Compass Chiropractic

Cubital tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the second most common nerve entrapment that happens in the arm, with carpal tunnel syndrome being the most common.  It is commonly known as cell phone elbow because it effects people who spend a lot of time with their elbow flexed.  This is the position that you would hold your cell phone.

CTS is caused by pressure to the ulnar nerve that happens at the cubital tunnel which you can see here to the left.   The Ulnar nerve runs down the middle of your arm from your neck all the way to your fingers.

Symptoms:

The most common symptoms include pain and numbness over the pinky finger and the inside of the ring finger.  Often people will wake up with this sensation because their sleeping with their elbow in a flexed position (bringing your first up to your shoulder).

Treatment:

A thorough diagnostic work up is necessary to determine if the cause of the symptoms is cubital tunnel syndrome (CTS) or possibly a condition that mimics CTS.  If it is determined that CTS is the diagnosis the treatment options vary from conservative to invasive.  The first step is to limit or eliminate the behavior that is perpetuating the problem.  Most often this is a repetitive movement that involves flexion of the elbow.

There are conservative therapies for CTS that don’t require injections or surgery.  A recent study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapies showed that patient with mild to moderate symptoms favored well from CTS.

This is a wonderful TED video put on by an MD who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis that left her in a wheel chair.  Through making some minor changes in her life she was able to start walking and even ridding her bike again. She has a powerful message about the health of world.

We have come to the end of the year ready to celebrate and relax with loved ones. In the midst of the hustle and bustle that comes with the season, striving for the Paula Dean’s Christmas dinner, the Pottery Barn home, and Martha Stewart’s gifts puts a great deal of (unnecessary) pressure on us. It is quite easy to lose our sense of self, time, and money, and therefore I’d love to share a few ways to keep balanced (and sane) during the holiday season.

Instead of trying to create elaborate meals on your own while everyone else is cozy by the fire, have guests pitch in a dish of their favorite holiday side that can be easily warmed up. It could be an added bonus to have each person bring copies of their recipe to share.  This cuts down on your time in the kitchen as everyone can share their favorite holiday dish along with nostalgic memories they have associated with it.

Have children in the family that have a ton of things given by extended family? Take a family outing to see the lights in a festive neighborhood, a trip to the zoo, or the children’s museum as their holiday gift.  It will be something they remember long after the games and toys have lost their luster and it can be nice to experience the holidays from a child’s point of view.

Not sure what to give the person that has everything?  Coupons for an outing or donating to their favorite cause in their honor goes a long way.  Or simply writing a heartfelt letter letting them know how much they mean to you can really mean the world to them.

Enjoy exercise as a family!  Build a snowfort (if we get any snow this winter) and make snow angels or the funniest snowman!  Playing outside can help burn off the extra calories we consume during the holidays and just participating in a group activity can lift any spirit.  Also now is a great time to take advantage of later store and mall hours for quick power walking and getting last minute supplies.

Last of all: choose to be joyful! There is a difference between happiness and joy; while happiness comes and goes typically according to circumstances, you can choose to experience joy in any circumstances as you take your focus off of the now and look at how it fits into the big picture. When the ham is overcooked or the shopping lines are long… choose to be joyful! Exercising the facial muscles by smiling triggers ‘feel good’ chemicals in our bodies which in turn actually gives us more to smile about!

As always, let us know if you find other ways to balance your wheel and have a wonderful Holiday!!

In March a few of us from the office will be climbing for air to help raise funds for the American Lung Association. We would enjoy your company if you, too, want to ‘climb’ on board. You can choose to do 1, 2, or 3 sets of thirty-five flights of stairs downtown at the downtown Indiana Square building.

We have joined with a team that is sponsored by Upland Brewery,  but unfortunately I can’t guarantee and free beer samples.   If you would like to join us you can visit our team page here.  If stair climbing is not your thing you can still donate to this worthy cause on the same web page.

Thanks for your support!

Team Compass

We just finished our second annual coat drive for the Hoosier Veterans Assistance Foundation and we collected 55 coats! Thanks to everyone who helped us and help Hoosier Veterans.  Follow this link to find out more about HVAF.

As we gear up for another change of seasons, it is so important to incorporate vitamin D in your daily intake! This recipe is a quick and pretty simple recipe to incorporate vitamins D, K and B12. Signs of vitamin D deficiency include low energy and fatigue, moodiness, bone pain, muscle aches and weakness, frequent colds, asthma (usually in children), or lack of exposure to sunlight (Hello, Indiana winter!). The food naturally highest in vitamin D is salmon, very good sources include sardines, shrimp, and vitamin-D fortified milk, and good sources include cod and eggs.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 Tbs coconut oil
• 1 Tbs minced fresh ginger
• 3 medium cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 ½ cups fresh sliced shiitake mushrooms
• 1 ½ cup broccoli
• 1 bunch asparagus, cut in 2″ lengths
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbs Bragg liquid aminos (healthy, protein filled soy sauce substitute)
• 2 Tbs mirin wine, dry sherry, or sweet marsala
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• 3/4 lb cod fillet cut into 1 square inch pieces
• 8 large scallops
• 8 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quatered
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

• Slice onion. Chop garlic and let sit for 5-10 minutes (Cutting garlic ruptures its cells and as the elements from the different cells mix, a powerful compound called allicin is formed. Allicin adds ups the value of garlic’s health-promoting benefits!! The more finely the garlic is chopped, the more alliicin is produced. And letting garlic rest for 5 minutes gives the allicin time to form.)
• Heat coconut oil at medium heat in a wok or large skillet. Add onion once oil reaches the liquid state for 2 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, mushrooms, broccoli, and asparagus. Stir-fry for another 3 minutes, stirring regularly.
• Add lemon juice, Bragg liquid aminos, wine, red pepper flakes, cod, scallops, and shrimp and stir to mix well. Cover and simmer for just about 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat and toss in tomatoes and cilantro.

This can be served with a healthy starch such as Quinoa or Brown Basmati Rice; just make sure you plan for enough time to cook it as well. Also, it is really easy to over-cook a stir-fry, so try not to cook it past having a little crunch in the center of the veggies. Let me know how it turns out for you and remember to choose to enjoy cooking!!