When My Mom’s Heart Took a Detour (And Her Neck Held the Key)
Let me start this story with a scene you don’t see every day: my mom versus a rogue electrical cord. Spoiler alert, the cord won. She tripped, went headfirst into the wall, and hit so hard that the drywall dented in. Yes, you read that right, she left an actual forehead print in the wall.
Now, here’s the strange part. Despite what looked like a cartoon-style accident, she didn’t break a bone. But what happened next was far scarier.
A Heart That Broke Without Breaking
At the ER, doctors diagnosed her with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy—a rare condition sometimes called “broken heart syndrome.” Essentially, the left ventricle of the heart balloons and weakens, usually triggered by extreme stress. Thankfully, within six months her heart function improved.
But the fallout? That was another story.
She developed dysautonomia, which is when the autonomic nervous system (the part that controls things like blood pressure, heart rate, and digestion) goes haywire. Her blood pressure became completely unpredictable, sometimes shooting close to 200, other times crashing down to 60 (for reference, 120 would be normal). Her immune system was unstable, and her overall health was slipping.
Treating the Patient Who’s Also Your Mom
Now, I’ve treated many people with dysautonomia successfully. But with my mom, something didn’t add up. Neurologically, she looked balanced. Yet she wasn’t responding to treatment.
Fast forward to a recent visit. She’d been struggling, and I hadn’t checked her neck in quite some time since she lives out of state. I decided to take a fresh 3D X-ray, and sure enough, I spotted a misalignment I hadn’t seen before.
I adjusted her.
And then? Things got worse.
Her blood pressure medications weren’t working, and her numbers were swinging wildly. But here’s where experience comes in: the fact that the adjustment changed her blood pressure at all was actually a good sign.
The Reset Button
Within a few days, her blood pressure began to stabilize. Three weeks later, it was more normal than it had been in years. She even drove her car again for the first time in years.
I’m confident she’s finally on the right track, and her nervous system is learning to regulate again.
The Science Behind It
Here’s where it gets interesting. There’s a key nerve called the Vagus nerve, which runs from the brainstem and acts as the master controller for the parasympathetic nervous system. It helps regulate the heart, blood vessels, and digestion.
Even small misalignments in the upper neck can put pressure on the brainstem and interfere with the Vagus nerve. In my mom’s case, that misalignment was preventing her from properly self-regulating. Once that pressure was removed, her system finally had the chance to “reset.”
Why This Matters for You
Most cases of dysautonomia aren’t as complicated as my mom’s. But the signs are important:
- Blood pressure that swings high or low
- Feeling faint or dizzy, especially when standing
- Chronic issues regulating heart rate or circulation
If this sounds familiar, upper cervical misalignment could be part of the puzzle.
Our approach at Balanced Chiropractic is gentle and precise, designed to hold longer so your body has the best chance to heal. Because when the nervous system can do its job, the body follows.
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