That's too bad Jenny, I did have one person who did muscle testing on me that found things that only I would have known about already, and was very impressed. Since then I have seen and had it done by people who were certifiably nuts in my opinion. I even saw someone use it to tell their kid if the autograph on his baseball card was real or not.
I hate to throw the baby out with the bath water but it's my opinion to stear clear of people who use ONLY muscle testing to diagnose, who use it for everything, and people who have a potential profit by "finding" things wrong with you.
Most people don't need things added to their diet as much as they need certain things removed. A $500/month supplement program sounds fishy to everyone except the person selling it.
I have put a few "muscle testers" on the spot and when they were wrong they said I was resisting by not letting my arm fall so they had to use the arm of another person while that person was touching me. Now if your that fine tuned into the human equations I think we should do a magic show and make a million. This "linking" procedure was one of the things shown on 20/20 about chiropractic. Sad how they always pick the fringe to represent the mass.
The validity of the process may indead be there but from my experience I would say 99% of the people doing it are wrong about their abilities and perpetuate it just for the revenue. I know your frustration, I aslo had a friend who was under the spell. She is the one that used to get diagnosed over the phone. "C'mon now! Join the rest of us on planet earth."
In Reply to: Re: Calcification posted by Walt Stoll on February 08, 1998 at 09:14:45:
Walt
Thanks for your answer. I am reading Mind.... right now. It was hard wading through the Preface and Intro. but now that I'm into it, I am really enjoying it immensely. I should have realized what FOF was. Duh..
The One Brain introductory class that I'm taking at the university goes right along with what Dr. Pelletier is saying in his book. We did the muscle testing, but are also going into various methods of skilled relaxation and the reasons behind them.
Dear Walt,
As you may remember, my boyfriend (Robert) owns a vitamin store. He wanted me to run some questions by you.
Some of his customers claim that they can tell if a vitmain is good for them or not by muscle testing - what do you think of this? Robert knows alot about vitamins, however, he's quite doubtful about the validity of this method. More importantly, isn't it the quality of the vitamin itself, that's the determining factor, i.e., using pharmaceutical grade raw materials and not putting binder, fillers, etc., into the product.
Also, what are you thoughts about homeopathy? What do you think about general homeopathy products for flu, anxiety, etc., - not ones specifically made by a homeopathist for a particular patient and condition.
Thanks for your feedback.
All the best!
Arlene
100%, Absolutely, without a doubt! This nerve interference can cause much more than the feeling of pain in other areas. It can cause dysfunction in those areas.
Glad to see a mind like a parachute, open and at work.
My wife recently had a disk removed. She also had some bone spurring and a metal plate placed around the damaged area. The surgery was performed through the neck area. She had some immediate relief shortly after surgery....approx 1 week ago. However, the pain in her feet has returned. We are told this is normal. My question is......is this normal? She has had so much constant pain we hope for some type of recovery. Your thoughts would be appreciated.
In Reply to: Re: Bladder discomfort and spine posted by David Ferguson, D.C. on February 09, 1998 at 18:19:28:
OK, now that I know you're on my "side" - what can I give my physician to read that will convince him of this? He doesn't believe me! I told him what I believed to be true, but he told me that it only went in one direction - bladder to back!
In Reply to: Questions... posted by Arlene on February 08, 1998 at 19:06:14:
Dear Arlene,
Applied Kinesiology (the muscle testing you are asking about) CAN be a wonderful information gathering tool for the individual who can give up his/her ego & be in the alpha/theta state while doing it. The majority of people out there doing this CANNOT meet these standards and so they are using intuition and guesswork.
The only way to know who IS doing it successfully is to talk to a lot of that person's clients & see what they say--not just the successes. This IS a valid communication system within all of our bodies. Those who can meet the above criteria can read it.
Doc Dave & I just discussed this within the past few days. It would be worth your while to review those communications.
Homeopathy is perhaps the most powerful healing paradigm in the world. However, it is SO difficult to become competent that those who have practiced it exclusively for 50 years still say that they are still just scratching the surface of what there is to know.
At the turn of the century would you believe it, when the AMA was destroying Homeopathy, one of their main reasons was that "Homeopathy was too difficult to do."
Anyhow, I am a firm believer that, without the expertise of the experienced Homeopath to match the remedy with the particular condition of the individual at that time, shelf homeopathic remedies can only give the homeopathic concept a bad name.
Remember, when the person believes in the remedy and the physician knows what it is and believes in it too, the positive placebo effect is more than 70%.
I am all for using the placebo effect. However, I think it is valuable to know it can be free.
If you want to see how all of this fits together the very best book in the world is "Vibrational Medicine" by Richard Gerber, MD. published by Bear & CO. in 1986. It has just been re-released as a new edition.
Let us know what you learn. Walt
In Reply to: Re: Bladder discomfort and spine posted by David Ferguson, D.C. on February 09, 1998 at 18:19:28:
Dr Dave
Could bowel problems also cause back pain? When I have a bout with diarrhea or severe abdominal cramping, I frequently have simultaneous back pain and one hip gets higher than the other.
Nancy
Dear David,
Yikes!! That was a great post! Thank you.
Jim
Dr. Dave
You could be onto something, here. Trouble is, I'm confused as to how to locate a chiropractor who can address my abdominal distress. I don't think the back issue is the whole problem, but, as you said, could be exaserbating the situation. I live in south Louisiana. Do you have any contacts here or do you have any suggestions as to how I could find a good chiropractor? Thanks. Nancy
In Reply to: Re: Bladder and bowel discomfort and spine posted by Nancy on February 11, 1998 at 17:38:58:
I know of a Dr. Denise Florane in N.O. but am not sure she is practicing. Other than that I know of no one personally. Finding the right chiropractor is like finding the right MD or right car mechanic for that matter. You should ask around and get a few ideas and then do not be afraid to call them directly and tell them of your problem. If they seem glad to see you then there you go. Some chiropractors want to limit themselves to just musculoskeletal conditions and these may not be exactly what you're looking for.
The back problem may not be the complete cause yet many many times it is part of the cycle and must be eliminated before more strides can be made. Just knowing you from this BB and your willingness to try alternatives I would say that other things would have "fixed" your problem by now if the nerve interference was not present.
I hope you are able to locate someone that will help you as much as I wish I could from here. I would estimate your chance for success with chiropractic at 90%+ since other approaches have not completely panned out.
Good Luck and let us know how you are doing.
In Reply to: Re: Bladder and bowel discomfort and spine posted by David Ferguson, D.C. on February 11, 1998 at 20:01:20:
WOW! Those are good odds! Would you have a list of questions that I could ask to help determine if someone was on the track I need to be on? Thanks. Nancy
In Reply to: Re: Bladder and bowel discomfort and spine posted by Nancy on February 12, 1998 at 18:46:08:
I am going to try and find someone for you but this info will help if I am not able to.
I would be wary of a chiropractor who did not take x-rays. Foremost you must find a chiropractor who is aware of his capabilities in treating this. Ask something like 'have you ever treated anyone for a similar problem?' and 'Even though there are no guarantees are you willing try and help me by correcting my subluxations and allowing MY body to do what it can?'
Of course you will want someone who actaully adjusts. This is a given I know but there are a few rogues out there who will only do soft tissue work and call it a chiropractic treatment. There are many ways of adjusting by hand and with hand held instruments. In the hands of a skilled pratitioner all will serve the needs.
Despite the negativity of exposure, the benefits of actually SEEING what is going on far outweigh the costs. So I would ask if they USE x-rays as part of finding subluxations(not just for pathology)
I would try and find someone who does little Physical Therapy.(this is a whole other long topic) The adjustment along with the deep massage and relaxation will do the job. Paying extra for things not needed only serves to empty your pockets.
The main thing for you to remember and mention to show that you are aware of your situation is that the sympathetic (pronounced just like it sounds) nervous system, that is coming from T10-L2, may not be in balance with the parasympathetic nervous system that is coming from S2-4. And you would like to be checked for subluxations in those areas and any others that the chiropractor feels is necessary.
The sympathetic NS does generally the opposite of the parasympathetic NS. The two make up the Autonomic NS which is the part that controls what we don't think about. Without the correct impulses from one part then the other is "too strong". Example: the SNS may cause intestinal constriction where the PSNS will cause it's relaxation(not exactly like this but close enough for our purposes). The goal of the chiropractor is to simple make sure that there is no nerve interference that would cause this imbalance. He/she may also be able to tell you how you got this way, sleeping habits, congenital short leg, etc...
Give me 36 hours and I will do everything I can to locate someone for you. I will post here by 9:00AM EST on Sat. to let you know if I have come up with anyone.
In Reply to: Re: Bladder and bowel discomfort and spine posted by David Ferguson, D.C. on February 12, 1998 at 21:55:25:
Dr. Dave
Thanks. I've got a hard copy of this message ready to use on Monday when I start calling around in case you are unable to locate anyone in Lafayette.
Nancy
My husband was a passenger in a car accident. The driver hit an embankment at 45 mph. He was taken by ambulance to the hospital and released within an hour. No x-rays were taken, and the only treatment he received was a shot of Demeral. When I arrived at the hospital he had been released he sat in the waiting room in a wheelchair. He was irrational, fidgety, and sweating profusely. He and the driver had been asking for help xrays or a bed for him to lie in. The Doctor
diagnosed him as muscle spasms.
I drove him to our Chiropractors office for X-rays to discover that he has a broken back. Since the day of the accident we have been driving the roads looking for help. Last visit was to an Orthapedic Doctor who has him in a back
brace. He so far has been told he has a vertebral compression fracture L2. He is complaining of severe pain in his hips and his lower back. Where do we go now? What do we do?
Has anyone used any biofeedback techniques to enhance stress reduction? Years ago I had seen some programs on TV in which people were hooked up to a machine that would register their phsiological reactions to stress and help teach them to reduce these reactions consciously. This helped get blood pressure down, reduce spasms in the digestive track, etc. Dr. Pelletier writes about it in his book, but that book was written over 20 years ago and I'm wondering if these machines are still in use. I can't find anyone in my town who uses them. They are all into muscle testing and skin sensors.
Thanks. Nancy
In Reply to: Auto accident posted by Joyce Wilson on February 21, 1998 at 15:54:00:
I have a patient from a similar situation right now. He fell off the tailgate of a truck and went to see the orthopedist in town where no x-rays were taken. With a bottle of pain pills he came to our office looking for help. Upon x-raying the man we immediately noticed two compression fractures. We sent him onto another orthopedist that we trusted and told him to come back when the orthopedist thought enough time had passed for the compressions to be stable. His recommendation was 6 weeks and the man has been back in our office about 2 weeks ago with quite a bit of pain. It has been two weeks now and he is doing very well as long as he doesn't "scrape paint off of metal floors with a pole scraper" whatever the means exactly. Hope this helps a little. Chiropractic might be the answer for you but not until the fractures are a bit more stable.
In Reply to: Auto accident posted by Joyce Wilson on February 21, 1998 at 15:54:00:
Dear Joyce,
Listen to Doc Dave.
Also, were I in this situation, I would learn self-hypnosis for pain control (this serves as one of the most effective ways to accomplish skilled relaxation at the same time) AND consider seeing a good acupuncturist.
This is a terrible injury & it is resolvable with little or no further disability. However first, as Doc Dave says, he has to be a little more stable. One critical piece of information I could not find. How long ago did this happen????
I would not hesitate to have him take as much narcotic as needed to make his pain tolerable till he can control it with the self-hypnosis and acupuncture.
For those who think I am "off the wall", to suggest that self-hypnosis could control pain of this magnitude, need but spend a week watching the self-hypnotists work on the ski slopes in CO. They have found that the MORE pain one has (broken limbs, etc) the BETTER self-hypnosis works.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Auto accident posted by Walt Stoll on February 23, 1998 at 18:18:02:
Doc Dave,
The accident happened Feb. 10, l998. What about the pain in the hips and lower back? The back was broken in
the middle, why does the lower hurt so bad? How long does it
take to heal? One more question-Should he see a Neurologist?
He has sharp pains that dart down his left cheek of the butt.
Thank you for your help
Joyce
In Reply to: Prostate Health posted by Morton Marcus on February 23, 1998 at 16:53:15:
Dear Morton,
I would agree with your urologist as far as he went. He could have explained the same thing I will explain here. However, time is money & lots of docs just take the money & run. The more patients he can see, the more money he will make. Any time spent explaining is money right out of his pocket. I would suggest finding someone you can talk to since this will surely not be the last time you need something explained.
There is only one muscle that controls the anal sphincter and bladder sphincter (which includes the muscle that contains the prostate). This muscle is called the levator ani. When we are young, we have a lot more control over the various parts of that sphincter than we do later in life. One of the evidences of this is the observation that most older men pass gas when they are trying to urinate.
As you totally relax your anal sphincter, to have a BM, you might either lose urine or prostatic fluid. You are not just relaxing the anal sphincter any more, you are relaxaing the entire levator ani. You could get biofeedback training & learn how to do these parts individually again.
HOWEVER, what this really means to me is that you are holding this muscle tight all the time (part of the total body "bracing" I have been talking about here on the BB for years). That means that the normal, continuous loss of prostatic fluid into the urinary urethra is not happening. When you force the muscle to relax, it can come out all at the same time and you notice it. This also means that you are not having an orgasm often enough--one of the main causes of enlarged prostate in older men. An orgasm gives you an internal prostatic massage. Free, much more comfortable and can be done at most any time--you don't have to wait for an appointment.
You would be wise to be sure to have an orgasm at least daily. Within a week, you would not notice the prostatic fluid again under the circumstances you mentioned. This would help your prostatic health and greatly reduce the chance that the urologist would ever need to give you a TUR in the future. Perhaps that is why he did not take the time to explain all this to you (grin).
Another thing that would help you a lot is to learn an effective skilled relaxation technique & practice it at least 20 minutes twice a day (never within 2 hours of retiring). There are many other bodily functions, besides the stuff you asked about, that would benefit from this since you have revealed to me that you are "bracing".
If you have more questions, write again. As you get past this, please consider sharing your experiences with the BB participants. There are a lot more out there with these kinds of questions that you could help with your increasing knowledge.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Auto accident posted by Joyce Wilson on February 23, 1998 at 20:01:05:
Dear Joyce,
For this time frame, his symptoms are about right. I hope Doc Dave has some suggestions.
If you look at a picture of the human functional anatomy, you will understand why the pain is mostly further down his body from the injury. Remember, when there is paralysis, the paralysis is further down the body from the injury. The same anatomy causes the pain distribution.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Auto accident posted by Joyce Wilson on February 23, 1998 at 20:01:05:
The symphony of the human is Above-Down, Inside-Out.
The nervous system travels from the brain, down the spine, and out to the rest of the body. If you damage one level it will be levels below that which feel the effects.
In the pelvis there are 3 joints. 2 sacro iliac joints and one pubic symphesis joint. The sacro iliac joints have been shown, in recent sudies, to be the culprit in 60% of low back pain cases. Even when leg pain is present. This is one of the main reasons for only 1/3 of back surgeries getting better. They rarely operate on anything but the vertebral levels.
If there are no fractures in the sacro-iliac area your chiropractor can begin to adjust here and that should give some relief without interfering with any healing about those levels.
The referral to a neurologist should be given by the orthopod or chiro. They should know if one is needed. I know that the helpless feeling you have can make you grab at straws but competent orthopods and chiros should be fully capable to make these decisions.
I personally made the mistake of not adjusting a patients subluxated sacro-iliac joints because he had a compression fracture at L2 and L4. He returned for care after they healed and I found no need to adjust those levels but the sacro-iliac joints were not only subluxated but healing in this misaligned position. Fortunately he has come through remarkably well but in hindsight I should have treated him in these areas to reduce the ligament laxity that he may now experience due to the prolonged misalignments. Only time will tell.
Hope everything works out. I do know that complete recovery from auto accidents takes as much time to correct as any other injury we see. It's more force, in unnatural positions, than any human should ever endure.
In Reply to: Re: Auto accident posted by Walt Stoll on February 25, 1998 at 14:40:38:
Drs. Stoll & Doc Dave,
Thank-you so much for the help, the Doctors that my husband
is seeing now are much more informative. Your time was very
much appreciated in answering my questions. He is still in a
lot of pain but knowing what to expect is helping is dispostion. Having a healthy active 37 year old man on his back is just about as difficult for me as him! We are both
anxiously looking forward to a complete recovery. Dr. Stoll
thankyou for the site and your quick answers to my questions.