Category: Neck Pain

30 Internal Scarring Facts for National Self-Check Month
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February is National Self-Check Month. Internal scarring (adhesions) in your pelvic region can occur throughout your life due to surgeries, accidents, and even natural wear and tear. This self-check month is meant for you to implement preventative health measures. These can include making better dietary choices, performing self-examinations, or going to a wellness visit with your physician to seek early treatment for symptoms associated with health problems.
What questions should you ask your physician during your wellness visit? Depending on what issues need to be resolved, physical therapy may be the treatment you need, particularly if you are experiencing illness, pain, and other health problems caused by adhesions.
How can you know if you have adhesion-related health problems? This article offers answers to these and other questions and makes a case for why you should ask your physician about physical therapy for adhesion-related conditions.
National Self-Check Month at Clear Passage®
National Self-Check Month raises awareness about the importance of taking proactive steps to prevent health problems and addressing existing health problems. One might imagine that preventing or addressing health problems would be easy, yet people avoid seeking medical care for many reasons. They may:
- Feel that they are too busy.
- Worry about the costs associated with care.
- Have unfavorable opinions about health care providers, or;
- Assume that symptoms will eventually improve without intervention.
No matter what it is, the truth is that avoiding medical care is not a good idea.
Lack of treatment, at best, can result in avoidable discomfort or suffering, and at worst, can result in late detection and treatment of a disease with severe or potentially deadly consequences.
Suppose you are experiencing illness, pain, or other health problems. In that case, it is crucial to advocate for yourself by seeking early treatment, not just any therapy, but customized solutions that are most likely to provide the best results. Doing so can result in the restoration of your body to its best possible condition or even complete relief and healing.
7 Questions You Should Ask Your Physician
During your wellness visit, your physician will review your family history of illness, your medical records, and vital signs, and perform an exam. Explain to your physician what habits you have regarding diet and exercise, sleep, and stress management.
Refer to this list of questions to help you get valuable feedback from your physician during your wellness visit. Be sure to jot down additional questions that come to mind as you continue reading this article.
1. Based on your observations about my appearance, vital signs, and weight, what is your initial impression of my health?
  1. Ask for an explanation of your blood work results or other diagnostic test results, if available.
2. Do you have any suggestions regarding my health habits?
3. Am I prone to certain health risks based on my family history?
4. Should I continue taking medications? Should the dosages be adjusted?
5. Make a list of specific pains or other symptoms you may have experienced. Go through the list with your physician. Ask after each item, “Is this normal?”
6. What treatment options are available for (fill in the blank)?
7. Would I benefit from physical therapy for (fill in the blank)?
Surgery and/or Medication vs. Wurn Technique®’s Physical Therapy
Although surgery and medication play a vital part in healthcare, they come with risks and a long list of potential side effects. On the other hand, Physical therapy can provide effective, long-lasting results without the risks and side effects, especially for adhesion-related problems.
Demonstrated Positive Results With Physical Therapy
Studies from major medical journals, available from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), demonstrate the results of physical therapy using the Clear Passage® Approach®. This non-surgical treatment utilizes the Wurn (hands-on) adhesion release techniques for various conditions caused or exacerbated by adhesions. This landmark 10-year study and many others demonstrated how this specialized, hands-on physical therapy yielded pregnancy rates for women with PCOS, small bowel obstruction (SBO), and at rates similar to standard medical treatments but without surgery or pharmaceuticals.
A Deeper Look: What are Adhesions?
What are adhesions? Adhesions are a type of scar tissue that forms inside the body after an accident, fall, surgery, infection, inflammation, trauma, radiation therapy, or endometriosis. Since surgery to treat adhesions can cause more adhesions, it makes perfect sense to treat adhesions with physical therapy rather than surgery.
Many people associate physical therapy with treatment for injuries or range-of-motion issues, and rightly so, because physicians readily prescribe physical therapy for those problems. But did you know that physical therapy can also effectively treat symptoms associated with a wide variety of diseases and conditions?
Clients with these ailments have found improvement and relief with physical therapy.
- Lymphedema
- Muscular dystrophy
- Osteoporosis
- Respiratory issues, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease, and more,
When it comes to unexplained pain and dysfunction and biomechanical problems, physical therapy has a long track record of proven results. Physical therapists identify and treat the root cause of many peripheral problems, often a consequence of an underlying problem, such as adhesions.
The Comprehensive List of 30 Adhesion-Related Health Problems to Ask your Doctor about
Adhesions can squeeze nerves, organs, and joints – causing internal pain or dysfunction, including female infertility, life-threatening bowel obstructions, and numerous other problems. How can you know if you have adhesion-related health problems? This list provides some basic information about adhesion-related health problems and their causes.
1. Menstrual Pain / Dysmenorrhea – Adhesions pull ligaments, fascias, or connective tissues that attach the uterus to surrounding structures
2. Intercourse Pain / Sexual Dysfunction – Adhesions form between muscle cells deep within the cervix and/or attach to the vaginal wall, entrance, or other pain-sensitive structures.
  1. This reduces elasticity, potentially pulling the tailbone forward, and negatively impacts desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and satisfaction.
3. Endometriosis Pain – Adhesions pull on pain-sensitive structures caused by endometriosis.
4. Genital Mutilation – Adhesions can cause a lifetime of chronic pain and dysfunction.
5. Cervical Stenosis – Adhesions can tighten, narrow, or close the entrance to the uterus and pull on the uterus, causing inflammation, pain, and more adhesions.
  1. These can ascend within the uterus to block one or both fallopian tubes.
6. Mastectomy Pain – Adhesions can form in the chest wall, neck, shoulders, and arms, causing pain and tightness or a condition called “frozen shoulder.”
7. Hysterectomy Pain – Adhesions can form at the surgical site and connect to neighboring structures like the intestines, bowels, vagina, or bladder.
8. C-Section Pain – Adhesions can form at the surgical site and cause pain and tightness in the pelvic region.
9. Myomectomy Pain – Adhesions can form within the uterus and decrease the chances of successful implantation of a fertilized egg, increasing the likelihood of miscarriage, or form outside of the uterus and bind delicate reproductive structures together, impairing function.
10. Blocked Fallopian Tubes – Adhesions and internal scars are the primary causes of tubal blockage.
11. Hydrosalpinx – Adhesions can cause the swelling of the fallopian tubes.
12. Endometriosis Infertility – Inflammation that accompanies the endometrial swelling can continually cause more and more adhesions to form, impairing functions necessary for fertility.
13. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) – Adhesions can cover the ovaries.
14. Pre-IVF Treatment / Age, High FSH & Hormonal – Adhesions can form at the uterus, cervix (called stenosis of the cervix), and fallopian tubes, and the dura and skull (near the pituitary, the “master gland” of female reproduction), reducing FSH levels and decreasing implantation rates.
15. Unexplained Infertility (UI), a.k.a. Idiopathic Infertility – Adhesions are invisible on X-rays, ultrasounds, MRI, or CT scans.
16. Secondary Infertility – A reproductive tract traumatized by the initial pregnancy or birth can result in adhesions that interfere with future fertility.
17. Neck Pain – Adhesions can form when neck muscles are inflamed by poor posture, injury, or other causes.
18. Back & Hip Pain – Adhesions can form at the sacral joints, causing biomechanical and soft tissue dysfunctions.
19. Tailbone Pain – A misaligned tailbone can cause mobility problems, constipation, reproductive problems, and the formation of adhesions that aggravate all of these issues.
20. Childhood Surgery/Trauma – When adhesions and scar tissue that form with surgery do not grow and expand with the rest of the body as the child grows, problems can last a lifetime.
21. Migraines/Chronic Headaches – Internal scarring creates unnatural pressure that affects complex pain-sensitive structures in the head.
22. TMJ/TMD – Adhesions can cause tightness or asymmetries that affect the jaw or temporomandibular joints.
23. Myofascial Pain (MPS) – Adhesions cause mechanical problems with the body’s structure, resulting in pain.
24. Post-Radiation Pain – Radiation therapy adhesions cause irradiated tissues to adhere to nearby organs, muscles, bones, and connective tissues.
25. Pain After Abuse – Trauma causes adhesions that can remain in the body for a lifetime without intervention.
26. Abdominal Pain – Internal scarring can form between the ribs and the pubic bone, decreasing function and causing pain.
27. Pelvic Pain / Groin Pain – Internal scarring can form when the membrane covering the abdominal and pelvic organs becomes inflamed and or the infection spreads throughout the abdominopelvic cavity.
28. Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, and Inflammatory Diseases – Adhesions are a significant concern for patients with inflammatory diseases, slowing digestion and causing pain, nausea, bloating, distension, constipation, or diarrhea.
29. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) – Adhesions can slow or stop bacteria from exiting the digestive system, contributing to the recurrence of SIBO and causing additional adhesions.
30. Small Bowel Obstruction (SBO) – Adhesions can interfere with or completely block the passage of food and waste material, causing stomach pain and “stringy poop.”
Do not avoid medical care or ignore illness, pain, or other health problems. During National Self-Check Month, make a wellness appointment, and be sure to ask your physician about physical therapy for any adhesion-related conditions you may have. Take a stand for your health by seeking treatment that will produce the desired results while avoiding the risks and side effects associated with surgery and medications.
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March 23, 2022
Pain after Physical or Sexual Abuse
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We Treat Pain from Physical or Sexual Abuse Naturally
The physical scars and adhesions that develop in response to physical and sexual abuse can remain in the body for decades after the abuse has stopped. Often invisible to diagnostic tests, adhesions act like tiny straitjackets, binding sensitive structures and causing pain. They can also serve as palpable reminders of abuse, often with terrible memories.
While we may heal from a trauma to the body, so that no scars show on the outside…
Our therapists provide a safe and effective treatment to remove these scars in a caring and healing environment, helping victims of abuse to return to a normal life. Studies in peer-reviewed U.S. and international medical journals found that our manual physio/physical therapy significantly decreased pain and returned function for most patients we treat.
Complete the online Request Consultation form to receive a free phone consultation with an expert therapist to learn more.
Abuse Overview
Physical and sexual abuse can inflict both physical and psychological scars on its victims. While counseling can help people come to grips with the confusing and conflicting emotions so often associated with abuse, it does little to address the physical scars that remain in the body. These scars can exist deep within the body’s tissues decades after abuse has ended. Left untreated, the pain and memories associated with them can last a lifetime.
Physical and sexual abuse can not only cause deep psychological problems, but the physical scars from abuse can literally last a lifetime, binding internal muscles, nerves, and organs in powerful adhesions (internal scars), causing pain or dysfunction.
After freeing tissues that had been bound for years or decades, many have said that we helped them regain a new body – that our physical work was the “missing link” to help get them past their early traumas, at last.
Trauma causes adhesions (internal scars) to form as a natural part of healing. Once formed, they can remain in the body for a lifetime unless treated by a knowledgeable therapist. The trauma may be from a direct force, such as being hit or forcefully abused.
Adhesions may also form when a person develops a protective mechanism, such as constantly being ‘on guard’ against a recurrent perpetrator. The ongoing muscle spasm can cause physical adhesions to form slowly over time. In either case, the body creates internal adhesive straitjackets that can immobilize body tissues – whether from a single devastating incident or from a series of traumatic events.
Clear Passage®️ Treatment
We have treated the deep scarring that occurs from physical and sexual abuse for over 30 years, with expertise and understanding. We have treated numerous patients who developed multiple personalities to deal with the abuse from a large or authoritative aggressor. We find that physically treating the sites of past abuse requires expertise and great sensitivity. Our therapy helps locate, treat, and eliminate the physical pain and dysfunction associated with abuse. All of our work is performed by sensitive and caring therapists in private treatment rooms.
When we physically free these adhesive straitjackets using our manual therapy, the Clear Passage® approach, patients often experience great relief and a profound decrease or resolution of their symptoms. Their bodies become much more mobile and pain-free. Many of our patients have found that the process of freeing these internal physical bonds opens the door for healing their psyche and spirit, helping them leave behind the shadows of the past.
We are highly experienced in this area and sensitive to your need for a ‘safe place’ where you are nurtured and allowed to heal at your own pace. We are happy to consult and work with you and your counselor before, during, or after therapy if you request it.
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March 21, 2021
Pain after Radiation Therapy
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We Treat Radiation Pain Due to Adhesions
Radiation therapy can cause massive scarring or adhesions deep in the body. Clear Passage®️ is a world leader with over two decades of experience decreasing and eliminating adhesions. Studies published in peer-reviewed U.S. and international medical journals found that this manual physio/physical therapy decreased pain and increased function in various areas of the body where tissues were previously diagnosed as “beyond repair.”
Complete the online Request Consultation form to receive a free phone consultation with an expert therapist and learn more.
Causes and Frequency of Pain After Radiation Therapy
Frequently prescribed to treat cancer, radiation therapy can cause adhesions (internal scars) to form in the body. These adhesions can cause moderate to severe pain or dysfunction. Radiation therapy adhesions act like a very strong glue, adhering the irradiated tissues to nearby organs, muscles, bones, and connective tissues.
Where adhesions occur, organs and muscles can become bound together, losing their ability to function normally. Pain or other symptoms are frequent results. Symptoms may appear far from the site of the original trauma as adhesions spread to neighboring organs.
At a microscopic level, tiny cross-links, the building blocks of adhesions, form at the sites where the body needs to heal from the damage done by radiation therapy. These adhesions attach irradiated tissues with a tensile strength approaching 2,000 pounds per square inch (140 kilograms per square centimeter).
Abdominal Cramps and Pain
Treatments
Clear Passage®️ Treatment
We have treated countless patients who suffer from post-radiation adhesions. Our work, the Clear Passage® Approach, was developed by physical therapist Belinda Wurn and her therapist husband Larry over 20 years ago, to treat the adhesions that formed in Belinda’s body after she underwent surgery and massive radiation therapy to her pelvis. The radiation helped cure Belinda’s cancer but left her with adhesions that caused unexplained pain and organ dysfunction in various parts of her body.
With over 30 years of study and development, the primary goal of the Clear Passage® approach is to decrease adhesions. Reducing or eliminating adhesions with this therapy has been shown to increase mobility, decrease pain, and restore function to adhered areas of the body. We are highly skilled in palpating restricted areas of the body. Our focus is to reduce adhesions, decrease pain, and improve soft tissue mobility.
We treat the soft tissues of the body with our hands, using a site-specific bodywork we developed to decrease adhesions affecting muscles, organs, their connective tissues, and their attachments. Our conservative, non-surgical approach has been very effective in treating pain and dysfunction.
In this broader view, cross-links join collagen fibers to create curtains or ropes of adhesions that bind large structures together – often causing significant problems. Doctors and patients may have difficulty diagnosing the problem because adhesions do not generally appear on diagnostic tests – MRI, CT, or X-rays.
Stepping back in magnification, cross-links bind the cells of individual muscles or organs to each other, creating pain or immobility within those structures.
Other Treatment Options (Surgery, Drugs)
Other than pain-masking drugs, we are not aware of other options for people who suffer from pain after radiation therapy. We have found that unless we address the strong, underlying adhesions and scars that pull on pain-sensitive structures, patients are generally unable to find relief.
Most physicians agree that surgery to decrease radiation pain is a treatment of last resort. While surgery can address adhesions and other mechanical problems, the formation of new post-surgical adhesions can trap patients in an endless “surgery-adhesion-surgery” cycle, often worsening the original problem.
Testimonials
To read past patient success stories, please visit our Testimonials page.
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March 21, 2021
Myofascial Pain
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We Treat Myofascial Pain Naturally
Clear Passage®️ has over two decades of experience treating the adhesions that cause myofascial pain, which is closely associated with adhered soft tissue. We use a non-surgical, manual physio/physical therapy to decrease the adhesive pulls on delicate, pain-sensitive tissues, alleviating myofascial pain symptoms significantly. Complete our online Request Consultation form to receive a free consultation with one of our expert therapists.
Causes and Frequency of Myofascial Pain
Millions of Americans have musculoskeletal pain. An estimated 10 million suffer from either myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) or fibromyalgia (FM). While they have much in common, these are now recognized to be two distinct syndromes. MPS is a localized disorder, while FM is a systemic disorder. (Schneider, 1995)
Because patients with these two distinct conditions have similar symptoms, it is easy for both patients and physicians to be confused about the correct diagnosis. Although there are clear-cut differences between the classic manifestations of the two syndromes, many patients have symptoms that appear to be features of both conditions. Some diagnostic tests do not show abnormalities in either condition. Both MPS and FM are considered diagnoses of exclusion. This means that you must exclude the possibility that the patient’s symptoms are due to some other disorder before you can conclude that the proper diagnosis is MPS or FM.
Adhesions from prior life events can cause persistent pulls or pain in the back, hip or neck – or anywhere in the body.
Janet Travell, M.D., a pioneering researcher in the field of MPS, describes this syndrome as “a regional muscle pain disorder that is characterized by tender spots in taut bands of muscle that refer pain to areas overlying or distant to the tenderness.” (Travell & Simons, 1983) Some patients develop MPS following trauma, although they may not be aware of the connection since the trauma can precede the onset of pain by weeks or even months.
Besides trauma, other potential causes or perpetuating factors for MPS include muscle strain and frequent exposure to cold, overwork, and fatigue. Some mechanical problems with the structure of the body are also thought to be possible causes of MPS. These may include a short leg, an asymmetrical pelvis, a long second toe in the foot, and dental abnormalities. Other factors that are thought to lead to MPS are overly tight bra straps, as well as compression of the hamstring muscles on the back of the thigh by the edge of a seat. The typical sitting posture of today’s office worker at a desk or computer terminal, forward head posture, and slumped posture, has also been linked with the increased prevalence of MPS.
Symptoms
Symptoms of Myofascial pain include, but are not limited to:
- A tender knot in a muscle
- Pain that persists or worsens
- Difficulty sleeping due to pain
- Deep, aching pain in a muscle
Treatments
Clear Passage®️ Treatment
At Clear Passage®️, we treat difficult, persistent MPS pain using a “hands-on” approach to alleviate your symptoms and discover the cause of your pain. We have been successful in helping many patients who have been unable to find pain relief through other treatment methods, such as traditional physical therapy and medications.
We begin by treating tight and dysfunctional areas in your body. A few minutes into your first treatment session, our therapists will be providing a gentle stretch for a sustained period of time to areas of your body where we feel abnormal tensions. This has been very effective in decreasing adhesions and frequently resolving pain symptoms. Goals of treatment include restoring alignment, balance, and mobility to the pelvis, sacrum, thoracic and lumbar spines. We address headaches, neck, back, and hip symptoms. We will treat the affected connective tissues and abdominopelvic organs.
Our therapists follow soft tissue therapies with a stretching and strengthening program focused on the core of the body as well as areas of prior pain, dysfunction or decreased range of motion.
Other treatment goals focus on decreasing pain and restoring the range of motion. We work with you to improve your function and your tolerance for physical activity to return you to an active, productive lifestyle
Other Treatment Options (Surgery, Drugs)
Other treatment options for myofascial pain can range from self-care to pain medication to needle procedures.
Self-care treatments can include stretching and relaxing; however, if this does not resolve your pain, you may need to see a doctor.
Medications available to alleviate your pain include pain relievers, antidepressants, and sedatives. Pain relievers will treat the symptoms of your condition, making it easier to go about your everyday life, but they do little to effectively treat your condition. A variety of antidepressants can help to relieve pain in some patients and improve sleep if your pain is keeping you awake at night. Sedatives can also help to address the problem of poor sleep from persistent myofascial pain, as well as any anxiety that arises from your condition. However, with sedatives and pain relievers, there is the risk of addiction. It is also important to keep in mind that these medications are rather ineffective in treating your condition as a whole. Instead, they treat your symptoms and problems that arise from your symptoms.
Needle procedures aim to inject numbing agents and or steroids into trigger points of your pain. It has been found effective in some patients that the act of inserting the needle into the trigger point helps to break apart the muscle tension. Acupuncture also appears to be helpful in pain relief from myofascial pain syndrome.
Testimonials
To read past patient success stories, please visit our Testimonials page.
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March 21, 2021
TMJ/TMD
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We Treat TMD/TMJ Pain Naturally
We find that chronic TMD generally stems from ‘mechanical’ factors involving structures lower down the body – areas often overlooked or not fully treated by others. The jaw or temporomandibular joints (TMJs) can be affected by tightness or asymmetries in the neck, back, or even the pelvis. Asymmetry among the bones of the cranium can exacerbate the condition, perpetuating the pain and symptoms (Walczynska-Dragch, 2014). Unless these areas are fully addressed, TMD can recur and become a chronic, painful condition.
There is no reason to live with daily pain, locking jaws, or nighttime clenching. Manual therapy has been shown to be effective for treating TMD in published studies (Tuncer, 2013; Kalamir, 2010; Cuccia, 2010). Our non-surgical, drug-free physio/physical therapy has decreased or eliminated the mechanical restrictions that pull TM joints out of alignment, and returned patients to a symptom-free life.
Complete our online Request Consultation form to receive a free phone consultation with an expert therapist and learn more.
Causes and Frequency of TMD/TMJ
It is conservatively estimated that over 10 million people in the U.S. suffer from TMD. The condition appears to be more common in women than in men. Dr. Harold Gelb, a leading specialist in this area, proposes that TMD is a primary initiating factor in approximately 80 percent of all chronic pain disorders.
TMJ symptoms can include pressure or pain around the eyes, cheeks, or face, at the back or base of the skull, the jaw joint(s), upper shoulders, or upper neck. They may also include:
- headache or dizziness
- pain or ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- popping or clicking when opening or closing the mouth
- clenching and grinding the teeth at night or when stressed
- inability to open the mouth fully or having the jaw stuck open (Ohrbach, 2011)
TMJ symptoms sometimes include pressure or pain around the eyes, cheeks, or face, at the back or base of the skull, and at the jaw joint(s), upper shoulders, or upper neck.
Thus, our therapists use a structural, “whole body” approach to treat TMJ pain and related symptoms to return symmetry and comfort to your jaw.
Symptoms may begin after a motor vehicle accident, whiplash, or fall, or the removal of wisdom teeth or back molars. They have been linked to early thumb sucking, breathing through the mouth (rather than nose breathing), or an overbite.
TMJ pain can be disabling, affecting every aspect of a person’s life. Many people experience chronic pain that originates in and around one or both sides of the jaw. As time goes on, this can become the site of arthritis or other degenerative problems.
Contrary to what many believe, we find that chronic TMJ pain is more often an orthopedic problem than a problem with the teeth. We find the primary cause of TMD in most of our patients to be myofascial; thus, we view the TMJ in relation to the whole body. It is an extension of the spine, dependent on the symmetry and function of the entire mechanical structure below the jaw. Because it is located at the top of the kinetic chain, the jaw can be significantly affected by musculoskeletal imbalances that occur throughout the body.
Balance of the jaw requires a balanced alignment of all major structures lower in the body, down to the pelvis and sometimes into the legs. If tight areas below the jaw are not corrected, TMJ symptoms return after the patient begins to stand and walk.
Since the head rests at the top of the spine, TMD symptoms are often caused or exacerbated by poor biomechanics in the neck, back, or pelvis. Thus, it is sometimes necessary to treat biomechanical and soft tissue dysfunction in or around the sacroiliac joint in the pelvis (Saito, 2009). The sacrum acts somewhat like a universal joint in a car; it is the body’s center of gravity and stability, simultaneously negotiating forces transferred from the legs to the upper body. The joints of the pelvis represent significant structural and functional units during bending, lifting, twisting, walking, and other daily activities. We find that proper alignment of the bones of the pelvis is required for symmetrical, pain-free function of the jaw.
In short, if the pelvis, spine, or neck is out of alignment, the TM joints have to compensate. TMD pain sufferers are often unable to find relief unless we address the entire support structure.
Treatments
Clear Passage®️ Treatment
Clear Passage®️ therapists have successfully treated severe and recurring TMJ symptoms for over 30 years. We can work independently, or we are glad to work in tandem with physicians and dentists to address the TM joints. We have instructed dentists in manual approaches to treat TMD at annual meetings of the American Academy of Head, Neck, Facial Pain, and TMJ Orthopedics.
Adhesions that tighten muscles at the base of the skull are a primary focus for many patients who suffer TMJ symptoms.
Many of our patients find that the “missing link” in TMD therapy is our structural, “whole body” approach. We recognize that the alignment of delicate TM joints is dependent on the larger body structures that support them. If the body’s support structures at the pelvis, spine, and neck are under stress and misaligned, the TMJ has no choice but to compensate in response. By freeing and aligning the support structures, then working our way up the body and into the jaw, we generally see an excellent resolution of pain and symptoms.
The Clear Passage®️ approach is a protocol of over 200 manual techniques designed to treat the entire body, with a focus on areas of pain and dysfunction. We use a “hands-on” approach to create a stable foundation at the pelvis and lower back, which supports the spine, neck, and TM joints. While we may start with an evaluation of the head, neck, and jaw, we often find it beneficial to work up our patients’ bodies, starting at the larger structures of the pelvis. From there, we may work deeply into the lower, then upper back and shoulders – and finally into the neck and jaw. Our goals are to return a normal, pain-free range of motion and help patients return to a happy, productive quality of life. We will also teach you self-treatment techniques to help you maintain the gains you make with us.
We directly treat the powerful muscles of the cheeks and mouth while treating the delicate TM joint. We also move further down the body to address any asymmetry or tightness in its support structures.
The TMJ (temporomandibular joint) is a tiny joint that exists on both sides of the head. As such, it is greatly influenced by the muscles of the head and neck – and the symmetry of the much larger support structures below it (shoulders, spine, sacrum, and pelvis).
Other Treatment Options (Surgery, Drugs)
Other treatment methods to address TMD and facial pain symptoms include splints and night guards. Dentists may suggest grinding or building up the vertical dimension of the bite, or even surgery, to obtain the symmetry we generally achieve with our non-invasive therapy. While most agree that surgery is a last resort, some people do not obtain TMJ pain relief or restored function even after one or more surgeries. (Buescher, 2007; Valladares-Neto, 2014). If your dentist has already ground down (equilibrated) some of your teeth, or if you find a splint helpful to prevent headaches or teeth grinding, we strongly suggest a lower splint rather than an upper splint. We are glad to discuss this and other suggestions during therapy.
Testimonials
To read patient success stories, please visit our Testimonials page.
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March 21, 2021
Migraines/Chronic Headaches
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We Treat Migraine and Headache Pain Without Drugs

Testimonials of Clear Passage® patients who used to have Chronic Migraines/Headaches.
Migraine headaches can be caused by ‘mechanical’ factors, which are sometimes overlooked or left untreated by physicians. Clear Passage®️ therapists have successfully treated severe and recurring migraine headaches without drugs for over 20 years.
Our natural migraine headache treatment can decrease or eliminate the mechanical restrictions pulling on the base of the skull, the temples, the sinus, the jaws, or the top of the head.
Complete our online Request Consultation form to receive a free phone consultation with an expert therapist and learn whether our therapy can help you.
A key part of our therapy is a thorough evaluation of the biomechanics of headache symptoms. We review your history of traumas, infections, and surgeries. Then we look beyond our strong focus on the cranium and evaluate asymmetry and adhered areas in the neck, thoracic spine, shoulders, and throughout the body.
Causes and Frequency of Chronic Migraines and Headaches
Nearly 45 million people in the United States live with chronic headaches. About seven million people report debilitating headaches that last for hours at a time, at least every two days. It is estimated that 157 million workdays are lost due to headaches, and two billion dollars are spent on over-the-counter painkillers to treat headache symptoms each year.
Biomechanics of the head and neck
The head is comprised of 28 bones that articulate with each other, much like continental shelves on the Earth’s surface. Some bones define the surface of our skull, while others go deep into our head where they articulate with other cranial bones, connective tissue, the brain, and various glands (pituitary, hypothalamus, etc).
The central nervous system contains the tree-trunk-shaped structure (spinal cord) that connects most of the major nerves of our body to our brain. This entire structure is surrounded by strong connective tissues, which act as a protector and shock absorber, as our spinal cord joins and infuses with the tissues of the brain. From the brain, the spinal cord and its protective fascial sleeve (the dura) travel down through the vertebrae to its anchor at the coccyx.
Thus, the head is composed of remarkable and complex pain-sensitive structures, all of which are surrounded and infused with very strong connective tissues called fascia. Our body’s fascia is actually a continuous weave — a very strong three-dimensional ‘sweater’ that runs from the top of our head through our neck, shoulders, back, and down to our feet.
The head rests at the top of the spine within this fascial sweater. Restricted tissues below the head can create unnatural pressures on the delicate structures of our head and neck, creating a straitjacket effect that causes or perpetuates headaches.
Early on, we found that many of our chronic pain patients suffered migraine headaches. These required multiple drugs, sometimes multiple doctors, and still sent them for regular emergency room visits. Despite success in treating these headaches, some patients reported a persistent problem. We set out to find a more complete resolution for migraine headaches.
For this reason, we take a full-body approach when evaluating chronic headaches. In doing so, we find that headaches often accompany the stooped, forward head posture common to certain professions, such as dentists, hairdressers, gynecologists, and people who work in front of computers.
In essence, the head must adapt its position in space according to the position of the much larger structures below it–the spine, back, and pelvis. Thus, chronic or recurring headaches are often the result of sustained muscle contraction, compensatory postures, and fascial pulls or joint restrictions further down the body. For this reason, cranial imbalances that cause recurring headaches may occur from structural imbalance in the neck or torso, or even down into the pelvis, sacrum, lumbosacral junction, or base of the skull.
We find a major contributory factor to headaches to be mechanical and soft tissue dysfunction of the mid-back, where thick, tight mid-back muscles create a strong pull at the base of the skull and into the head.
Further down the spine, we find that dysfunctions of the sacral joints (in the pelvis) and surrounding musculature and fascia (connective tissue) may also contribute to chronic headaches. Strong connections from the low and mid-back can pull through the neck to the base of the skull, causing or perpetuating headaches. Unless these tissues are freed from their patterns of spasm and myofascial adhesions, the headaches will continue and eventually worsen.
In addition, there is very little ‘play’ in the dura, the fascial sleeve that surrounds the spinal cord, with attachments at the head, neck, sacrum, and coccyx. Falls, infections, or surgeries that pulled the tailbone forward often created a significant pull on the tissues at the base of the skull – and into the head.
Strong attachments of the dura to the tailbone (coccyx) can cause a significant pull up through the spinal cord to its attachment at the base of the skull. Thus, when a person falls onto her/his tailbone or has a physical trauma there (auto accident, physical or sexual abuse), the tailbone can be pushed forward. When that happens, the spinal cord can be pulled down sharply, often creating a strong pull on its next attachment at the base of the skull, causing headaches. We see this condition often in our approach to migraine headache treatment.
Why do I get persistent or chronic headaches or migraines?
While some headaches are caused by medical conditions such as hormonal or endocrine imbalances, we find that most recurring headaches are caused or exacerbated by mechanical factors. These include muscle tension of the facial, cranial, neck, and chewing muscles, and restricted cranial bone mobility. Muscles in spasm may impair circulation within the head and neck due to their pressure on blood vessels, causing pain. Compression of blood vessels at the base of the skull can cause headaches as blood flow is slowed from leaving the enclosed skull.
Any of these conditions may be exacerbated by poor work postures. Adhesions caused by inflammation at the head, neck, or related structures can also be a direct cause of headaches, as strong glue-like bonds pull on pain-sensitive structures within the head.
Patients with mechanical headache pain often report that they feel a place in their head or neck “where the headache starts or resides.” We generally find this patient feedback to be accurate and quite important. It helps us examine the mechanical forces that cause or impact the patient’s chronic headaches and relieve them using hands-on techniques, without surgery or drugs.
A migraine headache can be severe, with symptoms lasting anywhere between several hours to several days. The associated pain can be pulsating or throbbing on either or both sides of the head. The headache is sometimes accompanied by visual disturbances, sensitivity to light or sound, or digestive symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
In most cases, we have found that the direct cause of or a major contributor to migraine headaches is soft tissue tightness at:
- The base of the skull,
- One or both temples or eyes
- The top of the head was the direct cause
- Areas significantly below the skull (neck, shoulders, back, surgical scars, or the coccyx (tailbone)
We found that a missing element for these patients was a full body approach. Simply put, adhered tissues in the larger structures of the back, abdomen, pelvis and even legs were pulling on the delicate structures of the neck and head, perpetuating the pain.
Treatments
Clear Passage®️ Treatment
A key part of our therapy is a thorough evaluation that can help identify the biomechanics of headache symptoms. We look beyond the cranium to evaluate tightness and asymmetry at the neck, shoulders, back, and even tailbone — important areas that are often overlooked when treating recurring headaches.
The primary goals of our manual therapy, the Clear Passage® Approach, are to increase mobility and decrease pain. We are highly skilled in using our hands to palpate tightened areas of the head, neck, and back until the tensions release. Our unique therapy appears to reduce adhesions, decrease pain, and improve mobility.
Free of the glue-like adhesions, most patients find their cycle of recurring headaches to be significantly improved or completely eliminated after therapy. As pain begins to resolve, we work to restore alignment, balance, and mobility to the entire body, so that headaches do not return.
In many cases, the base of the skull acts as the anchor – and the place where headaches often started. Treating this area helped, as we found in our early cases. But when we treated adhered tissues in the lower body as well, our most challenging migraine patients started reporting profound, generally permanent relief.
Other Treatment Options
Traditional migraine headache treatment methods vary considerably, and many people do not obtain complete pain relief after conservative treatment such as traditional physical therapy or medications. Chiropractic care may help for a period of time, but unless we address the strong, underlying adhesions that pull the cranial structures out of balance, chronic headache pain tends to persist. Injections such as nerve blocks may address the symptoms but do little to treat the cause of the headaches. Surgery for headaches is extremely rare and considered a last-resort treatment.
Testimonials
Read one of our patient testimonials below:
“For most of my adult life, I had suffered from chronic headaches. These started in my mid-twenties, and by my early thirties, they were occurring on a daily basis and becoming more severe. I had consulted with a number of different internists and neurologists who estimated that these were essentially muscle-tension headaches, but often of migraine intensity. I had explored almost every treatment available, including medications that ranged from over-the-counter analgesics to narcotic painkillers. I had also investigated non-traditional methods such as acupuncture, biofeedback, and chiropractic adjustments, but none had much effect. By my late thirties, these headaches had become incapacitating to the point where they often limited activities and even resulted in trips to the emergency room. Needless to say, this health condition was having a substantial negative impact on my life.
In those twenty-some years, I had seen nearly a dozen medical “specialists” and yet none was able to ascertain the cause of my headaches. Things changed, however, when I met Larry and Belinda Wurn at Clear Passage®️ Physical Therapy. In simply observing my posture, they could tell that something was not right, essentially that the muscles in my back were contracted in a manner that put excessive pressure on my neck – the basis for the unbearable headaches. It’s difficult to ascertain the initial cause, but a critical car accident in my early twenties, along with many other falls and injuries over the years, most likely played a part. Incredibly, I felt relief after the first treatment, and within a few weeks, the headaches had been reduced to a point where I no longer needed medication. Today, I am nearly headache-free, and when they do occur, nothing more than aspirin is needed to relieve the pain. In all of those years, doctors never suggested such a simple solution to what is a relatively common problem. I’m very thankful to Clear Passage®️ for their resolution of this debilitating health issue and strongly recommend this very effective alternative to anyone in a similar situation.”
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Tailbone (Coccyx) Pain
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We Treat Tailbone Pain Without Drugs or Surgery
The tailbone (coccyx) is vulnerable to direct and often repeated traumas that can begin early in life. A fall onto the buttocks while walking, climbing, skating, or during other athletic activities can cause direct blows that injure this delicate area. Repetitive traumas to the coccyx can occur from prolonged periods of sitting at work, bicycle or horseback riding, or similar activities. Car accidents and a difficult childbirth are also frequent causes of tailbone injuries.
With an early focus on pelvic pain and dysfunction, Clear Passage®️ therapists have successfully treated coccyx pain since 1989. Our therapy is conservative and designed to relieve the pain permanently, without the risks of surgery or the need for pain medications. Studies published in peer-reviewed U.S. and international medical journals attest to our success in this area.
Complete the online Request Consultation form to receive a phone consultation with an expert therapist, at no cost to you, to learn more about non-surgical treatment for coccyx pain and whether it is appropriate for you.
Causes and Frequency of Tailbone Pain
The tailbone can cause pain or dysfunction when it is pushed or pulled forward
A fall, surgery, accident, or any of the examples above can move the tailbone out of its normal alignment and restrict its mobility, causing constipation, tailbone pain, or lower back pain. In these situations, the coccyx may be pushed into an awkward angle. The internal adhesions that form, along with the consequent pulls on support ligaments, muscles, and nerves, can cause moderate to debilitating tailbone pain. Reproductive and sexual function can also be affected by this mechanism. Examples of problems can include inability to have an orgasm, difficulty maintaining an erection, decreased libido, and infertility. When out of alignment or stuck in a forward position, the coccyx can act like a partly closed door, causing pain with bowel movements and during deep intercourse for women.
A fall, surgery, or accident can move the tailbone out of its normal place, causing constipation, tailbone pain, or lower back pain. In all of these situations, the coccyx may be pushed into an awkward angle. The consequent pull on support ligaments and nerves can cause moderate to debilitating tailbone pain. Reproductive and sexual function can also be affected by this mechanism. Examples of problems can include inability to have an orgasm or difficulty maintaining an erection, decreased libido and infertility.
The tailbone is vulnerable to numerous traumas in life, with blows from behind during a fall…
and from adhesions in front, which can pull the tailbone forward.
Symptoms
Tailbone pain (coccydynia or coccygodynia) can affect all aspects of a person’s life and the lives of their families and friends. Pain that persists for more than three months is considered chronic.
Symptoms may include:
- Constipation
- Severe Headaches
- Difficulty with sitting
- Independent or concurrent back pain
- Pain with deep penetration during intercourse (for women)
Treatments
Clear Passage®️ Treatment
Clear Passage®️ therapists have successfully treated tailbone pain since 1989. Many of our tailbone pain patients spend years searching for relief before finding us. For most of them, the search for pain relief ends with significant or total resolution after treatment at one of our clinics.
Our treatment of coccyx pain requires no surgery or medications. We will sometimes perform a slow and gentle stretch of the ligaments on each side of the tailbone, accessed by a gloved finger in the vagina or rectum. We work with tender areas in the pelvic floor muscles that attach to the front of the coccyx (obturator internus, coccygeus, iliococcygeus, pubococcygeus). These are important for many pelvic functions, including bowel movements and continence (the ability to retain bodily waste).
Due to its unique placement in the body, the coccyx can affect functions as diverse as bowel movements and the ability to walk or run symmetrically and without pain. To thoroughly treat this area, we may also address nearby muscles in the buttocks, hips, and lower back, freeing whatever tight and restricted areas we find. For example, the gluteus maximus, which extends the thigh, has strong attachments at the sacrum and coccyx. Freeing the soft tissues in this area of adhesions that developed in response to falls, surgeries, or even poor posture helps us correct any imbalances or restricted mobility of the sacrum, pelvic bones, and joints – as well as the coccyx.
Pain in the coccyx sometimes originates from or is exacerbated by problems in other locations. Because of this, we often find it important to treat the sacroiliac joint (junction of the sacrum and ilia), the hip, or the lower back.
Our initial goal is to decrease adhesive bonds and any consequent spasm, tightness, or tensions in the area. As we do this, bones and joints return to an earlier state of symmetry and improved mobility, one that occurred before problems at the coccyx.
Depending on the patient’s history, adhesions in the low back, hip, and coccyx can form over years – or even decades. Thus, as we treat, it can take some time (a few minutes to many minutes) for us to begin to make permanent changes in the body. During that time, the tissues begin to slowly relax; the molecular-chemical bonds that bind collagen fibers together, causing adhesions, appear to dissolve or detach. This process is designed to slowly return the body to an earlier state of pain-free mobility. Simply put, rather than forcing change, we work within your body’s limits.
A displaced tailbone can cause persistent or recurring headaches due to the pull of the dura, which stretches from the tailbone to the skull.
When working “with” the body and allowing change to happen at the body’s “own pace,” we created more permanent changes. We take the time required to achieve lasting results.
Depending on your goals, we may teach you stretching exercises for the involved muscles, such as those in the pelvic floor, buttocks, hips, and lower back. We also provide a home program that may involve exercises to relax and strengthen the pelvic area.
Few clinics or physicians offer treatment for tailbone pain other than medications to mask the pain. While chiropractic adjustments may help temporarily, trying to “force” the coccyx into a more normal position doesn’t generally provide a lasting solution, in our experience. We find that long-term pain resolution requires decreasing the strong, underlying adhesions that attach to the coccyx, pulling it out of its normal alignment and causing pain or dysfunction.
Clear Passage®️ therapists have extensive experience treating this delicate area. We do so with the patient’s permission, respect for their privacy and comfort, and professionalism. Patients are totally draped to preserve their modesty at all times during this treatment. We explain what we are going to do, the reason it will help, and explain what we are doing while we are treating.
Experience relief from debilitating tailbone pain with Clear Passage® Physical Therapy’s gentle, non-invasive approach – Request Information and schedule your Free Consultation today to discover how our expert therapists can help you regain comfort and mobility, then visit our Apply to Therapy page to take the first step towards a pain-free life.
Other Treatment Options (Surgery, Drugs)
Most physicians agree that surgery is a treatment of last resort for coccyx pain. While surgery can address adhesions and other mechanical problems, surgery also causes more adhesions to form as the body heals from the surgery. Surgically removing part of the tailbone has brought relief for some; for others, it has brought a lifetime of debilitating pain. If you are considering surgery to remove your coccyx, visit our Avoid Surgery to Remove the Tailbone page.
Testimonials
To read past patient success stories, please visit our Testimonials page.
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Back & Hip Pain
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We Treat Back and Hip Pain Naturally
“After years of incapacitating back problems, I have now received my first 12 hours of treatment at Clear Passage®. I am amazed that I feel physically so much better, in such a short time. It is remarkable to me that I can now bend over, virtually pain-free, for the first time in 14 years! Had I come here sooner, I would have saved myself so many years of pain and misery! Thank you so much.” – Midge
Back and hip pain are specialties for Clear Passage®️ clinicians. We have over two decades of experience eliminating back and hip pain, without surgery or drugs. Our therapists decrease the adhesions or internal scars that form in our bodies throughout life, using manual physio/physical therapy. We help clarify the mystery of chronic back and hip pain and eliminate it.
Complete the online Request Consultation form to receive a free phone consultation with an expert therapist to learn more.
Causes and Frequency of Back & Hip Pain
Chronic back and hip pain can affect all aspects of a person’s life, as well as the lives of their family and friends. Back and hip pain that persists for more than three months is considered chronic.
Symptoms may include:
- Prolonged morning stiffness
- Concurrent sacroiliac or tailbone pain
- Back or leg pain when standing, walking, or sitting
Chronic back or hip pain is often caused by structural or mechanical problems associated with adhesions. Adhesions are tiny glue-like bonds that form in the support structures of the pelvis, back, and hip after a surgery, fall, accident, or other tissue damage. They can pull the structures of the back or hip out of proper alignment.
Two important factors that contribute to back and hip pain are biomechanical and soft tissue dysfunctions of the sacral joints. The sacrum is the body’s center of gravity and stability, simultaneously negotiating forces transferred from the spine and torso above and the legs below it. A complex series of ligaments attaches the sacrum to the two large pelvic bones (the ilia) at the sacroiliac joints. In doing so, they help provide a stable transition between the upper and lower body. The sacrum also forms a joint with the fifth lumbar vertebra at the base of the spine — the lumbosacral junction.
The sacroiliac joints contribute significantly to lower back stability, and the lumbosacral junction contributes greatly to low back mobility. Together, these joints and their support ligaments support the entire body above the pelvis. They represent significant structural and functional units when we walk, bend, lift, twist, or perform most activities of daily living.
We find a strong correlation between dysfunctions of the sacroiliac joints and the lumbosacral junction, and back and hip pain.
Treatments
Clear Passage®️ Treatment
Clear Passage®️ therapists are experts at decreasing and freeing the excess collagen fibers and adhesions that form during the body’s healing process. As we decrease the collagenous bonds that pull the structures of the sacrum, pelvis, and lower back out of alignment, mobility returns, and pain generally decreases significantly. Free of the glue-like adhesions, most patients find that they can move as they did years ago, before the onset of chronic pain.
Free of the glue-like adhesions, most of our patients find that they can move as they did years ago, before the onset of their hip or back pain.
Our goal is to first decrease your pain and then restore your function. As pain begins to resolve, we work to restore alignment, balance, and mobility to the low back, sacrum, sciatic, and hip areas. As symptoms begin to subside, we realign these structures with your legs (below) and your trunk (above) to allow your body to become more balanced, symmetrical, and functional.
Other Treatment Options (Surgery, Drugs)
We have found that many patients do not obtain pain resolution after traditional physical therapy or medications. Chiropractic care may help, but only temporarily, as it does not address the underlying adhesions that pull bony structures out of balance. Our work can be a natural complement to expert chiropractic care.
Most physicians agree that surgery is a treatment of last resort. While surgery can address adhesions and other mechanical problems, surgery also causes more adhesions to form. We suspect that new adhesion formation is one reason that surgery does not always result in lasting relief. In fact, some people find their pain worsens after surgery.
Surgeons may insert rods, cut or replace discs, or shave openings in bones, hoping to relieve back or hip pain. Spinal surgery will not give complete relief if the pain is due to tightness or adhesions in the support ligaments or the muscles of the lower back.
The cause of back or hip pain can be difficult to diagnose. Most doctors suggest trying the most conservative interventions first. This generally means therapy before drugs, drugs before surgery, and surgery as a last resort.
Testimonials
To read past patient success stories, please visit our Testimonials page.
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Neck Pain
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We Treat Chronic or Recurring Neck Pain Without Surgery or Drugs
In order to have lasting results with chronic neck pain, the structures below the neck must also be evaluated and treated.
Clear Passage®️ therapists have successfully treated severe and recurring pain in the neck and nearby areas for over 20 years. This non-surgical, drug-free manual physio/physical therapy can decrease or eliminate mechanical restrictions throughout the neck, head, shoulders, and back, helping you return to a functional, pain-free life.
Complete our online Request Consultation form to receive a free phone consultation with an expert therapist and learn whether our therapy can help you.
Causes and Frequency of Neck Pain
Chronic neck pain is generally caused by ‘mechanical’ factors such as trauma (an accident or fall) or “good student” postures – those that occur from years of forward head position after many years at school or at work, computers. Adhesions that form in the neck can pull into the base of the skull, upper back, or shoulders, causing pain in those areas. Anti-inflammatory and pain medications can mask pain but do little to address the cause.
Adhesions that form in the neck can pull into the base of the skull, upper back, or shoulders, causing pain in these areas.
Sensing inflammation, the body sends in tiny collagen cross-links (the building blocks of adhesions, shown here at a microscopic level) to assist the muscles at the back of our neck. These cross-links form between muscle cells in our neck and become part of our permanent structure.
Effects of Posture
From the time we sit at our first school desk, our seated posture begins a lifelong interplay with the structures on the back of the neck and into the base of the skull. Thus, most of us are forced into positions that cause micro-trauma to the neck from an early age. The repeated stresses on our necks continue through high school and into college and professional life. As designed, the human torso, neck, and head should be able to maintain a vertical posture in space. A vertical line drawn through the ear should go through the center of the shoulder joint and the center of the hip joint. In this position, the muscles of the neck have the best opportunity to remain relaxed and pain-free because the weight of the head is totally supported by the bones of the spine. Neck problems often begin when we first sit at our desks and the weight of our heads (about 10 pounds or 5 kilograms) pitches forward while we read our lessons, write in our notebooks, or gaze at our laptops. In this forward head posture, the muscles at the back of the neck must tighten to keep the head from falling onto the chest. As we advance through school, these small muscles tend to contract constantly, though they are not designed to fire hour after hour, week after week, year after year.
Adherent tissues in the larger structures of the back, abdomen, pelvis, and even legs can impose significant pressure on the delicate structures of the neck and head, perpetuating the pain. Thus, a key part of our therapy is a thorough evaluation of the biomechanics of the support structures of the neck – the larger structures of the back, abdomen, pelvis, and even legs.
Forced to contract chronically, the muscles at the back of our neck can spasm and become inflamed. Sensing inflammation, the body sends in tiny collagen cross-links (the building blocks of adhesions) to assist the muscles at the back of our neck, causing stiffness and pain. For some people, the forward head posture that began in school becomes exacerbated later in life as we spend hour upon hour in front of our computers. Gynecology, dentistry, cosmetology, and other professions require not only the head but the arms and shoulders to be forward, increasing the build-up of collagen cross-links in the neck and shoulders, and often increasing pain symptoms. If this posture is not corrected by the time we reach our thirties and beyond, many people find themselves bent forward, with thick, adhered muscles, tightness, and spasm from the base of the skull down to the mid or even lower back.
Effects of trauma
Falls and traumas to the upper body can cause whiplash with direct trauma to the neck. Injuries in the lower body (back, hip, tailbone, or legs) can cause neck pain when the consequent adhesions pull the bones of the pelvis out of symmetry and alignment. As the foundation for the spine and upper body, the pelvis must be level in order to support a stable back and neck. When pelvic structures become unbalanced due to an injury, surgery, or inflammatory process, the spine can no longer sustain its symmetrical vertical alignment. Situated at the very top of the spine, the neck suffers from the asymmetrical foundation below.
From our first days in school, the muscles in our upper back, shoulders, and neck are called on to fire for hours at a time, daily, month after month.
Treatments
Clear Passage®️ Treatment
Providers who treat the neck alone often miss two important elements:
1. The support structures below the neck can create asymmetry and strains in the neck as it responds to an uneven foundation, and
2. The tiny but powerful cross-links – the building blocks of adhesions – that can bind muscle, bone, and nerve cells, causing stiffness and pain.
In order to have lasting results with chronic neck pain, the structures below the neck must also be evaluated and treated. Only when the spine is balanced on the stable foundation of a horizontal pelvis can treatment at the neck be effective and provide long-lasting results.
Our physical therapists are thoroughly trained to palpate, evaluate, and decrease the powerful adhesive cross-links that form in the neck and its support structures. We start by addressing the myofascial tissues (muscles and fascia) of the head and neck. From there, we will evaluate and treat any tight areas at the shoulders and chest – areas that often become tightened from years of forward head posture. Then, we evaluate the structure and symmetry of the back and pelvis in order to create a stable foundation for a vertical spine.
To achieve lasting relief, we review your history of traumas, infections, and surgeries. Then we look beyond our strong focus on the neck to evaluate asymmetry and adhered areas throughout the body.
We decrease or eliminate the adhesive pulls that have formed over the years in the neck and its support structures in order to return each patient to a body that is mobile, functional, and pain-free, from head to toe.
Other Treatment Options (Surgery, Drugs)
Other treatment options for neck pain vary widely depending on the severity of the patient’s pain. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) uses electrodes placed near painful trigger areas to deliver impulses designed to relieve pain. However, this does very little to effectively treat the cause of the pain, leaving the patient with only temporary relief from pain and symptoms. Traction is sometimes used in patients using weights or pulleys under medical professional supervision to aid in stretching the neck. Tracton can provide relief of neck pain related to nerve root irritation; if the pain is not related to nerve root irritation, this treatment will not be effective and can even add to the problems. Short-term immobilization is another treatment option, taking pressure off the structures in your neck. It is noted that if used for a long period of time (more than 2-3 hours at a time) or for more than a few weeks, the collar may do more damage to your symptoms, creating only a temporary and sometimes risky solution. Surgery is rarely used as a treatment for neck pain and is used as the last option in a patient’s treatment course.
Testimonials
To read past patient success stories, please visit our Testimonials page.
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The Wurn Technique® for Infertility, Pain, and Adhesions on BabyZone.com
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by Lisa B. Samalonis
The struggle that thousands of couples face with conception and infertility can become a nagging see-saw of hope and renewed monthly heartbreak, invisible to the naked eye yet latent, inexorable, hiding just below the surface of a person’s public persona.
Because many find the subject too personal or painful to discuss in public, couples in this situation ally themselves with the tools and the probing, invasive tests that the worlds of medicine, counseling, and psychology have to offer.
Yet when infertility is linked to a history of abdominal or pelvic infections (such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), bladder or yeast infections, and endometriosis), single or repeated surgery (such as laparoscopy, C-section, or back surgery), a fall, trauma, abuse, or radiation therapy, and when one or a combination of those factors have caused adhesion formation, a simple but revolutionary solution may have been overlooked.
Recent studies show that an individualized, manual (hands-on) form of physical therapy, also known as site-specific massage to the body’s soft tissues, may help infertile women conceive.
“The primary goal of our therapy is to increase mobility and decrease pain by using specific techniques to break down the excess collagenous cross-links, which are at the core of adhesion formation,” explains Larry Wurn, LMT, a massage therapist and the clinical co-director of the Gainesville, Florida-based Clear Passage® Therapies (a group of small, private clinics). “These excess cross-links may cause pain and limited movement. It would be very difficult for us to break down the primary adhesions that allowed the patient to heal. However, we have strong clinical evidence that we can greatly decrease the excess cross-links which appear to be the cause of so much pain and dysfunction.”
Wurn developed the technique to help his physical therapist wife, Belinda Wurn, after she experienced pain following several surgeries and pelvic radiation.
“The Clear Passage® philosophy addresses the entire body. The therapists use their hands to gently adjust, apply traction, mobilize, massage, and stimulate the structures of the body from head to toe, in order to restore balance and symmetry,” he says.
Clearing Passages
After injury, infection, or surgery, patients may experience pain, dysfunction, or increased tissue tension in their bodies. Symptoms may appear in muscles, joints, connective tissues, and organs. According to Wurn, problems can occur in the body due to the adhesions formed following the original trauma. Pain and dysfunction can also occur months or years later, due to the body’s compensations in response to the injury, surgery, or infection.
Adhesion formation occurs after trauma to the tissues as a response to the tissue damage. After an injury, infection, or surgery, tiny yet strong collagen fibers form as part of the body’s response to the trauma. These collagen fibers form adhesions by laying down “cross-links” in random patterns, which form the building blocks of scar tissue. “Adhesions can be tough and wiry, or filmy and thin,” says Wurn. “They may be large enough to be seen by diagnostic tests, or so small that they are microscopic. Either way, they can exert tremendous tensile forces on the tissues where they form.”
Adhesions and cross-links may remain in the body long after the original inflammation or trauma has healed. “They may adhere the injured tissues to nerves (causing pain) or to neighboring structures (causing dysfunction),” Wurn explains. “As the body’s tissues heal and adhesions are formed, the tissues begin to shrink somewhat, resulting in decreased movement in the injured area. Thus, the healing process can actually create more mechanical irritation and more cross-linking of collagen fibers, perpetuating the cycle of adhesion formation.”
The treatment focuses on the adhesions in the soft tissues, such as muscles, organs, and connective tissues. The latter may become shorter, restricted, or adhere to neighboring structures after surgery, injury, infection, or inflammation.
Wurn points out that when adhesions or tiny micro-adhesions form around and between structures (including the reproductive organs), the organs may, in turn, adhere to other structures. This restricts the organs, causing them to potentially become painful and/or lose their ability to function properly.
Pain complaints may include back, hip, or neck pain; headaches at the base or top of the skull or temples; cramping, painful menstruation, or pain with intercourse. Functional problems include constipation, loose bowels, poor digestion, or infertility.
Adhesions may cause blocked fallopian tubes, poor function of the fimbria, ovaries restricted by thick or filmy adhesions, or deviation of the cervix, making a difficult passage for sperm. “A sheet of filmy adhesions may decrease the uterine wall’s ability to allow implantation, causing a miscarriage after fertilization. Ovarian adhesions may cause decreased hormonal function,” Wurn says.
How the Wurn Technique® Is Done
The therapist applies a gentle, specific stretch with the hands for a sustained period of time to tighten areas in the body’s connective tissues until the tension is released.
According to Wurn, this release of tension suggests a breakdown of the cross-links, which have been adhering to structures. The release allows those structures to move more freely, generally with decreased pain. “The result is improved mobility of the soft tissues, which the patient notices as decreased pain and increased function.”
Wurn defines candidates as women with a history of abdominal or pelvic infection (such as PID, bladder or yeast infection, or endometriosis), those who have undergone one or more surgeries (such as laparoscopy, C-section, or back surgery), or a fall, trauma, abuse, or radiation therapy. This treatment is not recommended for women with an active infection, cancer, hemophilia, HIV, or those whose fallopian tubes have been closed surgically and never reopened. It is also not recommended for male factor infertility.
Early Results
He notes that the initial results have been very promising, and they are conducting clinical studies in the areas of site-specific infertility massage´s effect on infertility reversal, opening blocked fallopian tubes, increased sexual function, decreased pain with menstruation, ovulation, and intercourse, decreased FSH levels, and increased pregnancy and birth rates with therapy administered prior to IVF transfer.
“We performed two pilot studies before we began a more intensive scientific investigation. Fifty percent of the infertile women in the pilot studies had full-term pregnancies, and an additional 25 percent had at least one fallopian tube clear after treatment.” Wurn says that this nonsurgical treatment apparently improved reproductive capabilities in 75 percent of the women, without drugs or surgery. “Subsequent studies with many more patients appear to validate these results,” he adds. “These rates compare favorably with many medical techniques, but at a lower cost and without the risks of surgery or drugs.”
April 10, 2013