I read somewhere that going to a chiropractor can help with TN. So I was wondering if anyone has gone to a chiropractor and if it helped with your pain. Thanks for any responses.
Misalignment of the spine can contribute to many illnesses. I use to work for a chiropractor and she helped many patients with many disorders and disease lead a better life. Acupuncture is also suppose to help.
I have a chiro for fibro issues. I started using her after my first round of TN ended. When it started up I called her. She actually does not want to treat me stating that it could aggravate and make it worse for me. I tend to carry all my stress in my shoulders and neck. A misalignment there causes blood flow to dimish or flow differently to my head. I have had literal head rushes after an alignment. She said there is nothing structural to adjust for TN but rather increased bloodflow could be very very painful.
Lisa, that’s what I was afraid of…of the pain becoming worse after seeing a chiropractor. I’m just confused as to what I should do. I guess I’m just grasping at anything to help with the pain. Thanks for your insight.
You have to find a chiropractor that is familiar with TN first of all. If they are then they will know what not to do, Elderly should not have their neck cracked as it would stop the blood flow and they could have a stroke. Same thing with TN. They can work on the spine and stay away from the upper area. You have to talk to the chiropractor about your problem I wouldn't go to just any body myself. Here is an article, hope it helps. http://www.naturalnews.com/039491_chiropractic_suicide_disease_treatment.html
Makenzie Marks said:
You have to find a chiropractor that is familiar with TN first of all. If they are then they will know what not to do, Elderly should not have their neck cracked as it would stop the blood flow and they could have a stroke. Same thing with TN. They can work on the spine and stay away from the upper area. You have to talk to the chiropractor about your problem I wouldn't go to just any body myself. It really depends on the issue. If it is a reputable chiropractor they will talk to you and be honest. Do your research that is the best way. Chiropractors are not for every one and a lot of chiropractors honestly don't know about TN.
They do have to be knowledable with your condition and TN. Which is why mine said she would not adjust me until it HAD to be done. She gave me more stretches rather than take the risk.
I did go to a regular chiropractor and stayed with it for months with no relief and the night after they worked on me I was in a great deal of pain in my face felt like metal rods in my head. They did alot of head twisting and different things. After trying that I did one acu puncture session with them a massage and cold laser..they also would put a sonogram machine on me on my face where the pain was which actually caused the one place where i had a tooth missing would shock when it went over it. Then I went to a an orthogonal chiropracter which is way more expensive i saw him 5 times he was a dick and it was expensive so i stopped. All together I had maybe 25 visits total with no relief. And saw a chinese doctor to who did acupuncture and told me it was my stomach and gave me herbs to make me poop that cost me like 300 dollars like great i just paid u 300 dollars to tell me i need to take a poop? WTF Like really?? Sad to say I did really hope for a natural fix but as one neurosurgeon i saw said when i asked him about the chiro stuff "i also have a bunch of magic beans i want to sell you" lol no offense to anyone if it has helped them thats awsome but i spent alot of money on something that never worked or helped. I am now on Nortriptyline 75 mgs a day for the pain which has helped me alot.
So I took a fall today-- downtown, on the sidewalk, in front of several people today. Gabapentin makes my center of balance completely off. Anyway… I called my chiro as I knew I was in a bad way. She had me come in right away. After talking with her extensively, I talked her into adjusting ny neck as well. Within 15 minutes the pain was there. Now I am on gabapentin and the pain is fairly controlled. It was uncomfortable but manageable.
I am currently going to an upper cervical chiropractor with very good results for my TN. I had both type 1 and 2 and an MVD I had in 2013 cured my type 1. It helped the TN 2 but I still had burning and quite a bit of pressure in my head and behind my eye. I've been going now for about 3 months. I can tell as soon as I need another adjustment, the pressure in my head is much worse. Right after she adjusts me, the pressure is gone and I feel great!
There have been other discussions on this board about upper cervical chiropractors. Some have had good results and some have not. I know the first time I was adjusted, the relief wasn't immediate. It took a week or two to notice and I slowly decreased my meds....I'm on Trileptal. I started out going twice/week and I'm now down to biweekly visits. Upper cervical chiropractors ONLY adjust your top neck bone (one or two at the top I think??) and nothing else. The rest of my back is aligning itself. I used to have issues with sciatica and that is also gone now. If you choose this route, just make sure it's someone familiar with TN.
I want to thank you for your post. I had no idea about an upper cervical chiropractor. I found one here who has an excellent reputation, and works with MS patients Trimengial patients. I have an appointment to see him on Thursday. He was very informative took his time to speak to me when I called and made the appointment. I am nervous but hopeful. As for acupuncture, I found an integrative medicine doctor who studied in China and Japan and is on the CDC board here. She saved my life when my organs were shutting down and helped my husband with his ankylosing spondilitis, so I guess one has to look until they find one who can help. For medical doctors a lot of doctors I know see nothing wrong with working with an acupuncturist and a chiropractor, it can help along with their treatment. Cancer Centers of America incorporate naturalistic and homeopathic medicine with their healing. I would not trust anyone who didn't at least have an open mind to the various ways of healing. I have been lucky to find Ayurveda doctors whose products can also be used with medications. Once again thank you Deej for your information, you are what I call a God's Wink.
I am in remission (and want to STAY there)) so I have just begun seeing an upper cervical chiro as well. I am sick of traditional medical doctors poo pooing everything that is out of their realm of expertise. I don't simply want to treat symptoms--but get at root causes of problems!! Also check this out-- http://whattimetuesday.com/
Book about how upper cervical saved a guys life--who was planning suicde due to TN...
I go to an upper cervical doctor as well. I think it is very, very important to remember that everyone’s triggers are different. These adjustments absolutely mess with and increase blood flow. Also, depending on how the doctor is trained, there may be tocuhing of your head or force you to lay with your face down. I am delighted this works on some and while I was in remission I was not bothered. But now that I am out of remission and have had two adjustments, I also know it increases my pain levels. I won’t be going back at this point due to the increase in attacks and pain. I wish it worked for me.
PS: if you go to a chiro that uses one of thise gun thingees… Run. Waste of your time and money.
Best recommendation from surgeon
Only NUCCA Certified upper cervical!
The doctor I go to does not put you face down. You lay on your side. He has people coming from all over the world, Denmark, etc. He spent 2 and a half hours with me. A woman I met there was worse of than me, she was on 2700 milligrams of triliptal. Now she is medicine free and only has to come in once a month. He said the medicine doesn't cure it just masks the symptoms. He addresses the causes. I did a lot of research on this doctor, and found out he is one of the three top doctors that do this. He doesn't have a gun thingy, so I have no idea what this is. All I know he pin pointed the problems of the left side that was making the TN act up. I will not go to just anybody. The people I talk to one was in a horrific car accident on 9 meds a day now she is med free. I am going to go in with hope, and not a closed mind. I feel he will be able to help me if he has helped people worse off than me.
Perfect. I think that is wonderful for you and I hope he helps you tremendously. For me I worry when doctors say pills mask something. There is no known cure for this condition. And no medical study that emperically proves chiropractic treatments work. Some people get relief. For some, like me, it makes the pain worse. There is no one size fits all. Pills aren’t a cure but for many of us it is the only hope we have.
The gun thing is this thing that some chiro quacks use that supposedly manipulate the muscle back into place. That type of treatment is pure voo doo science. I did not realize how much so until I found my current chiro.
I go by his success stories from quite a few people. I know what he means by pill mask the symptoms not the cause. They are pain killers in a way and if stopped the mess starts again. Or the pills have to be elevated in dosage then you have to have the liver checked every three months. I don't want that for myself nor do I want surgery. His tables do not press your face into the head rest. His tables are set up so the area that is infected does not get touched. Any thing that will alleviate the pain and help me lower my meds or get off of them is a miracle. He has helped quite a few patients and some of them drive over three hours to see him. After the scans and the xrays he was able to pin point what was aggravating the nerve. I am hopeful and hope this helps like his patients I have spoken to. His methods do not stop the blood flow and the fact he trained with the pioneers of this procedure helps. I am considering this before I try anything else. Being an ND this is something I understand. My heart goes out to anyone with this dreaded disorder.
Adjustments increase the blood flow, not decrease. For me that is what causes the pain. Please know I am not arguing with you. I wish you trenendous success.