Cervical problems - anyone?

[Jeordie]

Hi,

today I got so scared I'm still exhausted. Ok, I haven't slept much last night, but here's the deal: I'm doing the so-called "chiropractice" right now to solve my cervical problems. Though I'm just 25, it seems a lot of work at the computer didn't do good to my neck. Now, today I did my third session in which the practitioner made my neck bones snap. After which, I felt fine, said "wow" and just felt the neck muscles a bit sore.

After a couple of hours, comes the hell. I was afraid I was having a stroke: from the neck to the top of my head, I was feeling funny, like all the muscles were relaxing after being tense for some time, but it was NOT a nice feeling. I was scared about the blood passing through or not, and then I started having flashes of dizziness or a sort of vertigo I might say. It's not easy to describe but I've had it many times before, just not this intense. I was afraid the vertigo was because of a stroke: the sight was (is still) sort of blurry, my perception and sense of depth was sort of altered - like my own hands felt too far, and I was confused - afraid of not being able to count up to ten.

That sucked enough, and I even had a moment in which I couldn't feel anything. I was reading a magazine, and felt dizzy, when suddenly it was like I woke up from two seconds sleep. I don't know how to explain better. It was scary: my hands started to sweat and fingers to tingle. I kept telling myself that was probably a panic attack, as I had many in the past. But still deep inside of me I felt I was having a stroke, maybe provoked by the new therapy: did the guy break some of the neck's arteries?

I'm sensitive enough to feel horrible just THINKING of arteries and blood, let alone the thought of having a stroke.

So, my question is, did any of you have experience with dizziness, cervical and neck problems, and chiropractice - and can help reassuring I didn't have a little stroke? Could this be an effect of the therapy - maybe change in blood circulation?

Because I feel a little better now, but have some sort of unreality feeling, feel exhausted, shocked, I'm still aware of the tension in my face, my vision is still funny and I have this underlying scare a stroke could come up at anytime. And I'm too young for that!!

Thanks.

[vaio]

The main arteries on your neck are in the sides and the other 2 in the back, there are 4 that bring blood to your head and even if one does not function, the other 3 compensate.
However, if arteries are damaged or broken you would feel a lot of pain and probably swelling due to blood obstruction.

About the dizziness and panic, it may be anxiety or other problem like anemia or low ionized calcium, but you probably had blood tests and rulled that out, so it's just anxiety.

If you want to be 100% sure about the arteries, there is a test called eco-doppler or something which measure how your blood flows through neck arteries. I'm sure the test will come out fine, but you could do it just to get calmed.

[Jeordie]

I am not 100% sure that I just have anxiety and not another problem, but I must say I'm freakin' tired of doing tests. All the times I must explain my problems again to that and that doctor, always forgetting something relevant, noticing they don't really listen, just shrug and laugh. It's SO frustrating, can you realize?

I started hating the category, why WASTING more time with them? They don't listen, they're pretentious, and don't take my upsetting symptoms seriously. They're also superficial and they just almost never helped me!

The only person who ever helped me was a psychologist, of course. But I'm not sure I don't have an organic problem because I do not trust the doctors I visited. Not one of them. I always have the doubt. I know I'm no doctor and can't diagnose anything, but I know I'm a conscious person with a body which gives me signals. Should I ask my brain: is it just you, or some other organ? Well, I'm not THAT connected to my body. But certainly more than those...morons!

So, I have done the basic tests, and INSISTED to have them done. Now there are a BILLION others I WOULD do if I just knew WHICH ONES to do ('cause of course I can't do them ALL), and for that, I would want a doctor I trust.

Meanwhile, I did another chiropractice session. I told the doctor I had problems, but still: shrugs, laughs. Idiot. Anyway. He did the manipulations. After which I had the usual dizziness, I just tried not to be impressed by it: so, I don't care much about it, but it's still there one day after. I totally think the manipulations are doing this, making my head feel all tense and the vision not very clear. And how the FUCK, sorry, can I ever know WHY? The doctor should tell me this. As he doesn't. I just know making my neck snap probably provoked this.

The night was bad. I woke up way too sweaty and with a big headacke.
Aldo had a serie of strange symtoms like sharp pains all around, discomfort to the head (just tension headache? It felt like I didn't have enough blood in the brain) and my thoughts were very funny, racing uncontrollably and like they weren't really mine. I was also probably dehydrated, so I drunk. I could barely stand from my bed for how weak I was and how bad I felt. It's such a sense of general malaise that I try, though find it hard to believe it's just anxiety.

Described like that, it might still sound like anxiety, but I don't understand why it happens from time to time, to wake up very sweaty and confused, not really able to think much. Have I been hyperventilating while asleep? I'd like to know. There must be something that organically happened to my body.

So much complaining I know, I hope somebody can give me further reassurance or suggestions. I'm not feeling well at all. Thanks.

[neutoticamber]

Hi, it's me again. Anyway, I have been seeing a chirpractor for 12 years. Actually, it is the only thing that helps my anxiety and tension in my head and neck. Don't worry, it is natural to feel sore after a treatment. I think you are just experiencing anxiety about the actual adjustment. After all, it does seem barbaric to have your neck snapped.... but it isn't half as bad as it sounds. Getting an adjustment actually helps your circulation, and helps ease tension. Your arteries would not be affected in a negative way. Dizziness comes on because of the shock..... basically anxiety and the anticipation of something bad happening. Today, I tried acupuncture for the first time and I had the same response as you did because it was my first time and I was freaking out that my body would have weird side effects. I have been anxious ever since, but the truth is, my body feels better and it is only my mind telling me different. When you are in the office... do deep breathing... let your body adjust..... go home and rest and drink plenty of water to wash the toxins out. Your will feel great.

[neutoticamber]

I forgot to mention... usually after a chiropratic treatment my body is very tired and I go home and rest. It's normal to feel exhausted. It's not a bad sigh... it just means you had a good adjustment. :)

[Jeordie]

Thanks for the replies...

They told me about the adjustment. It was rational. But still I have decided to quit the therapy. I was feeling just horrible! And now I feel better. Ok, my neck is still tense, but I would do EVERYTHING to avoid feeling that bad.

Now, my question is: did we feel the same and I'm more sensitive to these feelings, or I actually felt worse?

Because you chose to keep going and I chose not to do it again.
If the practitioner would have told me those were normal reactions, I would have maybe continued. But his shrugs just put me off. Wouldn't you have felt like that too? That of the "adjustement" were mere suppositions my friends and parents did. I couldn't be sure of that, and I didn't want to give my head back to that doctor who didn't care about how I felt.

The tension in my head was unbearable, yes my shoulders looked more relaxed, but overall I felt sick.

[Jeordie]

In any case, what you're telling me about adjustment makes it more beliavable to me, so here we go. Maybe I'll be looking for some other chiro-practitioner, and see what happens. But I KNOW I'll feel bad again, so why would I do that?

[neutoticamber]

Here is the thng, I have been to a total of about 6 different chiropractors and 2 of them made me feel worse. Like a lot worse. It sounds like you went to someone who is unempathetic and doesn't take your concern seriously. Surprisingly, I couldn't believe the difference between chiropractors. Maybe if you try someone else your results would be totally different.

[neutoticamber]

This one quack I went to made my head feel like it was going to pop off. I would get adjusted and have severe head pain and nausea. Mostly the pain and throbbing was at the base of my skull, so I was afraid the did something bad to my atlas and axis. But is wasn't the case. He didn't know what the heck he was doing.... or just didn't know how to work with my overly tense body. I quit going to him after 6 months and found someone who was awesome... I was like, "Wow, so this is what a good adjsutment issupposed to feel like." I am still bitter about the pain he put me through. I actually thought I was going crazy... he told me it was all in my head. Whatever!

[Jeordie]

I understand. Thanks! I'll look for someone else. Good to know you've passed through something similar. How old are you, may I ask? (you may reply via personal message if you prefer).

[neutoticamber]

I am 30. Been suffering with anxiety since I have been 6.

[Jeordie]

SIX? You can suffer anxiety at six.

Anyhoo. I have a picture hung on my wall, portraying Herman Hesse, the german writer. They say he was bipolar and "healed", but legends apart, he clearly talks about insomnia and all sorts of psychosomatic stuff he suffered during his life. He died at 85, so I put a comic next to him saying "you can make it". He really is smiling in that picture, old and wise, and that is what I'm looking for.

[neutoticamber]

Yeah, at 6. It all started when my mom left me and my sister in the car as she ran into the pharmacy to fill a Rx. We had strept throat. I remember getting this feeling of panic thinking she was never coming back. I started crying... .and I think that was my first panic attack. Of course she came back, but I never told her how horrified I got. I was sort of afraid of the fact that I became so uncontrollbly scared. Any hoo... been having them off and on since then. I have managed to control this without any meds. I am a student and it has been a challenge. This semester I had a lab on the 4th floor of an old building with no elevaters. Every week I would literally get anxiety about climbing the stairs.... since I would become out of breathe and my heart would pound fast, I always thought by the time I reached the top floor I might faint. I pushed myself through every week.... never fainted. It's amazing what our anxiety makes us fear. I am actually thinking about trying meds now that I am accepted to pharmacy school..... eeekkkkk......so scary!!!

[Jeordie]

Well don't take meds if they're not extremely necessary.
After all it doesn't seem you're doing SO bad.
There is people in this forum who can't get out of their houses...some twitch all over all the time...all sorts of things. Some just don't have any sort of occupation...instead you're doing school, which is good.
Climbing stairs...I had this too...thinking I would faint...I would call it one of my very first anxiety symptoms. Maybe it's because I hate the feeling of fainting so much (honestly it's like dying to me!)

What country you live in? Doesn't sound US...(I'm in Italy).

[neutoticamber]

Yup, I do live in the states. Italy sounds nice!!! I have always wanted to go to Tuscany after I saw the movie, "under the tuscan sun." Hahah... very cool.