CHIROPRACTIC CARE
TO RESET
Neuro-cognitive Impairments
Viral-induced HMR/D: Neuro-cognitive impairments
Neurological complications could compromise functional abilities and the quality of life of HMR/D patients. More than half of long-COVID patients experience fatigue, apathy, executive deficits, impaired cognitive control, and reduction in global cognition; attributed to GABAergic impairment resulting from viral-induced HMR/D. Neuro-muscular manifestations such as dizziness, headache, myopathy, and olfactory and gustatory disorders are frequently reported in HMR/D. Migraine-like as well as late-onset headaches are prevalent symptoms even after 6 weeks among 38% of post-discharged COVID-19 patients. Ageusia (loss of taste) and anosmia (loss of smell) resulting from olfactory dysfunction is a long-term PASC symptom reported persisted in more than 66% of European and US patients with HMR/D.
Cognitive dysfunction, emotional distress, and functional decline are prominent clinical symptoms in viral-induced HMR/D. Psychological indications such as anxiety and depression; as well as mental health impairments such as delirium, ‘brain fog’, memory loss, hallucination, confusion, depression, and anxiety are long-term HMR/D manifestations. Brain fog could result from dysautonomia, deconditioning or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Also, COVID-19 seems to pose an increased risk of long-term cognitive decline in elderly population.
Sensory impairment including loss of taste (ageusia), loss of smell (anosmia), and more critically loss of pain sensation, are early symptoms (rather than the respiratory involvement) in many COVID-19 patients. Several studies reported that ‘Neuro-COVID’ with CNS involvement displays a distinct viral pathology compared to regular onset of COVID with pulmonary/respiratory involvement. Global research has clearly established that SARS-CoV-2 infection targets brainstem and induces hyper-inflammation resulting into severe debilitating neuro-cognitive impairments, which could extend for months (even years) in PASC (negative for virus).
Brain Fog, a severe neuro-cognitive indication in viral-induced HMR/D
Long-COVID patients with HMR/D frequently report ‘brain fog’, a cognitive dysfunction involving memory issues, lack of mental clarity, and inability to focus. Brain fog could result from neuro-inflammation of brainstem along with misalignment of cervical vertebra, triggering mast cell stimulation and release of microglial-activating mediators that inflame the hypothalamus. Hyper-inflammation, thrombosis, immune dysregulation, and OxS could cause persistent disruption of tissue integrity, blood flow and neurotransmitter metabolism, leading to onset and progression of brain fog as well as other debilitating neuro-psychiatric symptoms in viral-induced HMR/D. Since neurons do not readily regenerate after a severe viral-induced HMR/D, brainstem dysfunction continues as a lingering issue among long-COVID sufferers. Therefore, upper cervical adjustment and mast cell inhibition could be potential therapeutic targets to resolve brain fog-related indications in viral-induced HMR/D.
Viral hijack of neuropilin (NRP)-1 receptor in brainstem: Neuropilin (NRP)-1 located in the brainstem is the critical receptor that SARS-CoV-2 hijacks for its infection and cellular entry. The brainstem is a bundle of nerve tissue at the base of the brain that connects the cerebrum and cerebellum to the spinal cord. The transmission of nerve signals from the brain to other parts of the body is achieved via brainstem. The brainstem also regulates several vital functions such as heart rate, breathing and blood pressure.
Brain fog involves brainstem, cervical vertebra and HMR/D: The cervical vertebra C1, Atlas, is the very first bone in the cervix, closest to the brainstem. The functional health of the brainstem depends on optimum flow of blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Any misalignment of the atlas due to viral-induced HMR/D could dysregulate the flow/function of these vital fluids and trigger chronic neuro-cognitive impairments, especially ‘brain fog’, the prominent debilitating symptom in long-COVID.
Upper cervical adjustment – an effective Chiropractic care for brain fog recovery: Often an overlooked cause of impaired brain function from brain fog is the upper cervical misalignment. Upper cervical adjustment is a traditional protocol in Chiropractic care for decades in effective treatment of brain fog. Chiropractors specialized in upper cervical adjustments are trained detect and correct misalignments to reset brainstem function. Such holistic multifaceted chiropractic approach could also eliminate back pain, restore energy levels, improve anti-inflammatory fluid flow, reduce stress, and restore optimal body function.
Precision Chiropractic care to reset neuro-cognitive impairments in HMR/D
Neuro-cognitive impairments, brain fog in particular, are prominent clinical manifestations in viral-induced HMR/D. Vertebral (cervical) adjustment combined with metabolic reset could provide an innovative edge for Chiropractic care to resolve brain fog in viral-induced HMR/D For an effective management of Sub-Category-II (Neuro-Cognitive Manifestations) in long- COVID several chiropractic techniques could combined with ‘metabolic reset’ for HMR/D recovery. For example, spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) is a complementary method often used for patients with neurological disorders. SMT may increase strength in asymptomatic people and patients with spinal pain or stroke. SMT was also reported to affect spasticity, muscle stiffness, motor function, autonomic function, and balance problems. An important finding was the positive influence of SMT on the quality of life in individuals with spinal pain, balance impairments, and cerebral palsy. Thus, SMT may be beneficial for symptomatic treatment of neuro-cognitive disorders and this chiropractic care could positively affect the quality of life of individuals affected by viral-induced HMR/D. Therefore, it is a dire necessity for rapid development of ‘Precision Chiropractic’ protocols and ‘Precision Nutrition’ technologies for metabolic reset to combat ongoing global health crisis – the viral-induced HMR/D.