What Are Seizures?
Seizures result as an abnormal change in electrical activity of the brain, which can cause noticeable symptoms or sometimes very mild symptoms. The most common symptoms of seizures which are widely recognized include loss of control of the body and violent shaking. However, seizures of a mild nature can also serve as a warning sign of a health problem. Seizures occur because of a rapid firing of neurons in the brain which release a series of electrical impulses simultaneously in error. This causes the signals to jump around abnormally to other areas of the brain, triggering malfunction in different areas of the body, by misfiring nerves. This rapid firing overwhelms the brain and results in seizure symptoms, which is to say things simply a form of brain malfunction. There are several different types of seizures but the bottom line is which cells are firing and what area of the brain is involved will determine the type of seizure clinically. A seizure can be a an alteration in behavior, consciousness, sensation, and/or movement.
The next step in understanding seizure disorder is determining what level of brain stimulation will trigger the symptoms?
Neck Injuries and Seizure Disorder
Neck injuries can result in the development of many different physical problems, especially physical problems that may seem bizarre or unexplained. This is due to anatomical variations in bone structure, muscles, ligaments, and anatomical variations in the brainstem, as well as arterial patterns in and out of the head. Mix all these variables together and you discover a percentage of people with a previous injury to the neck that will develop seizure disorder.
Research has linked seizures to previous neck injuries, particularly neck injuries located at the top of the neck, between the two main neck bones known as the Atlas and Axis (aka the upper cervical spine). Injuries in the neck cause these two bones to become misaligned, which results in pressure on the brain stem and disruption to normal blood flow to the brain. The brain stem acts as the switch board operator between the brain and the body, and is also responsible for guiding and coordination communication within the brain.
Having a misaligned Atlas or Axis can affect you in two ways:
1. Your brain and body will not be able to coordinate adequately.
2. As a side effect your body’s center of gravity will become altered, creating abnormal curvature in the spine to compensate head movements with body movements. This can and commonly does result in neck pain, headaches, shoulder pain, and back pain as additional side effects.
We find it quite interesting that in some severe seizure cases the patients face, and lips can turn blue. This makes it completely obvious that there is a blood supply issue occurring, choking off the blood supply in and out of the head. The varying degrees of blockage in the blood supply through the upper neck correlate clinically with severity of symptoms.
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 Chiropractic Care: How it can help!
Upper Cervical care is designed to locate and correct misalignments of Atlas or Axis in the Upper Cervical spine. This is achieved through a procedure carefully designed to 1. determine if there is a problem at the base of the brain and 2. Very detailed x-rays of the upper neck to determine if there is in fact a misalignment causing a problem.
Even though it is unknown if ALL seizures are due to neck injuries. It is of note that if the blood supply is compromised in and out of the head it can result in seizures in people that are predisposed. Medical research has suggested that the cause for seizures is primarily a traumatic injury to the head or neck, such as a concussion. Concussion’s are much more common than people realize, with competitive sports, motor vehicle accidents and recreational activities topping the list of most common injuries to the head and neck. It is also important to note that concussions are grossly under reported as many people do not seek care for these types of injuries. According to the CDC (center for disease control) most concussions don’t necessarily result in a loss of consciousness.
Please keep in mind that seizures are a neurological disorder that very commonly occur due to head and neck trauma left untreated. Upper cervical chiropractic care is designed to detect and correct spinal injuries that can result in seizure symptoms especially if there is a history of head or neck injury.
To learn more about spotting a concussion visit the CDC website (click here).
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