by way of excretion.

Depending on the type of cleanse utilized, the intestinal tract is also relieved of the constant bombardment of processed foods, grains, and sugars.  This allows your major barrier system and site of 80% of your immune system to begin to heal.  Providing additional support can then help repair, rebuild, and refortify the wall between you and the chemicals, bacteria, and other pathogens that can and may have already been disrupting your internal systems causing inflammation, organ malfunction and an over or under active immune system.

Depending on your personal goals and individual health condition, it is important to select a cleanse/detox program that is not only going to relinquish the inflammatory external stimuli, but deliver support for the systems involved in the process (liver, intestines, kidneys, etc.).  For example, you want to provide the body with the proper support to mobilize any toxins from the fat cells throughout your body and then provide the necessary co-factors to convert them to a water soluble form so that they can be eliminated.

An added bonus to any adequate program is the opportunity to reap the benefits of a sustained restricted diet.  This involves sticking to a menu where the usual hyper-allergenic and problematic foods are avoided for 3-4 weeks.  This is the basic premise behind a standard elimination diet and allows your body to completely eliminate certain potentially problematic proteins from the body.

At the conclusion of the cleanse you now have the option to reintroduce any of the foods you avoided.  When you do this one by one it provides the opportunity to identify potential sensitivities by way of a rash, headache, fatigue, bloating, etc.  Or after refraining from ingesting a certain food you may decide to forego reintroduction altogether and eliminate it outright from your usual meal routine.

To reiterate, and at the risk of being too cliché, the new year provides the perfect time to clean out and restart, repair, rebuild, and recharge your life.  A cleanse/detox program can serve as an ideal way to not only take your health to the next level, but can be quite physically and mentally liberating as well.

If this sounds exciting to you then please, by all means give us a call (321-848-0987).  Together we can sit down (in person or over the phone), discuss your health history, identify your goals, and ultimately construct a plan to leave you refreshed and recharged for 2014 and beyond.

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SUMMER TIP: Swim Smarter

Posted on July 25, 2013 | Leave a comment

As we make our way through another hot summer, it is almost inevitable that some time or another you’ll be fortunate enough to cool off in a refreshing pool.  Don’t worry,  I’m not going to ruin the swimming pool experience for you.  But, being someone who frequently swims laps, I began thinking more and more of the chemical-rich liquid I was submerging myself in. When I coupled that with the fact that during a workout, your pores expand, I realized I was opening the door wide to let all that pool water in my system.

Throughout the journey deeper and deeper into living a health conscious life, the subject of clean water no doubt deserves a position at the top of the list.  In a recent post we addressed the subject of safer drinking water (https://clarkechiropracticwellness.com/2013/06/26/whats-in-the-water/) and the same rules can be applied to the water we shower and bathe in.

All of the nastiness we mentioned in the previous post has a second portal of entry into our systems by way of absorption through the skin.  This post could easily now go the direction of the importance of filtering your home’s bathing water as well, but we’ll stick to the pool situation.

Fortunately, in a pool, most of the aforementioned nastiness that we see in regular tap water is destroyed by a chemical concoction.  Unfortunately, most of the nastiness in the pool is destroyed by a chemical concoction.  The leader of this chemical gang is the infamous chlorine which is added to pool water for the same reason it is added to our drinking water, as a disinfectant.

THE ISSUE WITH CHLORINE…

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) acknowledges chlorine as a pesticide whose purpose is to kill living organisms.  Exposure to chlorine does just this to our bodies, destroying cells and tissues.  Most of us recall how irritated our eyes would get when we would foolishly swim for hours with our eyes open.  That irritation is a blatant sign of damage being done.

In addition to being recognized as a carcinogen, increased exposure to chlorine has also been linked to respiratory disorders such as asthma and bronchitis, as well as to the destruction of beneficial bacteria in our gut.  The bacterial homicide should come as no surprise as we just stated that chlorine indiscriminately kills living organisms, good and bad.  If you’ve read any previous posts you already know the importance of these bacteria (aka gut flora) to ensuring proper digestion and as the gateway and bulk of our immune systems.

(This is the bacteria that are supplied by taking the increasingly popular “probiotics.”)

WHAT CAN YOU DO???

Never swim in a pool again. PERIOD.

You still there?

Of course I am kidding.  As with everything in this world, we can take the information, formulate a healthy plan, and try to limit our exposure.  However, we also need to keep on living and if you’re like me, swimming in a pool is something that I will choose to continually partake in.

Most of us aren’t fortunate enough to have access to afford a chlorine free pool, yet.  So when it’s time hop into that invitingly blue oasis, keep these thoughts in mind:

RINSE BEFORE SWIMMING

The logic behind this is to rinse off any sweat that has accumulated on your body.  One of the main components of our sweat is ammonia.  When this ammonia combines with the chlorine from the pool water, it forms a dangerous byproduct of chlorination called a chloramine. These carcinogenic byproducts can trigger the production of free radicals in our bodies, causing cell damage.

LEAVE THE “P” OUT OF THE POOL

Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about here.  Just as with our sweat, our urine also contains a large amount of ammonia.  Politely relieving yourself in the community pool creates a concentrated cloud of the above mentioned chloramines for you and your neighbors.  How considerate.

UTILIZE VITAMIN C

A study conducted by the USDA’s Technology and Development Program concluded that vitamin C effectively neutralizes chlorine.  This technology is now being utilized in vitamin C filters to lessen the chlorine and chloramine levels in shower water.  For purposes of the pool, vitamin C can be purchased as a topical cream which can be applied pre and post swim in an attempt to lower the chlorine exposure.

It should be noted that the above suggestions will not eliminate exposure to chlorine and its by- products.  What we are trying to do here is provide suggestions that can lessen the exposure, allowing you to continually enjoy a summer tradition with a little peace of mind.

Enjoy the rest of the summer.

REFERENCES

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23830132

http://www.fs.fed.us/t-d///pubs/html/05231301/05231301.html

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/chlorine-cancer-and-heart-disease/

http://water.epa.gov/scitech/wastetech/upload/2002_06_28_mtb_chlor.pdf

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