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Post-concussion syndrome and your C1 vertebra
“What’s your neck got to do with it?”
The symptoms of post-concussion syndrome are identical to a whiplash injury involving your cervical spine (aka neck).
- Fogginess in the head
- Inability to concentrate
- Memory problems
- Migraine headaches
- Dizziness
- Anxiety or depression (or both)
- Sleeping problems
These symptoms are the hallmarks of post-concussion syndrome. If you have been to the Brisbane post-concussion syndrome clinic, you have probably had lots of head and brain tests already done:
- Brain MRI Scan
- Head CT Scan
- Maybe even an EEG nerve test
But did your tests actually show anything was wrong? Or did they call to say that everything was “normal?” And if so, why are you feeling the way that you do?
Well let me ask you: did your post-concussion syndrome specialist Brisbane mention that an injury your neck can actually produce the exact same symptoms as a head injury? If so, what types of tests have you had done on your neck?
Specifically, what types of tests have you had that focus on the #1 most important vertebra in your neck, your atlas (aka C1 vertebra)?
Even if you have been to the Brisbane headache and post-concussion syndrome clinic or seen any number of specialists and other practitioners including physiotherapists and chiropractors, let me ask you:
Have you seen a Blair upper cervical practitioner, whose focus is on the relationship between your upper neck and your brain health?
The connection between your atlas and post-concussion syndrome
Your C1 vertebra is located at the base of your head and supports the weight of your skull (3-5Kg).
Located just above your C1 vertebra is your brainstem (aka medulla oblongata), which is the master control center of your brain.
- It is the relay hub for all sensory information - including pain, temperature, and balance information - that comes from your body to your brain.
- It is the processing output center for the autonomic nerve activities that control your heart, blood pressure, lungs, and digestive system
- It is the processing input center that modulates pain, sleeping, and your ability to focus.
So what is the potential connection between your C1 vertebra and your brainstem?
Your C1 vertebra is physically tethered to your brainstem.
- Normally this connection protects your spinal cord and assists the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) which circulates oxygen and energy for your brain.
- However, when the C1 vertebra is locked out of its normal position (even by 1-3mm), it may produce tension that pulls on your brain.
Imagine your brain is like a balloon, your spinal cord a string. A whiplash injury involving your C1 could be like tugging on that string.
In addition, there are a pair of arteries and veins that transmit directly through your C1 vertebra en route to your brain called the vertebral arteries and veins. These vessels supply and remove blood from these vital life centers.
If the C1 vertebra affects the flow of blood to-and-from your brain, it may have a profound impact on your brain health and may well be connected with post-concussion syndrome.
So if you are looking for post-concussion syndrome natural treatment Brisbane, here is where we may be able to help you.
The atlas may be one piece of the puzzle
If you have been to a post-concussion syndrome clinic Brisbane where the focus has been your brain rehabilitation, that is good! It is imperative that you have the right specialists including neurologists, chiropractors and physiotherapists working with you to help re-train your brain.
However, if you feel like you are not making full progress, it may well be that something is interfering with your brain’s ability to heal.
That something may well be a misalignment involving your atlas vertebra.
Here is where we may be able to help you.
Our practice, Atlas Health is the premier upper cervical health center in Brisbane for over 10 years. We help people who have been dealing with longstanding health challenges - including post-concussion syndrome - and whose #1 focus is on getting their lives back. Our mission is to provide these people hope, healing and longterm solutions to help them enjoy the quality of life that they desire.
The way that we may be able to help is through a relatively unknown form of healthcare known as Blair upper cervical care.
Upper cervical care is a special division of chiropractic that focuses on the relationship between the upper neck and the health of your brainstem and spinal cord. Many injuries to the upper neck are not diagnosed properly even with CT and MRI scans. It is the reason that an upper cervical chiropractor does advanced study beyond a standard chiropractic doctor degree.
You see, every human being is different on the inside and outside. Knowing that we take an individualized approach when working with every human being to help with post-concussion syndrome. This includes the types of physical, neurological, and diagnostic tests that we perform in order to identify the exact degree and direction of any misalignments in your neck that could be affecting your nerve system.
With this level of detail, we are then able to tailor a precise and gentle correction - specifically designed for you - to help restore the normal function of your neck alignment.
Of important note, we do not employ spinal manipulation when correcting the neck. In other words, this is NOT the same as generic manipulation. There is ZERO cracking or twisting the neck. A Blair upper cervical correction is precise and light, using only the amount of force you would use to feel your pulse.
Related article
What it means if you have Migraines and Cluster Headaches but a normal MRI
Mar 15, 2022When that happens, we have found that it can make a dramatic improvement in your own body’s ability to do what it is designed to do: heal itself.
In this way, Blair upper cervical care is not a treatment for post-concussion syndrome at all! Instead, it is an approach to help your own body to do its own healing. We believe the better your own body can take care of itself is actually the key to longterm success and health with anything!
How can we help you?
If you have been to the post-concussion syndrome and neck pain clinic Brisbane but still find yourself looking for a solution, we would like to hear from you.
Our practice in North Lakes (north Brisbane) offers a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation to discuss your condition with our principal upper cervical chiropractic doctor so that you can ask any questions you may have without any obligations so that you can decide if care may be right for you.
Our principal chiropractic doctor is Dr. Jeffrey Hannah. Dr. Hannah is an advanced certified Blair practitioner, instructor, international speaker, and author. With 15 years of experience, he is recognized as a leader in the field of specific upper cervical.
If you would like to schedule a no-obligation call with Dr. Hannah, you can contact us direct at 07 3188 9329.
Alternatively, you can complete the form on the Contact Us link on this page, and one of our staff will return your message as soon as we are able.
Even if you believe you’ve been to every post-concussion syndrome doctor Brisbane, we may be able to offer a different approach. Certainly, we aren’t so stupid as to guarantee any outcome. Nevertheless, the one guarantee that we can make is that we will do our best to help you achieve your goals.
It will be our privilege and honor to assist you.
Atlas Health Australia - “Hope, healing, and wellbeing from above-down, inside-out.”
References
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Rosa S, Baird JW, Harshfield D, Chehrenama M. Craniocervical Junction Syndrome: Anatomy of the Craniocervical and Atlantoaxial Junctions and the Effect of Misalignment on Cerebrospinal Fluid Flow, Hydrocephalus Bora Gürer, IntechOpen, DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.72890. A
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