You’re not Mad. You’re not Bad. You’re Neurological!

“Nerves” – meaning tension or emotional stress – are blamed for many health problems by doctors and patients. There are many ways that this so-called diagnosis comes to the forefront; however, in most cases the connotation is incorrect.

The term “nerves” – indicating tension, stress of any type including emotional distress – should be eliminated from our vocabulary because it is misleading. Of course, there various specific conditions when the actual nervous system does not function correctly and a health problem or symptom manifests.

Looking at the different ways the nerves become involved in health problems, we can better understand the meaning behind the statement, “Your problems are caused by your nerves.” The first two involvements of the nervous system, discussed next, are actually conditions in which your nerves are involved on a direct basis. These are not conditions diagnosed as “just nerves”; rather are specific entities with specific treatments and/ or management.

Specific Nerve Imbalance

The only time to properly blame a condition on nerves is when there is actual, primary involvement of the nervous system. There are many instances of this, such as a nerve being irritated as it comes out of the small opening between the vertebrae of the spinal column. This could be complicated by an intervertebral disc actually pinching a nerve that goes down the leg. In this case, the real problem can be correlated to a spinal dysfunction or malignement. There are many other places a nerve can become directly irritated besides where it exits the spine. Nerves can be irritated as they travel through confining muscular areas, under ligamentous bands and over bony prominences.

Diseases of the Nervous System

A condition could actually be classified as “nerves” when there is a disease of the nervous system, such as pathological problems , such as tumors or degenerative processes.

Secondary Nerve Imbalance

The body’s glandular system has intricate mechanisms designed to make adaptive balance changes in nerve function. For example, when we become emotionally upset about something, the glandular system immediately makes changes to help solve the problem. The same nerve balance shift takes place when heavy physical work must be done, when chemicals invade our bodies by way of the environment, and with almost all types of emotional situations. This glandular shift, which in turn changes the function of the nervous system, is a portion of the adaptation system within our bodies that make us functioning humans, capable of solving problems, producing work and continually adapting to our environment. With structural/ body distortions in the body, nutritional deficiencies, severe to mild emotional distress, the glandular system many times gets off-balance and is unable to react to our changing environment. When this happens we cannot handle simple emotional stresses, work loads or adverse environmental factors because the glandular system does not make the necessary changes. In this case, an individual may over-or under react to emotional, chemical or physical stress.

As this is not usually a disease process, it does not show up in the normal laboratory or physical examination and may easily be missed by a knowledgeable, well-qualified doctor. Because the body does not react adequately to usual emotional and other forms of stress, the emotions and the resulting tensions and stresses are blamed as the cause of the health problem, rather than the body’s inability to handle the stress. An examination such as that used in Applied Kinesiology evaluates the body’s response to various stimuli that constitute stress. This finds the true underlying cause of the problem. The key to correcting this condition is not tranquilization or other medication designed to override or sedate the problem. In AK the appropriate solution to this problem is to re-balance the glandular system back to normal or optimal function. The treatment is usually involves specific nutritional support, proper diet, nerve reflex control (specific chiropractic), detoxification of poisons and elimination of as much stress as possible during the rebuilding period.

“Nerve” (tension) problems secondary to a primary health problem

Doctors who work with natural health care frequently see patients who have had a previous diagnosis indicating the problem is “just nerves – you need to go home and relax.” Let’s look at a typical case and see why this diagnosis is so often made.

Mrs. Jane Doe has had headaches for the past ten years, and they have progressively gotten worse. In the beginning, she controlled the headaches with over-the-counter medications. When those OTC medications no longer controlled the headaches, she sought a doctor’s advice and received stronger medications. This medication also eventually became ineffective, and she sought the advice of another doctor. By this time she was under considerable amount of tension because of the headache pain. Anyone who’s had a headache for several days understands the irritable, intense feelings that develop. You can imagine the stress Mrs. Doe was under, having had headaches for ten years!

Finding no reason for the problem from examination, the new doctor suggested that they were “tension headaches” and that Mrs. Doe would have to get her nerves under control. Tranquilization was prescribed; however, this made Mrs. Doe tired throughout the day so she decided to seek the advice of a doctor specializing in natural health care. His examination showed a condition called suboccipital neuralgia, resulting from the muscles and vertebrae in the neck not functioning normally. Treatment of these structures eliminated the headache without any medication.

By this time Mrs. Doe saw the doctor who diagnosed her condition as “nervous tension” she actually had considerable nervous tension – who wouldn’t, after ten years of constant headaches? In this case, looking at the nervous tension is looking at the effect and not at the cause.

It is an almost daily occurrence for a doctor involved in natural health care to successfully treat patients whose problems have been previously diagnosed as “nerves” or excessive tension. When the body functions in a normal, healthy manner, we are able to cope with the stresses of our interactions with other people and with our environment. If the actual cause of a health problem is not diagnosed, and if treatments are directed toward symptoms of the condition – such as tranquilization for “nerves” – the basic underlying condition becomes worse! It may sometimes develop to the point that it can no longer be corrected by natural means.

It is imperative to find the underlying cause(s) to your health problem. With Applied Kinesiology there is usually a better solution to resolve the problem naturally without any side-effects. If your body is in constant dysfunction, and is either being treated to control symptoms or not receiving any appropriate treatment; then body dysfunction can manifest into disease! Come in to the Sahara Clinic and receive treatment that addresses the cause(s) to your health condition. Get natural, specific, appropriate treatment to allow your body to heal itself!

“You’re not mad. You’re not bad. You’re neurology” – John Diamond, M.D.

“When educated intelligence can communicate with innate intelligence, a point at which not too distant future may hold, then a correct diagnosis and treatment will be made and rendered.”

– D.D. Palmer, Chiropractic Founder