Dr Sherwood's Clinic - Home

Dr Sherwood's Clinic

About Dr Sherwood

The Sherwood Technique

Conditions Treated

Consultation and Treatment

Home

Bell's Palsy
The main symptoms of this condition are a drooping (on one side only) of the corner of the mouth, the lower eyelid and, to a lesser extent, the facial muscles. It can occur quite suddenly, when the facial nerve is compressed, causing the loss of movement in one side of the face.

The facial nerve is large and important, running in a narrow bony canal across the top of the middle ear. It controls the muscles of facial expression and taste. If the membranes lining the middle ear swell, the lining of the nerve canal may also become swollen, preventing impulses from running down to the face.

In many instances the condition, most commonly brought on by a draught or a bad cold, is temporary. As soon as the cold clears up and the associated swelling goes down, the nerve function is restored. However, if the drainage from the lymph nodes is very poor the swelling will remain and the patient will be left with a permanent weakness in the facial muscles on one side.

This can be effectively treated using The Sherwood Technique to clear the drainage through the lymph nodes. As it is difficult to get to the site of the actual trouble in the canal, electrical treatment is almost always needed. This is particularly important, as the time element is so crucial: the longer the nerve is compressed the more likely it is to become permanently damaged.

About nine months to a year after an attack, the nerve can start to die from the pressure exerted on it. Although it is still possible to relieve the pressure, you can never restore a dead nerve associated with the brain. As long as treatment is given in time, the problem can usually be reversed. (See Lymphatic malfunction)

Bursitis
Bursitis is the inflammation of the small sacs of synovial fluid in the body (bursae). Bursae are found at points in the body where muscles and tendons slide across bone. They create a smooth and frictionless gliding surface. When a bursa becomes inflamed movement often becomes painful. Bursitis is treated effectively with The Sherwood Technique.

Carpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when a nerve is pinched (median nerve) in the wrist. Symptoms include pain, numbness and loss of strength in the thumb, index and half of the middle finger. Carpal tunnel syndrome is usually related to a dysfunction at the base of the neck and is effectively treated with The Sherwood Technique.(See Back Pain and Associated Problems)

Circulatory disorders
Circulatory disorders encompass diseases of the arteries and diseases of the control mechanism of the arteries. A very small amount of blood is made to serve a huge area of the body and this is done by the most amazing 'irrigation' system similar to that used in Egypt. Main sluice gates allow blood to go to large areas, and smaller, and smaller sluice gates send it to the part of the large area that requires its presence. This is continually changing, monitored largely by the sympathetic nerve computers so that all of the body has an adequate supply of blood, but none is wasted.

The walls of the blood vessels can become diseased, narrowing the blood vessels but this is outside the scope of our treatment. Faulty control is surprisingly common, usually resulting in areas receiving woefully inadequate supplies of blood. This causes diseases ranging from coronary occlusion, Raynaud's disease, and other such diseases as intermittent claudication and chill blains. A number of other unexplained parts of the body being too hot or too cold are also a result of autonomic malfunction.(See Back Pain and Associated Problems)(See The Autonomic Nervous system)

Facial Palsy
See Bell's palsy

Fibrositis
Fibrositis is non-joint rheumatic (or other) pain. It is often associated with trouble in the cervical or thoracic spine. (See Back Pain and Associated Problems)

Golfers elbow
'Golfers elbow' or medial epicondylitis is a painful elbow associated with an inflamed and/or torn tendon. It is often associated with a problem at the base of the neck and is effectively treated with The Sherwood Technique.(See Back Pain and Associated Problems)

Haematomas
Acceleration in the healing process of haematomas can often be achieved through lymphatic treatment (See Lymphatic malfunction).

Stomach ulcer
Ulcers are due to a breakdown of the surface tissue, either in the skin or the mucous membranes. Stomach and duodenal ulcers (also known as peptic ulcers) are a special case as they are often brought about by a malfunction of the autonomic nervous system. The faulty working of the sympathetic nervous system (See Autonomic nervous system) allows the parasympathetic nervous system to overwork, pouring acid continuously into the stomach, so that it burns a hole in itself. It also increases the contractions that churn the food up and push digested food into the duodenum. If this happens too fast through over-activity, it may burn a hole in the wall of the duodenum, causing a duodenal ulcer. The helicobacter bacteria are resistant to acid and can infect an ulcer which has already been formed. This may require antibiotic treatment.

Lymphatic drainage treatment to the area around the 'nerve computer' in the middle of the back will often clear up these ulcers permanently (See Lymphatic malfunction) and (See Back Pain and Associated Problems).

Temporomandibular joint syndrome - TMJ
TMJ, also known as temporomandibulitis, affect the Temporomandibular joint which connects the substantial lower jaw bone to the comparatively small temporal bone of the skull, which means that it is fairly small and static n the one hand while, on the other, the huge chewing muscles exert enormous pressures on it. If the repair mechanism is not in good order, the following factors can increase the strain on this joint:

- Teeth that are irregular in length or do not meet each other correctly put a torsion strain on the joint which causes extra wear while eating.

- The tension in the shoulder and jaw muscles, which often accompanies anxiety states, places the joint under continuous stress.

- Wear and tear on the joint is intensified as sufferers often grind their teeth during the night.

The TMJ has several nerves that pass near it and which can become inflamed. This means that the symptoms can be distant from the joint and thus the cause not be suspected. So the syndrome is sometimes mistaken for ear trouble since it causes earache as well as facial aches, tenderness around the jaw (patients sometimes misguidedly end up having teeth removed because of the ache in the jaw) and pain lower down in the neck. It also commonly causes pain over the temple of that side. The best method of treatment is to restore the lymph drainage to the area; this is often all that is needed to cure the condition. This problem in the joint is also commonly associated with trouble in the stellate ganglion at the base of the neck, associated with an old neck injury. This can upset the function of the nerve system. If so, this needs to be corrected (See Back Pain and Associated Problems).

Temperature regulation
See circulatory disorders

Tennis elbow
'Tennis elbow' or lateral epicondylitis is a painful elbow associated with an inflamed and/or torn tendon. It is often associated with a problem at the base of the neck and is effectively treated with The Sherwood Technique.(See Back Pain and Associated Problems)

Back Pain and Associated Problems
Pain in any part of the neck and back is almost always due to a muscle cramp - there is a slight ache if only a few fibres cramp to an agonising pain if the whole muscle is involved. Facet joints at any level of the spine can press upon spinal nerves causing associated referred pain, and this can be felt in the arm, leg, head or trunk.

The sympathetic nerve centres (sympathetic ganglion) lie virtually on the muscles of the spine. Muscle spasm causes the nerve centres to become waterlogged producing mostly single problems but not infrequently the whole system can be involved causing serious illness (the typical symptoms of ME and chronic fatigue syndrome). Sympathetic malfunction effects mainly blood vessels, joints and the bowel. The other significant problem associated with back problems is considerable disruption of a person's sex life. The effect of pain is obvious but other problems like loss of libido and impotence can be explained by the sympathetic upset.

Back Treatment
Treatment must be directed at the basic cause of back pain and this is a bruised facet joint. The pressure of the protective muscle spasm must be relaxed, the poor blood circulation from the loss of the muscle pump must be improved, and the associated tissues require stretching to counteract the shortening that takes place through years of the spasm pulling the vertebrae together. This can be achieved by physical medicine using The Sherwood Technique.

The Autonomic Nervous System
A large number of functions in the body take place without any conscious interference. To achieve this we have two separate and somewhat opposed nerve systems; together they are called the autonomic nervous system. The sympathetic adrenalin system is responsible for all maintenance and repair in the body, including regulating all parameter levels such as blood pressure, blood sugar, and general levels of energy. It also is involved in creating a state of super efficiency to make the body more able to cope in a physical emergency such as if a lion was seen 50 metres away - fright is associated with this. The sympathetic nerve centres (sympathetic ganglia) controlling the whole system lie along the muscles of the back and rely on them for a proper circulation. This accounts for the fact that so many apparently unrelated problems such as indigestion, dizziness, depression and fatigue can be caused by a back problem.

The opposing system is the parasympathetic system that comes into its own after a meal, making the person torpid and activating all the digestive processes. The parasympathetic nerve centre (parasympathetic ganglia) lie in the brainstem protected by the skull and is not therefore prone to malfunction.

A lymphatic malfunction
The Lymphatic System is the sewage system of the body. Ducts from the tissue spaces between the cells drain the fluid through the lymph nodes back to the circulating blood. The lymph nodes are similar to sewage farms, filtering and detoxifying the fluid before recycling it. They also perform the further function of producing antibodies against foreign protein as found in invading bacteria or viruses carried to them from the tissue spaces. The Tonsils, Adenoids, and Appendix are all part of the lymphatic system.

One of the most common complaints is the recurrent streptococcal throat infection. This is relieved in many cases by the removal of the Tonsils and possibly the Adenoids denoting the fact that at least these organs can suffer damage. A number of cases, however, are only partly improved by this manoeuvre and a few not at all. In all these cases the cervical (neck) lymph nodes are to a varying extent enlarged and hard. If the Tonsils are prone to a breakdown of function - why not the lymph nodes as well? When large and hard they are either working overtime, which is unlikely in the view of the continuing nature of the illness, or overloaded, functioning poorly and partially obstructed. The fact that they can break down supports the latter view.

Consideration of other chronic infections shows that in their specific drainage areas a similar condition of enlarged and hard lymph nodes occurs. E.g. enlarged cervical (neck) nodes with chronic sinusitis and recurrent loss of voice. Enlarged ileac (abdominal) nodes with chronic cystitis and enlarged chest lymph nodes with chronic bronchitis.
This is further borne out by the fact that these nodes can be restored to normal function by treatment forcing fluid through them and by breaking up the debris in them by means of electrical and ultrasonic wave treatment. As the nodes clinically improve so, shortly afterwards, does the state of the infection and patient.

As the blockage lessens the drainage from the area improves resulting in an overall higher resistance to infection; thus of course eliminating that already present. Secondly, normal function of the lymph nodes results in a quicker and stronger antibody response.

[ Back ]

Treatment
The basic principles when treating the lymphatic system are to mechanically break up the debris within the lymph nodes, forcing fluid through them to restore their patency and get their activity back to normal. This can be achieved using methods such as massage and ultrasonic waves.


Request a call back (UK Only)
Name
Phone Number
Convenient Time
Click Here To Contact Us

Dr Sherwood MB BCH FFARCS © 2007 - All Rights Reserved