Case Report of Patient with Parkinson's under Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care

There is a lot of medical literature out there about the brain, the relationship to the head and neck, and how these impact body function. Dr. Evans at Arete Chiropractic (our Upper Cervical Chiropractic providers) reviewed a paper this week on a subject that has received very little attention to date: "Upper cervical chiropractic management of a patient with Parkinson's disease: a case report" by Dr. Erin Elster. 

Dr. Erin Elster is an Upper Cervical Chiropractor that has produced many peer reviewed articles on Upper Cervical Chiropractic and conditions like Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease. This paper, published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics in 2000, is a case report on the successful management of Parkinson’s Disease with Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care.

The patient in Dr. Elster's paper was a male that was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at age 53 after a twitch developed in his left fifth finger. She stated that “he later developed rigidity in his left leg, body tremor, slurring of speech, and memory loss among other findings”.

Parkinson’s Disease symptoms present as a tremor of the hand on one side of the body and over time, resting tremors develop and can be accompanied by slowness, stiffness, and lack of arm swing on the affected side. The disease affects the central nervous system, by destroying the substantia nigra. The substantia nigra sends messages to secrete dopamine in the brain. It is possible that this lack of dopamine allows the brain to send continuous excitatory signals. This constant signal induces Parkinson's symptoms such as rigidity and tremors. It is hypothesized that Parkinson’s Disease symptoms begin to appear after about 80% of the dopamine producing cells in the substantia nigra are destroyed.

The use of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) was used to monitor the progress of the patient by a movement specialist. The UPDRS entrance symptoms of the patient were tremor, rigidity, and depression as well as a dragging left foot. “According to a comparison between beginning and final UPDRS evaluations, this patient showed an overall improvement of 43% after the third month of care”.

A significant piece of the patient's health history is that he also suffered from six previous traumatic head and neck injuries from concussions from football and motor vehicle accidents. An association is drawn by Dr. Elster that head and neck injuries may precede the onset of some chronic neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s disease. 

Within the medical literature there is a large amount of evidence that supports a trauma induced etiology for Parkinson’s Disease. However, the medical literature does not define the mechanism for the onset of Parkinson’s Disease. In this paper Dr. Elster proposes a mechanism of onset that has to do with an injury to the Upper Cervical spine, that then sends poor messages to the brain about what’s going on with the body. This is called mechanoreception. Mechanoreceptors are sensors within the body that sense pressure and distortions in position of the joints in the spine.

This paper shows successful outcomes of a patient with Parkinson’s Disease treated with upper cervical chiropractic care. At the time it was written, this was the first case report involving chiropractic care and Parkinson’s disease in the medical literature. Further investigation into traumatic injury of the upper cervical spine as a possible etiology of Parkinson's disease should be pursued.

If you are interested in reading more, click here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11050615

Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care Found to Help Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a widely recognized, but not as widely understood neurological autoimmune disease that attacks the fat cells of the Central nervous system. This results in a loss of nerve function and body function.

Lesser known, is Chronic Cerebrospinal venous insufficiency or CCSVI. This is a theory that was developed by an Italian doctor who posed that a deficiency in the venous outflow of blood from the skull and neck can actually cause a backup of fluid in the brain. He theorized that this causes a whole list of problems and the that answer was to put a stent in the Jugular vein to open the vein and allow for the blood to properly flow.

A study titled "Preliminary results after Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care in patients with chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS)" was highlighted this week in a live Facebook video by Dr. Evans from Arete Chiropractic. You can watch the video here: https://www.facebook.com/areteUC/videos/2089952854590213/

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of Upper Cervical Care on patients with MS and CCSVI looking at clinical and x-ray results. The study looked at 77 patients before and after receiving Upper Cervical Chiropractic care using x-rays and evaluation of clinical symptoms. What they found was a statistically significant clinical improvement following about 4 months of treatment.

This is a preliminary study, but the results were very positive. The study suggests that Upper Cervical Chiropractic care may be a non-invasive approach to improve the flow of fluid away from the brain, which in turn allows the central nervous system to function better.

Migraines and Post Concussion Syndrome Helped with Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care

Jen suffered a concussion in February while playing soccer. Jen had also been dealing with migraines since she was in first grade and chronic daily headaches nearly every day. She had a couple of concussions prior to this accident in February, so the head and neck problems were starting to pile up. 

We partner with Arete Chiropractic in Portsmouth, NH to provide Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care for active duty military, veterans, and those with financial hardship at a reduced rate. Jen started treatment at Arete Chiropractic in April with Post Concussion Symptoms of fatigue, brain fog, daily headaches, migraines, dizziness, memory loss, neck pain, low back pain and sciatica. Post concussion syndrome is diagnosed when a concussion's symptoms linger for longer than 30 days. After careful analysis, and a gentle correction to align her upper neck, her body is coming back to balance. 

Post concussion syndrome can last for months or even years, so when Jen's body started to heal after the very first correction she knew she was in the right place. 

Eight weeks later her migraines and headaches that she had since first grade have mostly resolved and she has more energy and is able to get through a full work week without calling out, and she feels more clear when she is at work. Post concussion symptoms, headaches and migraines aren't ruling her life anymore!

Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care Patient Satisfaction Study

We can learn a lot from patient satisfaction surveys and studies. The Craniocervical Foundation provides subsidized Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care to active military, veterans, and those going through financial hardships. There was a paper titled "Symptomatic Reactions, Clinical Outcomes and Patient Satisfaction Associated with Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care: A Prospective, Multicenter, Cohort Study" published in the Journal of Musculoskeletal Disorders in 2011 (see link below).

https://bmcmusculoskeletdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2474-12-219

How Did They Perform the Study?

There were 3 Upper Cervical Chiropractors that were involved in the study and they were looking at 5 Clinical Outcomes:

1) Neck Pain Disability Index (0-100)

2) Oswestry Back pain Index (0-100)

3) Numerical Rating Score (0-10) for neck pain, headache, midback pain, and low back pain

4) Treatment satisfaction

5) Symptomatic Reactions

A Total of 1,090 consecutive new patients from 83 chiropractors nationwide were recruited for this practice-based study. Data was collected at the beginning of a patient's care to get the baseline and after 2 weeks of care.

Subclinical status for pain and disability was defined as <3 on Numerical rating scale and <10% respectively.

Symptomatic reaction was defined as a new complaint or a worsening of the complaint >30 % on a Numerical rating scale of 0-10 and was less than 24 hours after an upper cervical correction.

What Were the Results of the Study?

With those 1,090 patients, there were 4,920 total office visits, which is 4.5 office visits per patient over approximately weeks.

There were a total of 2,653 corrections (2.4 per patient) over 17 days. So, patients only needed to have an adjustment at about half of their visits, which means when they weren't being adjusted they were holding their alignment.

31% of the 1,090 patients (383 patients) had a symptomatic reaction, and only 5.1% of the total patients (56 patients) had an intense symptomatic reaction.

Outcome assessments were significantly improved for neck pain and disability, headache, midback pain and low back pain. Following the 2 weeks of care, patients also reported a high level of patient satisfaction with a mean of 9.1/10.

The 83 Upper Cervical chiropractors used in the study were very experienced on there field and had administered over 5 million corrections over their careers without a reported incidence of a serious adverse event.

What Does This Study Show Us?

Although it may be fairly common for upper cervical chiropractic patients to experience mild symptomatic reactions for a short period less than 24 hours following an upper cervical correction, outcome assessments were significantly improved after less than 3 weeks of care with a high level of patient satisfaction. The results are in! And the data shows that the benefits of upper cervical chiropractic care outweigh the risks!

Migraine Headaches, Balance, and Upper Cervical Spine

We live in an age where many of us rely on our GPS to tell us where we are and where we’re going. Smartphones and vehicles now come loaded with these as standard equipment. But that isn’t unique to smartphones and cars. Our bodies come equipped with GPS, too! There are sensory receptors called proprioceptors in your joints, skin and muscles that tell your brain where your body is in space, which is known as proprioception. This is what allows you to close your eyes and be able to touch your finger to your nose without looking in a mirror, and it is crucial for your body’s ability to balance.

These receptors are all throughout the body, but there are more proprioceptors in the top of your neck, at the base of your skull, than most other places in your body. They tell your neck how to hold your head to keep your head level.

A paper published in 2018 in the Journal of Oral & Facial Pain and Headache titled “Impaired Standing Balance in Individuals with Cervicogenic Headache and Migraine” presented a study that tested three groups of participants for standing balance and sway: 24 people with cervicogenic headaches (a neck problem that turns into a headache), 24 with Migraines, and 24 that had no symptoms. The participants were tested on either a firm or soft surface, with their eyes open or closed, and in a wide stance (feet shoulder width apart) or a narrow stance (feet together). The results showed that the migraine and cervicogenic headache groups had a much larger sway pattern than the group without symptoms, meaning the participants with head and neck pain had more difficulty keeping their balance than those without those issues.

The study shows a possible relationship or link between cervicogenic headaches and migraines, and balance. This could mean that the neck proprioception is off in the people with head and neck pain. When neck proprioception is off, it can create problems with standing balance and coordinating movement.

Chiropractors call the head and neck the upper cervical spine area. For some people, cervicogenic headaches, migraines, balance issues, and proprioception problems, might all be connected in the upper cervical spine. The Craniocervical Foundation partners with the upper cervical chiropractic specialists at Arete Chiropractic to provide subsidized care to active duty military, veterans, and those in financial need. Upper cervical chiropractors work with the top two cervical vertebra gently and with a specific correction to bring balance between the head and the neck.

You can learn more about this topic by watching a live Facebook video by Dr. Evans from Arete Chiropractic where he discussed the paper above as well as a 2014 paper published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience titled "Neck Proprioception Shapes Body Orientation and Perception of Motion".

Migraine Headaches Helped with Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care

There are many different factors involved in causing chronic migraine headaches. An important factor is the relationship between chronic migraine headaches and the upper neck. Specifically, how the base of your skull connects to the top couple of vertebrae in the cervical spine. C1 and C2 (or Atlas and Axis, as they are called) are the most freely moving vertebra in the entire spine. This gives us great range of motion in our neck, but also means that when the body has trauma, it is an area that is likely to misalign. A misalignment at the skull base interferes with nerve pathways, blood flow, and cerebral spinal fluid flow. A compromise to any of these systems can result in the symptoms of migraine headaches.

The Craniocervical Foundation partners with Areté Chiropractic, Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractors who are experts in evaluating the alignment of the head and neck and how that affects spinal health and body balance. If a misalignment in the C1-C2 vertebra is a contributing factor to migraine headaches, then reducing or correcting that misalignment will make a significant difference in how your body functions. Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic care can often help people's bodies function better with less symptoms, or even recover completely.

Just ask Courtney! Courtney had been struggling with chronic headaches since she was about 12 years old. For the weeks prior to starting care at Areté Chiropractic she was struggling with DAILY migraine headaches. It made it difficult for her to live her life. She was also experiencing TMJ pain, constant neck, upper back, and lower back pain, and she would notice about once a day that her hands would fall asleep. You may be wondering what her headaches have to do with her hands. Nerves from the neck go into the shoulder, arm, and hand. So it was a pretty safe bet that Courtney's neck was a big piece of the pie as to why her body was expressing all these symptoms.

She has been under care for over six months at Arete and has much less spinal pain, no numbness in the hands, and she only gets a migraine when her upper neck goes out of alignment!

Have you had your spine checked? The Craniocervical Foundation partners with Arete Chiropractic to provide subsidized chiropractic care. Call today for more information or to schedule your first appointment!

802-441-5223

Stress, Pain, the Immune System, and Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care

You've probably heard the phrase "it's all in your head".  Since the brain is the master control center for all the functions of the body, there is a lot of truth to that statement! Research studies show the way that you experience pain, depends on your personal situation and what you feel about the situation.  Over time, stress and pain make changes in the brain and body, and alter your immune system. This can lead to slow healing, inflammation, depression, and even more stress and pain! 

So what can you do? Fortunately there are a lot of measures you can take to help. Staying positive, meditation, moving more, sleeping well, and eating better can all help with the vicious cycle of stress and pain. Upper Cervical chiropractic care can help, too! Not only can it help with migraines, back pain, and neck pain, it also helps your brain know more accurately what is going on in and around your body.

Want to learn more about how this works? check out the video below! The Craniocervical Foundation partners with Arete Chiropractic to provide subsidized Upper Cervical chiropractic care to those in financial need, veterans, or active duty military.

For more information call (802) 441-5223

 

Annie's Angels Donation to the Craniocervical Foundation

Annie's Angels (anniesangels.org) is a local organization, founded by Bill and Diane DaGiau, whose primary mission is to help local families struggling financially through a life threatening disease, illness or disability.  At the Craniocervical Foundation, we provide access for people with head and neck injury or related conditions who would not normally be able to afford or access upper cervical chiropractic care, including active duty military and veterans. We partner with Arete Chiropractic, who provides the upper cervical care using the Blair Technique to adjust the upper cervical spine. 

This past Monday, Annie's Angels donated funds to the Craniocervical Foundation that would cover 25 visits to Arete Chiropractic. We are honored and thrilled to have found allies in health in Annie's Angels, and to be able to use these funds to impact the health and lives of those in need in our community. 

Are you interested in what we do? Would you like to give someone the gift of health and are interested in making a donation?  Give us a call at 802-441-5223 or email us at INFO@CRANIOCERVICALFOUNDATION.ORG

Headaches Lower Back Pain Helped with Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care

KC is a veteran of combat in Afghanistan and has been under care of the Craniocervical Foundation for eight weeks. In those eight weeks, he has been is able to drive without lower back pain and his migraine headaches are greatly reduced. After years of struggling through the health care system, KC is feeling like himself again! Getting his body balanced, allowing his body to heal, has given him a more positive outlook in life and has given him his life back.

Dinner with Doc about Meniere's

DIZZINESS, VERTIGO, NAUSEA, HEADACHE, HEARING LOSS, RINGING IN THE EARS?

Collectively, these symptoms, are called Meniere's Disease, a condition of the inner ear that can be significantly related to the neck. Do you or someone you know suffer from any of these symptoms? Join the doctors of Areté Chiropractic as they discuss the anatomy and disease process of this condition, as well as tips and tools to help you recover and get your life back.

Areté Chiropractic is an upper cervical chiropractic office in Portsmouth NH that provides gentle, specific, and effective treatment for head and neck conditions. Utilizing state of the art 3-D imaging, the doctors help many people recover from chronic conditions like: headaches, neck pain, migraines, vertigo, whiplash, and concussion.

Join them at the Atlantic Grill to see if upper cervical care could be a solution for you.

WHEN: May 24, 2018 6:30pm-8:30pm

WHERE: The Atlantic Grill, 5 Pioneer Rd, Rye, NH 03870

RSVP: Call 603-380-9184 or email office@aretechiro.com

https://www.facebook.com/events/866089473569981/

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/menieres-disease-a-dinner-with-the-doctors-tickets-45209358408?aff=efbeventtix

Lower Back Pain and Headache Relief with Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care

We all know that pain and fear of injury can stop us from doing the things in life that we really want to do and make us feel...well...just not like ourselves. Ryan came to us experiencing low back pain, which was keeping him from exercising. Ryan was becoming frustrated because when he would exercise, his low back would flair up. He was also getting headaches two to three times a week and neck pain. Ryan’s upper cervical spine was corrected and immediately he felt the pressure off his low back. He has now had four upper cervical corrections and his low back pain, neck pain and headaches are all dramatically improved just by getting his head on straight! Is your head on straight?

Neck Pain, Migraine Headache and Tinnitus Relief with Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care

Neck Pain Responds to Upper Cervical Care: Surgery Cancelled!

Have you ever stopped being active because of pain? Check out Lauren's story. Being in constant pain is draining. Regardless of if you have had specific head or neck trauma or if you are in the category of years of pore posture, neck pain runs the gamete from annoying to debilitating. Pain in the neck can arise from many of the various structures in this complex part of the body. One of the most common is due to degeneration of the vertebra and joints causing bone spurs or bony growths. Here we're going to break that process down. When a trauma occurs and a joint in the neck is locked out of place (most commonly the 1st cervical vertebra) it then changes how that joint and the rest of the joints in the neck move. When there is altered movement at a joint it creates inflammation and instability. The body's response to instability is quite brilliant in fact, it's going to lay down more bone to try to stabilize that area. This response is a natural process in the body, and like we said it's pretty brilliant because it takes DECADES for bone to degenerate to the point where it is drastically affecting function. When the human body was evolving and our life expectancy was 40 this process was not a problem. However if we want to stay pain free and active into our 70's-80's or even 90's we need to restore that joint motion as best we can! This is where gentle specific upper cervical chiropractic can help your body feel better and function better. Just ask Lauren.