In January of 2004, the chronic stiffness in my neck and back suddenly became acute.  I had vertigo...

(which means I couldn't lie down), loud buzzing and ringing in my ears, dizziness when putting my head down, a "hung-over" type of stomach upset, couldn't tolerate noise and being around more than one person at a time and generally feeling the absence of normalcy. The vertigo triggered an anxiety that had a life all its own and no amount of breathing exercises would alleviate it.

X-rays revealed a damaged disk in my neck which was the result of an old injury and further exacerbated by working with computers daily for years.

I immediately started regular chiropractic treatments and was assigned very specific exercises to do at home.  Anti-anxiety drugs were prescribed and my work place was made ergonomic.  Thus my long, slow journey back to health began.

As the pressure was released from my disk and the more acute symptoms disappeared, my jaw (had TMJ since I was 19) and lower back destabilized.  I had to start wearing a sacrum belt to support my lower back.  It seemed that for every action, there was a reaction and old problems came back to hit me like a sledge hammer.  By April, the healing process seemed to reached a plateau.  I was still taking my drugs plus Tylenol every day.  Three sessions with a psychologist had helped to gradually wean me off the anti-anxiety drugs; but I was discouraged, in distress, and had frequent crying spells.

It was at that point that I showed up on Jason's doorstep proclaiming that I would be a big challenge and "if he could fix me, he could fix anyone"!  When asked what my goal was, I replied "To stop taking medications and to feel normal again".  The muscle scan he preformed on my back revealed a tug of war going on with the muscles - lots of back, red, and green bars of colour (scan results).  Jason adjusted my C1 and assured me that healing takes time.  Slowly over the next month, I saw changes take place.  Within eight weeks, another muscle scan was done.  To Jason's huge surprise, there were no colour bars at all. ("I thought the computer wasn't' working").  The muscles had settled down and that scan made his "Wall of Fame".  Normalcy was beginning to return to my life at long last.

For the next ten months I had NUCCA adjustments every two weeks.  Finally in April 2005 I graduated to once a month.  Over that time period, there were some low points.  However, I knew intuitively that NUCCA was a large part of what I needed to get well.  Jason encouraged me to have regular massages, take nutritional supplements and have myofacial re-patterning.  As I turn 60 this summer and take stock of my health, I can honestly say I feel better now than I did when I was 50.  I walk and do my Nordic Track every day.  My lower back and jaw are stable; I am drug free, sleep like and baby every night and relish in my feeling normal once more.

As a footnote, my family doctor watched me like a hawk during this time and respected my decision to go the chiropractic route.  I saved myself from protracted drug therapy and eventual neck surgery.  He's very pleased with me.  Star G.