Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Hypermobility and GI Problems

While joint pain is the most common symptom associated with Hypermobility Syndrome (HMS), HMS can affect other systems in the body. As a result, many HMS patients suffer from digestive problems - constipation, heart burn, diarrhea, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), nausea, vomiting, delayed stomach emptying, Hiatal hernias, early satiety, and severe abdominal pain. These problems are all related to the underlying collagen defect responsible for HMS. Collagen is an important building block for all soft-tissue, and your GI track is one of the longest stretches of soft tissue in your body, which is an invitation for trouble. Just like in your joints, this collagen defect makes the connective tissues in your stomach stretchier than they should be, which makes it harder for your stomach to pass food. As Dr. Brad Tinkle explains in his book, Joint Hypermobility Handbook, "the increased laxity of the connective tissue [in the stomach] results in more difficulty for the muscles to contract. This results in the inability to close various valves throughout the gastrointestinal tract and difficulty pushing foods along for stooling" (p 121).

So, what can you do to treat these GI problems related to hypermobility? One trick is to decrease the amount of fat in your diet - when consuming dairy, choose items made from 2%, skim, or fat-free milk. Another trick is to eat smaller meals more frequently throughout the day - instead of eating a large breakfastt lunch and dinner, eat a small meal when you wake up, a follow-up snack an hour or two later, a light lunch, another snack around 4pm, and a lighter dinner later in the evening. Spacing your meals out like this should make your digestion easier and more regular.

For those suffering from severe, chronic stomach problems, it is extremely important to adopt a fiber and laxative regiment. I highly recommend reading Cure Constipation Now: A Doctor's Fiber Therapy to Cleanse and Heal by Dr. Wes Jones (available on Amazon.com). This book provides a simple plan for introducing fiber and laxatives into your diet, and it works wonders! My mom has suffered from horrible stomach problems her entire life, and after being on Dr. Jones' regiment for only a few months her IBS symptoms are almost entirely gone! It has been a real miracle for her - IBS symptoms have been interfering with her life, dictating what she can eat and what she can do for years. Now, with this fiber regiment, she is no longer a slave to her stomach. I too have tried it and am amazed by the results - I take fiber supplements (Benefiber and/or Metamucil), stool softeners (Ducolax), laxitives (Miralax), and Magnesium supplements every day. It may sound like a lot, but if you stick to the regimine, it will pay you back ten-fold. You should not start taking these supplements abruptly, however, but instead talk to your doctor or consult Dr. Jones' book to learn how to gradually introduce your body to these supplements. Also, if you are having severe stomach problems, it is always important to talk to your doctor to make sure they are not caused by a more serious condition like Colon cancer.

Hope that helps!
- Chelsea

Monday, December 27, 2010

Comments

Hi everybody! I wanted to let you all know that I have really appreciated your comments, I love hearing your stories and suggestions for things you would like to see on the blog. I have, however, been having trouble accessing each poster's contact information, which means I have not been able to respond to many posts. If you have a question you would like answered, or just need some general advice, I would suggest contacting me directly via email at elsesmith@gmail.com. That way I can respond to you in a quicker, more personalized manner.
I can't wait to hear from you!

Love and Hope,
Chelsea

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

New Hypermobility App on iTunes

Doctor Bradly Tinkle, author of two great books on Hypermobility Syndrome - Issues and Management of Joint Hypermobility, and Joint Hypermobility Handbook - has recently released an app on iTunes. The app is called 'JHDiagnosis' and can be found in the Utilities category in the app store - it is most easily found by simply searching for the word 'hypermobility' in iTunes.

This app takes you step by step through the Beighton Criteria, the most authoritative test used to diagnose generalized joint hypermobility or laxity. The app features pictures of each movement tested, an explanation of how the Beighton Criteria is used, and narration by Dr. Brad Tinkle himself. The app also includes movements not included on the official Beighton criteria, but which are extremely useful when trying to diagnose HMS.

I would highly recommend that every HMS patient download this app (compatible with iPhone and iPad and its free!) to learn a little bit more about the condition. Then, bring your iPod to work, school, or just out and about and test your coworkers, friends, and family to see if they may have one of the major symptoms of HMS (NOTE: This app cannot diagnose Hypermobility Syndrome, instead, it screens for generalized joint hypermobility, a symptom which can be caused by a number of connective tissue diseases, HMS being chief among these). Also, encourage your doctors - GPs, Physical Therapists, Orthopedists, OBGYNs, Rheumatologists - to download this app as well. This will not only help them understand you and your medical concerns more, but will also help them spot Hypermobility Syndrome in their other patients.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

North Carolina Physical Therapy Clinics Interested in Treating HMS

Below is a list of physical therapy clinics in North Carolina which are either knowledgeable about, or have experience treating patients with Hypermobility Syndrome. Physical therapy is by far the most effective way to treat HMS, however, it must be done properly. If you do exercises that are too strenuous, you can do more harm than good, but if you don’t do enough, then you won’t be able to effectively reduce pain. That’s why working with a PT who has experience with other HMS patients is great. If, however, you don’t live in North Carolina or are not near any of the clinics on this list, don’t worry – you don’t necessarily have to find a PT who is an expert at treating HMS (and honestly, there are only a few handful of those in the world), finding a therapist who will listen to your concerns and is willing to do some research about your condition can be just as good, if not better. When you start physical therapy, let your therapist know about your condition, and warn them that you shouldn’t be treated like an athlete - you should not be pushed to increase reps and weight at a fast paste, nor should you begin with rigorous exercises. Instead, let your therapist know that you need to be handled gently – start out with gentle exercises, increase reps slowly, and NEVER do anything that hurts. The things you should focus on with your PT are core strength, joint stability, and balance. Manual manipulations and chiropractic treatment should be kept to a minimum. Make sure that when you are doing exercises that you are not putting too much stress on your joints – if so, ask the therapist if there is another way to work the same muscle groups without having to strain your joints. Activities such as Pilates, swimming, and tai chi are also great ways to exercise that are kind on the joints and are things to talk about with your PT, who might incorporate some elements of those activities into your therapy.


Physical therapy is critical to managing the symptoms of Hypermobility Syndrome, but must be approached with caution. I saw a PT for months but ended up with more, rather than less pain – but I was told that was a good thing. The whole ‘no pain no gain’ mentality, however, does not apply to HMS. You need to find a therapist that is kind, attentive, and who will not push you too hard. It can be hard and sometimes take time to find a therapist like that, but it is well worth the wait. Before entering PT, do some shopping around so that you know you are going to get the right person and the right treatment.


Best of Luck! And remember, if you have any questions about physical therapy, or HMS in general, feel free to contact me.


Love and Hope,

Chelsea




MOUNTAIN PHYSICAL THERAPY SERVICES

90 SOUTHSIDE AVE, SUITE 225

ASHEVILLE, NC 28801

www.mountainphysicaltherapy.com


CAROLINA PHYSICAL THERAPY SPECIALISTS

PO BOX 408

Hope Mills, 28348

910-429-0600


TOUCH THERAPY SERVICES

PO Box 16518

Asheville, NC 28816

828-665-0442

touchtherapyservices@charter.net


KERNSERSVILLE REHAB SPECIALISTS

1031 E. Mountain Street Blv

Suite 101

Kernsersville, NC 27284

336-996-4980

www.KRStherapy.com


CENTER FOR ORTHOPEDIC PHYSICAL THERAPY

417 BILTMORE AVE.

5B DOCTORS PARK

ASHEVILLE, NC 28801

828-255-4567

copt@bellsouth.net


BALANCED PHYSICAL THERAPY

304 WEAVER STREET, SUITE 103

CARRBORO, NC 27510

and

HWY 54

DURHAM, NC 27713

www.BalancedPT.com


GASTON REHAB ASSOCIATES, INC.

1361-B E. GARNSON BLVD

GASTONIA, NC 28054

And: 2809 AMITY HILL RDSTATESVILLE, NC 28677

704-864-4424

www.gastonrehabassociates.com


BREAKTHROUGH PHYSICAL THERAPY

530 SANDHURST DR.

FAYETTEVILLE, NC 28304

910-483-9300

www.RedefiningPT.com


MOTIONWORKS MANUAL PHYSICAL THERAPY, INC.

1314-C WAYNE MEMORIAL DR.

GOLDSBORO,NC 27534

919-734-9644


SPORTS AND MORE PHYSICAL THERAPY, INC.

8300 HEALTH PARK SUITE 127

RALEIGH, NC 27615

919-319-6160

and

3700 NW CARY PARKWAY

CARY, NC

27513

919-319-3649

www.sportsandmorept.com


PHYSICAL THERAPY OF NORTH CAROLINA, LLC

4214 N. ROXBORO ST SUITE 100

DURHAM, NC 27704

919-479-9001

ptofnc@verizon.net

heelgrad93@msn.com


ATHLETIC ADVANTAGE, INC. SPORTS PHYSICAL THERAPY

5107 SOUTHPARK DR. SUITE 103

DURHAM, NC 27713

919-484-0033

www.AASports.com


ATLANTIC PT AND REHABILITATION

3650 COALITION DR.

MYRTLE BEACH, SC 29578

843-293-7713

MARTHA LEWIS PT


MILLS RIVER PHYSICAL THERAPY

4687 BOYLSTON HWY

MILLS RIVER, NC 28759

828-890-0040

lacy@millsriverpt.com


CENTER FOR PERFECT BALANCE

245 ROSMAN HWY

BREVARD, NC 28712

828-966-9036

perfectbalance@citcom.net


SKYLAND FAMILY REHAB

333 GASHES CREEK RD. SUITE A

ASHEVILLE, NC 28803

828-299-4636

skylandrehab@bellsouth.net


CAROLINA PHYSICAL THERAPY SPECIALISTS

905-B OLD WINSTON RD.

KERNERSVILLE, NC 27284

336-992-2787

www.carolina.com


CEDAR HILL PHYSICAL THERAPY

5409 WHITE BLOSSOM DR.

GREENSBORO, NC 27410

PAUL WEISS and ANGELA COOK

336-644-9661

info@cedarhillpt.com

www.cedarhillpt.com


ASHEVILLE PHYSICAL THERAPY

76 PEACHTREE RD., SUITE 204

ASHEVILLE, NC 28803

828-277-7547

kimfoxpt@gmail.com

brianLawLer@jno.com


CAPE FEAR FAMILY MEDICAL CARE

405 Owen Drive

Fayetteville, NC 28304

KATHERINE J. GRIESSER

910-263-7438

www.bodymechanics.com

Monday, January 18, 2010

Good News for HMS Research!

The University of Michigan's Genetics department has recently teamed up with the Ehlers-Danlos National Foundation to create a 'comprehensive Hypermobility database.' To that affect, the University of Michigan is conducting a survey of Hypermobile patients now through March which focuses on 'their full range of symptoms, treatment efficacies, and experiences with the healthcare community.' This information is absolutely vital, as much of the scepticsm of the healthcare community towards HMS stems from a lack of sufficient data about how HMS impacts a patient's daily quality of life. The information collected in this survey will help to serve future generations of HMS patients, so please take the time to help out.

Anyone with EDS type III/HEDS/HMS/BJHS is welcome to take the survey (you do NOT have to be a member of the EDNF), and please encourage your hypermobile friends and familymembers to participate as well. Under the 'diagnosis' column please select 'other' and then enter 'Hypermobility Hope' if this website has helped you find answers to your diagnostic questions, it will be much appreciated!

The survey can be found here and takes about 45 mintues: http://www.ednf.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1862&Itemid=88889153