Re: QUERY: Has anyone tried..... - Cindy

[Guest guest]

If you want a copy of the article/ ad stuff I have I can scan it and

send it to you if you like.

Sharon (Shazinoz)

> Very interesting! Just might be a good option. I'll look into it

further, thanks, Cindylouwho

> QUERY: Has anyone tried.....

>

>

> I have this brochure that my Osteopath gave me out of a Sporting/

> pyhsiotherapy type magazine on a bracing/ casting product that

sounds

> PERFECT for a lot of us EDS'ers.

> It is called Nexcare Sports " Soft Cast made by Nexcare (which is

a #M

> affiliated product).

> Here is a little bit of the information contained in the article/

ad

> thing and I can scan it and send all I have on it if anyone is

> interested.

> " A new generation of casting tape based on functional

immobilisation

> . Soft Cast - a revolutionary addition to 3M's scotchcast

range

> of casting products - is a knitted fibreglass bandage impregnated

> with a polyurathane resin, which allows flexability as well as

> resilience after curing According to 3M Product

Specialist,

> Sports & Manipulative Physiotherapist van Gaalen, " Soft

Cast

> sppeds recovery of musculo-skeletal injury by stabilising the

injured

> area without limiting muscle function completely. "

> Basically while this cast immobilises the injury it also seems to

> allow enough muscle function and movement to allow walking and

> prevent muscle wasting and other problems caused by long casting

> times. You can also get soft cast splinting reinforcements if

more

> rigid stabilisation is needed,

> The best past is that this can be cut after curing and used as a

> functional brace.

> have a look at it on

> http://www.3m.com/intl/au/nexcare/scotchcast.html or so a search

for

> it in Google etc.

> It seems like a good alternative for those like ME who are

allergic

> to strapping tapes etc.

>

> Just tought I would pass it along (I have better info than the

site

> from this article) if anyone wants a look.

>

> Sharon (Shazinoz)

>

>

>

> To learn more about EDS, visit our website:

http://www.ehlersdanlos.ca

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

ZIn my opinion, I think it would be very helpful, and anyone can add

articles.

Love Lana

> Question:

> Would this info/article be worth adding to the CEDA files?

> Bernie

>

> Re: Re: QUERY: Has anyone tried..... - Cindy

>

> In a message dated 8/21/2004 6:36:12 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

> shazzinoz@h... writes:

> If you want a copy of the article/ ad stuff I have I can scan it

and

> send it to you if you like.

> Sharon (Shazinoz)

> That would be great Sharon, I''d really appreciate it.

> Do you want a laugh?? It's funny, you know how sometimes you get

> something

> in your head & then you can't get it out? All night long, I kept

> thinking of

> different people that have asked me questions about problems over

the

> years &

> thought " Oh,, this might be great for them too " ! You can't

imagine how

> many

> times I woke up during the night thinking of them.......

Terrific, just

> one

> more thing to make my sleeping more difficut last

nightl.......... So

> it goes.

>

>

> Can you do it through the computer or do you have to scan & print

it &

> then

> send it snail mail? If so, I'd be happy to reminburse you for the

> postage.

> Thanks again.

>

> All the best,

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

OK, Cindy, let's see if these explanations help at all. Let me know.

• dysautonomia: Dysautonomia is the disruption of the function

of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS is tightly tied to

the body's endocrine system and also directly controls some aspects

of blood pressure control and metabolism.

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is the portion of the nervous

system that controls the function of the different organs and

systems of the body. For instance, it regulates body temperature,

blood pressure, heartbeat rate, and bowel and bladder tone, among

many other variables. It is " autonomic " because our mind does not

govern its performance; rather, it works below the level of

consciousness. One striking characteristic of this system is the

rapidity and intensity of the onset of its action and its

dissipation. Centers located in the central nervous system (brain

stem, hypothalamus, and thalamus) and in the spinal cord activate

the ANS. These centers also receive input from the limbic system and

other higher brain areas. This means that the ANS is the interface

between mind and body functions. These connections enable the ANS to

be the main component of the stress response system in charge of

fight-or-flight reactions. The ANS works closely with the endocrine

system (the hormonal system), particularly the hypothalamic-

pituitary-adrenal axis. Another endocrine axis closely related to

the ANS involves growth hormone secretion. The peripheral autonomic

system is divided into two branches; sympathetic and para-

sympathetic. These two branches have antagonistic effects on most

bodily functions, and their proper balance preserves equilibrium.

Thus, the ANS represents the ying-yang concept of ancient eastern

cultures. Sympathetic activation prepares the whole body for fight

or flight in response to stress or emergencies; in contrast,

parasympathetic tone favors digestive functions and sleep.

The sympathetic autonomic branch extends from the brain stem to the

spinal cord and features rich sympathetic nerve tissue in the neck

and pelvic areas (important facts for FM research). From the spinal

cord, the sympathetic nervous system goes to our internal organs and

to the extremities. At the skin level, sympathetic activity induces

cold clammy hands, mottled skin, and piloerection (goose flesh). The

action of the two branches of the ANS is mediated by

neurotransmitters. Adrenaline (also known as norepinephrine) is the

predominant sympathetic neurotransmitter whereas acethylcoline acts

in the parasympathetic periphery. Until recently, the action of this

extremely dynamic ANS has been difficult to assess in clinical

practice. Changes in breathing pattern, mental stress, or even

posture alter immediately and completely the

sympathetic/parasympathetic balance.

People who a century ago would have been called " neurasthenics "

today are given a host of diagnoses. These include chronic fatigue

syndrome (CFS,) vasovagal or neurocardiogenic syncope, panic

attacks, anxiety, inappropriate sinus tachycardia (IST,) irritable

bowel syndrome (IBS,) postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome

(POTS,) or fibromyalgia. Sufferers of all these conditions tend to

experience an imbalance, and most often a peculiar volatility, in

the autonomic nervous system - an imbalance that we now call

dysautonomia.

The autonomic nervous system controls the " unconscious " bodily

functions, such as heart rate, digestion, and breathing patterns.

The autonomic nervous system consists of two parts: the sympathetic

system and the parasympathetic system. The sympathetic system can

best be thought of as controlling the " fight or flight " reactions of

the body, producing the rapid heart rates, increased breathing, and

increased blood flow to the muscles that are necessary when an

individual is in danger or under stress. The parasympathetic system

controls the " quiet " body functions, for instance, the digestive

system. In short, the sympathetic system gets the body ready for

action, while the parasympathetic system gets the body ready for

rest. And in normal individuals, the parasympathetic and sympathetic

components of the autonomic nervous systems are in perfect balance,

from moment to moment, depending on the body's instantaneous needs.

In people suffering from dysautonomia, the autonomic nervous system

loses that balance, and at various times the parasympathetic or

sympathetic systems inappropriately predominate. Symptoms can

include frequent, vague but disturbing aches and pains, faintness

(or even actual fainting spells), fatigue and inertia, severe

anxiety attacks, tachycardia, hypotension, poor exercise tolerance,

gastrointestinal symptoms such as irritable bowel syndrome,

sweating, dizziness, blurred vision, numbness and tingling, anxiety

and (quite understandably), depression.

Sufferers of dysautonomia can experience all these symptoms or just

a few of them. They can experience one cluster of symptoms at one

time, and another set of symptoms at other times. The symptoms are

often fleeting and unpredictable, but on the other hand they can be

triggered by specific situations or actions. (Some people have

symptoms with exertion, for instance, or when standing up, or after

ingesting certain foods.) And since people with dysautonomia are

usually normal in every other way, when the doctor does a physical

exam he or she often finds no abnormalities.

> > Question:

> > Would this info/article be worth adding to the CEDA files?

> > Bernie

> >

> > Re: Re: QUERY: Has anyone tried..... - Cindy

> >

> > In a message dated 8/21/2004 6:36:12 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

> > shazzinoz@h... writes:

> > If you want a copy of the article/ ad stuff I have I can scan

it

> and

> > send it to you if you like.

> > Sharon (Shazinoz)

> > That would be great Sharon, I''d really appreciate it.

> > Do you want a laugh?? It's funny, you know how sometimes

you get

> > something

> > in your head & then you can't get it out? All night long, I

kept

> > thinking of

> > different people that have asked me questions about problems

over

> the

> > years &

> > thought " Oh,, this might be great for them too " ! You can't

> imagine how

> > many

> > times I woke up during the night thinking of them.......

> Terrific, just

> > one

> > more thing to make my sleeping more difficut last

> nightl.......... So

> > it goes.

> >

> >

> > Can you do it through the computer or do you have to scan &

print

> it &

> > then

> > send it snail mail? If so, I'd be happy to reminburse you for

the

> > postage.

> > Thanks again.

> >

> > All the best,

> >

> >

> >