Craniocervical Instability

Craniocervical Instability Measurements

Did you know that some people have problems with the ligaments that hold their head on? These patients often become like a pinball in the great arcade game of medical specialists, going from one to the other without a diagnosis. They can sometimes find a diagnosis if they meet a doctor who knows which tests…read more

A Case Study of Severe CCJ Instability and Our PICL Procedure

CCJ instability is a life-changing problem. Think about the havoc that could be caused by the ligaments that hold your head being injured by trauma or becoming loose due to a connective-tissue disease. Headaches, imbalance, and a myriad of other symptoms become the new normal when you attempt to do anything. This morning, after several…read more

A New Neck Ligament Has Big Implications for CCJ Instability Patients

Dr. Centeno reviews how newly discovered connections between the brain and spinal cord and upper neck muscles and ligaments impact patients with CCJ instability.

Radiology Instructions for X-ray Based CCI Imaging

Dear radiology tech, This patient may have craniocervical instability and needs a specific set of images. These are broken into two types: Flexion-extension radiographs at the maximum range of motion Open mouth lateral bending views with a maximal ear-to-shoulder range Instructing the patient to look down slightly and look up slightly or to slightly bend…read more

Learning How Best to Inject the CCJ Ligaments: Our CCJ Instability Trial Begins…

Last week, we began the world’s first randomized controlled placebo trial to treat craniocervical junction (CCJ) instability. While our clinic has been treating these patients for more than two decades, these past few years, we have developed a new injection technique to finally begin addressing the problem in ways that existing care can not. Let me…read more

Prolotherapy for CCJ Instability: Keeping Patients Safe

Patients with craniocervical joint (CCJ) instability will often be offered prolotherapy injections. While much of this is performed blind, some physicians will use guidance. However, while guidance is used, many times it’s not used with contrast. Why is this an issue? Let me explain. What Is Prolotherapy? Prolotherapy is one of the earliest regenerative-medicine procedures. It…read more

Neck Headache Causes: Your Neck Muscles Are Jacked into Your Brain?

First, the cine MRI of a CCJ (upper neck) injury patient, above, is just plain cool. It shows how the neck structures move in a way that has never been seen before. It also shows a few significant issues, but today we’ll focus on neck headache causes, specifically the myodural bridge. What’s that? The connection between…read more

Alar Ligament Treatment for CCJ Instability

Due to our high level of expertise in the field, for many years, our practice has collected a group of patients with upper cervical (CCJ) instability. This awful problem has been very difficult to treat, but the patients have been generally happy that any physician knows what’s wrong with them and is willing to do…read more