Another Study Linking Parkinson’s to the Upper Neck

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Previously on this blog I have talked about the connection between problems in the upper neck and Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s. 

In the March Edition of the Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research Dr. Justin Brown and Dr. Jonathan Chung describe the great results that a patient from their clinic had with symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease following the correction of a specific misalignment of the bones in the upper neck, known as the Atlas Subluxation Complex Syndrome utilizing the NUCCA Procedure www.nuccawellness.com. 

It was a 67 year-old female patient who was presenting with complaints of weakness, tremors, scoliosis and rigidity due to Parkinson’s disease (PD).  She reported the symptoms began 5 years prior to starting care and was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease shortly after the symptoms began. She also stated that she fell almost every day due to the issues with the balance. The severity of her symptoms had contributed to her missing work and reducing her ability to perform her normal activities.

During her care over a 6 month period the patient reported:

• 60% improvement in the weakness
• 60% improvement in tremors
• 30% improvement in rigidity
• 70% improvement in mobility
• Significant decrease in the number of falls 
• Improved ability to perform activities of
  daily living, including work. 

Jubault et al found evidence that brain stem atrophy may be the first identifiable stage of neurodegeneration in patients with Parkinson’s.  The authors also note that the neural degeneration at the brainstem level may be responsible for many of the symptoms experienced by patients with PD.  Dysfunction at the brain stem level is also implicated in other studies of advanced PD.  It is hypothesized that the upper neck misalignment can aggravate and mimic Parkinson’s symptoms by progressively altering the blood and nerve flow to the brain stem.

The correction of the atlas subluxation complex can only be accomplished through specific upper neck adjustments by specially trained upper cervical chiropractors.  General chiropractic manipulation cannot correct this problem. 

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease then an upper neck evaluation should be performed to see if an undetected brain stem injury could be the root cause.  If in San Diego County go to www.nuccawellness.com in other areas of the world go to www.nucca.org or www.upcspine.com to find an upper cervical specialist in your area today!

Dr. William R. Davis Jr., D.C. is a Carlsbad Chiropractor and Upper Cervical Specialist. He is in private practice in Southern California in the city of Vista. He specializes in correcting problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems. More information can be found on his website at http://www.nuccawellness.com

References:

Reduction in Symptoms Related to Parkinson’s Disease Concomitant with Subluxation Reduction Following Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care by Jonathan Chung DC & Justin Brown DC as published in the Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research

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Is one of your legs shorter than the other?

Dr. Davis here from Vista…On this blog we frequently speak of the misaligned spine and how it affects the health and function of our bodies.  Over the weekend I spent some time with a legendary NUCCA Doctor named Dr. Robert Brooks and he broke down the misaligned spine into such a clear and precise way that I wanted to share it with you…

The first thing that happens is there is an accident or injury that tears loose the connective tissue that holds the spine together.  This creates a weakness that allows the spine to break down and lock into a stressed position.  Lying down one of the legs is shorter and one is longer, standing up one hip is higher and one is lower, the head is tilted to the side, there is a twisting of the frame of the body…muscles are imbalanced, movement is abnormal and it creates a progressive condition that over time will wear down the structures of the body.

The key to understanding why the misaligned spine is so devastating to the function of the body is to see how closely related the nervous system is to the structure of the body.  When the structure is misaligned it can affect the brain, brainstem, the spinal cord and the nerves that make your body work.  Nerves from the brain primarily do 4 things..

1.  Every movement we make is from a nerve

2.  Everything that we sense or feel

3.  Control and regulation of every body function: (digestion, circulation, respiration, reproduction, body chemistry, etc.)

4.  And how we relate to the outside world is through the nervous system

So how many different problems could be associated with a misaligned spine?  There are over 100 different conditions in the literature that have either been directly caused by misalignments in the spine or associated with the misalignment.

How important is it to have your spine in alignment?  It is a no brainer to keep your spine in alignment throughout life.  Why is NUCCA so effective at restoring the spine to its normal position and then keeping it there throughout life?  In order to balance the spine the head must be balanced over the top of the spine.  Where the head goes the rest of the spine will follow.  If the atlas which sits underneath the head has been misaligned by accidents or injuries usually to the head, neck or spine then that will begin to shift the alignment of the entire rest of the spinal column creating an imbalance at the pelvis and an apparent short leg.  Many people will say that they can get those legs even…but how long will they stay that way?  That is the difference with upper cervical procedures like NUCCA and Orthospinology is the stability of the alignment after the correction.

Manipulation feels good and helps lots of people…but I don’t want to have to get adjusted once or twice a week to maintain my alignment.  I would rather have a long-term solution…like NUCCA.

Find out more at Upper Cervical Healthcare Simplified or www.nuccawellness.com or call to schedule a complimentary consultation to see if you are a candidate for NUCCA spinal care today!!!   760-945-1345

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NUCCA, Head & Neck Trauma and Multiple Sclerosis

Very interesting research on the correlation between upper neck injuries from head traumas and the onset of neurological disorders like Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease exists in the literature.  “While the link between head trauma and the later development of Parkinson’s disease (PD) or Multiple Sclerosis (MS) remains controversial, many PD and MS researchers have confirmed the connection.” (Elster)  “In a discussion regarding the possible role of trauma in the development of MS, Dr. Charles Poser notes that “in some patients with MS, certain kinds of trauma (to the brain and/or spinal cord, including whiplash injuries) may act as a trigger at some time for the appearance of new or recurrent symptoms.”

With new research coming out related to changes in venous flow as a result of an upper cervical misalignment (ucrf.org) and the research coming out of Italy regarding surgical procedures that open up veins from the brain to the body and the remissions of MS in many patients with that procedure…more and more light is being shed on the correlation between MS and Upper Cervical Misalignments and how correcting these upper neck misalignments with upper cervical chiropractic care is logical and explains the results that Dr. Elster and so many other upper cervical specialists have seen in their offices for years.

Italian MS Researcher Dr. Paulo Zamboni found that more than 90% of people with MS have some sort of malformation or blockage in the veins that drain blood from the brain.  In the Elster study she found that over 90 % of the patients in her care responded with significant symptomatic improvement and no further disease progression during the time of monitoring which was 1-5 years.  She also found that over 90% of the patients diagnosed with MS had experienced at least one significant head or neck trauma prior to the onset of their symptoms.

Who do you know that has been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis or Parkinson’s Disease?  Do they have a history of head or neck trauma?  If so get them checked by a trained upper cervical specialist as soon as possible. 

Dr. William R. Davis Jr., D.C. is a Carlsbad Chiropractor and Upper Cervical Specialist. He is in private practice in Southern California in the city of Vista. He specializes in correcting problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems. More information can be found on his website at http://www.nuccawellness.com

More Info…

http://www.erinelster.com/files/jvsr%20ms%20and%20pd%2081.pdf

http://www.gizmag.com/ccsvi-multiple-sclerosis-ms-cure-zamboni/13447/

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