Meniere’s disease got its name after a French physician proposed a theory about how the bouts of vertigo attacks, tinnitus (ringing in the ear), and loss of hearing had their origins in the inner ear rather than from the brain, which was the current belief at that time.  This was in 1861, and many theories have been proposed since then in an attempt to understand what may be causing this triad of symptoms.  These theories include viral infection, autoimmune reaction, genetic connections, circulation problems, or allergies.

While Meniere’s disease is still poorly understood, it is generally agreed that there is excess fluid called endolymph that builds in the inner ear.  Because of a lack of understanding of the disease, treatment options are limited and typically just address symptoms rather than looking for the actual cause.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and vertigo, download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.

A possible explanation for this fluid buildup lies in a very specific type of misalignment that occurs at the top vertebrae of the neck.  The atlas and axis vertebra protect the brainstem. However, when they shift out of alignment due to an injury or wear and tear, brainstem function can be compromised.  Since the brainstem relays messages travelling between the brain and body, when an atlas misalignment is present, these messages become distorted, and this can lead to conditions that allow for the development of Meniere’s disease symptoms.

Upper cervical chiropractic care can be a natural means of finding relief that is not merely temporary.  At Crowder Specific Chiropractic, we take great care to understand our patients’ issues and get to the underlying cause.  The adjustments are customized to meet each patient’s needs and are gentle and specific.  By restoring normal alignment, the body’s own recuperative abilities are optimized.

References:

http://vestibular.org/menieres-disease

To schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Crowder, call our McKinney office at 972-449-5845. 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.

Relieving Fibromyalgia at Its Source

While some might jest that fibromyalgia is all in the head of the sufferer, the truth is more likely that it is in a person’s neck. How can this be the case? When the C1 and C2 vertebrae, the top two in the neck, are misaligned, many chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia can result.

While some may question the idea that a misalignment can cause a full-body condition, the proof is in the fact that upper cervical chiropractors are having success in relieving patients with fibromyalgia. When the C1 and C2 are out of alignment, vital fluids such as blood and cerebrospinal fluid cannot flow freely. This slows communication between the brain and the rest of the body. As a result, chronic conditions that cause pain and other symptoms occur.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and chronic neck pain, download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.

Upper Cervical: The Gentle Solution

When you hear the word chiropractic, you may immediately imagine the popping and twisting of the body involved in general chiropractic. Upper cervical adjustments are far more gentle and are nothing like the chiropractic you are used to. So there is no need to worry that your pain will be increased by rough relief.

Fibromyalgia is characterized by pain, sleepless nights, mood swings, irritability, and many other symptoms that threaten to wrestle away control of your day-to-day existence. Chronic health conditions can even affect your dearest relationships. At Crowder Specific Chiropractic we strive to give you control back over what you choose to do with each day.

Upper cervical chiropractic is a natural alternative to trying to control your symptoms with medications that have many harmful side effects. If you are ready to experience a natural way to relieve the pain of fibromyalgia, come on in and see us.

To schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Crowder, call our McKinney office at 972-449-5845. 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.

A concussion is a traumatic injury to the brain that changes the brain’s ability to function.  Even an injury perceived as mild, such as a fender bender, has the ability to cause a concussion.  Usually, the aftereffects are temporary and include headaches, memory problems, and difficulty with concentration, coordination, and balance.  Much of the time, we hear about concussions as they relate to sports injuries, and that is certainly a legitimate concern.

A recent research study has shown a possible correlation between hormone levels and a person’s level of recovery.  Preliminary results show that information gathered from blood testing could gauge the degree of the injury and perhaps estimate the amount of time necessary to recover.  The information gathered from this study is being looked at as a first step in the process of developing a means to determine objectively when an athlete is fit to return to play after sustaining a traumatic head injury.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and chronic neck pain, download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.

There are instances when concussion symptoms linger on long past the point when they should have dissipated.  This is a condition known as post-concussion syndrome.  For an injury to have been traumatic enough to cause a concussion, damage to the neck should be explored as a possibility as well.  The vertebrae that sit just beneath the skull are especially prone to misalignment because of their unique shape and biomechanics.  Concussion patients, especially those with lingering symptoms, must have misalignments in this area corrected in order to heal.

We see many patients in our offices after a head injury, and we are able to help them safely, gently, and naturally.  Rather than just medicating the individual symptoms, upper cervical chiropractic identifies the root cause of the issue and works towards correcting it through specifically applied adjustments.  By restoring the alignment of these vertebrae to normal, it also allows for normal blood flow, cerebrospinal fluid flow, and neurological function to return.

References:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/concussion/basics/definition/con-20019272

https://www.shu.edu/news/potential-hormonal-marker-for-concussion.cfm

To schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Crowder, call our McKinney office at 972-449-5845. 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.

For Meniere’s disease sufferers, an attack can disrupt your day when you may least expect it.  The sensation of spinning (vertigo), fluctuating hearing loss, and tinnitus (ringing in the ear) can come on without warning and last up to several hours.

It is often recommended that people with Meniere’s disease modify their diet to reduce their sodium intake.  Because Meniere’s disease affects the fluid-filled structures that are concerned with hearing and balance in the inner ear, the idea is to avoid any foods that may cause excess fluid retention in the body.  Under normal conditions, the fluid in the inner ear, known as endolymph, should not fluctuate with changes in the body’s fluid balance.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and vertigo, download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.

Although problems with the inner ear and issues with the neck don’t appear to be immediately related, the fact is that a particular misalignment of the uppermost vertebra in the spine can create the conditions that may lead to the development of Meniere’s.  When the top bone in the neck, the atlas, is misaligned, it puts pressure on the brainstem and spinal cord.  The messages that travel over this pathway carry information to the brain about your body’s sense of balance.  When these messages become distorted due to a misalignment of the atlas, Meniere’s symptoms such as vertigo may develop.

In a study done with 139 patients with Meniere’s disease who received the same type of care given by upper cervical chiropractor, Dr. Terry Crowder, all but three experienced a marked reduction in their symptoms, especially nausea and vertigo.  Dr. Crowder is able to determine if this specific type of misalignment can be the root cause of your Meniere’s symptoms, and work towards gently correcting the spinal alignment to restore normal function.  Discussing this possibility with Dr. Crowder can be the first step in finding lasting, drug-free relief.

References:

http://vestibular.org/understanding-vestibular-disorders/treatment/vestibular-diet

To schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Crowder, call our McKinney office at 972-449-5845. 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.