Characteristics of Applied Kinesiology

  • Diagnoses and treats the primary cause of neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction, i.e . muscle impairment and weakness.
  • Adds patient-specific information to the standard history, physical diagnosis, and laboratory tests.
  • Provides an interactive assessment of an individual’s functional health status that is non-invasive, risk-free, and not equipment intensive.
  • Improves the reliability of examination tools (motion palpation, cranio-sacral palpation, pulse-diagnosis, and postural analysis) by the use of manual muscle testing.
  • Helps the doctor to understand functional symptomatic complexes when standard diagnosis and laboratory tests show no cause for the symptoms.
  • Examines all sides of the triad of health.
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  • Evaluates the nervous system’s control of the body.
  • Integrates function of the meridian system (acupuncture) into the examination.
  • Examines function before symptoms are present to prevent or delay the onset of pathologic processes.
  • Interdisciplinary approach – fits the best treatment to the patient’s specific needs.
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The Subluxation/Spinal Joint Dysfunction

Whether you just started seeing a chiropractor or are a long-time patient, you’ve probably heard the term “subluxation.” Your chiropractor may have also used the terms vertebral subluxation complex or spinal joint dysfunction . Generally speaking, these terms are interchangeable. However, subluxation has specific qualities to chiropractors and is a word with historical significance.

By definition, subluxation describes a spinal joint (a joint between two vertebrae) or peripheral joint (a joint other than the vertebral joints, like one in your foot or wrist) that is relatively immobile (has restricted motion) or abnormally positioned. An analogy may be as follows: If you have a steering wheel that is stiff and that does not turn all the way, it is “subluxated” and can lead to an accident. The wheel needs to be oiled so that it is loose and moves to its full capacity, helping you to steer properly.

Subluxations can cause local pain and may interfere with or impede the function of the nervous system, joints and muscles. This may decrease the body’s ability to heal and function optimally.

There are generally five components of subluxation, which fall under the broader heading of the vertebral subluxation complex (VSC). These components generally occur sequentially in the following order:

1. Abnormal spinal mechanics Your chiropractor will use his or her hands to assess the movement of your spine or peripheral joints. When a joint is not moving well relative to the joint above or below it, it is said to have abnormal spinal mechanics. This may result from trauma, like a fall, or from chronic mistreatment, like poor posture. If you have abnormal mechanics, you may notice a lack of mobility, such as difficulty moving your head to check your rearview mirror. If not cared for, this can lead to abnormal nerve function. Your chiropractor will use adjustments to restore the restricted motion.

2. Abnormal nerve function Whenever a subluxation does not heal properly there will be a pinched or irritated spinal nerve. That’s because the spinal facet joint is located adjacent to the spinal nerve roots, and sprained spinal joints irritate the roots either by direct pressure (only about 10% to 15% of the time) or by irritation with inflammatory chemicals (85% to 90% of the time). In addition, when the joint is sprained or subluxated the tiny nerve endings in the joint’s cartilage may become damaged. If this happens, it can alter the messages nerves send to the brain and affect the brain’s ability to control the spinal muscles.

3. Abnormal muscle function Whenever there are pinched or irritated spinal nerves there will usually be muscle problems. Pinched (impinged) nerves will cause muscle weakness, whereas irritated nerves may cause muscle strain or spasm. This can lead to muscle inflammation and eventually scar tissue formation or gristle in the muscle. To patients, this feels like tight or rope-like muscles, which are tender to touch. In addition, patients may notice that their muscles burn and tire easily. Left unchecked, this inflammation can spread throughout the spine.

4. Abnormal function of soft tissues around the spine Inflammation that occurs in muscles and joints can cause further complications by spreading to all areas around the spine. With long-term swelling of structures, such as ligaments, disks and other soft tissues, calcium and fibrous materials are laid down. With repeated episodes of subluxation, the spine accumulates an increasingly larger number of abnormal sites. In fact, some MRI studies have shown areas of soft-tissue fibrosis and calcification up to one inch thick around the spine. At the same time, long-term swelling can increase due to improper vascular supply and drainage. From here, full-blown spinal disease is the likely outcome.

5. Disease at the spinal level and of the whole body At this stage, irreversible disease or pathology can occur. This may manifest in the spinal area as bony spurs on the vertebrae, decreased disk height and roughened joint surfaces. Known as osteoarthritis or subluxation degeneration, it can occur at any age, but is increasingly common as people get older. In addition, it can lead to disease or pathology away from the spine, in all body tissues, organs and systems.




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Two Articles on Supplements You Should Read

The first is by Dr. Mark Hyman on how dietary supplements reduce health care costs:
The second is an article on Iodine by Chris D. Meletis, ND Could Iodine be the next wide-spread nutritional deficiency after Vitamin D?



PTSD and Applied Kinesiology Techniques to Help

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a type of anxiety disorder that’s triggered by a traumatic event; sufferers may have the following symptoms of nightmares, insomnia, flashbacks, rage, emotional numbing, hypervigiliance, hyperarousal, depression, anxiety, intrusive thoughts and avoidance.

 There are a number of techniques that can help the PSTD patient cope better w/ their stresses and there are even techniques that the patient can practice at home.

 The first one involves the adrenal glands, an organ involved in our sympathetic reflex or “the fight or flight reaction” Continuous stress can cause the adrenals not to function optimally; symptoms can include fatigue, insomnia, depression brain fog, etc. if the adrenals are involved, then the PTSD patient might present w/ weak Sartorius muscle, a craving for salty foods, blood pressure that drops upon sudden standing or their pupils may have a sluggish reaction to light.

 Help for the adrenals involves stimulation of the neurolymphatics and neurovascular points associated w/ the Sartorius muscle and it’s link via the Chinese meridian system to the adrenals. This is a technique that the patient can do at home.

 Another muscle to look at is the Pectoralis Clav. Major that is associated to the stomach via the Chinese meridian system. We know that anxiety and stress being a predisposing factor in stomach dysfunction raging form “butterflies” in the stomach, to a gastric ulcer to emotional chest pain.

 The patient’s Pectoralis muscle would be tested while recalling a traumatic event If the muscle tests weak, then the doctor contacts the emotional neurovascular reflex pt until a synchronous pulse is felt bilaterally. Then the patient again recalls the traumatic event and the pectorals are re-tested. If the pectorals test strong, then the emotional recall is lessened in its ability to affect the patient. And the patient is taught to do the reflex work at home.

 Another technique involves negating a patient’s self-sabotaging behavior. We have the patient speak a positive statement such as “I want to be healthy” and if that statement causes any muscle to be weak then we know that there is a conflict in the mind-body connection. We then have the patient say the positive phase again while holding either points on the Small Intestine meridian; the point used is the one that allows the previously weak muscle to test strong. An acu-aid is placed on the point and the patient instructed to tap the point if they feel their symptoms creeping up on them.

 Another technique is the Temporal Tap which works as an auto-suggestion. The patient is taught to tap the temporo-sphenoidal line on the side of his head while inputting a negative statement such as “I have no need to yell.” on the right side  And then the patient inputs a positive statement such “I will be calm”.

 This technique works wonders for insomnia.

 Another technique involves holding acupuncture points while the patient thinks about his fears or anger or anxiety and we observe if that “causes a muscle to go weak; meridians associated w/ fear may be the kidney/bladder meridian or the stomach or the liver/gall bladder for anger issues. Then the patient (or the doctor) taps the beginning and end point of the meridian involved and the muscle is re-tested as the patient thinks again about his problem. A positive outcome would be a strong muscle test and the patient feeling that his fear has lessened

As you see with testing by a doctor using applied kinesiology, the patient can actively take a role in becoming healthier, more calm, more social. etc

© 2010-Dr. Vittoria Repetto

Common Medications for PTSD Tied to Increased Dementia Risk

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