The paper we are discussing today is a case report on a rare condition called Neck Tongue Syndrome.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6301534/
What is Neck Tongue Syndrome (NTS) and what does my neck have to do with it?
Chiropractic physicians in Hong Kong did a case report on a 47 year old man who was experiencing single sided facial tingling and head pain correlated with locking of the tongue to the same side for three months prior. After three months of care, he reported a near complete resolution of all symptoms. So if you, or someone you know is experiencing these symptoms, please let them know that chiropractic, specifically upper cervical chiropractic care can be very effective at correcting Neck Tongue Syndrome. Call our office today to find out more. 603.380.9184
So what can the upper neck have to do with NTS? Well first if you understand what NTS is then it will make sense that if you correct the problem in the upper cervical spine, it will have a direct effect on NTS. NTS is characterized by one sided head pain correlated with head turning and accompanied by the inability to form words, and a locking to one side of the tongue. This is also seen in the C2 nerve distribution in the back of the head as the C2 nerve root gets irritated by movement or rotation right and left. As well, the Trigeminocervical nucleus in the C1-C3 spinal joints gets irritated by the misalignment of the joints in this Upper Cervical spine. This is thought to cause the deep Cranial nerve irritation to the Hypoglossal nerve via a direct nerve connection between the Trigeminocervical nucleus. This connection is why the tongue spasms and becomes involved when the upper cervical spine is abnormally aligned.
This upper neck misalignment can be brought on by injury to the upper neck in either sports concussions, whiplash in a car accident, or poor posture. Once the nerve root is irritated the inflammation in the joints and nerves will not dissipate until the problem in the upper cervical spine has been reduced. If you know of someone struggling with this Neck Tongue Syndrome, or experiencing similar symptoms, let them know that getting checked out by an upper cervical specialist could be the hope they have been looking for. Call our office today at 603.380.9184
