ctds

Connective Tissue Disorder Site

The purpose of this site is to use existing research and logical thinking to explore possible alternative health treatments in a variety of inherited connective tissue disorders (Marfan syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, osteogenesis imperfecta, etc.) and related features such as scoliosis, pectus excavatum, fibromyalgia, osteopenia, mitral valve prolapse and TMJ.

 

Do you have symptoms linked to a connective tissue disorder? A number of the following features? Common features of connective tissue disorders include:

 

  • scoliosis (spinal curvature)
  • sunken chests (pectus excavatum)
  • barrel chests (pectus carinatum)
  • fibromyalgia
  • double jointedness (hypermobility)
  • migraines
  • mitral valve prolapse
  • back pain
  • irritable bowel syndrome
  • muscle twitches and tics
  • vertigo
  • heart palpitations
  • chest pains
  • easy bruising
  • nosebleeds
  • heavy periods
  • tall stature with long fingers, arms and legs
  • anxiety
  • neck pain
  • kyphosis (rounded shoulders)
  • frozen shoulders
  • sciatica
  • insomnia
  • itching / sensitive skin
  • allergies
  • asthma
  • multiple chemical sensitivity
  • noise sensitivity /sensitive hearing
  • TMJ
  • muscle cramps, especially in the calves
  • depression and anxiety
  • obsessive compulsive disorder
  • tinnitus
  • and more…

There are some logical nutritional and biomechanical reasons why these symptoms often appear together and many dietary and body alignment changes people can make to try to correct a number of the problems listed above.

  • Hyaluronic Acid – is a component of connective tissue whose function is to cushion and lubricate. I suspect that HA abnormalities are a common thread in many connective tissue disorders and related health conditions. Also see my section on frequently asked question about HA.

     

  • Alkaline and Acidic Foods

     

  • Temporomandibular joint disorder – also known as TMJ – alternative health treatments I found helpful, including diet, exercise and trigger point therapy.

  • Osteopenia – top books for the prevention and treatment of osteopenia and osteoporosis.

  • Low levels of Mg (magnesium) may be linked to many common health problems including migraines, ADD, heart palpitations, muscle cramps and fibromyalgia.

  • Frozen Shoulders (adhesive capsulitis) – reviews overlooked causes, treatment tips and exercises.
  • Alternatve Therapies for Scoliosis (lateral spinal curvature) – Can diet, yoga and exercise treatments help?
  • Swollen Ankles – home treatments including diet changes, yoga and stretching exercises I found helpful.

  • Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome – the links to magnesium deficiency.

     

  • Diet and heart palpitations – the links to magnesium deficiency

  • Menorrhagia: Over looked Causes of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
  • Ovarian Pain – vitamin K deficiency as an overlooked cause.
  • Facial Tics – many children and adults suffer from involuntary facial movements. A magnesium deficiency is one possible and often overlooked cause.
  • Exercises for Strong Bones – keep moving to prevent conditions such as osteopenia and osteoporosis.

  • Review the reseach on the links between migraine headaches and magnesium deficiency.

     

  • My diet for irritbale bowel syndrome – a modified anti-yeast type diet helped me to alleviate my IBS symptoms.

     

  • Frequent nosebleeds – overlooked causes including vitamin K deficiencies.

     

  • Sensitivity to loud noises?
    – The foods you eat might help your condition. Diet changes helped my son and even a pet guinea pig to overcome this health issue.

  • Fibromyalgia Diet – the diet changes I found helpful for reducing pain from fibromyalgia, a common condition in people with hypermobile joints.

     

  • Plugged Up Ears – Muscle tension is an overlooked cause of this common condition. Yoga is an overlooked therapy that might help.

  • Anxiety and Depression – often overlooked biochemical causes.

  • Vitamin K – deficiencies of this vitamin have been linked to osteoporosis, fractures and bleeding problems.

  • What Causes Pectus Excavatum (sunken chests)? – Genetic and nutritional factors overlooked by doctors.
  • Connective Tissue Disorders – the overlaps between the different disorders and the links to nutrition.

  • Nystagmus – Overlooked causes – magnesium and thiamin deficiencies.

  • Treatment for Tinnitus – overlooked alternative medicine treatments for ringing in the ears.

  • Acid, Alkaline and Neutral Food Chart

  • How to get more magnesium in your diet and in your child’s diet.

  • Recommended Reading: Origins and evolution of the Western diet: health implications for the 21st century – “The evolutionary collision of our ancient genome with the nutritional qualities of recently introduced foods may underlie many of the chronic diseases of Western civilization.”