Question
QUESTION: I keep getting lite headed but it only seems to bother the right side of my head. To me it seems as if I don't get the oxygen I should. I had a stroke just over 2 yrs ago. It affected my right arm and leg but yet a CT shows no sign of major damage. Also In the last yr I had 3 shoulder surgeries and 2 neck surgeries. The first neck was through the front to fuse C4 & C5. The second was through the back to clean out the nerve roots and another fusion.   Could it be my neck and/or back nerves that cause this? I was a professional wrestler for 5 yrs. I quit 10yrs ago and 5 yrs ago I started to fall apart. I go through the VA and it takes forever to get things done mean while problems mount up. They only can handle 1 at a time. The lite headedness does affect my balance and I have fallen. It's just the right side. Just seems like its out in left field. Thanks


Hanna Somatic Educatio   ANSWER: Hi, Dale.

You've described three things:

- stroke affecting your right side
- lightheadedeness on the right side
- loss of balance

Your stroke affected the left side of your brain, which controls your right side.  In that sense, your right side is out in left field.

If, by lightheadedness, you mean "fading out", that's one thing; if you mean changes of head movement and balance, that's another.

Balance problems affect your entire muscular system and commonly arise out of neck tension.  See "Dizziness at http://somatics.com/conditions.htm.

In general, your career in wrestling almost certainly set up patterns of tension in you that never went away.  Tension in your neck would affect balance, head circulation, and the discs (which is probably why you needed fusion surgery).  So, you're not "falling apart"; your being held too tightly together.

I'm directing you to my write-up on Completing Recovery from Injury:

http://somatics.com/recovery_from_injury.htm

and to the one on whiplash (neck) injuries

http://somatics.com/whiplash.htm

Those write-ups explain more and point you to a course of action for recovery, which involves retraining your muscular control.

I can also, if you ask, recommend specific self-treatment programs for that purpose.

regard,
Lawrence Gold

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you so much for your help. The first link you gave doesn't work(kept coming up error). Even before the neck surgery I thought the neck muscles were problem but was put off by my va doctors. I would very much appreciate a specific program to work on. The VA just kind of leaves me on my own outside of lots of drugs. Is it possible to get the full use of my right leg back from the stroke? I've been disabled for 2 yrs. I do see a chiropractor once in awhile and he seems to help some. Because of the falling down and hard to walk I have become mostly home bound the last 6 mos - yr. Any help or suggestions to better my health is very much welcome. Thank You!

Answer

Hanna Somatic Educatio   Hi, Dale.

About the first link, try again; if necessary, cut and paste the entire link into a browser address line; it worked when I tried it.

About regaining the use of your leg, it's possible; others have overcome more difficult limitations from stroke.  It takes time, patience and persistence.

Somatic exercises are not ideal for recovering from stroke paralysis.  I recommend, as a first step, some sessions with a practitioner of Trager Psychophysical Integration, a sensation-and-movement procedure that can help re-establish sensory awareness, which is needed for recovering control of movement.

As to a self-treatment program for your neck, start with the first free video on the following page:

http://somatics.com/back_pain.htm

That will help with the front and back neck muscles.

After that do the somatic exercises for the neck found in The Magic of Somatics.

See http://somatics.com/page7.htm#SOMAGIC

Those are for the sides of the neck.

My third recommendation may be a bit of a challenge, depending on how much freedom and control of movement you have in your right side.  It's a program called, The Five-Pointed Star, which has somatic exercises that better integrate neck movement with the rest of the body and will help with your walking.

See http://somatics.com/page7.htm#star

regard,
Lawrence Gold