How to Relieve Pain in the Base of the Skull

(Editor's Note:  This post comes to us from my good friend and colleague, Dr. Adam Tanase.  I love it because it gives people a way to help themselves and I think that is part of the reason we are here, to help each other help ourselves.)

 

by Dr. Adam Tanase

Tightness, stress, and pain at the base of the skull has long been an issue that required hands-on therapy from a chiropractor or massage therapist. The sub-occipital release maneuver performed by these professionals can open up the space between the skull and spine.

Patients with this type of pain pattern would ask, "Is there anything I can do for this at home?" And while there are a couple of stretches and make-shift remedies that I could recommend to temporarily reduce discomfort, they aren’t nearly as effective as the manual pressure release performed in-office.

But I recently discovered a tool that patients can now use at home to achieve a similar result as the sub-occipital release procedure performed by healthcare professionals:

The CranioCradle

 When I first discovered the CranioCradle, I wondered if it could actually produce positive changes to the tight and narrow space within the upper neck. I also had some concerns about operator error (patients positioning it incorrectly). But I must say, after experimenting with it for a few weeks, those concerns were needless. Here’s my experience with it…

How I Tested It

 I tried it two different ways. The picture above is how I’d suggest you use it as well – it feels more natural, comfortable, and relaxing when the head is cradled in this manner… but it can also be turned the opposite direction, with the sloping side beneath the neck instead. This approach, however, is a more advanced/progressive position, so it may create some discomfort for first-time users.

I tried it on a variety of surfaces, from firm and soft mattresses (including memory foam), to carpeted floors and on hardwood. I also used it lying flat on my back, as well as with my legs raised in the static back position.

I experimented with different durations of time, and times of day, to see if there was a difference in the outcome.

Here’s What I Liked Best

 Resting on the carpeted floor was clearly the most effective. It was firm enough not to impact the pressure needed from the device, but not so soft that the device sunk down and became less useful. (Mattresses created inconsistent support, while resting on my hardwood floors was simply too firm for me to get comfortable.)

Lying flat is recommended, but combining it with the static back position provided a slightly deeper impact on the tissues that some may find beneficial.

The preferred time of day was in the evening, immediately before going to bed. There’s nothing wrong with using this earlier in the day, but the relaxation I attained at night before going to sleep was noteworthy. The reason this happens is likely due to the deep tissue-penetrating effects in this specific region of the spine. It stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system which has a calming effect on the body.

What I Noticed

 5-minutes was all it took to notice a change, but I set my timer for 7-10 minutes each night, and that became my preference. Once I was finished, I rested with my head flat on the floor for an additional minute or two. Each time I did this something interesting happened within 15-20 seconds… a distinctly warm/hot sensation permeated my upper neck. This rapid increase of blood infusing the soft tissues beneath the skull was almost addictive. I found myself looking forward to the sensation each time.

I also noticed that my sleep quality, which was already pretty good, was even better on the nights that I used the CranioCradle before bed.

What Patients Had to Say About It

 I asked a variety of patients at my chiropractic office to try the device, and it was well-received. Comments ranged from "my neck feels comfortable; I can tell it’s doing something" to "I can feel my sinuses opening up."

Alternative Product Options

 There are similar products on the market, but they vary in price and functionality.

The Upledger Institute International has their own version of this called the Still Point Inducer. While listed at half the price, it’s less specific to the sub-occipital space. It can help ease muscle tension and is noticeably firmer, but doesn’t quite have the same effect on the sub-occipital region of the spine as the CranioCradle.

The Cranial Therapy Centre in Toronto created BeCalm Balls. These are adjustable and can be widened/separated along a cord, and they’re much softer than the other two. They’re also the most expensive of the three.

Who Would Benefit?

 If you suffer from occipital headaches, or you experience tightness, pain, and discomfort in the back of the head or mid-to-upper neck, I recommend using a CranioCradle.

Variables That Impact the Results from Upper Cervical Care

Adapted from "THE VARIABLE IMPACT RANGE OF THE ADJUSTMENT" by Dr. Patrick Gentempo 

THERE IS A RANGE IN THE IMPACT THAT AN UPPER CERVICAL CHIROPRACTIC CORRECTION HAS. WHAT ARE THE VARIABLES THAT CREATE THE RANGE?

The skill of the Upper Cervical Doctor in general.

Much like a farmer who only has a limited amount of land in which to plant his crop, the upper cervical doctor is limited by the amount of skill that they have developed to deliver a correction. As the farmer can expand the acreage of his/her farm, so too can the UC doctor or expand the range of his/her skill. It is not a fixed quantity, but one that can and does expand with intention and experience.

The state of the UC doctor at the time of a particular correction.

Although the farmer may have 5 acres of land, in a given year, he/she may not plant all 5 acres. Maybe they plant just 3. In kind, as the UC doctor may have the capacity to deliver the correction on, let’s say, a scale of 100. They may at a given point and time only deliver on say, a level of 70. This is why intention and present time consciousness are so important to the UC doctor.

The parameters of the patient in general.

In general, the patient may be very healthy or very stressed and sick. These parameters will govern the quantitative extent to which the correction may influence a patient. It is established that people who have lost their health in varying degrees can see significant results from corrections.

Further, it is critical to cite that healthy patients, who manage well the 3 dimensions of stress in their life and show limited signs of body imbalance, benefit from the correction. In fact, qualitatively, corrections received while a patient is in this state of well-being are significant. But much like the starving man who needs food, when given nourishment the impact of food on this person is quantitatively greater than it would be on a satiated individual. Again, not that food doesn’t benefit a person that is not starving. In fact, it is better to receive nourishing food regularly while not starving than it is to wait till you starve and then try to eat. In kind, it is better for one to receive a correction in a healthier state than waiting till health deteriorates.

The parameters of the patient at the time of the correction.

A healthier patient may have a ‘bad day’ – or in upper cervical chiropractic terms, an over-stressed day. The range of the impact of the correction in that particular moment will be affected by this. If the over-stressed patient is ‘receptive’ to the correction (which is the result of the office environment, staff, and UC doctor getting the patient to the ‘receptive’ state in preparation for the correction) then the range of impact is substantial. If patient is over-stressed without relief at the moment of the correction, then it would be as trying to correct a turtle through its shell… that range of impact of the correction would be minimized.

So we have these 4 variables that exist at the moment of any particular correction. The interactions of these variables is complex. And we must realize that in upper cervical chiropractic, we look at these corrections in a series; not relying on one particular correction to conclude on the impact of care on a particular person. But rather, we look at a time-series of corrections to assess such.

However, the cumulative total is comprised of the aggregate of the individual corrections. (We will hold aside from this essay what the patient does between visits and what the UC doctor’s process is immediately after the correction. A hint - I am a big fan of something that has all but vanished from practice – the Resting Room.)

With this understanding about the variables related to the range of impact of the correction, what can practitioners do to maximize the results for the betterment of the patient? Where do they have influence?

1) Constantly strive to increase the skill level at which they can deliver their corrections.

2) Inculcate a process in which they bring themselves to a state of extreme focus and intention before each and every individual correction they give every day.

3) Educate their patients and provide leadership, and maybe even provide services, if they are so inclined, related to their lifestyle behaviors outside of the office.

4) Have a process of preparation for every patient, prior to every correction, so that their body is in a ‘receptive state’ prior to being adjusted.

I cite these as actionable steps, not mere theory. Delivering on the goods is something every upper cervical chiropractic doctor should be obsessed with. If you have found a doctor that does this you have a winner on your hands so stick with it as you are very likely to reap significant benefits from care.

Is Upper Cervical Care New Age Medicine?

Adapted from: 3 Reasons Upper Cervical Care Isn’t New Age Medicine

by Dr. Tripp Stover

For those of you who are familiar with new age thinking, you will be familiar with the emphasis on positive thinking. Clearly it is better to think positively and focus on the good. In other-words, a thankful attitude is better than negative thinking. But, with new age spirituality, there is the belief that we shape and to a large extend, control our reality. One can see how important positive thinking would be if we actually control or significantly affect our own reality or the events that happen in our lives. Just think of how devastating it would be to think negatively! You might just bring the sky crashing down. This “power” we have is usually based on the idea that we are divine in some way; part of God, or a “little god.”

So how does this relate? Along these lines, much is made of the “mind-body” connection in new age health care. Mind over matter. If you believe, it will work. I often hear people say their belief in upper cervical care is a key ingredient to its effectiveness in their case. Although I believe a patient can sabotage recovery if they are not committed to care, I know upper cervical care will work even if someone is skeptical. The science behind it will work if we believe in it or not. Just like gravity. It will pull an object to the ground every time, no matter how hard we try to believe otherwise.

The point is that upper cervical care is based on science and it is well supported by scientific literature. One only needs to open up the book Upper Cervical Subluxation Complex: A Review of the Chiropractic and Medical Literature by Kirk Eriksen, D.C. and the follow up book by Eriksen and Roderic Rochester, D.C., Orthospinology Procedures: An Evidence Based Approach to Spinal Care to see how much science there is to support upper cervical care. These two books are current favorites of mine, but there are many others.

Another interesting point that refutes claims that one must believe in the care they are getting, and the benefits of care are more of a mind over matter placebo effect is the area of care for animals. A recent article talks about a doctor that sees animals as a major part of his practice. It’s not for everyone, and not for me though I’ve seen it work with my pets and the pets of a select few friends. The point is, an animal has no preconceived notions about what should or could happen. Or even that the doctor is there to help. So when an animal benefits, we know upper cervical care must be having a positive effect on physiology.

In summary, upper cervical care is not new age medicine or just a belief system because it works on animals. Sounds strange to say it like that. But it sure does take it out of the mind body area.