Bedwetting or Nocturnal Enuresis
Filed under: Case of the month, Spinewave Bulletin, Symptoms, Testimonials
Nocturnal enuresis means uncontrolled urination at night after the age of 5 years.
This article highlights brain-based reasons for bedwetting, outside of pathological conditions such spina bifida, kidney disease or urethral obstructions. It’s for the parents who have already tried alarm clocks, reduced fluid intake before bed time, done reward charts, watched their child go to the toilet before bed or may have even considered medication.
There are 2 types of nocturnal enuresis: 1. The child who has never been dry for more than a few months at a time (primary nocturnal enuresis); and 2. The child who has been completely dry for more than 6 months and then starts to wet the bed again (secondary nocturnal enuresis).
In the context of brain-based bedwetting, the mechanisms for either would be similar, and would generally respond favourably to chiropractic care.
The 3 commonalities in a child with brain-based bedwetting are as follows:
- A child who is sensitive in nature or has experienced recent emotional events.
- A child with poor sleep rhythms – disturbed, restless, or very deep sleep.
- A child displaying retained primitive reflexes (see below).
Sleep disruptions in children are usually a normal symptom of central nervous system development but enuresis might be sign of immaturity of the sleep mechanism. Sleep is coordinated by the brain, its emotional centres, the circadian cycle and hypothalamus, the brainstem and autonomic nervous system. It’s a complex overlay of multiple controls, which is why there is never one straight forward answer. Read more
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Filed under: Case of the month, Spinewave Bulletin, Symptoms, Testimonials
The term “subluxation” means “minor misalignment”, however the affects on the human body as a result of a subluxation of either the first or second cervical vertebra (atlas or axis) with respect to the skull can be far from “minor”.
Upper cervical specific is becoming more widely searched for and recognised as a safe and effective technique for correcting upper neck subluxations.
Practicing upper cervical specific has given me the privilege of looking after many who fly into Auckland for care. Some of the stories are unbelievable.
Last month I worked with a couple who flew up from Christchurch to stay for a week. 8 years ago the husband was hit on the back of a head by a crate at work. X rays were “normal”. MRI was “normal”. Function was not normal. The impact a subluxation has on the human experience is most apparent in these cases when symptoms, over time, become extreme.
Minor atlas/axis misalignment alters the nervous system in the following ways:
- Reduced frequency of nerve firing to the brain
- Reduced oxygenated blood flow to the brain
- Decreased/increased muscle activity on one side of the body
Over an 8 year period the husband lost his ability to work. He started getting chronic daily headaches. He became so light sensitive he had to wear sunglasses all the time, even indoors. He became chronically fatigued and lost all strength in his dominant hand. His concentration dropped through the floor and mental processes slowed. Ultimately, after seeing 25 medical practitioners, he was diagnosed with the problem being “all in his head”. Not one considered the spine.
A fit, active, middle-aged man losing his life before his eyes with ACC, doctors and a psychologist telling him he’s, quote, making it up, unquote.
We worked together for 2 hours a day. By the end of the week, he had a headache-free day for the first time; he could momentarily take his glasses off indoors; and he gave me the biggest bear-grip handshake with his dominant hand. We were all moved to tears.
Chronic fatigue is often misdiagnosed and rarely is attention paid to the spine and brain. Altered nervous system integrity will create fatigue. This is due to changes in the brain’s fuel efficiency, the body’s oxygenation, and overall muscle tone.
Other factors can contribute to chronic fatigue: diet, gut, stress, viral, past trauma, smoking, weight, breathing etc. However all roads lead to brain. Problems are proportional to the amount of pressure placed on the nervous system. This will be reflected in posture as the body’s mechanical levers start to fail. Subluxations will be reinforced, and the cycle of negative feedback into the brain will continue, leading to more fatigue and decreased adaptability.
Upper cervical specific breaks the cycle. This is Karen’s amazing story… Read more
Iliotibial Band Syndrome
Filed under: Case of the month, Spinewave Bulletin, Symptoms, Testimonials
The iliotibial band is a common source of perceived back, hip and groin pain. While people often associate iliotibial band (ITB) syndrome with runners, it’s a frequent occurrence amongst those who don’t run too.
The ITB is a strong, thick band of fibrous tissue that runs along the outside of the leg. It starts at the hip and runs along the outer thigh and attaches to the outside edge of the shin bone (tibia) just below the knee joint.
Low back and hip pain can be challenging to diagnose because there are multiple sources of pain referral and with the way pain receptors are wired in the low back (being wide apart) a person cannot always accurately perceive where the source of the pain is, although they might feel it in their hip or groin.
The old understanding is that the ITB becomes inflamed as it runs over the leg bone due to friction. This doesn’t really happen because the ITB itself is extremely rigid and resistant to stretch – it lengthens less than 0.2 percent with a maximum voluntary contraction.
The role of the ITB is to flex, lift sideways and internally rotate the leg. It’s fibrous tissue splits into two parts at the top of the hip: 1. Melding with the gluteal muscles at the back (g max) and 2. Joining the tensor fasciae latae muscle at the front (TFL).
Tension and compression of the ITB occurs when these two connections at the top of the band become weak or don’t have appropriate nerve firing from spine and brain.
Weakening of the gluteal muscles can happen in a number of ways: Sitting for long periods of time, crossing legs, or standing with hip cocked to one side. Gluteal muscles also weaken through physiological and mental stress. Parts of the nervous system responsible for handling stress weaken the body’s posture and the pelvis can lose strength and form. See weak hip abductors (B) versus normal hip abductors (A). This problem can refer or create low back pain, hip pain, or groin pain. Read more