Article 3 of 12 This is article 3 of a 12 part series, which began running continuously in April. The May issue was listed incorrectly as article 3, however it was article 2. Please take note, and sorry for any confusion. This is the 3rd in the series. This column is devoted to the 2nd Factor in Chiropractic, specifically recognition of visceral dysfunctions that cause muscle contractions and perpetuate and prevent the correction of structural misalignments. The related loss of joint range of motion and associated discomfort and/or pain are often diagnosed as being caused by a structural problem. If the real cause is not accurately identified, the patient does not receive the benefit of chiropractic care they deserve. Any form of prolonged stress can create this diagnostic dilemma. In my first article I detailed the body"s response to stress and explained why it doesn"t matter if the stress is structural, emotional or caused by visceral dysfunction. Muscle contractions and loss of range of motion arc always involved regardless of the source. The key to success is finding the cause, because when the cause is known the required therapy becomes obvious. Last month I asked "what do you have to sec before you know what to do?" I suggested that whatever your present therapeutic procedure, before the patient leaves the treatment room you ask them to be seated and perform the 60-sccond Chiropractic Screening Test. The test includes three simple palpatory findings and one passive range of motion test. It literally takes 60 seconds or less to perform and identifies a patient whose body cannot meet the demands for energy presently placed upon it. The purpose of our examination is to identify stress. What we seek from our examination procedure is a sound, scientific method of determining the source of the patient's problem. It is based on finding involuntary muscle contractions being used by a body trying to maintain its position against gravity or muscle contractions related neurologicallv to an organ or tissue unable to perform its responsibilities for maintaining homcostasis within the extracellular fluid. Pottenger's Saucer- Loss of Normal Thoracic Kyphosis Have the seated patient sit up as straight as possible and ask them to bend their head down. Slide your fingers down the spinous processes from Tl toward T12. Normally you should feel the "C-shapcd" posterior curve of a normal thoracic kyphosis. Observe if there is a loss of the normal kyphosis between the shoulder blades, a depression. This is referred to as a saucer because if the patient were prone it would literally "hold" water. This condition is neither pennancnt nor static. It is transitory and caused by muscle contractions emanating from the abdominal organs. Especially those associated with digestive dysfunction, stomach, biliary, pancreas, duodenum, and jejunum. Obviously low glucose levels arc implicated. Interestingly this is consistently found in muscle-tension headaches. The Effect of Chronic Stress on Digestion One of the major effects of the stress reaction is to increase blood flow to the muscles and reduce blood flow to organs not essential for the stress response That includes the digestive system. Our 60 Second Chiropractic Screening Test locates involuntary muscle contraction and it is up to the clinician to determine the cause, be it structural or visceral. The test incudes Postural Analysis and the Sitting Exam with passive shoulder abduction and palpation of the Universal Stress Point. Pottcngcrs Saucer and Hcmipch is. In this case, the digestive organs arc innervated from the mid-thoracic spine and involuntary muscle contrac-< tions there flatten the normal thoracic kyphotic curve. We referred to this as Pottengcr"s Saucer, named for the doctor that first described the phenomenon. It is vital to remember that this is NOT an osseous problem and that it is transitory, based on digestive organ dysfunction. The involuntary muscle contraction occurs when there is digestive dysfunction and the contraction relaxes when the organ(s) is no longer stressed. Obviously this would occur every time the patient cats! Talk about not being able to hold an adjustment! Structural Problems Imagine the possible structural problems and loss of range of motion that occur in connection with digestive dysfunction not only at the spine, but in the periphery as well. Loss of range of motion in both the rib cage and shoulders may occur and that is why we include passive range of motion in ami abduction and its effect on the sternoclavicular articulation in our screening exam. And don't overlook the influence of muscle contractions in the mid-thoracic spine on patients with chronic muscle tension headaches. Peripheral Involuntary Muscle Contractions Digestive dysfunctions cause muscle contractions primarily in the upper abdomen. We "11 discuss the lower abdomen in future articles. For this article I am going to focus on the stomach and the muscles involved with dorso-lumbar flexion as well as the linca alba. These muscles arc involved with movement of the trunk and work in harmony with several other muscles that control the abdominal wall. We know that visceral problems cause involuntary muscle contraction. When these muscles arc weak and contracted, the patient often complains of vague symptoms such as indigestion, heartburn, gas and bloating. The Epigastrium Muscle contraction found immediately below the breastbone in the solar plexus often refers pain to the root of the neck and upward along the side of the neck. It may be felt over the shoulder blades and down the front of the arm to the forearm. Soreness to palpation in this area lias long been used in physical diagnosis to indicate a compromised niucosal lining in the stomach or duodenum. Have you ever thought about the percentage of your patients that experience digestive symptoms and take antacids or proton-pump inhibitors designed to suspend normal digestive function? In spite of relieving symptoms, the involuntary muscle contractions still occur! Could they be involved with a recurring structural problem you treat, over and over? The Mucous Lining Mucus is composed of water, electrolytes, and glycopro-tcins which are primarily large polysaccharidc molecules combined with much smaller amounts of protein. composition of mucous varies slightly in different areas of the gastrointestinal tract, but its functions are universal: Adheres to the surface of the food Coats the wall of the intestine and prevents food from directly contacting it. thus allowing the food particles to slide easily over the surface of the epithelium Used to form the fecal masses Resistant to digestion by digestive secretions Capable of buffering small amounts of either acid or alkaline Hypochlorhydria and Inhibition of Stomach Acid Production Reduced gastric acidity appears to make the stomach more vulnerable to bacterial invasion. The body responds to bacterial overgrowth by triggering an inflammatory response that involves the release of white blood cells. Inflammatory responses are characterized by symptoms of fever, redness, swelling and pain. Animal studies show that inflammation of the stomach lining coincides with production of peptides. called cytokincs. which stimulate production of a hormone called gastrin. Gastrin triggers the production of more hydrochloric acid in a futile effort to kill off the invading microbes. In other words, if you inhibit stomach acid production, you interfere with the body "s natural defense mechanism. While 75% of people with gastritis test positive for Helico-hacter pylori, other species of bacteria can also trigger inflammatory changes and co-exist with H. pylori. Other major types of bacteria identified included Lactobacillus. Entcrobacter. and Staphylococcus. But. H. pylori is the only organism in the stomach that cannot be killed by hydrochloric acid. Next month we move on to production of stomach acid and its influence on involuntary muscle contractions and related structural problems. Dr. Howard Looniis has an extensive background in enzymes and enzyme supplements. He is the founder and president of Enzyme Formulations*. Inc. His knowledge of physiology, biochemistry, and enzymol- ogy has made him a sought-after speaker and a prolific writer. Dr. LoomispiiblishedENZYMES: The Key lo Heallh in 1999. C intact info: 6421 Enterprise Lane, Madison, WI53719, aistomerservice@ loomisinstitute.com
