Holistic Physios

12/19/2025

🧠🚗 WHIPLASH & THE TECTORIAL MEMBRANE

Why a “neck injury” can become a brain–body integration problem

Most people are told that whiplash is just a neck strain.
Modern neuroscience and craniocervical research tell a very different story.

Whiplash is an acceleration–deceleration injury that can disrupt:
• Deep craniocervical ligaments
• Brainstem-adjacent structures
• Central neural pathways involved in posture, balance, and autonomic regulation

One of the most critical—and most overlooked—structures involved is the tectorial membrane.

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🦴 THE TECTORIAL MEMBRANE: A CRITICAL STABILIZER AT THE BRAIN–NECK JUNCTION

The tectorial membrane (TM) is not just another ligament.

🔹 It is the superior continuation of the posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL)
🔹 It runs from C2 (axis) to the clivus at the base of the skull
🔹 It lies directly in front of the spinal cord and brainstem, blending with intracranial dura

🧠 Why this matters:

The tectorial membrane acts as a protective barrier that:
• Limits excessive flexion/extension and translation at the craniocervical junction
• Helps prevent the dens (odontoid process) from migrating toward the brainstem
• Plays a role in brainstem stability, dural tension, and CSF dynamics

When this structure is stressed or injured, the consequences are neurological, not just mechanical.

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🚗 WHAT WHIPLASH DOES TO THE TECTORIAL MEMBRANE

During whiplash, the head moves violently relative to the torso. This places enormous shear and tensile forces on the upper cervical ligaments—especially the tectorial membrane.

📌 A Cureus study demonstrated that:
• Tectorial membrane injury is frequently present in adult trauma patients
• TM disruption is commonly found in cases requiring occipital–cervical fusion
• Injury may exist even without obvious fractures or gross instability on initial imaging

👉 This means ligamentous failure can occur silently, but still destabilize the brain–neck interface.

⸻

🧠 WHIPLASH IS ALSO A NEUROLOGICAL INJURY

Research published in Frontiers in Neurology (2019) adds another layer:

Key findings:
• Patients with mTBI + whiplash had worse postural control than mTBI alone
• Advanced diffusion imaging showed greater injury to the corticoreticulospinal tract (CRT)
• CRT is a central pathway controlling posture, axial tone, and balance
• These changes occurred even when standard MRI looked normal

🧠 Translation:
Whiplash can simultaneously injure:
• Peripheral sensory systems (neck proprioceptors)
• Central neural pathways
• Craniocervical stabilizing ligaments

⸻

🔄 THE SENSORIMOTOR CASCADE AFTER WHIPLASH

When the tectorial membrane and upper cervical structures are compromised, the brain receives distorted information from multiple systems:

1️⃣ Cervical Proprioception

Damaged neck receptors send inaccurate head-position data, creating sensory mismatch.

2️⃣ Vestibular System

The inner ear depends on stable cervical input. Distortion here leads to:
• Dizziness
• Motion sensitivity
• Balance loss

3️⃣ Visual System

Eye movements rely on neck–vestibular coordination. Disruption causes:
• Visual motion intolerance
• Tracking difficulty
• Visual dizziness

4️⃣ Brainstem & Central Pathways

TM injury and abnormal motion at the craniocervical junction can:
• Alter brainstem signaling
• Increase autonomic dysregulation
• Stress pathways like the CRT

⸻

🌀 WHY SYMPTOMS PERSIST

When these systems fail to reintegrate, the nervous system stays in a state of uncertainty.

Common symptoms include:
• Dizziness & imbalance
• Head pressure and headaches
• Brain fog & poor concentration
• Neck tension that never “lets go”
• Fatigue & stress intolerance
• Heightened fight-or-flight responses

These symptoms are not psychological.
They are the brain’s response to conflicting and unreliable sensory input.

⸻

🧠 A FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGY INTERPRETATION

From a functional neurology perspective:

✴ The upper cervical spine is a neurological gateway, not just a hinge
✴ The tectorial membrane plays a role in brainstem protection and sensory integration
✴ Whiplash can disrupt ligaments, sensory receptors, and central pathways simultaneously
✴ Symptoms reflect integration failure, not just tissue damage

This explains why:
• Imaging can look “normal”
• Pain-focused care alone often fails
• Patients feel dismissed despite real dysfunction

⸻

📌 KEY TAKEAWAY

Whiplash is not simply a neck strain.

It can involve:
🔹 Injury to the tectorial membrane
🔹 Craniocervical instability at a micro level
🔹 Altered brainstem and sensory processing
🔹 Central pathway disruption (e.g., CRT)
🔹 Long-term neurological adaptation

Understanding this shifts care from pain suppression to restoring brain–body integration—the foundation of true neurological recovery.

⸻

🧠 Knowledge changes outcomes.
At The Functional Neurology Center, we evaluate whiplash through the lens of neurology, not just orthopedics.

https://www.cureus.com/articles/53894-tectorial-membrane-injury-frequently-identified-in-adult-trauma-patients-who-undergo-occipital-cervical-fusion-for-craniocervical-instability #!/

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Coronal-illustration-of-the-craniocervcial-junction-from-a-posterior-orientation-with-cut_fig1_358874140

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2019.01199/full

TheFNC.com
📞 612-223-8590
DC DACNB

12/18/2025

If Your Vision Comes and Goes, Causes Migraines, or Can’t Be Fully Corrected, It Might Not Be “Just Your Eyes” Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Can Be the Missing Link

12/12/2025

The Optic Nerve, CSF Flow & Brain Pressure: How New Research Is Changing the Way We Understand Dizziness, Vision Problems, Head Pressure & Neurological Dysfunction

A groundbreaking 2022 article titled “Cerebrospinal fluid dynamics along the optic nerve” (Frontiers in Neurology) is reshaping how clinicians understand vision, brain pressure regulation, headaches, dizziness, and autonomic dysregulation.

And at The Functional Neurology Center, this research directly validates what we see clinically every single day:

✨ Vision symptoms, dizziness, headaches, and autonomic issues are often tied together because they share the same fluid pathways, pressure systems, and brainstem regulation mechanisms.

Let’s break down why this matters — and how we address it with technologies like Ciatrix, visual-vestibular therapy, cervical stability training, and autonomic rehabilitation.

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👁️ THE OPTIC NERVE ISN’T JUST A “VISION CABLE” — IT’S A CSF-FILLED EXTENSION OF THE BRAIN

The article emphasizes a critical anatomical fact:

📌 The optic nerve is literally an extension of the brain.

It is surrounded by:
• Dura mater
• Arachnoid membrane
• Subarachnoid space filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

This means the optic nerve is not isolated — it is directly exposed to brain pressure dynamics, CSF pulsations, and cranial fluid movement.

❗ And this subarachnoid space is a cul-de-sac

The CSF around the optic nerve must move in and out through the same narrow channel.

So any disruption in:
• CSF flow
• Intracranial pressure gradients
• Venous drainage
• Dural tension
• Cervical mechanics
• Posture
• Autonomic regulation

…can influence the optic nerve’s metabolic environment, health, and function.

This explains why so many neurological patients present with:
• Blurry vision
• Eye strain
• Difficulty shifting gaze
• Motion sensitivity
• Light sensitivity
• Eye pressure
• Visual fatigue
• Convergence dysfunction
• Reading intolerance

These symptoms aren’t “eye problems” — they’re CSF + brainstem + autonomic problems affecting the optic nerve and visual pathways.

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💧 CSF FLOW ALONG THE OPTIC NERVE: WHY IT’S SO IMPORTANT

The article highlights several key points about CSF movement in the optic nerve:

✔ CSF must circulate smoothly to support optic nerve metabolism

✔ Abnormal CSF flow may contribute to optic neuropathy, headaches, and pressure disorders

✔ CSF exchange assists in clearing metabolic waste from visual pathways

✔ Irregular CSF pulsations can stress the optic nerve head and retinal ganglion cells

✔ The optic nerve sheath responds directly to intracranial pressure changes

These findings support a new model where visual symptoms reflect deeper cerebrospinal and dural mechanics.

This aligns perfectly with the complex patients we treat:
• concussion
• post-whiplash
• dysautonomia / POTS
• hypermobility / EDS
• migraines
• post-COVID neuroinflammation
• chronic dizziness
• “visual vertigo”
• optic nerve fatigue
• brain-fog with visual overload

All of these often involve altered CSF dynamics, abnormal pressure gradients, and impaired brainstem integration.

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🧠 THE NECK, DURAl TENSION & OPTIC NERVE FLUID DYNAMICS

This is where the ocular CSF article connects beautifully with the myodural bridge / neuraxial biomechanics paper:

📌 Cervical mechanics influence dural tension

📌 Dural tension influences CSF flow

📌 CSF flow influences optic nerve pressure

📌 Optic nerve pressure influences visual-vestibular stability

When the neck is unstable — as in many of our patients with hypermobility, prior injuries, or poor posture — this can create:
• abnormal traction on the dura
• altered CSF flow at the cranio-cervical junction
• disrupted fluid exchange near the optic nerve
• increased pressure sensitivity
• changes in venous drainage

This can lead to symptoms such as:

👁️ “Vision goes blurry when I stand up.”

👁️ “My eyes feel pressured or full.”

👁️ “Reading makes me dizzy.”

👁️ “Screens trigger headaches.”

👁️ “My vision shakes when my neck hurts.”

👁️ “My eyes fatigue instantly.”

These are not “eye issues” — they are neuro-mechanical issues affecting the optic nerve’s CSF environment.

⸻

🔄 THE EYE–BRAIN–AUTONOMIC LOOP

The optic nerve is plugged directly into brainstem autonomic centers.
Pressure or flow abnormalities around the optic nerve can trigger:
• headaches
• light sensitivity
• nausea
• dizziness
• heart rate changes
• sympathetic activation
• blurred vision
• difficulty stabilizing gaze

Why?

Because vision and autonomics share the same functional space — the brainstem.

When CSF flow near the optic nerve is altered, the brainstem often compensates with:
• increased sympathetic tone
• altered eye movement control
• impaired vestibular integration

This explains why patients often describe symptoms like:

✔ “My dizziness is worse when my eyes get tired.”
✔ “My heart races when my vision overwhelms me.”
✔ “Vision + neck pain + dizziness hit all at once.”

⸻

🌟 HOW CIATRIX SUPPORTS OCULAR + CSF FLOW DYNAMICS AT THE FNC

Ciatrix technology plays a major role in supporting patients with altered optic nerve CSF mechanics.

By improving:
• global CSF flow
• rhythmic cranial and spinal fluid movement
• venous drainage
• brain oxygenation
• autonomic regulation
• cervical mechanical stability
• dural tension patterns

…we see meaningful improvements in:
• visual endurance
• convergence
• motion sensitivity
• head pressure
• headaches
• visual balance integration
• optic nerve comfort
• dizziness triggered by visual environments

Ciatrix doesn’t treat the eye —
it treats the fluid + pressure system the eye depends on.

⸻

🎯 HOW THE FNC APPROACH INTEGRATES THIS RESEARCH

Our protocols support optic nerve and CSF dynamics through:

🟦 Visual-vestibular integration training

Stabilizing gain, saccades, pursuits, fixation, and VOR reflexes.

🟦 Cervical proprioception + stability rehab

Reducing stress on the dura and myodural bridge.

🟦 Ciatrix CSF flow and brainstem regulation sessions

Improving fluid movement before doing higher-load neural tasks.

🟦 Autonomic nervous system retraining

Because vision + autonomics share the same brainstem control networks.

🟦 Oculomotor endurance training

For patients with screen fatigue or reading intolerance.

🟦 Optic nerve pressure symptom monitoring

Especially in those with head pressure, migraines, and optic sheath sensitivity.

⸻

💬 THE TAKEAWAY: VISION SYMPTOMS ARE OFTEN BRAINSTEM + CSF SYMPTOMS

Patients often come to us saying:
• “My eye doctor says my eyes are fine.”
• “My MRI is normal.”
• “Why does my vision shut down when I’m dizzy?”

This new research makes the answer clear:

✨ Vision problems in neurological patients are often caused by altered CSF flow, dural tension, autonomic imbalance, or cervical instability — not mechanical eye issues.

When we address:
• CSF dynamics
• cranio-cervical mechanics
• autonomics
• brainstem integration
• ocular motor control

…vision symptoms finally start to improve.

⸻

🌟 If you have vision-triggered dizziness, headaches, pressure, motion sensitivity, or visual overload — you’re not alone. And there is a reason.

Want to explore this deeper or schedule an evaluation?

📩 Message us
📧 info@theFNC.com
📍 Minnetonka, MN
🌐 theFNC.com

There is HOPE.
— The Functional Neurology Center

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2022.931523/full

10/31/2025

10/25/2025

Citric acid…. A common ingredient in SO MANY foods.

Manufactured citric acid - made from aspergillus niger mold.

“The woman developed severe joint and muscle pain in the upper and lower extremities with associated joint swelling, abdominal bloating with cramping and feeling enervated within 6–12 h of ingesting foods that contain added citric acid.”

“She sought consultations with rheumatologists, immunologists and allergists, none of whom found an explanation. Over a five year period, she underwent extensive work-ups for auto-immune disease, rheumatoid arthritis, vitamin deficiencies, as well as adrenal and thyroid imbalance, all of which were negative.

She attempted to eliminate gluten, dairy, and yeast, symptoms were minimally altered. She fenally noted that her symptoms followed ingesting certain pre-prepared foods, the commonality being presence of citric acid in the listed ingredients.

By age 47, she began avoiding all foods with added citric acid and noted a remarkable absence of her symptoms.

Subsequently, when she would feel the symptoms reported above after consuming pre-prepared foods or beverages, she would check the listed ingredients and always find that at least one of the foods consumed within the previous 12 h contained added citric acid.

The extent of her joint pain, abdominal discomfort and enervation was directly correlated with the amount of added citric acid ingested at a given time. If she consumed a meal in which a food item contained added citric acid and consumed a drink in which added citric acid was one of the leading ingredients, her symptoms were worse and lasted longer than if she consumed a single food item in which added citric acid was listed as a more minor ingredient. Even pre-prepared organic foods that were free of all additives except added citric acid would elicit her symptoms.”

From: Potential role of the common food additive manufactured citric acid in iciting significant inflammatory reactions contributing to serious disease states: A series of four case reports

10/25/2025

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10/23/2025

🤨🤓🤔🤔🤔 Who’s taking NAD? Here’s something to consider.

10/23/2025

🔺 For all of my People Pleasing Friends ⚠️

People pleasing can trigger an autoimmune condition by causing chronic psychological stress, which leads to inflammation and immune system dysregulation.

To elaborate, chronic people-pleasing creates long-term psychological stress through a consistent pattern behavior:

📑Emotional repression: Repressing emotions like anger, frustration, and sadness to keep others happy increases internal stress.

📑Neglect of self: Prioritizing others’ needs over your own well-being leads to burnout, exhaustion, and chronic anxiety.

📑Lack of boundaries: The inability to say “no” or set limits leads to overcommitment and resentment.

📑Fear of rejection: A constant need for external validation and the anxiety of disappointing others adds to the persistent psychological pressure.

This chronic state of stress disrupts the immune system’s delicate balance through several physiological pathways:

📑Hormonal imbalance: The body’s fight or flight response releases high levels of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. While acute boosts can be helpful, chronic elevation impairs the immune system’s regulation.

📑Inflammation: Prolonged stress leads to a state of chronic inflammation. This happens when the immune system’s response to cortisol becomes blunted, leaving fewer anti-inflammatory effects to balance the inflammatory responses.

📑Immune dysfunction: Over time, the immune system becomes dysregulated and “confused”. Instead of fighting external threats, it begins to attack the body’s own healthy tissues, which is the hallmark of an autoimmune disease.

SOURCE: https://www.mssupportfoundation.org/chronic-stress-and-autoimmune-diseases/

See also PMID: 32983091

10/22/2025

Unlocking the EDS Genetic Code: A Comprehensive Guide to All 13 Subtypes, Their Inheritance Patterns, and the Specific Proteins and Genes Involved, from the Common to the Extremely Rare. 🧬

10/21/2025

Emerging research shows that Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes (EDS) involve more than collagen defects. Dysregulation of the immune system—especially mast cells and complement—may increase tissue injury and affect healing in pEDS and hEDS/HSD.

➡ Understanding these connections is key to developing personalized treatments for neurological and spinal symptoms in EDS.

🔗Learn more about the connection between EDS & Chiari: https://youtu.be/QEmNDyzJa-g

Dr. Anne Maitland is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Director of the Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Institute at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC).