Over 25% of the population has suffered from neck pain. It is reportedly the third most common chronic pain conditions in America. What is responsible for this widespread issue? What can be done to ease that pain?
The head and neck regions are among the most vulnerable on the human body. The neck alone is responsible for supporting all 10-12 pounds of the head; plus, it houses critical vertebrae, nerves, and vascular structures. Experts have long known that it does not take much for these to be injured. Car accidents, sports injuries, and other traumas can lead to chronic pain. Now, extended cell phone and tablet usage can cause injury here as well.
In an effort to efficiently deal with the pain, certain surgical procedures involve the surgeon testing different nerves within the neck area to see where exactly the patient's pain is coming from. However, there are few who wouldn't prefer a less invasive approach to correcting the issues causing their neck pain.
How can one find lasting relief without having to go through with surgery? Happily, here, we carefully examine the upper cervical area of the neck to see if adjustments to the vertebrae are needed. Often we find this is the case and many cases of neck pain can be diminished if not completely resolved with some gentle and calculated adjusting. The reason pain can occur through a misalignment is it causes the bone to rest on important nerves, blood vessels, and other structures that can create long term pain. Once the upper cervical region is correctly aligned, these networks can heal and resume normal function.
The truth is that living without neck pain is possible without surgery.
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/
There is very possibly a link between the underlying factor in scoliosis and torticollis, and how injuries caused at birth can affect the upper neck.
Dr. Gutmann has been researching upper neck injuries in infants and how these can relate to the health of children. He began his research back in the 1960's. In 1987, he published his research highlighting the link between upper neck problems and how they can cause such things as ear infections, colic, torticollis, and many more common childhood problems.
In 1992, addition research on this subject was published by Dr. Biedermann. In combining the research done by these two doctors, you can see that they have studied over 1,000 infants. The studies showed a very high incidence of upper cervical misalignments. This was most commonly caused by birth trauma, such as vacuum extraction, forceps delivery, and even normal birthing when a woman is on her back rather than in a standing position where gravity can help. These are very traumatic experiences for the neck and head of newborn babies.
As a baby, if there is a diagnosis of torticollis, it is very likely that you will grow up with scoliosis. About 25 in every 1,000 people have scoliosis at a 10-degree curvature or more. Many people never even know they have scoliosis until they are diagnosed later in life. Even a curve that falls in the 7, 8, or 9-degree area can have a significant impact on the health of a person. Some people go most of their life without even realizing they have a 10-15 degree curvature of scoliosis.
What does this all mean? Well, if the head is not balanced over the spinal column properly, it can result in postural changes such as tilting of the head and shoulders, uneven hip alignment, and improper leg balance. When this develops in children and infants, it is more likely for them to be diagnosed with scoliosis when they get older.
To correct scoliosis, it is very important to detect the problem as early as possible. It is recommended that all children be assessed after birth and as they grow up to see if they have any misalignments in their upper neck. If any misalignment is discovered, it should be treated immediately. If scoliosis has already reached an advanced state due to not being detected be sooner, the misalignment should still be corrected. Exercises can be given to prevent it from continuing to get worse. If the curvature has been there for an extended period, it will likely not be able to be corrected completely.
If you are concerned that your child may have a curvature in their spine or that he or she has torticollis, it is a great idea to contact an upper cervical chiropractor like Dr. Pete Tsiglieris of Redwood City, California. Dr. Tsiglieris can get your child back on track and feeling better soon.
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/
Another look at Neck SurgeryIn last week's blog, we looked at some of the possible complications that may result from neck surgery. We wanted to make you aware of a few more complications, as well as to make you aware of an alternative to this type of surgery.
If you haven't had a chance to read that blog yet, you should be aware that because the neck is one of the more fragile parts of the body neck surgery comes with a higher risk of complications. Those risks can cause complications that could cause you need to more surgery or could even change the quality of your life for the worse. Let's look at a few more of those complications.
Infection
A risk of any type of surgery is always infection due to exposure to bacteria the body cannot fight. It's very important to treat such a complication right away, as untreated infections could lead to further complications. Though, that means it's important to watch for signs of possible infections, even after the surgery, which can often be seen through weakness in the body or complications walking or talking.
Damage to Nerves
Unfortunately, not only is this a risk that every patient faces, but surgeons are unable to determine which patients are more prone to suffer from nerve damage. Damage to the nerves can lead to more pain after the surgery than was experienced before, and some people experience ongoing tingling and numbing sensations in those areas where the surgery was performed. A second surgery will be in order if nerve damage does occur during neck surgery.
Paralysis
The type of surgery that has the highest risk of causing nerve damage to the spine is cervical spinal fusion surgery. That's because of the location of this type of surgery in relation to the spinal cord. This type of nerve damage can cause more pain, weakness, loss of feeling or sensation, or even paralysis of the arms and legs.
Now, we understand surgery isn't always avoidable, but when it is, there is an alternative that won't come with those high complications. People are just so accustomed to taking the easy way out, but what appears to be the easy way can often come with the most consequences.
The key to recovering from any neck injury is to get to the underlying cause so that the neck can properly heal. Head and neck injuries will frequently lead to misalignments in the upper neck. These misalignments will lead to changes in posture, muscle tone, nerve flow and more. Restoring normal alignment in the upper neck is commonly the first step to truly recovering your health and life.
For that reason, we want to make you aware of a much safer alternative.
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/
Knowing Neck Surgery FactsIf your doctor ever diagnosed you with the narrowing of the blood vessels, severe osteoarthritis, or thyroid problems, then there is a chance they may have also said neck surgery is an option. Yes, it is an option, but just because something is an option doesn't make it the best option or even a good option.
Now, you should be aware that the neck is much more fragile than the shoulder or the knee, as well as many other parts of the body, so performing neck surgery comes with very high risks. It's important to know the risks because complications in neck surgery can change your life. And not for the better!
In order to help you make the best decision for yourself, over the next two weeks we'll look at those risks. We'll also offer an alternative to you, which will allow you to go on living your life risk free and pain free.
Dysfunctional Complications - The loss of sex drive or other sexual problems is a very significant risk of this type of surgery. Dysfunctional problems due to this type of surgery may also lead to complications with one's bladder or bowels.
Medical Complications - There is always the risk of damage to the spinal cord, which may cause blood clots, a heart attack, stroke, or possibly death during surgery.
Abnormal Bleeding - Some people experience excessive or abnormal bleeding after the surgery. A medical transfusion is often administered, so more serious medical complications, including the possibility of death, do not occur.
Of course, you're taking a risk when you take a walk down the street or eat an ice cream cone. Life is full of risks, and there may be times when neck surgery is unavoidable, but that doesn't mean we should take risks we don't need to take. Neck surgery should be a last resort, not an option of convenience.
Luckily, upper cervical chiropractic is a gentle and specific type of chiropractic, meaning there is no cracking or popping of the spine, that offers many people an alternative to such a risky type of surgery. This method focuses on spinal correction and has a very high success rate at offering people relief from neck pain, so they can avoid neck or back surgery.
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/
Neck Surgery RisksNeck surgery is usually considered if the patient has experienced an injury or has other serious health issues that can include narrow blood vessels, thyroid problems or severe osteoarthritis. Neck surgery is a concern when it comes to treating neck pain because there are many fragile structures in the neck that, when damaged, can lead to severe complications. While choosing a highly skilled surgeon is important, the chance of ending up with serious complications is always a risk with neck surgery.
One of the most significant risks facing patients who have neck surgery is the risk of dysfunction's that can include sexual problems (loss of sex drive, etc.) and bladder and bowel problems that cause you to need to go more frequently than you did prior to surgery, or may lead to a loss of control all together.
Medical complications of neck surgery involving the spinal cord include stroke, blood clots, a heart attack, or in some cases even death during surgery.
Excessive bleeding is a risk during neck surgery and in some cases patients also experience abnormal bleeding after they're released from the hospital in which case they need medical care right away. In some cases the doctor will do a transfusion to decrease the chances of a more serious medical problem occurring, including death.
There is a potential danger of getting an infection at the site of the surgery, occurring when bacteria sets in and the body is unable fight it. The dangers brought on by infection will worsen if it's left untreated. A good sign that an infection has set in is when the body feels weak or you have trouble talking or walking.
Nerve damage is a problem that's also associated with neck surgery and there's no way for the surgeon to determine which patients are at greater risk of nerve damage. Nerve damage can cause more pain and in some cases a tingling or numb feeling in the treated area. If nerve damage occurs, the surgeon will need to perform a second surgery in an attempt to fix the problem.
Cervical spinal fusion surgeries have the highest risk of causing spinal nerve damage (because of its proximity to the spinal cord) which can lead to pain, loss of sensation, weakness, loss of feeling and complete paralysis of the legs and arms. This is a risk because the surgeon is in proximity to the spinal cord, which increases the chances of injury to the spinal cord.
Although there may be situations where neck surgery is required, surgery should always be a last resort. Upper cervical chiropractic is a sophisticated procedure that specializes in spinal correction and the procedure has been quite successful at alleviating neck pain and restoring health naturally without the need for neck or back surgery.
The upper cervical chiropractic approach requires no popping, cracking or twisting of the spine is a very gentle and precise technique that very few chiropractors in the world have mastered. If you're dealing with cervical (neck) pain, consider consulting with an experienced chiropractor about upper cervical care; it's a viable option for relieving neck pain.
To find an upper cervical specialist in your area go to www.upcspine.com or if you are in the Redwood City, California area to schedule your 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/
