A doctor asked us this week if we can help a compartment Syndrome with the “Six Steps to Wellness”.

An overview of the condition: This syndrome is a compression of nerves and blood vessels within an enclosed space. This leads to muscle and nerve damage and problems with blood flow. Usually there is severe pain that does not go away even when taking pain medication. As the condition progresses there may be decreased sensation, paleness of the skin and muscle weakness.

The Medical Treatment is surgery, which requires long surgical cuts made in the fascia to relieve the pressure. The wounds are often left open and covered only with a sterile dressing on a first surgery and closed during a second surgery if necessary. Sometimes skin grafts are required to close the wound.

This is a fascial problem. The layers of fascia separate the different groups of muscles in the arms and legs and, as you know, fascia is everywhere in the body from top to bottom (intracranial to the fascia of the feet). Inside each layer of fascia, in the extremities, is a confined space, called a compartment, which includes the muscle tissue, nerves, and blood vessels. For CA’s or lay people that may read this article, the Fascia surrounds these structures like insulation covers wires. Fascia looks and acts a lot like Saran Rap and does not expand. So swelling in this compartment will lead to increasing pressure of the area and pushes against the muscles, blood vessels, and nerves. This impingement can get severe enough to block blood flow. This of course can lead to permanent injury to the muscle and nerves. If the pressure lasts long enough, the limb may die and need to be amputated.

The swelling and impingement is usually associated with trauma from a car accident, other injury, or surgery. I have seen patients where they were caused by a bandage or a cast that was too tight.

Treatment with the 6 Steps: I have seen great results in patients if the condition is identified and corrected before permanent damage has resulted. You identify first any spinal subluxations or fixations and correct them. You may need to do the disk treatment as we teach. Then identify any extremity subluxation or fixation in the area and correct is manually or with instrument adjusting. Now with the Percussion Instrument you release the fascial involvement. With a compartment syndrome you do much more percussion than normal. For instance on a leg or foot I would release the right greater trochanter, the proximal and distal fibula, the calcaneus, the cuboid and the navicular bones as contact areas. I would then release the plantar fascia. It is important you hold firm with the listening hand opposite to the area being percussed.

Nutritional Support:
1) Total Joint Support to allow adequate nutrition for the joint and the soft tissue. It is supportive to all connective tissue.
2) Total Inflam to reduce inflammation.
3) DSF Glandular or Herbal, as many compartment syndromes are caused from repetitive activities such as running, exercise, repetitive work movements, etc causing injuries.
4) Evaluate the patient’s essential fatty acid intake and consider Total Flax or Complete Omega 3 Essentials.
5) Heavy metal and other toxic burden may need to be evaluated in many cases.

Yours in health and wellness,

John W. Brimhall, BA, BS, DC, FIAMA, DIBAK