Sciatica can be an extremely painful lower back condition which can affect a person’s ability to carry out normal daily activates. Sciatic pain occurs when pressure is placed on the sciatic nerve or any of its nerve roots. This is an extensive nerve that branches down both legs. Thus, while pain is often felt in the lower back, it can also radiate through the backside and down one of the legs. Even the foot can be affected with numbness or tingling.

Botox as a Sciatica Treatment Option

Botox is a shortened form of Botulinum toxin. When this substance is injected into a nerve, it can cause it to be numbed or weakened temporarily. Because of this, Botox has been recommended as a means of dulling sciatic pain. While research shows that this may have temporary benefits, little is known about the side effects since this is an off-label use of the product and extensive testing has never been performed.

It is also a very temporary solution that at best can provide relief for a couple of months before another injection is needed. Again, the effects of long-term use are not known.

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

Your Upper Spine and Sciatica

How can sciatica have anything to do with your neck? That’s a good question. It all comes down to posture. A misaligned atlas (C1 vertebra) can result in problems throughout the back. This is because the atlas holds the head in a level position. When the atlas is out of alignment, the whole body compensates to keep the eyes level with the horizon. This is called the righting reflex.

One shoulder may drop followed by the accompanying hip moving out of position. If any of these adjustments to the spine place pressure on the sciatic nerve, the pain can occur in a hip, buttock, and leg even though the initial misalignment was in the upper neck. Correcting the original misalignment can allow the body to heal naturally over time providing lasting relief.

To schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Nitzsche call our Orlando office at 407-578-2225.

A study that was performed in 2010 revealed that for the 113 migraine sufferers who participated in the study, neck pain was actually a more common symptom than nausea which has been considered a common migraine symptom for many years.

There was also a survey that asked 144 migraine patients if they experienced neck pain as well, and three-quarters said yes. More than two-thirds said that they felt tightness in their neck. Three in five stated that the neck pain came on before the migraine began. Just under 1 in 5 experienced a stiff neck.

What does this mean for a person who experiences migraines along with neck pain?

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

Why Migraines and Neck Pain Often Present Together

As an upper cervical chiropractor, I don’t really find these studies surprising. What we have noticed at Orlando Spine Center is that migraines are often connected to an upper cervical misalignment. While such a misalignment does not always cause pain, it does explain why so many migraine sufferers also experience tightness in the neck, sometimes even as a precursor to the head pain.

Consider the testimonial of one of our patients who had been experiencing headaches for 15 years. Not only has treatment helped her headaches, but it has improved the mobility of her neck and her ability to walk without a limp.

A Natural Alternative to Medication

Before you take your next painkiller, why not see if upper cervical care can relieve your migraines long-term rather than just covering up the pain until the next attack sneaks up on you. At Orlando Spine Center, we use the NUCCA technique to identify and correct misalignments that could potentially cause migraines. Many patients find that their symptoms and the frequency of migraines are reduced, and some see complete resolution of the problem. We hope to create the same results for you.

To schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Nitzsche call our Orlando office at 407-578-2225.

The (Not So) Surprising Link Between TMJ Disorders & Neck Tension

TMJ disorders are a range of conditions that affect the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). This joint is responsible for chewing, speaking, and basically everything else you do with your mouth since it connects the jaw to the rest of the head. So why is neck pain a common symptom for those who deal with TMJ disorders? The answer may surprise you.

The fact is that a misalignment in the neck could actually be the underlying cause of TMJ pain. It, therefore, makes sense for the conditions to regularly present together. However, since an upper cervical misalignment does not necessarily result in neck pain, you may still benefit from an adjustment. How can you know if your TMJ pain is being caused by a problem in the neck?

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

Upper Cervical Chiropractic and TMJ Disorders

The best way is to seek an examination by an upper cervical chiropractor. This involves a detailed patient history. Especially important is any head or neck trauma regardless of how minor or how long ago the accident or injury occurred. Then x-rays can pinpoint a precise location and degree of misalignment, and a customized plan of action can be formulated.
Unlike general chiropractic which involves popping and twisting, the NUCCA technique is extremely gentle. Because of this, benefits are long lasting as adjustments are performed “under the radar” which prevents the body from resisting the realignment. Because of this, the adjustment lasts longer, and the benefits are long-lasting as well. It also means lower cost of care for the patient, less discomfort (if any) following an adjustment, and better accuracy. NUCCA adjustments are extremely accurate because the process is more precise than general chiropractic.

If you suffer from a TMJ disorder, the problem could be a misalignment in your neck that is causing a shift in facial tissue around the joint. Come down to Orlando Spine Center to seek out natural relief.

To schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Nitzsche call our Orlando office at 407-578-2225.

Vertigo is the sensation that the room is spinning. Many simply use the term dizziness as a blanket term that includes vertigo. Vertigo is a vestibular condition that springs either from dysfunction in the inner ear or in the parts of the central nervous system (CNS) that interpret the body’s signals about its position. When the problem springs from the CNS, this is referred to as central vertigo.

The Most Common Type of Vertigo

The most common type of vertigo is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, sometimes shortened to positional vertigo. Positional vertigo often seems to arise spontaneously. It is considered an idiopathic condition which just means that there is no single cause understood to be at the source of all vertigo cases. Vertigo is often caused by conditions such as an ear infection. Many find that vertigo becomes a problem after head or neck trauma.

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

Positional vertigo means that the spinning is brought on by certain head movements or neck positions. Often a person will experience the vertigo first thing in the morning when sitting up in bed. More severe vertigo attacks may cause a person to fall down. These are referred to as drop attacks.

Natural Treatment for Vertigo

One thing researchers have noted about vertigo is that it is often tied to reduced blood flow to the brain. This can be caused by an atlas (C1 vertebra) misalignment. An atlas misalignment can also put pressure on the brainstem, thus affecting communication in the body. The result can be confused signals about the position of the body in space, thereby causing everything to feel like it is spinning.

When an atlas misalignment is at the heart of a vertigo problem, the condition may improve or resolve once the alignment is corrected. At Orlando Spine Center, we use the NUCCA technique to diagnose and correct upper cervical misalignments.
To schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Nitzsche call our Orlando office at 407-578-2225.

Female migraine sufferers may find their symptoms get worse during a surprising time – approaching menopause. Chronic migraines are more frequent in the perimenopausal period (between ages 42-47). Migraine frequency may increase to 10+ episodes per month! (1)

Fluctuating hormones (estrogen and progesterone) are partially to blame; however, some researchers think that the overuse of medication for pain may be a contributing factor to increased migraine frequency. (2) Traditional treatment for these hormonal fluctuations includes contraceptive medication or estrogen patches. While these options may provide some relief, they do not address the cause of the migraines.

How does my neck cause my migraines?

Your spine is responsible for protecting your spinal cord. Your spinal cord is responsible for sending messages to and from your brain. When the top bone in your spine (atlas) misaligns, this creates pressure within your spinal cord. This pressure causes the messages going to and from your brain to be distorted. This may lead to migraine symptoms, such as head or facial pain and muscle spasm.

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

I hold the highest certification in NUCCA, a chiropractic technique that is designed to gently realign the atlas vertebra. NUCCA is incredibly precise – this allows for no popping or twisting of the neck. Through realignment of the atlas, tension on the spinal cord is reduced. This allows for proper signals to travel to and from the brain. Having proper signals may lead to reduced migraine symptoms.

Verderame et al. reported a case of a 75-year-old woman with chronic migraine headaches since she was a teenager. She initially utilized pain medication and anti-inflammatories to manage her symptoms and only saw a slight reduction in her headache severity. After experiencing atlas corrections over the course of 5 months, her migraine severity decreased from 8/10 initially to a 3/10. Her medical doctor stated that her migraine duration and frequency also decreased. (3)

Resources

1. Doyle K. Migraines may worsen before menopause [Internet]. Reuters. 2016 [cited 15 February 2016]. Available from: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-menopause-migraines-idUSKCN0V42N6

2. Venosa A. Migraines Get Worse As Women Approach Menopause [Internet]. Medical Daily. 2016 [cited 15 February 2016]. Available from: http://www.medicaldaily.com/migraine-headaches-menopause-perimenopause-370610

               3. Verderame J, Hollowell J. Cone-beam Computerized Tomography for the Bio-                      mechanical Assessment of the Occipito-atlanto-axial Articulation in a 75-year-                        old Woman with Migraines Undergoing Blair Technique. J Upper Cerv Chiro                          Res [Internet]. 2013 [cited 15 February 2016];2013(July):60-64. Available from:                    http://www.mccoypress.net/juccr/docs/2013-1255_migraines.pdf

To schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Nitzsche call our Orlando office at 407-578-2225. You can also click the button below.