Every health condition has a root cause. Alternative medicine has now been successful in associating upper cervical spinal problems to several types of headaches. There are a number of reasons; however, the most common cause is the misalignment of one or both of the upper cervical vertebrae and the resulting muscle tension that develops in the neck.

It is important to understand the difference between cure and temporary relief. While DRUGS can help reduce the intensity of your headaches, is there any guarantee that these medications will make your headaches completely disappear? NO. They don't even claim to fix the CAUSE of the problem.  Usually medications evolve into a life-long dependency and require regular expenditure just for some temporary relief. However, there are natural drug free option available.  

Once you have made the decision to move forward with Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care, the entire process from start to finish is geared towards finding the root CAUSE of the problem.  If the CAUSE of the problem is corrected then symptoms will resolve as the body heals itself. 

Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care aims to align the vertebrae that have misaligned due to accidents and injuries removing pressure and irritation to the brain stem and upper spinal cord as well as allowing the blood to flow in and out of the head correctly, thus, relieving the symptoms of headaches without the use of dangerous DRUGS.

The Upper Cervical Chiropractic Specialist will conduct an extensive background history. This will be followed by a through examination of your posture, muscles, and spinal alignment of the joints in the upper neck and head region.   

 Upper Cervical Chiropractic specialists have the skills to assess you in the following ways:

- Specific orthopedic tests to the neck
- Muscle tests to determine the extent of weakness
- Palpation to reveal muscle tenderness and tightness of the neck and spine.
- Neurological assessment is used to determine the extent of the problem
- General posture and flexibility
- Restricted active and passive joint range of motion particularly in the upper cervical spine (neck)
- Precise X-rays of the neck and or spine are taken to determine the extent and severity of the problem. 

Once the CAUSE of the headaches has been determined, precise re-alignment of the offending vertabrae will provide you the correction needed to begin the healing process. Further consideration among other things is given to:

1. Use of an appropriate pillow
2. Stress management and relaxation
3. Posture assessment
4. Soft tissue and trigger point assessment for the affected muscle groups globally. 
5. Ice can be used as necessary 
6. Heat can be used in non-acute situations 
7. Work station assessment

Apart from correction of the Upper Cervical misalignment, Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care is  offering you a DRUG FREE solution for your headaches. The specialist can guide you with the right, recommendations for eating habits and supplementation as appropriate.  Furthermore, Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care will help you minimize re-occurrence of your headaches by teaching you how poor postures in your daily activities of living can result in the misalignment re-occurring. 

For a complimentary consultation call Dr. Grayson Blom at (208) 559-0541 or CLICK HERE to send us a consultation request.   

If you want to learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and migraines feel free to download our complimentary e-book Natural and Drug-Free Ways to End Your Migraines by clicking the image below.

There is new hope for Multiple Sclerosis sufferers, and it may be related to the Upper Cervical Spine.  If you haven’t heard of the term CCSVI, you will soon.  Three years ago Dr. Paulo Zamboni of the University of Ferrara in Italy, hypothesized that an abnormality in blood and/or Cerebro-Spinal Fluid (CSF) drainage from the brain and spinal cord may contribute to nervous system damage in M.S.  The term he uses for this phenomenon is called Chronic Cerebro-Spinal Venous Insufficiency, or CCSVI.   This can be visualized as a physical blockage of blood flow through functional MRI or Doppler Ultrasound, and the degree of blockage can be quantifiable (measured in numbers). Other researchers and health experts are now getting behind Zamboni’s hypothesis, as new research has emerged and been scheduled.

So far, the research has found a higher frequency of CCSVI in M.S. patients.  Furthermore, a history of head trauma has been correlated to a backup of CSF which can lead to M.S., Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s.  A recent study published in the Journal of Phlebology concluded that this venous insufficiency likely occurs from a physical blockage in the cervical spine.  Another recent study, contributed mainly by Dr. Scott Rosa, showed that Upper Cervical Chiropractic care can decrease the pressure and restore proper CSF flow and drainage from the brain.

While the causation of CCSVI is becoming clearer, the current medical treatment is a bit muddled.  The treatment technique utilized by Zamboni is called Percutaneous Balloon Angioplasty (PTA), and remains highly controversial.  Some research points out that this procedure has led to a relatively high percentage of complications, including need for multiple procedures, and in a few cases death.  On the other hand, there is research that supports the relative safety of this procedure when weighing the risks vs. the potential benefits, and generally considers it effective.  Other doctors have used a stent or a combination of the two, with mixed results.  An emerging natural treatment method for CCSVI, stemming from the research noted above, is Upper Cervical care.  What gives this particular approach the edge over others is that there are no side effects.

Upper Cervical care seeks to correct the alignment of the head & neck, which is a critical part of the body as it relates to health.  The top two bones in the neck (C1,C2) sit directly underneath the brain stem, and provide protection to the spinal cord and related blood vessels, including the internal jugular veins.  A misalignment in this area can create a torqueing of the top of the spinal cord, thus compressing the venous structures in the top of the neck, ostensibly interfering with blood and cerebrospinal fluid drainage from the brain.

Multiple Sclerosis is a disease that involves an immune system attack against the Central Nervous System (brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves).  This attack causes a breakdown in the myelin sheath which serves as a protector and conductor of the nerve tissue.   When any part of the myelin sheath is damaged or destroyed, nerve impulses traveling to and from the brain via the spinal cord are distorted, producing a variety of symptoms including progressive incoordination, vision impairment, spasticity, fatigue, and cognitive dysfunction among others.  This emerging CCSVI hypothesis contradicts the early predominant theory that this demyelination is a result of an autoimmune cascade.  The significance of this is that most current M.S. medications are targeted at the immune system, under the assumption that the autoimmune reaction is always the principle causative factor.  With the emergence of the CCSVI hypothesis and supporting research, the causation of M.S. is now very much in question.  Could there be more than one cause?

Clearly, more research is needed but the evidence thus far cannot be understated.  This is a huge breakthrough for those suffering from M.S. and may just in fact be the start of a groundbreaking discovery in health care.

By Noah Kaplan, D.C. - Advanced Upper Cervical

References:

Burton JM, Alikhani K, Goyal M, Costello F, et al.  Complications in MS patients after CCSVI procedures abroad (Calgary, AB). Can J Neurol Sci. 2011 Sep;38(5):741-6.

Hubbard, David.  Clinical Improvement after Extracranial Venoplasty in Multiple Sclerosis.  Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology.  Volume 23, Issue 10 , Pages 1302-1308, October 2012.

Patti F, Nicoletti A, Leone C, Messina S, D’Amico E, Lo Fermo S, et al. Multiple sclerosis and CCSVI: a population-based case control study. PLoS One. 2012;7(8):e41227. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0041227. Epub 2012 Aug 3.

Radak Djordje, et al. Incidence and distribution of extravascular compression of extracranial venous pathway in patients with chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency and multiple sclerosis. doi: 10.1177/0268355513486638. Phlebology May 9, 2013 0268355513486638.

Weinstock-Guttman B, Ramanathan M, Marr K, Hojnacki D, Benedict RH, et al.  Clinical correlates of chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency in multiple sclerosis. BMC Neurol. 2012 May 15;12:26. doi: 10.1186/1471-2377-12-26.

http://ms.about.com/b/2010/03/16/ccsvi-treatments-halted-at-stanford-after-two-adverse-events.htm

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/magazine/a-controversial-cure-for-multiple-sclerosis.html?pagewanted=4&_r=3

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/research/intriguing-leads-on-the-horizon/ccsvi/about-ccsvi/index.aspx

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1264010–multiple-sclerosis-canada-launching-clinical-trial-of-controversial-treatment-developed-by-zamboni

http://ucstudies.wordpress.com/2012/01/15/inventor-of-mri-has-found-possible-cause-of-multiple-sclerosis/

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/about-multiple-sclerosis/what-we-know-about-ms/what-is-ms/index.aspx

Medicine has evolved in recent times to perform miracles when it comes to the most serious emergency trauma situations. However, what if you do not have an emergency trauma situation?  What if you suffer from something worse, something that cannot be seen; only you can feel it with every passing breath? Medical practitioners,  generally term such conditions as idiopathic – a condition without any known cause; hence, without an established treatment plan, and no known cure.

If you suffer from Vertigo, it may be the result of another existing condition such as, Meniere’s disease or without any connection of other symptoms, in which case, it is known as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). However, in both cases, it is confusion between the mind and body, leading to recurring dizziness, spinning sensations and loss of balance that keep getting worse. Even then, a medical practitioner will not be able to help you unless he sees proof of your condition in seemingly endless medical exams, to confirm your diagnosis.  Even with a diagnosis what are your options in a medical setting? DRUGS or SURGERY. A colossal waste of time and money!

This is when it is essential to defy the norms, rely on Alternative Medicine.  One such branch of Alternative Medicine is Chiropractic Care, more specifically, Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care, which relates the condition of vertigo to spinal defects, and brings hope for long-term relief.

Vertigo alone, or associated with other dysfunctions such as Meniere’s disease, is not only caused by defects in the inner ear function. Instead, disequilibrium is most commonly cervical in origin. The cervical spine, therefore, has been established as the leading cause in regulating the body’s sense of equilibrium. However, to confirm if your state of vertigo is of cervical origin, you should take the initiative of taking the Hautant’s test before any physician prescribes it for you. This test measures the ability of the cervical spine to appropriately regulate the muscle tone in the extremities.


To learn more about the connection between vertigo and head and neck injuries, download our complimentary e-book, A Simple and Extremely Effective Way to Stop Dizziness without Drugs, by clicking the image below.

The first neck bone or the first cervical spine is called C1. The unique position and shape of this bone provides a coupling mechanism between the head, neck, and lower spine.  Most importantly, inside the top of the spine, closest to C1, lies the lower part of the brain stem and the beginning of the spinal cord as shown in Figure 2. Disturbance to C1, may lead to a change in its position, causing disruptions and in severe cases choking of the nerves communicating with the inner ear; hence, causing vertigo like symptoms.

The basis of the Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care in Alternative medicine is to re-adjust the cervical bone, to be able to release the pressure off the brain stem and spinal cord. By reducing this pressure, the transmission of nerve impulses, is no longer hindered, allowing the body to naturally reduce and eliminate vertigo symptoms by correcting the root cause.

Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care might not be the first treatment you seek for your condition of Vertigo; however, it is the only hope to relieve you of your daily symptoms, by providing a clear communication path between your mind and body.

If you suspect that you have a neck problem causing your vertigo or Meniere's symptoms please give us a call at (208) 559-0541 for a complimentary consultation or click the button below.

If you are prone to migraines, then you can probably feel one coming on, long before it actually arrives. These headaches can be debilitating and almost impossible to get over. You become nauseous and any type of light hurts not only your eyes, but splits your head wide open. In the past, the only thing you could do was drug yourself with some form of headache medicine and retreat to a cool dark room. You could only hope that no one would make a sound until the pain started to subside, even then you would be groggy for days after the headache was over, and in constant wonder as to when it would strike again. In recent years, many people have turned to Upper Cervical Chiropractors to find the cause that relieves the stress and tension associated with migraines and the pain that they bring.

Of course, the modern method of drugging yourself until the migraine passes were much better than the remedy used 3,000 years ago, when they drilled a hole in your head to relieve the pressure. However, it has now been discovered that Upper Cervical Chiropractic specialists have the magic touch that can help the millions of sufferers in the world today.

Migraines come from neck injuries such as car accidents, sports injuries, or even a slip or fall. Migraine headaches most commonly come from a fluid imbalance in the brain. It is known that a spinal misalignment in the neck can interfere with how blood flows in and out of the brain thus causing migraine's. Can a drug fix this?

There are plenty of drugs that combat migraines and plenty of doctors out there that will prescribe them for you to help get rid of the pain. There are plenty of studies, however, showing time and time again that Upper Cervical Chiropractic care is safe and highly effective treatment for migraine headaches, compared with traditional medicine which is based only on covering up your symptoms rather than finding the cause. To be completely frank medicine is designed only to keep them at bay. 

Upper Cervical Chiropractors have demonstrated that migraines start in the spine and likewise correction of the spinal problem (the cause) results in restoration of health.  A paper published in JVSR demonstrating over 100 cases getting well via Upper Cervical Chiropractic care.  Is it better to fix the cause of a problem or just cover up the symptoms? 

Migraines have been around for centuries, long before there was any type of medicine around to cover up the symptoms. If you suffer from migraines and you have realized that traditional medicine just isn't worth the risk, we would recommend you schedule a consultation with our office to see if Upper Cervical care can help you. You can give us a call at 208-559-0541 or fill out a consult request form above (click here). Wouldn't you rather find and fix the cause of the problem? 

Feel free to check out some of our testimonials from patients just like you, that suffered, tried everything under the sun and in the end it was a spinal problem that needed to be fixed correctly.

1.  Abnormal posture creates excessive gravity stress on the neck and back.  This occurs when and injury damages connective tissues causing the head to shift away from its true center of gravity.

2.  Asymmetrical muscle imbalances will develop throughout the neck and back to counter balance the head being off-center. 

3.  Chronic adaptive changes (PAIN) will develop in the neck and back over time.

4.  Soft tissue structures will be affected (PAIN/DISABILITY)

5.  Fibrosis or scarring and thickening of connective tissue will develop in high stress areas in the neck and back.

6.  DEGENERATION begins! (As they call it in the South "SPINE ROT")

a.) The discs under high stress will wear out at an accelerated rate, due 1.-3.

b.) Neurovascular entrapments can occur or disruption to normal blood flow in and out of the head.  Headaches and other NERVE problems can and commonly do result.

c.) myofascial or muscle and soft tissue pain syndromes can develop.  The spine will usually twist and lean to one side or the other resulting in problems on that side.  

d.) Over use syndromes commonly develop on one side or the other.  

Dr. Grayson Blom works with a nationwide group of Doctors expertly trained and specializing in the Upper Cervical procedure. Dr. Blom is also one of the few Doctors in the state of Idaho trained and certified in the Upper Cervical procedure. We are dedicated to helping patients just like you who suffer from postural problems resulting in chronic headaches, migraines, neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain and other ailments and diseases.    

And right now, our office is offering a COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION to determine if you are a candidate for Upper Cervical care.   Take the first step toward reclaiming your health…  

WHAT DO I DO NOW? 
Call our office (208) 559-0541 or fill out the consult request form above. That's it.