Multiple Sclerosis & Alzheimer’s- Immune System and Atlas

What a discovery! Published in June 2015 of Nature, researchers identified a previously undiscovered network of lymph channels that serve as the brain’s drainage immune system. One of the things that is most significant about this discovery is that it finally provides a possible explanation for how neurodegenerative syndromes such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s occur.1,2 These findings support exactly what Michael Flanagan proposed in his excellent book The Downside of Upright Posture. Dr. Flanagan hypothesized that some type of physical obstruction of what he believed was a lymphatic channel caused a backup or buildup of pressure within the skull.

This pressure, in turn, could affect the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which metaphorically would turn a flowing river into a stagnant cesspool. The accumulation of debris in the CSF, he argued, could be the cause of many neurodegenerative conditions: namely MS, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.3 Specifically, Dr. Flanagan proposed that a misalignment of the C1 vertebra could be one of the major, if not the most significant factor in causing this lymphatic obstruction.

The C1 or atlas is a ring-shaped vertebra that protects and anchors directly onto the spinal cord by thin but extraordinarily strong slips of tissue called dentate ligaments. If due to trauma, the atlas slips and becomes entrapped within its normal range of movement, it can exert tension on the cord and surrounding tissues causing a disruption in CSF flow and also a potential in the venous or lymphatic system from the brain.

As described in a previous article (***), Dr. Scott Rosa, and Upper Cervical Specific chiropractor, has been using an upright functional MRI to demonstrate how specific chiropractic adjustments affect the flow of CSF and can produce substantial changes for people suffering from MS.4 Dr. Rosa is not the first chiropractor who by correcting misalignments of the atlas and upper cervical vertebrae has been able to help people with MS and other neurodegenerative conditions.5,6,7 In fact, the reason that I am an Upper Cervical Specific chiropractic is because of an experience I had working with a patient, who was suffering from MS.

I have written about this case in my own book The Doctor Who Give No Medicine.8 I therefore not just write about how Upper Cervical Care can help people with multiple sclerosis or related conditions: I have seen it with my own eyes and done it with my own hands. For more information I strongly encourage you to, visit the following links:

1. http://www.blairchiropractic.com/Nerve-Disorders
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5nh2cHi5EE

Related article

The Role of the Upper Neck in Chronic Pain and Fatigue

Jul 26, 2018

Although there are many factors that can cause multiple sclerosis and similar conditions, there is an emerging and powerful body of evidence growing to suggest that an Atlas adjustment may be one of the most important things required as part of the healing/recovery process.

Atlas Specific chiropractic care is a non-manipulative approach to healthcare that restores integrity to the brain and brainstem so that the body is able to function and health at its optimum. If you or a loved one suffer from Multiple Sclerosis and would like to schedule a free consultation, please fill out the form below or give us a ring at the office: 07 3188 9329. We will be delighted to help you.

1. Louveau A, Smirnov I, et al. Structural and functional features of central nervous system lymphatic vessels. Nature. 2015 Jul 16;523(7560):337-41. doi: 10.1038/nature14432. Epub 2015 Jun 1.
2. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-06/uovh-mlf052915.php
3. Flanagan M. The downside of upright posture: the anatomical causes of Alzheimer’s Parkinson’s and Multiple Sclerosis. Minneapolis, MN. Two Harbors Press. 2010.
4. http://www.prweb.com/releases/CSF-Multiple_sclerosis-ms/FONAR_UPRIGHT_MRI/prweb8929674.htm
5. Elster E. Eighty-one patients with multiple sclerosis & Parkinson's diseases undergoing chiropractic care. J Vertebral Subluxation Res. 2 Aug 2004.
6. Eriksen K. Upper cervical subluxation complex: a review of the chiropractic and medical literature. Baltimore, MD. Lippincott, Williams, and Wilkins. 2004.
7. Drury R. The best-kept secret in healthcare. Minneapolis, MN. Two Harbors Press. 2013.
8. http://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Who-Give-No-Medicine-ebook/dp/B00BPFHQTM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1446443564&sr=8-2&keywords=jeffrey+hannah