When people get a recommendation to see a Chiropractic Neurologist, often their response is “but I don’t have back issues!” This is a common misconception because a Chiropractic Neurologists’ post-doctoral training allows them to treat much more than just the back or neck pain. If you have
- Brain fog
- Developmental delays
- Balance issues
- Memory problems
- Declining brain function
- Chronic pain
- Mood disorders
- or a History of head trauma with a concussion (TBI)
then we want to help you return to optimal functionality. For example, have you ever had a concussion that caused you to take off work for a couple weeks and upon heading back to work something felt out of the ordinary?
You may have been more forgetful, been more susceptible to brain or body fatigue, had some gut dysfunction, confusion, or loss of focus and concentration. We evaluate and treat these issues very differently than the traditional Chiropractor. We can also give you objective markers of clinical improvement with our advanced treatment modalities to show you that your brain function has improved.
Our specialty here at Austin Functional Wellness in Lafayette, CO is Functional Neurology.
While most Chiropractors seek to treat a person’s back problems through spinal manipulation; and medical doctors work with diagnosing and treating the pathological side of medical issues—such as infections, concussions with bleeding in the brain, or broken bones—we work with more functional aspects of the central nervous system.
Examples include finding the hidden causes of
- Inflammation
- Brain timing
- Balance, gait
- Memory
- Cognitive function
- Eye movements
to name a few. We teach the brain and the rest of the body to work in unison again like a well-trained orchestra.
When a patient has a concussion, they often go to a medical doctor to get an MRI or CT scan or to get their eyes and balance checked. The doctor might say, “Yes, you have a concussion so don’t use TV, computers or phones for a couple weeks.” The patient may be given two weeks off from work and while resting at home may help them feel better, often symptoms will persist and then return upon going back to work.
Standardized concussion protocols can make patients feel improved. However, often patients don’t feel completely back to normal when they are not given individualized protocols to address their specific needs.
Evaluate Each Patient’s Unique Cognitive and Brain Dysfunction
At Austin Functional Wellness, Dr. Paul evaluates each patient’s unique dysfunction. The individualized program is often what is needed for recovery since every concussion or brain issue is different. An important thing to remember is that eye movement function is reflexively (unconsciously) connected to core spinal muscle function, balance and cognitive function.
Some of our tests include a high-level balance test (CAPS), eye movement function testing including pursuits/tracking, saccades, gaze holding, optokinetics, a cognitive test, gait evaluation, brain timing test called Interactive Metronome and blood testing to try and find hidden sources of inflammation.
The evaluation of eye movement performance includes having the patient track a moving finger in front of the eyes in vertical, horizontal and diagonal planes. If the eyes move smoothly to one side but is jerky to the other, then exercises will be given to the patient to strengthen the weaker, jerky side.
Standardized protocols usually offer exercises to both sides which doesn’t address the weaker side or fix the asymmetrical function. When a more individualized approach is needed, a Functional Neurologist can really help.
Individual Program for Rehabilitation at Austin Functional Wellness
After evaluating the patient’s brain and body function, we will institute an individualized program of rehabilitation. If patients do not strengthen the weaker, less functional side or get rid of the hidden sources of inflammation, then brain and body can remain dysfunctional leading to further loss of quality of life.
At Austin Functional Wellness, we don’t perform surgery or prescribe medication, but we can partner with your medical treatments to treat the dysfunction that comes from many pathological conditions and the surgical and pharmaceutical side effects.
For example, we can help work on the balance issues of a person with Multiple Sclerosis or Parkinson’s Disease. Our goal at Austin Functional Wellness is to pinpoint the areas of central or peripheral nerve dysfunction and work with patients to rebuild those areas, as well as educate patients in the importance of prevention to prevent further dysfunction and loss of quality of life.
If you want better memory, attention and focus, increased mental processing speed, and less brain fatigue—give our unique treatment protocols a try.
