Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is the name referring to symptoms that occur following a traumatic event. Post-traumatic stress has grown common in our modern world for soldiers returning from a tour of duty. Also, for students who are present at a school shooting, for people who experience terrorist attacks or mass shootings, and even for those who experience events like car accidents or other sudden and unexpected injuries.
Anything that shocks, scares, or results in serious danger can lead to PTSD symptoms. Let us take a closer look at the symptoms that accompany PTSD. Then we will consider a natural way to find relief from these symptoms by helping to get the central nervous system (CNS) back under control.
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Symptoms and experiences vary from patient to patient. Some may not have experienced a dangerous event personally but have suffered the sudden loss of a loved one. For some, symptoms arise within the first few months following the event. They may even resolve on their own within just a few months. For others, symptoms are long-term and chronic in nature.
To get an official PTSD diagnosis, you need to meet the following criteria for a month or longer:
Particularly when it comes to children, PTSD may result in things such as bedwetting, being unnatural clingy with parents or other grownups, ceasing to speak, or acting out the traumatic event while playing. Teens may get involved in destructive behaviors.
Not everyone who experiences a traumatic event will suffer from PTSD. So what makes the difference?
Increased risk factors for experiencing PSTD include:
Some who experience these events may be able to reduce the likelihood of experiencing PTSD by immediately seeking the support of family and close friends. Others benefit from joining a support group. Positive coping strategies can help, while turning to negative coping mechanisms may make matters worse.
If CNS function has been inhibited, this may make it more difficult to process events that have occurred. It makes sense then that someone injured in a traumatic experience is more likely to suffer from PTSD. If a head or neck injury occurred, or if the person fell while trying to get away, it is possible that an upper cervical misalignment occurred. This can significantly affect CNS function in 3 ways:
Upper cervical chiropractic can help to correct these misalignments in a gentle and long-lasting way, allowing the body the time that it needs to heal. It is no wonder then that case studies exist that show patients suffering from PTSD can receive benefits from upper cervical chiropractic care.
If you are suffering from post-traumatic stress, it makes sense to get an examination from an upper cervical chiropractor. Most importantly, if you suffered an injury due to a traumatic event. If a misalignment exists, this safe and gentle subspecialty of chiropractic may be just what you need to correct an underlying factor that is aggravating symptoms.
To learn more about upper cervical chiropractic care, use the search function on this website to find a practitioner in your local area. A consultation will help you to determine if this is the right form of care for you. Once you have received the help needed to address this underlying physical problem, you may find a reduction in other symptoms that you would never have imagined are related to such a simple issue.
TV show host Montel Williams describes how specific chiropractic care has helped his body.
The content and materials provided in this web site are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to supplement or comprise a medical diagnosis or other professional opinion, or to be used in lieu of a consultation with a physician or competent health care professional for medical diagnosis and/or treatment. All content and materials including research papers, case studies and testimonials summarizing patients' responses to care are intended for educational purposes only and do not imply a guarantee of benefit. Individual results may vary, depending upon several factors including age of the patient, severity of the condition, severity of the spinal injury, and duration of time the condition has been present.