Allergies are quite prevalent in children. Studies even note that severe allergies mainly occur in kids who come from an interracial family. Sadly, many kids have difficulty explaining how they feel whenever they’re sick or affected by allergies.
As a parent or legal guardian, finding the best way to help a child cope with allergies should be your priority. Do you know what remedies you can use? Have you tried exploring natural options like going to a Redwood City upper cervical chiropractor? Learn more about your options for helping a child with allergies below.
Allergic reactions are among the body’s natural defensive responses. They serve as warning signs so you can stop your exposure to allergy-causing materials or dangerous substances. Some of the usual allergic reactions you might have seen or experienced before might include runny nose, sneezing, coughing, scratchy throat, difficulty breathing, and skin rashes.
Most of the time, parents use over-the-counter medication for allergy relief like Benadryl, Claritin, and Allegra. These drugs block the effect of histamines or the allergy-triggering substance your body releases during stressful situations such as an infection.
Such a reaction can also occur when a child has an overactive or sensitive immune system due to a nervous system malfunction. Sometimes, such a malfunction occurs when a child has a neck misalignment. This is a common health problem that occurs after an injury to the head during a car collision, tripping or falling.
Your child’s neck bone alignment likely contributes to the severity of the allergies. If your child has suffered from a neck or head trauma before, it may be a good idea to seek a Redwood City upper cervical chiropractor for a neck bone adjustment. This approach is gentle and scientifically proven to help kids manage their allergic reactions.
If you’re interested in trying a natural, sustainable, and effective remedy for a change, you can head over to Advanced Spinal Care. We are the go-to place for many parents who need the help of a Redwood City upper cervical chiropractor. Book an appointment with Dr. Tsiglieris or call us at (650) 595-0500 today!
To schedule a complimentary consultation call our Redwood City office at 650-595-0500. You can also click the button below.
If you are outside of the local area you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.
Two Case Studies on Neck InjuriesIn this blog we'll look at a couple of case studies of children who suffered traumatic brain injuries or mild spinal cord injuries published by upper cervical chiropractor Dr. Erin Elster. The first case study she reported is of an eight year old boy who hit his head when he fell on a school playground. We'll then look at a six year old boy who sustained an injury from a television falling off of a cabinet and hitting him on the head.
In Elster's first study, she reported that the arms and legs of the boy who fell on the school playground tingled, and he was diagnosed with a spinal cord injury. This led to loss of bowel control, which lasted for the next six months until his mother brought him in to Dr. Elster for an examination of his upper neck vertebrae.
During a digital infrared imaging and radiographic diagnostic, it was determined that he had sustained an injury to the upper neck. The severity of the impact of the fall most likely caused the displacement of his skull from his upper neck. This most likely led to the spinal cord injury, which then led to the injury to his bowels. His initial adjustment restored his bowels to normal activity.
In the case study of the boy who sustained the impact of the television that fell, he was lying on the floor when it fell on him. It fell on his face causing multiple fractures around his eye. Multiple reconstructive surgeries to his eye socket and sinuses followed this diagnoses.
After his surgeries and the fractures healed, his mother noticed behavioral changes in her son. He also suffered from double vision and continuous headaches. They consulted with numerous physicians and neurologists, all of whom determined the injuries were permanent and there was nothing they could do to reverse them.
Though, an examination by Dr. Elster revealed that the boy had sustained an upper neck injury, which was most likely due to the accident he suffered months earlier. It only took a few weeks of care before the double vision and headaches were completely gone.
Both of these case studies reveal that whether your child is playing with friends or just sitting and watching television, there is always that chance of them sustaining and injury to their upper neck. We know you want your kid to be able to be a kid, and we want your kid to be a kid. But it's difficult to be a kid when you suffer from health related issues that can be easily resolved by correcting any misalignments in your upper neck.
To find a Doctor in your area go to www.NUCCA.org or if you are in the Redwood City California area to schedule your NUCCA evaluation, click the button below:
Want to hear from people like you? Check out our reviews here.
Dr. Pete Tsiglieris of Advanced Spinal Care in Redwood City, California is an Upper Cervical Specialist trained by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA). His upper cervical clinic also serves San Mateo, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, San Carlos, and Sunnyvale. They are uniquely trained to correct problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems, including migraines and other headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain and weakness. More information can be found on our website at https://bayareanuccacare.com/
Autism Spectrum Disorder Is on the RiseWe are in the middle of a global Autism Spectrum Disorder epidemic, with a reported 1 out of 150 children being affected which also impacts their families. Numerous theories have been given as to why the world is encountering such an aggressive rise in the amount of children being effected today, including theories that range from birth injuries and vaccinations to environmental issues and genetics. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to pinpoint which of these factors serves as the actual root cause or whether they all play a part in the development of this challenging condition. Fortunately, there is one natural and highly effective treatment that has been proven to provide relief of autism symptoms; Upper Cervical Chiropractic.
While the exact cause of Autism Spectrum disorders hasn’t yet been unidentified, we do know that the disorder impacts the brain's ability to process information by affecting how the nerve cells link up and organize which in turn influences all areas of life, from mood and communication to physical behavior. According to studies carried out by Psycho Educational and Guidance services, upper cervical chiropractic care is 20 to 40% more effective than the usual prescribed medications when it comes to reducing the symptoms commonly observed in an extensive range of Autism related behavioral and learning problems.
While upper cervical chiropractic doesn't promise to treat all the symptoms, or the disorder itself, more and more studies are suggesting that it can provide significant changes in regards to some of its symptoms. When you think about it, especially if you’ve ever had upper cervical chiropractic care for other health problems, it just makes sense that it would be an effective approach since Autism Spectrum disorders are also connected to the nervous system. Essentially upper cervical chiropractic aligns the top of the neck which, when it's out of alignment, disrupts the communication of the brain and body, a factor that plays a big part in Autism Spectrum disorder.
Another study that was published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research stated that altered bio mechanics from misalignment of the upper spine leads to an imbalance in sensory feedback into both the cerebellum and cerebrum. Whenever nerve transmissions to the body's major interpreting and integrating areas of the brain is out of balance it leads to altered nerve reaction to environmental shifts. Combine this data with the theory that the only purpose of upper cervical care is to reestablish accurate nerve communication; it's easy to understand how this chiropractic technique can help in a number of instances.
An upper cervical chiropractor’s role isn't to cure or even treat Autism, its main objective is to aid the brain/body communication, helping the body function as it was intended to function. This is achieved by analyzing the vulnerable connection between the first bone, referred to as the Atlas and the brainstem, which is an important part of the neural communicating pathway. If we discover a problem with the upper neck, we specifically and gently put the spine back in place which frees up the nerve communication, thereby improving the body’s natural recuperative power, which in turn can relieve symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
What to Do Next
For those who are seeking natural and drug free solutions for problems such as autism spectrum disorder, upper cervical chiropractic and other natural approaches offer a safe and gentle alternative to surgeries and prescription medications. Why not consult an upper cervical chiropractic specialist to see if your loved one can benefit from upper cervical chiropractic care?
To find a Doctor in your area go to www.NUCCA.org or if you are in the Redwood City California area to schedule your NUCCA evaluation, click the button below:
Want to hear from people like you? Check out our reviews here.
Dr. Pete Tsiglieris of Advanced Spinal Care in Redwood City, California is an Upper Cervical Specialist trained by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA). His upper cervical clinic also serves San Mateo, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, San Carlos, and Sunnyvale. They are uniquely trained to correct problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems, including migraines and other headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain and weakness. More information can be found on our website at https://bayareanuccacare.com/
Tourette Syndrome and Birth TraumaPreviously in this blog we looked at research that linked upper neck injuries with Tourette's syndrome. Today we take a closer look at 3 children who were all diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome and responded wonderfully to upper cervical chiropractic.
First we look at a 9-year-old boy who began having health problems soon after his birth (a forceps birth). He also fell down the stairs at age 1. He had many infections including ear infections and pneumonia every year for the first several years of his life. He was diagnosed with asthma at age 2 and prescribed inhalers.
By age 7, he was diagnosed with ADHD and Tourette Syndrome. The Tourette's tics occurred head to toe and involved his eyes, neck, voice, rolling of his toes, flinching of his side, and lifting of his arms overhead. In addition, he was diagnosed with insomnia and depression at age 8 and was prescribed 2 different anti-depressant medications. He also experienced neck pain and headaches 3 times per week since age 8.
During this boy's upper cervical exam, a neck injury was found, which possibly stemmed from either his birth or fall down the stairs.
After his first upper cervical adjustment, his mother reported only 2 days later: 1) his attitude and personality were happier, 2) no headaches, 3) no neck pain, 4) no wheezing, 5) tics were cut in half, 6) slept through the night. One month later, no headaches or neck pain occurred over the month; no asthma or wheezing occurred over the month and no asthma medications were used; all motor tics were completely gone and only an occasional verbal tic occurred; sleeping had been consistently improved; personality and behavior had been consistently improved and anti-depressants had been cut in half; attention in school to school work and interaction with other kids in school was also greatly improved.
Six weeks after the first adjustment, all symptoms were absent. All family members remarked that by having his neck injury corrected, the boy had become a completely different, happy, and healthy child.
Next we look at a 15-year-old male who was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome at age 7. He had no family history of Tourette Syndrome. The tics were constantly present and worsened during times of concentration, such as during reading and writing. In addition, he suffered from chronic neck pain for years. He described himself as having constant daily tightness in his neck and shoulders, especially at the base of his skull.
During this boy's upper cervical exam, a neck injury was found. His mother could not recall any accidents he had suffered as a child that could have caused his neck injury other than typical falls and sports injuries of childhood, although the boy was an avid snowboarder and had taken some falls on his head.
After his first upper cervical adjustment, he reported having a tremendous reduction in tics and neck pain. He couldn't believe how much better his neck felt after so many years of discomfort. Within a month, he was free of tics and neck pain and was able to resume concentrating on school subjects that had previously been too difficult. His mother reported tremendous improvement in his ability to concentrate, complete school work, etc. After being adjusted, he said he completed his math homework easily. In addition, he also reported how much of a relief it was to no longer worry about experiencing tics, especially in front of other people.
Lastly, we examine the case of a 7-year-old boy who began experiencing the tics of Tourette Syndrome at age 5. The tics in his face, neck, arms, and feet occurred infrequently in the beginning and gradually increased to 100's of times per day, his mother reported. He was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome at age 7.
During the boy's upper cervical chiropractic evaluation, an upper neck injury was discovered. His mother reported various traumas before her son was 5, including a breech birth, a fall out of the high chair, and skiing falls, that could have contributed to his upper cervical injury. Within 10 days of his first upper cervical adjustment, his parents and teachers noticed a decrease in the tics. In less than 3 months of treatment, all tics were absent.
The purpose of Upper Cervical Spinal Care is to reverse the trauma-induced upper neck injury; thereby reducing irritation to the injured nerves in the central nervous system. While many TS sufferers recall specific traumas such as head injuries, birth trauma, auto accidents or falls, some do not. In certain pediatric cases, the injury can occur from the normal birthing process. An upper cervical examination is necessary in each individual's case to assess whether an upper cervical injury is present and whether benefit from Upper Cervical can be achieved.
To find a Doctor in your area go to www.NUCCA.org or if you are in the Redwood City California area to schedule your NUCCA evaluation, click the button below:
Want to hear from people like you? Check out our reviews here.
Dr. Pete Tsiglieris of Advanced Spinal Care in Redwood City, California is an Upper Cervical Specialist trained by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA). His upper cervical clinic also serves San Mateo, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, San Carlos, and Sunnyvale. They are uniquely trained to correct problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems, including migraines and other headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain and weakness. More information can be found on our website at https://bayareanuccacare.com/
Not All Tourette’s Syndrome Is GeneticResearchers generally consider Tourette's syndrome to be a genetic disorder (TS vulnerability is transmitted from one generation to the next), approximately 15% of TS patients do not show genetic susceptibility (no genetic links were found). In addition, individual variations in character, course, and degree of severity of TS cannot be explained by genetic explanations alone.
Consequently, researchers have focused upon stressful events during perinatal or early life that may trigger the onset of TS. Traumatic head injury (during birth, falls, accidents, etc.) has been implicated as a possible trigger of TS. Evidence supports that trauma (in particular mild concussive injury to the head, neck or upper back) increases the risk of TS onset. Following the trauma, tics can be triggered immediately or can take months or years to develop.
New research appearing in the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal and Family Health supports a possible traumatic cause. A 14-year-old male with Tourette’s Syndrome had missed school the previous two days prior to presenting to the clinic due to the severity of his motor tics, migraine headaches and severe “fatigue”.
The patient’s symptoms were so severe it was indicated that he was having 1,000 “violent” motor tics a day that consisted of whipping his head involuntarily in flexion and extension, which also contributed to his fatigue.
The patient’s migraine headaches (which occurred daily) were attributed as resulting from these motor tics. The patient was taking 6 Ibuprofen pills, 10 mgs of Abilify® (aripiprazole), and 1mg of Orap® (Pimozide) per day.
Physical examination which included thermal and infrared thermography and radiological examination demonstrated sites of spinal misalignments likely caused by trauma. Over the course of 30 patient visits in a period of 5 months, dramatic reductions were reported in the amount of tics experienced daily. The total number of tics were reduced from 1,000 a day to 30-35 tics per day. The patient’s dependence on Ibuprofuen was eliminated and his medication dosage (i.e., Abilify and Pimozide) was reduced by his medical provider.
This is not the first time that a person with Tourette's syndrome has received dramatic results with this type of care (see references below). For instance, Dr. Erin Elster reports on 3 boys diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome, Age 9, 15 and 7, who all had tremendous results with upper cervical chiropractic.
Next time we will review these 3 cases and talk more about the type of care they received.
The purpose of Upper Cervical is to reverse the traumatically induced upper neck injury; thereby reducing irritation to the injured nerves in the central nervous system. While many TS sufferers recall specific traumas such as head injuries, birth trauma, auto accidents or falls, some do not. In certain pediatric cases, the injury can occur from the normal birthing process. An upper cervical examination is necessary in each individual's case to assess whether an upper cervical injury is present and whether benefit from Upper Cervical care can be achieved.
To find a Doctor in your area go to www.NUCCA.org or if you are in the Redwood City California area to schedule your NUCCA evaluation, click the button below:
Want to hear from people like you? Check out our reviews here.
Dr. Pete Tsiglieris of Advanced Spinal Care in Redwood City, California is an Upper Cervical Specialist trained by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA). His upper cervical clinic also serves San Mateo, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, San Carlos, and Sunnyvale. They are uniquely trained to correct problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems, including migraines and other headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain and weakness. More information can be found on our website at https://bayareanuccacare.com/
An Overactive Immune SystemIs your child struggling with allergies?
Does it seem like they are just always sick?
It may be that they have an overactive immune system.
10% of all children are struggling with allergies. Allegra, Benadryl, Claritin, Zyrtec, Sudafed and Clarinex are commonly given to children for allergies.
But why is it that 2 children can be exposed to the same environment and have 2 completely different reactions?
Our amazing nervous system controls are immune system. When there is interference with the function of the nervous system the immune system doesn’t work right.
Small injuries at the top of neck disrupt the brain’s ability to properly regulate immunity leading to an overreaction by the immune system.
There are many signs of an allergic reaction. Itchy eyes. Runny nose. Sneezing. Skin rash. More serious reactions can include constricted air passageways, vomiting and even death. All this from a handful of peanuts, an encounter with a cat or microscopic grains of pollen in the air!
Your body can inappropriately perceive the allergen as a threat.
If everyone reacted to these common substances, we could fix the blame squarely on the nut, dander, shellfish or pollen. But not everyone reacts.
What is it?
Your nervous system is the master system that orchestrates your immune system, glandular system, respiratory system and every other system that reacts inappropriately to an allergen. Normally, these systems help you respond and adapt to the world around you. But suffering from uncontrollable sneezing around a house cat is probably an inappropriate reaction.
If your nervous system isn’t working right, you don’t work right. So, with upper cervical chiropractic rather than direct our attention to the countless potential allergens, we locate and reduce the disturbances we find to your nervous system.
Each of us was born with the capacity to withstand or adapt to stress. If we’re unable to deal with things we eat, breathe or come into contact with it may be because our margin to adapt is used up.
Picture a bucket that represents your capacity to adapt to the physical, emotional and chemical stresses of life. Every stressful encounter your body faces, fills up your bucket. If your bucket is already full and you encounter pollen, foods or other chemicals, your bucket overflows.
When that happens, people say they’re having an allergic reaction. But what they’re really saying is, “I’ve lost my ability to adapt. My margin is used up.”
So, we don’t treat allergies. We look for ways to restore your ability to adapt to allergens by locating and reducing disturbances to your nervous system. Simple, really.
Are you or your child not adapting to the stressors in life? Allergies? Asthma? Sinus problems?
A gentle Upper Cervical correction of a brainstem misalignment restores proper nerve control to the immune
system and symptoms improve naturally.
Are you ready to say goodbye to the drugs and Kleenex and finally get to the cause of the problem?
To find a Doctor in your area go to www.NUCCA.org or if you are in the Redwood City California area to schedule your NUCCA evaluation, click the button below:
Want to hear from people like you? Check out our reviews here.
Dr. Pete Tsiglieris of Advanced Spinal Care in Redwood City, California is an Upper Cervical Specialist trained by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA). His upper cervical clinic also serves San Mateo, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, San Carlos, and Sunnyvale. They are uniquely trained to correct problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems, including migraines and other headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain and weakness. More information can be found on our website at https://bayareanuccacare.com/.
Some small children and babies have low immune system due to which they are more vulnerable to different forms of infections. Otitis Media (OM) mostly occurs in babies who have been ill due to the flu or cold. Viruses and bacteria find a way into the middle ear leading to ear infections. Sometimes mechanical obstructions caused by the structural misalignment inside the ear such as skull, jawbones and cervical spine lead to blockage. In such cases, fluid builds up near the eustachian tube and eardrum providing a place for the microbes to grow and create an infection in the ear.
One of the biggest causes of OM is birth trauma. Babies born with traumatic births or interventions such as vacuum extraction and forceps or by pulling the neck are more at risk of facing cranial or spinal cord injury. Cesarean sections also can put a severe strain on the neck as the baby is pulled from the incision site. In the U.S, alone 35 percent of infants born through C-section suffer from ear infections. Drugs given to the newborn can further aggravate the condition. In 50 percent of the children over 10 months, use of pacifiers or sucking mechanism has been found to be the cause behind such infections. Some research also shows that the overuse of vaccines and medications such as the antibiotics can cause infection in the ear.
To ensure that the ear infections do not occur in the newborn children, doctors suggest chiropractic adjustments. In the upper cervical chiropractic approach, the doctor corrects the interference in the nervous system by adjusting the misalignments of the upper neck. This procedure also has an influence on the jaw, cranial bones and spinal column without using any surgical procedure or drugs.
These corrections also decrease inflammation, muscle tension and increase mobility. Due to this proper flow of blood and drainage of lymph is made possible which is necessary for the smooth functioning of the Eustachian tube and middle ear. According to a study conducted by Dr. Joan Fallon, upper cervical chiropractic mobilizes the process of ear drainage with children and regular draining stops the buildup of fluid which is the main cause of infection. This gives the body time to build antibodies and recover much faster. One study showed that 80 percent of children did not show any further infection after undergoing upper cervical chiropractic adjustments.
To find a Doctor in your area go to www.NUCCA.org or if you are in the Redwood City California area to schedule your NUCCA evaluation, click the button below:
Want to hear from people like you? Check out our reviews here.
Dr. Pete Tsiglieris of Advanced Spinal Care in Redwood City, California is an Upper Cervical Specialist trained by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA). His upper cervical clinic also serves San Mateo, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, San Carlos, and Sunnyvale. They are uniquely trained to correct problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems, including migraines and other headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain and weakness. More information can be found on our website at https://bayareanuccacare.com/.
When a 2-year-old little girl falls down the stairs what is the typical response? The parents would pick her up and check on her see if there are any notable injuries. If they were concerned about her in any way the parents would take that little girl to the emergency room and get her checked out medically. They may perform X-Rays, a Cat Scan, and other testing. If all those tests come back negative then they would release her back to her parents and tell them that she is going to be okay.
What if when she fell and hit her head the ligaments and muscles that connect the head and neck were damaged. Creating a slight misalignment at the atlas (the top bone in the spine). Once that bone is misaligned and locked out of it's normal position it creates a weakness. This weakness allows the spine to break down and lock into a stressed position. In this stressed position frequently one of the legs will appear shorter than the other when laying flat on your back. And one hip will be lower than the other when in the standing position.
Now in this new stressed position the body begins to grow. With the head slightly tilted to one side and the hips uneven that little girl hits her growth spurt at the age of 8 and a curvature begins to develop. By the time that little girl is 13 she has a 12 degree Scoliosis like the one you see in the picture.
This time the Mom of that 2-year-old little girl is a patient of a NUCCA chiropractor. So after the fall the little girl isn't sleeping well and just isn't acting like herself, she is brought into a NUCCA office to have her alignment evaluated. During the exam the little girl is found to have a one inch leg length difference!
After the exam the little girl is adjusted in her upper cervical spine. Her legs immediately level...the Mom is amazed! That night she sleeps great again and is just like herself again the next day.
Scoliosis? Ear infections? ADHD? Headaches? Digestive problems? There is no way to know for sure. But without a doubt she will now grow up a healthier girl because her spine has been restored to it's normal alignment.
The most common times for a child to develop a misalignment are after birth, when they begin to lift their head, when they begin to crawl and when they begin to walk. After those milestones a child should only be evaluated if they have had a head or neck trauma such as a fall or car crash. About 50% of the kids that are evaluated are misaligned. There will be no other time better than in childhood to correct those problems and allow that child to grow up as healthy as possible.
It is much easier to grow healthy kids than it is to repair damaged adults!
To find a Doctor in your area go to www.NUCCA.org or if you are in the Redwood City California area to schedule your NUCCA evaluation, click the button below:
Want to hear from people like you? Check out our reviews here.
Dr. Pete Tsiglieris of Advanced Spinal Care in Redwood City, California is an Upper Cervical Specialist trained by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA). His upper cervical clinic also serves San Mateo, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, San Carlos, and Sunnyvale. They are uniquely trained to correct problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems, including migraines and other headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain and weakness. More information can be found on our website at https://bayareanuccacare.com/.
On June 27th Austin Frackt, assistant professor at Boston University's School of Public Health reporting for the Kansas Health Institute said “that there is a lot of over-treatment in U.S. medicine: the use of medications and procedures that deliver little or no benefit, increase the cost of care, and expose patients to unnecessary harm from side effects.”
He goes on to say “A case in point is the use of proton pump inhibitor medications (PPIs, familiar brand names include Prilosec and Prevacid) for the treatment of supposed gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in infants. GERD is a severe problem in which the esophagus is eroded by regurgitated stomach acid. PPIs have been shown to be an effective treatment for this condition.”
However, the GERD diagnosis has increasingly been applied to infants who do not have the specific physiological symptoms of GERD, but who spit up and cry frequently and are hard to soothe. These latter infants are now frequently treated with PPIs. As Eric Hassall explains in the Journal of Pediatrics, “in the 6 years from 1999 to 2004, there was a >7-fold increase in PPI prescription. One of the PPIs… saw a 16-fold increase in use during that 6-year period…”
Writing with a sarcasm unusual in a scientific journal, Hassall notes that “…this data would imply that somehow the diagnosis of GERD has been missed over the past several decades or has recently become a major scourge of infants in the developed world, with acid suppressing drugs becoming a new essential food group in their own right. This change in practice has come about for several reasons, none based in medical science.”
Hassall believes that the growth in the use of PPIs occurred because extensive direct-to-consumer advertising for PPIs and similar medications for adults popularized the term “acid reflux.” So it made sense to parents that these drugs would provide a solution for a seemingly intractable problem. And for doctors, calling the problem GERD and prescribing a PPI to the infant was a way to at least soothe the parents.
The problem with that is that randomized controlled trials provide no evidence that PPIs are better than placebos for difficult infants without objective evidence of GERD. PPIs cost money, and provide no benefit when prescribed beyond a severely ill population.
So what should a parent do if their child has the symptoms of acid reflux?
During the birth process a misalignment can occur in the upper neck that will change the communication between the brain and the body leading to a variety of different problems, including acid reflux.
Several medical doctors from Europe have done extensive research into upper neck problems in newborns and how that relates to the health of children. For instance, Dr. Godfrey Gutmann, a German medical researcher was looking into the connection all the way back to the 1960's... in 1987 Dr. Gutmann published his research linking the upper neck to problems ranging from acid reflux to scoliosis, ear infections, torticollis, colic and many other common childhood conditions. Gutmann found over 80% of the over 1000 infants in his study had problems in the upper neck that needed to be addressed!
Birth trauma was the most common cause. Forceps delivery, vacuum extraction and even just normal birthing methods with a woman flat on her back rather than in the standing position where gravity can work, can be an extremely traumatic experience for the head and neck of a newborn.
Upper neck misalignments can be corrected in babies safely, gently and effectively with an upper cervical chiropractic approach such as NUCCA.
If you have a child that’s been diagnosed with acid reflux, before considering giving medication to your baby have their upper neck evaluated for a traumatic birth injury. You can look for the cause of the problem rather than just covering up the symptoms.
To find a Doctor in your area go to www.NUCCA.org or if you are in the Redwood City California area to schedule your NUCCA evaluation, click the button below:
Want to hear from people like you? Check out our reviews here.
Dr. Pete Tsiglieris of Advanced Spinal Care in Redwood City, California is an Upper Cervical Specialist trained by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA). His upper cervical clinic also serves San Mateo, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, San Carlos, and Sunnyvale. They are uniquely trained to correct problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems, including migraines and other headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain and weakness. More information can be found on our website at https://bayareanuccacare.com/.
A fairly common problem for infants is acid reflux. This can make it difficult for the baby to keep down any amount of food. It can also result in a lot of crying and sleepless nights. What is the primary cause of this condition? Can upper cervical chiropractic help babies that are suffering from acid reflux? Read on to learn more.
Acid reflux in infants seems to be connected with some form of birth trauma that results in an injury to the upper neck. These upper neck injuries can be caused by anything from a breech birth to extended labor. These injuries are frequently the root cause of the acid reflux.
Unfortunately, once most doctors make a diagnosis of acid reflux, they immediately start offering drugs such as Prilosec, Zantac, or Prevacid to treat the symptom rather than the problem that is causing it.
How does upper cervical chiropractic provide a safe and drug-free alternative?
Since the ultimate issue is frequently an injury to the two uppermost vertebrae at the base of the brain, using gentle upper cervical chiropractic procedures can provide natural relief for the condition. Studies on a number of infants have shown the benefits that come from upper cervical chiropractic care, especially when the baby suffers from acid reflux.
Dr Erin Elster has done some incredible research in the upper neck area. In one case series, she evaluated nine babies from 3 weeks to 11 months of age all who had been diagnosed with acid reflux by their pediatrician.
All 9 children were found to have an upper neck misalignment. All 9 children had their upper neck misalignments corrected with upper cervical chiropractic care. The care programs took between two and eight weeks and in all 9 cases symptoms resolved by 100%, and all medications were discontinued.
Don't just treat the symptom, treat the cause. Upper cervical chiropractic can help to alleviate your child's acid reflux symptoms permanently by repairing the injury that is causing it in the first place.
To find a Doctor in your area go to www.NUCCA.org or if you are in the Redwood City California area to schedule your NUCCA evaluation, click the button below:
Want to hear from people like you? Check out our reviews here.
Dr. Pete Tsiglieris of Advanced Spinal Care in Redwood City, California is an Upper Cervical Specialist trained by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA). His upper cervical clinic also serves San Mateo, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, San Carlos, and Sunnyvale. They are uniquely trained to correct problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems, including migraines and other headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain and weakness. More information can be found on our website at https://bayareanuccacare.com/.
