Category Archives: Upper Cervical Chiropractic

Changes in Cerebral Blood Flow Patterns and Velocities of Migraine Subjects Following an Atlas Correction

Written on November 2, 2011 by Dr. Geoffrey Besso in Upper Cervical Chiropractic

There is some great research going on right now helping us better understand the relationship between brain function, or the lack there of, and an Atlas C-1 Subluxation (misalignment of the top bone in the neck that wraps around the junction of the brain stem and the spinal cord).

This study shows an improvement in cerebrospinal fluid flow (CSF) and blood flow between the cranio-cervical junction after a NUCCA adjustment to the Atlas C1 vertebra. In other words, a specific upper cervical chiropractic adjustment using the NUCCA procedure can help correct the cause of migraine headaches by improving the blood flow naturally, without the use of medication.

It is really cool to not only see patients find relief with migraines, but with a new MRI imaging technology, and great research like this, we can literally “See” the results. Great stuff!

click the link below if you want to read the research:

nuccra.org/projects-funding/project-descriptions#cerebral

Dr. Geoff Besso, DC

Besso Clinic of Chiropractic, Inc. 2071 Graham Road Stow, OH 44224

330-689-1234

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Success with Sleep Apnea & Asthma in a 2 year old

Written on October 31, 2011 by Dr. Geoffrey Besso in Upper Cervical Chiropractic

“Jackson began NUCCA treatment at Besso Clinic at age 2. He was suffering from labored breathing at night and episodes of sleep apnea. At birth he was diagnosed with torticollis (slight neck tilt) so we first sought the advice of a pediatric orthopedic surgeon. By 1 year old his condition was said to be corrected, though he continued to snore loudly and have very broken sleep patterns each night. My husband has asthma, so that was our next pursuit. We tried an inhaler for 2 months with no improvement. Next we tested for allergies-just cats of which we did not have one. We then ended up at an ENT who recommended a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, not the choice we wanted to make for our 2 year old.

Fortunately, we were informed of The Besso Clinic and decided to come in for a consultation. It was made obvious to us after the first appointment that Jackson suffered from a misalignment- perhaps residual of the torticollis. After the first month we noticed significant improvement in Jackson’s breathing, energy, and overall disposition-he was definitely feeling better!

All the members of The Besso Clinic are extremely professional, and personable. Our experience has been superb!

The best part of Upper Cervical care is that it is HIGHLY effective in treating symptoms and so simple that a 2 year old will cooperate for the office visits. It’s the best and only solution to our concerns. My husband and I are very much advocates of the care given at The Besso Clinic and are hopeful chiropractic care will be the choice of many parents over medication or surgery for their children.”

What a joy it is to have kids like Jackson in our practice! If your child is having health challenges I encourage you to bring him/her in to get checked. We will let you know if we can or can’t help.

Dr. Geoff Besso and Dr. David Yates

Call 330.689.1234

Besso Clinic of Chiropractic, Inc. 2071 Graham Road Stow, OH 44224

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Backpack Safety at the Besso Clinic of Chiropractic

Written on September 21, 2011 by Dr. Geoffrey Besso in Besso Clinic, Upper Cervical Chiropractic

It’s school time again and that means heavy backpacks. Carrying around a small library on your back is a sure way to lead to spinal problems. We all know proper posture is essential for spinal health. Poor posture leads to compression of discs, muscle strain and imbalance, which leads to scoliosis and degenerative disc disease. Most experts agree that a backpack should weigh no more that 10-15% of body weight.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that parents look for the following when choosing the right backpack:

a lightweight pack that doesn’t add a lot of weight to your child’s load (for example, even though leather packs look cool, they weigh more than traditional canvas backpacks)
two wide, padded shoulder straps; straps that are too narrow can dig into shoulders
a padded back, which not only provides increased comfort, but also protects kids from being poked by sharp edges on objects (pencils, rulers, notebooks, etc.) inside the pack
a waist belt, which helps to distribute the weight more evenly across the body
multiple compartments, which can help distribute the weight more evenly

Try to leave out all non-essential items laptops, video games, etc. Also, a trip to the locker as often as possible to trade out books will make a huge difference in the load.

One last thing, kids should be taught the proper way to lift a heavy backpack. As with all things (cardboard boxes with heavy items have taught us one thing) lifting with the legs, while keeping the back erect is the best way to lift a heavy backpack. This, along with strengthening abdominal/core muscles will reduce the potential for muscle strains and pulls in the back.

Just follow these simple guidelines and enjoy the school year!

If your have concerns about the healthy of your child’s spine I encourage you to come in to the Besso Clinic of Chiropractic in Stow. We use the most gentle methods to correct the spine. Also, we look for imbalances in the spine in many advanced ways: from the use of thermal infrared imaging to a digital posture analysis. We offer free scoliosis screenings too.

Oh, and make sure you bring your child’s backpack, with a typical load, so we can take a look.

Thanks for visiting our site!

Dr. Geoff Besso and Dr. David Yates

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What is the cause of chronic pain, fatigue and fibromyalgia?

Written on May 11, 2011 by Dr. Geoffrey Besso in Upper Cervical Chiropractic

If you are like most people that happen upon BessoClinic.com, you are probably asking yourself one of a few common questions:

1. What is the cause of my chronic pain, fatigue, or fibromyalgia?

2. What can be done to relieve my pain?

3. How can my widespread pain be caused by an atlas ( upper neck) misalignment?

If your doctor has given up on finding the cause or if you are sick of taking muscle relaxers, pain pills, anti-inflammatories, nerve medications, and anti depressants then read on…

Research has shown that many unexplained health challenges can be caused by an Atlas misalignment. This may seem silly, but stand in front of the mirror and look at your posture.

Have you ever wondered why you have one shoulder higher than the other? Or why your head is tilted to one side? Have you been told that you have one leg shorter than the other? Do you have chronic muscle spasm in your shoulder blade or low back?

This adverse body position can cause stress, tension and pressure to the entire nervous system, most importantly the brain stem (base of the brain). This is very important, because our body shuttles millions of electrical and chemical impulses back and forth from the brain to every cell of our body each day. Any restriction or distortion of those messages (nerve impulses) can affect every body function.

See the diagram below. Maybe this explains why you have that bad shoulder, that plantar fascia pain, knee pain, headaches, or trigger points in the muscles.

When you visit us at the Besso Clinic in Stow we will evaluate your spine and look for an Atlas misalignment. If we find the signs of a problem we’ll take films from 3 Dimensions to determine an exact formula to help us gently correct the problem without any twisting or popping. We can then take another film to measure the correction.

Basically, the hidden cause of your fibro, or other health concerns, may be as simple as re-balancing your spine with the NUCCA method and ‘getting your head on straight’

We often have success with other doctors failures.

There is HOPE!

Dr. Geoff Besso Besso Clinic of Chiropractic, Inc 330.689.1234

“Experience the NUCCA Difference”

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Sinus Headache and Motion Sickness Relief in Cleveland/Akron

Written on May 4, 2011 by Dr. Geoffrey Besso in Besso Clinic, Upper Cervical Chiropractic

“When I first came to Besso Clinic in Stow I was suffering from sinus headaches, and neck pain. I had been suffering for 20 + years with these conditions. I would take Sudafed, Excedrin or Tylenol and I did nasal cleansing but did not experience much relief. I also took a lot of natural supplements and saw my family doctor. Since coming to Besso Clinic and starting NUCCA care I have experienced increase energy and decrease in the intensity and frequency of headaches. I used to get motion sickness when riding as a passenger in the car. Since coming to Besso Clinic I can ride in the back seat of the van and not feel sick.

What I like most about the Besso Clinic has been Dr. Besso’s gentle adjustments. I also like the way he monitors and checks my progress.

The staff has been kind, helpful and attentive. There isn’t one thing I don’t like about the care I have received from Besso Clinic. I would definitely recommend Besso Clinic for gentle chiropractic treatment that ensures my safety but also gives me relief from the pain I was experiencing.”

Cherrie S. Hudson, OH

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Cutting Edge Fibromyalgia Treatment in Cleveland-Akron

Written on May 1, 2011 by Dr. Geoffrey Besso in Besso Clinic, Upper Cervical Chiropractic

What is “IT”?

“It” is Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS), a syndrome comprised of the symptoms listed to the right.

Let’s begin by breaking the word down into it’s parts:

Fibro = fiber

Myo = muscle

Algia = pain

Now we all know that it is not this simple. In fact, FMS is very elusive. By definition, FMS is defined as a chronic syndrome (which is a grouping of signs and symptoms) characterized by widespread muscle, bone, and joint pain. It affects more women than men at a ratio of 9 to 1.

The American College of Rheaumatology states that Fibromyalgia Syndrome affects as many as 6 million people in the U.S. That’s 1 in 50! Take a minute and think about that. That’s a lot of people.

On the other hand, there is a lack of proper diagnosis or many people are misdiagnosed. The National Foundation for Fibromyalgia states that as many as 12 million Americans suffer from FMS but go undiagnosed due to it’s elusive nature. This basically means that many people walk around in constant pain not knowing what is going on with them. While, in the meantime, they are progressively getting worse.

FMS is very debilitating, and we see in our patient histories that it always progressively worsens over time. It never just stays at one level. Because of it’s debilitating nature, FMS affects many people and not just the patient alone. Family members, co-workers, and children are very much affected by FM as well, as it steals life from them while they are taking care of their loved ones.

This affect comes in many levels and varying degrees. The most affected are the spouses; they suffer nearly as much while watching their loved one lay in bed for days at a time. But it didn’t start this way. It starts when the FM sufferer can no longer do normal daily activities. Sure, they are able to clean the house a little bit but they pay for it for days. They have trouble attending church functions or kids sporting events, because it hurts them to stand just as bad as it does to sit on a bench or church pew.

There is hope. Don’t believe the lie that you have to live like this. Let us help you get your life back.

Here is our most recent fibromyalgia success story…

“When my friend first told me about Upper Cervical Care and how The Besso Clinic of Chiropractic was able to help her, I thought it would definitely be worth a shot. I had been suffering from Fibromyalgia, and severe muscle pain since I was 36 years old, and I am now 67 years old. The last 5 years have been very bad. My body just hurt everywhere! I couldn’t get around and do the things I liked to do, so I thought I’d see what Upper Cervical Care was all about. I had tried other things and gone to my family doctor but I just couldn’t afford all the medication they wanted me to take.

At my first visit, and all of the following visits I’ve been treated excellent. The staff here really care about their patients. They are angels! I like everything about The Besso Clinic of Chiropractic!

I’m so thankful my friend told me about The Besso Clinic because I now feel wonderful! I feel so very, very good. My metal outlook has improved and I have more energy. Best of all the pain is gone. I have been able to not use my cane as much anymore. It’s like having a new body!

I think The Besso Clinic of Chiropractic is great. I tell people that I have no insurance to cover me, it comes out of my pocket. I’m doing this for myself. NUCCA care works better than anything I have ever tried.”

Audrey W. Stow, OH

Now something you don’t here a lot about is ‘What causes fibromyalgia?‘ According to the CDC the cause of fibromyalgia is unknown. But the CDC does report that some things have been ‘loosely’ associated with disease onset, including:

Stressful or traumatic events, such as car accidents, and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

I encourage you to take a closer look at our website. As you learn more about how the body is designed your symptoms may make a lot more sense and you may find hope for recovery. We have dozens of success stories, a few short videos that describe how we treat fibromyalgia, and several blog posts that may interest you. If you have been suffering from Fibromyalgia and you are from the Cleveland/Akron Area and would like to receive our new patient offer fill in your information to the top right of the screen.

Yours In Health,

Dr. Geoff Besso 330.689.1234 Besso Clinic of Chiropractic, Inc. Stow, OH

“Experience the NUCCA Difference”

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The Secret Cause of Ear Infections

Written on April 24, 2011 by Dr. Geoffrey Besso in Upper Cervical Chiropractic

Have you ever wondered why your child has repeated ear infections? Can your child be born with a deficiency of antibiotics? (sarcasm font) Have you been told your child need tubes in their ears to keep the ear canal open?

What can cause repeated ear infections anyways?

Answer: An Atlas Subluxation Complex. In basic terms, a misalignment of the top bone in the neck. This misalgnment can happen in any number of ways. Injuries can happen from the birth process, from falls, hits to the head. When the Atlas (C1) is misaligned it puts pressure on the nerves that go to the sinuses, the inner ear, back up to the head, and many other important places (immune system -unexplained fevers, stomach-acid reflux, colon - colicky baby).

I have attached a link to over 20 research articles pulblished on ear infections and chiropractic treatment.

http://icpa4kids.org/Chiropractic-Research/Ear-Infection-Otitis-Media/

At the Besso Clinic of Chiropractic in Stow, Ohio, we specialized in correcting Atlas Subluxations in a Very gentle way using no forceful tiwsting or popping. We can correct the spine using the NUCCA method or with a handheld instrument called Orthospinology , using a very gentle impulse.

Dr. Geoff Besso 330.689.1234

NUCCA treatment for Cleveland-Akron

“Experience the NUCCA Difference”

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Successful Treatment of Head Tremors, Head Pressure and Neck Stiffness

Written on April 11, 2011 by Dr. Geoffrey Besso in Upper Cervical Chiropractic

“My first appointment at Besso Clinic of Chiropractic in Stow was August 18^th 2010. I came in because I had neck discomfort, severe pressure in the back of my head, stiffness/tightness in shoulders and head tremors. I have suffered for about 2 years from these conditions. I am not quite to the healing part of my NUCCA chiropractic treatment yet, I am coming once a week and I feel hopeful that I am making a slow and steady progress. The extreme pressure in the back of my head was relieved almost immediately, which was a wonderful feeling as this had been a long term ongoing problem. Because of compression, nerves were pinched that I believe have produced tremors of the head. I feel relief from this situation as well and the tremors are not nearly as great-usually holding quite well until close to treatment time.

Due to many health issues in my family, I struggle with stress which produces tension and tightness in my shoulders. I am also noticing less tension since starting NUCCA care.

Thank you for the care and kindness, everyone I have met have been extremely friendly, helpful and kind. I look forward to greater healing as I continue the NUCCA program set forth by Dr. Besso. You’ll be glad if you give them a try!”

Susan D.

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Parkinson’s and Upper Cervical Chiropractic

Written on April 5, 2011 by Dr. Geoffrey Besso in Upper Cervical Chiropractic

NUCCA Research Published on Parkinson’s

Recently a couple NUCCA doctors from Florida published an encouraging article drawing an interesting connection between the anatomy and alignment of the upper cervical spine and the function of the nerves/neurons in the brain.

Parkinson’s disease belongs to a group of conditions called movement disorders. The four main symptoms are tremor,or trembling in hands, arms, legs, jaw, or head; rigidity, or stiffness of the limbs and trunk; bradykinesia, or slowness of movement; and postural instability, or impaired balance. These symptoms usually begin gradually and worsen with time. As they become more pronounced, patients may have difficulty walking, talking, or completing other simple tasks. Not everyone with one or more of these symptoms has PD, as the symptoms sometimes appear in other diseases as well.

The numbers show that about 50,000 people are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease each year.

Visit this link to learn more about the details of Parkinson’s Disease and the symptoms that can occur with Parkinson’s.

“Drs. Jonathan Chung and Justin Brown are to be congratulated on their recent publication in the Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research, March 14, 2011 ( Pages 18-21) regarding their case study entitled: Reduction in Symptoms Related to Parkinson’s Disease Concomitant with Subluxation Reduction Following Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care.

Over a period of 6 months, a 67 year old Parkinson’s patient was seen 19 times and was adjusted 12 times following the NUCCA protocol. Improvements in radiographic measurements, paraspinal thermography, and sEMG were recorded. The patient self-reported improvements in weakness, tremors, rigidity, and overall mobility. The outcome indicated that the upper cervical subluxation may be a contributing factor to the symptomatic expression of Parkinson’s disease. Reduction of the subluxation with specific vectored correction may be a plausible, safe, and effective approach for managing this condition.” NUCCA NEWS

If you have been around my blog for a while you will notice that we talk a lot about conditions and symptoms. Something that is important to understand is that True health is not merely the lack of symptoms, but True health and wellness is when your body is functioning at 100%, or at its peak. I can assure you that with many health problems the symptoms are the last thing to show up. So I hope you won’t wait until you are crawling in and you will visit a NUCCA doctor today.

Dr. Geoff Besso - Besso Clinic of Chiropractic, Stow Ohio (in the Cleveland /Akron area)

“Experience the NUCCA Difference”

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Causes of Back Pain In Stow

Written on March 31, 2011 by Dr. Geoffrey Besso in Chiropractic, Upper Cervical Chiropractic

The majority of back pain in Stow is caused by three everyday stresses: physical stress, chemical stress, and emotional stress.

Specific, gentle, spinal adjustments by a NUCCA chiropractor in the Cleveland / Akron area can potentially alleviate your back pain caused by these interrelated stresses.

The most overlooked stressor that we overcome each day is the stress of Gravity. I know it sounds silly but your brain spends most of its energy each day keeping your body balanced in the gravitational field. Actually a Nobel prize winner for brain research says:

“Better than 90 percent of the energy output of the brain is used in relating the physical body in its gravitational field. The more mechanically distorted a person is, the less energy available for thinking, metabolism and healing.”

Roger Sperry, PhD. Medical Nobel Prize winner for brain research, 1981.

So, the biggest stressor we have to overcome is gravity. 90% of your brains energy is used to help you deal with gravity. What does it mean to be is ‘mechanically distorted’ you might ask? Mechanically distorted is with you have:

head tilt, unlevel shoulders, unlevel pelvis, muscle spasm, locked up vertebral joints. Click here to read a previous post on the topic.

The best way to make sure your spine is not “mechanically distorted” is by visiting a NUCCA Upper Cervical Chiropractor.

So I can hear what you are thinking, What causes us to get mechanically distorted (out of balance)?

1. Trauma to your back because of an accident, odd twisting and tweaking, falls on the tail bone, poor posture, and weak muscles can cause back pain because that can throw your spine out of balance (cause mechanical distortion). These are examples of physical stress to your spine that may be alleviated by visiting a specific, gentle, NUCCA chiropractor in the Cleveland Akron area.

2. Poor nutrition, alcohol or drug abuse, and toxins ingested through the air or water in the Akron area are all examples of chemical stresses which may result in back pain and poorly aligned spines.

3. Emotional stress is the last of these interrelated stresses which may affect the alignment of your spine and cause back pain. Severe emotional stress may weaken your immune system, can cause muscle spasm and can make your spine and back more susceptible to injury and disease. Therefore a visit to your Stow chiropractor could be beneficial to your health in more ways than you may have previously thought.

Any combination of these stresses, common in the Cleveland / Akron area, could cause your spine to go out of alignment. Specific spine adjustments can decrease muscle tension, reduce your stress, reduce mechanical distortion, and thus contribute to your overall health and wellness.

A NUCCA upper cervical chiropractor rebalances the spine allowing your body to function at peak levels giving you the relief you need from your back pain.

“Experience the NUCCA difference”

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