Atlas displacement and venous insufficiency: a case for some types of MS
Atlas displacement and venous insufficiency: a case of MS
Many people who knew me when I was in my previous practice knew that I worked with many people with chronic neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. People always thought they would see a patient with those problems because most people associate chiropractic strictly with back and neck pain. Why would someone who has MS see a chiropractor?
The truth is that these conditions are incurable, and while they may not lead to premature death, they have a devastating impact on a person’s quality of life. They can take away your ability to exercise, write, type, and play music. They can even take away your sense of sight or the ability to simply go for a walk. Just like anyone else, these patients are looking for something, anything that can help them make their lives a little better, even if they have to look outside the standard medical box.
One of the reasons I switched from a traditional chiropractic approach to one that focuses on the upper neck is because I saw the dramatic impact the head and neck had on a person’s overall health. When I was training and learning from other doctors, I saw numerous patients walk into the office with canes and wheelchairs and walk out after precise structural correction. I knew this was the job I wanted to learn and master.
Turn the clocks forward to 2014 and I have had the pleasure and honor of helping dozens of patients with Parkinson’s, MS, and post-concussion syndrome. I even had the opportunity to publish 2 studies on the effects that the Atlas Displacement correction had on a Parkinson’s patient and an MS patient.
I am in no way saying that this is a cure or a specific treatment for these conditions. I’m also not saying that everyone gets better; I have certainly dealt with a handful of people who saw no change at all. But as someone who wants to learn and master effective ways to help people who believe they can’t be helped, it’s imperative that we understand how and why these people came to have these devastating conditions.
The head, the neck and… the veins?
In 2008, an Italian surgeon did something that caused the world to start thinking differently about MS and the brain. Dr. Paolo Zamboni began to study a correlation between multiple sclerosis and venous blockages in the neck. His studies focused mainly on the great jugular veins. When veins become clogged, it creates a buildup of old venous blood and metabolic waste that can increase back pressure in the brain. In a small sample of MS patients he treated, many MS patients showed no symptoms or substantially improved.
The condition he identified is known as Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency, or CCSVI for short. While there is no shortage of skepticism and controversy surrounding the theory, the one thing that is certain is that it has caught the world’s attention.
For chiropractors, specifically those who focus on the upper cervical spine, this theory can be a beautiful explanation of how we impact the lives of these patients. But instead of affecting the larger jugular vein, the structure of the neck can affect the smaller veins within the skull.
When the structural alignment of the head and neck is lost, it can affect the small veins within the head that are responsible for draining used blood from the nervous system. When this old blood slows down and backs up due to chronic misalignment, then the old blood and cerebrospinal fluid can begin to damage these sensitive nerve cells.
In many ways, many of the chronic degenerative neurological diseases have characteristics similar to those of people with traumatic brain injuries, which is why both MS and TBI need much additional study.
Not all cases are the same
I have seen people improve their numb hands and feet, walk better without canes, or in cases of terrible fatigue begin to regain energy. Often times, these people experienced some type of trauma or fall months or even years before symptoms began. Many times, these accidents or traumas occurred without the presence of pain. The truth is that Atlas Displacement Complex can occur without signs of symptoms for years.
However, this does not mean that all cases of MS are related to this problem. There are many patients who can correct this and have no improvement in their MS symptoms. MS is a very complex disease, where even 2 people with MS can experience it very differently.
Regardless of whether or not someone has MS, if you suspect they have an Atlas problem, new research shows that correcting the Atlas may play a role in preventing chronic damage to our powerful brains.