When it comes to seeing a chiropractor, there are certain symptoms people automatically think of, but many other issues that would not typically occur like they could be treated through upper cervical adjustment. Here are just a few:
- Uncontrolled body movements
- Intense need to clear throat
- Intense need to contract a group of muscles
- Obsessive Compulsive Tendencies
- Nervousness and restless mind
I don’t know if you can relate to any of those symptoms, but before I found upper cervical chiropractic, I had all of them. All the time. I was constantly clearing my throat, I had involuntary twitches and movements, I would be sitting and feel desperate to contract muscles like my triceps or calves. I have written about my OCD before, I couldn’t step on cracks in the sidewalk or use a toothbrush more than once. Restless mind? Constant thinking, constant worry, and hours to go to sleep because my mind wouldn’t stop running.
Once my neck was corrected all of this faded away. It took me some time to really understand how that actually happened. A region of the brain called the Basal Ganglia (BG)likely had a lot to do with it. In many circles the words Basal Ganglia instantly lead to a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. While this area of the brain has a lot to do with Parkinsons, in my case the malfunction of the BG was happening in a different way.
The BG is actually a collection of a number of individual areas of the brain that all work together. This group is responsible for motor (movement) control, executive function (being able to make choices about behavior and work toward goals), and emotions. If this these areas malfunction, we can develop any of our bullet list of symptoms at the top of this article, or all of them. Movements aren’t fully controlled, and emotions may not be properly processed, which leads to a cluttered mind, and even a lack of motivation, because goal oriented thinking gets disturbed.
What does all this have to do with a neck adjustment? That is a pretty simple pathway, (at least I will explain it that way, because as with anything in the brain, when you dig in it isn’t “simple”). An area in the brainstem called the PONS sends information into the brain, and it is relayed through several structures until it hits the BG. The brainstem actually extends down a bit into the top two bones in the neck. If one of these bones is misaligned, due to a trauma, mechanical pressure on the brainstem that sits inside the bones, can cause the PONS to send bad information to the brain. If the BG gets bad input, it will inevitably deliver bad output. It just happens that the symptoms we discussed are functions of the Basal Ganglia.
Once my neck was corrected, and my BG was receiving proper information, my life changed dramatically. I was no longer asked why I was twitching or oddly flexing, my desire to achieve goals returned, and most importantly to me, my OCD began to fade away. It had reached life altering levels, and the medication I was taking for it, had more side effects than made it worth it.
If the neck is out of place, it is very difficult for the brain to function properly. Making sure your upper neck is properly aligned is a necessity if you want a healthy brain. We offer a free screening to find out if cervical compression is causing or at least contributing to your symptoms. Call us at Upper Cervical Health Centers of Fort Myers for your free consultation today, 239-243-8810!
