When Head Injuries Start in the Spine, Not Just the Brain
Have you been told you had a concussion, only to keep struggling with headaches, dizziness, brain fog, or visual changes long after the initial injury? Maybe your CT scan and brain MRI looked normal, yet you still feel off balance, tired, and “not yourself.”
At DMX Miami, we work with patients from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Miami-Dade County, Broward County, and the Florida Keys, as well as from across Florida, the USA, Central and South America (including Colombia, Chile, Argentina, and Mexico), and the Caribbean, who have concussion-like symptoms that actually trace back to neck and upper cervical instability.
The Overlooked Connection Between Concussions and the Upper Cervical Spine
During whiplash, sports collisions, or falls, the head and neck move rapidly. It is common to focus on the brain and brain imaging is important but the ligaments that stabilize the upper cervical spine (C0–C2) can also be injured.
When those ligaments are stretched or torn:
- The relationship between the skull and the top two vertebrae can become unstable.
- Subtle shifts in alignment can affect blood flow, nerve function, and brainstem structures.
- Symptoms often overlap with or worsen post-concussion complaints.
Patients may experience:
- Headaches that start at the base of the skull.
- Brain fog, poor concentration, or mental fatigue.
- Dizziness, vertigo, or a feeling of being “on a boat”.
- Visual strain, light sensitivity, or trouble focusing.
- Neck pain or a sense that the head feels heavy or unstable.
If these symptoms persist despite normal brain imaging, the upper cervical spine deserves a closer look.
Why Standard Imaging Often Misses Upper Cervical Instability
Traditional imaging typically includes:
- CT scans to rule out fractures.
- Brain MRI to rule out bleeding or obvious structural injury.
- Standard neck X-rays to check basic alignment.
These tests are crucial for ruling out emergencies, but they do not show everything:
- They are usually done lying down, without gravity stressing the ligaments.
- They capture single, still images, not movement.
- Ligaments themselves are not easily visualized, especially in motion.
Instability that only appears when you flex, extend, or rotate your neck can remain invisible on static imaging even while causing very real symptoms.
How Digital Motion X-Ray Evaluates the Neck in Motion
Digital Motion X-Ray (DMX) allows us to watch the cervical spine move in real time. At DMX Miami, we can:
- Record your neck while you gently bend, extend, and rotate.
- Measure abnormal sliding, gapping, or misalignment between vertebrae.
- Pay special attention to the atlas (C1) and axis (C2), where critical ligaments live.
- Correlate your symptom-producing movements with visible structural changes.
By seeing how your spine behaves under load and in motion, we can identify:
- Upper cervical ligament laxity.
- Subtle instability that could be aggravating nerves or blood vessels.
- Abnormal motion patterns that may help explain headaches, dizziness, or brain fog.
How DMX Findings Can Guide Your Recovery
DMX is a diagnostic tool that provides information for your healthcare team. Its findings can help:
- Chiropractors and physical therapists design more targeted, safer rehab plans.
- Physicians and regenerative medicine providers determine whether specific levels may benefit from advanced treatments.
- Concussion specialists better understand the neck component of your symptoms.
- Attorneys and insurers see objective evidenc.e of injury in personal injury cases.
When everyone understands how your neck is actually moving, it becomes easier to build a coordinated plan that respects both brain and spine.
Why Patients with Post-Concussion Symptoms Travel to DMX Miami
Patients come to DMX Miami from:
- South Florida: Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Miami-Dade County, Broward County, and the Florida Keys.
- Around Florida and the rest of the United States.
- Central and South America, including Colombia, Chile, Argentina, and Mexico.
- The Caribbean.
They choose us because we offer:
- Motion-based imaging that reveals instability traditional tests miss.
- Experience with complex cases involving whiplash, concussion, and neck trauma.
- Detailed, physician-ready reports and imaging files.
- Bilingual care (English and Spanish) for local and international patients.
Don’t Let Lingering “Concussion” Symptoms Go Unexplained
If you still struggle with headaches, dizziness, or brain fog long after your injury, and your brain imaging has not given clear answers, your neck especially the upper cervical region could be part of the missing puzzle.
Learn more: Treatment
Schedule your appointment today: Appointments
Call 305-275-7475 or book your appointment online
Dr. Rodolfo Alfonso, D.C.
Dr. Mark N. Berry, D.C.
Sunset Chiropractic and Wellness
8585 Sunset Dr. STE 102
Miami, Florida 33143