C2 Vertebrae - Muscle Atrophy
| Subject: | C2 Vertebrae - Muscle Atrophy |
| Question: | In 2001, I fractured my C2 vertebrae in two places, as well as my skull in three. In the past couple of years, I have noticed that in my right side, I am experiencing muscle atrophy of my neck, shoulder, arm and hand. I am wondering, what do I do? Will it continue to shrink, or is there any way I could fix it? Any kind of information you can give me, or any websites or resources you could refer me to would be greatly appreciated. |
| Answer: | You need to get checked out immediately. Atrophy is serious, and can indicate something far more insidious. I don't want to scare you, but I do want you to schedule an appointment with your local neurologist ASAP!!!!
As for online resources for your condition... it may be better to actually get evaluated instead of figuring it out on your own. Havinng an actual diagnosis would be far better than guessing about it on the net. If y0ou need help finding a neurologist please access me through my website, www.dynamicclinic.com. Dr. Peter Carr |
"Potato Chips" / McKenzie / "Seal on the Beach" Exercises
Duration :1 Minute
Instructions:
- Lie on your stomach, arms above your head.
- Extend your alternate arm and leg, holding at the top for two to three seconds.
- Then, slowly lower both arm and leg.
- For more difficulty. Raise both arms and legs at the same time, holding for two to three seconds, as well.
- Repeat a minimum of 10 times, working up to 30 as your strength level increases.
Pigeon Pose Stretch / External Rotator Stretch
Duration :2 Minutes
Instructions:
- Begin in a quadruped position.
- Bringing the leg of the hip you wish to stretch over top of the other, begin to follow your foot behind you, allowing your pelvis to go lower to the floor. (In the picture the model is stretching her right side)
- Keep your pelvis low and flat. You should feel the stretch in the center of your “cheek”.
- Hold the position for a minimum of 10 seconds, more reasonably 20; stop if you feel pain or dizziness.
- Repeat a minimum of 3 times, up to 10 times, every day.
STRETCHING OCCURS OVER TIME. DOING ONE STRETCH ONCE A MONTH WON’T DO THE JOB!
The best dog collar from a chiropractic perspective.
We have a new dog, and I was wondering what the best dog collar would be for her from a chiropractic perspective. A traditional collar is exactly that, a belt that surrounds the cervical spine. Would I EVER do that to my patients? NO. WAY.
This "lead" me to look at collars that give way when pulled on, and the best of them is made in Germany , with some Chinese knock offs. The Sprenger dog collar is the best collar for walking the dog, as it closes on the neck, not nough to hurt the animal, but enough to get their attention. Since it closes AROUND the neck, not just pulling on one side of it,l it's the best method for training the dog. Admittedly, the dog can't live all the time with spikes poking into it's neck, so it needs to be taken off when in the house, when going out it's definitely the best one one out there. The collar should be in contact with the skin, tight enough that the neck reopens the collar after you tug lightly on it. Too loose, and it may not release. Also, place the collar lower on the neck, as the dog's 1st cervical vertebra is huge, and it may be really uncomfortable for them if it's up high on the neck. Any questions about dog collars? Email us!
How important is sleep?
I learned some interesting things about sleep a while back:
~ Humans are the only mammals on earth that actually willingly delay sleep.
~ Sleep apnea, a condition where you actually stop breathing, is the most common cause of sleep disruption. It affects 90 million Americans, and is easily diagnosed.
~ People used to sleep in segments. Before the invention of electricity, rather than sleeping through the night many people would sleep for a few hours, wake up, read, write, pray, or reflect, and then got back to sleep for another few hours before waking up for the day. This is reflected, believe it or not, in a 24 hour day. Why?
24 id divisible by :1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24. That's a lot of different shifts to work!
~ All-nighters are not good. Being awake for 16 hours in a row, your mind’s ability to function is impaired, similar to the feeling when you have a blood alcohol level of .05%.
~ Color TV's changed the way we dream. Prior to color film, only 15% percent of people dreamed in color. Now, 75% of people dream in color.
~ Higher altitudes increase the chance of sleep disruption. Because there's less oxygen in the air, you’re more likely to wake because of an issue with your breathing.
~ You can control your dreams. It’s called lucid dreaming and it involves becoming aware that you are dreaming, but not letting your mind wake itself up.