Puzzling Ordeal
 

I was relatively symptom free for a good while now and had built up to working six hour days, six days a week, when I have seemed to run into a relapse. I was working Tuesday, and walking up a steep (45 degree) slope when I lost my footing and caught myself with my arm. I felt a jolt, but didn't think this could have done any harm. Wednesday afternoon I went to the chiropractor for the third or fourth adjustment I have had on my C1. That night I just felt out of it when I went out to eat with family, but I just figured I pushed too hard. Thursday I felt the same way with off balance, a little vertigo, and snowy vision. Today was the same story so I went back to the chiropractor and explained. Immediately she noted my C1 was shifted pretty badly. I thought that would fix it, but now this afternoon I still feel just as bad. Could I really have done damage when I slipped on that hill without actually hitting my head directly?

My money goes on, "You disrupted blood flow to your brain with the strain to your upper neck."

Some icing and anti-inflammatory (NSAID) meds may help.

Was there a specific reason/symptom that caused you to go to the chiro for the adjustment ?

What kind of adjustment was performed ? Twist the head and pop the neck ?

Hi Mark, thanks for the advice.

I went originally to help with my ocular migraine which consisted of a constricted pupil and heavy eyelid. It helped quite a bit the first two or three times.

It was just the twist the head and pop the neck adjustment.

I have tried this several times - you will be fine again soon. I have heard a lot of different explanations eg that it is because of the deep flexor muscles in the neck. But I havent found anything that fixed it...

For many, the twist the head and pop the neck adjustment is too aggressive. If you have this done again, ask if the chiro can do a bit of muscle tension releasing massage before and ice after.

It's good to hear that this is normal, relatively. I'll be sure to tell the chiropractor next time about this.

Well, it's been over a week and I am thinking that slip and fall without actually hitting my head did something as my vision is still off and mentally I am just not with it still, especially in conversion. I feel like I did the first month after my concussion if not worse. I don't know what to think; my short term memory is not there, my balance is off, driving has been difficult, sometimes I just feel that my legs are going right out from under me as I walk, and my pupils are acting very erratic and fidgety. I just find it hard to believe my threshold would be that low for injury to occur again?

It sounds to me like something more than your almost fall is at play. I would not be surprised your last adjustment caused some inflammation. C-1 is very difficult to diagnose and more difficult to coax into position without inducing trauma.

What did she do to diagnose that your C-1 was shifted pretty badly ?

Keep in mind that a chiropractic adjustment is not a fix. It only helps your body respond better to good health and posture discipline.

You list general symptoms. I don't see a pattern in them. Many of them can be caused by concussion and/or anxiety. Focusing on them can make a minor symptom much worse. Thinking a chiro adjust will be a fix suggests you are expecting too much.

How has driving been difficult ?
How do you know your short term memory is not there ?

I somewhat agree that something else is at play. It cannot just be a coincidence that these symptoms flared up after the visit. I noted that I felt different after going, and noted to my parents that I thought something seemed very off.

She just did a standard chiropractic exam I would imagine to determine it being shifted.

The symptoms I have been experiencing seem to be vestibular related? Correct me if I am wrong as I have little knowledge how cervical issues and vestibular problems tie in. I may have said it before, but a lot of these symptoms were ones that going originally helped decrease, especially the pressure sensation I would get whenever I bend over or blood rushes to my head. At one time, and currently now, if I bend over or physically exert myself lifting too much my one pupil will constrict and I get dizzy.

If leaning over causes one pupil to constrict, you should get checked out by a doctor. But, it is very difficult to accurately self-check pupils.

A standard chiro exam would not show that C-1 is shifted pretty badly.

A leg check could possibly show something is worth checking out. But, as I said, C-1 is difficult to diagnose.

The pupils thing has been going on for months, only recently has it been constant. Some people will notice even when talking to me. I went to the doc a few days ago as all these symptoms were making it very hard for me to function, and they did an MRI. I could understand why they wanted to do it given my sudden onset of such strong symptoms. The only thing it yielded being out of the ordinary was that my left carotid artery had excessive looping. The doc just wrote my symptoms off as migraine, but these symptoms are just not consistent with any I have had in the past and far more severe than any migraine I have had. I think this experience is going under the "you really have to advocate for yourself when you go to the doctor" lesson.


The chiro did check my legs, one was 1/2" longer than the other.

You may not understand what leg check is as a diagnostic tool. Various positions of the arms and head cause muscles to tighten and make one leg appear longer if there is an issue to be resolved. This leg length difference is only momentary. It is not an anatomical issue of leg length although if one has an anatomical difference in leg length, the chiro will take that into consideration so there are not false positive or negative indications.

For C-1 and C-2, the head would be lifted up (tilted back) or tilted forward and the leg length is observed. I've never heard the chiro analyze the difference with an estimated measurement. I've had a hundred or more leg check diagnostics done over the years.

The first time a chiro did leg check on me, he was able to identify every area what I would have problems with. I sought out a chiro who used leg check and the Activator to treat and was under his care for about 15 years. He was fabulous but still had limitations in treating C-1 and C-2 due to the fact C-1 and C-2 do not have faceted mating surfaces like the rest of the vertebra have.

Thus, C-1 and C-2 have limited treatment opportunities compared to the others. The chiro can help to nudge them into position but the patient needs to be disciplined with posture to help that position stabilize over time.

Thanks for all this good info. I had no idea about chiropractors before this, so all that was very helpful.

As far as my condition the doctor seems to just keep turning things around on me saying it is my anxiety. I had been doing very well mood wise before this and would say I had gotten back to feeling the way I had before my injury as far as anxiety and depression. Celexa turned out to be a good drug for me and getting through the first week or so was definitely worth it.

Do you think a neurologist would be a good place to start with this situation that has come up? I have hardly been able to do much of anything since this has happened and it is very frustrating. Obviously, I believe that just seeing a neurologist would be good, and just wish my doctor would cooperate more. I was actually very offended by a couple of conversations with my doctor and it sounds like I am not the first patient he has been this obtuse with.

Just to update-

I went to a functional neurologist and finally got answers with all of this:

He was able to determine that the uneven pupils are being caused by inflammation in my neck from the whiplash that occurred when I hit my head. It may also be amplified by a convergence insufficiency with my eyes that he determined as well. In addition, he did some vestibular tests and likely thought the chiropractor aggravated an inner ear problem. I'm going back this week to go over the test results and get a treatment plan, but I am already doing better knowing that these lingering symptoms are treatable with rehabilitation and therapy.

After being frustrated with doctors telling me it was all in my head and just anxiety, it was nice to get a doctor that ran the tests and was thorough in determining what was really going on. It was very discouraging to have an MD tell me there was nothing else my healthcare provider could do for me, so I guess it is a lesson for others out there to not give up and look for the right specialist to help you.

CE,

Good news!

I know I sure found out that sometimes that nagging gut feeling is pretty accurate and it takes persistence to find a doc who listens and thinks.

I'm glad to hear you did not give up on yourself.

Bud

Reading through some of your posts was helpful, and I am hopeful I will have good results too!

CE,

At 57, I'm a bit old fashioned and always felt these forums were for sissies if I can say that here.

After my injury I found out otherwise. Reading old posts and joining with the current misfortunates turned a corner for me.

Bud

Bud