Mary did the standard things her doctors told her to do, and went through a bunch of different headache medicines. None of them seemed to work. And the side effects weren’t helpful. So, after living with persistent daily headaches for years, she finally took matters into her own hands and took a chance on upper cervical chiropractic care.

And I’m glad she did. After several minutes of just looking at her posture, I could tell she was misaligned between the head and neck.

Click to listen to her story. Or read the transcript below.

I’ve really noticed headaches since probably early teens, for the most part. Noticing them everyday, definitely. Saw a few doctors in my hometown who were just like, “Hey, it’s headaches. Not much we can do about it.” So I was taking a lot of Excedrin, basically everyday, probably more than you should. So it’s good I’ve gotten away from that.

But also went to a couple of doctors in Iowa City, at the university, who’ve done MRIs, CAT scans, all kinds of tests like that…blood tests. Just to make sure there’s no tumors or anything , because they couldn’t figure anything out.

Until I found you.

It’s hard. Because a lot people really don’t have headaches that often. Maybe once a month or something like that. They really don’t understand what it’s like to have them every single day, and basically all day. It’s something really different for me not to have headaches, since I was having them everyday.

Until I came here I didn’t know what it was like to not have a headache for a day. It’s definitely been a drastic improvement. I haven’t’ really met a people who’ve had the same kind of problem.

The most surprising thing to me is that I’m holding the alignment so well for right now. It’s been, what, a month about, since the last adjustment, and I’ve been still headache free since then. Which is really good. And I was also just surprised after the first alignment, the next day, when I didn’t have a headache at all. It was really amazing to have that feeling of not having the pain. So that was definitely really surprising. I wasn’t sure how it was going to work, how quickly it would work. That was the biggest, best part for me.

It was good Mary  got all of that testing to rule out the tumors and other brain abnormalities. But, at the end of the day, she still had the headaches. And still suffered for years without anyone even thinking of recommending that she “get her head on straight” with our unique upper cervical protocol. The University of Iowa has all the advanced diagnostic imaging you can imagine. But they still don’t know the postural signs of an upper cervical misalignment.

Right now only consulting with an upper cervical chiropractor is the best way to know for sure if you might benefit from upper cervical chiropractic care.

Call the office to set up your complimentary consultation with the doctor and experience a completely new way of looking at the body. (515) 233-1623

If you’re out of the central Iowa area, email me and I’ll try to connect you with a doctor in your area. drzward at fastmail dot fm.

Thank you to Candy for allowing me to share her story so that others might know that a drug-free, surgery-free way is available.

BEFORE

I had severe muscle spasms in my neck. To the point to where it was just debilitating. I could do nothing but lay flat and hope there was no jar or movement. And when the actual spasm would go away: loss of range of motion, tenderness, continued pain that would be intermittent, stiffness in my shoulders, and between my should blades, and that stiffness would radiate on down to my lower back and my legs.

NOW

…I feel like a new woman. I’ve got really good range of motion in my neck. And all the shoulder pain is gone. The pain between my shoulder blades is gone. My lower back feels a lot less rigid, and my legs seem to be much more limber than they were before.

I sleep better because I don’t have the neck pain associated with laying my head on the pillow. And I just feel like I can function so much better.

…You can come in feeling rotten and leave feeling like you’ve got the world licked…

The surprising thing to me is how gentle the treatment is, and how much benefit you have. I come in with one leg significantly shorter than the other, and then after a few minutes, I’m all even with world again. And everything is level and my muscles are functioning correctly. The pain is gone. I just cannot believe that for the short amount of time that I need to spend here, and for as gentle the treatment is, that I get that much benefit.

If you are suffering and haven’t found the answer that you’re looking for, consider the possibility that upper cervical care might be that answer. Please see my “Am I candidate for NUCCA care?” answer sheet, or call the office to set up your complimentary consultation with the doctor and experience a completely new way of looking at the body. (515)-233-1623

If you’re out of the central Iowa area, email me and I’ll try to connect you with a doctor in your area. drzward at fastmail dot fm.

Trigeminal Neuralgia is the #1 cause of facial pain, with 4 to 5 persons per 100,000 having the disease. Some authorities say that more might be suffering, but aren’t counted because of misdiagnosis.

According to the National Pain Foundation, 1.7 millions have been diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia. TN’s reputation as one of the most severe body pains makes that 1.7 million too many. In many cases TN grows to be a debilitating and chronic pain that threatens the livelihood of the one who suffers with it.

Listen to the story of one man who had TN below, from his interview at Ward Chiropractic Group, in Ames, Iowa.

In the past TN has been called Tic douloureux, and also the suicide disease, because the suffering it causes some patients drove them to take their life. Modern medicine has improved pain management through drugs and surgical procedures, and takes credit for reducing TN’s deadly reputation.

Yet, medicines don’t always work, and the idea of a cranial surgery can be too expensive, or downright scary for many. Some choose to seek help from alternative treatments. Indeed, popular web sources like Mayo.com list some of those therapies, like acupuncture, biofeedback, and vitamin therapy.

Still, there is one glaring omission of what might help TN. Upper cervical chiropractic care.

There are several theories on what causes, or possibly exacerbates the symptoms of facial nerve pain. The most popular is a mechanical explanation: there is pressure on the facial nerve, inside the skull, most likely cause by a blood vessel. Pain then occurs with little or no warning, often just with moving the head, eating, or touching the face.

It’s thought that the pressure actually occurs at the base of the brain stem, where the roots of the facial nerve are.

What’s interesting about the facial nerve is that it’s not just found at the brain stem. There are actually cell extensions of the facial nerve which descend down into the spinal cord to the level of our second cervical vertebra. So, reach back to just about the back of your hair line, at the back of your neck. You have cells hooked up to the trigeminal nerve which are nestled less than a few inches  away from your finger.

If there was a doctor who could do a surgery and take away small amounts of pressure at the top of the spinal cord, in between the second vertebra and the bottom of the head, do you think it might relieve the pressure on the facial nerve?

Now what if that doctor wasn’t doing surgery, but was gently improving the balance between the head and neck? Balance that affects nerve pressure and blood flow into the brain stem. Would you think that might relieve pressure on the facial nerve?

And what if I told you that non-surgical doctor was a chiropractor, practicing upper cervical chiropractic?

Upper cervical chiropractic worked for one TN patient of an upper cervical doctor in St. Louis. And it did for James Tomasi, who you can read about here, or listen to his story in the recording above. I have personally  seen improvement in facial pain in 3 different patients in the last 45 days.

So, why haven’t you heard about this before? Good question. Here’s one answer: when you search the current National Institute of Heath’s clinical trials, there are only 3 TN studies. And not one of them is examining Trigeminal Neuralgia and chiropractic care. There is very little funding for chiropractic research period, let alone research into a non-back-pain related condition.

Here’s a second answer:  Mayo and other authorities are  comfortable reporting on the potential of acupuncture, vitamins, and biofeedback, because it’s not chiropractic. You simply haven’t heard about Trigeminal Neuralgia and chiropractic care because of bias.

And it’s not just limited to facial pain, but other chronic pains as well. Thankfully patient advocacy groups like the Facial Pain Association are willing to tell others about facial pain and upper cervical chiropractic.

It’s physical time. That means kids everywhere are having physicians look in their throats, their ears, and listening to their hearts.

But when was the last time a doctor examined your child’s posture? Or assessed the health of his spine?If all she’s gotten is the “once over” check for spinal scoliosis, then maybe it’s time for her to get checked again.

While children don’t typically have the same kinds of back pain as adults, they still have the same hectic schedules, carry the same loads, and sit for hours in the same desks and chairs, and put their bodies through the same rigorous sports.

And that can mean adult like problems, like headaches, neck pains, and breathing problems. Problems that can originate in troubled spinal alignment.

It’s physical time. After the doctor looks in your daughter’s ears, and checks your son’s lungs, why don’t you head on over to your doctor of chiropractic and make sure her spine is okay too.

You may find those adult troubles go away–as easy as 1,2,3. And that will help him be a kid again.

Article copyright 2009, DrZWard.com

Editor’s note: This guest post comes from Dr. Adam Tanase, Upper Cervical Doctor in St. Louis, and official chiropractic expert for MedHelp.org.

While science is yet to fully understand the exact cause of migraine headaches, current findings demonstrate vascular and neurological mechanisms. Evidence suggests that during a migraine, dilated blood vessels are sending nerve signals to the brainstem and sensory cortex causing central sensitization. This forces patients to feel pain from sensations that are normally not painful (like pulsating blood vessels), as well as pain that’s resistant to peripherally-focused medical treatments.

The image above shows the base of the skull where the brainstem passes through the foramen magnum. The root/vine-like tubes seen here are blood vessels. This picture demonstrates important blood vessels of the head and their proximity to the upper cervical region. It also depicts the intimate relationship between the the first cervical bone (atlas, C1) and the brainstem.

For almost a decade I’ve been speaking with headache/migraine sufferers about chiropractic care, and more specifically, the Upper Cervical adjusting procedure. Through these conversations, I’ve realized that a lot of people have attempted some form of full-spine chiropractic manipulation (with mixed results), but very few knew about Upper Cervical Care, and were never told there was a difference.

Upper Cervical doctors have a distinct biomechanical and physiological perspective that other health care providers do not offer their patients. Our unique analysis of the relationship between the head and neck is what enables so many migraine sufferers to get lasting relief.

So if you suffer from chronic migraine headaches, Upper Cervical Care is certainly worth consideration.

If you’d like help finding a specialist in your area, email me and I’ll be happy to point you in the right direction.

To read more from Dr. Adam Tanase, please visit him at his insightful blog DrTanase.Com.

If you would like to hear James’ story in person at Hickory’s Hall in Ames (dinner provided for this community appreciation event) on September 29,  please email Dr. Ward at drzward@fastmail.fm and request an invitation.

12 years ago Tomasi was losing 12 year battle with a notoriously painful disease known as Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN).

However, a chance radio broadcast heard by his wife exposed James to a health care procedure that brought him back from the brink of death on the very day he planned to end his life.

Today Tomasi lives to tell the story of his transformation, and travels across the United States and abroad as an advocate for chronic pain sufferers.

Tomasi suffered with TN, better known as Suicide Disease, an incurable nerve condition of the face. So named because suicide is often the only means of providing lasting relief.

Years of powerful epileptic drugs and pain management clinics helped did not help, and natural treatments, like acupuncture and chiropractic brought only temporary relief. His last hope was a risky surgery that cost more than $40,000 and offered a limited chance of success.

After 12 years of suffering, the only option that made sense to James was suicide on a Tuesday afternoon in February 1997, while his wife and son were at a soccer game.

Not knowing of her husband’s intentions, Rhonda Tomasi scheduled James with a Tuesday morning visit to an an upper cervical doctor. James had no hope in this new treatment and was absolutely astounded when he went pain-free for a few moments after the procedure; astounded enough to postpone his suicide mission.

Within three days of the treatment, the pain was greatly reduced. By the third treatment 9 days later, James became pain free for 13 months. James has now successfully overcome TN for over 9 years.

As a retired businessman and pastor, James Tomasi travels the country to make people aware of the methods of the upper cervical doctors, completing hundreds of public service lectures in churches, colleges, civic clubs, and clinics, as well as television and radio appearances.

He and Rhonda have written an inspirational book, What TIME, Tuesday? which chronicles his recovery from TN, and tells other stories of healing through upper cervical care.

You can read an interview with James here.

James and Rhonda Tomasi are speaking in Ames, Iowa at Hickory’s Hall, on Tuesday September 29 at 6:00 pm. The whole Ames community is invited, but especially those suffering from health problems. This a patient and community appreciation event sponsored by Dr. Barbara Read and Dr. Zachary Ward, two upper cervical doctors in Ames.

Admission to this educational event is free and includes a meal, but space is limited and tickets are first come, first serve. Tickets should be reserved via the RSVP line by no later than Friday September 25th at 5:00 pm. RSVP line:515-233-8880.

A woman came for NUCCA care after hearing that Upper Cervical Chiropractic is effective as a headache treatment. While I told her that people with headaches often respond wonderfully to NUCCA care, Upper Cervical Care is not a treatment for headache.

It’s a treatment for a head to neck imbalance that may be limiting the body’s ability to heal its own headaches. I can correct her imbalance. But I’m not going to cure her headaches.

Only the body cures.

After suffering with headaches for years, often on strong, multiple doses of over the counter pain killers, she was ready to see what her body could do under NUCCA care. And so was I.

Above are her x-rays. Notice how her head is leaning quite a bit to her right in the x-ray on the left. I had her stand in front of a mirror so she could see it as well. And she did. Not surprisingly this head tilt showed up in her x-ray. And I could see that her head and her neck were creating a kink on her right side. This was placing pressure on muscles and ligaments for sure. But also potentially placing pressure on blood vessels and nerves going into her head.

I made a gentle correction based on what I measured from the x-ray. Then I measured again after the adjustment. That’s the x-ray on the right. Can you see the improvement. Her head is only leaning half as much.

But, I wasn’t happy yet. With this new information, I lowered my approach and we made another correction. You didn’t need an x-ray to see that change. She noticed that when she looked in the mirror, her head was on straight. She couldn’t believe that she had lived with head tilt all her life.

And the best part: her headaches went away after the first visit. Even the bad ones she would have with her cycle. And months later, they’ve stayed away.

Do you suffer from headaches and live in Central Iowa? Then why not see if NUCCA care helps? Call the office at 515-233-1623.

Every year neck pain affects thousands for the first time. And for many it will become chronic. Always in the background, always making its presence known.

Here’s why your physician may not understand what’s going on:

1. You don’t have a disease.

Your x-rays don’t show much; damage that’s ‘normal’ for your age. Your physician is trained to recognize disease, and all your tests have come back negative. So you can’t really blame your doctor if your neck pain isn’t caused by a serious illness.

After all, everything else about you seems healthy.

2. Your muscles ache. But they aren’t causing the problem.

Neck pain often starts with a fall or accident. Muscles are strained and ligaments are stretched. But after awhile the bad pain leaves behind a dull ache.

The muscles hurt but stretching and exercise only offer temporary relief.

The problem is actually deeper than the muscles, but only a few are trained to look beneath the surface.

3. No one (but you) is thinking about the weight of your head.

When you suffer from chronic neck pain, the head just seems so heavy. It takes so much to keep it up, and do the things life asks of you. Sometimes you just have to lie down to get relief.

You feel like you have the weight of the world, not just on your shoulders, but on top of your neck. It’s a balancing act that demands a lot of your body.

But it’s a demand your physician hasn’t been trained to recognize.

So, what’s the solution?

Find a doctor that looks at more than just muscles, more than just disease, and recognizes the weight of the head for what it is: a system that requires precision.

Across the United States, thousands of chronic neck pain suffers have found relief with a little-known procedure known as upper cervical care (NUCCA).

It’s a procedure that rebalances the head with neck using gentle precision, helping the neck to finally get the relief it wants. There’s no twisting, cracking, or popping of the neck done by chiropractors, osteopaths, or other therapists.

It’s a procedure that does more than just work the muscles. It examines the key alignment of bones at the head and neck.

Alignment that’s critical for proper muscle and ligament balance in the neck and shoulders. Alignment that’s critical for the body’s own ability to heal chronic neck pain.

This article copyright 2009, DrZWard.com

Moms are going green. Moms are using cloth diapers, driving hybrids, buying organic baby foods, and breastfeeding over bottle feeding. It make sense then that moms are looking for natural and green solutions for their baby’s health. Especially for problems that cause mom’s anxiety to go through the roof…problems like colic.

If you or someone you know has a colicky baby, then keep reading, because we’re going to run down the top 5 green solutions for colic. And giving up breastfeeding is not one of them.

Keep reading my guest post at the For the Love of Baby blog. And subcribe to the major inspiration for this article at Pathways Magazine.