Chiropractic Care - Seizure therapy?

[RobinN]

there is a lot of energy revolving around the nervous system. If there is something not quite right, the body reacts in a number of ways. Seizures are definitely a known symptom of many "causes". It is my opinion that it is an easy therapy to try. Unfortunately not cheap if you are paying out of pocket.

I would give it a try if I had unlimited resources to support Rebecca's health. My alternative $$ went to neurofeedback and supplements. Given my daughters sport of choice, it seems that a misalignment could certainly contribute to her symptoms.

Even scars are being considered as something to consider as a focus for illnesses.

[joseph1211]

Deborah - I would be hesitant to try chiropractic therapy as a means to resolve seizures.

[RobinN]

Joseph - I don't believe it was begun as the "only" therapy, but as a "part of the therapy".
Anything to help the body heal, and find a state of balance is never a bad approach.
IMO

[dumbspouse]

Kaley went to a new Chiropractor today. He said something about her back being out of wack and possibly causing her seizures. For a little background info, Kaley's seizures were the result of her being injured while she was being delivered. I'm open to new ideas, but I'm a little skeptical. I guess I'm just set in my ways.

[RobinN]

Do you consider it harmful in any way to let him treat her for a period of time?

[dumbspouse]

Do you consider it harmful in any way to let him treat her for a period of time?

Not at all, that's just the first time I heard about it. She's always had to see one to have her back put in place.

[Endless]

Dumbspouse,

Chiropractic might help, but if it were me I wouldn't give up the other types of seizure treatment - in other words the medication. It's not worth risking brain damage just to try out something without meds in the mix that may work, but the odds are won't work.

Both my pain doc and the rehabilitative medicine doctor said to make sure that if I do see a chiropractor, to make sure it is the kind that uses that little tool (an activator, I think?) to adjust you, not the kind of chiropractor that moves you around and uses their own body (hands, arms, etc.) to crack your bones. He says the latter can do damage to ligaments and joints over the long term. Don't know if that's true, but it sounds reasonable.

I found out something surprising the last couple of weeks - my body going out of whack is the result of the seizures, not the cause of my seizures. My time seizure-free has shown me that, and the order in which seizures and then neck going out occurs. I'm surprised.

[Shelley]

Dumbspouse,

Chiropractic might help, but if it were me I wouldn't give up the other types of seizure treatment - in other words the medication. It's not worth risking brain damage just to try out something without meds in the mix that may work, but the odds are won't work.

Both my pain doc and the rehabilitative medicine doctor said to make sure that if I do see a chiropractor, to make sure it is the kind that uses that little tool (an activator, I think?) to adjust you, not the kind of chiropractor that moves you around and uses their own body (hands, arms, etc.) to crack your bones. He says the latter can do damage to ligaments and joints over the long term. Don't know if that's true, but it sounds reasonable.

I found out something surprising the last couple of weeks - my body going out of whack is the result of the seizures, not the cause of my seizures. My time seizure-free has shown me that, and the order in which seizures and then neck going out occurs. I'm surprised.

Endless,
if your going that route, see if they have massage therapy and physical therapy as a part of the treatment. Mine does.

[epileric]

I agree with Shelley. My personal experience was when I went for chiropractic treatment weekly I had no change in seizures but when I was in massage college & we worked on our classmates, there was a huge decrease in my seizures despite the stress of school.

I couldn't afford physical therapy but I'd like to try it.

[Endless]

Thanks... I've been through both massage therapy and physical therapy. Lots of it. Didn't seem to help much. Sure did enjoy the massages, though. Years of chiropractic didn't make any difference in my seizures. Did help my pain levels, though.

[Nakamova]

Craniosacral massage is supposed be helpful for seizures, though I'm not certain I buy into the theory behind it. I had one once -- if nothing else it seemed relaxing and gentle (basically it involved cradling the head).

[stilldancing_98]

I am so happy I went to the chiropractor. It was more like massage therapy. I was so stressed out at the time it helped me a lot. I did also go home and have some myoclonic flurries. But my body felt so much more clear.

[ddr1166]

Endless and RobinN - I think it's interesting how you (Endless) said it was the result of a seizure (meaning, your body out of whack). That makes perfect sense. Especially if no one witnesses it, you don't really know what your body is doing. I also think Robin's point is good - in that, use it as one of the combined therapies, and each of us has a unique combination based on our current circumstances and/or what works for us. Unfortunately if it's not a covered insurance expense (or even partially covered), it can be too expensive for us. But we sure won't rule anything out! Thanks, Deb

[Inaara]

Dumbspouse,

Chiropractic might help, but if it were me I wouldn't give up the other types of seizure treatment - in other words the medication. It's not worth risking brain damage just to try out something without meds in the mix that may work, but the odds are won't work.

Both my pain doc and the rehabilitative medicine doctor said to make sure that if I do see a chiropractor, to make sure it is the kind that uses that little tool (an activator, I think?) to adjust you, not the kind of chiropractor that moves you around and uses their own body (hands, arms, etc.) to crack your bones. He says the latter can do damage to ligaments and joints over the long term. Don't know if that's true, but it sounds reasonable.

I found out something surprising the last couple of weeks - my body going out of whack is the result of the seizures, not the cause of my seizures. My time seizure-free has shown me that, and the order in which seizures and then neck going out occurs. I'm surprised.

Activator, yes. Atlas Orthagonal (a machine that adjusts the C1 vertebra - there's very, very little hands-on at all with Atlas Orthagonal chiropractors)...it depends on the person.

Atlas Orthagonal is a specialized type of chiropractic that works wonderfully for some people. It did not, however, work for me and actually made me far worse than traditional chiropractic. I have to see a chiropractor because of a car accident that seriously messed up my spine and neck - the same one that caused the brain injury that the docs believe is what caused the epilepsy for me. The first chripractor I saw used atlas orthagonal, activator, and also strertched my legs for me. The activator worked fine, the leg stretching - despite being excruciatingly torturous and making me break out in a cold sweat - is probably the reason I am able to walk, but the atlas orthagonal method of adjusting the atlas bone (the idea being that if the C1 is properly aligned, the whole spine will just "line up" and fall into place) didn't work very well at all for me and probably put me a good year or year and a half behind in my overall recovery from that accident.

Once I started seeing a more traditional chiropractor who used both the activator and a more traditional hands-on method, my recovery moved forward very quickly. REally, in my experience and opinion, it depends on the person and what they need the chiropractic for and how long they need it for...although not one of my chiropractors has ever suggested chiropractic as a seizure treatment. I suppose it's possible since the entire CNS is intertwined and works together, including the brain, but it would be something I'd explore as a combined therapy (as others have said) and not by itself.