Chiropractic Neurology Might be the Best Kept Secret to Helping Your Child w/Special Needs
Hello everyone. My name is Jacob Plasker, and I am a board certified chiropractic neurologist in the Portland Metro area. Christina Rauschert has given me the privilege of sharing a bit about my story and what I do to help children with a variety of different acquired and developmental neurological conditions.
My story really begins when I was ten months old. I was playing on my parents’ bed when I rolled backwards off the edge and landed on my head. My mother scooped me up off the floor and immediately knew that something was wrong. I instantly went from a lively and cheerful baby to unresponsive and limp. I was first rushed to see my father at his chiropractic office. He quickly determined that something was very wrong, and we needed to get to the hospital right away.
Our arrival at the hospital was met with an army of nurses and doctors who whisked me away in order to evaluate my condition. After hours of testing by the doctors and waiting for my family, the doctor emerged from behind the emergency room doors and told my parents that I had suffered a stroke, and I would never be able to walk, talk, or use my right arm and leg ever again. Now, I don’t have children, but I can imagine how heartbreaking it is to hear someone tell you that your child who was perfectly healthy just hours ago, was now going to be confined to a wheel chair.
It was at that moment that my father decided that he would not accept the prognosis of the experts. He went into my hospital room, and adjusted me. The nurses heard the pop and threatened to have my father arrested, but they could not deny what happened next.
Instantly, I began to move on the hospital table. What had just moments before been a lifeless baby boy with an uncertain future was now crying and squirming on the table the way any distressed baby would when found in an unfamiliar setting away from the safety of his home and family. He saved me.
Fast forward 26 years, and not only am I walking and talking, but I am a chiropractic neurologist who gets to spend his days helping people recover their lives after brain injuries of all types have tried to rob them of their quality of life. I am beyond grateful that I have been given the opportunity to profoundly help people in the unique way that I do. I often get questions about what chiropractic neurology is, and I would like to now take the time to answer some of the questions that were sent in to the Limitless Ability Organization.
What is chiropractic neurology and how does it differ from regular chiropractic treatments?
Chiropractic neurology is a systematic approach to the evaluation and treatment of disorders of the nervous system. It centers around the idea that the brain and nervous system is made up of many different subsystems that each perform certain functions. Therefore, the ability to perform a certain function can indicate the health of the area responsible for accomplishing it. By testing all the different areas of the brain and nervous system, we can determine if one area is not working appropriately. Once we determine the area that is not working appropriately we aim to activate it using the different senses of the body.
So, whereas a chiropractor typically assesses and corrects your spinal alignment and motion, a chiropractic neurologist is capable of assessing the function of the entire brain and nervous system and using the body’s own receptor system to influence a wide range of disorders that impact the nervous system.
What type of training does a chiropractic neurologist have?
A chiropractic neurologist has all the standard training of a regular chiropractor as well as specialized training in advanced neurological diagnosis and rehabilitation. They are required to complete a certain number of classroom hours in functional neurology and clinical neuroscience as well as pass a rigorous board certification examination.
Who should seek the care of a chiropractic neurologist and what kind of conditions do they treat?
Many of the patients we see are experiencing complex neurological symptoms that do not fit neatly into a medical diagnosis. The great thing about chiropractic neurology is it provides a systematic approach to the evaluation of the entire nervous system, which offers versatility in the types of signs and symptoms we can help.
Common conditions that patients seek chiropractic neurology care for include:
Traumatic brain injury
Post-concussive disorder
Balance disorders/vertigo
Complications due to a stroke
Movement disorders
Developmental disorders (Autism and Asperger’s)
ADD/ADHD
Learning Disabilities
Complex regional pain syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
Headaches/migraines
Fatigue
Peripheral neuropathy
Can those with neurological issues be cured completely with chiropractic neurology?
To be clear, chiropractic neurology is about restoring as much normal function as possible. Therefore we do not treat diagnoses. We treat the individual. Although it is not uncommon for patients to see marked reductions or complete resolution of their symptoms, results vary person by person. The brain is a complex organ and we can only do so much with the knowledge available to us. It is very important to me to always be honest with people as we progress through treatment. If we reach a point where I think that I can no longer make anymore progress then the patient gets to make the decision about whether or not they would like to continue with care.
What does the exam and treatment look like?
Many patients describe our exam as the most thorough exam they have ever undergone. We test eye movements, balance, coordination, cognition, reflexes, sensation, and movement. We evaluate how your brain is communicating with your heart, lungs, and blood vessels. We also do a comprehensive musculoskeletal evaluation.
Treatment varies according to the findings of an individual’s exam. We can utilize light, smell, touch, vibration, rotational therapy, eye movement therapy, electrical stimulation, movement therapy, exercise, and more. It’s all about finding the way to make the greatest change in the shortest amount of time.
Are there any negative side effects?
Any treatment that has the potential to do good, has the potential do bad. That’s why our approach includes simultaneous treatment and examination. As we treat, we are looking for signs that the person is responding by constantly checking their function and monitoring their progress. The negative side effects that we see most often commonly include an increase in the severity of their initial complaint, but because we are monitoring each person so carefully, it is usually caught and corrected quickly.
How many treatments does it take for a typical patient to start to notice improvements in their symptoms?
That’s a hard question to answer because of the individualized nature of our care. We have seen patients experience almost a complete resolution of their symptoms after just one visit, and we have patients who find us to be invaluable members of their healthcare team and come back regularly over the course of weeks or months.
How do I find a chiropractic neurologist in my area and are they typically covered by insurance?
It is up to the individual office whether or not they participate in your insurance company’s network. The best way to find a chiropractic neurologist is to visit https://www.acnb.org/DoctorLocator.aspx. After you have found a doctor in your area its best to just call and ask what their insurance participation is.
Condition based questions.
Many of you wrote in asking about the specific condition your child is dealing with. I wish I could give you a more direct answer, but unfortunately it is hard for me to tell you whether or not I can help your child without having performed an exam. I will tell you that I have worked with children struggling with Autism, dyslexia, sensory processing disorder, ADD/ADHD, various learning disabilities, stroke, post-concussion, and more.
I know what it is like to be told by the experts that you cannot do something. It is my mission to inform parents that there are other options out there besides the conventional routes, which can seem so limiting at times. If I can ever do anything for anybody reading this, please don’t hesitate to contact me at jacobplaskerdc@gmail.com.
Dr. Jacob Plasker is a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist in Portland, Oregon.
Contact Dr. Plasker by email: jacobplaskerdc@gmail.com To schedule an appointment with Dr. Plasker, you can contact the Sunset Chiropractic Functional Neurology Office. Sunset Chiropractic | (503) 643-2225 11507 SW Shilo Ln, Ste E Portland, OR 97225
