Functional Neurology
Southwest Brain Performance Centers utilizes Functional Neurology to evaluate the weakened areas of a patient’s nervous system, which can effectively be regenerated using our treatment.
Those who have acquired injuries such as strokes, concussions, and mild traumatic brain injuries find the most benefit from Functional Neurological treatment.
Functional Neurology is the better option for individuals who have been treated by traditional care but haven't achieved clinical improvements.
No two brains are the same, and that's why our doctors create individualized treatment plans by utilizing cognitive and physical activities, diagnostic tests, and a multitude of therapies to create a positive change in our patients' lives.
Conditions We Treat
Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)
Any brain injury that develops after birth is called an acquired brain injury (ABI). Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and non-traumatic brain injury (NTBI) are the two types of ABI.
A sudden, violent blow or jolt to the head that damages the brain results in a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Numerous incidents, including car accidents, slips and falls, and sports injuries, can result in this kind of injury.
Any brain injury not brought on by a concussion is referred to as a non-traumatic brain injury (NTBI). Strokes, brain tumors, infections, anoxia (lack of oxygen to the brain), and other illnesses can fall under this category.
ABI EVENTS WE SEE AT SWBPC
A stroke occurs when the flow of oxygen-rich blood is restricted to the brain. Starved of oxygen, brain cells start to die within a few minutes.
Damage may also occur if a blood vessel in the brain bursts, causing sudden bleeding in the brain.
When brain cells die or become damaged, symptoms become present in the parts of the body that the affected brain cells conduct. Stroke symptoms include:
- Trouble with speaking or understanding speech
- Paralysis or numbness in face, arms, or legs
- Sudden weakness
- Dizziness
- Difficulty with balance
- Sudden loss of vision (in one or both eyes)
Trauma to the brain in a vehicular accident can occur when an individual strikes their head against the steering wheel or windshield.
A TBI is the result of a moving head coming to a quick stop but the brain continues to move and strikes the inside of the skull which means you could also acquire a brain injury if you were quickly restrained by an inertia-reel seatbelt .
It is also important to note that an open wound is not necessary for a TBI to occur.
Unfortunately, repeated TBIs are common among victims of domestic violence. Individuals who have experienced this trauma are often at a higher risk of developing Post-Concussion Syndrome. A TBI can also occur from domestic assault by a stranger.
When a person has long-term Lyme disease symptoms like fatigue, joint pain, and cognitive impairment even after taking the recommended course of antibiotics early-on, the condition is referred to as chronic Lyme disease.
Lyme disease can cause neurological symptoms like meningitis, facial paralysis, and cognitive decline. Because these signs are caused by the bacterial infection rather than a physical trauma to the brain, they are classified as non-traumatic brain injuries.
While there are several effective ways to treat chronic Lyme disease, our patients may benefit from a mix of supplements, lifestyle changes, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Environmental toxins are harmful substances that can harm human health and are found in the environment, including air, water, soil, and food. Non-traumatic brain injury is just one of the health issues that exposure to these toxins can bring on.
Mold toxicity is one type of environmental toxin that can result in non-traumatic brain injury. Headaches, fatigue, attention problems, and memory loss are just a few of the symptoms that can arise from exposure to toxic substances made by some types of mold. Mold toxicity can also cause damage to the brain as well.
A healthy diet and lifestyle changes, such as limiting exposure to toxins, are frequently part of treatment for environmental toxin exposure. Toxins can be eliminated from the body with the aid of our detox kits. Additionally, hyperbaric oxygen therapy has demonstrated promise in enhancing brain function and minimizing the symptoms of toxin exposure.
CONCUSSION/POST-CONCUSSION SYNDROME (PCS)
A concussion is a mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) that occurs after a blow to the head. Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS) is a complex condition in which various symptoms last for several weeks to even months after the injury that caused the initial concussion. PCS is more common that people realize, and many individuals have been dealing with PCS unknowingly.
It can be challenging and overwhelming to live with PCS, so it's crucial to seek treatment to reduce symptoms and enhance your quality of life.
Symptoms of a concussion typically present within the first seven to 10 days after an individual hits their head, and can resolve within three months. However, if left untreated, they can persist for a year or more. Symptom of a concussion can include:
Cognitive
Brain fog, poor concentration, difficulty focusing, memory issues, and impaired judgement.
Physical
Light sensitivity, noise sensitivity and headaches.
Emotional
Depression, anxiety, irrational or impulsive behavior, and loss of motivation.
Sleep
Sleepiness, excessive lethargy and insomnia.
DYSAUTONOMIA
Dysautonomia is a general term used to describe a variety of conditions related to dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). As the result of injury, the sympathetic (fight or flight) or parasympathetic (rest and digest) system can either be overly active or under active. The ANS is involved in the automatic control of essential functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, respiration rate, temperature, sweating and other functions that do not require our conscious control.
CONDITIONS WE SEE
POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) is a type of Dysautonomia, which is the malfunctioning of the parts of the body responsible for controlling things like digestion, blood pressure, and heart rate.
Standing up causes a sudden rise in heart rate in people with POTS, which can result in symptoms like lightheadedness and fainting.
Although the precise cause of POTS is unknown, individuals typically begin to experience episodes after pregnancy, brain trauma, major surgery, or a viral illness.
Individuals who suffer from chronic migraines often suffer from Dysautonomia. A migraine headache typically recurs in an individual and causes moderate to severe pain. Usually migraines begin on one side of the head, in which the pain is often described as throbbing or pulsing. This pain typically lasts for several hours up to several days, and can be worsened by physical activity, light or sound.
Vestibular Disorders
The vestibular system includes the parts of the inner ear and brain that process the sensory information involved with controlling eye movement and balance. These types of disorders are the result of disease or injuries which have damaged these processing areas and can be worsened by environmental or genetic conditions. However, they can occur for unknown reasons.
CONDITIONS WE SEE AT SWBPC
Dizziness can originate from several sources. It may stem from the peripheral vestibular system (the inner ear and the pathways connecting it to the brainstem), or the central vestibular system (the brainstem and brain).
While most individuals will experience dizziness symptoms that are clearly identified as being originated in either peripheral or central vestibular systems, there are people who have a full mix of the two groups.
Cervicogenic dizziness, or cervical vertigo, can occur as the result of neck disorders or trauma to the cervical spine, or poor neck posture.
Symptoms include dizziness or a sensation of spinning that is related to turning of the head, ear pain, neck pain, nausea and vomiting.
This condition will usually respond positively to chiropractic adjustments, but more severe cases may require vestibular rehabilitation.
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is a common disorder stemming from the inner ear and is the most common cause of vertigo. BPPV consists of brief symptoms of dizziness and spinning that changes with the position of your head or body.
Symptoms can also include; nausea, light-headedness and loss of balance. BPPV is usually initiated by changes in the position of the head such as tipping the head up or down too quickly. Even sudden movements of the head from side to side (rolling over in bed) can cause symptoms.
BPPV arises when the motion sensing, calcium-based crystals in our inner ear break down and shift from the inner ear otoliths into the semicircular canals. While BPPV is not life-threatening, it can be life-changing to some patients as the symptoms can range from minor to severe.
Mal de Debarquement Syndrome (MdDS) is a movement disorder that typically arises after a cruise or air travel, or can occur spontaneously.
Symptoms include a continuous rocking/rolling sensation or swaying, nausea, sensitivity to light or sound, and vision issues.
It is believed that MdDS originates in the vestibular system and is a relatively unfamiliar condition to most physicians.
Fortunately, the doctors at SWBPC are very familiar with MdDS and have treated numerous patients with this condition. We have seen great success with those who we have rehabilitated!
A vestibular migraine can often cause repeated dizziness or vertigo in people who have suffered from migraines before. However, unlike the traditional migraine, an individual may not always have a headache. Symptoms include dizziness from looking at moving objects, feeling imbalanced, lightheadedness, nausea and vomiting.
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PRIMITIVE REFLEX REMEDIATION
Primitive reflexes are automatic, involuntary movements necessary to a baby's survival in the first few weeks of life. These reflexes are quickly inhibited as higher centers of the brain develop and voluntary responses dominate. Primitive reflexes persisting beyond six to 12 months of life are considered abnormal. Children sometimes have a number of persistent primitive reflexes present with neuro-developmental disorders.
PRIMITIVE REFLEX REMEDIATIONS WE SEE AT SWBPC
The Moro Reflex is the earliest form of "fight or flight" (reaction to stress) that is fully present at birth and is usually inhibited between two to four months. When it persists, children may be over reactive, hypersensitive, stimulus bound, and have difficulty with games.
The Spinal Galant is actively present at birth and inhibited by three to nine months. If fully retained or only retained on one side, it may affect posture, gait and other forms of locomotion.
It can also be responsible for bedwetting, fidgeting, poor concentration and short-term memory, and hip rotation to one side when walking.
Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR) is fully present at birth and develops eye-hand coordination, focuses on one side of the body at a time and improves the ability to concentrate from a distance of 17 centimeters to the length of the arm. It is inhibited at about six months of life so that focus on distant objects can develop. If it persists, it can affect handwriting, eye tracking, cause difficulty crossing the midline, and bilateraly or cross-laterality.
The Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR) is fully present at birth, is inhibited by four months, and is closely linked to the Moro Reflex as both are vestibular in origin and activated by movement of the head. When retained, it can lead to spatial problems, poor posture and muscle tone, motion sickness, visual perceptual difficulties, poor sequencing skills and a poor sense of time.
The Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR) Backwards emerges at birth, is inhibited gradually from six weeks to three years, and is involved in the simultaneous development of postural reflexes, symmetrical tonic neck reflex and the Landau reflex. If retained, it can result in poor balance and coordination, organizational skills and stiff jerky movements.
The Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (Flexion & Extension) emerges at about six to nine months, and is inhibited about nine to 11 months. If retained, it affects posture, hand-eye coordination and swimming skills. Also, it results in the tendency to slump when sitting at a desk, an ape-like walk, difficulties with binocular vision, "clumsy child" syndrome, delay in speed when copying tasks, and messy eating habits.
