What is Hemisphericity? Signs, symptoms, and treatment

What is Hemisphericity? Signs, symptoms, and treatment

#BeavertonHealth&Happiness

Pain on one side of your body could be from a brain imbalance!

A common problem we encounter in our practice is a nagging pain that is located on one side of the body. One side of the body will seem fine while the other is chronically tight and achy.

Often this pain will travel from the neck down into the upper back, shoulder, and arms, down to the lower back and into the gluteal muscles and into the hamstrings and calf all on the same side of the body!

People are left frustrated, and they will make comments that they wish they could have the affected area cut off entirely and replaced. Patients may have been to other healthcare providers who say the problem is in their head.

If you are one of those people who suffer from pain on one side of your body, the problem may be an imbalance in your brain. The term for this is hemisphericity.

Hemisphericity occurs when one side of the brain is under-functioning. The under-functioning side needs to be stimulated such that it is in balance with the other hemisphere.

 

Signs of Hemisphericity

  • Higher blood pressure on the side of the lesion.
  • Larger pupil on the side of the lesion.
  • A pupil that is sluggish in response to light.
  • In the arm we see carpal tunnel, elbow pain, shoulder pain and same side neck pain.
  • In the lower extremity we see sciatica, knee pain, and plantar fasciitis.
  • Discernible changes in movement when comparing right limb to left limb.
  • Colder hand or foot on the affected side.
  • Retained primitive reflexes that are more notable on one side of the body.
  • Postural differences: foot flare, lower shoulder, internally rotated arms and forearms.

 

Treatment of Hemisphericity

To rebalance a hemisphericity, a functional neurologist/chiropractor will focus on making changes to your nervous system using spinal adjustments and brain-based therapies.

Examples of brain-based therapies may include chiropractic adjustments to balance the brain and giving patients a plan that is specific to their unique nervous system. We see changes in posture, function, and pain relief.  People stand straighter and no longer have excessive tension in their arms and legs.

For more information, go to www.hhclinic.com or call 503.646.8575 to schedule.

Written by Dr. Joseph Vance DC. DACNB