Epilepsy – a Central Nervous System Disorder

Epilepsy is a central nervous system disorder in which brain activity becomes abnormal, causing seizures or periods of unusual behaviour, sensations and sometimes loss of awareness. Seizure symptoms can vary widely from simply staring blankly for a few seconds to repeated twitching of arms and legs. Having a simple seizure doesn't necessarily mean you have epilepsy. At least two unprovoked seizures that happen at least 24 hours apart are generally required for an epilepsy diagnosis.
Other symptoms include:
- Muscle stiffness
- Sudden or unexplainable changes in sensory perception
- Loss of awareness or consciousness/ unresponsiveness or feeling confused for a brief period
- Experiencing anxiety and fear
- In extreme cases loss of bowel control

Trauma to the head and neck and Upper cervical Chiropractic..

According to Epilepsy Research UK, Epilepsy is one of the most commonly diagnosed neurological conditions affecting over 600,000 people in the UK roughly around 1 in 103 people (1). It can be difficult for patients to understand the underlying cause of their condition however for others it would have started after a specific event. Trauma to the head or neck can be the starting point for lifelong seizures. The effects of upper cervical misalignments on the central nervous system and the development of seizures can't be understated and several mechanisms are involved in this.
- Blood Flow: If a misalignment is present, it will prevent proper cerebral blood flow.
- Brainstem function: The upper cervical spine surrounds and protects the brainstem and optimal brainstem function relies on correct alignment in the upper cervical spine.
- CSF drainage: CSF is a nutrient-dense fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord and among other things helps clear impurities. When a misalignment is present the fluid cannot drain properly and causing the fluid to pool and cause an increase in intracranial pressure.

If these functions are interfered with then seizures and other neurological symptoms can start to develop and will deteriorate if left unchecked.

Although more large-scale research needs to be conducted, several case studies have shown the outstanding results that upper cervical care has had on patients suffering from seizures.

Research 

Hubbard et al. (2010)
A 25-year-old woman had suffered from epilepsy for over a decade, having been diagnosed at age 14. She had hit her head just a few months before the onset of the condition. She would experience one to two seizures per month and was taking medication to counteract the condition. An examination revealed an upper cervical misalignment. She received three upper cervical adjustments over 12 weeks. While the patient experienced one more seizure just a few days after her first adjustment, she reported no further seizures. (2)

Elster (2004)
A 23-year-old man was suffering from seizures as well as several other conditions including migraines, neck pain, sleep problems, and bipolar disorder. He suffered a head injury at age 17 while pole-vaulting. This led to six years of persistent health problems. He was diagnosed with an upper cervical misalignment by a practitioner and received 18 months of care at the time the study was published. Seizures ceased following just one month of care. By 7 months, all of the conditions had been resolved. (3)

If you are suffering from seizures or have symptoms similar to the ones mentioned please contact the clinic to see how upper cervical care can help you. Our clinics are based in London and Birmingham.

Contact us here - https://calendly.com/elliott-41/15min 

References
(1) https://epilepsyresearch.org.uk/about-epilepsy/
(2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2943656/