Sunday, February 22, 2009
Over 1.5 million Americans suffer from Parkinson’s Disease, a
degenerative condition of the central nervous system that often impairs
motor skills, speech, and other functions. Common Parkinson’s symptoms
include rigid muscles, tremors, slow movement, gait disturbance, and
postural instability.
According to a
recent study,
people who suffer head injury are 400% more likely to develop
Parkinson’s disease. The study also found that this risk increases
8-fold for people with a head trauma requiring hospitalization and
11-fold for those with a severe head injury involving loss of
consciousness. Lead author Dr. James Bower, a Mayo Clinic neurologist,
says:
“I was surprised by the strength of the association and was
also surprised that the average head trauma was about 20-years before
the start of the disease.”
New Idea Magazine printed the results of an Australian study in 2005 stating,
“If
you are knocked unconscious, your risk of developing Parkinson’s
disease increases 32%. If you’re knocked out twice, that risk increases
to 174%.”
Upper Cervical Chiropractors have a great deal of experience caring
for patients with head & neck injuries. I’ve helped a number of
Parkinson’s sufferers, and interestingly enough, evidence of head or
neck injuries was found in every single one of them. While not all
could recollect specific incidences of trauma, many were able to recall
incidences like auto accidents, falls, or concussions that may have
caused their upper cervical injury.
A noteworthy chiropractic study performed in 2000 by Erin Elster, DC, demonstrated that eight out
of ten Parkinson’s patients who received a unique Upper Cervical
procedure noted improvements within the first 30 days of the program.
Participants in this study further reported increased energy level and
sleep, and showed a decrease in spinal pain and rigidity as well. About 50%
of the patients also had better balance, more fluid walking, improved
hand agility, clearer speech, improved facial expression, and better
strength, among other improvements.
While medical science has not determined the exact cause(s) of Parkinson’s Disease, sufferers are encouraged to visit an Upper Cervical Chiropractor for evaluation. A referral directory for specialists in your area can be found online at
www.UpCspine.com.
________________
Adam Tanase, D.C.
www.drtanase.com