Blood, Sweat and S**T...

It has been fun reflecting on this past year.   And I want to share what it took for the first couple of months.  We have had our share of ups & downs but we always knew that we had a passion and a purpose to help others heal and it was worth the work to make it happen.

We were traveling from Seattle to New England with the only goal to be successful. We arrived in New England and prepared to start a life together.  One of the first things we did was get married.  My brilliant if acerbic sister and maid of honor for the wedding, pointed out during her speech that while we were both “Doctors” we were in fact ‘homeless’ ‘jobless’ and ‘living at grandma’s house’.  ALL of this was completely true, and let me tell you, don’t knock living at grandma’s.  The food there is the BEST you’ll ever have.  However, three months later we did move out of Grandma’s house and moved up to the New Hampshire Seacoast area.  And guess what… the first job I had, was shoveling horse shit, um, feces… no actually I mean shit. 

 The lease on the first rental space fell through and pushed our open date back another three months so in an effort to bring some money in, I would be up at 5 am and work at the horse barn until afternoon, then come home and work on the business plan.   I’ve worked food service my entire life and had some connections in the Seacoast, I could have made more money in less smelly circumstances, but did I really want to be serving someone their martini on Friday night and trying to establish a professional relationship with them Monday morning?  I think not.  That and if you know me, you know that I love working with animals, particularly horses.  However, I’m glad to say I’m done with that stop gap.   So with hard work and lots of ups and downs we were well on the way to our dream.

Can’t wait to share more….  Yours in Health, Dr. Beebe. 

Come Celebrate our 1 year Anniversary with us! Fantastic Door Prizes, Food, Drinks... and Grandma's cookies.   Hope to see you there!  @ Arete Chiropractic April 7th 5pm-7pm. 

Yoga Poses To Alleviate Migraines

Migraines, something that an estimated 37 million Americans suffer from,  can prevent you from fully living the life that you want to. You may find that you have tried every remedy to alleviate the pain, but nothing seems to be working. But have you really tried EVERYTHING?!

Along with paying attention to your diet, drinking plenty of water, and maintaining a balanced life, keeping your spine in proper alignment is CRITICAL to being free from migraine pain. 

Check out our video below for one of our favorite yoga poses that, done correctly, can help relieve migraines, calm the mind, and energize the body. 

Keeping Your Spine In Line: Standing Forward Fold

Life is all about balance, right? We want to balance work, life, fun, family, and our health. At times, it can be easy to overlook the most important way that we can improve our overall health, which is taking care of our bodies. When we treat our bodies with love & care, they will keep anxiety & stress at bay. 

One way that many people reduce stress and try and keep their bodies in balance is by practicing yoga. Yoga is one of our preferred methods for making sure our spine is in proper alignment, which, in turn, keeps our bodies in balance. 

Watch our video below of Uttatasana or Standing Forward Fold for proper form & alignment. 

This pose will stretch your hamstrings & calves, while strengthening your thighs, knees, and engaging your core. This pose helps reduce stress & anxiety. 

We Are Almost One...A Look Back On The Past Year That Got Us Here...

Our ONE year anniversary as a business here in Portsmouth is FAST approaching and we wanted to take time time to reflect on everything that has brought us here and share it with you! 

Here is an inside scoop from both of us! 

From Mychal:

When I told my financial planner back in Seattle what I wanted to do she hurriedly tried to cover up the expression of shock and disbelief while simultaneously trying to think of a way to talk me out of my very ‘high risk’ plan.   You see I had just told her that I was going to leave my 6 figure paying clinic in Seattle WA(which I had built from the ground up- but didn’t own) with my then boyfriend (also a chiropractor) to move across the country and open our own practice in Portsmouth NH.  The New Hampshire location would allow us a couple of things;  for myself, we would be closer to family, and in an area where we could purchase some land to have horses in the future, for my now husband, he would be close enough to the ocean to surf.   

This was the 5th time that I personally have driven across the country, coast to coast, and each time I am awed by the North American Continent.  The diversity of the landscape, the people and the feeling of each area.  It teaches me new things every time.  Yet when landing in New England I had a sense of homecoming, a knowing my heart that I arrived.  Simultaneously I was gearing up for another birth.  I had birthed a practice, a business, in Seattle and now, we were preparing for the same process again…   

From Tyler: 

After four years of practicing Blair upper cervical chiropractic in separate practices in Washington state my fiancé and I had decided to pack up and move across the country to start a new life. We were just starting to get comfortable in our lives in Seattle but we were missing the family component. So we decided to move closer to our family. It was August of 2015 and we had both just finished a three year post graduate program. We both then went through the process of handing off our practices to very capable doctors and saying goodbye to the patients we had grown to know and care for. 

Our trip across the country had many stops along the way to visit friends and family of ours. Two weeks after we left Seattle we landed in Tolland, CT with our lives in a truck and our hopes and dreams starting to come true. On September 12th 2015 Mychal Beebe and I got married and celebrated with friends and family from all over the United States and Canada. Three days later we packed up and went to Costa Rica for four weeks taking our honeymoon knowing we were going to be working hard for at least the next 3-5 years with very little down time. Surfing, hiking, relaxing, and adventuring our way through Costa Rica. After four weeks we had climbed the tallest mountain in the country, traveled most of the west coast, hiked into the caldera of an extinct volcano, had surf lessons, and gotten robbed by capuchin monkeys.

When we got back to the states we quickly worked to find a place to live and work in the Seacoast. I had never been to the Seacoast before we moved and quite frankly I was very scared. I had done my research and was excited to live in a place that I could get to the ocean to surf and live in a city that was medium to small sized but full of good culture and good people. It took us a little while to find a place to live, and find a place to practice. Once we got settled we quickly got to work and by the last week of March 2016 we were ready and open for business. 

It took us longer than we thought but once we were up and running everything was clicking and we haven’t looked back since!

Provider Night @ Areté Chiropractic: Dr. Amy Pruszenski

A Discussion on the Mind-Eye Connection: as pioneered by Deb Zelinsky 

REGISTER HERE! 

Dr. Amy is affectionately called the Eyeball Coach, because she and her staff are able to coach people on how to use their eyes correctly. Through vision therapy they are able to overcome the vision problems that were interfering with their ability to achieve in life. 

Dr. Amy graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1989 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Cognitive Science. She graduated from the New England College of Optometry in 1993 and was the first recipient of the Alumni Association Young Optometrist of the Year Award in 2003. She is past president and a current director of the New Hampshire Optometric Association, and past Healthy Eyes/Healthy People coordinator for the American Optometric Association (AOA) in New Hampshire. Dr. Amy also serves the local community as President of the Portsmouth Lions Club.

Join Dr. Amy, as she shares with prominent providers in the Seacoast about how our patient's vision is compromised with TBI, Vestibular problem, Post Concussion Syndrome and more, and how a specific visual rehabilitative therapy can drastically improve patient outcomes.

Give Yourself the Gift of Health... AND Help a Family in Need

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                  NOV 28th- DEC 16th

Have you been thinking about trying Chiropractic care for a while?  This is the perfect opportunity.  Dr's Evans and Beebe are partnering with Annie's Angels  this Christmas to help both YOU and a CHILD in need!  We are passionate about building out community and giving back which is why we are donating our services this year in exchange for a gift. 

If your interested in finding out if we can help AND giving back this is what you do:     Call the office and we'll give you the gender and age of a child in need and book you in for an hour's initial health history and spinal exam. 

What you receive is $50 towards that initial consult and exam for the donation of your gift!  Gifts should be around $20 range. 

So give yourself the gift of health and help a child in need this Christmas. 

Call the office to schedule! 

Contact the Portsmouth NH Chiropractic Team

Vertigo’s Many Underlying Causes

Vertigo (the spinning sensation) is a common medical condition that is often the symptom of something else. Sometimes the underlying factor is directly related to the ear and is referred to as peripheral vertigo. At other times, the problem is related to the nervous system and is called central vertigo. As we will discuss, both types of vertigo may be connected to a misalignment in the neck.

Examples of Peripheral and Central Vertigo

Peripheral vertigo causes include:

• Head or neck trauma – Many cases of vertigo begin after an injury occurs such as a concussion or whiplash.

• Labyrinthitis – An ear infection can cause fluid buildup in the ear.

• Meniere’s disease – A rare vestibular condition often related to a lesion on the Eustachian tube.

Central vertigo causes include:

• Migraines – This neurovascular condition may have vertigo along with headaches, but there does not have to be a severe headache in order for the condition to be classified as a migraine.

• MS (multiple sclerosis) – MS can cause vertigo as the central nervous system becomes damaged.

• Medication side effects – Some medications, particularly those that affect the brain, may cause vertigo.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and vertigo click the image below to request our complimentary e-book.

How Upper Cervical Chiropractic Helps with Vertigo

Case studies not only reveal that vertigo can be relieved by upper cervical chiropractic care (check out this example that involved 60 patients), but it is effective for helping those with nearly all of the conditions noted above. Case studies examine the benefits of an upper cervical adjustments following head and neck trauma, for Meniere’s patients, MS patients, and those suffering from migraines. Plus, many individuals have been able to break free from some prescription medications when the adjustments relieved the underlying problem.

If you are suffering from vertigo, especially if you have experienced any kind of head or neck injury in the past, we encourage you to give upper cervical chiropractic a try. This gentle and precise form of chiropractic care is helping many to deal with chronic health problems caused by disruptions to the central nervous system as a result of misalignment.

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Beebe or Dr. Evans click the button below or call 603-380-9184

Health Brain= Healthy Body

Come join Arete Chiropractic on Thursday November 10th 6:30 pm - 8:30pm for a discussion on Brain Health and Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care. 

ASK questions.  MEET the doctors.  EAT!   Your Brain is the master control system in the body and your upper neck is the connection between your brain and your body.  Come learn about the top 3 factors for Brain Health and how head and neck alignment contribute.  

***Dinner is on us when a guest who is interested in care is present.  Without a guest tickets at $25 for current patients***

Seating is limited.  Call the office to reserve your tickets  603-380-9184

We look forward to seeing you there! 

Helping Migraine Pain with Proper Spinal Alignment

Migraines are extremely debilitating to those who suffer from them. They interfere with a person’s daily routine and can cause one to miss out on spending time with friends and family. Migraines can last for 72 hours in some cases. That is a long time for a person to be out of commission.

Some common symptoms of migraines are:

• Headache

• Nausea and vomiting

• Dizziness and vertigo

• Visual disturbances

Notice that a headache is listed as a symptom. While it is the most common one, it is only a symptom of a migraine because this is actually a neurological condition.

The medical community is still in debate as to what actually causes migraines. One specific cause cannot be identified. However, a number of causes may be to blame. These are:

• Physical activity

• Genetics

• Allergies to certain foods

• Injuries to the head and neck

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and migraines click the image below to request our complimentary e-book.

Medical doctors may recommend certain prescription drugs to help cope with migraine pain. These can include anti-depressants, anti-seizure medications, and beta-blockers. While these drugs may bring some relief, they do not address the underlying cause of migraines that result in reoccurrence.

Upper Cervical Chiropractic and Migraines

There is a definite link between a misalignment in the upper neck and migraines. It only takes a ¼ of a millimeter misalignment to cause problems throughout a person’s entire body. This is because the brainstem meets the spinal cord in the area that these bones are located. This tiny misalignment places undue pressure on the brainstem distorting signals being sent to and from the brain and body.

An upper cervical chiropractor will examine a patient’s necks to see where the specific misalignment is located. Using a gentle, precise technique that does not require popping or forcing the spine into place, the bones are moved back into proper alignment. The healing properties of the body then take over and communication is restored once again. This often results in patients seeing a decrease in migraine symptoms or even a complete resolution of them.

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Beebe or Dr. Evans click the button below or call 603-380-9184

Just How Common Are Migraines?

Besides tooth decay and tension headaches, migraines are the third most common health condition. More people suffer from migraines than every person on the planet who has been diagnosed with asthma, diabetes, and epilepsy combined. In fact, nearly 2% of people on Earth deal with 15 or more migraine days per month (chronic migraines).

If you suffer from migraines, you are clearly not alone. But maybe you are frustrated with the options presented by your doctor. Medications just hide the symptoms of a migraine, and often not very well. Plus, prescription meds for a migraine means taking pills for life. This isn’t a cure—just symptomatic care. Is there a better way?

Help for Migraine Sufferers in Portsmouth, NH

At Arete Chiropractic, we work at correcting the underlying problem that causes migraines. For many, this is a misalignment of the C1 and C2 vertebrae. These vertebrae are located at the base of the skull. The C1 (atlas) provides protection for the brainstem. If misaligned, however, pressure may be placed on the atlas resulting in various symptoms such as migraines.

Also, a misalignment in this sensitive part of the body may restrict blood flow to the brain keeping it from getting enough oxygen. It could also result in reduced drainage of cerebrospinal fluid, thus causing pressure to build up.

Regardless of the way in which the misalignment causes the migraines, a correction can help to resolve the issue. Consider the following example.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and migraines click the image below to request our complimentary e-book.

Blair Upper Cervical Improves Migraines for 39-Year-Old

In a case study involving a 39-year-old woman suffering from migraines with aura since she was just 10, immediate benefits were seen following her first adjustment. Over the course of 4 months of care, continue improvement was observed.

We have seen similar results with our own patients suffering from migraines. Schedule a consult today to see if upper cervical chiropractic is the right option for your care.

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Beebe or Dr. Evans click the button below or call 603-380-9184

The Correlation Between Meniere’s Disease, TN, and Whiplash

For many years, hydrops (excessive fluid retention in the inner ear) was thought to be the underlying cause of Meniere’s disease. However, this condition is not always present with Meniere’s. Therefore, researchers continued to search for the underlying cause of and the best way to care for Meniere’s. Recent research has revealed the real underlying issue.

The Upper Cervical Spine and Meniere’s Disease

According to research that followed 300 patients with Meniere’s for 5 years, a link was established between Meniere’s disease (as well as a condition call trigeminal neuralgia, or TN) and whiplash injuries. When the neck is injured in an accident, a lesion can be formed on the Eustachian tube or the trigeminal ganglion. When this occurs, it affects the ears and face.

Why did it take so long for the underlying cause of these conditions to be revealed? From the time of the injury, it can take up to 15 years for the lesion to form. Because of this, past injuries such as a car accident or a concussion are viewed as old news and something that the patient has healed from. Unfortunately, that is not always the case, and health problems can continue to worsen more than a decade after a whiplash injury or head injury. That’s why these conditions are usually diagnosed in middle age—the injuries often occur in the teens and 20s.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and vertigo click the image below to request our complimentary e-book.

More Important Information Revealed Through an Upright MRI

An upright MRI has been used to shed even more light on the importance of upper cervical alignment. When the C1 and C2 are out of position, cerebrospinal fluid flow is hindered and can pool in the brain resulting in a buildup of pressure. This too can contribute to many health problems. It makes the neck an important place to look when it comes to relief from idiopathic conditions.

At Arete Chiropractic, we use the Blair upper cervical technique to help our Meniere’s patients go beyond symptom control and get to the root of this long-misunderstood syndrome. 

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Beebe or Dr. Evans click the button below or call 603-380-9184

Watch Out for Headaches in Portsmouth, NH

It’s not uncommon to hear about headaches occurring on a 90-degree summer day. The fact is, the temperature itself is not the reason these headaches occur. If you begin to feel a headache while out in the heat, you want to drink some water and rehydrate quickly. It is actually dehydration that causes the headaches many experience in the summertime. However, dehydration is not the only thing that can cause a headache.

Other Headache Causes

Some begin to experience headaches after an accident or injury. If the trauma involved injury to the head or neck, there may be a simple underlying explanation. When the head or neck are injured, the C1 and C2 vertebrae which are situated right at the base of the skull may become misaligned. Any such subluxation can be the root cause of headaches. Why is that the case?

The C1 (atlas) protects the brainstem. A misalignment here may result in an excess buildup of pressure. This can lead to headaches. A misalignment of the upper cervical spine may also cause an interruption in the proper flow of cerebrospinal fluid or blood to and from the brain. This too can result in headaches.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and migraines click the image below to request our complimentary e-book.

Upper Cervical Chiropractic for Headache Relief

Before you reach for that bottle of over-the-counter pain medication, why not have an upper neck examination. If a misalignment is revealed, a gentle adjustment may be all that is needed to help with the problem. In fact, this can lead to a more permanent resolution.

In one collection of 101 cases studies, 84 of the 101 patients experienced no more headaches after upper cervical care. The other 17 patients all experienced fewer headaches after care.

If you are dealing with frequent headaches, especially if you have been injured in the past, we encourage you to give upper cervical chiropractic care a try. You may get to say goodbye to those headaches for good! 

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Beebe or Dr. Evans click the button below or call 603-380-9184

The Difference Between Disequilibrium and Vertigo

While disequilibrium and vertigo are often both referred to under the blanket term of dizziness, they are two different symptoms. Since explaining your symptoms accurately to a health care professional is an important part of getting the help you need, here are a few things you should know in order to understand the difference between these conditions.

What Is Disequilibrium?

Disequilibrium refers to the sensation that one is about to fall or that it is necessary to obtain assistance to move without falling. It may even seem like the ground is beginning to slant, or a person may feel like he is floating about the ground. Disequilibrium can begin either in the inner ear or in the central nervous system, the vital components that make up the vestibular system.

In contrast, vertigo specifically refers to a false sense of motion. The room may seem to spin, or a person may feel like he is moving when he is actually sitting or standing still. It can also refer to motion that is interpreted inaccurately such as if a person is actually moving backward but feels like he is moving forward.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and vertigo click the image below to request our complimentary e-book.

The Upper Cervical Connection

Disequilibrium often arises following a head injury. There are numerous cases studies that connect head injuries to upper cervical misalignments. This is because the neck and the head often suffer injuries simultaneously. A neck misalignment, in turn, can create the right circumstances for disequilibrium to occur.

In short, if you are experiencing any type of dizziness following a fall, accident, or injury, it is a good idea to have your upper cervical spine examined for a misalignment. Even if the trauma occurred a number of years ago, correcting an existing subluxation can allow the body the opportunity to heal naturally. At Arete Chiropractic, we use the Blair upper cervical method to correct misalignments and help our patients improve their health. 

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Beebe or Dr. Evans click the button below or call 603-380-9184

Migraine or Headache? Knowing the Difference

Migraines are more than just bad headaches, as sufferers know all too well. So if you’ve been experiencing severe headaches, how can you know if this is actually a symptom of a migraine? Here are some more symptoms of migraines. Remember that people often exhibit different symptoms, so you may have some that are not listed here, but these are a few of the more common ones.

·         Sensitivity to light, sounds, and/or smells

·         Nausea and/or vomiting

·         Dizziness or vertigo

·         Visual disturbances (possibly including temporary loss of vision)

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and migraines click the image below to request our complimentary e-book.

What Brings on a Migraine?

If your headaches turn out to be migraines, what can you do to prevent attacks, or keep them as far apart as possible? Here are a few practical suggestions:

·         Keep a diary – This will allow you to determine if certain foods, beverages, activities, or other triggers precede your attacks and avoid these.

·         Decrease stress levels – Migraines are often triggered by stress. You can reduce stress with a hot shower, a massage, some meditation, stretching, enjoying a hobby, or any other stress relief technique you can think of. Just remember to mark it in your journal if the stress relieving technique actually triggers a migraine.

·         See an upper cervical chiropractor

Why See an Upper Cervical Chiropractor?

The fact is that your migraines may be the result of an upper neck misalignment. If you’ve ever been in an accident, suffered a sports injury, or even just hit your head, you may have a misalignment of the atlas (C1 vertebra). This isn’t something that would be corrected by a general chiropractor. It involves very specific measurements of the misalignment along with a very precise correction. At Arete Chiropractic, we use the Blair upper cervical technique to deliver just such an adjustment to our patients. In many case studies, upper cervical care has helped individuals suffering from migraines in as few as 1 to 2 adjustments. 

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Beebe or Dr. Evans click the button below or call 603-380-9184

Dizziness—What It Can Mean Following a Concussion

Dizziness can have many causes, but when the symptoms start after an injury to the head such as a concussion, the problem may actually be in your neck. What is the connection between head trauma and dizziness? Where can you look to for help in coping with dizziness after head or neck trauma?

Dizziness and concussions were connected again in the news lately as Cavs player Kevin Love was forced to leave a game after hitting his head on the court. He started to feel dizzy, was diagnosed with a concussion, and spent the rest of the game follow NBA protocols which involve leaving the court area to be in an environment that is quiet and distraction free.

That’s just one example of dizziness starting following an injury to the head. Many have experienced the same symptom after everything from a fall down the stairs to a car accident. If you feel your dizziness is connected to a recent or even a past head injury, what can you do?

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and vertigo click the image below to request our complimentary e-book

Upper Cervical Care Provides Natural Benefits for Dizziness Sufferers

When a head injury is sustained, the neck is often jarred as well. If the upper vertebrae (the C1 and C2) misalign as a result of the injury, long lasting effects can occur, dizziness included. At Arete Chiropractic, we use the Blair method of upper cervical chiropractic to identify and correct this specific type of misalignment.

If you are worried about having your neck ‘popped’ following an injury, we can put your mind at ease. Upper cervical care is very different from general chiropractic. There is no ‘popping’ or ‘twisting’ involved, just a gentle correction that is long lasting. This allows any damaged caused by the misalignment to begin healing. If you are suffering from dizziness following a head or neck injury, come in for a consultation to find out what upper cervical chiropractic can do for you. 

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Beebe or Dr. Evans click the button below or call 603-380-9184

Headaches—Why the Neck Is a Good Place to Start Looking for Help

Headaches are known for the pain they cause to the head, but the genesis of many of these headaches could be in the neck. In fact, it was recently reported in an article on news-press.com (a subsidiary of USA Today) that up to 20% of headaches are cervicogenic—in other words, headaches caused by a disorder of the neck.

One of the things that cause pinched nerves and other issues in the neck that result in headaches is poor posture. In fact, whether it is being hunched over an iPad binge watching a TV show or sitting a desk at work with a monitor that isn’t positioned correctly, it’s surprising that more people are not facing this kind of headache.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and migraines download our complimentary e-book.

Help in Coping with Headache Pain

We want to make two recommendations for dealing with headaches. The first is to watch your posture at all times. Try sleeping on your back at night or on your side with a pillow between your knees rather than on your stomach. When sitting, make sure you are in a seat where your knees can bend at a 90-degree angle and your feet touch the floor (or use a footstool). Try to keep mobile devices at eye level by placing them on a stand on a table rather than leaning your head forward to look at them. Pay attention to your posture when standing and walking so that your head is not leaning forward. Proper posture will help reduce the occurrence of headaches.

Second, we encourage you to come in for a consultation at Arete Chiropractic. Even a slight misalignment of the upper neck can make proper posture feel unnatural. Plus, it can cause the rest of the spine to shift as the body compensates in order to keep your head straight. We use the Blair technique of upper cervical chiropractic to identify and correct such misalignments, and the result may be help for headache pain. 

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Beebe or Dr. Evans click the button below or call 603-380-9184

Imaging of the ligaments in the Upper Neck

Follow-Up MR Imaging of the Alar and Transverse Ligaments after Whiplash Injury:

A Prospective Controlled Study

Vetti N., Krakenes J. et al. American Journal of Neuroradiology 32: 1836-41, Nov 2011

Why do we do research? To answer questions?  Yet, how often do we seek out research that validates our paradigm?  My guess would be almost always.  Therein is the problem.  To be a true question, we must not think we already know the answer or outcome.  That was the reason that this study caught my eye.

This study was a prospective case controlled study that followed 91 symptomatic whiplash patients and 52 neck pain control patients for 1 year.  MR Imaging was done at baseline on neck pain patients and after the accident and on a 1 year follow up, results were also correlated with the neck disability index. 

The inclusion criteria for the whiplash included: MVA in the past 7 days with onset of neck pain within 48 hours.  No previous history of neck pain, and classified as WAD 1-2 (Whiplash Associated Disorders without any neurological signs, factures or dislocations).

The symptomatic control patients were included when they reported to an outpatient spine clinic with a history >3 months of neck pain with a non-traumatic onset.

The researchers concluded that the areas of high signal intensity (indicating inflammation/fibrosis/fat replacement) in the alar and transverse ligaments did not change significantly at baseline or at 1 year follow up for WAD patients.  Further the prevalence of the alar and transverse ligament high signal intensity did not differ significantly between traumatic and non-injured neck pain controls.

What the researchers concluded is that the alar and transverse ligament high signal intensity in patients with WAD1-2 observed in the first year after injury cannot be explained by the trauma.

Clinical Pearls:

“High signal intensity could theoretically be due to altered ligament function cause by neck pain.”

“Pain induced immobility causes morphologic changes in muscles, tendons and ligaments.”

“High signal intensity of the alar and transverse ligaments is also reported to be frequent in healthy non-injured persons without neck pain.”

Author’s Note: This study is a bit confounding however provides an interesting observation on neck pain related MR imaging.