Question
A family member (just turned 40 years old) was diagnosed with having a stroke at somepoint.  They have not concluded if it was in the distant past or more recent.  Due to the stroke, she now has dystonia effecting her hand, bicep, tricep, shoulder, and toes all of the left side.  Would chiropratic treatment help ease the pain and/or muscle spasms?  She has undergone botox injections and has been to about 8 accuncture treatments but with little relief.  Any advise you could offer would be appreciated.

Answer
Dear Tika,

Dystonia is a difficult condition due the involvement of the central nervous system.  Obviously with the stroke, there must be damage within the brain itself, and chiropractic care will not reverse that damage.  In your family members case, this would be called segmental dytonia because of the involvement of the extremities.

Because chiropractic care is based on neurological connections of the joints, their receptors and the central nervous system, there is a chance that adjustments of the spine and extremities will lessen the symptoms your family member is having, but no promises.

I actually have a patient in my office now from a traumatic brain injury years ago in which his skull was fractured in multiple areas, with absolute brain trauma.  He was in a coma for 45 days and underwent a rigorus rehabilitation program which left him with some dytonia as well.  He also has had botox, but with favorable results. He has been under my care for approximately 8 weeks and we have seen some significant improvements in posture, coordination, balance, and reduced muscle spasms. If you would like to learn more information on his case, he has a website devoted to brain injury sufferers, check out www.crlych.com.

While his results are encouraging, everyone will have different results based on their injury.  Also with a brain injury there is always be the chance that things will get worse.  In addition, the fact that a stroke diagnosis was made, there will still be areas of the brain more susceptable to future degeneration and injury.  The best way to protect the brain from this is by increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables due to their antioxidant properties of protection.  Juicing or blenderizing fruits and vegetables is a good option for getting more into the diet, as well as taking supplements.  Coenzyme Q10, alpha lipoic acid and bioflavanoids are good choices to start.

If you decide to give chiropractic care a try for this problem, make sure the full medical history is given to the doctor, and ask friends or collegues for referrals to a good scientific chiropractic physician in your area.  Ask the doctor about their continuing education and credentials to reinforce your choice.

Respectfully,
Dr. J. Shawn Leatherman