Neck Pain and How Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care Can Help

Neck pain is the fourth leading cause of disability in the US with an annual prevalence of over 30%. So today we are discussing the ins and outs of that pain in your neck! The papers we are reviewing are Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Neck Pain https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25659245 and Neck pain and disability outcomes following chiropractic upper cervical care: a retrospective case series https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2732255/. 

The first paper discusses the ins and outs of how neck pain affects the population and what is generally done about it. We know that neck pain affects roughly 2 in 5 people at any given time. And that 50% of those people will continue to experience some form of pain or discomfort ongoing in the neck. In patients with neurological implications, meaning the spinal cord is affected, or the nerve roots are affected, then surgery can be effective at relieving pain in the short term, but not long term for most. There is a general pattern that females of mid age tend to have more neck pain than males because their neck structure is different, especially when it comes to whiplash and concussions in Motor Vehicle Accidents and sports injuries. If you add to that stress of life and poor postures from sitting at desk jobs, these are the common occurrences and progenitors for neck problems. If you or someone you know fits this description, give our office a call at 603.380.9184.

It is important to have a thorough history and physical exam to determine the best course of action. In an Upper Cervical Chiropractic office, the doctor will go through your health history, when your pain started, what might have caused it, and what might be exacerbating it. The final piece is quality and quantity measurement of the pain and whether it is mechanical or neurological in nature. If there is spinal cord or nerve pressure, that is a very different form of pain than facet mechanical pain or disc pain from an injury to the surrounding tissue. Mechanical pain will tend to present in a more targeted area and neurological pain will tend to shoot down an extremity.  Differentiating this heavily affects outcomes and can determine prognosis. 

An important point to make is that 40-75% percent of patients with disc herniations will have resorption occur without treatment. So if surgery is something that is being considered, the pros and cons should be heavily weighed as the symptoms may resolve anyway. If that’s the case, why not try more conservative, non-invasive treatments first? One study showed that spinal manipulation, and exercise fared better than medicinal treatment over a 12-month process. One of our mentor’s even published a paper on gentle Upper Cervical Chiropractic care and neck pain and found that with an average of 13.6 days, 5.7 office visits, and 2.7 upper cervical adjustments, patients had a statistically significant reduction in neck pain with no serious or adverse outcomes. This would suggest that before going to a more aggressive treatment like injections, drugs, or surgery that one should weigh all the options, including gentle upper cervical chiropractic care.

In conclusion, the paper states that the prevalence of disability of neck pain is high and deserves attention, as it can last for long periods. Even though it may resolve, it can drastically reduce quality of life. If you or someone you know suffers from neck pain, give us a call to find out more about gentle Upper Cervical Chiropractic care. Call us today at 603.380.9184

TMD and Jaw Pain Helped with Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care

Do you know of someone that suffers from chronic jaw pain or Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMD)? Did you know that chiropractic care has been shown to help relieve and reduce the symptoms of TMD by balancing the head-to-jaw-to-neck relationship? Today we are reviewing a paper that is a retrospective case series of 14 patients that all showed a reduction of symptoms of TMD. The paper is titled Chiropractic Treatment of Temporomandibular Dysfunction: A Retrospective Case Series. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4688559/pdf/main.pdf

If you or someone you know suffers from TMD Upper Cervical Chiropractic can help! Give our office a call to find out more… 603.380.9184

Why would chiropractic care be able to help someone with TMD? Well, TMD may present as one of the following: Pain in the TMJ or in the muscles of the jaw, audible popping and clicking of the jaw, and by an aberrant movement of the jaw as it opens and closes. As chiropractors, we are aligning the joints of the neck to balance the Cervical vertebra so that the head sits more level on the neck. This relieves tension in the neck as well as in the jaw and head as they are all related. We also gently work to balance the jaw joint back into its proper position by analyzing the way the disc in the jaw is sitting and correcting that back to relieve tension and pressure. When the cervical vertebra and the disc in the jaw are back in their normal position, this proper alignment releases tension out of the muscles and the jaw tracks better in the closed-to-open and opened-to-closed positions. 

If the jaw isn’t balanced properly it can cause headaches, neck pain, and dizziness. In this study 14 patients were shown to have an average reduction of symptoms by 80% in 14 visits. If you or someone you know suffers from TMD and the effects of jaw dysfunction, give our office a call to find out more. 

603.380.9184

Cervical Herniated Discs Pain Helped with Chiropractic Care

Can Chiropractic care help reduce symptoms and pain related to Cervical Herniated Discs and radiculopathy? The answer is “Yes” and in today’s research paper we discuss how a 60 year old female had a near complete resolution of symptoms within in 5 months! 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8169540

In this paper a patient presents in a chiropractic office with a herniation of the C6-C7 disc (which is one of the most commonly herniated discs in the spine). She was 60 years old and was experiencing severe neck and left shoulder pain along with numbness and tingling and pain in the left hand. 

The chiropractor analyzed and corrected spinal misalignments of the vertebra above and below the herniated disc which helped to stabilize the joint. Within 6 weeks the patient was 60% better, and by 5 months she had a near total resolution. So, if you know of someone suffering from pain in the neck and arm as a result of a herniated disc, chiropractic is a very safe and effective way to stabilize the issues surrounding a herniated disc. Call us today to find out more! 603.380.9184

So why would chiropractic care be effective at helping to reduce the symptoms related with herniated discs and radiculopathy? Well, effectively the cervical spine holds a 10-15 lb bowling ball up all day in gravity, and if the bones are not aligned, the weight of an unevenly placed bowling ball causes the bottom two cervical disks to herniate. Chiropractic is very effective at balancing the vertebra of the cervical spine by correcting misalignments in the vertebra. This is especially true of Upper Cervical Chiropractic offices that focus strictly on that head neck relationship. Secondly, we reduce inflammation and increase nerve flow between the neck and the brain by releasing tension in the nerves caused by misalignments.

If you have questions please call our office today! Upper Cervical Chiropractic care is a safe, gentle, and effective way to help heal from Cervical disc and radiculopathy issues!

Call at 603.380.9184

How Can Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care Help with Ear Pain?

Do you or someone you know suffer from ear pain that came on quickly and has not gone away? Well today we review a paper that may shed some light onto how Upper Cervical Chiropractic care may be able to help! Manual Therapy and Ear Pain: A Report of Four Cases. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3044806/

Call us today to find out how an upper cervical chiropractor may be able to help you 603.380.9184

This paper reviews four cases, three of which were resolved by gently, manual correcting the misalignments in the upper cervical spine. You might be wondering why that is. Well, in the paper it discusses how the referral pattern of the C1-C3 nerve roots is through the ear often times and can be relieved by taking the irritation out of the nerves in the top of the neck. These patients had a similar pattern of pain deep in the ear that seemingly came out of nowhere, sometimes on both sides, sometimes on just one side.

Upper Cervical Chiropractors have been gently correcting the upper neck without twisting or popping for nearly a century. One of the most common complaints people have is ear pain. Now it’s not a magic wand, and if there is an underlying infection or something else going on it may not be a quick fix, but it can greatly improve the chances of the nerves that are in charge of the ear healing. 

The Upper Neck specifically C1 and C2 have a very different type of joint that doesn’t exist in the rest of the spine. In fact, the Upper Cervical Joints are the most freely movable and the most easily comprised joints of the spine so it makes sense to have the upper neck checked in cases of head and neck pain or dysfunction.  That’s what upper cervical chiropractors do. Call us today to find out more 603.380.91804

The Brain and Gut Connection

Did you know that hitting your head can cause changes in your gut within 6 hours that can seriously affect your health?! Why is that you might say? Today we review two papers that connect the brain and the gut via the brain-gut axis. The first paper discusses the break down of the lining of the gut within 6 hours of a brain injury in mice. This is a well documented interaction and the literature shows that it can happen within 2 hours of a brain injury. This paper discusses the breakdown of the gap junctions between the cells of the lining of the gut which is a complex hormonal and neuronal interaction. Basically, what we see is that the brain controls the body through the nervous system. The nervous system controls the hormonal system or endocrine system. The endocrine system also has a feedback system which can signal and change the way the brain functions via hormones and signals in the bloodstream. The gut is the second largest area of neuron activity in the body next to the brain. When the brain is effected in a mild traumatic brain injury, the neurons firing in the brain that control the gut through the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system start to breakdown. The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system is the “fight or flight” and “rest or digest” part of the nervous system which is what drives the internal function of the automatic systems of the body. So, when the head or neck is injured in a trauma, it immediately affects the functions of the whole body via the central nervous system and hormones. Upper Cervical chiropractic care focuses on the connection between the brain and the body via the upper cervical spine, which is a conduit for the central nervous system to communicate to the body. Upper Cervical chiropractors are able to balance the top two neck bones gently without any manipulation. In turn the normal physiology returns to the body over time. Call our office today to find out more 603.380.9184

The second paper focuses on the Vagus nerve and its strong connection to almost every internal function of the body. The vagus nerve is what is called a cranial nerve and starts right at the base of the brain in the brain stem and winds its way down through every organ, including the lungs, the heart, the stomach, and the kidneys. The vagus nerve is the brakes for the internal function of most of these organ systems and the vagus nerve lies directly in front of the top neck bone, also known as the atlas vertebra. There are many cases that we have seen in the office where the internal function of the body is greatly impacted by balancing the upper cervical spine gently back into place. And in return, the body’s internal function balances, including: gut health, stomach health, and heart health. If you have questions about these complex interactions, call today to find out if upper cervical chiropractic care may be a good fit for you. Call our office at 603.380.9184

Traumatic brain injury and intestinal dysfunction: uncovering the nuero-enteric axis.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2989839/

The gut-brain axis: interactions between enteric microbiota, central and enteric nervous system.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4367209/

What in the world is the Cranio Cervical Junction?

What in the world is the Cranio Cervical Junction (CCJ)? Cranio meaning skull and cervical meaning neck, the Cranio Cervical junction is where the two come together and it is the most complex biomechanical and neurological joint in the spine. The paper we review today is titled “The craniocervical junction: embryology, anatomy, biomechanics and imaging in blunt trauma.” This is a great paper because it outlines the importance of the head and neck junction, and also outlines why it often is missed in imaging and diagnosis. Upper Cervical Chiropractors have been examining and correcting misalignments of the Upper Cervical spine since the 1930’s gently and effectively, with great results. We go into why we do that in this paper. If you have questions call our office today to find out more: 603.380.9184

The CCJ is comprised of some of the earliest embryological remnants of our nervous system which is one of the first systems in the body to form. That is because the brain controls the body through the spine and the CCJ is one of the most important protection mechanisms to the development and control of the nervous system. The paper describes how trauma to the CCJ can happen very early in children and that imaging the CCJ is a fundamental procedure to determine the health of the joint. Within the upper cervical chiropractic profession, we have been using 3D imaging for almost a century to determine the integrity of the joint and correct for misalignments that might be causing nerve interference. The CCJ isn’t like the rest of the spine. It doesn’t have discs that hold the spine together, it mostly is held together by muscles, ligaments, and tendons. There are no bony locks. This is why injuries like car accidents, concussions, and sports injuries are super important to get checked out very quickly. The CCJ needs a specific correction to balance the soft tissue and bone back in place.

The paper also describes how the fluid flow balance between the brain and the spine is very important through the CCJ. Three separate fluid balances include: the Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the arterial fluid to the brain, and the venous fluid away from the brain. The CSF is integral in pulling toxins away from the brain, and the flow can often be disrupted by the CCJ being misaligned which then can lead to build up of fluid in the cord or in the brain. The arterial blood to the brain from the heart travels through the carotids, just in front of the atlas vertebra, as well as the vertebral arteries which wind and twist their way up through the CCJ. So, if there is misalignment in the cervical spine, it vastly hampers the ability of the brain to get nutrients and oxygen from the blood. Lastly, the venous fluid is pulled away from the brain through the vertebral venous plexus that surrounds the cervical spine and the jugular veins, which sit directly in front of the atlas. So, whether it’s high blood pressure, or low blood pressure, or normal pressure hydrocephaly, the CCJ can have a massive influence over the fluid flow in and out of the brain.

As we have discussed, there are many ways in which the CCJ can impact health on a global scale, but there is one more way left to mention that is the most important. That is the fact that the brainstem sits directly inside of the CCJ and can be heavily influenced by the health of the joint around it. So, if you know of someone struggling with problems of the head or neck let them know that an Upper Cervical Chiropractor can help. Call us today at 603.380.9184 to find out more.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5265194/

Meniere's disease and upper cervical chiropractic care

Meniere’s disease is a disease that affects the inner ear of males and females equally at a .1% of the population generally setting in between 20-50 years old. The etiology is not truly understood and is a catch all of three symptoms collectively. Those three symptoms include Vertigo, Tinnitus, and Hearing Loss. Vertigo attacks vary in severity and length from several minutes to several hours, and usually are accompanied by nausea or vomiting. Tinnitus is another name for ringing in the ears. Medical treatment includes treatments with a low salt diet, diuretics, medications like meclizine for the nausea and dizziness, antibiotics like gentamicin or a steroid can be directly injected into the inner ear to stop the inner ear from functioning, as well as destroying the inner ear vestibular apparatus so that there is no sensation of vertigo again. Another treatment that is non-invasive and natural, is chiropractic care. Upper Cervical Chiropractic care can be very effective at calming down the input into the nervous system that may cause some of the symptoms of vertigo and tinnitus. Call our office to find out more 603.380.9184

What we often find when someone makes their way into our office suffering from Meniere’s disease is that they have a very large postural imbalance like one shoulder is higher than the other, the head is tilted to one side, as well as one hip is pulled up causing a leg length imbalance. This postural distortion leads to their inner ear working harder than it has to, as well as cervical misalignment which can cause vertigo called CERVICOGENIC VERTIGO. We also find that these patients usually have had some sort of head and neck trauma in the past 10-15 years. Often times this trauma is from playing high school sports or from a car accident. The trauma can also be caused by repetitive stresses over 10 years or more, like sitting in poor postures at a desk for 8 hours or more. When patients come into our office, we evaluate them to see how their inner ear, eyes, and cervical spine are relating to one another and if one or more of them is off. Usually we see that all of them are off as they are all and we are able to help. We take 3D imaging of the head and neck to find where the upper cervical spine might be out of alignment and gently correct the Atlas and Axis vertebra to allow for health and healing to return over time. The neck is the freeway through which all the nerves travel to the brain. If you have questions please call our office today at 603.380.9184 Upper Cervical Chiropractic care has helped many patients recover from Meniere’s Disease in a conservative way.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3081245/

Can Multiple Sclerosis be caused by head and neck trauma?

Is Multiple Sclerosis a disease brought on by head and neck trauma?

In the paper titled “The possible role of cranio-cervical trauma and abnormal CSF Hydrodynamics in the genesis of Multiple Sclerosis”, Dr. Raymond Damadian (the inventor of MRI and UPRIGHT MRI) discusses findings in 8 diagnosed Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients that were chosen at random. So lets rewind just a second as the traditional understanding of MS is described as an auto-immune disease of unknown origin. From my ten years in practice, as well as all the other Chiropractic papers I have read, almost every patient I have ever talked to with MS has had severe head and neck trauma. This trauma is usually via whiplash in some sort of motor vehicle accident or sports injury. So when Ray Damadian showed in this paper that MS may be a structural issue and not some unknown, idiopathic disease, it made total sense to me as an Upper Cervical Chiropractor. His research matched and validated my observations in practice. So what that means is that MS can be helped by correcting the structural alignment of the cervical spine! This made me want to shout it from the rooftops and let every Neurologist out there that diagnoses and treats MS know this information, as it could save lives and prevent others from undergoing years of needless suffering and medication.

So if you know of someone suffering from MS let them know that Upper Cervical Chiropractic may be able to help. To find out more call our office at 603.380.9184

So what prompted Dr. Damadian to do this study? Well, he had been working with Dr. Scott Rosa, a mentor of ours in New York, on developing imaging techniques using UPRIGHT MRI to visualize the Upper Cervical misalignment and the changes pre and post adjustment. What was interesting was that they found that Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow actually moves better after an Upper Cervical correction. Then they looked deeper and found that CSF changes were happening at areas of restriction in the soft tissue of the brain as well as in the cervical spine. So then they started thinking about who might have changes more visibly, and low and behold MS patients have lesions that show up on the brain and in the cervical spine. When Dr. Damadian started investigating what might be causing those lesions, they concluded from this paper that the lesions would show up around areas of high pressure and consistently around the ventricles where the CSF is created and pumped out into the brain. When the fluid balanced after Upper Cervical corrections, the lesions were reduced.

You may be wondering why this information doesn't seem to be widely know. The problem is this research is very hard to do and very time consuming. The vast majority of papers on MS never discuss a trauma component and never link the problem to one that can be corrected by Upper Cervical Chiropractic care. It is a shift in how MS is typically understood and treated. So that’s why I am talking about this topic today, to get the word out there and to share Dr. Damadian's and Dr. Rosa's research. If you or someone you know suffers from the symptoms of MS, call our office to find out more about how drug free Upper Cervical Chiropractic care can reduce the problem that causes Multiple Sclerosis and its associated symptoms.

603.380.9184

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21970155

How Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care lowers pulse pressure

Did you know that Chiropractic care has been shown to lower pulse pressure?? What is pulse pressure you might say! Well pulse pressure is the difference between the “lub dub” or the systolic and diastolic blood pressures. 120(systolic)/80(diastolic) = 40(Pulse pressure). AND Pulse pressure has been shown to be a predictor of cardiovascular disease and a 20% increased risk of cardiovascular events and mortality. The paper we review today is titled “Pulse pressure finding following upper cervical care: a practice-based observational study”, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6493210/

Pulse pressure is lowered by nearly 10mmhg in the at-risk population that have high systolic and diastolic difference. This high-risk range is greater than a 49 mmhg difference. The medium or normal range is between 40-49 mmhg and the low range is below 40 mmhg. Pulse pressure was reduced by 8.9mmg in the high group which was a statistically significant reduction. If you or someone you know is at high risk of cardiovascular disease, obviously exercise and nutrition are very important, but Upper cervical chiropractic care may also be a way to prevent and reduce the risk of cardiovascular accidents and disease. Give our office a call if you are interested in finding out more. 603.380.9184

You might be wondering what your neck has to do with your heart. Well, there is a direct nerve connection between your heart and your neck through the VAGUS nerve. The brainstem is where the heart of the Autonomic Nervous System lives. The “rest and digest” and “fight or flight” controls the accelerator and the brakes for the internal function of the body. Heart rate, breathing, digestion, immune function, and homeostasis are all controlled here. So if the neck has an obvious influence over this area through the brain stem then doesn’t it make sense to have the upper cervical spine checked on a regular basis to see if the Nervous System is functioning properly?? That’s what Upper Cervical Chiropractors do on a daily basis. We check to see if the nerves are firing properly down from the brain, out to every organ tissue and cell in the body, and back to the brain from the body. This is so important to understand when dealing with health issues of any kind. If there is any spinal nerve interference, then there could be issues in the areas those nerves control. This study shows that PULSE PRESSURE is heavily influenced by Upper Cervical Chiropractic care, but we have reviewed countless other studies that show lowered systolic and diastolic pulse, better heart rate variability, better flow of Cerebrospinal fluid, better drainage of the venous fluid out of the skull, increase in eye sight, increase in hearing, decrease in Meneiers symptoms, decrease in multiple sclerosis symptoms, and countless others… If you know of someone suffering from health issues of any kind make sure they have had their Upper Cervical spine checked. Give our office a call if you have questions at 603.380.9184

Are X-Rays Safe?

Do I need that x-ray at the dentist, Chiropractor, or medical doctor??? I heard that x-ays can cause cancer? Well the answer is: the literature does not support this idea. In fact, at times low dose medical imaging may have a supportive role called HORMESIS. Let’s break this down. Today we review a paper titled “Subjecting radiologic imaging to the linear no-threshold hypothesis: a non sequitur of non-trivial proportion.” http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/58/1/1.long

Why do we believe that x-rays can cause cancer??? In 1946 Dr. Mueller proposed the idea, based on one study that there was a linear progression from 0 to infinity that one dose of radiation would increase the risk of developing cancer one unit. Therefore, if you increase the dose, the chance of developing cancer increases proportionally. This is the linear graph that represents the idea that there is no threshold under which the linear increase in dose does not cause an increased risk of developing cancer. The paper that Dr. Mueller presented was later found to be full of holes and corrupted, however he won the 1946 Nobel prize and changed radiation protocols for the next 70 years. We are finally realizing that the literature does not support this linear relationship of dose to risk of cancer. In fact low dose medical imaging like Xrays range from 10 to 100 microsieverts and the annual average background radiation from Radon in the ground and cosmic radiation is around 2,400 microsieverts. So we have lived with natural low levels of background radiation our entire existence. So why is there such a story around low dose imaging? Well, you can’t smell radiation, you can’t see it, and you can’t taste it. So protection policies erred on the safe side and went with Dr. Mueller’s proposed idea because at the time in the 1940’s, we didn’t really have a way of measuring if low doses made a difference or not. Now we do. 

When it comes to a dentist, chiropractor or medical doctor making a diagnosis and providing the proper treatment it is very important that the doctor be able to see what it is that is going on. Especially in chiropractic, it is very important to be able to look into the spine and measure the misalignment and rule out any problems before we get to work. The benefits of getting an x-ray when it’s needed far outweigh the risks. In some cases it has been shown that low levels of radiation like those in medical imaging can increase the bodies repair and response mechanisms. This idea has been supported and documented many times in the medical literature. So before you make a snap judgment about getting an xray, bring up your concerns with your doctor. They should be able to explain to you the benefit to risk relationship. If you or someone you know is looking for a healthcare provider to really take a look and see what’s going on; Upper Cervical Chiropractic care may be just the thing you have been looking for. Give our office a call at 603.380.9184

Does Chiropractic Care Cause Strokes?

Often times people in our office ask us “Does Chiropractic Care cause strokes?” And the simple and easy answer is “NO, chiropractic care does not cause strokes”. Today we review two studies done by Cassidy et al. One in 2010 on the vertebrobasilar artery (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18204390), and one in 2016 on Carotid artery dissection (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18204390). Both of these papers published in prestigious medical journals showed a resounding “NO”, chiropractic care does not increase the risk of having a stroke. What they did find was that there is an association, which means that often times people who have strokes realize there is a problem and they seek out medical or chiropractic services. 

A patient may come to a Chiropractic office with a stroke already in progress that isn’t caught or diagnosed. However, most of the patients that Chiropractors see are treating for post-concussion syndrome, facial pain or paralysis, musculoskeletal pain of the arm face or neck, and/or have numbness or weakness of a limb. These symptoms typically indicate a patient is experiencing a really bad flare-up, but they can also be signs of a stroke and it telling the difference can be very difficult. So there is no causation of chiropractic care and strokes, but we can see a correlation. 

The signs of stroke are represented by the acronym FAST: Face (does one side of the face droop, particularly noticeable when smiling), Arm (when you raise both arms does one arm drift downward), Speech (is your speech slurred or irregular), and Time (time to call ER or 911). If you think you are having a stroke, or know of someone that has, call 911 immediately. The sooner they get to the ER the sooner the bleed or clot may be detected, imaged, diagnosed, and treated. 

When it comes to risk, it’s important to understand the numbers. There are many things that we do on a daily basis that are very dangerous. The statistics that I like to use to put the risk of chiropractic care in perspective are reproduced below:

Number of events per 10 million people in the US:

Death from spinal fusion surgery: 200,000 in 10 million

Death from cervical or neck surgery: 68,966 in 10 million

Death from hospital mistake: 60,000 in 10 million

Death from laminectomy or spine surgery: 50,000 in 10 million

Death from Aspirin, Tylenol, Advil, Aleve, or Motrin prolonged use: 8,333 in 10 million

Paralysis or stroke from back or neck surgery: 7,143 in 10 million

Death from automobile accident: 1,500 in 10 million

Stroke from Birth Control Pills: 417 in 10 million

Getting struck by lightning: 14 in 10 million

Death from Aviation accident: 5 in 10 million

Stroke associated with seeing a Chiropractor: 2 in 10 million

If you have questions please call our office at 603.380.9184 The benefits far out weight the risks for Chiropractic care!!! Call us today to find out more about how we can help your body be a better place to live!

The importance of Cerebrospinal Fluid and body function

Have you ever wondered what the Clear Liquid around the brain is for?! Some people feel pulsing and pressure in their head and neck and sometimes it may be coming from this fluid’s movement patterns. This week we review a paper titled “CEREBROSPINAL FLUID STASIS AND ITS CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE”. 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2842089/ 

The Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) is a tremendously important part of the normal brain and body function. The CSF brings nutrients to the brain and takes away the toxic metabolic waste the brain is constantly producing. This fluid is clear and flows through large passageways following the path of least resistance. We are finding out that this fluid flow can be stopped by structural barriers and cause abnormal wearing and tearing and degeneration of tissue as it either pounds up against, or settles into tissue. When the fluid flow stops or becomes static we call this stasis. Stasis can produce what is known as plaquing in the brain. There are many neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Multiple Sclerosis that can come about from plaque building up and metabolic wastes not being taken away. We know that Upper Cervical Chiropractic care can bring a more normal flow back to the brain and spinal cord. So if you know of someone that has recently developed a neurodegenerative disorder, an Upper Cervical Chiropractor may be an important piece of the puzzle to help that person get their health back. Call our office today to find out more. 603.380.9184

CSF fluid flow is very important, and there are a couple of Imaging Centers in the United States that focus specifically on looking at the CSF known as FONAR upright MRI centers. On their website http://www.fonar.com/index-no-flash.htm they have countless studies of pre and post changes in CSF flow before and after Upper Cervical corrections to the upper neck by DR. Scott Rosa. When the upper neck is out of alignment it pulls and tractions the brain and the spinal cord, creating a cork in the bottle effect on the fluid flow around and out of the brain. After Upper Cervical Corrections the neck relaxes and the brain returns to its normal position allowing for fluid to flow more normally. The implications of Upper Neck corrections by an upper cervical chiropractor are literally infinite as the brain controls the body. So no longer do we talk in terms of just changes to the neck or spine, but literally changes in how the brain functions. If you know of someone suffering from a chronic neurodegenerative disease like Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and dementia, Upper Cervical Chiropractic care can help get the brain functioning properly again. Call our office to find out more 603.380.9184

How the curve of the neck impacts blood flow to the brain

This week we reviewed a paper titled: Increase in cerebral blood flow indicated by increased cerebral arterial area and pixel intensity on brain MRA following correction of cervical lordosis.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31001596

This paper focuses on the curve of the neck and how the alignment of the bones in the cervical spine can influence the blood flow to the brain. We all know that blood needs to flow in and out of the brain to keep us healthy. But what happens when the channel that the blood goes through to get to and from the brain is not aligned properly? Well, that can be bad, but this paper shows that specific corrections to the cervical spine can help! When someone has had a head or neck injury, it can affect many things like: memory, hearing, vision, it can cause headaches, dizziness, or neck pain, to say the least. Now we know that if the neck has lost its proper orientation in a c shaped curve of 30-40 degrees then the blood flow can literally be restricted to the BRAIN!!! So if you know someone with a head or neck injury and who complains of chronic pain or problems, it might be time to have a look and see what’s going on. Give our office a call today to find out more 603.380.9184

We have been hearing a lot in the news about Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, and Alzehiemers being these tough to treat and terrible diseases. These problems can be grouped into what is called neurodegenerative diseases. One of the problems with these neurodegenerative diseases is that the brain is not getting nutrients in and out of the skull. The brain’s main flow of arterial blood is through the carotids, but its back up system is through the vertebral arteries and the flow to the brainstem is through the cervical spine! So if we increase the blood flow to the brain and brain stem this may be a breakthrough in helping to heal brain and brain stem injuries via, stroke and other neurodegenerative conditions. The curve in the neck is very simply measured with an x-ray and what we know is that when the curve in the neck is straightened out it reduces that blood flow into the brain and brain stem. If we bring the curve back to the neck, the blood flow returns. 

If you know of someone suffering from chronic head or neck problems, having a chiropractic exam with an x-ray may provide some much needed information regarding that persons cervical or neck alignment. Give our office a call today at 603.380.9184 to find out more.

Lower Back Pain Relief with Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care

Meet Jonathan! His lower back pain had been getting in the way of every day activities, like meals with his daughter and car rides for work. He found us and was able to quickly find relief from the pain, and more importantly, get back to being an active part of life!

As his body worked through the healing process, he hit a financial rough patch that could have made keeping his health a priority challenging, until he found that we partner with the Craniocervical Foundation, a non-profit that provides subsidized Upper Cervical Chiropractic care to active military, veterans, and those in financial care. He was able to continue coming to us, taking care of his spine, and making his body a better place to live!

If you or someone you know suffer from lower back pain, call us to make your first appointment 603 - 380-9184

For more information or to apply for the Craniocervical Foundation visit their website at www.craniocervicalfoundation.org

Post Concussion Recovery and Being Able to Dance Again

Meet Sonrisa. She suffered from post concussion syndrome and looking for a way to find some relief from the head and neck pain and stiffness she woke up with every morning that kept her from being physically active. What she found through Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic care was a road to recovery and healing that impacted more than how her body felt when she woke up in the morning. She found healing for her mind, body, and soul. And finally, has even been able to get back to her passion - dance. We are so grateful to have met this lovely lady and to have been a part of her healthcare team, and so proud of her for making her health a priority and putting in the time and effort with us to make her body a better place to live.

If you or someone you know has had a concussion or struggles with head and neck pain, Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care may be a solution. Call us to make an appointment today! 603-280-9184

How a Misaligned Atlas can Impact Brain Fluid Flow

In this paper the position of the Atlas and its effect on the internal jugular vein is studied. The paper is titled “Evaluation of the Cause of Internal Jugular Vein Obstruction on Head and Neck Contrast Enhanced 3D MRA Using Contrast Enhanced CT”.

https://synapse.koreamed.org/DOIx.php?id=10.13104/jksmrm.2011.15.1.41&vmode=PUBREADER

In this paper Diagnostic Radiologists study the position of Atlas vertebra, which is the top bone in the neck, and how it can rotate into the largest vein that drains blood out of the brain. Their conclusion was that the cause of internal jugular vein obstruction on MR Angiography (MRA), which is a fancy MRI, is a narrow space between the base of the skull and the front of the Atlas vertebra. This can impact proper fluid flow from the brain, which can result in all kinds of problems like: Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). So, if there is a problem with the brain draining fluid, then the position of the Atlas should be checked for misalignment. That is exactly what upper cervical chiropractors correct. If you know of someone suffering from any of these conditions, then an upper cervical chiropractor may be able to help. Call our office to find out more 603.380.9184.

The Brain is a tightly controlled vault of bone, soft tissue, and fluid pumping in and out at exact amounts all day long, every day, for your whole life. Problems can arise when the brain is not getting enough blood up into the tissues to feed it oxygen and glucose (sugar), or when the fluid is not escaping quickly enough from the brain and taking away the toxins from the brain. Plaques can result from those toxins not escaping the brain, which in the medical model is what causes Multiple Sclerosis and many other neurodegenerative disorders. The internal jugular vein is the main brain drain. So, if the fluid is not escaping out of that vein, then pressure can build.  Misalignment of the Atlas, rotating into that vein can be a main cause of that. If you have questions please call our office today to find out more how upper cervical chiropractic care can help 603.380.9184.

In this study they don’t mention upper cervical chiropractic as a solution to correct that misalignment of the Atlas (C1), but we know that misalignment at C1 can impact many important functions in the brain. That’s what upper cervical chiropractors work to correct. The medical world is starting to catch on to this information, but if you are currently suffering from any of the above-named conditions, please don’t hesitate to call and ask how upper cervical chiropractic care may be a solution for you. 603.3890.9184

Pediatric Chronic Constipation Helped with Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care

Today we are reviewing a paper that discusses the efficacy of chiropractic care for Pediatric Constipation. “The Successful chiropractic care of pediatric patients with chronic constipation a case series and selective review of the literature.”

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1479235408000588.

3% of children are reported to struggle with constipation, and this may be underreported as it is a topic children and parents don’t like to talk about. According to this study, $800 million is spent each year on laxatives and pediatric constipation is the second most common thing patients visit the pediatric gastroenterologist for. Given the high success rate that chiropractors report with pediatric constipation, it is important that parents should know there are options out there to correct the problem with gentle pediatric chiropractic care. If you are a parent that has a child struggling with constipation, hard stools, painful or bloody stools, then gentle pediatric chiropractic care may be the answer you’ve been looking for. Call our office to find out more. 603.380.9184

In this study three case reports are presented. All three had great success. The first child was a 21 month old that had struggled with constipation from birth with bowel movements every 3-4 days with large painful bloody stools. After the initial chiropractic visit, the mother reported an immediate response with daily, but still painful stools. After 2 months of care the infant was reporting daily, painless bowel movements.

The second case involved a 7 month old that had been constipated since 2 months old. Her bowel movements occurred every 3 days and were hard and painful. After the second visit to the chiropractor the child was having pain-free bowel movements every one to two days.

The third child was a 21 month old with constipation for 11 months and was reporting a bowel movement once a week. On occasion the bowel movements would create rectal bleeding. Within ten days of chiropractic care the mother reported her daughter was having daily bowel movements but with straining still and fear around bowel movements. After three months of care the patient’s bowel movements became comfortable and constipation was completely resolved.

These are just three stories, but we have seen many cases just like this, and more parents should know there are other options out there. If you or a parent you know has a child struggling with chronic constipation, having a chiropractor evaluate the child for spinal misalignment is a non-invasive, gentle approach that helps the child’s body heal from the inside out. If you need more information please call our office at 603.380.9184

Neck Tongue Syndrome and Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care

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

Can My Neck Be Causing Me To Grind My Teeth at Night?

Today we are reviewing a paper that relates why the Upper Cervical Spine alignment may have a big influence on the way the jaw works and can even be a key player in things like grinding your teeth (or Bruxism), and TMJ problems. This is a fantastic paper by Author: Gary Knutson DC, titled: “Vectored upper cervical manipulation for chronic sleep bruxism, headache, and cervical spine pain in a child”.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12902973

The Paper discusses a case report of a six-year-old girl with morning headaches, grinding of the teeth, and neck pain. The young girl had previously been diagnosed with teeth grinding by observation at night and abnormal tooth wear by her dentist. She had been suffering with head and neck pain rated an 8 out of 10 for about two months when she was initially checked by the upper cervical chiropractor. Four week prior to seeing the upper cervical chiropractor, she had been treating with a general chiropractor for two visits with no changes in symptoms. The patient was assessed for postural distortions; including forward head carriage, head tilt, shoulder and hip unleveling, as well as a leg length imbalance. The patient was also found to have muscle tenderness and imbalances in the suboccipital muscles at the base of the skull/ top of the neck. An Upper Cervical Misalignment was found and a correction to the upper neck was given that was gentle and linear, without twisting or rotation. A few days later symptoms were reduced and objective findings of posture and muscle imbalances were resolved. The patient was then rechecked two weeks later, and four months later, with no symptoms and no need to correct the upper neck again. With one upper Cervical gentle correction this young girls life was changed in a dramatic way for the better. Do you have a child or family member that suffers from TMJ issues, grinding at night, neck pain or headaches? If so, let them know upper cervical chiropractic care may be the solution they have been looking for. Call our office today to find out more 603.380.9184

Why would a gentle correction to the top two cervical vertebra or neck bones allow for so much healing to happen? Dr. Gary Knutson posits that the Upper Cervical spine has a direct connection to the Trigeminocervical Nuclei located around C1-C2-C3. When the upper cervical spine is out of alignment it can irritate this nerve and send noxious information up to the brain and into the Trigeminal Nucleus just behind the Temporomandibular Joint or TMJ. This activates this large bundle of nerves and causes them to fire into the muscles of mastication in the face. Stress is often blamed as the cause of grinding the teeth but a neck component could definitely play a key role. The trigeminal nucleus and trigeminal nerves are some of the largest nerves in the head and when they get activated, they can cause a lot of problems including but not limited to migraines, headaches, neck pain, facial pain, numbness or tingling in the face or neck, eye pain, TRIGEMINAL NUERALGIA, as well as Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) and bruxism, or grinding. If you know of someone suffering from these problems, especially children, let them know they don’t have to suffer, and there may be help and answers. Consulting with an Upper Cervical Chiropractor may be the missing piece they have been looking for. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to call the office today at 603.380.9184

What the Heck is Craniocervical Syndrome?

What the heck is craniocervical syndrome? And why is my neck so important?

Today we are highlighting an article that just came out in August of 2018 titled: “Craniocervical Junction Syndrome: Anatomy of the Craniocervical and Atlantoaxial Junctions and the Effect of Misalignment on Cerebrospinal Fluid Flow.” Craniocervical syndrome is when you develop headaches, neck pain, or dizziness after a whiplash type accident. You may wonder why this is. The top two neck bones of the spine, C1 and C2 (also known as the atlas and the axis), sit under the skull and are held in place by muscles, ligaments, and tendons, unlike the rest of the spine. The rest of the spine has boney locks that hold them in place. So if you have an immediate sudden injury to the head and neck, the ligaments, tendons, and muscles can’t hold the joint in place like they normally do. The natural postural reflex gets overridden. Now what happens is because C0-C1-C2 is the most freely movable joint in the spine, then we get a rotational malposition, or misalignment of C1. This malposition or misalignment starts to cause problems in how the head and the neck talk to each other. This creates a “cork in the bottle” situation at the base of the skull and top of the neck where all of the messages to the body come down from the brain. So if you know of someone suffering from headaches, head pressure, head pain, neck pain, numbness or tingling in the head or neck, and dizziness or vertigo, an Upper Cervical Chiropractic Specialist will be able to analyze and assess the relationship between the head and neck, and see if there is a problem. Call our office today 603.380.9184.

A misalignment at C0-C1-C2 can also come from sitting at a desk with poor posture, birth trauma, or falling out of a tree when you are a child. However, the most common way we see large trauma produced is from a concussion from either sports or work related injuries, or a car accident. Once the injury has taken place, it’s just a matter of time before the physiology of the body starts to be affected by the structural underlying problem. Sometimes it can take up to 5-10 years before symptoms really start to become a problem. I hear that all the time, “Five to ten years ago I was hit from behind while stopped. I didn’t feel much at the time, but the car behind me was going 45 mph. Then just the other day I started to really feel pain in my head and neck and I’m starting to get dizzy.” THAT IS CRANIOCERVCICAL SYNDROME! Now what to do about it? Upper Cervical Chiropractors are specifically trained to correct the misalignment between C0-C1-C2. This is done without twisting or popping, and when it is done right, the correction of the misalignment should hold its position for a period of time. This “holding” proper alignment is what heals the body, not getting adjusted every week once a week for the rest of your life. So if you are frustrated with the answers you’ve been getting from your healthcare providers call an upper cervical chiropractic office today 603.380.9184.

There are other ways a misalignment can impact your body and health. The negative effects of having misalignment at C0-C1-C2 are beginning to be linked to things like: Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis and Chronic Neurodegenerative diseases. This is plausible because the relationship between the upper neck and the brain is very important. The Upper neck is a passageway that almost all of the messages between the brain and the body flow through in the brainstem/spinal cord. The Vertebral Arteries that pass through the upper cervical spine carry 20% of the blood flow to the brain. Also, the blood draining out of the brain actually prefers to go through and around the spine. which creates a backing up of fluid into the brain if the upper neck is misaligned. Lastly, the Cerebrospinal fluid (or CSF) flow can be kinked and compromised in the base of the brainstem and in the upper neck if a misalignment at C0-C1-C2 exists for a period of time. All of these dangerous processes happen slowly, but over time start to wear and tear on the soft tissue of the spinal cord and brain. So if you or someone you know is suffering from head pain, neck pain, or dizziness, have them call an upper cervical chiropractic specialist today to get checked. 603.380.9184

https://www.intechopen.com/books/hydrocephalus-water-on-the-brain/craniocervical-junction-syndrome-anatomy-of-the-craniocervical-and-atlantoaxial-junctions-and-the-ef