Ok, so this was a pretty cool "Doctor Moment." Last week we got a new patient that had been very badly injured in a car accident. She had just about lost the use of her right arm. She struggled to fill out paperwork and sign forms with her left hand. Then she basically had to be carried to my office. Once we got her there I was like "great, now what?"

Getting through the examination was difficult. She couldn't even tolerate laying on the exam table. She already had imaging done at the hospital. Although I didn't yet have the films we knew there was no fracture or dislocation. After taking a history and doing as much of an exam as possible I decided just to apply some Ice and electrical stimulation, just to try and reduce some of the muscle spasm. I also sent her home with a back brace.

The next day this patient came back, she was still in a lot of pain and still she could not use her right arm/hand. When patients have so much inflammation and spasm it can be hard to decide how to treat. Of course my main tools are Chiropractic adjustments, which usually are super effective at reducing pain and spasm. But when there is so much inflammation present, you can risk causing the patient more pain.

It's kind of a catch 22. Lets review. The human body is innately intelligent, it never does something without reason. Muscles spasm in order to protect a joint. Inflammation occurs to provide more blood flow and nutrients to an injury. Unfortunately, as a lot of us have experienced, Innate Intelligence can sometimes function too well. You can have so much muscle spasm that the joint is protected...at the expense of the joint itself. If joints are unable to move well then they are usually also unable to heal well. Joint movement is required to get nutrients and information to the areas they are needed most. Three rules to the body according to the Dr. John Donofrio are:

1. What you don't use you lose.
2. What you abuse you lose.
3. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
   

Also, neurons generally require 3 things to live.

1. Glucose
2. Oxygen
3. Stimulation from other nerves.
   

In this situation we're dealing with parts 1. and 3. from these two lists respectively. Joint movement is necessary despite spasm and inflammation, for the health of the joint itself. And, the adjustment will stimulate receptors deep in the joint capsule, thereby providing the necessary 3rd "nutrient" for the nerve to be healthy.

Most times providing adjustments (movement/nerve stimulation) will be appreciated over a long period of time. Other times, Innate Intelligence will surprise you!

In this instance my patient was very willing to try and get adjusted, even after I told her that she might feel worse before she feels better. She was barely able to lay on the adjusting table even with my help because she could still just use one arm. Also it was impossible for her to lay on her back, so I had to adjust her neck in a chair with a technique called "Gonstead." Thankfully, her adjustment went really well. Her spine was pretty "musical." If you've ever been adjusted before, you know what I'm talking about. She said she felt better afterwards. I was still worried that her inflammation would increase and she'd soon be upset with me.

On her next visit she was able to walk to my office pretty easily. She was also able to use her right arm and write with her right hand and I was so excited. "When did you get the use of your arm back?" "It was pretty much right after you adjusted me." "Whoah! That's so cool!" I was floored.

Note this, I didn't even adjust her arm/hand. Remember, the arm bone's connected to the...neck bone!

A lot of times I treat patients with chronic conditions where improvements are subtle or take a long time to come. So, its really satisfying to see someone turn around so quickly. I knew it was a little risky to "get in there" and get some work done, but it looks like in this instance, a little tenacity was just what the doctor ordered.

;0)

Yours with the love of Chiropractic, -Darren, DC