CCSVI and CCVBP

[NZer1]

'Dr. Micheal Flanagan graduated magna cum laude from Sherman College of Chiropractic in 1978, where he studied in depth a method of correction of the upper cervical spine, which includes the base of the skull.
After graduation, he further studied two chiropractic disciplines called applied kinesiology and sacrooccipital technique, which include the study of the musculoskeletal system of the skull and cerebrospinal fluid flow in the brain and cord.
After completion of a three year course, in 1999 Dr. Flanagan was awarded a diplomate certificate from the American College of Chiropractic Neurology.
Dr Flanagan also has a broad background in orthopedics, sports medicine and nutrition, and is certified in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicines. He is also a former certified fitness trainer and has considerable expertise in eastern martial arts, yoga, and chi kung exercises used in health care.
Dr. Flanagan began his investigation into upright posture and neurodegenerative diseases sometime in the mid 1980's at the behest of a patient, Dr Harry Shapiro, a world renowned physical anthroplogist and former chairman of the department of Anthropology at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
Among other things Dr Shapiro was an expert on human skull design and was especially knowledgeable about the sutures, the base of the skull and artifically deformed skulls.
While Dr. Shapiro was intrigued by the basic premise of craniopathy, certain concepts regarding the sutures and base of the skull clearly conflicted with his extensive forensic findings.
This is what prompted Dr. Flanagan's investigation, which began by studying the sutures, design and deformations of the cranial base in normal and pathological skulls, including the artificially deformed skulls suggested by Dr, Shapiro.
It was the open state of the sutures of some of the artificially deformed skulls that caused Dr. Flanagan to delve into hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus in turn led to normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) in adults, which is sometimes associated with Alzheimer's disease.
NPH subsequently changed the entire course of the investigation into a search for a potential link between upright posture, NPH and neurodegenerative diseases.
Dr. Flanagan published his first peer reviewed paper on the potential role of stenosis of the neural canal in NPH and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's in 1989.
He further proposed an inexpensive pilot study, the basis premise of which was described by an expert epidemiologist who reviewed it as 'highly biologically plausible'.
In addition to Alzheimer's disease, Dr Flanagan published articles on the link between upright posture and other neurodegenerative diseases as well, such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease.
He also published a paper on the possible role of hyperventilation in decreasing carbon dioxide levels and blood flow to the brain resulting in the wall effect seen in some long distance runners.
Lastly, Dr. Flanagan has published articles on the role of the cervical spine in migraines and chronic subacute strokes that can lead to neurodegenerative conditions and subsequent diseases."
Quoted from the book "The Downside Of Upright Posture".

[NZer1]

An article from the past;
Link

and;
Link

and;
Link

[David1949]

Dr. Flanagan
16 years ago I began having numbness in the fingers of my left hand. Two years later it was getting worse and I also started having L'Hermitte sign. I thought it was probably due to a pinched nerve in the neck. But I was dxed with MS by a neurologist based on an MRI which showed white spots on the brain. Several years later another Neuro confirmed the ms dx based on a spinal tap which showed elevated level of igg antibodies in the spinal fluid.

Can spinal misalignments cause the plaques in the brain which characterize MS?
Also can they cause igg antibodies to be present in the spinal fluid?

Could it be that I was right in my pinched nerve theory and the neuros were wrong?

PS The more I read about this the more intrigued I become. I just ordered your book.

[ErikaSlovakia]

Dear Dr. Flanagan!
I follow your thread and your web site as well. Thank you!

I was born with difficulties, well they had to pull me out.
I was born with abnormal rotation of my head. One doctor had to fix my neck when I was 11. He did some fast painful movements. I also see it on my MRI results that I have more problems with my C spine - not only my 3 MS lesions. I have also about 30 MS lesions in my brain.
So maybe not only injury during the life but some problems during the birth might complicate our MS.
I have an appointment with a chiro in Slovakia on January 5.
Some of my symptoms: headache, constatnt dizziness and neuropathic pain in my right arm.
Erika

[uprightdoc]

Dr. Flanagan
16 years ago I began having numbness in the fingers of my left hand. Two years later it was getting worse and I also started having L'Hermitte sign. I thought it was probably due to a pinched nerve in the neck. But I was dxed with MS by a neurologist based on an MRI which showed white spots on the brain. Several years later another Neuro confirmed the ms dx based on a spinal tap which showed elevated level of igg antibodies in the spinal fluid.

Can spinal misalignments cause the plaques in the brain which characterize MS?
Also can they cause igg antibodies to be present in the spinal fluid?

Could it be that I was right in my pinched nerve theory and the neuros were wrong?

Hello David,
Spinal misalignments can cause hyperintensity signals on brain scans. The hyperintensity signals can be due to different causes such as edema and ischemia. The only way to definitively determine if they are associated with plaques is on autopsy. There is definitely enough evidence to implicate MS in your case. If not definite, it's certainly highly probable. What's missing is waxing and waning and symptoms other than just the left hand numbness. You may indeed have a pinched nerve in your neck and it may be that the hyperintensity signals in the brain were caused by the same problem that caused the numbness and tingling in the left hand. Tell me more about your case. What kind of work did you do before the symptoms began. Did you have any traumatic injuries?

[uprightdoc]

Dear Dr. Flanagan!
I follow your thread and your web site as well. Thank you!

I was born with difficulties, well they had to pull me out.
I was born with abnormal rotation of my head. One doctor had to fix my neck when I was 11. He did some fast painful movements. I also see it on my MRI results that I have more problems with my C spine - not only my 3 MS lesions. I have also about 30 MS lesions in my brain.
So maybe not only injury during the life but some problems during the birth might complicate our MS.
I have an appointment with a chiro in Slovakia on January 5.
Some of my symptoms: headache, constatnt dizziness and neuropathic pain in my right arm.
Erika

Hello Erika,
Curvature problems in the cervical spine can definitely affect blood flow in the vertebral arteries and veins and cause headaches and dizziness. It can also cause the neuropathic type pain in your arm. Do you have low blood pressure? Make sure the chiropractor is aware of the stent and uses appropriate corrective procedures for your particular case.

[ErikaSlovakia]

Dear Dr. Flanagan!
I follow your thread and your web site as well. Thank you!

I was born with difficulties, well they had to pull me out.
I was born with abnormal rotation of my head. One doctor had to fix my neck when I was 11. He did some fast painful movements. I also see it on my MRI results that I have more problems with my C spine - not only my 3 MS lesions. I have also about 30 MS lesions in my brain.
So maybe not only injury during the life but some problems during the birth might complicate our MS.
I have an appointment with a chiro in Slovakia on January 5.
Some of my symptoms: headache, constatnt dizziness and neuropathic pain in my right arm.
Erika

Hello Erika,
Curvature problems in the cervical spine can definitely affect blood flow in the vertebral arteries and veins and cause headaches and dizziness. It can also cause the neuropathic type pain in your arm. Do you have low blood pressure? Make sure the chiropractor is aware of the stent and uses appropriate corrective procedures for your particular case.

My BP is usually higher than normal. Only when I have an attack I have it low: 90/60.
I have this nice picture of my stent ready for the chiro: http://sofista.sk/documents/Erika%20Mik ... nt%201.png
Thank you for your answer.
Erika

[uprightdoc]

Dear Dr. Flanagan!
I follow your thread and your web site as well. Thank you!

I was born with difficulties, well they had to pull me out.
I was born with abnormal rotation of my head. One doctor had to fix my neck when I was 11. He did some fast painful movements. I also see it on my MRI results that I have more problems with my C spine - not only my 3 MS lesions. I have also about 30 MS lesions in my brain.
So maybe not only injury during the life but some problems during the birth might complicate our MS.
I have an appointment with a chiro in Slovakia on January 5.
Some of my symptoms: headache, constatnt dizziness and neuropathic pain in my right arm.
Erika

Hello Erika,
Curvature problems in the cervical spine can definitely affect blood flow in the vertebral arteries and veins and cause headaches and dizziness. It can also cause the neuropathic type pain in your arm. Do you have low blood pressure? Make sure the chiropractor is aware of the stent and uses appropriate corrective procedures for your particular case.

My BP is usually higher than normal. Only when I have an attack I have it low: 90/60.
I have this nice picture of my stent ready for the chiro: http://sofista.sk/documents/Erika%20Mik ... nt%201.png
Thank you for your answer.
Erika

That's a perfect picture of the stent.

You definitely have tilt to the right in your cervical spine, away from the side of the stent. This is one of the issues I think vascular docs should consider but they don't. Because of the head tilt to the right it is natural to have less flow through the left IJV.

In the future, it may be better in cases such as yours to place the stent on the low side of the head tilt regardless of where the stenosis is found. Think about it. If you want to completely drain a tilted bucket you would put the drain on the low side of the bottom of the bucket, not the high side. If not, you won't be able to empty the bucket.

[HappyPoet]

Erika! OMG!! The picture showing your stent is SCARY!!! I couldn't get back to sleep!!!! <smiling>

Wherever did the picture come from??? I must say I love your sense of humor calling it a "nice" picture, lol. <smiling>

Best of luck with your upcoming chiro appointment. Please come back to tell us how it went (and what he had to say about your "nice" pic). I do hope you get some relief like I did.

Love ya!

~Pam

[ErikaSlovakia]

Erika! OMG!! The picture showing your stent is SCARY!!! I couldn't get back to sleep!!!! <smiling>

Wherever did the picture come from??? I must say I love your sense of humor calling it a "nice" picture, lol. <smiling>

Best of luck with your upcoming chiro appointment. Please come back to tell us how it went (and what he had to say about your "nice" pic). I do hope you get some relief like I did.

Love ya!

~Pam

The picture was made in Bratislava - capital of Slovakia last summer. They do CCSVI procedures there. It is in my thread. I don't like to use it because more patients say it is scary.
It was a CT scan but 320 layers. Usually we all go with 8 or 12 layers.
Erika

[ErikaSlovakia]

You definitely have tilt to the right in your cervical spine, away from the side of the stent. This is one of the issues I think vascular docs should consider but they don't. Because of the head tilt to the right it is natural to have less flow through the left IJV.

In the future, it may be better in cases such as yours to place the stent on the low side of the head tilt regardless of where the stenosis is found. Think about it. If you want to completely drain a tilted bucket you would put the drain on the low side of the bottom of the bucket, not the high side. If not, you won't be able to empty the bucket.

Well, I am really not a doctor but they have decided to put my stent there because I had inverted valves. I only think that if they would put it higher they would miss the valves and I still would have reflux because of my backwords valves. I think so only.
My flow in my left jugular is still very slow. It was zero before so I think it is better.
I will definitely think about it but I am not going to try to replace my stent by myself
Sorry for the humour but it is perhaps the last think that makes me normal
Erika

[NZer1]

A question;
What is it about the adjustment (eg. activator) that creates the change in subluxations?
I gather that it is not about force as was explained to me last night, but the thought came to me that such subtle pressure would surely mean that the 'alignment' would be subjected to many types of 'manipulations' during everyday occurrence as well as massage and other 'contact'.
On another site I had a very aggressive response when posted about spine alignment and de-generative diseases and the response was along the lines of chiropractors cannot correct subluxations.
Thanks Dr.

Hi Dr. I have reposted this as my MS symptoms seem to have progressed, and my fatigue is different, (lower energy in general), or they have simply reached a new level that is more noticeable. My adjustments being at the same time is making me wonder what is causing this as nothing else life wise has changed. I am aware that I am focused on my general well being at present.
I don't want to put it down to the adjustments (started two and a half weeks ago, five adjustments) and would like to hear your opinion, thanks Nigel

[NZer1]

For quite some time I have been of the opinion that there is a connection between strokes and RRMS and MS. There is now more information coming on the subject;
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_i ... 0796282297
The episodic nature of RRMS and the vascular involvement had to cross over somewhere with strokes !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[NZer1]

Another interesting article on MS and upper spine;
http://www.4-u-all.com/health/health-di ... and-nucca/
The challenge with this one for me is that the reason for malformations such as inverted valves would in my opinion not be caused by spine alignment, and other findings such as missing veins could not be attributed to spine alignment. Whether it is the way the article has been written or lack of knowledge, I don't know, but it tends to negate what has been said about spine alignment when the data on malformations and their type is available.

[uprightdoc]

A question;
What is it about the adjustment (eg. activator) that creates the change in subluxations?
I gather that it is not about force as was explained to me last night, but the thought came to me that such subtle pressure would surely mean that the 'alignment' would be subjected to many types of 'manipulations' during everyday occurrence as well as massage and other 'contact'.
On another site I had a very aggressive response when posted about spine alignment and de-generative diseases and the response was along the lines of chiropractors cannot correct subluxations.
Thanks Dr.

Hi Dr. I have reposted this as my MS symptoms seem to have progressed, and my fatigue is different, (lower energy in general), or they have simply reached a new level that is more noticeable. My adjustments being at the same time is making me wonder what is causing this as nothing else life wise has changed. I am aware that I am focused on my general well being at present.
I don't want to put it down to the adjustments (started two and a half weeks ago, five adjustments) and would like to hear your opinion, thanks Nigel

Hi Nigel,
I am not fan of activator. I used one many years ago but I wasn't never satified with the results compared to other methods. The other issue is I am still not certain what type of upper cervical technique the chiropractor is using. Simply using a toggle recoil on the atlas is not necessarily upper cervical. If your symptoms are worse you need to tell the doctor as he is doing something wrong. A little soreness is okay initially but should decrease with progress and your symptoms should be getting better not worse, certainly not after five adjustments.