A lot of our patients experience neurological changes after an adjustment. There are lots of reasons for this but today we are going to specifically talk about the Penumbra effect. When the atlas misaligns, it stretches the spinal cord via the dentate ligaments. This mechanical strain pools blood within the spinal cord by blocking venous drainage. This is a major problem because the lack of proper drainage and blood flow in such an oxygen-dependent area can cause major damage.
The good news is that the body can, in effect, put these strained areas in a hibernating state. This is called the penumbra effect. While this is not ideal, it saves those delicate neurological tissues from complete death and necrosis.
So what happens when an atlas correction is made? The blood that was in stasis (stagnating) can be flushed out and the oxygen levels are normalized. The nerves and nerve cells are literally revived and woken from hibernation. This can create many sensations such as warmth and tingling. Vision can seem clearer. Breathing feels deeper. Brain fog can be lifted.
Even though we are adjusting a bone in the spine, we see far-reaching effects on the central nervous system. This is why at our office we make the effort to know when and where to adjust. We are dealing with your nerves too!
