C1 Adjustment

[joshua217777]

Question.  Head pressure, dizziness, tightness and numbness in face and neck, tinnitus, stiff jaw muscles.  Right side of body weighs 18 lbs more then left side.  Right shoulder slightly higher then left shoulder.  Squeeking and crackling noises right underneath skull.  When I feel these I can move my head however I want to.  When I feel good, it wont let me for some reason.  Laying down relieves the pressure.  Pulling my shoulders down real hard relieves the pressure as well, letting go pressure comes right back instantly.  Is this a C1 or C2 subluxation problem and can it compress the spinal nerve and cause these.  Can C1 and C2 cause TMJ problems as well.  What can I do to get it fixed.  Physical Therapy, Deep Massage Therapy on neck, Neck excercises, different pillows, improving posture has not worked.  Started the day I went to a chiro in Feb for torticollis and had me hold a probably 15 lb heading pad on my shoulder.  4 hrs after that my neck was paralyzed, wouldnt move a inch and had a severe head pressure ill never forget.  Assuming a spinal nerve got pressed and ever since whatever caused that, has caused near daily problems since.   Cant live with it any longer.  How dangerous would a adjustment be if that indeed is the problem.  Lady at work has talked me into going to a very good and long time chiropractor for a consultation and tests.  Hopefully its something simple.  Just scared about the adjustment thing if it comes to that.  Shes had them done to her and her family and never had a prob though.

[Tera79]

Joshua, I just wanted to tell you i am going through the same thing.  It started with tingling in my face, both sides, and both hands.  Then, burning feeling on top of my head.  Neck pain, arm pains, eye pain.  Then, I had problems with TMJ on right side, I couldn't eat for 2 weeks.  I went to massage therapist, dentist, doctor, chiropracter.  They all said stress, anxiety.  I had a nerve conduction test done and a Catscan.  I haven't got the results back yet, but I am feeling a litte better.  Do you grind your teeth at night?  I do really, really bad.  I would wake my self up at night grinding my teeth. I really don't know if this all could be related or not.

[Jenny Wren]

I know you posted to Josh, but as you can seen from my previous posts, I'm experiencing alot of things that are similar to Josh, I just don't think it's quite as bad as his.  Let us know how your tests turn out.  I had a brain MRI in April of this year, everything was normal, the doc did this because of the facial tingling that I have on the left side of my face. I do have jaw stiffness, and ear pain on that side, but no cracking or popping noise, I don't know if I grind my teeth at night or not, I know that my husband and son do all the time, I probably don't get enough sleep to grind my teeth, from them keeping me up. LOL!!!

[zzzzzzzzzz]

Jenny - how are you? Hope you're recovering well - have thought of you alot this week & concerned you haven't been around. Take care.
Sheila xx

[Jenny Wren]

Hi there Sheila.  I've been around, just trying to stay busy.  Seems that if I stay busy I don't notice my neck and head pain as much.  I'm still going to PT, it feels really good while your there, and for about a day or so afterwards.  I wish I could go everyday, then maybe I'd really approve.  I don't think the insurance company would like that to much. LOL. My sister go engaged this week, so I was pretty busy planning a surprise party or her, that went well, she was really shocked.  They are planning to be wed October 13, 2007.  Hope you are feeling better, I think about you alot also, hopefully one day we'll feel better.  I pray everyday.  I seen a shooting star last night, and, well, I can't tell what I wished, because it won't come true, but I bet you could probably read my mind!!!!
Talk again soon, take care!!! Jen

[zzzzzzzzzz]

I saw a shooting star 2 nights ago also! Can't have been the same one as it would have been daytime over there. Glad to hear you'r keeping busy - I've learned that is the best thing to do. When I was younger, and ill, I"d often stay in bed all day - convincing myself that I was unable to do anything and then I'de get horribly depressed thinking about what I'd missed out on. These days, no matter how bad I feel, I have to get up and get my daughter off to school - I have to keep going for her - and then, since I'm up, I may as well go to work. I rarely take a day off - even if I have to rest on the studio couch most of the day, its better than being at home. This all keeps my mood up and even if it takes me a long time to complete a painting, at least I did it!. Of course people say 'If you can still go to work, you can't be all that bad' - that gets very frustrating - If they could see what it takes to get there - how much I'm hurting. It may be that I'd be physicaly better off at home - not really sure if I'm making myself worse by working, but it keeps me sane and that, as well as my daughter is what keeps me from wanting to quit this life.
So far, the neurontin is doing nothing! I am disapointed, but prepared myself not to get my hopes up too high. The Imitrex usually works well, but risky, so can't take every day. Saw my Doc - she couldn't understand why Neuro still wants to see me - said its "just" migraines (grrrrrr) - she gets them occasionally, so obviously thinks she knows what I'm going thru & that I'm making too much of it. Its people like her that cause alot of problems with getting a correct diagnosis - thank god the neuros not like that! I'd love to change docs, but theres a shortage, so noone else can take me.
Is there really no way you can get more PT? Don't know much about insurence over there, but here, if you have it(I don't - not many do) They approve anyhting the doc says you need as long as your policy covers that kind of treatment.
Well chickie - must go & see to my little girl. Take care xxx

[purple princess]

I have many similar symptoms.  I was rear-ended on the freeway 4 and half years ago, and have been serverely hurt since.  Since then I have been diagnosed with TMJ, fibromyalgia, chronic myofascial pain syndrome, facet syndrome, neuritis, possible trigeminal neuralgia and an maybe an unknown autoimmune disease (positive ANA test).  I have been to 3 different PT's, 2 chiropractors, cranio-sacral therapy, a fibromyalgia specialist who does trigger point injections (she uses procaine, a dental anesthetic- no steroid.  These are AWESOME!), and massage (trigger point therapy).  The cranio-sacral therapy works good, and the trigger point therapy has prevented me from going completely crazy!  I can recommend a great book that teaches you to massage the trigger points yourself, it's called "The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook" by Clair Davies.  If you have TMJ or any muscle pain, this book will help you maintain unimagineable pain relief.  I also would suggest finding a massage therapist who knows about trigger points.  For TMJ, neck pain, headaches, etc. you want to focus on your sternocleidomastoid, scalenes, levator scapulae, trapezius, masseters, and temporalis muscles to start.  The book has great pictures and direction.  Or, any anatomy book or google these muscles and feel them out for any lumps or knots that produce pain.  To massage, you can rub each lump to deactivate and you also must go to the "belly" (usually the biggest part in the center) to release the myofascia. 1-2 minutes at each point, 5-6 times a day.  Myofascial release from a skilled massage therapist will maintain this release.  I also recommend alternating hot and cold therapy- about 1-3 minutes as hot/ or warm as you can, then 15-30 seconds as cold/cool as you can.  The hotter and colder you go, the better.  (But, if you have any heart trouble, use warm-cool until you check with your Dr.) The shower works the best, but for my neck I often use a long sock filled with rice that I can microwave for heat and wrap it around my neck, and then alternate with another sock filled with (raw) popcorn that I keep in the freezer for cold.  1-3 times a day is suggested, but I am so addicted I often do more!  The heat brings the blood into your muscles and relaxes them, and then the surge of cold pushes the blood back out into your organs.  The alternation of this "blood washing" does remarkable healing to any injury.  And great pain relief!
    Something new that I have been trying with a new chiropractor is called "frequency specific microcurrent."  This is probably the best therapy I've had so far, and the permanent success rate is, according to their studies, close to 100%!!!  I have so much hope now that I've began this therapy about 8 weeks ago.  She also has been adjusting my jaw (TMJ joint) my c-1 and 1st ribs.  That has dramatically helped me, too.  You can also search this on google.  I see Dr. Deb Cherachanko at Integrated Pain Solutions in Tigard, OR, who works with Dr. Carol McMakin who is the one who began recent trials with this therapy (It was developed sometime in the early 1900's).  Just look it up on the web, "frequency specific microcurrent" and "Dr.Carol McMakin."  The info you find will no doubt convince you. Even if there isn't any practitioners directly near you it is definitely worth traveling to see one (I drive far to go to Tigard) and then you can purchase a home unit if it works for you.  I bet it will. Let me know if you try any of these and they help.  I'll pray for you all.  I know first hand what these types of pain can do to your life.  It's the WORST.  But now I have hope and I tell everyone who will listen about it because I wish I knew more when I was first hurt.