Spinal Problems Can Reduce Blood Flow to the Brain

What is a cerebral hypoperfusion? It’s a term that basically means you’re not getting enough blood to your brain. A hypoperfusion can actually occur anywhere in the body, including the hands and feet or the kidneys or heart. Obviously, you don’t want one, and you especially don’t want one occurring at/near/around your brain!

A hypoperfusion can be the result of physical activities, diseases and/or spinal conditions. As you probably know, blood carries both oxygen and nutrients to cells in your body. If there’s a drop in the supply of these things, you can experience cellular damage and your body may or may not be able to recover. If blood, for some reason, wasn’t able to get to and from your brain as intended, and this happened suddenly, you’d have a stroke. Basically, a stroke is a severe hypoperfusion in the brain. Depending on the area or areas of the brain where this occurs, a person could experience all sorts of negative problems as a result!

If and when blood is not getting to the brain as it should, what are some symptoms? Dizziness, headaches, nausea, changes in vision/temporary vision loss, and fainting are some symptoms. There can also be signs of cognitive impairment, emotional instability, and uncoordinated motor functions. Basically, your brain isn’t working well, so your body isn’t working well, either.

A professional study was done to see how spinal health and cerebral hypoperfusion are linked. People with chronic neck and/or upper back pain were examined with a CT imaging system so blood flow to their brain could be noted. Then researchers checked eight areas of the brain to see if there was any correlation between vertebral subluxation (misaligned spine) and cerebral hypoperfusion. The results showed that people with neck and/or upper back pain had scores that strongly predicted cerebral hypoperfusion.

So what should you make of this? If you have chronic neck and/or upper back pain, you should see a chiropractor who can align your spine and relieve that pain. Otherwise, you’re more at risk for having a stroke and all the problems associated with the aftermath of a stroke.

Take charge of your health and be proactive. Don’t let your pain just keep going on and on. Call 651-464-0800 to make an appointment at Lakewoods Chiropractic in Forest Lake, MN.