I believe a car accident as a young person may have contributed to the MS. I have been going to chiropractic for many years to have my neck and back "cracked". I researched Upper Cervical Chiropractic and the process made sense to me. Instead of being adjusted just for the pain to come back later, it made sense to see if my C-1 (Atlas) vertebra was out of alignment, which would cause the continual mis-alignment of the rest of the spine. Sure enough, my Atlas was tweaked. My head was leaning to the left. After the first quiet, pain free adjustment, I felt a total body relaxation. Then a few days later, my right foot was laying flat on the floor when I was standing, which is an improvement. I feel positive about this process and look forward to years of feeling better.
I was also in a car accident when I was 23 in which I broke the windshield of a VW with my head (before seat belts) causing a concussion. For years after the accident I would have left foot drop when walking long distances but just assumed it was a latent side affect of the accident. Fifteen years later following a bout with the flu, foot drag turned into a limp and years of trying to figure out what the heck was going on. In my mind I still thought back to the accident until finally after years of chiropractic I had the fateful telling of the MRI and thought to myself that it wasn't the accident after all. Well now, Upper Cervical Care points right back to the accident. After three months of diligent visits my neck is "holding" in place, my entire spine has re-adjusted to where I have no discomfort anywhere and I am back at the gym to strengthen the new me. To be at this place after a few months is so encouraging that I'm sure things can only get better with time. Outside of exercise, this is the first thing I have done where improvement can actually be measured and noticeable!
I’d like to encourage other MS patients to look into upper cervical chiropractic. Therefore, I’m going to post some comments I’ve taken from the website of Dr. Erin Elster, DC. Her address is “erinelster.com”. The following quotes are from three MS patients. There are many more testimonials available. Later on, if I’m not too lazy, I’ll discuss my experiences since being treated by Dr. Kevin Smith, DC, at the Upper Cervical Health Center of Redding, 2815 Bechelli Lane, in the Mission Square Plaza, 530 222-5799.
I’ll post these in installments so they’ll fit as comments.
Female, age 35, MS, Testimonial: "In November 2002, I was diagnosed with MS. Within 4 days I went from being very active (just competed in the '24 hours of Moab' mountain biking race) to being partially paralyzed on my right side and not being able to keep a thought in my head. I started seeing Dr. Elster two weeks after being diagnosed and she discovered an injury in my upper neck. Keeping a journal I noticed that when my cervical vertebra was out of alignment, my MS symptoms would get worse (even with the MS meds) but when the vertebra was in postion, I would recover. Five years later I am working full time, using both sides of the body, without MS meds and am doing great. With Dr. Elster’s care I have been able to regain my life back without being on long term medical care. A huge thank you to Dr. Elster and her quest for a better way of life. " ~ Marybeth I., age 35, Boulder, CO
This 30-year-old female was diagnosed with MS two years prior to seeking help from upper cervical care. Her diagnosis had been given after multiple episodes of optic neuritis, fatigue, tingling in her extremities, foot drop, and loss of bladder control. At the time of her initial evaluation, her main symptoms included pain, stiffness, and weakness in her right hip, pelvis, and leg; bladder hesitancy; fatigue; blurred vision; tightness in her neck and shoulders; trouble sleeping; and inability to walk without a cane.
During her initial evaluation, an upper cervical injury was found. She recalled several different possibilities for the injury including a childhood fall that resulted in concussion, her birth via forceps, and an episode of heavy lifting that strained her spine. During the first month of care, she reported sleeping better; feeling more energetic; walking better; less blurred vision; more relaxed shoulders and neck; more relaxed right leg; and feeling clearer headed. By the second month, her symptoms continued to improve and she was able to walk without the cane.
"I spent this past Christmas in a rural log cabin, nestled in the foothills of Montana’s foothills to the Rocky Mountains. For a week, I spent my days snowshoeing and cross-country skiing and reveling in the majesty of winter. This might seem somewhat typical of holiday vacations, especially for someone like me in their early thirties. My contemporaries are highly physically active, running, biking and skiing. However, my activity this winter has been nothing short of miraculous. Six years ago I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. I was given a bleak dictate at the time, and was advised that my expectations for continued physical activity should be low. At the time I was experiencing numbness and tingling in my lower body. Suffice it to say, I was terrified and angry. Yet something inside of me told me not to give up.
“I reflected on the history of my health. In my youth I was optimistic and physical, with only minor childhood maladies. At age 21, I was in a dramatic plane crash. I survived without a visible scratch but did not receive any physical evaluation. As the years progressed, I developed first neck pain, then back pain, then food sensitivities, then anxiety, then dizziness and finally numbness and tingling. Since the onset of symptoms was gradual (over a period of 5-7 years), neither I nor any of my doctors made a connection between the plane accident and my symptoms. I took antidepressants for depression and underwent intensive surgery in my inner ear to try and treat my dizziness. For several years I tried countless non-traditional healing modalities, since I was unwilling to take pharmaceuticals. I tried acupuncture and naturopathy, spiritual healing and Reiki, Blood Type and macrobiotic diets. Each yielded temporary relief to my symptoms, but none resulted in significant change.
“After several years of searching, I was referred to Dr. Erin Elster in Boulder by a mutual acquaintance. I read her website, and was immediately compelled by her articles describing her success with MS patients. Initially though, I balked. Living in the Pacific Northwest, it was costly and cumbersome for me to seek treatment from a docto 1500 miles away. I had visited several chiropractors over the years for my back pain, but the adjustments never held. After a history of failed attempts at improving my health, I was afraid that Dr. Elster’s treatment would not yield the success it had for other patients. Ultimately, it was Dr. Elster’s confidence and her track record in treating her patients that gave me the confidence to take the risk.
“When I arrived at Dr. Elster’s office, I got to see first hand what sets her treatment apart from others. She is trained in an advanced, rare procedure only practiced by specially trained chiropractors. In addition to standard x-ray diagnostics, she used a highly sophisticated scanning device, which enables her to determine if a bone in the neck is out of alignment. Dr. Elster showed me the first hard evidence that I had seen in my entire process of seeking care. A bone in my neck was clearly out of place, which was the culprit for the numerous physiological and neurological problems I had been experiencing. Moments later, Dr. Elster performed my first adjustment. Frightened at first by the idea of someone shifting the bones in my neck, the feeling that ensued can only be described as euphoric. It was as if all of the feeling and sensation that had been blocked for the past 10 years had been allowed to flow once again. I was moved to tears and grateful beyond words. Over time, feeling has been restored to numb and tingly places in my body. I went from relative sedentariness to swimming, then biking, then hiking and now skiing! Dr. Elster refuses to allow me to regard her as a miracle worker, but from my point of view, she is a life-saver. Because of her work, I have a new lease on life, I am gradually getting in better shape and I exercise frequently. More importantly, I have regained my sense of vitality and am now pursuing a graduate degree. I can only hope that more practitioners will be willing to pursue Dr. Elster’s training and many more people can be helped with this miraculous technique. " ~ Zoe K., age 30, Portland, OR
I think it's awesome that many MS patients are having good results from upper cervical care, but I'm a little confused. I've been to chiropractors before and it doesn't seem like anything new to me since years ago they were checking me for c-1/atlas abnormalities. My neck has always been messed up and like most of the spine there is memory so once I stop going it typically goes back to where it wants to be so it can be very costly to keep up with. Also, as we all know, MS patients can get better on their own some times, so it's hard to prove that a particular treatment is the reason for any improvement. I guess I just would like to know if this particular treatment is THE thing that we could count on, why aren't the MS associations or news organizations writing about it? Why is the only information being written being put out by the chiropractic organizations? I know that some think there is a conspiracy of traditional medicine keeping chiropractic down, but I'm also sure that chiropractic would love to get a bit of the huge business that MS has become. I guess I won't know until I try it myself. The results sound promising, and I'm willing to try but my neurologists have always been concerned about manipulating my spine since that is where my lesions are. I am also worried about the expense of frequent visits...at least it doesn't involve bee stings, and an awful lot of people swore by those, too!! lol Best of luck, Sara
Sara - The Upper Cervical Treatments make so much sense to me. If the Atlas is aligned, the rest of the spine stays in line. No more cracking the spine. I used to go to a regular chiro. for adjustments, just for them to later go back out. Why not just keep the Atlas aligned? You say your neck has been messed up, there ya go! Dr. Smith orders an x-ray before he touches your neck. He shows you where it is misaligned. Yes, it's pricey, but so are MEDICATIONS that add to your list of symptoms. I believe the reason you only read about the great results of this treatment from chiropractors, is the medical profession wants your $$$$$. They listen to drug reps. and treat your symptoms and not the CAUSE. Why not put your money where it treats the possible cause? The medical industry will NOT spend money to do studies on something they can't patent. The pharma industry doesn't want you to be healthy, you wouldn't buy their drugs. Makes sense to me!
I'd like to add some comments which I'll do with several installments so they'll fit.
I don’t remember hearing much about upper cervical chiropractic until I read about it on the Hope 4 MS website. I followed the link provided and started reading the testimonies of MS patients who tried this procedure. It sounded to me like a neck injury which causes an impingement on the brain stem could certainly have neurological consequences.
In 1986 I was diagnosed with those dreaded initials, “MS.” Like many of you I tried a lot of different therapies. I had all the old fillings removed from my teeth to rule out mercury poisoning, but I didn’t notice any changes in my health.
I tried acupuncture—which helped my dizziness and nausea, but didn’t improve my coordination. I tried homeopathy, over a year of bee stings, chiropractic, copaxone, vitamin therapy, diet changes, etc., however, I didn’t notice any improvements.
Thus, I arrived at a point where I pretty much don’t get my hopes up anymore. Still, I wanted to try the upper cervical because some of the testimonies I read sounded like deja vu all over again.
Back in the olden days of 1968 I was playing high school football. I made a tackle which jammed my neck down, in and off to the right at the same time. I was out for the rest of the game. However, I didn’t miss any more games after that. I also didn’t see a physician because I’m a bonehead who assumed the injury would heal on its own. It seemed to, but I developed a chronic pain in the neck.
It seemed like a piece of glass was lodged up under my skull on the back, right side of my neck. On a scale from one to ten the pain was probably only around 2 or 3, but it never let off. I tried various remedies, including chiropractic and acupuncture, but the neck pain persisted. It also seemed to be connected to a slight numbness and tingling in my right hand and foot.
Fast forward to around 1985: There were various symptoms I wasn’t picking up on yet. However, one morning as I walked down the hallway I lost my balance—twice—and bumped off the wall on my right side. Then, later, when I reached for the milk to pour on my Sugar Pops my right hand made a zigzag movement instead of a straight grab.
Finally, in 1986, after a long battery of tests, procedures, and a claustrophobic ride in an MRI the MD said I had MS. I’ll try not to make an exhaustive laundry list of my symptoms, but the right side of my body has slowed down and become less coordinated. I lost the fine motor skills in my right hand and had to learn to write left handed. I’m prone to dizziness and car sickness. My balance is screwed up, I have foot drop, and I dance worse than Frankenstein’s monster. Plus, until recently, my damn neck always hurt.
My MS symptoms were called chronic progressive and gradually got worse. However, after reading about upper cervical chiropractic I made an appointment to see Dr. Kevin Smith, DC, at the Upper Cervical Health Center of Redding, 2815 Bechelli Lane, in the Mission Square, 530 222-5799.
Fast forward to first treatment: Dr. Smith diagnosed a misalignment in the Atlas bone as a major detriment to my health and happiness. I won’t try to describe the procedure here other than to say that Dr. Smith readjusted my neck with a very brief and slight movement. But instantly, it felt like a piece of glass had been pulled from the area and the pain stopped.
As I write this now I can identify with another upper cervical patient quoted in an earlier posting. She described her initial reaction to her first treatment this way:
“Frightened at first by the idea of someone shifting the bones in my neck, the feeling that ensued can only be described as euphoric. It was as if all of the feeling and sensation that had been blocked for the past 10 years had been allowed to flow once again.”
While I pretend to be way too macho to be frightened by a mere chiropractor the feeling that ensued for me can also be described as “euphoric.” Euphoria is defined in my Webster’s dictionary as “a feeling of well-being...an abnormal feeling of buoyant vigor and health.” I don’t know if it was “abnormal,” but it was pretty groovy. I just wish I had my first treatment right after my injury instead of waiting 40 years.
Also, for the first time since my injury it felt like my head was finally on straight. Always before it seemed slightly tilted. Now my fat head was centered again on my pencil neck. But I also began to notice how twisted and tilted my body had become to compensate for the Atlas misalignment. Dr. Smith suggested it may take some time for my body to get back in the groove.
Since I’m a typical, cynical MS patient, at first I wondered if maybe my wishful thinking was giving me the old placebo effect. My first adjustment was in Feb. 2008 and today is May 21, 2008. So it’s way too early to write a thorough testimonial. However, I’ll try to objectively list what I think are some factual improvements in various symptoms. I also want to point out that my physical decline has been going on a long time. Plus, I’m an old fart now and don’t bounce back physically like a young whippersnapper anymore.
At this point I think it’s fair to say that my chronic neck pain was healed by that first adjustment from Dr. Smith. While there’s been occasional muscle soreness and sometimes what I call a residual or phantom sense of pain, the piece of glass sensation has never returned. This is a major plus for me. That chronic pain often resulted in tension and headaches. I developed a habit of trying to “crack” or twist my own neck to alleviate the twinges. It never worked. I think I’m probably free from that now.
Since my head and neck are apparently more balanced my posture has improved. Several impartial witnesses have noticed this. The feeling of “having my head on straight” also seems to help my sense of overall balance. I find I’m not shifting around as much when seated to get comfortable. I don’t feel quite as clumsy when I climb on a step stool or ladder.
Before, when I would work out with weights at the gym, I’d feel like I was sitting crooked in the machine because the right side of my body always seemed slightly twisted or turned. I’d have to look to insure I was seated or standing in a balanced position. Now I seem to “fit” more naturally in weight machines, cars, chairs, etc.
The following statements will be fairly subjective and I’ll just list them without much explanation:
1. I feel like my overall coordination has improved slightly as a result of these treatments.
2. Along with my chronic neck pain I had developed regular lower back pain as well. Up until about one year ago I was able to jog for exercise. I find that once I get my speed up a little my right leg doesn’t cause such a big problem as when I try to walk. I think it might be like the difference between riding a bicycle very slowly or getting up some speed. Anyway, I finally quit jogging because afterwards I’d find it really hurt my lower back and knees. I figured it was because my left leg was doing too much work and my right leg was hitting the ground too hard.
However, with the upper cervical treatments my back pain has also greatly decreased. In fact, I’ve been able to jog several times now without resulting back and knee pain. I can also use a weed whacker on our hillside without causing major back pain like it did last year.
3. My blood pressure has gone from too high to OK. Dr. Smith said this is a fairly common experience.
These are the main benefits I think I can objectively claim at this time. I don’t want to give anyone false hopes. If I ever start walking around normally again then I’ll feel like I’m in a real MS remission. But as far as I can tell this is the first improvement I’ve seen in some of my symptoms in over 20 years.
Hi everybody - I'd like to thank everyone for the feedback they've provided and answer a few questions. Q: I've been to chiropractors before and it doesn't seem like anything new to me since years ago they were checking me for c-1/atlas abnormalities. A: This would be akin to going to a general practitioner vs a neurologist for suspected MS symptoms. Different areas of expertise. The analysis of the UC doc is far more detailed. I am looking for misalignments as small as a quarter of a millimeter. Q: My neck has always been messed up and like most of the spine there is memory so once I stop going it typically goes back to where it wants to be A: I would suggest that it is because your atlas was not addressed correctly, the rest of the spine is still compensating, when the skull relates to the spine correctly, the muscles under control of the reticular formation relax and the spine untorques. Q: MS patients can get better on their own some times, so it's hard to prove that a particular treatment is the reason for any improvement A: When I adjust some one and before they get off the table, they report that they are regaining feeling in an extremity, it is compelling. However, that is anecdotal reporting, http://erinelster.com/ConditionsDetail.aspx?ConditionID=17, provides peer reviewed references for UC and MS. I can provide many others as well. Q: I guess I just would like to know if this particular treatment is THE thing that we could count on, why aren't the MS associations or news organizations writing about it? A: Good question..... Q: I know that some think there is a conspiracy of traditional medicine keeping chiropractic down... A: Yes, and that is not just my opinion, the Illinois Supreme Court thought so also, re: Wilkes Case., an anti trust case.
I can provide research in just about any area regarding Upper Cervical. Please feel free to ask.
Forgive me - I forgot an interesting piece of evidence. In a case study published by Dr. Erin Elster, she writes that on MRI's following Upper Cervical intervention, the patients CNS lesions (characteristic of MS) showed; 1) no new progression and 2) regression in the signal intensity (appeared to be getting smaller). http://www.erinelster.com/files/jvsr%20ms%20article.pdf The same paper lists 87 references that support the theory that MS has its roots in trauma and spinal dysfunction. And very few of the research references cited are chiropractic in nature.
I live in Mt. Shasta. It used to be nice to come down on cool days to Redding....now with gas prices and not working....just thinking about it feels like I have spent money!
Unfortunately, our upper cervical doctor was unable to make a go of it in Redding and had to close the doors to his office. I understand there are other chiropractors available, but it still seems like a loss for our MS patients.
However, I thought it might be helpful to suggest another therapy at this point. We’ve probably all seen the TV commercials about inversion therapy. You know, where you hang upside down in an odd contraption and decompress your spine.
You can check out the pros and cons on your own, but I’ve been doing this for over 15 years with no ill effects, that I can detect, so far. I first started this while working as a patrol cop. We had a small gym at our station and I used it after the graveyard shift. One day I discovered someone had donate an inversion device and decided to try it out.
After a 10-hour tour of duty in a police car, weighed down by a utility belt, gun, ammo, pepper spray, and a baton, it was nice to relax upside down and let gravity do its thing. I soon purchased my own device and have been using regularly ever since.
I think the inversion has helped keep my neck and spine in better alignment. Especially, after the upper cervical doctor got my injuries squared away. Anyway, it might be a way for MS patients to improve their quality of life.