Advice for Allergy "Season"

Your Nose is Running…Better Go Catch It!

by Dr. Jerry Kennedy

Allergy season is a horrible time of year.  Here in the Midwest, if you want to find someone who suffers with seasonal allergies all you have to do is throw a rock.  You’ll hit one.  Actually, it’s likely that the rock you threw will hit another allergy sufferer on the ricochet.  It’s sort of normal around here.  Well…not normal.  It’s prevalent.  I even remember as a kid taking allergy medicine.  I didn’t have my own.  My mom had a prescription allergy medication and I would take that.  After all, what harm could come from taking someone else’s prescription?

So clearly I haven’t always made the best health care choices.  But thankfully things are different for me as an adult.  I can’t remember the last time I took allergy medication.  It had to have been more than 10 years ago.  Actually, I can’t remember the last time I took any sort of anti-histamine.  And my new found lack of allergies has nothing to do with some sort of quest to find the missing pieces to the allergy puzzle.  It has everything to do with the fact that I started doing things that would help my immune system function at it’s peak.

You see, a runny nose or watery eyes aren’t necessarily bad things.  Even when the body creates all sorts of gross mucus you can’t just jump to the conclusion that something is wrong.  Histamine reactions (ie: runny nose, watery eyes, drainage) are just your body’s way of protecting itself.  If your body determines that something you are breathing in is dangerous to your body, then your immune system reacts to it.  That’s what it is supposed to do.  That’s the way we were created.  The problem isn’t what your body is doing.  The problem is WHEN your body is doing it.

If your body is over-reacting, that’s not a good thing.  If your body reacts to every speck of dust or sliver of fresh cut grass like it’s a health terrorist that is coming to destroy your wellbeing, you end up living your entire life with a stuffed up sinuses and watery eyes.  NO FUN.  But if your body realizes that most of the time dust and fresh cut grass are not anything to react to, then you are considered to be one of the “lucky ones” that don’t suffer with allergy problems.

So the key to going from suffering with allergies and not suffering with allergies (or at least suffering less) is to build up your immune system.  Your immune system is like a muscle.  It can be strong or it can be weak.  And there are a lot of ways to strengthen your immune system.  Most of them are going to involve dietary and lifestyle changes.  Most people don’t want to hear that, but it’s true.

The thing that helped me the most was an area where allergy improvement was most unexpected.  It was after I became an Upper Cervical patient.  I didn’t start care with the intent to improve my allergies.  It never even dawned on me that it was possible that Upper Cervical could help.  I have since learned that my experience is not that uncommon.  One of the most common “unexpected” benefits of Upper Cervical care is an improvement in allergy and sinus problems.  I refer to it as an “unexpected” benefit because we have a lot of patients that, like me, started care for some other reason and the allergy and sinus improvement was a bonus to care.

Technically, Upper Cervical Care isn’t a treatment for allergy and sinus problems.  Upper Cervical is designed to correct misalignments in the upper neck that are causing irritation to the nervous system.  Because the nervous system and the immune system are so closely related, when a patient takes the stress off their nervous system through Upper Cervical Care, they consequently will have less stress to their immune system.  Less stress on the immune system means it becomes stronger and functions properly.  One thing leads to another…yada, yada, yada…and you may just end up living an allergy free life.  That is of course if you are willing to try something different.

Football, Concussions And Upper Cervical Care

Concussions During Football Season

By Dr. Adam Tanase

Despite vast improvements in protection equipment, athletes of all skill levels are still experiencing frequent concussions.

While modern medicine has a firm grasp on the dangers of this type of injury, much of the general public remains in the dark. A surprising number of students, parents, coaches and players don’t think concussions are a big deal. In fact, countless patients have told me (often with a smile on their face) that they’ve suffered a concussion.

It’s tempting to assume that if brain surgery wasn’t required, then the injury had no effect on them, so it must be okay to play in next week’s game.

According to the Mayo Clinic,

“Concussions range in significance from minor to major, but they all share one common factor — they temporarily interfere with the way your brain works. They can affect memory, judgment, reflexes, speech, balance and coordination.

Usually caused by a blow to the head, concussions don’t always involve a loss of consciousness. In fact, most people who have concussions never black out. Some people have had concussions and not even realized it.

Concussions are common, particularly if you play a contact sport such as football. But every concussion, no matter how mild, injures your brain. This injury needs time and rest to heal properly. Luckily, most concussions are mild and people usually recover fully.”

I’d like to append this description by saying that concussions have two things in common. The second being trauma to the neck.

After receiving the proper neurological exam from a medical practitioner, I believe that concussion sufferers should then receive a follow-up evaluation from an upper cervical doctor. Forces of this magnitude can absolutely cause damage to the spine and it’s supportive muscles, ligaments and soft tissues. Therefore the head and neck should both be properly evaluated.

Unfortunately, a high percentage of people (even some medical providers) aren’t aware that this experience can be the precipitating event for spinal degeneration and health problems which surface months or years down the road. So the earlier you address this damage, the easier it is to correct. In many cases you can limit (and often prevent) subsequent damage by handling it sooner rather than later.

(Editor's note: Remember the objective of upper cervical care is to correct head neck misalignment that is interfering with proper brain to body communication. When this is corrected the body functions at a higher level and can often correct other problems more efficiently on its own. Please do not confuse upper cervical care as a treatment for concussion or any other condition, disease or symptom.)

Blood Sugars Levels Improve?

A brief note about one families experience with upper cervical care and what it did for their daughter who had Type 1 Diabetes.

UNCONTROLLED BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS

My daughter has suffered with Type 1 Diabetes for 4 years now. We have tried several types and dosages of insulin. Eventually we had to have an insulin pump put into my daughter, but we have never been able to regulate her blood sugar levels. I myself went to (Upper Cervical Care) because I suffered with severe neck pain and numbness. While there the doctor explained the nerve system function and the importance of clear communication from the brain to the body and visa versa. I decided to have my daughter checked and she began to receive Upper Cervical adjustments. With every adjustment her blood sugar levels would drop dramatically--to me this was a clear indication that my daughter's body was responding and producing insulin!!

The doctor and staff take a personal interest in every patient and they treat you as if you were family. Their professionalism is unsurpassed.

Can Mental Function Improve with Upper Cervical Care?

J Manual Medicine (1992) 6:215-216
(c) Springer-Verlag
Clinical Note

Upper Cervical Adjustments May Improve Mental Function
M.D. Thomas and J. Wood

Palmer College of Chiropractic Clinic, 1000 Brady Street, Davenport, Iowa 52803, USA

Summary

This report describes abrupt improvement in mental and motor deficits in a 14-year-old girl after the initiation of specific upper cervical chiropractic care. Cessation of this care for several months was associated with a return to the patient's previous condition. Repeat manipulation was followed by recovery of the patient to the level of her previous improvement. This cycle of regression to pretreatment condition in the absence of care followed by recovery after specific upper cervical care has occurred three times to date.

Periodic evaluations of a 14-year-old girl by her school psychologist were conducted between March 1984 and October 1989. The Leiter Performance Scale indicated severe mental, deficits, and the Vineland Adaptive Behavioral Scale indicated social adaptation within the trainable mentally handicapped range. Evaluations were most recently performed prior to initial chiropractic care in 1989. Informally, her teachers reported occasional moments of increased alertness and performance of tasks she normally did not perform.

Medical history

The birth of this patient followed an uncomplicated pregnancy. Apgar scores were seven after 1 min and nine after 5 min., well within normal ranges. Speech problems were first noted at 30 months of age. In November 1978, the patient was admitted into an Early Childhood Education Program because of her deficiencies in speech and social development. She had developed behavioral problems by November 1979. She was evaluated by a neurologist who told the parents she would outgrow these problems by the age of 6 years. An electroencephalogram (EEG) performed in September 1980 was reported as normal.

The patient was enrolled in kindergarten in September 1981. She was transferred to a behavioral disability class in the next semester because of inattention in class and poor test scores. Initially, it was hoped the smaller class and more intense instruction would correct the inattention and test scores would improve. In September 1982, the patient's teacher reported she was having "staring spells". In January 1983 "slight abnormalities” were noted in a sleeping EEG.

In February 1983 the diagnosis of psychomotor seizures was presented to the family. Tegretol and Dilantin were prescribed without positive results. By August 1983, the patient had been weaned off both medications. At this time the patient's neurologist felt that there was a “degenerative neurological disorder," and she was subsequently referred to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. By January 1984, she had twice been examined at the Mayo Clinic without further definition except for acknowledgment that the sleeping EEG continued to be slightly abnormal. In May 1984, the patient was transferred from a behavioral disability class to a trainable mentally handicapped class.

In August 1985, she underwent a week-long evaluation at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Md. Again, all was normal (including MRI and various serum studies) except for slightly abnormal EEG. By July 1987, her EEG had improved and a degenerative neurological process was ruled out. In October 1988 and August 1989, this patient was examined at the Children's Hospital in Milwaukee. All findings were negative.

Chiropractic care

At the Palmer Public Clinic, interviews conducted in October 1989 with the parents and examination of available written records revealed a 13 -year-old female with a tested verbal ability at approximately 3 years of age. The patient reportedly spent most of every day sitting and staring into space while listening to the radio. She never made contact with others. The patient tended to stay near her family and followed behind them when they went walking. She spoke very rarely, using single words, always nouns, which were occasionally appropriate and often echolalic. She often mumbled incoherently to herself. Given several choices, she always took the last choice offered.

The patient did not use her left arm or hand in situations where normal children would. In retrieving objects or grasping a swing while swinging she used only her right arm. The left arm did not swing appropriately as she walked, hanging flaccidly at her side while her right arm swung appropriately. We found adequate grip strength in both hands, with the right hand stronger than the left.

Orthopedic and neurologic evaluation was difficult due to patient noncompliance. The supine leg check showed leg length inequality, with the right leg 2 cm shorter. X-rays revealed osseous misalignment at the craniovertebral junction, with left atlas laterality and posterior rotation. This was accompanied by coupled motion of the inferior cervical vertebrae into the left frontal plane. Skull rotation was into the right frontal plane. Postural distortion was consistent with unilateral right extensor muscle hypertonicity. Specific upper cervical adjustments using National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA) procedures were given on 16, 17, and 19 October 1989. Leg length inequality and postural distortion were corrected after the third adjustment. Post manipulation X-rays on 19 October 1989 revealed a proportional 90% correction of the previous cranio-vertebral misalignment.

The patient began to make eye contact. On 19 October 1989 she returned with her parents to her home in Wisconsin. Within 2 weeks, the patient was forming sentences with personal pronouns, verbs, adjectives and nouns. The patient began standing straighter. She used her left arm in activities and swung her left arm normally during walking. These changes persisted for about 6 weeks, when her condition again began to deteriorate.

The patient was adjusted by a succession of three chiropractors near her home utilizing three techniques, different from the technique we employed. None of their interventions was effective. By June 1990, the patient's condition was back to its
previous baseline. On 6 August 1990, the patient was again brought to our clinic. Upper cervical radiographs were again taken and specific upper cervical adjustment delivered. Radiographs obtained immediately after the adjustment revealed a proportional 95% correction. Immediately, the patient responded with eye contact, full sentences, and appropriate speech which she initiated. Left arm use was again regained. She stood straighter and walked more symmetrically. For the first time, she engaged in family conversation and activities. When offered a choice, her decision was truly a decision and not agreement or a repeat of the last choice given.

The family returned home and these changes persisted for about 6 weeks before the patient began to return to her former condition. By the time the patient was next adjusted by a chiropractor using NUCCA procedures, in late June of 1991, she had lost much of the use of her left arm and was no longer speaking in sentences. Specific upper cervical adjustment again restored use of the left arm and ability to speak in complete sentences. As of 28 August 1991, the patient had not been again
adjusted and no longer spoke in complete sentences, although active left arm use persisted.

Discussion

Interpretation of these results is difficult, because there is a correlation between upper cervical adjustments and apparent improvement in mental function. High correlation does not necessarily indicate a causative relationship. Perhaps the mechanism that might most assist in explaining neural dysfunction accompanying upper cervical misalignments is altered input to the central nervous system from neck joint capsule receptors [1]. Some chiropractors who treat the upper cervical spine believe that upper cervical misalignments may alter neural function by causing longitudinal and transverse traction on the upper cervical spine and brain stem or on the upper cervical spine alone. Even in cases where stretching is not pathological, stretching of axons decreases their diameter. Conduction velocity decreases as fiber diameter is decreased [2]. Sufficient reduction of axon diameter completely blocks the transmission of nerve impulses.

References

1. Schwartz IL, Siegel GJ (1985) Excitation, conduction, and transmission of the nerve impulse. In: West JB (ed) Best and Taylor's physiological basis of medical practice, 11 th edn, chapter 3. Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, pp 28-57

2. Wyke B (1979) Neurology of the cervical spinal joints. Physiotherapy 65:72-76

Little-Known Chiropractic Treatment Saves Man's Life

The picture above is of James Tomasi, Laurie Degroote and Myself.

By BRIANNE SANCHEZ
September 23, 2009

After 12 years of living with debilitating pain in his face, James Tomasi decided to kill himself.

The former pastor from Oklahoma City, Okla., never understood what compelled men to jump from windows and take their own lives until he was diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia (TN), a notoriously painful nerve disorder that causes sudden shock-like facial pains, typically near the nose, lips, eyes or ears.

"It's like being Tasered in the face," Tomasi said of the condition, which, for him, started after a root canal and continued off and on for more than a decade.
Medication didn't work. Neither did having all of his teeth pulled. Prayer wasn't healing him and a $40,000 surgery that couldn't guarantee a cure was out of the question.

Tomasi lost hope. He was frightened, discouraged and debilitated by a pain that forced him to become a recluse, spending two years in a darkened room. The only relief he was certain of would come through death.

"I began to see that I could take control of my life again," Tomasi said in a phone interview from his home. "All I had to do was kill myself and the pain would be gone. When you're hurting so bad, all of a sudden those thoughts make sense."

He decided to end it all on a Tuesday evening in February of 1997, using the pistol he kept near his bedside for protection. But, unaware of her husband's suicide plan, Tomasi's wife, Rhonda, scheduled him for an appointment that Tuesday morning at a local upper cervical chiropractic clinic.

For Tomasi, the upper cervical treatment, a gentle form of chiropractic that focuses on correcting a small misalignment of the upper neck, was a life-saving solution. He walked out of the office feeling relief, and after several visits was pain-free. Since then, the Tomasis have dedicated their lives to raising awareness of upper cervical care through speaking engagements all over the country.

On Friday, at the invitation of Ames-based upper cervical chiropractors Dr. Barbara Read, of Read Health Center and Dr. Zachary Ward of Ward Chiropractic Group, Tomasi will tell his story at the Hickory's Hall Banquet and Events Center in Ames.

Although only a small selection of the population is affected by TN, advocates of upper cervical care believe the technique is beneficial for people with a wide range of chronic symptoms, from asthma to fibromyalgia. "I want to help people who ask, 'Is there a way out of this?" Tomasi said. "This perhaps will give them hope."
Seven members of the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA) practice in Iowa.

"We address the entire spine from the upper cervical area (between the head and neck)," said Deb Sesker, of Balance First Chiropractic Center in West Des Moines. "We don't focus on a complaint as much as structural realignment. We know that structure relates to function and function is controlled by the nervous system."

A NUCCA correction involves an analysis to determine if the patient's head is sitting at the proper angle and if a patient's weight is distributed evenly. Doctor Sesker said that the process begins by checking the patient's "postural distortion," or how far the body is out of alignment. An X-Ray of the head and neck is also taken to determine the angle of correction. Unlike stereotypical chiropractic techniques, there is no thrusting adjustment. The patient lies down and the doctor applies a light, targeted touch behind the ear. A post-procedure X-ray shows the new, realigned position of the body.

"I want to open up the awareness of the power of upper cervical chiropractic," event co-organizerRead said.

Upper Cervical Care the NUCCA way

Below is a brief explanation of NUCCA, one of many approaches within the Upper Cervical work.

The Bottom Line
By Dr. Kimberly Meier

How is NUCCA different than the chiropractic that I have received throughout my life?

The most obvious answer is that NUCCA only deals with the atlas subluxation complex (ASC), defined by NUCCA as being "the misalignment of C1-C2 away from the vertical axis in one or more plains, resulting in neuromuscular stresses, which in turn produce misalignments of the spine, pelvis and contiguous structures." As a patient under NUCCA care you will notice the lack of any thrust or audible crack when the adjustment occurs. You will feel no more than a light touch on your neck with less than 1/8" depth. It is a slow, sustained adjustment that can commonly last one to two minutes.

Why is this adjustment so different?

The answer to this question fills the two-volume textbook "Occipital-Atlantal-Axial Subluxaton Complex" by Dr. Kirk Eriksen. This text, published in 2000, contains all the latest research regarding the upper cervical anatomy and the extensive effects of an upper cervical misalignment. The bottom line of all the research is that it has been clinically apparent for years that upper cervical misalignment produces whole body imbalance and symptoms. NUCCA address the ASC using a low-force, specific adjustment, with the goal of balancing the patient’s entire posture.

What is involved in practicing NUCCA?

The first patient visit will include the routine exam, history and consultation, similar to that of any chiropractic office. The NUCCA protocol, however, closely follows the following scientific method.

Determining the primary cause of the problem. First the doctor will determine the problem through a set of "pre" x-rays and full body posture measurements. A quantitative value is determined for both the patient’s misalignment and overall postural imbalance.

Creating a hypothesis. If NUCCA is the identified as the appropriate treatment, and if so, a precise angle of treatment is determined.

Carrying out the proposed solution, The problem will be addressed. The patient will be adjusted. 4. Objectively evaluating the results. Finally, proof will be gathered that the problem has been fixed. This is done through "post" x-ray analysis, post postural analysis and leg check. Each component of the post analysis gives the doctor direct feedback on the success of the adjustment that he delivered. If the adjustment was not successful, the doctor can then make calculated changes to the adjustment and re-evaluate.

Why would I choose NUCCA over other techniques?

The first statement would be "because it works". But so do other techniques, right? The full answer to this question is because NUCCA makes sense to me. It is indisputable that the anatomy of the upper cervical area is unique and that it is the most powerful and sensitive area of the spine to adjust. It makes sense to me that you should deal with the ASC with the greatest accuracy and least depth possible. Because of the dural attachments to the upper cervical area, it makes sense that the entire spine will be affected. It makes sense to me that, when patients receive a specific adjustment, they will hold their correction for several months and even years. This is when the true healing will occur in that patient. It makes sense to me that NUCCA provides a systematic approach to determining each patient’s adjustment and then evaluates the success of that correction. There is immediate feedback for the doctor and I can be confident that each adjustment I deliver is specifically tailored to that person’s ASC. It makes sense to me that, with each patient, I will be striving to achieve the same goal: postural balance. Through the upper cervical adjustment I will be able to affect head tilt, head rotation, pelvis tilt and pelvis rotation, thus affecting the entire structural framework of the body.

As stated by the president of the NUCCA organization, "you can force the body to change with a manipulation, or you can change the body with a force: NUCCA." Have I come to terms with the fact that NUCCA does not appeal to every patient? Absolutely. The low force adjustment is not the conventional idea of what patients expect from a chiropractor.

Almost every new patient to a NUCCA doctor is a direct referral from a current patient and they know what to expect from care. These patients are well aware of how the NUCCA adjustment is different and are making a dedicated choice based on the results that their family or friend has experienced. Patients are driving up to 12 hours or more to receive NUCCA care and passing hundreds of chiropractors on the way. Why? Because they know and understand what NUCCA has to offer.

Have I come to terms with the fact that NUCCA does not appeal to every doctor? Of course. Because of NUCCA’s specific protocol and immediate objective feedback, this technique attracts certain doctor personalities. Due to my analytical nature, this is one of the strongest appeals of the technique. The post analysis will be both encouraging (when the adjustment is successful) and frustrating (when I don’t move a thing!) but nonetheless make me accountable for each adjustment that I deliver. It is this idea of accountability and specificity in each adjustment that brings me down to the bottom line.

The greatest gift I will be giving my patients everyday is my conviction and confidence in believing that I am giving them the best correction that I know is possible. I hope that you all can say the same.

Changing the World

A message to all Upper Cervical Doctors of Chiropractic on the 114th birthday of our profession

The more people are exposed to the thoughts of those that know the truth about Upper Cervical Care the more the awareness will spread. When that awareness reaches critical mass, action, actual system wide change will automatically come forth. I know we all want action now but I feel that the best action right now is to continue to tell the story, shout it from the rooftops and the mountain tops, here, there and everywhere. Right now there are too many people and groups that will try to squash any real action steps, and they will most likely succeed. It will only be when critical mass has been reached that the core paradigm will shift and those same people and groups will not be able to stop the actions that will spring forth. That should be our charge: To continually, and as quickly as possible, strengthen this rising wave of change and then ride that wave on to the beach of a brighter future.

P.S. As BJ Palmer once said, "You never know how far reaching something you may think, say or do could affect the live of millions tomorrow!" Who knows how many souls have read or been told something today, right now this very minute, that has changed how they view the world for the better. People that, had others not been willing to tell the story again and again and again and again, might not have heard it. Getting frustrated with the world and people today is normal, but change will happen faster ONLY if we are willing to keep telling the story.

"It is not the final chop that brings the tree down but all the ones that came before."

Keep chopping away.

Happy Birthday to a great profession and principle!

Lung Function and Upper Cervical

The study below suggests that with correction of the upper neck via Upper Cervical Care the function of the lungs can be improved.

Changes in Pulmonary Function Associated with Upper Cervical Specific Chiropractic Care
Robert Kessinger, D.C.
[Vol 1, No. 3. p 1-7]

A study was conducted on 55 patients in the private office setting to assess the influence of upper cervical adjustments on pulmonary function. Subjects were monitored before and after chiropractic care by spirometric indices which measured forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV-1). Of the 55 subjects, 33 (60%) presented with lung function outside of the normal range.The 33 subjects outside of the normal range showed the greatest increases in FVC and FEV-1 over the two week course of the study, although subjects within normal range also showed improvement in the spirometric tests.Additionally, significant positive changes were observed in subjects of both sexes representing the age range of 48-80 years, when compared to the younger age range of 18-47 years. The magnitude of these finding resulted in both a statistically significant functional effect, as well as a moderate clinical effect determined by effect size measurements for FVC and small clinical effect for FEV-1. This study indicates that subjects show improved pulmonary function in FVC and FEV-1 after receiving chiropractic care for the correction of upper cervical vertebral subluxation.