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!

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.

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.

I do realize that NUCCA is for upper cervical, just sayin' be very careful of all these kinda manipulative treatments. And especially be aware of the practitioner's experience and ability. There's just too much room and possibility for further damage to be done.

Oh yes, I agree damage can be done. It's like any health practitioner, they can have a huge affect and there are good ones and bad ones out there. My Nucca guy came highly recommended and has been doing this since 1997. It appears to me that it's not just a science, but an art and skill of physics and geometry to go with it.

I have had my share of "quacks" over the years but I've also been fortunate to find two professionals who I have great trust in. One is my GP, I believe in the US, you call them PC (basically my medical doc). Been with my dr for years and I trust her with my life. She told me just this week that is is moving so I am looking for a new doc whom I can trust. Sigh.

The other person I trust is in fact my chiropractor whom I've been going to for years for various sports injuries, headaches and pains. It's funny to go to a chiro who Never cracks me!!! He works with my muscles while I move certain ways. I've had huge success with AR therapy over the past 7 years or so. He cares and every patient gets the treatment that fits them. It is this person who recommended the NUCCA chiro to me. Both of thses dr's know that I do not want any cracking. The NuCCA guy just puts gentle ptressure behind my right ear at a certain angle. There is no sound at all and I can't really feel any movement. I have a neck injury that has caused some compression on my spinal cord at c5-c6 and i have no interest in risking that further through cracking.

But, my case sounds quite less serious than your son's. I had no skull fractures or flaps created. We all have to be careful, but in your case even more so.

I wish your son all the best in his recovery and rehabilitation. Good luck.

X-soccergal

You might ask your GP for a recommendation of another good GP in your area. Through my head injury experience, I have discovered that all the good Docs tend to know one another.

Also, make sure that your current GP can confirm with your new GP that you DO IN FACT have a brain injury that you are recovering from. Just in case it appears "invisible" to them. I'm so dependent on my PCP (Primary Care Physician) knowing who I was before the accident and knowing that I'm dealing with impairments that it would scare me and make me super anxious if I had to get a new one.