The Nervoscope, why do we use it?

”Every subluxation produces objective evidence of its existence. The most reliable sign is in the form of abnormal temperatures in the paravertebral tissues.”

The Nervoscope instrument is one way that allows us to have a ‘window’ look at your spine and nervous system. The Nervoscope will detect changes by which we can correct by adjustments, this is the best way to manage the spine and your health. Read on to find out how it works and further information..

How it works

This instrument has two heat measuring probes. The Chiropractor will slowly run it from the base of your skull all the way down to the bottom of your spine. This allows us to see exactly where any problems are coming from.

There should be an equal temperature either side of the spine, but when there is inflammation as result of a pinched nerve for example, we see an increase in heat. This detection and insight allows us to pinpoint exactly where the problem is and this allows us to provide a precise adjustment to a vertebra accordingly. Once the correction has been made, the nervous system and your body can get back to working as efficiently as possible.

Your chiropractor utilises this instrument not to find a heat swing but a strong deflection over one vertebral segment, indicating which nerve root and disc level are affected.

If you are under chiropractic care you might have noticed that your chiropractor can find problematic areas that you didn’t even know were painful until they touched it and pointed it out!

Now let’s take a look at the science behind it..

If you care to know more about the science behind this, the rest of this blog is diving deep into the physiology and the mechanism behind how this is a great tool for providing fantastic results.

An important point to keep in mind is that in the Gonstead system we utilise the instrument as well as an in-depth history, visualisation, static and motion palpation, and X-ray analysis when indicated. They all have very important aspects when it comes to patient care, and we utilise all of them together.

The Skin 

The skin is a neuro-immunoendocrine organ that develops from the same embryonic layer as the nervous system. The skin is intertwined with all aspects of your nervous system, the central, peripheral and autonomic nervous system. When you are experiencing different forms of stress, this pathway is activated.

If pressure is put onto the nervous system at a segment in your spine, a very reliable way of finding this is the abnormal temperature is in the paravertebral tissues.

When there is nerve pressure it starts to cause other symptoms other than just pain in the back or neck that you might be experiencing.

It takes just 1.36 grams/square cm of pressure on nerve roots to produce 60% conduction blockage in just 15 minutes of pressure. A 5 pence coin for example is 3.25 grams to put that into context. The pressure needed is the equivalent of a half pinch of salt.

So why does it become sore on the bone itself when touched?

Now, I’ll make this as easy to understand as I can without going through anatomy too much. The problematic segment of your spine causes a nerve which wraps around the bone itself to become irritated, the recurrent meningeal nerve, causing point tenderness. As a result of different neuromodulators (chemicals) being released.

Why does it become swollen in the area?

This whole process dilates the blood vessels and leakage to where the nerves exit the spine and also causes the muscles to tighten. This in turn allows the instrument to pick up the reading at a precise location.

Once we know where the problem is coming from. It’s simple… we remove the nerve pressure. There is no interference to the nervous system and you feel better.

Thanks for all those have read to the end.

Any questions please feel free to contact the clinic https://www.miltonkeyneschiropractor.co.uk/contact-us/ and I will get back to you as soon as I can. Alternatively, you can click on the button above my profile photo below, to book with me.

Dr Alex Hillyer.

Check out all of the research I have compiled and put it all together as to why we use them.

• • Birchalll Robin, et all Neurological Basis and Clinical Application.” Gonstead Chiropractic, edited by oe Bonanno, Gonstead Chiropractic Society Australia Inc., 2020, PpP: 271-310.

• • Fowler, David. “The 1505 club w/ Dr. Dennis OHara- Science for the Clinician.”

• • Fowler, David. IThe Fowler David The 1505 Club w/ Dr Kristin Fellows- The Scope.”

• • Gonstead, Clarence W. “Nervo-Scope: Evaluation and Recommendations.” The Journal of Clinical Chiropractic, vol. 5, no. 2, 1970 , pp. 71-76.

• • Herbst, Roger w. Gonstead Chiropractic Science and Art: the Chiropractic Methodology of Clarence S. Gonstead. SCI-CHI Publications, 1980.

• • Lawlor, Joshua, et al “instrumentation.” Gonstead Methodology Institute Case Management, Parkview IA.

• • Meisel, Scott. “Instrumentation and Subluxation. Palmer College of Chiropractic Florida. Palmer College of Chiropractic Florida, Oct. 2020, Port Orange.

• • Plaugher, Gregory, and Mark A. Lopes. Textbook of Clinical Chiropractic: a Specific Biomechanical Approach. Williams & Wilkins, 1993.

• • Roosterman, Dirk, et al. “Neuronal Control of Skin Function: The Skin as a Neuroimmunoendocrine Organ.” Physiological Reviews, vol. 86, no. 4, 2006, pp 1309 -1379. doi:l0, 1152/ physrev .00026.2005.

• • Shayota, Brian, et ale “A Comprehensive Review of the Sinuvertebral Nerve with Clinical Applications. Anatomy & Cell Biology, vol. 52, no. 2, 2019, p. 128., doi:10 5115/acb.2019 52.2 .128

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