Repeditive Strain Injuries, Natural Cure Doctor, Costa Mesa, Orange County, California, Dr. Robert Janda, Chiropractor, Natural Healing, Traditional Naturopath, Naturopathic Healing.
This is a general term used to describe musculo-skelletal injuries which slowly germinate through repeated overuse of some aspect of anatomy. Commonly the syndrome we are familiar with include Carpal Tunnel, Shoulder Tendonitis, Tennis Elbow, Golfer’s Elbow and possibly such childhood diseases as Osgood Schlatter’s Disease where the Tibial Tuberosity on the knee becomes inflamed. The medical view has been to regard this as a local problem only and treat it accordingly. While this undoubtedly occurs, in our experience there is nearly always a more generalized dysfunction involving muscle weakness, muscle hypertonicity and multiple nerve entrapments throughout the affected extremity. This is true to the point that most of these problems will resolve locally if therapy is directed at restoring normal function in a more generalized manner. We regard the surgical approach to these problems as being unnecessary except in rare cases. This is as extreme a response as removing tonsils to prevent colds or prefrontal lobotomies to treat psychological problems, which were so common in the past. The medical community has largely abandoned those surgeries and I hope abandons carpal tunnel surgeries in the future also. Most cases of Carpal Tunnel will resolve without even addressing the Carpal Tunnel directly if nerve function is normalized in the rest of the arm and shoulder (See our page on Carpal Tunnel).
In our clinic these problems are resolved by treating all factors affecting the health and function of the affected limb. Usually this involves finding all nerve entrapments, correcting muscle evulsions, adjusting involved joints and, in some cases, treating underlying nutritional and subclinical infections. This is normally a short term program, but in some cases it can take a couple of months. We believe the more gentle therapy should always be tried before more drastic procedures are implemented.
26. Wood, VE., Biondi J., “Double-crush nerve compression in thoracic-outlet syndrome”. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1990 Jan;72(1):85-7.
Comment: More evidence for the double crush hypothesis.
27. Zahir, KS., Zahir, FS., Thomas, JG., Dudrick, SJ., “The double-crush phenomenon-an unusual presentation and literature review”. Conn Med. 1999 Sep;63(9):535-8.
Comment: Metabolic problems contributing to a disturbance of axoplasmic flow and thus double crush.