Does Magnesium Help Dupuytren's Contracture?

As a hereditary (genetic) disease Dupuytren's Contracture begins to show symptoms based on certain so-called “stressors” which are also sometimes called “triggers.” What these terms refer to is true for not justDupuytren's Contracture, but a number of other diseases including even something as well known and deadly as cancer. A disease can be both hereditary and triggerable in cases where, with some people, the disease remains dormant throughout their lives and never has a noticeable negative impact. These people are often referred to a “carriers,” meaning they have a genetic predisposition to developing a certain disease but in their case, the disease never ends up “clicking on.” 

The notion that our lifestyle can play a part in if certain genetic diseases “click on” or remain dormant is a relatively new concept with but the evidence is mounting which suggests there being strong casual connections between our lifestyles and many diseases previously thought to be matters of “destiny.” Dupuytren's contracture is just such as disease.

As the most common connective tissue disease among many populations it’s surprising that Dupuytren's contracture is not a more widely known ailment. Perhaps, this has something to do with its sub-dramatic symptoms. Dupuytren's contracture is a disease in the palm of the handles where bumps (technically called “nodules”) form. Sometimes these bumps will bend your fingers inward toward your palm giving them a clenched appearance. Now, such a disease may not be as dramatic as something like cancer, but that doesn’t mean that those who suffer from Dupuytren's contracture should be discouraged from doing everything they can to manage this disease. This is especially true when you consider the fact that moreadvanced cases of Dupuytren's contracture are no laughing matter and can in fact result in a major quality of life issues similar to those experienced by people with severe arthritis. Having a permanently clenched hand can easily make otherwise easy tasks (like brushing your teeth, picking things up, etc) quite difficult. 

How Magnesium Impacts Dupuytren’s Contracture 

Another natural, yet somewhat effective treatment is the use of magnesium supplementation to help reduce the symptoms of Dupuytren's contracture. 

While magnesium supplementation has not been shown as an effective way to fully eliminate cases of Dupuytren's contracture, there are plenty of testimonials to illustrate how the supplement has positively impacted people’s Dupuytren's contracture. This result seems to make sense as one of the characteristics results of magnesium supplementation in connective tissues and muscles throughout the body is relaxation. Therefore, by supplementing magnesium you may be relaxing the connective tissues in the palm of your hand which can, therefore, reduce your Dupuytren's contracture symptoms - at least temporarily. 

Characteristics Of Dupuytren's Contracture

The most common characteristics of Dupuytren's contracture are nodules on the palm of the hands and inward bent fingers. Very rarely the disease will appear in an individual’s feet. Some refer to Dupuytren's contracture as “Viking’s Disease” this is because it is much more common among those of northern European descent. In the distant past, many reports describing symptoms similar to those of Dupuytren's contracture described the cause as having something to do with overwork or overuse. This, perhaps, is why many men have commonly ignored the growing nodules on their hands - because “knotted up” palms are, frankly, often come with the territory of difficult (physical) work. However, this old wives’ tale has done far more harm than good because the fact is that sustained usage has little or perhaps nothing to do with the development of Dupuytren's contracture. On the contrary, one of the most effective natural cures for Dupuytren's contracture is a simple combination of daily hand stretching and strengthening exercises plus the daily (or twice daily) application of a naturalDupuytren's contracture cream.

The physiological reason nodules develop on the inside of the palm is because when someone has Dupuytren's contracture it means that the connective tissues in their palm are actually thickening, and because they are thickening they are becoming shorter and that shortening is what pulls the fingers inward toward the palm.

Another common characteristic of Dupuytren's contracture in your hand simply not working properly. There are many hands and foot-based diseases which also impact the range of motion in your joints but, in any case, if you are noticing decreased ability or range of motion in your hands (or other body parts) it is advisable to contact your physician as soon as possible. 

One of the worst things you can do, especially with a reversible ailment like Dupuytren's contracture is waiting. If you catch the disease early enough you can likely cure it by natural means (like those described above) rather than having to take more major steps like undergoing hand surgery. 

Dupuytren's Contracture Treatments

• Steroid Shot: The medical profession is coming to understand to a greater and greater degree the difference between pain management and healing. While certain steroids still play a major role in hospitals and provide countless benefits in modern medicine, the long-term usage of steroids to treat an ailment like Dupuytren's contracture is something that is being advised and practiced less and less often. However, with that said, there are certainly still many instances where your physician may suggest to those patients of his or her’s with Dupuytren's contracture that they receive a steroid shot into one or several of their nodules. In some cases, this is a perfectly reasonable suggestion, but it is also up to the patient to ensure that they discuss more long-term (hopefully natural) management solutions to Dupuytren's contracture and not just settle for semi-regular steroid shots if and whenever their Dupuytren's contracture becomes unmanageable. 
• Enzyme Shot: Enzyme shots are more manageable than steroid shots and are showing promise when it comes to the development of growths in the body - including those that may occur in the connective tissues like Dupuytren's contracture. Unlike steroids, an enzyme shot can actually act as a way to permanently eliminate certain sized nodules. However, the thing to remember is that even though you can get rid of the nodules, Dupuytren's contracture is genetic meaning that the underlying disease will still remain and can begin showing symptoms again. This is yet another reason why a naturalDupuytren's contracture cream plus stretching and strengthening exercises are the best solution in mild cases or cases where they work because they are consistent and do not have negative side-effect - plus they are financially more agreeable. 
• Needle Aponeurotomy: Needle aponeurotomies are a more Eastern approach to the problems of connective tissues, however like many forms of ancient wisdom which have seen a surge in popularity over the past thirty or so years in the West, needle-based healing techniques indeedcan, at least sometimes, work. If you are interested in the alternative form of treatment it may be worth discussing with your physician.
• Radiation: Radiation therapy has long been known as an effective treatment against the development of abnormal tissues in the body. These can include tumors and other large growth like the nodules that form on the hands in cases of Dupuytren's contracture. There are certain issues associated with the use of radiation including the destruction of many otherwise healthy cells. Modern radiation treatments have advanced to the point today where there is far less “second hand” type radiation damage to surrounding cells than there would have been in the past - but still, it is worth minimizing one’s exposure to proven cancer-causing agents if and whenever other, healthier, options are available. This is something worth considering and discussing with your doctor if ever you find yourself diagnosed with radiation therapy because of your Dupuytren's contracture. 
• Surgery: The most “invasive” of all approaches, surgery is (likely) sometimes necessary in advanced cases of Dupuytren's contracture. The thing to keep in mind when dealing with medical professionals like doctors and, especially, surgeons is not they may recommend surgery to you in cases because it is an instance of malice, that is almost never the case. But the fact is that “man with hammer” syndrome is just as common in the medical profession as it is in any other. What this means is that what all surgeons do best issurgery. So when you ask someone who specializes insurgeryto fix your medical problem, the most likely outcome is that he is going to jump for his scalpel. This is true across the board. Thankfully, most surgeons and doctors are reasonable human beings - so, as a patient, you should not hesitate or shy away from having a friendly, respectful conversation about alternative methods of treatment and “other options” whenever surgery is recommended for something like Dupuytren's contracture or something else for which significant evidence shows can be treated via natural means.
• Natural Cream: Using a naturalDupuytren's Contracture cream is and often should be the first line of defense for anyone who notices bumps on their hands. This, of course, should likely come after consulting with your doctor to ensure what you are dealing with is indeed Dupuytren's contracture and not something more serious. However, you can also likely do both things in parallel - that is one of the nicest things about using all-natural products, they typically have far fewer negative side-effects or interactions. This is also likely true about linking the use of a natural cream with both stretching and strengthening exercises.