Six months after Peter was born, doctors determined that two conditions had affected him at birth…  Anoxia… which is a total decrease in the level of Oxygen to the blood… and… PseudoBulbar Paralysis… which results in Neural motor dysfunctions affecting speech, swallowing, and other Mouth, Tongue and Throat functions.  The lack of Oxygen in his blood very quickly caused Brain cells to die… and this caused Muscles and Nerves elsewhere in his body to malfunction.

For about a year, he had no voice… he did not cry.  His coordination was reversed, in that his arms and legs would move in a cross crawl way… rather in the way a baby would normally crawl.  He received physical therapy without any positive changes.  As a child his body motions were more fluid.  But as he got older he became much more rigid.  Doctors were not able to determine what cause these conditions.  And all the therapy he received did not seem to increase his ability to live independently.

Parents concerned about his future

When I first saw Peter, he was 24 years old.  His parents were quite worried as to how Peter would be able to take care of himself as he continued to age… and when they eventually died.  He was totally dependent on the care of other.  Progressively, he had lost the fluidity of body motion he had as a child… and now was quite tight, stiff and twisted.  I would suspect that as a child his motion was probably not as fluid as other children.   And now as an adult, he was even more stiff and rigid.  It was very difficult to understand what he said during our treatments sessions.  When he tried to form words, they sounded like one might expect from someone mentally retarded.  His parents had heard of me and my practice… and hoped that I might be able to help Peter.

While other parts of the Brain most probably had been affected, what he had been presenting to people he interacted with year after year surely was more involved with the CorticoBulbar Tract.  That is the part of the Brain which is referred to as the “Old Brain” near the Cerebellum and Brain Stem… as the picture shows below.  This is the part of the Brain that more greatly affects the quality and control of coordination, speech, swallowing… and other “basic functions”.

During the initial “standing structural assessment”, Peter’s body was abnormally upright and stiff… with sidebending to the right and shifting to the left… There were areas of torquing and rotation that reversed directions in his upper & lower Thorax… His shoulder girdle was depressed to the extent that his Neck appeared abnormally long and wide at the base…  The positions of his Eyes and Nose suggested that there were distortions in his Cranial Bones that were probably affecting the Central Nervous System in some way… and certainly his postural structure  So there were at least three main areas that we would address during our therapy.

(1) Softening the Muscle and Fascial tissues so as to permit the structures to move and improve…  (2) Improving the quality of the tissues within his Mouth and Throat in an attempt to improve his ability to communicate…  (3) Improving the motion and structure of his Cranial Bones, as well as the Membranous structures within his Cranium.

During the first few sessions, we focused on the body’s Muscular and Fascial tissues.  His body needed to soften and open up a bit so that body structure might improve.  We also began to work more with the tissues of the Neck… all aspects of the Neck… and especially the deep anterior tissues of the Neck that are hardly ever treated by anyone.  Then we began to work within the Mouth… and with all the intraoral tissues… and especially with the Tongue and the Throat.  From the picture below, you can see how large the Tongue muscle is.  If it is tight and in spasm, it will function poorly… just like any other tight-spastic muscle would function poorly.

Gradually as treatments  progressed, Peter began to speak much more clearly.  Tissues within the Mouth are extremely sensitive…  and especially so when they are as hypertonic (tight) as his.  But, Peter knew I was helping him… so he persevered… and we worked well together.  Gradually we began working more specifically with the CranioSacral System.  The structural goal was to improve the mobility of not only the Cranial Bones and Membranes… but also the Spine, Pelvic Girdle and the Sacrum… the whole system and its many relationships with his body.

His Cranial Bones were very much “stuck” and immobile, so increasing mobility was an initial objective.  Also, the Parietal Bones had been pulled inferiorly so that they were riding under the bevels of the Temporal Bones.  That meant that there probably had been a great amount of contracting pressure within the Cranium probably from the time of his birth.  We were able to improve the motions of the Cranial Bones… and we were able to improve the quality and balance of the whole CranioSacral System.

Peters parents could only invest in 12 sessions.  I made sure that the value they received was much more than 100%.  Parents who choose to invest in their children’s future health are to be greatly admired and respected.  And at the end of the 12 sessions, Peter was a quite different human being.  He was able to speak much more clearly.  He looked and felt more like other people.  When I spoke with his parents a few months later, I learned that Peter was now living in a supervised apartment on his own… and he was supporting himself with a new job.  His parents now felt comfortable in the fact that he could survive on his own.  He finally was free of his greatest limitations.  He could now develop in ways that before were not possible for him.

Points to Consider

1.  Quite often a Mother will ask if I am certified in ‘this or that’ specific technique or therapy.  They are so worried that I might not know what to do… or not have the “right” certificates on the wall.  These are not productive questions.  Actually, the worst thing that could possibly happen during a treatment session is nothing… no results at all.  The possibility of harm is virtually nonexistent.  And based on his 25 years of experience… the possible benefits of working with Joel Safran are quite great.

a.)  That is the purpose of this Journal.  To demonstrate that over the years, I have been able to think about complex and difficult conditions in a different way… and come up with treatment strategies that generally are more effective and beneficial than other professional.  I work with the way the body works.

b.)  Good Therapy comes from years of experience, knowledge of how the body functions or malfunctions, awareness, a creative mind, and “good hands” that can feel problems and enable corrections… and it also takes a good caring Heart.  Good Therapy comes from a special practitioner… not from framed pieces of paper which you will see in any clinic.

2.  Peter was 24 years old when we worked together.  That was almost 22 years ago.  Shortly after our 12 sessions together, he was able to become a productive member of our society.  His level of self worth and self esteem probably skyrocketed.  I have no idea where he is today.  But, I do know for darn sure that he is probably much better off because his parents contacted Joel Safran… and I did my best for all of them.

Safran Rehab & Wellness Therapies
www.SafranTherapies.com
(704) 246-7888

Sydney was the husband of a Barbara, a patient of mine.  He was now in a Rehab Hospital in downtown Toronto because of great difficulties in standing and walking.  Knowing what I had been able to do for her, Barbara wanted me to work with Sydney in his hospital room.  The Hospital having lots of rules to protect them and their patients, would not permit that.  But, Barbara said she would find a way for them to accept me.  She knows how to get things done… and eventually after going through an involved process, I was approved by the Hospital administrator.  They had told Sydney to buy a wheelchair… because he would be confined to it for the rest of his life.  Barbara & Sydney did not want that to happen.

Sydney was now 76.  Some time before I began working with him he had a Liver Transplant… and a Triple Bypass Heart surgery.  He also mentioned that he had fractured a Vertebra years ago probably due to a fall.  Most probably it was a Lumbar Vertebra.  And now major Nerves coursing through his Lumbar Spine were being “pinched” which caused the great weakness and pain in both Lower Extremities.

Not only am I considered very experienced and familiar with conditions like this, patients have consistently told me that … no doctor or therapist of any kind has been as complete and thorough as I have been.  Yes, it does sound terribly egotistical and pompous… but it is quite true.  The root cause of Sydney’s condition seemed to be the compression upon the Lumbar Nerves… which was related to the injured Lumbar Vertebra.  The two major Liver & Heart operations probably also created further compression in his Lumbar Cylinder.  And there were probably other ill effects of an imperfect lifestyle during his 76 years.

So, his therapy at the Rehab Hospital consisted basically of increasing the length of tissues in the Low back & Abdominal areas so as to reduce compression upon the Lumbar Nerves.  We also worked with the related shortened tissues of his Lower Extremities that were adding to the Lumbar Joint Compression.  Stretching of the Legs & Hip areas added even more length.  And each session would end with a ‘walk in the hospital hall’ were all the Physical Therapists could notice his constant improvement.  It was important he did that several times a day to develop increased awareness and strength.  He was also encouraged to gradually become less reliant of his ‘walker’ by walking more upright without leaning on it.

4 weeks after being told to buy a wheelchair…

He walked out of the Hospital on his own…

After 7 treatments on his hospital bed, he was now able to walk without the aid of the ‘walker’.  After only 4 weeks, he was able to walk out of the hospital and go home.

You would think that the Physical Therapists there would have been amazed and curious regarding what had happen before their very eyes.  But, NO!!!  They looked at me as a “threat to their healthcare territory”.  Most people have a hard time believing that all the different practitioners and professions don’t get along and work closely with one another.  But, generally they don’t.  HealthCare is mostly the promotion and protection of their “professional turf”… rather than what is good for the best interests of their patients.  Medical Doctors seem to be the most open minded toward someone like me.  But, in over 25 years of practice, I have never once had a referral from a Chiropractor or a Physical Therapist.  They know I am too good.  They would rather work with others who are less experienced and less effective.

Sydney was now able to come to my clinic for treatments.  It was much easier to work with him on the Therapy table than when he was in the hospital bed.  We were now able to add other areas to the Treatment Therapy like his Shoulders, Neck and Ribcage.  After 5 treatments at my clinic, he felt that he was good enough… and he was.

Points to Consider

1.  Once again… it is the caliber of the Therapist that makes the difference.  After over 25 years of increasing skills and experience… a patient has a much better opportunity for achieving desired results from Joel Safran.  People like Barbara knew that.

2.  I will never forget how I was looked at on the day Sydney walked out of the Hospital.  I was looked at as “the enemy”.  It is important for the public to realize that HealthCare is primarily just a “turf protecting” business.  The professionals that really care about people are difficult to find… but very much worth the search.

Safran Rehab & Wellness Therapies
www. SafranTherapies.com
(704) 246-7888

When Barbara was a teenager, she fell down a flight of stairs.  Her back injuries were not taken seriously.  The family doctor did not consider her “injured”… and her parents did not go any further.  All throughout her life, Barbara was a strong willed focused woman who kept herself active in her home and family business.  In her late 50′s, her back began to cause her greater discomfort.  Her doctor said she would need back surgery… meaning stabilizing rods that would restrict most of the movement of her back… and life.  She persevered and worked with many practitioners so as to avoid that ‘barbaric’ option.  Finally, when she was 61, she discovered and contacted Joel Safran.

The Injury & Compensatory Process…

Long before the age of 61, her body had passed that point of finding new ways to compensate for that old injury.  When she fell down a flight of stairs as a teenager, her 3rd Lumbar Vertebra was probably injured in one or more ways.  Surely it was dislocated to the Right… and it may have been fractured or crushed as well.  Over the years her body was able to handle the injury by fusing it with another Vertebral Segment.  That Joint area was ridged in that dislocated position.  I could feel that as well as see it in the X-rays she asked me to read.

That fused segment caused a distortion in the normal curvatures that should be present in a healthy Spine.  The distortion caused the Right side, from L3/4 to T9, to abnormally rotate to the right and side bend to the right.  So that it appeared as a large hump in the lower right side of her upper Lumbar and lower Thoracic area.  In addition to that, Lumbar Nerves would be pinched which would affect mostly her Right Hip and Leg.

Cervical & Lumbar Spinal areas tend to mirror one another over time.  And that had happened with Barbara.  Her Cervical Spine had developed the same structural distortion as her Lumbar Spine… but, without the ill effects of the vertebral “fusing”.  Because of that she suffered Neurological ill effects in her Shoulders, Arms and Neck.

Treatment Strategy was successful…

Originally, she had contacted me for CranioSacral Therapy.  But as we began working together, she soon understood the great extent of the complexities involved.  The dislocated and fused L3 Vertebra had caused a major torque to the Dural Tube… which is a connective tissue sack that encases the Brain and the Spinal Cord as it descends from the Cranium to her Sacrum & Pelvic Girdle.  We were able to keep those CranioSacral tissues moving in a functional way.

However, her major issue really was with the “hump” on the right side of her Back…  So our major goal was to structural improve the L3/4 to T9 area… and the ill effects it created in numerous parts of her body.  This we were able to do.  It was a temporary measure to keep her going.  And it did keep her going year after year without the need for the “Back Surgeon”… and the rods.  Yet, he kept telling her that she would need the surgery.

Barbara’s Daughter and Grandchildren lived about 750 miles away.  When she visited them, she was away for a month or two.  She enjoyed picking up her Grandchildren and playing with them.  And when she returned to Toronto, it was always with a big hump on her right side between L3/4 to T9.  Mostly we used a combination of deep NeuroMuscular & MyoFascial Techniques that got the hump way down… and her Back much more upright and flexible… and with a minimal to no amount of pinched Nerve referral pain in her Legs, Shoulders and Arms more ease.  Without the “rods” she could enjoy playing with her Grandchildren.

Back Surgeon Wins… but Barbara loses…

Because of personal reasons, I had to close my practice and move to Charlotte.  Barbara and a number of other patients were very upset.  My patients were all quality people who understood that I was a ‘one of a kind’ therapist.  And they felt quite lost when I had to close the practice.  Toronto is a ‘world class’ city.  Professional standard are quit high… much high than here in the Carolinas.  So, I hoped my patients would find a reasonable level of care from someone else.  There was no one I felt comfortable referring them to.  I know that sound terrible… and perhaps egotistical… but, unfortunately it was very true.

Barbara is a strong willed smart woman.  She knows what she wants and needs… and how to find it.  She understood what we were doing to keep her body going. Two years after moving to Charlotte, I needed to call Barbara about something… and I was so sad to hear what she told me.  She had gone from one “good therapist” to another with very disappointing results.  She said…

“I told them what you did

and asked them to also do that…

and they looked at me like I was crazy!”

The lateral & rotational Scoliosis from the hump on her right side got bigger and bigger until she had difficulties with daily living.  She told me that the Back Surgeon had just scheduled her for surgery.  They were going to put rods in her back to keep it rigid and straight.  She knew that she would lose almost all of her flexibility… not to mention the way she wanted to live.  She knew that had I been able to stay in Toronto, I could have kept her body going for the rest of her life…  I also knew that.

Points to Consider…

1.  Major falls, especially those that involve violent twisting & torquing, can dislocate Joints.  After a short tissue healing period, they need to be assessed… and corrected if necessary.

2.  This is one of many case histories where patients highly valued the thoroughness and results achieved when working with SafranTherapies.  After Medical Doctors have examined the extent of injury, SafranTherapies need to be considered the “Next Step”.

3.  Unfortunately, there are too few Medical Doctors who appreciate what a Therapist like Joel Safran can do for their patients.  But, some do.

4.  Also read the Journal Post entitled… “Able to Walk Again”.

Safran Rehab & Wellness Therapies
www.SafranTherapies.com
(704) 246-7888

A very complex MVA case…
Tissue injuries – Structural Distortions – Ultra sensitive tissues – Pregnancy…

A Neurologist, familiar with the thoroughness of my treatment approach, referred Cathy to me for treatment.  In the previous 6 months, she had been injured in two Auto accidents with different lines of impact.  One was when she was “rear ended”… and the other was when she hit a car that suddenly made a right hand turn from the center lane.  All the medical protocols and recommendations from her primary medical doctor were not producing any results.  So, after 3 months of painful and unproductive Physical Therapy, she was referred to a Neurologist… who asked her to call me.

Her body had a ‘twisted distortion’ centering in her Lumbar/Abdominal area.  She had lost much of the flexibility that most of us take for granted… like bending over and touching your toes.  Most probably she had been living with that distortion most of her life… perhaps from birth.  She experienced pain & stiffness in her Neck, Shoulders, upper Thorax and Arms resulting from the physical trauma of the two accidents.  Her tissues were ultra sensitive to the touch.  During the initial treatments, even moderate pressure was very painful for her.  And in addition to that… a few weeks after we began working together, she told me she was pregnant.

Not only was she pregnant… she previously had 2 consecutive miscarriages.  This was their third attempt to have their first child.  Her doctor had told her that if she lost this third fetus, she should be sterilized for her own protection.  As a therapist, that was a lot for me to deal with.  But, eventually the ill effects from the Auto Accident greatly subsided… and very carefully, I was able to improve upon the ill effects that were caused by the structural distortions… and their first baby was born.  And they were so very happy and grateful that they had found me.  To me, I was “a doctor” who found a way to make their hopes & dreams come true.  I told them that I was not a doctor… but they said… “to us you are our doctor”.  I felt honoured by that.

Aspects of Miscarriage…

Although a woman quickly recovers from a miscarriage, the psychological recovery process often takes a longer time.  It generally involves a grief process.  And this being their third attempt… with the fear of being sterilized should it again fail… she was quite worried.  Her Neurologist referred her to me so that I might resolve the problems caused by the Auto Accident.  Somehow, I had to promote these changes in her body… and more… so that her other discomforting fear might also be resolved.

A  Careful and limited treatment plan…

Even though I was as careful as I could be, treatments were uncomfortable at first.  But, because I had explained what we were doing and why… she understood and persevered.  I was as sensitive and careful as possible.  Treatment above the Abdomen were handled as with other MVA injury cases.  But, in the Lumbar & Pelvic areas we were extra careful.  We worked within her tolerances.  We worked with her understanding of how the anatomy & physiology functioned together.  She knew I would be trying my best to handle the MVA injuries… and also to somewhat normalize the restrictions in her body so that it might enable them to have their first child.

About Treatment Strategies…

“You need to feel the difference”…
Names of Techniques and Therapies are just “words”.  More words will provide additional understanding… but not really enough to know how much benefit a patient will experience.  That is why the Practice Website says… “You need to feel the difference.”  The benefit comes from experienced Therapeutic Hands… that are well connected to an imaginative, aware and creative mind.  Healing is an art.

This is ‘hands on’ “Manual Medicine” on a more complete and thorough level.  Patients can feel the difference between what they experience from my treatments, as compared to that of other practitioners they have worked with.  They very often tell me this.  Please visit the Practice Website to learn more about the various Therapies & Techniques I can employ in developing a more effective Treatment Strategy.

Extra Care needed during Pregnancy…

In Cathy’s case, we needed to be very careful.  I would work only within her limits of discomfort… and for shorter period of time in each area.  When we worked in the front of the Lumbar Cylinder (the Abdomen), we used a much lighter MyoFascial release technique so as to gently release the deeper tissues.  I was hoping that that would be just enough to free up possible restrictions affecting her Reproductive System… as well as other restricted tissues near the distorted Lumbar Vertebrae… and apparently is was just enough.  Their baby was born.  They were gratefully relieved.

Points to consider…

1.  Typical Motor Vehicle Accident injuries generally are focused in the Cervical area.  From there, the traumatic relationships generally spread up the Neck to the Head… to the Shoulders, Arms and Upper Back… and then gradually down to the Lumbar Spine  where it causes various problems with the Hips & Legs.  And often the torque cause by the seatbelt may injure or dislocate a Rib.  Because lines of impact during the collision widely varies… and because structure and tissue qualities vary widely from person to person…  injuries  and treatment strategies can become quite complex.

a.)  In this case with Cathy, “pregnancy” increased the complexities even more.  Very careful therapy with a very perceptive and sensitive touch was required.

2.  In over 25 years of practice, Joel Safran has developed experience, skills and perceptions that few doctors or therapist can offer patients.  Working with him quite often offers a much better opportunity for recovery.  Patients have said this.

Safran Rehab & Wellness Therapies
www.SafranTherapies.com
(704) 246-7888

Allergies to Breathing issues…
Facet Joint restrictions to Leg pain…

Gianni, a 6 year old boy was brought in to see what I could find out.  His parents were concern about certain respiratory issues such as Asthmatic symptoms, breathing difficulties during activities, coughing and so on.  They had read that CranioSacral Therapy might be able to help.  In evaluating his CranioSacral System from head to toe… it seemed healthy and functional.  However, during the evaluation, I also noticed that his Lumbar Facet Joints were restrictions on his Right side.  Done properly, it is a simple correction that Chiropractors do not seem able to do.  The restrictions were easily and gently removed.  And then, the CranioSacral System was able to function with even greater amplitude and balance.

Allergies are often a result of ‘Mineral Imbalances’ in the body.  So, I suggested that they invest $120 in a “Tissue Mineral Analysis” to rule in or out the possibility of that contributing to Gianni’s respiratory problems.  They agreed…  And so a sample of his hair was properly cut and sent in to be analyzed.  This is done by a lab I have been working with for over 20 years.  The reports are very comprehensive. Their recommendations are based on solid science and physiological logic.  They usually are quite helpful.

All that was done in One Session…

When the report came back from the lab, I studied it… and then passed along the findings and recommendations to his parents.  They decided to invest in the recommended Nutritional Program for a year.  During that year, they noticed very satisfactory improvements in the functioning of Gianni’s Respiratory System.  Their Homeopathic Doctor also approved and supported this program.

The importance of the Facet Joint Correction…
His body would now develop normally…

I had a feeling that his parents did not understand the great importance of removing the Facet Joint restrictions in Gianni’s Right Lumbar Spine.  So, I discussed it with them one day while delivering the next 3 month supply of supplements.  Below is a summary of what I wrote for them.  It was very important that they understood what had been accomplished.  Then his father said to me… “Gianni mentioned that his Right Leg doesn’t bother him anymore… The pain is gone”.

“Right Leg Pain is Gone”…

This is what happens in a dysfunctional body.  When we bend forward, our Lumbar Vertebrae slide upon their Facet Joints into “Flexion”.  When we stand up again, both Facet Joints are supposed to slide back into “Extension”.  However if one or more segments on the Right side is stuck in “Flexion”… our Lumbar Spine will bend and rotate to the Left.  The compression created on the Left side will then push the Vertebral Disc to the Right… and compress the Right Lumbar Nerves that supply the Right Leg.  In other words… it will cause some level of discomfort in the Right Leg.

Then something even more serious begins to happen.  As the body attempts to stand more upright… and compensate for the abnormal ‘bend and the rotation’… it causes a compensating curve both up the Spine… and down the Spine.  Over the years, that most likely will develop into what is called…Scoliosis… TMJ disorders… Sciatica… and other painful and debilitating Low Back and Leg conditions.  The picture shows a drastic distortion.  However, the vast majority of the distortions that cause a great amount of pain and dysfunction are actually quite subtle.

This is what would be in store for Gianni as he became an adult… most likely at the time when he would be in his 30′s or 40′s.  By gently removing this Facet Joint Restriction.  His body would have a much better opportunity for developing more anatomically correct… stronger, agile and pain free.

Points to consider…

1.  The release of a Facet Joint Restriction must be done in a gentle way.  From the many patients I have worked with, Chiropractic adjustments seem to be very ineffective in removing these restrictions.

2.  Many children seem to develop this restriction early in their life.  Perhaps at the time of their birth.  Information from my adult patients seems to suggest that they have been compensating and living with this “time bomb” all their lives… until suddenly, they are in great pain for no know reason.  All their life, their body
has been compensating for the effects of the formation of this destructive curve that has been weakening and distorting their body more and more each year.

3.  Joel Safran can be relied upon to evaluate and treat the whole body in a complete and wholistic way.  It makes good sense to work with him.

Safran Rehab & Wellness Therapies
www.SafranTherapies.com
704-246-7888

When Megan was almost 3 years old, she fell to the ground from the ladder of a slide and hit her Head.  She was immediately checked out by medical doctors… who found nothing more than bruising.  Gradually, her parents noticed that her Left Eye began to remain angled toward her Nose.  She was taken to Eye specialists who could not correct that Eye fixation.  Then her parents noticed that she was not developing normally… such as in language skills and learning abilities…  For Instance:

Delayed speech development

Difficulties in processing of information

Attention difficulties

Then they noticed changes in her behavior.  She was becoming more difficult to work with and control.  For Instance:

Irritability

Repeatedly Bang her Head

All these changes took place during the year or two after she fell to the ground and hit her head.

Eye specialists were unable to do anything to get her Eye to look straight ahead.  So, after the medical route was exhausted, her parents began taking her to various Alternative HealthCare Practitioners.  They worked with Chiropractors, a Naturopath, a Homeopathic, an Acupuncturist… with no results.  They also worked with a Chiropractor claiming to have special training in the use of special CranioSacral techniques … also with no results.  Megan was now 5 years old and her teacher in Kindergarten was having difficulty with her behavior and learning issues.  Her parents were worried that they would be asked to keep her home.

About that time, a patient of mine told me of this little girl and all the concerns her parents were having.  My patient asked me if there was anything that I could do.  And I said…”Well, I don’t know…  Ask them to make an appointment… and let’s see what we can find”.  And her mother did just that… and I met Megan for the first time.

Her Mother was worried that I would find Megan difficult to work with.  But, from the very beginning she was good natured, responsive and cooperative.  First we needed to get some detailed information regarding the fall, so as to understand the lines of impact through her body.  Then we needed to evaluate her standing structural posture for twists, compressions, torques, and so on.  Then we needed to evaluate how she moved and walked.

Even with all the different kinds of Chiropractic and Alternative care she had received… it seemed as though nothing had been accomplished at all.  That also was the opinion of Megan’s Mother.

Findings during first treatment session.

Head pulled and rotated to the Left…

Left Eye constantly angled to the Right…

Shoulders were rounded…

Arms were internally rotated…

The lower body shifted to the Right at the upper Lumbars…

Pelvic girdle was rotated to the Left…

Right Hip/Thigh was shifted Anteriorly…

Left Hip/Thigh was shifted Posteriorly…

Cervical Vertebrae were disorganized (subluxed, Jammed, torqued)…

Cranial Bone motion was greatly restricted…

CranioSacral System was weak and unbalanced…

Energy flow through the body was inhibited…

Does that sound like all those doctors helped her?

Does that sound like 2 years well invested?

No… not really!

Now it was time to figure out how I might be able to work with all of this in a productive way.  A complete CranioSacral evaluation was done from her Head, right down to her toes.  It is essential to evaluate and work with the whole body and with the whole system.  Otherwise much will be missed… and the treatment, most probably will not be as complete and as productive as desired.  During the first session, we were also able to find areas of energy flow blockage in her Lumbar Cylinder region.  We also were able to find that Facet Joints in her Lumbar Spine were “stuck” and not properly functioning.  Each session would build on the information and accomplishes of the previous sessions.  That strategy would continue until we were solidly headed toward resolution.

Special care in working with children…

All treatment techniques with children need to be done more gently… and with a heightened level of palpatory sensitivity.  The integrity of their tissues are still in their formative stages.  With Children the release time for each technique, needs to be shorter in duration so as to not over stretch any tissues.  Once a release is initiated, the body will continue on its own.  The Therapist needs only to follow or gently guide it.

When the Facet Joints were released the energy flowed more freely, and CranioSacral rhythm became stronger and more balanced.  This type of Lumbar Joint restriction has often been found in children.  If the technique is properly done, it is easy to remove.  Chiropractic adjustments rarely remove this restriction  However, once it is removed, a child’s body is then more able to develop anatomically correct… and with fewer distortions, discomforts and inabilities during their adult life.

Amazing results in our first session…

After the initial evaluation of her whole body, we then began to further evaluate her Cranial structures… both sutural and membranous.  Now we would be getting into greater detail in terms of understanding the complexities of the conditions created by the fall.  At one point when I was working with the restrictions of the Cranial Bones.  Her whole body suddenly twitched quite noticeably.  Her mother also noticed it.  Most probably, that was the ‘freeing up’ of one of the Cranial Nerves that had been causing the weakness in the Eye muscle.  We were beginning to make progress with Cranial restrictions… both sutural and membranous.

We also were able to begin softening the tissues of her Neck and upper Shoulder.  That permitted me to gently re-align her Cervical Vertebrae, which had been in a disorganized state for a long time….  And that was enough for the first session.

When she got off the table, she was a very different little girl in several very positive and wonderful ways.  She was more upright and anatomically correct.  She seemed more happy & less stressed… and both eyes were looking straight ahead for the first time in almost three years.  Her mother was amazed and so very thankful.

Maintaining and advancing the progress…

We were able to space the sessions out to both enable Megan’s body to process and integrate the gains during therapy sessions… and also to accommodate her Mothers limited budget.  Megan very much looked forward to each session.  Children somehow know what is good for them… and then they will be more easy to work with… and they will also support & appreciate the Therapy and the Therapist more.

Due to all the ineffective therapy from the ‘highly credentialed’ doctors & therapists who ‘cared’ for her… her body had been compensating around deformities & imbalances for half of her life… three years.  Now imagine what state she would be in at the age of 45 had she continued to have those deformities and imbalances all her life.  Now, at the age of almost 6, Megan would have the ability to recover and regenerate more healthy and more anatomical correct bones & tissues… than she would have, had she not met Joel Safran.  Think about that.

In a short period of treatment time, all the distortions, restrictions and imbalances that we found during the first two sessions, were made anatomically & functionally proper.  Megan was now a happy child with a much brighter future ahead of her… than she would have, had she not been ‘cared for’ by Joel Safran.

In her letter of appreciation regarding what I did… Megan’s Mother wrote:

“The way Mr. Safran provided treatment was totally different from any other Doctor or Therapist.  he was the only one who looked at her condition in a wholistic way.  His focus was on the relationship that one part of the body had with other parts of the body.  Sometimes he was at her legs, sometimes he was working in her Abdominal area, sometimes he was working with her Head, Neck, Jaw and so on.  While other Doctors & Therapists would focus on just one part of her body, Mr. Safran was working with her from Head to Toe.  The results seem to be holding.  And we are now in the maintenance phase that will support regeneration so that she will have a greater opportunity for health and happiness in her life.”

Points to consider…

1.  Where various kinds of Doctors and Therapists failed Megan, Joel Safran had the proven skills, abilities and thought process needed to change the course of Megan’s life.

2.  Just because a person is called “doctor”, doesn’t mean that they know what to do… or how to do it.  It would be to your benefit… and to the benefit of those you know in need of effective HealthCare… to recommend and support Joel Safran’s practice.

Safran Rehab & Wellness Therapies
www.SafranTherapies.com
704-246-7888

Motor Vehicle Accidents vary in type, severity and complexity.  Even a light to moderate “Fender Bender” can produce more severe Cervical soft tissue damage depending on the position of the driver or passenger’s head & body during the impact.

Of course, impacts at a much greater speed will cause even more physical damage to Cervical tissues… and often also to other body parts… like your Head, Brain, Shoulders, Ribs, Upper & Lower Back, Hips… and so on.  “Multi impact” crashes, cause even more damage… and are even more complex and difficult to treat.  An experienced Therapist can better understand the “complexities” and how to properly treat them.

High impact crashes also negatively affect Physiological Functioning.  Strokes can eventually result from Circulatory System injuries in the Neck & Head, months or even years after an accident.  Heart Attacks, Respiratory difficulties and even Digestive & Abdominal problems can result from compromised Nerves that are impinged in the Neck… and coursed down to the Heart, Lungs, Stomach and Abdominal Organs.

Changes in mental abilities are often associated with the more violent impacts.  Memory, learning & comprehension abilities may be affected… and there may be changes in behavior as well.  In most cases, this is not a result of Brain damage.  Rather, it is a result of dysfunctional Nervous System activity related to the Neck injury.

When Medical Doctors refer injured patients to me, the injury is fresh in their mind.  They knew we are  treating an accident injury.  But, patients who have worked with me many years after their accidents, most often do not relate their problems with the accident long ago.  However, during our treatments, they eventually understand the relationship… and also that they had not received proper and complete care at that time.

It’s like finding the various pieces of a puzzle… and figuring out how they are pieced together.

Here are some “old injury” examples…

“Oh yeah, I hit a guardrail at 55mph…”

Bob was being treated for Neck & Shoulder problems.  Each time while treating his Anterior Cervical tissues, I would ask him if had been in any type of a fall or accident.  And he would say “no”.  But, I could feel that these tissue had been injured a long time ago.  By about the 4th treatment, when I again asked him the same question… he said “Oh, yeah… I once hit a guardrail at 55mph”.  And that is when his Neck & Shoulder problem was born.  I could feel that.  And now he also understood the relationship.

“I grasped the steering wheel
with such great force.. I crushed it…”

30 years before I began working with Vince, an 18 wheeler ran a red light, and crossed right in front of him.  He hardly had time to touch the brake pedal.  He grasped the steering wheel so tightly that he crushed it with his own strength… then he hit two of the trucks tires at full speed.  Had his car not hit the tires, he would have gone under the truck bed, and been decapitated.  It seems like that is something you would remember.  But, on his ‘new patient history form’, he said he had never been in an accident.

5-6 years before he became my patient, he experienced a loud buzzing in his head and then a ‘very frightening’ panic attack.  The doctors found nothing.  Then about a year later he suffered a Stroke.  He fully recovered from that, but then experienced a constant annoying ringing and fullness in his Ears.  That is why he had contacted me.

Soon, he understood the connection between the Accident and the lack of proper rehab care at that time… with the eventual stroke, and then the problems with his ears.  He was very lucky to have survived the accident and also the stroke.  And we were able to improve the tissue qualities of his Neck, so as to diminish the annoying ear issues.

“Heart Attack years after Accident…”

Roberta contacted me for problems with her Neck & Shoulders.  I could feel that she had been in an accident and asked for details.  There were two.  The one 16 years before was the most violent.  She had hit the Left side of her Head quite hard… and the other one, about 12 years later, was also an impact to the left side of her car.  She then suffered a Heart Attack about 13 years after the first accident.

There never had been a history of Heart problems in her family.  She soon understood the relationship between the Neck injury and the Heart Attack.  The impinged Nerves from her Neck to her Heart were probably a major factor.

“I can feel my Lungs being re-positioned…
and my chest expanding… It’s amazing…”

38 years ago, Malcolm had been in an auto accident that left him with a “depressed” chest cavity.  After the accident, he received rehabilitative care.  But apparently, it had been quite incomplete like it often is.  Gradually increased discomfort years later made it more difficult to function in his work and life.  He contacted me (38 years after the injuries) because he was unable to sit and work at his drawing table for long periods of time.  He was a fashion designer.

So, his conditions went a bit further than Neck & Shoulder issues.  In also involved the compression of his entire Thorax.  In time we were able to free up the restriction within his Ribcage… and one day, his Thorax finally expanded and released.  And he could feel his lungs repositioning within his chest.  He could now breath more fully and comfortably.  His reaction… “Amazing!”

“Her breath is so bad…
how can you stand working with her”…

Deborah had been in an auto accident… and was experienced the typical Neck injuries.  However, it affected the Nerves running down from her Neck in a different way.  The compromised Nerves inhibited the proper functioning of her Digestive System.  So, instead of digesting her food… it was rotting in her gut.  And then the bad rot odor rose up her Trachea and out of her Mouth.  It was not comfortable to be around her.  Another patient in the waiting room said to me… “How can you stand working with her… Her breath is so bad”.

At one time Deborah had been strangled by someone.  So, she was very much afraid of anyone touching her Throat.  However, in time she finally trusted me to do what was necessary in properly treating her Anterior Neck…. and the odor began to diminish.  So, along with positive results in treating her Neck & Shoulders… she was now properly digesting food… and her body was getting more nutritive value from food.

“The last thing I saw before the crash…
was the eyes of the other driver”…

Skip’s occupation required demanding physical work each day.  On the way home one evening, another car was driving toward him on the wrong side of the highway.  Neither driver was aware that anything was wrong.  They were both moving at least 50 mph when they collided head on.  The last thing Skip remembered seeing before the crash, was the eyes of the other driver.  The other driver died.  Miraculously, Skip lived… but with great physical damage and ongoing pain.

I was able to get most of the damage under control so that he could eventually struggle through his day of physical work.  But, he was aware that his mind was not working as well as before the accident.  That kind of rehabilitation generally goes far beyond what Insurance Adjusters will authorize.  And with damage like that, it would take more time working with the Central Nervous System… i.e. CranioSacral Therapy.

Points to Consider…

1.  Joel Safran has experience in working with complex conditions and injuries.  The cases described in this Journal should indicate that.  The great amount of complexities presented can be compared to finding your way through a ‘maze’… and working with a difficult ‘puzzle’.

2.  Accidents can produce a wide range of complex conditions.  As can be seen from the above examples, many different conditions can result from physical trauma.  Joel Safran has experience in assessing the problems… and then formulating effective treatment plans.  Choosing him as your Therapist is the right thing to do.

Safran Rehab & Wellness Therapies
www.SafranTherapies.com
704-246-7888

After the Chiropractic Clinic failed him…
SafranTherapies succeeded in his recovery.

Most Motor Vehicle Accidents are not all that complex… the force is usually moderate… and usually from one angle of impact.  Some are quite violent with forces from multiple directions, which produce more complex injuries.  Unfortunately, most people injured in any type of MVA’s do not receive the effective level of HealthCare needed for a reasonable level of recovery.

I know this from all the people who have eventually become patients of this practice.  Months and years after their accidents, they were still suffering, in a variety of ways, from incomplete and improper treatment.  Initially, they are usually directed to ‘recommended’ Chiropractic Clinics by their Insurance Carriers or by their lawyers.  After a long period of ‘so called treatment’, which often cost tens of thousands of dollars, they and their cases were settled and dismissed.  However, problems continue to plague them… and they began to look elsewhere for the rehabilitation the expected in the first place.  That is the typical MVA patient that would contact me.

One example of the many “Rehab Mills”…

In Gord’s case, he was involved in not one, but two very violent Automobile crashes.  Initially, his Insurance Carrier had recommended three Chiropractic Clinics.  Gord chose one.   They treated him for 62 weeks at a cost well over $15,000.  When the Insurance Carrier became disturbed about the ‘costs’, Gord was told that he had reached the point of “maximum medical recovery”.  He was dismissed… and his case & file closed.

Still with great pain & disability, he felt helpless and abandoned.  Someone told Gord about “a very special therapist named Joel Safran”.  He called for an appointment.  And I eventually was able to bring him to that point of “fitness & health” that he had expected from the recommended Chiropractic Clinic.  Gord soon realized that I was not the typical Therapist.  I was being much more complete and effective than just about any other doctor or therapist around.  His friend told him to expect that from me… and that is what Gord was able to experience.  This is what happened.

The First Violent Collision…

The road was wet.  While he was going through a yellow light, a car from the oncoming lane turn left in front of him.  That car hits the front left side of his car.  Gord’s car then spins clockwise several times.  It eventually abruptly stops when it crushes its right side around a telephone pole.

The first impact threw him forward and to the left.  The second impact threw him to the right.  The two multidirectional violent forces caused a number of complex injuries that were never totally resolved.  A  low level of discomfort and weakness remained.

The Second Violent Collision…

15 years later…

A section of a road was icy… and there were light snow flurries.  Both cars were moving about 50mph.  The car from the oncoming lane began to turn sideways… and slid into Gord’s lane.  Being helpless to do anything, Gord braced himself for the impact.  The front-left of Gord’s car hit the front-right of the other car.  The other car then spun counter-clockwise until its rear-right side hit the center-left of Gord’s car.  Gord’s car was then pushed sideways and to the right.  It eventually abruptly stopped when it fell into the ditch on the right side of the road.

The first impact threw him forward.  The second impact threw him to the left.  The third impact, when the car fell into the ditch, threw him to the right.  Airbags were deployed.  The first impact shattered the windshield.  The second impact shattered the windows on the car’s left side.  Gord was bleeding and bruised with glass imbedded in his head.

For this second accident, his Insurance Carrier authorized treatment from a ‘recommended’  Chiropractic Clinic.  After 62 weeks of treatment costing over $15,000… Gord was discharged as having reached the “maximum level of medical recovery”… and being restored to “pre-injury condition”.  But he claimed that did not happen.  He was still in pain.  He felt cheated and betrayed by the system.

Gord began working with Joel Safran…
He steadily recovered with each treatment…

On his ‘new patient health questionnaire’, he listed the number of issues that still caused him pain, discomfort and disability in his daily life.  Among them were:

Headache…  Fatigue…      Head feels heavy (i.e. weakness)…
Muscle spasms in Neck…  Tightness in Shoulder Muscles…
Pinched Nerves in Neck…  Upper Back Pain…  Feeling of Arthritis…
Low Back Pain…     Sciatica…      Pinched Nerves in Back…
Pins & Needles in Legs…  And other concerns…

His major areas of concern were his Neck… Shoulders… Back… Legs…  He also indicated ongoing pain in his Left Hip, Thigh & Knee.  It was difficult for him to work a normal day without pain.  He was a motivated patient… one who would be supportive of any reasonable rehab program.  But, the Chiropractic Clinic in his words… was “a joke”.

Our initial treatments began with relieving some of the hypertonic (tight) soft tissue conditions.  He was greatly encouraged… and then brought me X-Rays that had been taken after the second accident.  When I reviewed them, major unresolved structural issues and areas were better understood… such as:

Disorganized Vertebral segments in his Cervical, Thoracic & Lumbar Spine.
For instance… T11 & T12 had been subluxed anteriorly… T2 had been subluxedto the Left

Dislocated Rib articulations contributing to a Right Rotational Torque.
For instance… The most drastic was Rib #2 which was jammed medially, pushing T2  to the Left.

Loss of proper curvature in his Cervical & Lumbar spine.
For instance… Vertebral Joint compressions at L5/S1, L4/5, L1/2 and at T12/L1… His Cervical Spine seemed like two separate sections  (an upper & lower section) with a lateral shift at C3/4…  There was not much of a curve in his upper & lower Cervical & Lumbar Spines… His Sacrum was unusually rotated to the Right… and L5 unusually rotated to the Left.

Left Lumbar Facet Joints stuck in Flexion.
For instance… his Lumbar Spine was sidebent and rotated to the Right due to restrictions in his Left Lumbar Facet Joints .

During our first few sessions, I had highly suspected these conditions.  The X-Ray images therefore confirmed this… and also provided me with additional needed information.   There was also general compression and shortening of tissues in his Cervical, Thoracic and Lumbar Cylinder areas…  There was Rigidity & Stiffness in all Joints…  And there was rigidity and numerous fixations in his CranioSacral System.

Now, does this sound like he had reach ‘the maximum level of recovery’ as stated by the Chiropractic Clinic?  Absolutely not!  Gord was just one of many who had received incomplete and improper treatment from these ‘mills’.  Unfortunately from my experience, this is more the case than not.  The public really can’t tell until it is too late.  And then they wonder why they did not recover.

What we were able to accomplish…

I have worked with many MVA cases, but this was by far one of the more complex cases.  While we were normalizing the state of his soft tissues, I was investing a lot of research time developing treatment strategies.   We needed to address and correct the Vertebral subluxations, Rib dislocations, Facet Joint fixations and the CranioSacral structural fixations.  Of these, the most difficult to work with are Rib dislocations.  Different techniques are needed for each level of the Thorax.

Most of what I used were advanced Osteopathic techniques that are not utilized by many doctors or therapists.  Over the years, I have accumulated an extensive “Manual Medical” library.  And, when these books did not provide the needed procedures and techniques… I had to develop them on my own, based on increased understanding the anatomy and functions of that part of the body.

In time, all the Vertebrae, Ribs and Joints were reorganized, so that they were normal and functional…  The soft tissues regained their healthy state…  The Bones of the CranioSacral System regained proper motion so that the CranioSacral and Nervous Systems could optimally function.  And all this was done in 25 weekly treatments.  After that another 12 bimonthly treatments were needed so as to more firmly establish and maintain what we had accomplished.  It was necessary to provide his body with time to regenerate stronger and more healthy tissues… and to support that process too.

Being a very good and supportive patient, Gord worked out at his fitness facility according to my cautionary advice.  He also did the daily stretching routine that I showed him.  In short… he was a very good patient.  But he, like so many other people who end up with Automobile Accident Injuries… he got sucked in to a ‘MVA Rehab Mill’.  The ‘highly regarded and recommended’ Chiropractic Clinic billed his insurance company over $15,000 for inferior and worthless therapy.  Gord’s treatments at SafranTherapies cost around $4,000… and he got his life and health back.

Points to consider…

1.  Joel Safran is not the typical therapist.  Over the years he has proven himself to be a highly effective and skilled HealthCare Practitioner.  Patients have consistently told him… “You have done more for me than any doctor or therapist I have every worked with”.  Utilize his training and experience.  It make good sense to work with him.

2.  Too many people are settling for mediocre to worthless physical medicine.  People need to be more aware and careful in selecting doctors and therapists.  They need to trust those who can better get them past the “chronic & physical conditions” that are draining the enjoyment, productiveness and quality from their lives.

Safran Rehab & Wellness Therapies
www.SafranTherapies.com
704-246-7888

She wastes $4000 on an MRI and other expenses.

Then, she does not continue with the doctor.

Now she cannot pay for helpful therapy.

An example of what goes wrong with our system…

A woman in her early 40′s made an appointment to see me.  She had been having bad headaches and other problems with her Head, Neck and shoulders for many years.  But, the headaches eventually became so bad that she could no longer work.  She had a good job.  She impressed me as being intelligent, capable, responsible… and well motivated.

In her early teens, she had a bad fall on her tailbone.  Then during the last 25 years, she had been injured from three automobile accidents.  Over all these years, no one she saw for treatment did much of anything to really help her.  So, the conditions worsened.  In the past 5 years, it got so bad that she finally had to stop working.

Our one & only session

During our first session, I developed a pretty good idea of what was going on in her body… and how I could help her.  She strongly sensed that I could help her as well… and told me that no one she had ever seen compared to what I was able to determine and do in our first session together.  She made another appointment for the following week.

Then she told me that she had made an appointment with a new doctor for that same day… and asked me if she should keep it.  She could have cancelled it, but her good level of ethics led her to keep the appointment.  She saw the doctor later in the afternoon… and he scared the heck out of her.  He told her that she might have a Chiari Malformation.  He scheduled an MRI for her in a few day… and also a review consultation a few days after that.  He insisted that her husband be present for that appointment… perhaps so he could help her make a “decision”.

So, she called to cancel our next appointment because it would conflict with the doctor appointment her husband was to attend.  She was so upset and scared about possibly having a Chiari Malformation.  The doctor did a good sales job.  She told me that the MRI cost her $3000 plus other expenses.  Since she and her husband did not have health insurance, that money came out of their own pockets.

Now no money for proper treatment

Then there was no communication between us.  When I did contact her, I learned that she had decided not to continue with that doctor… and I got the feeling that she was just going to have to live with her discomforts and disabilities.  I sent her the testimonial letter I received from a patient of mine who actually did have a Chiari Malformation condition… just to show her that she did not have one single significant symptom of a Chiari Malformation… not even one.

She now did not have the money to pay for my treatments that most probably would have greatly helped her… and at less than half of what the doctor took from her.  I could only guess that her husband was quite upset about the trashing of $4000… and no longer as supportive and trusting of her or anyone who might claim to help her.

The doctor is the only winner

The only winner in this tragic story was the doctor who got $4000 from her and her husband.  But, my guess is that he really wanted to sell her a fancy operation, costing well over $50,000 that she did not need.  So, in that regard he perhaps does not feel that he won all that much… only a measly $4000.  This sort of thing is very tragic.  It can even be viewed as being highly unethical and criminal.

In the “Uncommon Conditions” category of this “Journal”… please read the “Chiari Malformation Case” posted.  This doctor who scared the heck out of this woman… and “stole” $4000 from her for no good professional reason, should be severely reprimanded by his professional board… but, that won’t happen.  Unfortunately, this sort of thing happens far too often.

What can we learn from this…

1.  This woman really should have cancelled her appointment with this doctor.  She strongly felt that I could help her.  Ten sessions with me would have cost $1100.  Most probably she would have experienced a great deal of progress and relief by then.  So, if your ‘gut feeling’ tells you “this is the thing to do”… do it!

2.  The body is very complicated… and doctors don’t know everything about it… even though you want them to.  Patients need to ask qualifying questions of their doctors… and their doctors need to respect patients by being honest, ethical and complete.  Please keep in mind that good doctors are wrong more than they are right.  But, is most important that they do not harm their patients.  This woman was greatly harmed.

3.  The wrong thing to do would be to hire a lawyer.  Legal actions against bad doctors just hurts all the good doctors in many ways… and hurts the system as a whole.

4.  A much better approach would be to report a doctor such as this to his Medical Board.  Hopefully, his board will be focused on protecting the high standards of the Medical Profession… as well as the people it is supposed to serve.  It is supposed to provide high quality HealthCare in a caring, ethical and reasonably priced way.  It is up to us, as patients, to insist on that.  Speak out!

Safran Rehab & Wellness Therapies
www.SafranTherapies.com
704-246-7888

This is a frightening condition.  It disrupts basic body functions like breathing, walking, swallowing, and much more.  Kelley had been living with this malformation all her life…  She had been able to manage it, and keep it under control with appropriate treatment.  Then, something snapped during a physical exercise class.  The very next day, she could not drive, walk her dog, go to work… she was helpless and dependent on others.

Treatment from a Neurologist was without productive results.  And she had seen a highly trained CranioSacral Therapist who was on the institute’s teaching staff, also with no results.  She was scared with a heightened level of anxiety… and finally, after over eight weeks of helplessness and no results, she called me for an appointment.  And that is the first time in my life that I ever heard of something called a “Chiari Malformation”.

The first two sessions were somewhat unproductive owing to her heightened level of anxiety.  Then her doctor wanted to admit her to a hospital for further testing.  Nothing was found that could help her.  Then he then suggested that she see a Psychiatrist… who said she was suffering from a heightened state of anxiety… surprise, surprise.  Then after two weeks of that, she decided to call me again, and resume our treatments.  Finally, she chose to calm down… and we were able to make steady progress after that.  Being suddenly disabled like this was a very frightening thing.

As was my practice when dealing with Complex Chronic Conditions… I had studied the anatomy and the various relationships within the body that might be affecting this condition… and then considered which techniques to employ… and in which ways in order to produce an effective treatment strategy approach.  Because “Chiari Malformation” was a condition unfamiliar to me, I invest even more time regarding this process of research and thought, so as to reach the needed level of understanding necessary to treat this condition.

Anatomically, this is what happens regarding a “Chiari Malformation”.  A portion of the Cerebellum (called the “tonsil”) is displaced downward in the Skull.  It is pushed toward the nearest opening at the bottom (called the Foramen Magnum)… and then into the upper portion of the Spinal Column.  This puts pressure on the Brain Stem, which controls many of our basic functions like breathing, swallowing, and so on.  It also restricts the flow of CerebroSpinal Fluid which is essential in nourishing and maintaining the health and functions of the Brain and Spinal Cord.

Functionally, this is what happens as a result of a “Chiari Malformation”.  A person will have many types of “coordination type difficulties” such as with… breathing patterns… walking with stability and flow… swallowing without gagging/choking… dexterity (fine motor skills)… balance issues (dizziness & vertigo)… tracking type movements… altered vision pattern and light sensitivity… and more.  This area of our “old Brain” involves the control of our basic functions which we take for granted.  However, when we lose them, it is frightening.

The complex treatment strategy developed for her was focused on the outer and inner tissues of the Head & Neck… including the deeper tissues of the  Anterior Neck… the attachments to the Skull… Intraoral tissues restricting proper motions of the Cranial Bones… Articular tissues of the Cranial Bones… and internal CranioSacral Membranes of the Head, Spinal Column and Sacrum.  Thus, I would be working with the total CranioSacral System as well as all its interrelated parts.  The main goal would be focused on reducing the pressure caused by “tonsil of the Cerebellum”… but, along the way, there would be other related treatment goals as well.  As you will see, it was quite an extensive plan… and it was successful.

After Kelley was able to control her anxiety during the third session… in other words trust me and understand the logic of the treatment approach… we were able to “really” begin treatment together.  Nonetheless, the first two sessions still provided some improvement and needed understanding.

So, 8-10 weeks after her system “snapped”, a friend drove her to my clinic.  Kelley was weak and shaky… and could not fill out the ‘patient history form’, so her friend had to write it down for her.  Kelley also had difficulty sitting because her Sacral/Bum area was painful.  She noted many areas and types of problems and issues on the form… such as when she turned her head to look at something, it took a second or two for her eyes to catch up and track the movement.

However, after the first treatment, she was able to walk more smoothly and swallow water more easily and without fear.  But, she was still weak and shaky.  By the second treatment, I could tell from the improved odor of her breath, that she was digesting food better.  That was because certain Cervical Nerves had been freed up and were functioning better.  We were able to correct a Lumbar Facet Joint that was stuck in “flexion”.  This would help improve a number of issues, including the structural alignment of the CranioSacral System.  Then there was a three week break while her doctor did some testing at the hospital and she was seen by a Psychiatrist.

After that, she decided to work exclusively with me.  Everything we did was related to improving the function and integrity of the CranioSacral System… and especial the area of the Chiari Malformation.  The many tight & restrictive parts of her body needed to regain a healthy state of mobilization.  Her Hips & Pelvis being quite stiff, restricted the motion of the Sacrum…  Other restrictions were found in her Lumbar Cylinder area (low back and abdomen)… her ribcage… her shoulder joint and shoulder girdle area…  her Cervical Cylinder area (posterior, lateral & anterior Neck)… Intraoral restrictions… and Cranial membranous and sutural restrictions.  We were working with the whole body… the whole system.  And with each session, Kelley experienced noticeable improvement.

By her fourth treatment, she chose to drive very carefully to my clinic all by herself.  Regaining some of her independence was a major achievement for her.  By her seventh session she noticed more changes… and also that treatment gains were holding.  After the third session, she had no problems swallowing.  By the sixth session, she noticed that her glasses fit differently on her Face and Nose.  Therefore Cranial Bones were beginning to find their proper position.

“No problem swallowing now”

“My Glasses now fit differently on Face & Nose”

“I Can walk normally now”

“I Can now take care of my life again”

By the ninth session we were able to address more issues… like the TMJ pain & “pop”.  Each session provided additional improvement.  She was now walking with much greater speed and ‘flow’…  restrictions in her Sacral area had been removed… Lumbar Facet Joint restrictions had been removed… Ribcage mobility had been restored… all aspects of her Cervical Cylinder had been greatly improved… Intraoral restrictions were also normalized…  All this was to help increase the integrity and functional motion of the Cranium.  The Cranial Rhythm Impulse was now more balanced and strong.  And Kelley had regained all her abilities by the twelfth session.  After two more sessions, we decided to say that we had accomplished a recovery.  Kelley then wrote me a very nice letter of appreciation.

Points to consider…

1.  Kelley was not the typical patient.  Once she committed to the therapy approach, she supported it fully.  Unfortunately, many patients do not.  Also, even though she had so many restrictions in her body, her tissues responded more quickly than what I would expect from a typical patient.  A typical patient who was motivated and supportive would most probably also experience this same progress… but over a longer period of time.

2.  Kelley spent the first 8-10 weeks with other competent doctors and therapists… and experienced no progress.  When she began working with me, she experienced progress from the very first session.  Please note that this highly correlates with what other patients have said about Joel Safran… that as a therapist “he is exceptional and very unique”… “he has done more for me than any other doctor or therapist of any kind”.

Safran Rehab & Wellness Therapies
www.SafranTherapies.com
704-246-7888