Question
thank you so much for your help Dr. Rozeboom. I have one more question...as I am in India, x-rays and MRI's etc. are very  cheap to get.do you think it would be wise of me to get an MRI...or some other sort of scan...  would something like an MRI prove very useful when I finally get around to having someone help me back in the west?  Thanks again...
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Followup To

Question -
Thanks Dr.  Sounds like a good idea and i will find a chiro eventually. Right now, however, I am in India till December ( studying yoga) and then will be on the move till maybe march of next year, so I have a bit of a wait. any suggestions that might sustain me and help limit the frequency of my stiff neck until I can search out help?  any exercises or manipulation?  there are some rolfers around but sometimes I am scared of manipulation. maybe if I can find a cranial sacral therapist droppping through the yoga school?  but anything I might be able to do on my own to help prevent more stiff neck? the head over the egde of the bed for instance? sometimes it feels quite vunerbaleto do that and so not sure if it is so good, but maybe it is. anyways, thanks again for your help...
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Hi, thanks for taking the time to do this. I am a 31 year old, very active person. I have been active my whole life and have had neck trama from various sports but no 'BIG' event in particular. ( gymanstics as a kid, lots of 'extreme' sports for the past 2 decades) About 5 years ago, I sneezed on x-mas eve and my neck went completely stiff for about 3 weeks and rendered me imobile. since then it has occured maybe 3 to 4 times a year...sometimes surfing, sometimes simply looking at something, soccer...never know what might cause it. I haven't seen anyone as I have an aversion to allopathic med and just try and cure things on my own. I did see a chiro, but only for a few sessions. she thought I had a reverse curve from an x-ray, but thats about the only insight I have. when it goes stiff, it completely siezes up in all directions. I would do anything to let this injury go as it really is difficult. I am a yoga teacher as well...I have never hurt it in yoga as you are always so aware and conscious. it has always been other actions where it happens. the chiro suggested hanging my head over the edge of the bed 10 minutes a day every day. does that sound good?  could the reverse curve be causing nerves or something to get pinched?  My x-rays are quite old and I am thinking of getting new ones to have a look at.  thanks so much...

Answer -
Pam:



Although you have not had a "BIG" injury, you have very likely had a long series of smaller ones. Due to your physical condition, you hardly noticed them. But, they add together and build up.

The simple act of sneezing was the straw that broke the camel's back! Sneezing moves the dura mater(tough mother)--The tough covering over the brain and spinal cord--and the culmanation of all of your injuries had progressed to a point that the bones stopped the dura mater from moving. This is the stiff neck.

I am sure that your cervical curve is reversed. But the cervicals relate directly to the low back (lumbar spine). So there is a problem there also.

And, under that, the sacroiliac joint, between your hips and your backbone, is also injured.

This condition requires specialized chiropractic care. There are a few chiropractors who use Sacro Occipital Technic and related technics which get to the root of the problem. Please go to www.sorsi.com, www.icak.com and www.soto-usa.com and look for one near you. They can take new xrays, if indicated, and find out what is happening through examination.


Dr. Rozeboom

Answer -
Pam:

Yes, there is an exercise you can do at home to cure and prevent a stiff neck.

And it is this.

Standing or laying on your back, keep your face straight forward. Do not tilt the chin down or up. If you are lying on your back, move the face toward the ceiling is such a way that if it touched the ceiling, your face would be flat on the ceiling. If you are standing, move it straight forward in such a way that your forehead and chin would touch the wall in front of you at the same time. It has to go straight forward.

Holding that position, move your chin in a figure eight pattern. Imagine the wall is a piece of paper. You have a pencil sticking straight out from your chin. Use the tip of the pencil to write a "8" laying on its side.

As you do the figure eight laying on its side, hold and push your face straight forward more and more.
When done correctly, the neck will then make a crunching noise at the base of the skull. This is good. It will help your neck. It might not take the crunching sound out right away, but it will ensure that no damage is done and in fact will correct the problem if one persists in using it.

Does this answer you question?


Dr. Rozeboom


Answer
Pam:

Given your history, I doubt very much that an xray or MRI would show anything to a medical doctor. A chiropractor could probably find some relevant details.

If it is avialable and it would set your mind at ease, go ahead and do it.

Dr. Rozeboom.