Your Brain on Neck Pain

Did you ever wonder what happens to your brain when you are experiencing neck pain?  Or, 

Do you ever wonder why you might be having "CRS" disease...

you know, when you "Can't Remember Stuff?"  

Check out these brain images from a recent published study. It turns out that increased neck pain was strongly associated with significantly reduced blood flow in the brain. Ouch!  It turns out that neck pain is associated literally with brain drain. 

One more reason to come in for an adjustment!  

This explanation is from chiropractic researcher Dr. Slosberg's newsletter at www.slosberg.com: 

 "The two images below illustrate changes in cerebral blood flow. The top set of images demonstrate blood flow in healthy controls. Note the consistent red to white coloring in the cortex. These colors signify high to very high perfusion of the cerebral cortex. The top row of images are transverse sections through the brain. The middle row are sagittal images and the bottom row are coronal images. In all images, the cerebral cortex forms a circular pattern just underneath the skull which is in blue. The large red image in the bottom right indicates a 360 degree view of cortical perfusion. In healthy subjects there is a smooth, consistent red color indicating very good perfusion. In the second set of images from neck pain patients notice the discontinuities of the red with brown and yellow colors interspersed which indicate significant reduction in cortical perfusion. The bottom right 360 degree image demonstrates black gaps in the red which indicates large reductions in cerebral perfusion in those regions."

This study, that demonstrates that putting up with neck pain may affect your thinking abilities is from the following reference: 

Bakhtadze MA, MD, PhD - Cerebral Perfusion in Patients With Chronic Neck and Upper Back Pain: Preliminary Observations. JMPT 2012;35(2):76-85.

If you can remember, give us a call next time the neck starts singing a sad song. Your brain will thank you!  916-485-5433

(C) Gregg C. Anderson, D.C. 2014

Neck pain / Blood flow to brain /