Hi Walt, Bob and other knowledgeable people,
My partner informed me this morning that he has been getting worsening hip pain on one side. He does have lower back problems, and our osteopath often says he has a twisted pelvis, so it could be that. But he also wondered whether it could be a result of anything he is taking and/or eating.
He is A blood type and I think Agriculturist metabolic type. He roughly follows the A blood type diet. Are there are any specific foods that could cause joint pain for his type?
The supplements he is taking are : Twin Lab Dual Tab multi vit/min, Vit C, Evening Primrose Oil, Bee Pollen, grape seed extract, an Ayurvedic skin formula, St Johns Wort, dandelion, eyebright and glucosamine.
Does anybody know whether overuse of any of these supplements could cause joint pain? Also, does anybody know whether there are any drawbacks of taking glucosamine over a prolonged period. I am worried that we may both have become reliant on it, and that our bodies are no longer producing it. I am trying to wean myself off it slowly.
Many thanks, Deb
Follow Ups:
Re: Hip pain
Posted by David Ferguson, D.C. on January 27, 1999 at 08:05:08:
In Reply to: Hip pain posted by Deb on January 27, 1999 at 01:44:13:
1. Glucosamine is purely dietary. It should be no problem over the long term and your body doesn't 'produce' it so there should be no adaptive mechanisms that would discourage it's use.
2. I don't think any of those other supplements, etc. would cause hip pain.
3. "Untwisting" the pelvis should be your answer. While I prefer the average osteopath over the average MD anyday, I would definetly see a chiropractor for the pelvic problem. Chiropractors are extensively more trained to deal with musculoskeletal problems than osteopaths these days(that wasn't always so, necessarily) since manipulation and the like have been reduced to 'elective' courses in osteopathic colleges.
Finding someone that can correct the pelvic dysfunction should be the answer to the hip pain problem.
Follow Ups:
Re: Hip pain
Posted by Walt Stoll on January 28, 1999 at 13:29:45:
In Reply to: Hip pain posted by Deb on January 27, 1999 at 01:44:13:
Der Deb,
I can't improve on Doc Dave's recommendations at this point other than to say that, in the absence of any injury, bracing is the most common basic cause of his problem and that SR will be necessary to prevent recurrence after the Chiropractor helps this.
It would also be helpful to know his age, height & weight since he may, statistically, have other damage that could need other approaches & evaluation.
Walt
Follow Ups:
Couple more Q's for Dr Dave
Posted by Deb on January 28, 1999 at 16:04:32:
In Reply to: Re: Hip pain posted by David Ferguson, D.C. on January 27, 1999 at 08:05:08:
Hi Dr Dave,
Thanks for your reply.
I first read about glucosamine in an article by Michael Colgan back in November 96. This is what he said about how it works :
"To understand the mechanism of glucosamine action, we need to look at the biochemistry of the connective tissue that makes up your ligaments, cartilages, tendons and spinal discs. There are two main components of these tissues. The first is collagen. The second is a long chain made up mainly of sugars called glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). These GAGs are the tissue framework that collagen holds onto. Collagen and GAGs together continuously construct and reconstruct your tendons and ligaments.
This is where glucosamine comes in. Glucosamine is the major precursor of GAGS. But even more important, the making of glucosamine from glucose and glutamine is your body's rate-limiting step in GAG production, and hence the rate-limiting step in re-modelling your connective tissue.
Following connective tissue injury, such as a cartilage tear, this limit does not allow the body to make sufficient glucosamine for optimal healing. And, as we age, the body's ability to convert glucose and glutamine to glucosamine declines because of reductions in the level of the converting enzyme glucosamine synthetase. This is where oral glucosamine comes in. Taking glucosamine supplements can increase GAG levels by up to 170%."
This is why I wondered whether taking glucosamine for a long time would stop your body from converting glucose and glutamine. My biochemical knowledge isn't quite up to that question. Any thoughts, Dave, Walt, Bob?
The other question is about chiropracters & osteopaths. Our osteopath has a unique technique which manipulates the muscles and releases nerves as you move your body in specific ways. This then allows proper support of the skeletal system, which he doesn't manipulate. I suspect this is quite different form the work that osteopaths do in the US. Once everything settles down, Ian is OK for a length of time till he goes out of alignment again. Given that scenario, do you still think chiropractic work is necessry, or does that sound sufficient?
Many thanks, Deb.
Follow Ups:
An answer & another Q for Walt
Posted by Deb on January 28, 1999 at 16:11:43:
In Reply to: Re: Hip pain posted by Walt Stoll on January 28, 1999 at 13:29:45:
Hi Walt,
He is 31 years, 6' 3", 85kg. He does a lot of cycling, and suspects that his lack of flexibility is a factor in his back problems.
He has read your book, but till now hasn't shown any inclination to join me in SR. Last night he brought his back machine home from work, where he wasn't using it, and made the comment "Maybe I can use this and meditate at the same time". Two questions really :
- What is your opinion on use of back machines - this one is one where you lie on a stertcher like contraption, secure your feet, and gradually tun upside down. Ian sometimes hangs completely upside down, but usually doesn't go back quite that far.
- Do you think that it would be possible to do SR in that knid of backward position, or he just "pipe-dreaming"?
Many thanks, Deb
Follow Ups:
Re: Hip pain
Posted by Lincoln on January 28, 1999 at 17:53:13:
In Reply to: Hip pain posted by Deb on January 27, 1999 at 01:44:13:
>He does have lower back problems, and our osteopath often says he has a twisted pelvis, so it could be that. <
I don't see how it could be anything else. If his pelvis is twisted, eventually he WILL have back pain. David is right - he needs to get aligned by someone competent in such matters. Then he needs to figure out what is causing his alignment to drift.
Re: Couple more Q's for Dr Dave
Posted by David Ferguson, D.C. on January 28, 1999 at 18:24:54:
In Reply to: Couple more Q's for Dr Dave posted by Deb on January 28, 1999 at 16:04:32:
In regards to the gulcosamine question I hope someone can answer that for us because I am not really sure.
The care you would get from traditional chiropractic would be quite a bit different than what you are getting now. I do believe that it could be beneficial and provide much more long term relief.
Re: Couple more Q's for Dr Dave
Posted by Walt Stoll on January 29, 1999 at 14:21:05:
In Reply to: Couple more Q's for Dr Dave posted by Deb on January 28, 1999 at 16:04:32:
Hi, Deb.
Is your husband practicing SR regularly?
The reason I finally learned that I needed a biofeedback instructor in my office was that our Chiropractor found people (as all Chiropractors do) whose adjustment "didn't hold". It was because those patients were "bracing" and that was the cause of their "out of adjustment" condition.
Once they learned SR, and practiced it regularly, their adjustment held just fine!
Walt
Re: An answer & another Q for Walt
Posted by Walt Stoll on January 29, 1999 at 14:24:47:
In Reply to: An answer & another Q for Walt posted by Deb on January 28, 1999 at 16:11:43:
Hi, Deb.
Once he gets good at the SR, he can likely do it ANYWHERE!
The way the hanging back machines work is by fatiguing the muscles that are bracing (and causing the problem) to the point where they can no longer contract at all. This is what gives the temporary relief. Of course, this is never the solution to the problem in the long run.
Walt