NUCCA making me worse? (questionable)
 

I'm not entirely sure if its the truth or not...but hear
me out.

In the middle of February, I started getting NUCCA
adjustments. I honestly felt it was making things
better for me. Then, at the end of February,
the doctor told me that my adjustments were
starting to hold. Right after she said that, I woke up
the next day and everything was worse than its ever
been. I went to the ER three times in one week
because I couldn't think straight at all, my speech
was horrible and I could hardly take care of myself.
Well, about 3-4 days ago I started to emerge from
the setback. I didn't go for an adjustment this entire
month until today. So, I was feeling alright
today...communicating fairly well, thinking fairly
well...and then I went for an adjustment.

I came out of there a complete space cadet. My
thinking is distorted, my speech is bad, my memory
is worse...I don't know. Is it just a coincidence?

There is a possibility its causing my skull to shift and
apply pressure to my frontal lobe. When I
questioned her about it...she didn't rule out that
possibility but she said it "shouldn't" do that.
I don't know, but I know I'm never going back there.
I don't want to risk any further damage to my brain.
I'm already screwed up enough as it is lol.

I just thought I'd share with you guys in case you
were considering NUCCA...NUCCA works for some
and for some it doesn't do anything or makes them
worse. Everyone and their injury and reason for an
adjustment is different.

Oh well...at least I know what's been causing me to decline. It'll probably take me another month to get back where I was...and that's okay.

Nick

It may be a case of letting things settle as it is for awhile and see where you are after a time.
Maybe too many changes to close together or something like that?

Ice for 15 minutes, then rest for 30 then ice again for 15.

Even though its been 18 hours since the adjustment?

Okay I'll do that now.

Wow, I can't believe this. My recovery has been such a roller coaster. I just started to emerge from being down this entire month. I was able to get out of the house, handle at least one errand per day, my communication skills were getting better...and then one adjustment puts me back to where I was at the beginning of this month.

Go figure.

I iced my neck but I don't think that helped.

Thanks for the suggestion.

It only makes sense that its applying pressure to my left frontal lobe. I'm extremely irritable today, the spontaneity of my thoughts and speech is gone (this just started to improve over the last 3 days), and my memory is worse than usual. These are all things controlled by that section of the brain.

My question to anyone who knows about these things is...Will the pressure decrease after my spine falls back out of alignment? If that's the case, I'm going to do everything the doctor asked me NOT to do, so my alignment will go back to the way it was lol.

Why can't I just have a normal recovery? Lol...geez, no wonder I've got so much anxiety. I get an improvement or learn a work-around...then a week or so later something bad happens and that improvement is gone and the work-around doesn't work anymore.

Nick

First, HI! I'm surprised to see you!

Second, there's no such thing as a "normal" recovery.

Remember - every single head injury is different. When I started to get better my family and I expected my to progressively get better like is I were recovering from a sprained ankle or getting over a cold. But people don't heal from brain injuries that way... there is a lot of two steps forward, one step back. Or a set of good days and a set of bad days with little to explain how to get one over the other.

Just remember that you are experiencing good days and that in and of itself is a good sign.

I know how frustrating it can be to not feel well cognitively speaking on any day, or at any point in a day. It feels rotten. But you know what? My bad days now are better then my good days were a few months ago - and I still don't like the bad days - even though they are an improvement from a few months ago. Why? Probably because I know what it feels like to feel better and that's what I want. :) All the time. And I want it NOW! :D

OK, I'll try to stop channeling Varuca Salt.

Just hang in there.

And I think stopping your NUCCA treatments sounds like a good idea for the time being.

EsthersDoll,

Yeah, I'm supposed to be on vacation from NT. I just thought my experience with NUCCA was worth writing home about lol. There was some people on here that were considering it...and I figured I'd point out the possibility of making things worse.

Every injury is different, though, like you said.

I'm doing a little better now. Still messed up, but better...I just had an anger outburst that almost resulted in physical violence. I had to walk away...I don't normally have those kind of thoughts/feelings (of being violent). So, this is out of the norm for me.

I still feel violent now...crazy violent. Its actually scaring me.

I don't think there is ever a time where icing can cause a problem unless hypothermia is a risk.

So, when in doubt, ice.

And, remember that icing is not a quick fix. It is part of a bigger picture of treatment. If it helps/feels good to ice a place on your head, then do it.

The icing of your neck is to reduce the inflammation at the sight of the adjustment. Once the area becomes inflamed, it takes more repetitions of icing to reduce it. If done right away after the adjustment, the inflammation can be prevented or at least limited. You should still ice periodically after the adjustment.

My son had a TBI 3 months ago, with the bone flap surgeries and all. Killer scar all around his forehead. When they put the bones back in they secured it with little metal plates and screws. I can't imagine that NUCCA would help him or anyone in such a case, his head bones ain't goin' anywhere, and the prospect of manipulating head bones scares me anyway; I'd be very wary of it. Thank goodness he doesn't have headaches. I once worked a a D.O. teaching hospital and allowed one of the interns to do a classic "neck crack" type of manipulation, it messed me up cognitively for a few days. Never again!!! I would totally stay away from these kinds of alternative therapies.

Mark,

Okay, I'll continue to ice.

I've actually got the ice pack on my neck right now.

It burns!!! The alcohol and water is seeping out of the zip lock and burning my neck...lol.

Nick